Is God's promises lasts forever? Covenant vs Promise.

The Psalm chp. 105 reveals God’s sovereignty over both the history of Israel and the acts of sinful men. Notice carefully how God was involved in ruling over everything – vs 14,16,17,24,25,26, etc. He was continually at work to fulfill His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – vs 8-10. 

We might say this is the psalm concerning God’s covenant with Abraham, just as Psalm 89 is the psalm of His covenant with David. Like Psalms 78 and 106, this one deals with history. 

Ps 78 was given chiefly for the purpose of teaching and exhortation. Ps 106 is a confession of Israel’s many sins. 

But this psalm rejoices in the mighty acts of the LORD God and there is no mention at all of the sin of Israel. The first 15 verses are found in 1 Chron 16:8-22. From that reference we may judge that David wrote it.

All God did is what He did to fulfill His covenant and promises. To do that (fulfill promise) God would be willing to move heaven and earth.

In the introduction (vs 1-7) David sets forth seven duties or privileges of God’s people –

1) Giving thanks,

2) Praying,

3) Making known God’s deeds,

4) Singing to God or about God,

5) Glorying in Him,

6) Seeking Him, And 

7) Remembering His wonderful works and words.

Following these instructions will result in a healthy spiritual life in any believer.

Covenant vs Promise:

But I will establish My covenant with you.

Gen. 6:18

In this verse the first use in the Bible of the word “covenant” occurs. It is a very important word, used nearly 300 times. 

The Hebrew word (Covenant) means an agreement between two or more parties (21:27; 26:28; 2 Sam 3:12-13), whereas a Promise given by one party to another (Gen 9:8-11). 

Sometimes there were conditions laid down, sometimes not. There was often some sign given and a sacrifice offered in connection with the establishment of a covenant.

God made very important covenants with men on several occasions –

1) with Noah and all mankind (9:8-17);

2) with Abraham and his descendants (15:18-21);

3) with the nation Israel (Ex 19:5);

4) with David and his offspring (2 Sam 7:16); and 

5) The New Covenant (Matt 26:27-29).

Old Testament vs New Testament:

The first part of the Bible is called the Old Testament (or Covenant) because it has to do for the most part with God’s covenant made with Israel at Sinai (Ex 19:5). 

The second part of the Bible is called the New Testament (or Covenant) because it has to do with the covenant Christ made with His disciples just before His crucifixion.

“I am the vine, you are the branches." John 15:5

I think Jesus here talking about or mentioning the Israelites as Israelites was God’s unfaithful vine. But Jesus is the true and faithful vine and the Father is the vinedresser.

Here is a parable regarding the nation of Israel as a whole and the tribe of Judah in particular. (See Isa. 5:1-7). Those who thought of themselves as God’s people are called a vineyard.

First, both the fruitless branch and the fruitful branch refer to true believers. The phrase every branch in Me, which refers to genuine believers. Elsewhere in the NT, nonbelievers are never said to be “in Me (Christ)” in any sense. 

The verb translated takes away can just as easily be translated “lifts up,” denoting the Vinedresser’s action in stimulating growth in a fruitless branch (God helping a fruitless believer to produce fruit). 

In the viticulture of Israel, late fall was the season for removing dead branches (v. 6). The springtime (the time of the upper room message and Jesus’ death) was the season to “lift up” fruitless branches from the ground to encourage productivity. The fruitful branch (i.e., a fruitful believer) receives pruning (divine discipline) so that it might be even more fruitful.

HE is speaking of what happens to literal branches cut from a vine. He does not say that some believers may not remain in Him and that if they do not, they will be burned in the fires of hell. That will be the fate of unbelievers, like Judas Iscariot, but not of believers. 

If any believer fears it might happen to him let him be sure to take hold of all the truth Christ taught and remain in Him. Then he will certainly not fall away.

Publicity of the Bible Authors/Writers?

The writers of the Bible were not concerned with promoting themselves. They would all have agreed with the psalmist who said “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory” (Ps 115:1). 

They wrote by the inspiration of the one true God (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21), and their concern was to record exactly what God inspired them to record. In a very real sense the author of every book of the Bible was God Himself using human instruments. 

