Covenant Life Church

By Pastor Dave CrammerSociety & Culture Religion & Spirituality Christianity Education Self-Improvement Philosophy

Covenant Life Church episodes

October 25Building Today, Harvesting Tomorrow
Partners in the Harvest
Nehemiah 2:18, NKJV
And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me.
So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.
What a partner is
We come together because we believe in the same purpose.
We serve together
Share together
Win together
Are rewarded together.
Partnership is the power of people joining together in a common vision, combining their faith, time, talents, and resources to accomplish something greater together than they could accomplish alone.”
A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
You pray for this church, for this city, and for the people who will walk through these doors.
Everyone has a part to play in accomplishing the vision.
James 5:16b AMP
…The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
Philippians 1:3- 5 (NLT)
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests forall of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
1 John 5:14–15 NKJV
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
A PARTNER SOWS
Every month you give what the Holy Spirit tells you to give. Large or small, it matters and is important, the amount is between you and Him.
Partnership means that we are not simply giving toward a building project; we are joining together to build lives, reach the next generation, and sow seeds that can produce a harvest for years to come.
Each one experiences victory
We intentionally pray over our members & partners.
HOW TO START
01 Ask first.
I’m seeking God about change
I have direction on my first step.
For me it was $2.50
02 Name your harvest.
Write down in detail what your believing God for.
Every time you sow, mix faith with it.
In everything give thanks.
03 Sign up.
04 Release Faith, every time you sow.
2 Corinthians 9:5–15, NLT
So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly. 6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT
You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”* 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”* (This is eternal) 10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity* in you.
ENRICHED IN EVERY WAY
2 Corinthians 9:11 NLT
Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
This is how we activate the blessing to enrich.
The Greek definition of “enriched” ploutizō Pronounced: ploo-TID-zo
To make rich or wealthy.
To enrich or increase in abundance.
To cause someone to abound in resources.
To furnish someone abundantly with what is needed.
Genesis 12:2, NKJV
“I will bless you … And you shall be a blessing.”
God’s blessing on Abraham was not intended to end with Abraham. He was blessed to become a blessing to others.
When God supplies seed:
We have something to sow.
When He multiplies that seed, our capacity to give can increase.
And when others are helped through our generosity, thanksgiving rises to God.
The post Building Today, Harvesting Tomorrow first appeared on Covenant Life Church.
40 min
October 18Come Let Us Build
The Power of Partnership
We build God’s Kingdom together,
we build a strong financial future through faithful sowing
we build with eternity in mind.
Nehemiah 2:17–18, NKJV
Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.
God has called us to build something that is bigger than any one of us.
1. BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING
Genesis 12:2 NKJV
I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
2. COME LET US BUILD.
Jesus said upon this rock I will build my church.
Build you life upon the rock
Matthew 16:18, NKJV
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Building as one!!
1 Chronicles 29:3–9, NLT
“And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected for his holy Temple. 4 I am donating more than 112 tons of gold* from Ophir and 262 tons of refined silver* to be used for overlaying the walls of the buildings 5 and for the other gold and silver work to be done by the craftsmen. Now then, who will follow my example and give oﬀerings to the Lord today?” 6 Then the family leaders, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the generals and captains of the army,* and the king’s administrative oﬃcers all gave willingly. 7 For the construction of the Temple of God, they gave about 188 tons of gold, 10,000 gold coins, 375 tons of silver, 675 tons of bronze, and 3,750 tons of iron. 8 They also contributed numerous precious stones, which were deposited in the treasury of the house of the Lord under the care of Jehiel, a descendant of Gershon. 9 The people rejoiced over the oﬀerings, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, and King David was filled with joy.
THE TWO MITES
Mark 12:41–44, NLT
Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.* 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
Both equally important to Jesus
Partnership is not everyone giving the same amount. It is everyone asking God, “What is my part?” When we work together, we can accomplish what none of us could accomplish alone.
3. PARTNER – WE ARE BUILDING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Today, the harvest includes the children and teenagers in our community. It is estimated that approximately 43% of American Christians came to faith before age 13
Nearly two-thirds came to faith before age 18.
We are not simply entertaining teenagers until they become adults.
We are helping young people establish a faith that can carry them through the pressures, decisions, and challenges of life.
Every child matters. Every teenager matters. Every family matters.
We may never know the full reach of one seed planted in a child’s heart.
Time period Approximate deaths worldwide
Every second 2
Every minute 120
Every hour 7,200
Every day 173,000
Every year 63 million
The worship is over. The service is just beginning.
