A S P E C T S - a monthly devotional journal For subscription information on receiving Aspects every month via e-mail, or the laser-printed edition by mail, see NOTES, COPYRIGHT & SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION near the end of this file. Aspects is written by David S. Lampel. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Issue #29, April 1993 (Internet Edition) H E A V E N L Y R A I N / P E R S O N A L C O V E N A N T ----------------------------------------------------------------- In this issue: Perspective 1 - Out With the Old . . . But Not Too Far Perspective 2 - A "Full-contact" Life Perspective 3 - Spending Wisely ----------------------------------------------------------------- Linda is systematically transforming our Sun Room into a green house. Spring fever hits hard and early here in Iowa, and never more than it has this year--a year which has given us a traditional winter of snowdrifts and icy winds sent directly from the North Pole. But as we gaze mournfully out the window at the soggy, brownish landscape that envelops a house still warmed by furnace and fire, we gain new hope from the stack of seed catalogs, the bags of warm potting soil, and the rows of tiny green sprouts pushing their way up and out of their dry shells. The Sun Room is now home to (in alphabetical order) Astilbe, Forget-me-Not, Marigolds, Morning Glory, Snapdragon, Sweet William and Viola; Cabbage, Chives, Eggplant, Onion, Sweet Pickle Pepper, Sweetheart Strawberries, and Tomatoes--all in training for their moment of glory out in the real world. The seeds and seedlings are thriving in the warm, sunny climate of the Sun Room, but what is really keeping them alive and healthy is Linda's daily nurturing. Every day the miniature garden is lovingly tended: fertilized, fed and watered. Most important is the watering. Without their almost daily soaking, the tiny plants would quickly shrivel and die. Until the day when they can be showered by real rain, they are dependant on their attentive custodian for that life-giving moisture. _________________________ As I began to examine how God does this for us--nurturing us through His showers of blessings--I was once again struck by how easy it can be to misuse Scripture to support our various hypotheses. Time and again I found verses, in the Old Testament, that told of God's love expressed through rains and bountiful harvests and good profit. In the New Testament, I was repeatedly reminded of the loving grace of God, through Christ, and all that the believer has to gain. But then I began to look more closely at the passages that lead up to and surround these reassuring verses. Now I could see that this arrangement was not--and is not--one-sided. In almost every instance, the promise of blessings and good life is contingent upon some decision and action on the part of the person seeking something from his or her God. _________________________ Linda's plants may be hearty and beautiful (and many of them later in the season, delicious), but she has no agreement with them--no covenant. The life-giving moisture she supplies is strictly something she chooses to do on her own. The little seedlings have no say in the matter. But not so with our heavenly Father. He is a loving, gracious Father, but He wants more from us--He wants a relationship. At the cross, Jesus Christ became the one, final blood sacrifice, thereby instituting the New covenant. I would invite you to step beyond the New and into a personal covenant with your God. Enjoy his fullest blessings through a daily, intimate relationship with Him. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective 1: O U T W I T H T H E O L D . . . B U T N O T T O O F A R ------------- Does God shower His blessings upon the disobedient? _________________________ "Christian obediance is unlike every other kind of obediance. It is not the obediance of slaves or soldiers, but essentially the obediance of lovers who know and trust the person who issues the commands."(2) "Only in obediance can we discover the great joy of the will of God."(3) _________________________ There are different kinds of agreements; there are different kinds of covenants. A Biblical (divine/human) covenant is a clear statement of God's purposes and intentions expressed in terms that bind God by solemn oath to perform what He has promised.(4) Most of God's covenants deal with eternity and are still in force: for example, the Abrahamic covenant and the New covenant (Jesus Christ). Curiously enough, I'd like to begin this issue of Aspects with the only covenant no longer in force: the Mosaic (or law) covenant, because it best illustrates the continuing relationship we should have with our heavenly Father--especially pertaining to His blessings. What do we mean by "blessings?" The Old Testament (Hebrew) word is barak. To "bless" someone is to endue them with power for success, prosperity, fecundity and longevity; in essence, the one who is blessed is given a rich and abundant life.(5) As you trace this word, and the agreement God made with Israel, through Scripture, you quickly see that this was no free gift. Here's just one example: "Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God. Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD. If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit."