Genesis 17:7, "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you." God pledges that He will be the Lord Almighty to Abraham and his descendants forever. This pledge is irrevocable and is the foundation stone of all other biblical promises. The "covenant" between God and His people is one of the most important theological truths of the Bible, yet most believers have very little understanding of this truth. The most striking thing about God's covenant is that God is "holy", "all-knowing" and "all powerful"; yet He consents to enter into covenants with people who are weak, sinful and imperfect (like you and me).Covenant = A legal binding agreement between two people (or two groups of people) that involves specific promises on the part of each to the other - both parties binding themselves to fulfil specific obligations. The Hebrew word "covenant" is derived from a root word meaning "to join together/shackle" but it often implies 'betweenness', emphasising the relational element that lies at the core of all Biblical covenants. Human covenants can be between equals or between a superior and an inferior, however, divine covenants are always of the latter type. Furthermore, a divine covenant mostly signifies an obligation undertaken by a single person. When God "cuts a covenant" with His people it is never conditional upon the observance on their part, even though a penalty may be attached to its non-observance.

Faith is no longer faith when it becomes religious ideas and doctrines. Faith is not religion. Many times people say "We have our faith". What they really mean is this: "We have our religious ideas and doctrines, our traditions, and our ways of doing things - so don't try to change them." This is not the Biblical idea of faith. True faith is not a religious exercise or an ideological or philosophical view. And it definitely isn't a formula! The 'Faith Movement' often gave the impression that faith was a technique used to get what you want. However, the danger with any such system or procedure is that man, and not God, is usually in control - making it a religious practice.

Today we will be studying How to Live by Faith. Once again, this will be a practical exposition of faith and how to apply it to your everyday lives. Galatians 3:11 says, "The just shall live by faith." Here the apostle Paul is quoting from the Book of Habakkuk to show that God has always justified men by faith and not the law. The original Greek reads, "The just by faith shall live." Literally, "Those whose conduct before God is right, by faith shall live." Therefore, your conduct before God must first be "right" if you are to live by faith. Notice that it says "by faith" and not "in faith." You are not asked to live in faith, but rather, by faith - which implies that you use faith to live by. It is a tool for right living before God, and this pleases Him.

Hebrews 11:6 states, "Without faith it is impossible to please Him." No amount of good works can compensate for lack of faith. Faith is the only thing that gives God His proper place in your life, because it proves that you have more confidence in Him than in yourself. Faith not only believes that God exists, but it also trusts Him enough to know that He will reward those who diligently seek Him - those who exercise their faith to believe.

In Revelation chapters 2 and 3 God has messages for seven Churches in Asia Minor. There were many more churches, but God picked out these seven as examples of what the New Testament Church was like. But God's message is actually to us: "Where do we stand? To which of these seven churches can we compare ourselves? Read Revelation 2:12-17...Pergamos was one of the oldest cities in the region. It had served as the capital of the Roman province of Asia Minor for over twenty five years and was the official seat of the Roman government. It was also an important religious centre for a number of pagan cults. Pergamos was the first city in Asia to build a temple to Caesar and it became the capital of the cult of Caesar worship. Of the city, an ancient writer once said; "it was given to idolatry more than all Asia." And this may have been referring to the 200 foot-high alter to Zeus in the city centre.The book of Acts makes no mention of the founding of this church. According to Acts 16:7-8, Paul passed through the region of Mysia, where Pergamos was located, on his second missionary journey, but there is no record that Paul either preached the gospel or founded a church there during that time. Most likely, Paul founded this church during his ministry at Ephesus (Acts 19:10) when the gospel was preached throughout Asia. Doctrinally, this was a compromising church.

In Revelation chapters 2 and 3 God has messages for seven Churches in Asia Minor. There were many more churches, but God picked out these seven as examples of what the New Testament Church was like. But God's message is actually to us: "Where do we stand? To which of these seven churches can we compare ourselves? Not surprisingly, God selected the first one of the seven to be the Church at Ephesus. This was the Church for which the Apostle Paul laboured more than for any other Church. Paul worked with them for about 3 years. If any of the first century churches should know right from wrong, it was the Church at Ephesus.Some forty years after the commencement of the Ephesian congregation, Jesus issued a letter to these very same people (Revelation 2:1-7). He commended them for many remarkable qualities. They were obedient, energetic, enduring, sound in doctrine, and untiring. However, they had one serious problem - these believers had left their "first love" (verse 4). "Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love." The word "left" can mean; 'to let go', 'to neglect', 'forsake', or 'leave alone' (abandon).

Revelation 3:20 reads as follows: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me." The Amplified says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he will eat with Me."What a wonderfully sad concept of Jesus - standing at the door knocking, softly yet persistently, seeking entrance. In the book 'Christ And The Fine Arts', someone had written about a picture depicting Revelation 3:20 that was found on a stained-glass window in a famous cathedral: ``The picture of a door with no handle portrays the moment when human destiny hangs in the balance, when Divine Love patiently waits upon human reluctance. Here is the perpetual issue between heaven and earth - choice. Here is the continual challenge of Christ to mankind. Here we see the ever-present appeal of love to lethargy. It is a call to decision in stained-glass.''

Life Matters TV presents 'The Door with no Handle - VIDEO', another teaching from Pastor Chris Demetriou at Cornerstone The Church. For more information visit our website at www.life-matters.tv

Many believers have never taken 'ownership' of what God has given them - of what they already possess! They have great and powerful tools in their hands that much of the time are not recognised and seldom used. Yet 2 Peter 1:3-4 declares, "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life (the natural) and godliness (the spiritual), through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these (promises) you may be partakers of the divine nature." The Moffatt translation says, "Inasmuch as His power divine has bestowed upon us every requisite for life and godliness by the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence - bestowing on us thereby promises precious and supreme, that by means of them (the promises) you would participate in the divine nature." This implies, when we take ownership of (and responsibility for) God's precious promises we in fact engage in the divine nature. This enables us to live a victorious and prosperous existence (both in the natural and the spiritual).

One of the elements of modern-day Christianity that we may consider guarding ourselves against is our love-affair with 'bigness' (mega-stature). We should be reminded of the need to "de-spectacularise" the church. Jesus declared that God's Kingdom comes quietly, invisibly - spreading its influence like yeast in dough. But the corporate model of church growth is bigger crowds, bigger buildings, and bigger TV networks, etc. This seems distinctly contrary to the Lord's view.I wonder if 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 does not hold the key to this dilemma… Each time Jesus said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong (New Living Translation).