As long as the Earth remains, seedtime and harvest will continue as long as the earth remains. (Genesis 8:22 NKJV)
“I cannot expect a harvest in a field where I have never sown, and I cannot expect to grow in generosity without learning to sow.”
Holy Spirit, what do You want me to do?”
The post Come Let Us Build first appeared on Covenant Life Church.
51 min
October 11Be Fruitful
Proverbs 10:22, NKJV
The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.
HE SAID IT, SO WE COULD DO IT
We Need to Recover the Biblical Meaning of “Blessing”
The blessing preceded the curse.
Blessing was first, The curse came later.
Therefore, the curse doesn’t define God’s original intent.
Blessed – bāraḵ
Blessing = saying or declaring good.
Curse = saying or declaring evil.
Proverbs 18:21 NKJV
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Genesis 1:28 NKJV
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
FRUITFUL
To help us understand lefts look at the opposite.
Word Meaning
Barren: Unable to produce fruit or oﬀspring; not bringing forth what is expected.
Unfruitful: Not producing fruit, results, or increase.
Unproductive: Not producing a useful or desired result.
Withered: Losing vitality, strength, or the ability to flourish.
Stagnant: No longer growing, advancing, or developing.
Hebrew Definition of “Fruitful”
פָּרָ ה — Pārāh (paw-RAW) Strong’s Concordance: H650
Definition: To bear fruit, bring forth fruit, be fruitful, increase, multiply, or produce abundantly.
1. FRUITFULNESS IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE
Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuﬀering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
2. FRUITFULNESS IN RELATIONSHIPS AND FAMILY
Psalm 128:2–4 NKJV
When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table. 4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the Lord.
Proverbs 13:22 NKJV
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
3. FRUITFULNESS IN MINISTRY
John 15:7-8 NKJV
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
1 Corinthians 3:6–7 NKJV
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
4. FRUITFULNESS IN WORK AND PROVISION
2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all suﬃciency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
SAY WHAT GOD SAYS
Speak God’s Word over what God has entrusted to you.
Mark 11:23 NKJV
Faith speaks what God says about the situation rather than merely describing what the situation looks like.
THE BLESSING is an empowerment.
God’s blessing doesn’t merely say something good; it empowers the recipient to prosper and fulfill God’s purpose.
The post Be Fruitful first appeared on Covenant Life Church.
45 min
October 04A Journey Back to Eden
Rediscovering God’s Original Intent for the Blessed Life
1. GOD WANTS TO TAKE US SOMEWHERE
Psalm 23:1–6 NKJV
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staﬀ, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
God is leading the church on a journey back to His original intent. The blessing is a great truth—a powerful truth. As we meditate on the Word and give our attention to the blessing of Abraham, it will begin to change the way we think, the way we live, and ultimately, our lives.
Proverbs 10:22, NKJV
The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.
2. GOD’S ORIGINAL DESIGN
THE BLESSING is the very creative force of God: It created all we see.
The Hebrew word blessing, which means “to empower.” It’s God’s empowerment. It was His power that established the universe. He put the same creative power and anointing on Adam and his wife—mankind—who were created in His image.
Genesis 1:26–31 NKJV
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. His first order of business was to inform this creation called “man” of His intentions for them? God was quite clear there in His declarations about:
Man’s identity
His assignment on earth.
He left no doubt about His will for man’s environment. He created it to be good in every way.
3. THE GAP
Genesis 3:17–19, NKJV
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”
4. GOD’S PLAN REMAINS THE SAME
Malachi 3;6 NKJV
For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
NOAH
Genesis 9:1 NKJV
“So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.’”
ABRAHAM
Genesis 12:2 NKJV
“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.”
Genesis 24:1 NKJV
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.”
ISSAC
Genesis 26:12–14 NKJV
“Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous. 14 For he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.”
JACOB
Genesis 35:9–11 NKJV
God appeared to Jacob again, blessed him, and declared that a nation and a company of nations would come from him.
Genesis 30:43 (NKJV)
“Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.”
CHRIST
Galatians 3:13–14, NKJV
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
YOU & ME
Galatians 3:7–9, NKJV
Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
Galatians 3:16, NKJV
Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.
OBED-EDOM
2 Samuel 6:10–12, NLT
So David decided not to move the Ark of the Lord into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. 11 The Ark of the Lord remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household. 12 Then King David was told, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s household and everything he has because of the Ark of God.” So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration.
1 Chronicles 13:12–14 NLT
14 The Ark of God remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and everything he owned.
The post A Journey Back to Eden first appeared on Covenant Life Church.
