Transformative Faith: Embracing the New Covenant

Devotional

Day 1: Divine Nature Over Earthly Prosperity

The New Covenant shifts the focus from seeking external blessings like health and wealth to embracing the promise of divine nature. This transformation is not about changing our circumstances but about changing our hearts and minds to align with God's character. Faith plays a crucial role in this process, as it is not about demanding earthly blessings but trusting God for spiritual growth and transformation. By focusing on spiritual growth, we can experience a deeper relationship with God and a more profound sense of purpose in our lives. [01:40]

2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV): "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."

Reflection: In what ways can you shift your prayers from seeking earthly blessings to seeking spiritual growth and transformation today?

Day 2: Internal Purity Over External Reputation

The New Covenant emphasizes the importance of internal purity over external reputation. Sin is not just about external actions but also about internal motives. It is about falling short of God's glory, and even small wrong motives are significant in God's eyes. The goal is to be like Jesus, embodying His love and unity with the Father. This requires a shift from focusing on how others perceive us to focusing on our internal purity and alignment with God's will. [05:33]

Matthew 23:25-26 (ESV): "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean."

Reflection: What internal motives or attitudes do you need to bring before God for cleansing and transformation today?

Day 3: Faith in God's Transformative Power

Transformation in the New Covenant requires faith in God's power, not human effort. Just as it would be impossible for an ant to live like a human without divine intervention, our transformation into God's nature requires faith in His transformative power. This faith enables us to partake in God's nature, leading to genuine change in our lives. By relying on God's power rather than our own efforts, we can experience true transformation and growth in our spiritual journey. [09:54]

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV): "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to rely more on God's transformative power rather than your own efforts?

Day 4: Continuous Prayer and Worship

The New Covenant redefines prayer and worship, emphasizing a heart aligned with God rather than external rituals. Prayer is a continuous conversation with God, akin to breathing, and worship is about aligning our hearts with God's will. This redefinition focuses on a heart connection with God, rather than traditional views of prayer and worship. By maintaining a continuous conversation with God and aligning our hearts with His will, we can experience a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Him. [27:21]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV): "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Reflection: How can you incorporate continuous prayer and worship into your daily routine, making it as natural as breathing?

Day 5: Loyalty to Jesus in All Aspects

Discipleship in the New Covenant means prioritizing Jesus above all else, including family and possessions. This loyalty should be evident in our private lives, family relationships, and commitment to the local church. Our marriages should reflect this priority, with spouses being second only to Jesus. This commitment extends to our roles within the church, where each member serves as a priest, contributing to the community out of love for God. By prioritizing Jesus in all aspects of our lives, we can experience a deeper sense of purpose and fulfillment in our spiritual journey. [35:43]

Luke 14:26-27 (ESV): "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to demonstrate your loyalty to Jesus in your family relationships and commitment to your local church?

Sermon Summary

In exploring the practical application of the New Covenant, it's essential to distinguish between the Old and New Covenants. The Old Covenant often focuses on external blessings like health and wealth, which are not guaranteed by God. Instead, the New Covenant promises the divine nature, a transformation that aligns us with God's character. This transformation is not about external circumstances but about internal change, where faith plays a crucial role. Faith is not about demanding earthly blessings but about trusting God for spiritual growth and transformation.

The New Covenant calls us to a deeper understanding of sin, not just as external actions but as internal motives. Sin is falling short of God's glory, and the New Covenant emphasizes the importance of internal purity over external reputation. The goal is to be like Jesus, embodying His love and unity with the Father. This requires a shift from human effort to faith in God's transformative power, akin to an ant being asked to live like a human—impossible without divine intervention.

Our enemies in the New Covenant are not external forces but internal ones, primarily our flesh. The devil is a defeated enemy, but our flesh requires constant crucifixion. The New Covenant redefines worship, fellowship, and prayer, emphasizing a heart aligned with God rather than external rituals. Worship is about a heart that desires to obey God, and prayer is a continuous conversation with God, akin to breathing.

