A Permanent Covenant

A covenant is a relationship between two parties who make binding promises to each other and work together to reach their common goal.

We are currently living in “New Covenant” times. This covenant defines a new relationship between God and man mediated by Jesus Christ and based upon a sincere declaration that one believes in Jesus Christ as Lord, God, and Savior.

Today, we are meditating upon this covenant that believers have with the Lord.

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isa 54:10 NIV)

Neither God’s love—nor His covenant of peace—will be shaken or upset. Glory to God!

Pay attention to me, come to me; and listen, so that you may live; then I’ll make an everlasting covenant with you, as promised by my faithful, sure love for David. (Isa 55:3 ISV)

As our title today tells us, we have an everlasting covenant with the Lord. It will not end.

I will not break my agreement nor change what I have said. (Ps 89:34 NCV)

God is stating clearly that He will never break His Word or change His promises to us. We can rely upon His stability and His dependability. Thus, our faith may rest upon a flawless foundation. Hallelujah!

God’s Works Are Perfect

The word perfect means being entirely without fault or defect; complete. We can see how God’s works are rightly described as perfect. Here are several verses from the Bible:

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. (Deut 32:4 NIV)

As for God, his way is upright; the word of God is pure; he is a shield to all those who take refuge in him. (Ps 18:30 ISV)

And they will say about you, “The Lord always does right! God is our mighty rock.” (Ps 92:15 CEV)

These passages from the Scriptures remind us of how truly awesome and good our God is! His ways are just, and He is faithful and upright.

God’s actions are perfect, and His character traits exhibit justice and mercy, as well as an ability to forgive repeatedly. When the Bible mentions “works,” it is discussing such things as actions, tasks, activities, and results.

Not only that, but God’s word is PURE—which means free from anything different, inferior or contaminating, free from foreign or inappropriate elements.

When we make the Lord our safe haven, He will shield us from evil and all harm.

Several Bible verses remind us that God cannot lie. (Num 23:19; 1 Sam 15:29; Heb 6:18) So in any circumstance or challenge of our lives, we can always rely upon the truth that ‘The Lord always does right!” Be encouraged, strengthened, and emboldened in your faith in Jesus Christ, dear friend.

When God Speaks, His Word is Fulfilled

The Bible establishes the truth that when God speaks, His word is fulfilled.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (Gen 1:3 NKJV)

Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. (Josh 21:45 NIV)

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made; all the heavenly bodies by the breath of his mouth. (Ps 33:6 ISV)

For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood firm. (Ps 33:9 NASB)

For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. (Lk 1:37 AMP)

God’s words are always realized (executed). God is dependable and faithful to His word—unlike human beings. He is a Being that it’s safe to put our trust in.

God’s word is tested, tried and proven. His word will always bear fruit no matter how people act, what people utter or what people believe. Glory to God!

Whenever we choose to believe and act upon the timeless word of God, God will cause that word to be performed in our lives. It will surely come to be. Understanding the faithfulness of God’s word strengthens our faith and enables us to trust in His word.

I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:6 CEB)

We can also be assured, as the above Scripture passage above verifies, that the work the Lord has begun in each of His children will be fully completed. God bless you.

The Lord is Faithful & Upright

The Bible tells us in many different verses that God is not only faithful, but that He is upright. What do these terms means to us?

Faithful means the fact or quality of being true to one’s word or commitments, as to what one has pledged to do, professes to believe, etc. Titus 1:2 reminds us that God cannot lie! This tells us that we may trust whatever He says.

Upright means morally erect; honest; just; conforming to high, moral standards.

Now let’s look at these Scriptures:

For the word of the Lord is upright; and all his works are done in faithfulness. ⁵He loves righteousness and justice; the world is filled with the gracious love of the Lord. (Ps 33:4-5 ISV)

According to this passage, God’s Word is upright, honest, and just. All of God’s works are done in faithfulness, according to what He has promised. Glory to God!

Our Lord, you are true to your promises, and your word is like silver heated seven times in a fiery furnace. (Ps 12:6 CEV)

This Bible verse reminds us that God’s promises are true (genuine, valid, sincere), and that they have been tried and tested—just like fine silver.

The Lord is your mighty defender, perfect and just in all his ways; your God is faithful and true; he does what is right and fair. (Deu 32:4 GNT)

How reassuring to read this Bible passage above! God is declared to be our mighty Defender who is perfect and just (good, fair, honest, honorable) in all of His ways.

For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will see His face. (Ps 11:7 NASB)

According to the Scripture shown above, all who are upright (honest, respectable, righteous) will see God’s face. Hallelujah!

The earth, O Lord, is full of thy steadfast love; teach me thy statutes! (Ps 119:64 RSV)

Lastly, we see the Lord’s love described as steadfast which is just another word for faithful, reliable and trustworthy.

As you can see, based upon what we have just studied, God is indeed faithful and upright! He is worthy to be praised!

The Lord Saves His Servants

The Lord is committed to those of us who follow Him and serve Him. His Word testifies to this truth repeatedly.

The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. (Ps 34:22 NKJV) This is just one of the Lord’s promises to His people. NONE who trust in Him shall be condemned.

The poor can run to you because you are a fortress in times of trouble. ¹⁰Everyone who honors your name can trust you, because you are faithful to all who depend on you. (Ps 9:9-10 CEV) Our God is a fortress in times of trouble. He is faithful to ALL who depend upon Him. God cannot lie. (Tit 1:2)

. . . who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion . . . (Ps 103:4 NIV) Not only does the Lord redeem our lives from hell but He also crowns us with His love and compassion. Praise the Lord!

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Rom 8:31-32 ESV) If God is on our side, but no one can succeed or gain victory over the Lord. Since the Lord didn’t spare His own Son, it is certain that along with our salvation He freely gives us all that we need.

