Covenant Realities

 STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 

A Daily Devotional by Bishop David

Covenant Realities

14 November

 

 SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY Psalm 89:26-33 26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. 27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. 28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. 29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. 30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

 

MORE LESSON Genesis 28:16-22 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. 17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

 

My mercy will I keep for him for evermore; and my covenant shall stand fast with him. Psalm 89:28

 

The reading passages of today explicitly reveal the value of covenant and the privileges of making covenant with God. When God wanted a permanent partnership and relationship with Abraham, God made a covenant with him in Genesis 17:1-2, And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect. And I will make a covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

 This covenant that Abraham made with God indeed led to multiplication and greatness that went beyond Abraham to his generation of children yet to be born, they all enjoyed the covenant blessings. Covenant excites God. He did it not just with Abraham but also with kings and nations alongside with other individuals. Covenant is done in partnership; covenants have witnesses and tokens. To be sure of a good life on earth, tidy up your life by entering into a covenant with God.

 A covenant with God means His strength, glory, honour become available to you especially when you fulfil your side of and service the covenant. Does that mean when you are in covenant with God there will be no pain or challenges? No, as long as we are in the world there will be pain and challenges. What happens with covenant children of God is that in challenges, covenant power brings divine assistance and grace to overcome.

 When Israel was in bondage in Egypt, they called upon God, the covenant that God had with father Abraham spoke for them and they were delivered. (Exodus 3:3). Also in the case of Jacob in Genesis 28 while facing the self-imposed challenge of collecting his brother's birthright and he had to run away. On the way he met with God and made a covenant with Him, which God honoured over his life. He also told God what he would do if God helped him. From verses 20-22 of Genesis 28, Jacob said God would be his God and he would give Him a tenth of his income.. This is called covenant token. It is not done by compulsion but willingly and God kept His part, Jacob also kept his. This is a biblical pattern we can also emulate and we will enjoy all the benefits therein. God is a covenant keeper, we must also keep our covenant with Him.

 

Prayer/Action

*   Praise God for choosing to honour you with His covenant.

*   Ask for power to keep your part of the covenant.

*   Ask that the benefits of the covenant will be yours and your children’s forever.
 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: To the glory of God, I declare today that I stand defended from all evil, in the defensive name of Jesus.