This does not mean that the writers of the Bible were like robots or inanimate word processors. God took the writers as they were, with their faults and failings, with their human intellects and emotions and wills, and worked in them and through them to bring His Word into the world, just as He wanted it to be. 

God is great enough and wise enough to be able to do this, and He did do it. Men wrote the Bible, but what they wrote came from the mouth of God (Matt 4:4).

What is the "Kingdom of God"? How and Who will enter into it?

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". Matt. 4:17 (NKJV).

The kingdom of God is referenced often in the gospels (e.g., Mark 1:15; 10:15; 15:43; Luke 17:20) and other places in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 28:31; Rom. 14:17; 1st Cor. 15:50). The kingdom of God is synonymous with the kingdom of heaven. The concept of the kingdom of God takes on various shades of meaning in different passages of Scripture.

The kingdom of God is the rule of an eternal, sovereign God over all the universe. Several passages of Scripture show that God is the undeniable Monarch of all creation: “The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psa. 103:19).

“Kingdom of heaven” – this phrase is found only in Matthew. 

Mark, Luke, and John all use the similar phrase “kingdom of God". The teaching about God’s kingdom is a very important one in the New Testament.  It is referred to nearly 50 times in Matthew and about 140 times in the New Testament as a whole.

Kingdom of “heaven” indicates a rule that is spiritual and heavenly, having its source in heaven.  Kingdom of “God” means God’s rule among men or in men’s hearts. Sometimes God’s kingdom means the outward sphere of His rule, sometimes the inner spiritual rule in the hearts of His believers.

Both John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus spoke of the kingdom as being “near".  This was because Jesus the King from heaven was on the scene and His ministry was beginning.

So, there would be a new and greater manifestation of God’s rule than was known in Old Testament days.

Who are eligible to enter into it? And How?

The kingdom of God is a spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to God’s authority. Those who defy God’s authority and refuse to submit to Him are not part of the kingdom of God; in other words, those who acknowledge the lordship of Christ and gladly surrender to God’s rule in their hearts are part of the kingdom of God.

How to surrender ourselves?

“Repent” - and “repentance” are very important words in the Bible. Noun and verb together are used more than 70 times.

Repentance means a complete change of mind and heart which produces a change in behavior. As John and the Lord Jesus and His disciples used the word it means to turn to God from wrong thinking and wrong doing and accept God’s Word and God’s will as the rule of life. True Biblical repentance results in sorrow for sins committed and a desire to be free from all sin.

For those who have been rejecting Christ it means to turn to Him and receive Him as Lord and Saviour. Repentance is linked with that true faith which receives salvation. A person without repentance is without true faith and so without salvation. The person who is not willing to turn from all his sins - especially the sin of not trusting in Christ and putting others or other things above Him - will not know salvation from his sins.

John preached repentance because the people of Israel were sunk in sin and unbelief and were not ready to receive the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Their condition was like that described in Isa. 1:4.

The kingdom of God involves repentance and the new birth, as God rules in the hearts of His children in this world in preparation for the next (salvation).

Being a Bless, Blessed and Blessing, Biblically.

“Bless” - Blessing may mean either material or spiritual blessing. 

1) Spiritual blessings, of course, are far more important than material (see Matt 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-26). 

2) Material blessings are temporary, spiritual blessings are related to eternity (see Eph 1:3; Matt 6:19-21). 

“Bless” - Faith in God and obedience to Him bring great blessing, not only to the individual who practices them but to many others.

"Blessed” - This is a translation of a Greek word meaning happy. However it does not mean here a feeling of happiness in the heart, but a happy state, a blessed condition, one that will mean at last eternal joy in God’s presence.

The word when used in the New Testament of people speaks of spiritual blessing, the blessing that comes to those who are in God’s kingdom and ruled by God. They have a share in God’s happy condition.

This does not mean that the blessed in God’s kingdom on earth will never know sorrow or will always experience the emotion of happiness. The fullness of their joy awaits the future. But they have a foretaste of it now, for God shares His joy with His people (John 15:11; 17:13; Rom 14:17; 15:13).

