Imperfect to Perfect

This is a series of devotions and meditations on scripture. It emphasizes rejecting fear and embracing faith in God. It discusses the concept of covenant and the different covenants God made with humanity throughout history. The ultimate covenant is through Jesus and his blood, which offers forgiveness, blessings, and freedom from fear. It encourages taking communion and strengthening faith through the Word. The message is that God's love is unconditional and abundant, and by accepting His covenant, we can experience His perfect love and overcome fear. Welcome to Fear No Fear. Grace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May the Holy Spirit embrace you today. This is a series of devotions and meditations on scripture. We reject fear in any and all forms. Fear is a spiritual force, the currency of darkness and ignorance. It's what we inherited when Adam gave up his faith and Satan uses it to keep people down. His only weapon is words. If he can get you believing or looking at words of fear, he's got you. Instead, we champion faith as an allegiance to God, as a belief and trust and loyalty to the Lord God Almighty. We accept the evidence of His word as unvarnished truth, as is, just as it's written. We get close to His perfect love through the word, and perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4.18 All scripture is taken from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Visit eBible.org Haggai 2.5 This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my spirit lived among you. Don't be afraid. Covenant is both a noun and a verb. The noun is a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement or compact. Now, a compact, interestingly, is both an agreement and a covenant between two parties, as well as something with a dense structure or parts or units closely packed or joined. Covenant also means pledge, a binding promise or agreement to do or forbear from doing. And contract, which is a binding agreement between two or more persons or parties, especially one that is legally enforceable. This sounds like serious business, and that a lot is involved. The Lord God Almighty has covenanted with humanity on more than one occasion, five actually, but always moving from what we were willing to accept to what we were willing to accept. Well, what's the difference between those two exact same things? Our hearts moving from imperfect to perfect. Noah received the first covenant. It was a universal covenant for humanity. Abraham was the first individual to have a covenant with God. It was after he was called out of the land of his fathers and sent into Canaan. It was after he and Lot went their separate ways. Abraham saved Lot, and Abraham tied to King Melchizedek, who is a really interesting figure who gets talked about as well in Hebrews 4.14 to 5.10. It's worth a study. That was a lot that Abraham already had done with God. In fact, in Genesis 14.22, Abraham or Abram was swearing by the name of the Lord in solemn promise before the Lord. He'd already forged a relationship with God. God referred to himself as Abraham's shield and exceedingly great reward, Genesis 15.1. The Lord promised the land of Canaan to Abraham to inherit and his offspring after him, Genesis 15.4. An interesting note language-wise is that while God talked about Abraham's offspring in the plural and countless, the air was always singular because he was referring to Jesus, who was of the line of Abraham. Now, the Lord entered into covenant with Abraham in the standard way of Abraham's people, the blood of animals. They would cut them apart, lay them in lines, and walk between them with torches. God did just this in Genesis 15.9-21. This was an imperfect covenant in that it was a covenant of mortal blood and perishable. But God honored it and considered it as sacred. Later came the law as dictated to Moses, covenant number three, and this covenant was struck that was a continuation of Abraham's covenant, Exodus 29, 38-46. It was also imperfect for the same reason, the blood of animals, which are perishable. This covered the sin of humans but did not absolve it or wash it away. Interestingly, when Adam and Eve fell, one of the first things the Lord did was cover them in the bloodied skin of animals, essentially sacrificing animals for their sin, Genesis 3-21. Now, Abraham meditated on the promises of the Lord, as did his children. The people of Israel learned the law and passed it down for centuries. The fourth covenant was the Davidic covenant, 2 Samuel 7. It was a continuation of the previous covenants. It had seven main points. David's line would have a kingdom, there would be a royal dynasty, the covenant would be unlimited and everlasting, Jerusalem would be the spiritual center of Israel, the temple would be the visible sign of the covenant, and wisdom would be the new law of this covenant. So, it's a messianic covenant fulfilled in Jesus. It also was passed down for centuries. For thousands of years, from Abraham to Jesus, humans thought about sacrifice and redemption and covenant. It was only when the hearts of humanity were ready, when enough faith had been built up, that people were eagerly expecting and asking God to move and deliver them. Think of Simeon and Anna in Luke 2, 22-40. That was when Jesus came. He came with signs and wonders. His actions and words fulfilled prophecy. He did things no one had ever done because he wasn't doing them. But the Father threw him, John 5, 19-23. He had a simple message. Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and doesn't come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life, John 5, 24. It still took three years of experiences and intense teaching for some of us humans to get it. You know, the twelve and his other disciples. Paul says in Romans 10, 8-11, The word of faith which we preach, that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness. And with the mouth confession is made, resulting in salvation. For the scripture says, whoever believes in him will not be disappointed. Which is a quote from Isaiah 28, 16. Therefore the Lord Yahweh says, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily. It comes down to this. Do you believe the word of the Lord? It took a lot of interaction, words, declarations, miracles, wonders, and signs for us to get this. It took true and patient love. But we got to the point that the human heart was willing to accept it. Jesus came and made for us a perfect covenant. Covenant 5. With his blood, which is both perfect and eternal. This is the one and true covenant of which we have only seen shadows. But now in Jesus, we see the covenant itself. The covenant of his blood in his body. Matthew 26, 26-30. If you accept it, there is no longer any reason to fear. For you will have the perfect love of the Lord God inside you. Romans 8, 38-39. You will be covenanted to the Almighty God through the first begotten son. 1 Corinthians 5, 7-8. And perfect love casts out all fear. 1 John 4, 18-19. We are able to love because he loved us first. So, what do we get out of this covenant that we have access to in Jesus? Number one, access to the Father as members of his family. Ephesians 2, 4-22. Two, a mediator between us and the Father reminding him we are covered by the blood. 1 Timothy 2, 4-6. Very useful. Where people were stupid, we do dumb things. Three, we get all the blessings promised to Abraham and none of the curse. Galatians 3, 13-14. Four, all sin paid for. Believers, non-believers, everyone is covered. If we accept it, we get the benefit. If we don't, we don't. These are very broad strokes, but they are powerful strokes. The last one is the most important and it's the good news we are supposed to be spreading. God has paid for sin. Sin is dealt with. It is no longer a factor in our relationship with God. God isn't angry at us. God isn't vengeful toward us. God is loving. All he is doing is loving on us. But we have to take the gift. If we don't take the gift, we are not covered. The payment is made, but we are not redeemed. Imagine being covered in mud. You step under the shower, it comes off. If you don't, it won't. God has turned on the shower. He has enabled you to get clean. All you need to do is accept it. That's the number one fallacy when it comes to God, that he is sending sinners to hell. He isn't, 2 Peter 3.9. He paid for sin, John 8, 34-38. We are choosing to go to hell. He doesn't want us to go. Not any of us. Not Saul, not Solomon, not Judas, not Paul, not Hitler, not even a politician or a math teacher. He wants everyone in. But we do not all choose to stay out. Matthew 7, 13-14. But, if we accept the covenant, we accept the benefits of the price Jesus paid for sin. For the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls. For it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life. Leviticus 17, 11. Jesus shed blood, broke the altar of the spirit of toiling and sweating for sustenance. He enables us to prosper again. Jesus shed blood, removed the altar of the spirit of slander. He restores our self-esteem and glory. Jesus shed blood, removed the altar of the spirit of shame. He restores our dignity and honor. Jesus shed blood, removed the altar of the spirit of sickness. Any sickness in any arena of life, mental, spiritual, or physical. Yahweh is the God who heals. Jesus has enabled us to receive healing. He restored our health. Jesus shed blood, removed the altar of the spirit of poverty. He enables us to enjoy Abraham's blessing and walk in Abraham's responsibility to use the blessing to bless others. Jesus shed blood, broke the ability of the enemy to hold the work of our hands or prevent our feet from walking the path of our destiny. He restored our legal right to be blessed through Jesus' hands. Jesus' bloody feet walk and illuminate our destiny path. Jesus shed blood, destroyed the altar of the spirit of broken hearts. He birthed us into bridehood. Broken hearts restored, healed, put back together, and enabled to walk forward full and whole. We get to have all the benefits, all the blessing of the first covenants, but are released from the requirements of the law. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, Galatians 3, 13-14. Which means what? But now He, Jesus, has obtained a more excellent ministry by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, on which better promises has been given as law, Hebrews 8, 6. Abraham had a good covenant. Moses had a good covenant. Noah had a good covenant. David had a good covenant. We, we have a better covenant. We have the best covenant. We have Jesus' covenant, the new covenant of His blood and His body broken, a covenant of restoration, a covenant where the works were done by Jesus, a covenant of grace, not achievement, a covenant of faith, a covenant of love. If you haven't yet covenant with Him today, we're told how in 1 Corinthians 11, 23-26. For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread. When He had given thanks, He broke it and said, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me. In the same way, He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink in memory of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. Take fear to the curb, because it and all its offspring has no part in the covenant of God. Our body has organs and needs food for fuel to run itself. Our spirit also has organs and needs food for fuel to run itself. Taking communion helps our minds to grasp that. Getting into the Word is the food and drink we need. Why? Because Jesus is the Word and the Word is Jesus, John 1. The Word strengthens our spirit, which helps us to be able to believe, accept, and receive everything the cross got us, every aspect of our new covenant. All your victory is already paid for, which is why we need to strengthen our faith, because it doesn't always look like it. We must look to Jesus and stay focused on Him through the Word. Holy Spirit is here to take us to a level of living, a place of living not based on feelings or emotions. We have to listen to be in the Spirit, to pray out of revelation from Him, not just our feelings, as revealed from the Word. To live with the sword of the Spirit in our hands. The devil doesn't respond to feelings. The devil ignores our emotions. The devil responds to the Word. The Word is the final arbiter of everything. We have the right to communicate with the power of the cross on a daily basis through mindful communion. Then cross power starts communicating with us, which lets resurrection power flow in our situation, not by feelings, but by truth. Deeper than feeling or emotion or what we see as the facts, we have victory now because of Jesus, in Jesus, through Jesus. If we stand still, we can see the salvation of the Lord. We can see the victory in our spirit. Even the youth faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall, those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not be weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40, 30-31 Amen. Covenant with Him today, if you haven't already, and enter His rest. There's no fear there. Only perfect love. Our daily affirmation of God's love is Psalm 51, 10-19. God delights in the praises of His people, Psalm 35, 27-28, and His salvation brings us joy. God has delivered us from the guilt of bloodshed in more ways than one. Our sins have been washed away and the old covenant perfected in Jesus, whose blood and body are the new covenant. Let your tongue sing His praises. Revel in the love of God. Embrace and walk in His covenant today. Claim your legal right of inheritance, which are yours by declaration of the Lord God Almighty. Isaiah 54, 17 They are your trust fund, established by a loving, generous Father, and waiting for you. Grasp hold of it today. As we close, remember that you have birth. You are precious and valuable. Declare this. Today, God loves that I, now you, fill in the blank. Was it a meal you made? A smile you gave? Did you get out of bed? Read? Put on socks? There's no wrong answers here. There is no end to God's love and no end to the things about you that He loves each and every day. Pick one, and remember the Lord loves you, just because you're you. 1 John 4, 9-10 tells us, By this, God's love was revealed in us, that God has sent His only-born Son into the world, that we might live through Him. And this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. His perfect love turned away God's wrath because of sin, and it casts out our fear too. See verses 18 and 19. We love because He first loved us. He just loves us. Can't get enough of us. And that is wonderful. See you next time.