Contract

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2 Kings 23:3 Renewing Your Contract

The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord–to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. 2 Kings 23:3

On a regular basis people are required to renew contracts with various companies, businesses, organizations and other groups. This is done in order to keep the services requested and to protect both parties involved. If the contract is not renewed, then the services are stopped.

After finding and reading the book of the covenant, God’s word, in the temple, King Josiah chose to renew his covenant with God to obey all of God’s commands. The people also renewed the same covenant.

The world thrives on having contracts made up to govern how a partnership in some situation will act. All the agreements as to what each party will do or not do are laid out in the contract.

Most contracts are written for a limited timeframe. Both parties need to renew the contract when the time limit is up or if one of the parties breaks the contract.

Although believers do not have a written contract with God, they do make a covenant contract with God at the time they choose to believe in Jesus and follow Him. Following Jesus means that one agrees to obey all of the commands of God, both written in the Bible and given by the Holy Spirit. This contract is for eternity.

However, there are times when a believer walks away from God and breaks the covenant with Him and walks in sin. Even though one may have stepped back into sin, God is willing to renew the contract with him, forgiving and saving the person. He must be willing to renew his contract with God.

God is ready and willing to make a new contract with you or renew one if needed. Jesus died so that you may have life. All you need to do is be willing to believe that and obey God in every area of your life.

If you have done this in the past and have fallen away into sin, God is still willing to renew that agreement with you. Give your life to God, obeying Him and renew your contract with Him.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will have a contract with God to obey Him; that you will choose to obey all the commands of God; and that you will pledge yourself to live for God in every area of your life.

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Exodus 24:7 Obeying The Covenant

Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.” Exodus 24:7

Contracts are drawn up all the time between two or more different parties. These are agreements as to what one can and cannot do. It gives all of the expectations of both parties and what will occur if the agreements are not followed.

Anyone who signs a contract is agreeing to all of the terms listed in it. Most people are willing to abide the terms and keep themselves from getting into trouble.

Moses read the covenant that God had made with the Israelites to the people. All the people agreed to obey everything God commanded in the covenant.

Any time a person chooses to repent of his sins and believe in the saving grace of Jesus, he signs a covenant or contract with God. God promises in the covenant to remove all sins and give the person eternal life. The new believer agrees to obey all that God commands.

In this contract, God will never ask a believer to do something that is sinful or spiritually harmful. God will guide a person to become more like Jesus, holy and perfect, separated from the world.

Throughout the Bible, God gives directions as to how to live a holy life here on this earth. Commands are given as to what is allowed and what is not.

Every day a believer has the ability to choose whether he will obey God or not. When temptation arises to sin, he must choose whether to give in or flee, obey God or sin. God will never fail to uphold His side of the covenant, so the believer must strive to do his part.

At the moment you chose to believe in Jesus, you agreed to a covenant with God. You chose to give your life to God and to become more like Jesus.

Do not allow yourself to break the covenant by disobeying God and stepping into sin.

Study God’s word and seek His Holy Spirit to guide you in how to live your life. Then be willing to obey everything that God commands. He will never lead you wrong but will always be building you up to be holy and perfect as He is.

Are you obeying God or are you breaking the covenant?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will agree to obey all of God’s commands to you; that God will show you what He requires of you; that you will grow more like Jesus every day; and that God will strengthen you to turn from all sin.

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Genesis 9:9 An Established Contract

I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you Genesis 9:9

The term of covenant is not something that is commonly used in today’s society. It is now called a ‘contract’. Contracts are used on a regular basis all over the world by both individuals and groups and businesses.

It is an agreement between two groups as to what can and cannot be done and what is expected of both. Included is also what occurs if something wrong is done according to the contract. It provides protection for both groups that agree to the contract.

After the flood God made a covenant with Noah that would be for all his descendants after him. This would be to never destroy the earth by a flood again.

The contract God made with Noah is one that stands to this day with each and every person that walks on this planet. It is not the only contract that God has made, nor did He make ones only with the whole of mankind, but He makes contracts with individuals.