We are blessed to serve a faithful and loving God.

To Attain Greatness, Serve!

Would you like to be called great someday? The Bible tells us how to reach that goal! But it would surprise most of us to know that the pathway to greatness is by serving others!

That’s not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, ²⁷and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. (Mt 20:26-27 ISV)

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Mk 10:45 NKJV) Even our Savior, Jesus Christ, came to earth to serve mankind—not to sit on His throne as King!

But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. (Lk 22:26 ESV)

Those who humble themselves like this little child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 18:4 CEB)

The Bible has this to say about one of God’s servants: Moses was faithful in all God’s house, as a servant. (Heb 3:5)

The more that we serve and help other people, the higher that we rise in God’s estimation. In Matthew 20:28, Jesus said that He, Himself, came to serve and to be a ransom for many. What a beautiful example to all of us who follow Him and serve Him!

Here’s a short list of some great people who became famous because of their service to others: Mother Teresa (Missionaries of Charity); Clara Barton (American Red Cross); William Booth (Salvation Army); Bill Wilson (Alcoholics Anonymous); and Cecil Jackson-Cole (Oxfam). There are many, many others that I don’t have space to name.

Those who strive to be servants gain respect, success, and acclaim. They also are noticed and rewarded by our God and Savior, whose opinion of us is the most important of all. God bless you!

Savior & Deliverer

Our God is our Savior and our Deliverer. His Word is full of His promises to us, and it also contains the testimonies of many believers who have experienced the Lord’s saving power and deliverance.

The Lord will save me when anyone tries to hurt me, and he will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Glory forever and ever be the Lord’s. Amen. (2 Tim 4:18 NCV)

But the Lord is faithful and will give you strength and will protect you from the Evil One. (2 Thes 3:3 NCV)

God saved us from these great dangers of death, and he will continue to save us. We have put our hope in him, and he will save us again. (2 Cor 1:10 NCV)

These Bible verses remind us of some wonderful truths about the God whom we serve:

God saves us from those who try to harm us;
The Lord will make sure that we arrive safely in heaven;
Our God is faithful;
God’s grace will give us strength and protect us from the enemy of our souls;
God has saved our souls, and will continue to save us day-by-day; and
As long as we put our hope in Him, He will continue to save us time after time.

There is no God like our God! (Ex 8:10; 1 Sam 2:2; 1 Chr 17:20) Let us give Him all of the glory, honor, and praise!

God Stands By Us

Our amazing God stands by His people at all times, and in all circumstances. He actually fights for us. The Bible confirms this truth.

Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you. (Deu 3:22)

For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. (Deu 20:4)

Through You we will push back our adversaries; through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us. (Ps 44:5)

One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you. (Josh 23:10)

God loves us and He defends us in order to give us the victory. Jesus is our Overcomer. (Joh 16:33b) God has made each and every one of us overcomers because we are people of faith who serve a God who asks us to put our faith in Jesus Christ.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 Joh 5:4-5, emphasis added)

God has promised that all who put their faith in Jesus Christ (which qualifies us as born-of-God) are overcomers. Hallelujah!

God never stops fighting for us because He is almighty and eternal. He is not limited by time; He is not limited by human constraints; and He never lacks for anything. He calls us His chosen and special ones. (Deu 7:6; 14:2)

His Word is His promise to us, and He is eternally faithful to His Word; He keeps His Word. When our faith is weak, He is by our side, imparting His strength and grace to us. All we need to do is to open our hearts to Him and allow His strength and empowerment to flow into us.

The Lord said that He will never leave us, never forsake us. (Neh 9:31; Heb 13:5b, italics added)

If you’re in a battle of any kind whether faith, finances, relationships or health, put your trust and hope in Jesus Christ. He is with you always—waiting for you to turn toward Him. God bless you.

An Everlasting Throne

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has been promised an everlasting throne according to the Scriptures. Let’s consider this truth today.

You, O Lord, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation. (Lam 5:19)

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. (Ps 45:6)

But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, and the remembrance of Your name to all generations. (Ps 102:12)

This truth from the Bible is information designed to strengthen and to sustain our faith, and give us confidence in the Lord. Our Savior is the Prince of Peace and the King of Kings. (Isa 9:6; 1 Tim 6:14-16)

Here is some additional insight into the Lord’s everlasting throne:

When the angel was announcing to Mary the conception of the Messiah, these promises were reiterated. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end“ (Lk 1:31-33). These promises will be eternally fulfilled some day. “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'” (Rev 11:15). Source: https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/dbdbg/view.cfm?Date=0630

One day ALL of the nations of the earth will worship and glorify our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! (Ps 22:27; 72:11; 86:9; 102:15; Isa 2:2; 40:5; 45:23; 66:23; Jer 3:17; 33:9)

As God’s own people and joint heirs with Jesus Christ (Rom 8:17), let us be faithful and obedient to acknowledge and praise our Sovereign God and King now! May we be continuously aware that we serve the God whose reign will never end. We will spend eternity with the Lord in sweet fellowship and harmony with Him. Glory to God!

Be an Encourager

That’s why you must encourage and help each other, just as you are already doing. (1 Thes 5:11 CEV)

So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. ³¹When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. ³²Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. (Ac 15:30-32)

The Bible reminds us to encourage one another in our faith. That also means that we should encourage each other in every area of life, since faith touches literally everything in our lives. The Scriptures are full of encouraging words to guide our lives and to spur us on to faith and action. Here a just a few of those passages:

For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory. (Deu 20:4)
Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. (Ps 34:10b)
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:31)
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isa 41:10)
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Mt 11:28)
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Cor 10:13)
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:19)

Take as many opportunities as you can to encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ to cling to the Lord and to their faith in Him. You will be blessed and encouraged as well.

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