47 min
September 27 The Source of Increase
THE SOURCE OF INCREASE
God Is Our Strength, Our Supply, and Our Source
1. MY SOURCE OF STRENGTH
Deuteronomy 8:7–18 NKJV
For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9 a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you. 11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end—17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18 “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
HE LIVES
ABRAHAM
Genesis 14:18–20 NKJV
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ And he gave him a tithe of all.”
Genesis 14:22–23 NKJV
Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, “I have made Abram rich.”
Hebrews 7:1–3 NKJV
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
Hebrews 7:8 NKJV
Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
3. HONOR
I Recognize you are my source of strength, you are my source of victory
Proverbs 3:9-10 NKJV
Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
Genesis 15:1 NKJV
Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.
SHIELD & REWARD
Genesis 28:13–15 NKJV
And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
Genesis 28:20–22, NKJV
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”
God’s Protection
Genesis 31:41–42, NKJV
Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my aﬄiction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
Gods Blessing
Genesis 30:43, NKJV
Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
The post The Source of Increase first appeared on Covenant Life Church.
44 min
September 20 Building Lives Together
Acts 2:42–47 NKJV
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Mark 2:1–12 (NKJV)
And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
Verse 10
10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
1. YOU NEED FRIENDS WHO WILL CARRY YOU
The paralyzed man had an impossible situation. He couldn’t get himself to Jesus.
A small group gives people a place where they can say: “I can’t do this by myself.” And somebody can answer: “You don’t have to.”
2. YOU NEED TO BECOME THE FRIEND WHO CARRIES OTHERS
The story isn’t only about the man on the mat, It’s also about the four men carrying him.
At some point, every believer needs to move from: “Who is going to help me?” to “Who can I help?”
There are people around us who are facing situations that feel impossible. They may not have the strength, faith, wisdom, or courage to get where they need to go.
That’s where we come in.
Sometimes your faith becomes someone else’s bridge to Jesus.
3. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A SMALL GROUP
There were thousands of people who had gathered around Jesus, but the miracle involved a small group of committed friends.
The crowd was large.
The community was small.
And the small group was willing to do something the crowd wasn’t willing to do.
Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 NLT
Two people are better oﬀ than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. 11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
4. REAL SPIRITUAL GROWTH REQUIRES BOTH RECEIVING AND GIVING
Ephesians 4:15-16 NKJV
but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the eﬀective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
“Every joint supplies”
A joint is a connection point. It connects one part of the body to another, and through that connection, there is a supply.
True growth doesn’t happen in isolation. We grow when we’re connected to people who know us, love us, pray for us, challenge us, and help us become everything God has called us to be.
The post Building Lives Together first appeared on Covenant Life Church.
37 min
September 13 Sealed with the Promise
I want to look at the word “Sealed”
Ephesians 1:13–14 NKJV
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
1. PROOF OF OWNERSHIP
What does “sealed with the Holy Spirit” mean?
The Greek word for “sealed” is (sphragizō),
The seal aﬃrmed who the owner was and guaranteed that the package would make it all the way to its final destination.
1 Peter 2:9-10 NKJV
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
2. INSPECTED & AUTHENTICATED
In Greek and Roman times and still in certain places today if a package was going to be dispatched to another location first it went through a series of investigations to make sure the contents were not flawed broken or shattered.
2 Corinthians 5:17–18, NKJV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation
Ephesians 2:10, AMP
For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
Colossians 2:9–10 (NKJV)
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
3. SECURED FOR GOD’S PURPOSE
Romans 8:30–31 AMP
And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]. 31 What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]
The moment we were saved, you and I were sealed by the Holy Spirit. The insignia of that seal, bears the name of Jesus who is our owner. We belong to Jesus.
4. GUARANTEED DELIVERY
Furthermore, the insignia in the seal in the wax was that guarantee that the package would be delivered to it final destination it was like the highest posted stamp you could put on a package and guaranteed the delivery would take place guaranteed the package would arrive at its ultimate destination
Philippians 1:6 NKJV
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
What God has begun in you, He is faithful to complete Once your journey with the Lord begins, you’re going to make it all the way to where God wants you to go.
The post Sealed with the Promise first appeared on Covenant Life Church.
37 min
September 06 The Still Small Voice
Romans 8:14 NKJV
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Led Greek – ago = to tug
Romans 8:16 NKJV
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
1 Kings 19:11–13 NKJV
Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Many times people are looking for the spectacular and missing the supernatural
1. GOD SPEAKS TO PEOPLE
John 16:12 NKJV
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine.
