The Word of God for wisdom:
Proverbs 27:10 (HCSB)
10 Don't abandon your friend or your father's friend, and don't go to your brother's house in your time of calamity; better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
The Word of God for inspiration:
Psalm 106:43-45 (HCSB)
43 He rescued them many times, but they continued to rebel deliberately and were beaten down by their sin.
44 When He heard their cry, He took note of their distress,
45 remembered His covenant with them, and relented according to the riches of His faithful love.
The Word of God for encouragement:
Hebrews 8:7 (HCSB)
7 For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one.
Hebrews 8:10 (HCSB)
10 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people.
My observation:
I like new things. However, there is a condition, the new must be better than the old. In Hebrews chapter 8 the writer cites the new covenant that God made with his people. This is the kind of new that I welcome and embrace; this new covenant was superior to the old covenant.
The old covenant was faulty because God's people could not keep it. Their works were never sufficient as a condition for life. So God gave them a new covenant where he would provide a Savior who would do the work to satisfy the conditions for life. Under this new covenant works are only required as the fruit that gives evidence of new life.
Under the new covenant God puts his word in our heart, and he, by his Spirit works in us to transform our character. The result of God's work in us produces works through us that demonstrate that we have received the gift of new life.
2 Corinthians 3:1-3 (HCSB)
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you?
2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, recognized and read by everyone.
3 It is clear that you are Christ's letter, produced by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God—not on stone tablets but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (HCSB)
18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
My prayer:
Father God, my dear Father, I praise you for the new covenant that provided a better way to know you, and to be known by you.
Father, I thank you for the work that you do in the hearts of your children to make us acceptable in your eyes, and fit to live in your presence forever.
Father, with my whole heart, I want to cherish your word; I will hide it in my heart so that it will work in me to transform me. Father, I surrender myself to you, make me holy like you are holy. In Jesus name, Amen.
Leviticus 20:7-8 (HCSB)
7 Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am Yahweh your God.
8 Keep My statutes and do them; I am Yahweh who sets you apart.
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1 Peter 5:7 (HCSB)
7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.
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