THE COVENANTS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THEM


I am sure you all know about the promises made to Noah, Abraham, and David.

Well what kind of covenants were they? All of these covenants were unconditional covenants that God made with these men.

Now why would God make so many covenants with a bunch of men?
Let's observe the scriptures and see why they were so special.

Noah: Genesis 6:8, "Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD."

Abraham: James 2:23, "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God."

David: 1 Samuel 13:14,"the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart,".



THE COVENANTS

* (Genesis 9) God's promise to Noah was the "Noahic Covenant". The promise that God would never again flood the earth. The sign of this covenant is the "bow in the clouds", commonly known as a rainbow. We are still seeing the signs of this unconditional and everlasting covenant today.


* (Genesis 12-15) God's promise to Abraham, the Abrahamic Covenant, was the promise of land (Genesis 12:1), the promise of descendants (Genesis 12:2), and the promise of blessing and redemption (Genesis 12:3). The ceremony of this covenant was preformed in Genesis 15. The special part of this covenant is that God swore by his very being, to keep this promise.

Now, since Abraham had more then one son, (Ishmael and Isaac), God clarifies through scripture which son and grandson were to continue the blessings and inheritance."The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob," Acts 3:13"


* (2nd Samuel 7) God promises David and Israel that the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would come from the lineage of David and the tribe of Judah and would establish a kingdom that would endure forever (vs 10-13).

1) In this Covenant, God reaffirms the promise of the land that He made in the first two covenants (Abrahamic and Mosaic) with Israel.

2) God promises that David’s descendants or “seed” will succeed him as king of Israel and that David’s throne will be established forever. The special part of this covenant was that it was not only everlasting in this life, it was eternal!


Not many people these day's really seem to understand the concept of these covenants or any covenant for this matter. (Check out how many marriages are holding up these days and you'll understand my point.)

I could list dozens and dozens of promises that God made to Israel, but because of lack of space and time, I'll just pick out several important verses throughout the bible that go along with the importance of these covenants.

God says in Psalms 89:28-37, My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah."

God's covenant to David was so very important to Him.

When God allowed Israel to go into captivity because of their ungodliness, the Israelites were wondering if God was totally cutting them off forever. God assured his people that it was only temporary.

Isaiah 54:7-10, For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

God says that the Mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, and yet Israel will still recieve his blessings.

Jeremiah 31:35-37, "Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD."

Now, if God no longer controls the sun, moon, stars, and sea, then Israel will cease from being a nation forever! We all know that God is still in control of all those things. So, therefore, Israel must still be a nation blessed by Him. By the way, the heavens CANNOT be measured.
This passage of scripture is also repeated in Jeremiah 33:20-21, 25-26.


These are just a couple verses where God reminds Israel that He will not break the covenant with them, no matter what they do.

Now on to the belief of. . . .

The Church Is Israel And Israel Is The Church.

This is a belief among some evangelical Christians in our day and age that the physical
nation of Israel has no place in the future times and that they are NO LONGER God's people.

Is this true? Let's explore what the New Testament says about this since we already know what the Old Testament says concerning this subject.

"I say then, Hath God cast away his people (Israel)?. . . Romans 11:1"
(The Greek word here for cast away is "Apothomia" meaning to totally reject.)

Has God cast away his people? That question is very common these days. Then again most people don't even bother to question they just say "God has cast away his people, because they rejected the Messiah." Did He really cast them off?

Paul answers this question in the rest of the chapter.

"God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew." Romans 11:1b-2a
(The greek word for "God Forbid" means, "NO. Can't happen. Never." The word that is used here is the strongest greek word for no.)

So, if the Jews were not cast off, then why does Romans 9,10, and parts of 11, say that the Jews are cut off?

Romans 11 makes it clear that the Jews were cut off...but only temporarily.

"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: Romans 11:25-26"

"Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." What does that mean?

This means that God has set the Jews aside until He's finished with the Church. The Church will be raptured, then God will bring up His people again. This time ALL Israel will finally except Jesus Christ as their Messiah. At this point, 144,000 young men of Israel will be sealed by God and will go out into the world and proclaim the message of Christ, and multitudes will accept Him as their Lord and Saviour. Israel will finally be the Light of the World that God created them to be. Isaiah 43:21, "This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise."

