SPIRITUAL
DIARY FOR 04-05-03
My
Worship Time Focus: Promises of the new
covenant
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference: Hebrews 8:6
Message of the verse: “6 But now He has obtained a more excellent
ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on
better promises.” (NASV) “But our High Priest has been given a
ministry that is far superior to the ministry of those who serve under the old
laws, for he is the one who guarantees for us a better covenant with God, based
on better promises.” (NLT)
Jesus
Christ, as High Priest, has been given a better ministry because He is the
mediator of a better covenant, which is based on better promises. That better covenant is the New Covenant, the
covenant of grace: the gospel. The writer will now go on to speak of the
better covenant that is described in Jeremiah 31: 31-34 as he quotes from the
LXX version of the OT. Here is how the
word covenant is described in the Strong’s Concordance: “1) a disposition, arrangement, of any sort,
which one wishes to be valid, the last disposition which one makes of his
earthly possessions after his death, a testament or will 2) a compact, a
covenant, a testament 2a) God's covenant with Noah, etc.” Here is how the word for mediator is
described in the Strong’s concordance:
“one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore
peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant.” (Italics added) So what does this mean for believers of this
New Covenant? Jesus Christ is the One
who made this New Covenant by His blood, as He described to His disciples at
the last supper. At the communion table,
or the Lord’s Table, this covenant is remembered, and the hope of the soon
return of Jesus Christ is also thought of when believers participate in this
act of worship. Jesus Christ is the only
mediator of this covenant, as Paul described in 1Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and one mediator also
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
This is truly a better covenant than the covenant that God gave to the
children of Israel through Moses, for that covenant was likened to a
schoolmaster that would lead them to the promises of the New Covenant. Sadly many of the people of Israel have
missed out on the New Covenant because of hardness of heart and unbelief.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I am thankful that God has given me the faith
to believe the promises of the New covenant, for without that faith which, He
gave me in order to believe it, I too would be lost and on my way to hell.
The Word of God was refreshing to me as I was reminded of
the promises of the New Covenant.
My
Steps of Faith Today: I want to trust the
Lord with the problems that I am going through with my IBS, believing Him to be
faithful to work even this out for my own good and for His glory.
Memory verses for the week:
Psalm 40:4-8
4.
How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, And
has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
5.
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which Thou hast done,
and Thy thoughts toward us; There is non to compare with Thee; If I would
declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count.
6.
Sacrifice and meal offering Thou has not desired; My ears
Thou hast opened; Burnt offering and sin offering Thou has not required.
7.
Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it
is written of me;
8.
I delight to do Thy will, O my God, Thy Law is within my
heart.”
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