(6) This was the pattern of the Mosaic covenant: If you follow my laws, I will bless you; if you do not, I will curse you.(7) The agreement had nothing to do with eternal security, as do the Abrahamic and New covenants, but with living out one's life under the hand of God. Because of Jesus Christ, we no longer live under this agreement: All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."(8) Those of us under the New covenant are not bound by the agreement God made with Israel through Moses. But does this absolve us of all responsibility? Do we now just settle back into our easy chairs and reap the bounty? Into the Word ------------- If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 Exodus 16:4 _____________________________ Lev 26:1-4 _____________________________ Deut 11:8-17 _____________________________ Deut 28:1-14 _____________________________ 2 Chron 7:11-14 _____________________________ Psalm 65:1-13 _____________________________ Psalm 68:1-10 _____________________________ Psalm 72:1-19 _____________________________ Psalm 147:1-11 _____________________________ Isaiah 30:18-26 _____________________________ Isaiah 45:8 _____________________________ Isaiah 55:10-11 _____________________________ Jer 14:19-22 _____________________________ Ezekiel 34:20-31 _____________________________ Hosea 10:12 _____________________________ Amos 8:11-14 _____________________________ Hebrews 6:7-8 _____________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Digging Deeper--Moving Higher ----------------------------- There Shall Be Showers of Blessing "There shall be showers of blessing:" This is the promise of love; There shall be seasons refreshing, sent from the Savior above. Refrain: Showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need: Mercy-drops 'round us are falling, but for the showers we plead. "There shall be showers of blessing" --precious reviving again; Over the hills and the valleys, sound of abundance of rain. "There shall be showers of blessing:" Send them upon us, O Lord; Grant to us now a refreshing, come, and now honor Thy word. "There shall be showers of blessing:" Oh, that today they might fall, Now as to God we're confessing, now, as on Jesus we call! (9) Making it Personal ------------------ After you have read the Scripture references listed above, how much (if anything) of this "old agreement" applies to us today? How do you, personally, define God's "blessings"? In the space below, list the types of blessings God can or might shower upon us today, then list the blessings He has brought to your life. POSSIBLE PERSONAL --------------------------- ---------------------------- Are blessings always pleasant? Who decides? Into the Word ------------- How many covenants has God made with His people? For each one, what was the agreement? (What did the people have to do and what did God promise to do?) Which ones still have meaning for us, and why? ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective 2: A " F U L L - C O N T A C T " L I F E ------------- Even the free salvation of God, through Christ, is not given to all. Actually, it's not given to anyone--it must be taken. It is freely offered, but every person who is now a Christian had to, at some point, make a conscious decision to become one. And that sets the pattern. Our relationship with God is not passive--neither is it one-sided. We must be full participants to receive the full blessings that God has waiting and ready in His storehouse. The apostle Paul says that we must do two things to be saved: 1. Confess verbally that Jesus is Lord, and 2. Believe in our heart that God the Father raised Jesus the Son from the dead.(11) There it is, sitting out there for the taking: eternal life by the grace of God. But until we reach out to take it, it's going to just sit there waiting. To take it, we must first confess, publicly proclaim that Jesus is now Lord of our life, then believe that Jesus was not just a wise and good-hearted teacher, but a supernatural being, Son of the God of creation, who came as flesh, died as flesh, and rose from the grave as flesh. _________________________ In a similar fashion, the blessings which flow from God into our lives, as believers, come as a result of our participation in His life. It is a narrow and brittle faith that believes that eternal security is all; true and eternal blessings flow into a life focused upon God's righteousness and bearing the objective to know Him fully. This is not to say that we still live under the old arrangement. Just as we do not have to slaughter animals to atone for our sins, neither are we required to somehow earn God's blessings and grace. But meanwhile, we are not to settle for the mediocrity of an infantile faith.(12) I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.(13) _________________________ "You who truly love God have felt His presence through affliction and your faith has been strengthened. You have linked yourself with the Almighty and you and He are in league together. You're walking together. And nothing breaks that fellowship. That's the way it is with God. He's on that basis with His children. God wants our arms around Him. God wants to hear us say, 'I love You, Father. I trust You. Whatever You want to give me I accept. I need You. I cling to You. I walk with You. I adore You.' "The better you get to know your God, the more comfortable you will be with that kind of a response. And as you gain comfort in that kind of response, express it. Sing your songs. Lay your burdens on Him. Trust Him with all your heart and might. He'll be honored as you do that."