The New Covenant also redefines giving, fasting, and Sabbath observance. It's not about legalistic adherence but about living a life fully consecrated to God. Every aspect of our lives, including our resources and time, belongs to God. This covenant calls for a personal and communal commitment to holiness, where our bodies and local church communities are seen as holy lands.

Finally, the New Covenant emphasizes discipleship, where loyalty to Jesus surpasses all other relationships and possessions. This loyalty should be evident in our private lives, family relationships, and commitment to the local church. Our marriages should reflect this priority, with spouses being second only to Jesus. This commitment extends to our roles within the church, where each member serves as a priest, contributing to the community out of love for God.

Key Takeaways

1. Divine Nature Over Earthly Blessings: The New Covenant promises the divine nature, not earthly prosperity. Our prayers should focus on spiritual growth rather than demanding health or wealth, trusting that God guarantees spiritual transformation. [01:40]
2. Internal Purity Over External Reputation: Sin in the New Covenant is about internal motives, not just external actions. We must strive for internal purity, recognizing that even small wrong motives are significant in God's eyes. [05:33]
3. Faith in God's Transformative Power: Like an ant being asked to live like a human, our transformation requires faith in God's power, not human effort. This faith enables us to partake in God's nature, leading to genuine change. [09:54]
4. Continuous Prayer and Worship: Prayer is a continuous conversation with God, like breathing, and worship is about aligning our hearts with God's will. This redefines traditional views of prayer and worship, focusing on a heart connection with God. [27:21]
5. Loyalty to Jesus in All Aspects: Discipleship in the New Covenant means prioritizing Jesus above all else, including family and possessions. This loyalty should be evident in our private lives, family relationships, and commitment to the local church. [35:43]
** [35:43]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:08] - Introduction to the New Covenant
[00:21] - Old vs. New Covenant Prayers
[01:17] - God's Guarantees in the New Covenant
[02:47] - Faith and Spiritual Confidence
[03:15] - Spiritual Goals of the New Covenant
[04:31] - Sin and Internal Motives
[06:38] - Goal of Life: Being Like Jesus
[08:13] - Faith and Transformation
[09:54] - Nature vs. Nurture in Spiritual Growth
[12:36] - Worship and Service
[13:54] - The True Holy Land
[16:08] - Identifying Our True Enemies
[18:55] - The Worst Sin: Unbelief
[21:11] - God's Word and Obedience
[24:40] - True Worship and Fellowship
[26:19] - Redefining Prayer
[29:06] - Giving and Fasting in the New Covenant
[31:43] - Freedom and Responsibility in the New Covenant
[34:09] - Growing Loyalty to Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Living Out the New Covenant

Bible Reading:

2 Peter 1:4 - "Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."
Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
John 17:4 - "I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do."

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Observation Questions:

What does the New Covenant promise according to 2 Peter 1:4, and how does it differ from the promises of the Old Covenant? [01:40]
How does Romans 3:23 define sin, and what emphasis does the New Covenant place on internal motives versus external actions? [05:17]
In John 17:4, what does Jesus identify as His source of glory, and how does this relate to the goal of the New Covenant? [06:59]
According to the sermon, what is the primary enemy in the New Covenant, and how does it differ from the enemies in the Old Covenant? [16:08]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the promise of participating in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) challenge the traditional focus on health and wealth in the Old Covenant? [01:40]
In what ways does the New Covenant's focus on internal purity (Romans 3:23) redefine our understanding of sin and righteousness? [05:33]
How does Jesus' prayer in John 17:4 reflect the New Covenant's emphasis on love and unity, and what implications does this have for our personal spiritual goals? [07:19]
How does the sermon suggest we should approach prayer and worship differently under the New Covenant? [27:21]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your prayer life. Are your prayers more focused on earthly blessings or spiritual growth? How can you shift your focus to align with the New Covenant's promise of divine nature? [01:40]
Consider your daily actions and thoughts. How can you strive for internal purity and align your motives with God's will, as emphasized in the New Covenant? [05:33]
In what ways can you cultivate a continuous conversation with God, making prayer as natural as breathing in your daily life? [27:21]
Identify an area in your life where you rely on human effort rather than faith in God's transformative power. How can you begin to trust God more in this area? [09:54]
How can you demonstrate loyalty to Jesus in your family relationships and commitments to the local church? What changes might you need to make to prioritize Jesus above all else? [35:43]
Reflect on your understanding of worship. How can you ensure that your worship is a true reflection of a heart aligned with God, rather than just an external ritual? [24:40]
Think about your approach to giving and fasting. How can you practice these disciplines in a way that reflects a life fully consecrated to God, rather than a legalistic adherence? [29:06]

