Covenants, treaties, and contracts have lost their permanent intent.  Long ago we could trust these documents to uphold what they promise.  However, today, individuals have recklessly violated their binding power. Thankfully, this is not so with God.  God initiated a New Covenant with those who believe and He went to great measures to make sure it would be established for eternity through Jesus Christ.  

Listen to God’s word in Matthew 26:28 … .for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

This verse reveals Jesus’ blood was necessary for the forgiveness of sins.  In Luke 22, Jesus describes it as a new covenant in His blood which was poured out for many.  A covenant is an agreement, promise, or vow between two equal parties.  We see this meaning beautifully portrayed in a marriage ceremony between a man and a woman as they say their vows to one another.

On the other hand, we are never equal with God so we could never create an agreement that would satisfy the payment for our sins.  Therefore, God took the initiative to establish a permanent promise for the forgiveness of all sins.  Under the Old Covenant, God agreed to forgive the sins of people if they brought animals for the priest to sacrifice.  However, the blood of these animals was insufficient in removing their sins forever.  Consequently, these sacrifices had to be repeated over and over again.

Praises to God for sending Jesus to establish a New Covenant – a new agreement for the forgiveness of our sins!  This New Covenant of grace would cost Jesus his life. The bible says that “…without [the] shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22), and unlike the blood of animals, the blood of Jesus Christ was sufficient to cover the sins of all people – completely and forever.

The coming of Jesus as a lowly babe and the blood he shed on the cross for our sins was a once and for all sacrifice that would never be repeated.  Jesus truly is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).

Forgiveness comes with a cost that Jesus paid on the cross when he died in our place.  As the second party to God’s New Covenant, we have a choice to accept the terms Jesus Christ established for forgiveness by giving Him our life and trusting him completely as our Lord.

Have you done this today?  

As we think about Jesus this Christmas season, let’s never forget the price he paid for our forgiveness!

What if we woke up one morning and God blessed us that day with the things we only gave thanks for? Would we have air to breathe, a home over our heads, clothes for work, or food for the day?  Would we have creativity in our minds or functioning of our limbs?  And what about family and friends – would we enjoy their presence for another day?

When we consciously step back and take a deep look at all God gives us, we begin to realize that His grace abundantly overflows in our lives – even if we don’t deserve it.   This truth should make our hearts shout a praise of thanksgiving!  Listen to God’s Word in Psalm 100:4-5.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.

These few verses in Psalm 100 says that God never ceases to bless us.  He reveals his faithfulness and loving-kindness through the very things we take for granted.  We don’t always ask and pray for food, clothing, shelter, or the air to live; however, our hearts should breathe thankfulness for them every day.

The Holy Spirit that resides in every believer yearns to express bountiful thanks to God and an unthankful heart quenches His work.  A grateful heart is an outpouring of the nature of the Holy Spirit.  When we choose to thank God daily for the simplicity of life as well as the grandest of victories, we lift up Him up, acknowledge His Lordship, and glorify His name.  A thankful heart always blesses the Lord.

Are you having difficulty being thankful today?  Do you find it difficult to move from bitterness toward gratitude?  Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to show sincere thankfulness to God.  Nothing in God’s creation has the ability to bless his name like us.   

Walk in your purpose and bless His name with a thankful heart!