Although the contract of not flooding the earth is great, there is one that God is willing to make with each and every person that is even greater. Any person who has chosen to believe in Jesus and repent of his sins, is given a new contract with God.

This new contract has things that the individual believer must do or not do and things that God must do, and results of not doing those things. Every believer is expected to begin to leave his life of sin, to flee sin and turn towards God in all that he does.

It breaks the contract when a believer claims to believe, but purposefully continues to live in sin and not repent. He does not love Jesus, if he does not obey Jesus. When he does his part, God will have grace and mercy and do His part of saving the person.

Ask yourself if you have signed the contract with God?

Believe in the work that Jesus did dying on the cross and raising from the dead to take away your sins. Now be willing to repent of your sins and flee all sin. Turn towards God and what He has for you.

God is ready to forgive you and give you life according to the contract, but you must believe and follow Jesus to get it all.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will be in agreement with God for your life; that you will flee all sin and turn towards God; and that you will trust God with all of your life.

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Hebrews 8:10 A New Way Of Doing Things

This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Hebrews 8:10

Contracts are drawn up all the time by two different parties to have written down what is expected by both parties. The purpose of it being written down is so that if there is any discrepancy about what to do, it can be seen and resolved immediately.

Following a contract has nothing to do with the heart, but just a matter of obligation.

Quoting from Jeremiah 31, the author of Hebrews shows that God had planned to make a new covenant with the people. This one would be written on the hearts and minds, so that He would be their God and they His people.

When a law is just a law on paper, but not in the heart, people obey it only when seen and only to keep from getting caught. It is not something that they want to obey, but just have to in order to keep from getting into trouble. Very few people desire to be in trouble.

If the law is not a part of one’s desire, it will be extremely difficult for the person to fully obey it. He will find ways to circumvent the law or just straight out not follow it.

The people of Israel had this problem with God’s Old Testament law.

When Jesus came, God changed how things would be done. Instead of being written just on paper, His law would be on the hearts and minds of the people.

Having the law on the heart and mind, makes one want to obey the law, not forced to. It becomes part of one’s own desire to do.

If you are like most people, you struggle with obeying God’s law. You want to, but often fail.

Allow God to place His law upon your heart. Instead of His law being something you have to do, make it something you desire or want to do.

Hide His law in your heart, so that it becomes a natural part of who you are. It will become easier to obey God, since you know in your heart that He is your God and you are His, not just on paper.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will have God’s commands upon your heart and mind; that you will live to please God; that you will know God’s love for you; and that you will be a part of God’s family.

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Jeremiah 50:5 Who Is Your Contract With?

Ark of the covenant

They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten. Jeremiah 50:5 

Contracts are drawn up every day all over the world. Some are between individuals, while others are between corporations and even nations. They are agreements that both parties will do something or not do something. Every contract is binding in some way, holding each one responsible for their part.

The purpose of the contract is to keep each other accountable for what is supposed to be done or not done. It is binding for the length of the contract, which is dependent on what has to be done.

During the time of Jeremiah, Israel and Judah had gone into exile. God tells of a time when they will return. They will seek God and bind themselves to Him in an everlasting covenant.

People bind themselves to many different things for many different reasons. Often the binding is done verbally and not written down. It is an agreement between two different people. Friends often bind themselves in this way.

Before believing in God, people are bound to the ways of this world, living in sin and rejecting God. Once they become a believer, they are bound in contract with God through belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

This contract with God is binding for eternity in two ways. One is that the believer will continue to believe in, obey and follow Jesus. The other is that God will love and save the person.

Once a person believes and follows Jesus, this is for eternity. He is to never go back to sin and break the contract with God, because it is binding and gives life, eternal life.

If you have chosen to believe in and follow Jesus, you are under contract with God. God has already done His part in removing all sin and giving you life. You must now live your life for God.

Do not allow yourself to break the contract and go back to a sinful lifestyle. Do not make a new contract with the world or the devil.

Live the full, abundant life that Jesus has promised you. God will uphold His part of the contract and will give you the strength and ability to do your part. All you have to do is choose to do it.

I pray today that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will bind yourself to God; that God will break the bondage you have in your life to sin; and that you will choose to live for God everyday.