Sermon Clips

The mindset of the New Covenant is an agreement. It's an agreement between God and man, and if it is an agreement between God and man, we're talking about things that God guarantees. What does God guarantee? God guarantees the divine nature. God doesn't guarantee health, wealth, other things. God guarantees that through his promises he may give me the divine nature. [00:01:17]

A spiritual person will take whatever the Lord gives him on this physical realm, whatever health or lack of health he gets, whatever financial gain or lack of gain he gets. He knows that God will give him what he needs as it relates to food and clothing and to be able to survive on this earth, but he has no shortage of faith when it comes to spiritual things. [00:02:47]

The New Covenant is to be just like Jesus, and to be just like Jesus is to have the glory of Jesus. The glory of Jesus was when he accomplished whatever God gave him to do. That's what it says in John chapter 17, verse 4. The glory of Jesus is his love, is the love of God. [00:06:38]

It's not based on human efforts; it's based on faith that God will do it. Look, when we looked at when he said in the very beginning that the whole purpose, the greatest blessing of the New Covenant is this nature. I have to see that what God is telling me is it's like a man going to an ant. [00:08:13]

We have to see that what God is asking us is to have a completely different nature, so we don't have to get frustrated at ourselves when we try and we get angry or we try and we can't forgive them as easily as we should. The problem is not nurture; it's nature. [00:12:36]

Worship is not clapping, it is not singing, it is not music, it is not emotional, it is not crying, it is not feeling the Holy Spirit because we say everybody be quiet and let the Lord speak to you, and you suddenly start to feel the hair on the back of your neck stand up. [00:24:40]

Prayer is like breathing. Then I do that all the time, so my prayer life should be like my breathing life. How long, how many of us can go five minutes without breathing? How many of us can go 20 minutes without breathing? You say something, I don't pray always. Well, that's the commandment of God. [00:27:21]

We need to have a growing loyalty to Jesus, growing loyalty to Jesus. That's what devotion is, loyalty. We must get offended more when Jesus's name is dishonored in our lives and our family lives. We must be horribly bothered when we are not on fire for God or when our family is not on fire for God. [00:34:09]

The New Covenant is at 20 percent, 10 percent, 100 percent, and we give based on ability and for needs based on ability, and we give secretly and cheerfully. When we think about these things like worship and we think about fasting and prayer and giving, this is where a lot of people who know the New Covenant but are carnal will say, see, I don't have to pray for hours. [00:29:06]

God gives us freedom not to give 10 percent or 20 percent. God says you have freedom. 100 percent belongs to me. Eating, you don't have to eat pork. The Old Covenant said you can't eat pork, you can't eat this animal. God says free, every food is now clean. [00:31:43]

We must be disciples and private. No family member can come close to our loyalty to Jesus. No possession can possess us, and no preference of anything or our selfish will can come between us and our loyalty to God. That's what it means to be a disciple in private life. [00:35:43]

We are a priest. Every single brother and sister was committed, and you are a priest in this church, and you have a function that you have to serve God in this church out of love, out of a love for God. I think of some of these great priests who must have been there in the Old Covenant to serve God in holiness. [00:39:31]

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Transformative Faith: Embracing the New Covenant

Devotional

Day 1: Divine Nature Over Earthly Prosperity

Day 2: Internal Purity Over External Reputation

Day 3: Faith in God's Transformative Power

Day 4: Continuous Prayer and Worship

Day 5: Loyalty to Jesus in All Aspects

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Transformative Faith: Embracing the New Covenant

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