(14) Into the Word ------------- But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33 NASB Matthew 6:24-34 _____________________________ Matthew 7:7 _____________________________ Romans 10:11-13 _____________________________ 1 Cor 9:19-27 _____________________________ Gal 3:6-14 _____________________________ Eph 1:1-23 _____________________________ Hebrews 11:6 _____________________________ 1 Peter 3:8-17 _____________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Digging Deeper--Moving Higher ----------------------------- Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me Jesus, Thy boundless love to me no thought can reach, no tongue declare; O, knit my thankful heart to Thee, and reign without a rival there: Thine wholly, Thine alone, I am; be Thou alone my constant Flame. O, grant that nothing in my soul may dwell, but Thy pure love alone; O, may Thy love possess me whole, my joy, my treasure, and my crown. Strange fires far from my soul remove; may every act, word, thought be love. O Love, how cheering is Thy ray! All pain before Thy presence flies; Care, anguish, sorrow, melt away, where'er Thy healing beams arise. O Jesus, nothing may I see, nothing desire, or seek, but Thee! Still let Thy love point out my way; What wondrous things Thy love hath wrought! Still lead me, lest I go astray; direct my work, inspire my thought; And if I fall, soon may I hear Thy voice, and know that love is near. In suff'ring, be Thy love my peace; in weakness, be Thy love my power; And when the storms of life shall cease, Jesus in that eventful hour, In death, as life, be Guide and Friend, that I may love Thee without end.(15) Making it Personal ------------------ It is not always easy to sort out the differences and similarities between the grace of Jesus Christ and the regulations of the law. For example, do we disregard totally the Ten Commandments; do we strive to live by them, as did Israel; or do we follow them, but in a different way? It's easy to forget that "becoming saved" is separate and different from "working out our salvation."(16) Spend some time this month meditating on, contemplating this aspect of our relationship with God. Search the Scriptures for God's word on how our relationship with Him can and will be enriched beyond all measure--with subsequent blessings flowing into our lives--if we take a more active role. Consider this: If you are (or have been) married, has (or did) your relationship with your spouse matured (or mature) beyond the way it was on your wedding day? Why? Into the Word ------------- In quite a few places in Scripture, God makes promises to those who "call upon His name." Just what does it mean to "call upon" the Lord? Write down an answer before really studying the phrase. Now trace this phrase through the Bible and any other sources you might have at your disposal. Here are some references to get you started. Genesis 4:26 Psalm 120:1 1 Kings 18:24-25 Psalm 145:18 2 Kings 5:11 Isaiah 12:4 1 Chron 16:8 Isaiah 41:25 Psalm 14:4 Isaiah 55:6 Psalm 17:6 Isaiah 62:6 Psalm 53:4 Isaiah 64:7 Psalm 79:6 Isaiah 65:1 Psalm 80:18 Jer 10:25 Psalm 105:1 Hosea 7:7 Psalm 116:2 Joel 2:32 Psalm 116:13 Jonah 1:6 Psalm 116:17 Zeph 3:9 What have you learned about this concept of "calling upon the Lord?" ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective 3: S P E N D I N G W I S E L Y ------------- "Prosperity is only an instrument to be used; not a deity to be worshipped."(18) "No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich or poor according to what he is--not according to what he has."(19) _________________________ The pox of instant gratification has sifted even into the Christian life. For many, the blessings of God are to be enumerated in the wallet, the checkbook, the bank account. "Abundance" has become synonymous with a garage full of toys and a closet filled with designer labels; "riches" are now prefaced by a dollar sign; and "wealth" is something that allows you to buy a larger house. For all the faults in his later life, Solomon demonstrated early on what real wealth could be. God granted him the ultimate wish, and though it was more than just a test, Solomon made the correct request. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both riches and honor--so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."(20) When I looked in the index of one of my books, under "Blessings" it said "See Spiritual Gifts." At first I thought: How odd. Shouldn't it have sent me to "Riches," or "Wealth," or "Possessions?" Oh, to be more permanently settled upon God's higher plane! Oh, to dwell where His mind dwells, where the needs of the Kingdom come first, and where gifts received are gifts spent on others. The real, eternal blessings, given us of God, are our Spiritual gifts--given us to serve the body. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.