What makes us diﬀerent from people who don’t know Jesus?
2. IT’S INNATE
John 10:2-5 NKJV
But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me
3. IT’S LEARNED
Prayer is communicating with God but its only half
Did you know the God has ears and a mouth?
4. IT’S MATURES
John 10:4 NKJV
“And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”
A sheep doesn’t learn its shepherd’s voice by taking a class.
It learns the shepherd’s voice by spending time with the shepherd.
How do you learn someone’s voice?
You spend time with them.
The more time you spend with someone, the more familiar their voice becomes. You can eventually recognize their voice without seeing them. You were born again with spiritual ears, you learn to recognize His voice, and as you spend time with Him, His voice becomes increasingly familiar.
Hearing God is not merely something you do; hearing God is something that matures in you.
Hebrews 4:12 AMPC
For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and eﬀective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.
This is God Speaking to me, Jesus is the Word. As you read the word of God you are conditioning your heart to hear from the voice of God
Re-Familiarize yourself to His voice
Many times we are too busy to get quiet
The post The Still Small Voice first appeared on Covenant Life Church.
40 min
August 30 And the Axe Head Did Swim
The Power of the Blessing
Zechariah 4:6
It’s not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord.
Romans 8:11 NKJV
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies [a]through His Spirit who dwells in you.
To walk in this power, we need to have an ongoing awareness and revelation of what God has done for us and what He has given us in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:13-14 KJV
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The curse of the law is three fold.
The curse is spiritual death.
The curse is sickness.
And the curse is poverty.
In Christ Jesus we have been redeemed from that.
For sickness we can have health.
For poverty we can have wealth.
And for spiritual death, we can have eternal life in Christ.
The Floating Axe Head
The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed.
The Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed.
2 Kings 6:1-6 NIV
The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.” And he said, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?” “I will,” Elisha replied. 4 And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!” 6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and it made the iron float. Or i like the KJV that says and the iron did swim. 7 “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.
Jesus and His finished work of redeeming us from the curse are in this story if we’ll look.
Luke 24:44 NKJV
44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
Deuteronomy 19:4-5 NLT
4 “If someone kills another person unintentionally, without previous hostility, the slayer may flee to any of these cities to live in safety. 5 For example, suppose someone goes into the forest with a neighbor to cut wood. And suppose one of them swings an ax to chop down a tree, and the ax head flies off the handle, killing the other person. In such cases, the slayer may flee to one of the cities of refuge to live in safety.
The axe is a type of the curse.
The stick is a type of the cross.
The Waters of Marah
Exodus 15:22-26 NKJV
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called [a]Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an [b]ordinance for them, and there He tested them, 26 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”
The bitter waters were a type of the curse.
The tree was a type of the cross.
God showed Elisha the stick.
He showed Moses the tree.
He has shown us the cross.
Wherever the cross is applied, there is an immediate reversal of the curse.
The Living Waters
All throughout the Old Testament there is a connection between waters and people being led by God into their miracle.
(Example: The waters of Marah, The spring waters associated with healing in Leviticus, The Jordan River for the Israelites, the Jordan River for Elisha, The Jordan River for Namaan, The Brook called Cherith, The Pool of Bethesda, etc.)
The saints of the Old Testament experienced physical things that were types and shadows of our spiritual realities.
John 7:38 KJV
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
They had to wait on the waters, but have the waters on the inside. If we’ll stir ourselves up, we can be led by the spirit just as they were in these stories right into our miracle.
The post And the Axe Head Did Swim first appeared on Covenant Life Church.
48 min
August 23He is Our Guide Pt. 2
Romans 8:14–16 NKJV
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Proverbs 20:27 NKJV
“The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inner depths of his heart.”
This means, God will enlighten us—He will guide us-through our spirits.
1. LEARN TO FOLLOW
1 Kings 17:8 NKJV
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.
Verse 16
16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.
2. HE IS LEADING YOU TO THE PLACE
Genesis 22:1–5 NKJV
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and oﬀer him there as a burnt oﬀering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt oﬀering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar oﬀ. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
Genesis 22:7–14, NKJV
But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt oﬀering?” 8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt oﬀering.” So the two of them went together. 19 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and oﬀered it up for a burnt oﬀering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Jehovah Jireh
Jireh
to see
To look intently at, to give attention to.
to see to something / make provision
So, literally, Jehovah Jireh carries the thought:
“The LORD has seen it.”
“The LORD will provide.”The post He is Our Guide Pt. 2 first appeared on Covenant Life Church.
45 min

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