The Jews have never fulfilled their purpose. So, before anyone can assume that they are finished, they MUST fulfill the purpose God created them to do. Even then, according to the Davidic Covenant, they will still be His people. :D :D


Now, just to be sure that I was interpreting scripture correctly, I researched to see how some great men of God interpreted it. Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Charles Spurgeon, John MacArthur, Jonathon Edwards, D.L Moody, all say that these verses and God's future promise to Israel are literal.

The Beach!

Last week, I had the honor of taking my grandparents down to a desolate beach in Longboat Key, Sarasota. They were staying for a week and wanted a little company, so I just "had" to go along! It was such a peaceful little beach and it was so nice to just relax after a stressful week. Anyways, I drove them there (scary, I know!) on a Sunday and stayed till Tuesday afternoon. These are a bunch of pictures that we took of our little beach. I hope y'all enjoy them :).




The very secluded beach....We were so blessed to have such a nice place and not have to worry about immodest people.


But there was this one guy......




He just kept looking at us......




It kinda creeped us out......


The weird dude that kept watching us. :)

The view from our backyard




The pretty little walkway from the courtyard to the beach.

Jessica :).

Relaxation...

The bay. This is a good place to go fishing at night.


Jess and I at our favorite dock :).

Life is sweet! :)


Cool feet pic! I got this pic by hanging upside down off the dock :).

Resting.....Okay, not 100% true. I was kinda posing in this pic too! :).

These evil little sand spurs hurt really bad. Especially when you get them in the bottom of your foot!

AHH! It's the murky water shadow people!

Scenery. :)

(Stating the obvious) Jess and I :).



Not a very happy looking fellow is he?


A cool looking thingamabob that washed up on the shore.


Had to get a picture of bare feet in this post. (flip flops don't count.)


Leaving Anna Marie Island and enjoying the boats :).

After we left the Island, the sky got dark and rainy. It was almost like a tropical storm cause the wind was really bad and the rain was pouring down. But after sitting for awhile waiting for it to stop, this is what we were blessed with seeing.

God's wonderful promise. How can anyone deny that there is a God when they see a beautiful rainbow?

Peter Marshall Sermon.

A sermon off of the movie "A Man Called Peter." A true story about a Scottish Preacher here in America during the 40's. An awesome video made in Hollywood....You will possibly be shocked about what "Hollywood" allowed in this movie, and how much our society has changed. This Sermon is about the downfall of America and how we need godly men to stand up! (They thought it was bad in the 40's) :( :(



P.S The actor is not Billy Chapin. Peter Marshall is played by Richard Todd.

Independence Day Tea Party, 2009.

On July 4th, my father, my siblings, and I went to our local tea party.
We had a good turnout....about 500 people. :) Before the party was a parade, as you may see some parade pic's.
Hope you enjoy the pictures!




This picture speaks for itself.

Ronald Mcdonald waving at Ben....(He liked his red hair.)

Uncle Sam pointing at me/camera :).

The parade signs.....

Amen to both of them :).


This lady posed just for me :).


America Bless GOD.


Daddy and his sign. "Where's the birth certificate?"


"Don't tread on me."


The man with the kilt. He was a funny little man. :)


Sam and his sign. "Happy B-Day Mr. President. Where were you born?"


The pastor about to give the invocation.


The singing of the National Anthem.


"Speak for yourself, Mr President. We are a Christian nation!"
A sign I really liked :).


I liked this sign.


A man running for congress. :)


I liked this lady's accesories.


Our senator, Rhonda Storms. She was good :).


A simple American flag waving in the wind.


A mother and her young children.


Mr. Randy Wilkinson. He's running for Congress, too!


Mrs. Storms being taken captive by the media. :)


"Congress will pay on election day!" Yep, thats true! Cause next time I get to vote. Look out Washington! :)


A long time family friend and our representative...Miss Rachel Burgin.

To My Father.

My daddy was my hero
For my very youngest years;
Daddy kept me safe and happy,
And he chased away my fears.
I watched in awe and wonder
At each manly thing he did;
Oh, I looked up to my daddy,
When I was a little kid

My dad was still my hero,
As the years passed, one by one.
He taught important lessons,
And he took some time for fun.
He was my firm foundation;
On my dad I did depend;
He was always there for me,
My dad, my guide, my friend

My father is my hero,
Now that I am fully grown
I love him and respect him,
The best man I've ever known.
I know that when I marry
That my husband has to be
A great man, just like my father,
Dad, my hero you'll always be."
-Author Unknown

Just some pictures of Daddy and Us.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!! We love you Daddy!!