(21) Into the Word ------------- Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Romans 11:33 Psalm 119:12-18 _____________________________ Luke 8:14 _____________________________ Luke 16:11 _____________________________ Romans 2:4-6 _____________________________ Romans 9:23 _____________________________ Romans 11:12 _____________________________ 2 Cor 4:5-7 _____________________________ Eph 1:7 _____________________________ Eph 1:17-18 _____________________________ Eph 2:4-7 _____________________________ Eph 3:8 _____________________________ Eph 3:16 _____________________________ Phil 4:19 _____________________________ Col 1:24-27 _____________________________ Col 2:2-3 _____________________________ Rev 18:14 _____________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Digging Deeper--Moving Higher ----------------------------- Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen.(22) Making it Personal ------------------ Can we say that every blessing from God is something that is to be spent in His service? If not, does this mean that His blessings can be simply rewards? What is He rewarding? Back up your answer with Scripture. If every blessing is to be spent in His service, how are you spending yours? Into the Word ------------- And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:19 NASB God shall supply . . . supply all your needs . . . according to His riches in glory. . . in Christ Jesus. A Final Thought --------------- There is an unbroken circle here. Through faith in Jesus Christ we claim a relationship with God; as our part of the relationship, we seek Him and His righteousness; in return, God enriches our life with His blessings; out of gratitude, and with a heart of thanksgiving, we praise Him. And our praise enriches the relationship, thereby raising it to a higher level. _________________________ "In driving piles, a machine is used by which a huge weight is lifted up and then made to fall upon the head of the pile. Of course the higher the weight is lifted the more powerful is the blow which it gives when it descends. "Now, if we wish to impact our age and society with ponderous blows, we must see to it that we are uplifted as near to God as possible. All our power will depend upon the elevation of our spirits. Prayer, meditation, devotion, communion, are like a windlass to wind us up aloft. It is not lost time which we spend in such sacred exercises, for we are thus accumulating force, so that when we come down to our actual labor for God, we shall descend with an energy unknown to those to whom communion is unknown."(23) ======================================================================== NOTES, COPYRIGHT & SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Notes ----- 1 2 Chron 7:14. 2 John R.W. Stott, More Gathered Gold (Evangelical Press, 1988), p.213 3 Sinclair Ferguson, Ibid. 4 Lawrence O. Richards, Expository Dictionary of Bible Words (Zondervan, 1985), p.194. 5 Ibid, p.130. 6 Lev 26:1-4. 7 Deut 11:26-28. 8 Gal 3:10,13. 9 Daniel W. Whittle (1840 - 1901). 10 Matt 6:33 NASB. 11 Romans 10:9. 12 See also October, 1991 Aspects: Solid Food. 13 Eph 3:16-19. 14 Charles R. Swindoll in Growing Deep in the Christian Life: Returning to Our Roots (Multnomah Press, 1986), p.115f. 15 Paul Gerhardt (1607 - 1676); translated by John Wesley (1703 - 1791). 16 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. -Phil 2:12-13. 17 Romans 11:33. 18 Calvin Coolidge, More Gathered Gold (Evangelical Press, 1988), p.255. 19 Henry Ward Beecher, Ibid,p.274. 20 1 Kings 3:5-14. 21 1 Cor 12:7. 22 Thomas Ken (1637 - 1711). 23 Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon (Shaw, 1990), p.173. Copyright Information --------------------- All original material in Aspects is Copyright (C) 1995 David S. Lampel. This data file is the sole property of David S. Lampel. It may not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only in its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. All reproductions of this data file must contain the copyright notice (i.e., "Copyright (C) 1995 David S. Lampel."). This data file may not be used without the permission of David S. Lampel for resale or the enhancement of any other product sold. This includes all of its content. Brief quotations not to exceed more than 500 words may be used, with the appropriate copyright notice, to enhance or supplement personal or church devotions, newsletters, journals, or spoken messages. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture is from the New International Version. NIV quotations are from the Holy Bible: New International Version, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission. NASB quotations are from the New American Standard Bible (C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. 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Endnote reference numbers are enclosed in parentheses (); quotations are enclosed by quotation marks " ", and are further set apart from original text by indentation and the presence of a following endnote reference; Scripture references are indented, and either cite the reference or are accompanied by a following endnote reference. If you would prefer reading Aspects in its more native, printed form, we would encourage you to subscribe to the edition that is mailed out every month. ---------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/aspects: asp-029.txt