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Covenant of the Couples for Christ”.
As we read the Bible,
we find out that its two parts,
the Old Testament & the New Testament,
ARE COVENANTS.
a covenant with God
by virtue of baptism
as baptized Christians,
we have a covenant relationship
with one another.
We have a commitment of loyalty,
unity, and service.
A covenant is a solemn agreement between parties through which they commit themselves
to certain relationships, tasks, obligations or ways of living.
It was between God Almighty
and a people owing
their existence to Him.
Usually began with an introduction in which the mighty king identified himself
as the one initiating the treaty and then proceeded to summarize the history of the relationship between the two parties, with emphasis on what the mighty king had already done for the lesser party.
God freed the people first, then entered into a covenant
(God did not give the commandments first, then free the people if they obeyed).
Our covenant with God is based on what
He has done for us,
and only secondarily on what we do in response
Next listed what the weaker party needed to do.
* The obligations flow from what the other had already done.
* Ten Commandments. Deuteronomy 5:7 21.
* All other commandments are part of our covenant
Concluded with:
a list of blessings (if obey)
and curses (if disobey).
Luke 22:20 (NIV)
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you"
John 6:56 (NIV)
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.
The New Covenant
is not merely a matter of obeying a set of laws, but of entering into a
living relationship with Jesus.
As with the old covenant, the new covenant is not an agreement between equals, and is
not done on our initiative.
Rather, God acted first by sending Jesus.
All that God asks of us flows
from what God has already done for us.
John 13:15 (NIV)
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
There are also blessings and curses.
Our response has eternal consequences
Many Christian groups are unsuccessful because:
a) Their models are secular in nature.
* Democratization of personal relationships.
Majority rules.
* Aim is self fulfillment. Promotes selfishness.
* Priority of personal independence,
of individual freedom.
* Relationships proceed from feelings.
The Biblical model for relationships:
a) Like a family.
* Membership in one body, interdependence,
unity, common life.
* Loving relationships (brotherhood
and sisterhood), sharing.
* Authority and order.
b) If so, there are practical needs:
* Need to express commitment and love to a
specific, concrete group of people.
* Need for such group of people to learn a
specific set of relating and living out their
commitments.
We are to love and serve God.
* We are to be God’s own servant people
We are to love and serve one another.
* We are no longer our own masters.
* We are to lay down our lives for one another.
* Practically, we should be willing to meet
our brethren’s needs with our personal resources.
We are to live our lives in true righteousness
and holiness.
We are to be a people that the Lord can use as a body. Have unity, order, peace, and support for our common life
When people agree to put their lives in common, the following are necessary:
a) Clearly spelled out commitments.
* Thus our written covenant.
An authority to govern the body and oversee the set of relationships.
* Our pastoral structure of household, unit and chapter leaders.
* Our overall governing and pastoral authorities: the CFC International Council and the Board of Elders.
Taking responsibility for one another and for our common life.
* Not just the responsibility of the leaders, but of every member.
* Correction, intercession, financial help, etc
A visible common life.
* Our various meetings and events
I already go to Church services
(Mass) and that’s enough.
we joined a novena
we already prayed
in our household
i prayed the rosary
on my way to work
Mass, rosary, novena, etc., are all means of prayer. However, we must not neglect personal prayer.
Most see prayer as just asking God for things
Prayer for us should be a means of communicating with God and establishing a personal relationship with Him.
* As we communicate, we get to know God more, and thus have the basis for loving Him more.
We have a lot of time for the many different things we do in life. Our problem is not lack of time, but our attitude.
* If we considered prayer important enough, we would find the time.
Let us ask ourselves two questions:
* If I were not too busy working, would
I be busy praying?
* If God gave me some extra hours today, will I
automatically allocate it to personal prayer?
Remember that as long as there is a desire to pray,
it is a clear sign of the Lord’s prodding us to spend time with Him.
The Lord will not plant this desire only to frustrate us. He would never lead us to seek something which is impossible.
Even when we feel unworthy, we should just pray
The difficulty is often of our own making
We expect too much from ourselves, imposing a heavy burden.
* We raise up as a standard the lofty prayer times of others
Prayer is really very simple:
it is coming into the presence of a loving God and allowing Him to love us and touch our lives.
Techniques can help, models can guide, but it boils down to our very own personal
relationship, done in our own personal way
Anxieties and concerns that distract us.
Dryness.
Too much concern about the quality of our prayer
Difficulty in listening or hearing the Lord.
a) The Bible is our book of wisdom for living a Spirit filled Christian life.
b) The Bible has power to convict us and change our lives.
c) The Bible can inspire and strengthen us as we face the difficulties of life.
Frequently, our Bible reading
will lead us to passages that speak directly & personally to our situation.
It is recommended that we incorporate our Bible reading into our daily prayer time.
The two are interactive.
A lack of a regular prayer time reflects a lack of faithfulness to the Lord.
When we neglect prayer, we will reap the consequences in the form of a powerless
Christian life, devoid of peace and direction.
If we pray and read the Bible, we tap on to God’s power.
Aside from daily personal prayer, we also need to read and meditate on the Word of God.
We need to know God and His ways more. The most basic ways we can do this are by
communicating directly with Him (prayer) and by studying His word (Scripture).
our response:
Some of us may be so filled with guilt due to our sins and weaknesses that we create a feeling of unworthiness to come before the Lord.
What we are speaking about is personal prayer time.
* Alone by ourselves with God.
* This is necessary for us to develop a deep intimate personal
relationship with Jesus.
Through the covenant,
God and His people
are joined together
Covenant = treaty or contract which established a relationship between two parties and bound them together.
Conditions and clauses were important,
but more important was that which
these were meant to safeguard:
a lasting relationship.