True blessedness comes only when we are linked with the true God and His blessedness. The whole Bible was given that men might know of this and come to share it.

Observe that Abraham not only received God’s blessing, he became a blessing to others.

How Many Times Should I Ask (or) Pray to God For Something?

"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do.  For they think that they will be heard for their many words." Matt. 6:7 (NKJV).

Our praying should be neither mechanical nor in ignorance. A name repeated over and over (see 1 Kings 18:26; Acts 19:34), or a formula of words constantly repeated, or piling up words to convince God to listen - such things have no power at all with God. 

God does not require our babbling to know what we need and give it to us. We do not need to wake Him up, or capture His attention (Ps 34:15; 121:2-5; 2 Chron 16:9). And we need not instruct Him about the things that are necessary for us to have. 

Tattoos and Body Piercings (Body Modification) – What Does The Bible Say?

Body modification, including piercing, tattooing, scarring, branding, cutting, and outright mutilation, has been an increasing trend in recent years. Body piercing-the insertion of jewelry in various body parts-has graduated from the traditional ear lobe piercing to the piercing of noses, navels, breasts/chests, tongues, eyebrows, cheeks, genitalia, and more. Many Christians have a piercing or two, and some have many more than two; no matter what the issue, it’s good to stop and consider what the Bible says.

This topic will be a very sensitive one for many in this day and age. As you all know, many people like to get different types of tattoos and body piercing put on the different parts of their bodies.

You will see people getting tattoos on just about any part of the human anatomy, even on their most intimate, personal, and private parts. The same goes with the different types of body piercing.

For those of you who are really wanting to know what the Lord may think about this issue, I would challenge each and everyone of you to go before Him in prayer and ask for His direct opinion on this matter. I know there is a bit of a rift in the Body on this issue right now.

On the one side are those who believe that God’s command back to the Jewish people in the Book of Leviticus no longer applies to any of us in this day and age since we are now operating under a New Covenant with Jesus and we are now no longer under the law, but under grace.

On the other side are those who believe that this command still applies to everyone in this day and age, and that God has not changed His mind on this issue.

In addition to the verse from Leviticus, I believe there are several other verses that you have to match up with that one to get what God’s opinion may really be on this issue.

The Scripture Verses:

I believe there are few key Scripture verses that need to be grouped together to get what God’s opinion may really be on this issue.

1) You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord. Levi. 19:28.

The very first verse is from the Book of Leviticus back in the Old Testament. God was telling His chosen people what they could and could not do in their personal relationship and interaction with Him.

As we all know, God gave them quite a bit of rules, regulations, and commandments that He wanted them to abide by. This one particular command was one of them.

Notice this verse specifically isolates not only tattoos, but any “cuttings on the flesh”, which I believe relates to all of the different types of body piercing people are now getting these days.

Also note that God was referring to them making any kinds of tattoos or cuttings in their flesh “for the dead.” Lord God was flat out telling His own people that they were not to engage in this type of activity. Notice that God uses the word “any” tattoos and “any” cuttings” in their flesh.

If Lord God did not want His special chosen people back in the Old Testament to be putting on any kinds of tattoos and cuttings in their flesh, does He still have that same opinion today with all of His New Testament believers?

2) Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matt. 5:17‭-‬18.

3) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 1st Cor. 3:16‭-‬17.

4) Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who  is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1st Cor. 6:19‭-‬20.

Forming a biblically informed opinion on body piercings/tattooing requires us to examine the principles of the Word of God and ask ourselves some pertinent questions:

• What is my motivation for getting a body piercing/tattooing? 

Our motives are important in any decision we make (Prov.16:2), especially something as permanent and potentially life-changing as a body piercing/tattooing.

• Am I trying to find identity in a subculture? 

Body piercing/tattooing has given rise to a definite subculture, and many people try to “find themselves” by joining the bodymod community. While joining a particular cultural group might help in evangelizing that group, to join simply to “find oneself” is not biblical. As believers, our identity is in Christ: “You died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3).

• Am I submitting myself to seek pressure? 

Doing anything out of a desire to please one’s attention is spiritually hazardous. We are to follow the Lord Jesus (see John 21:21-22). Those who follow peer pressure in getting a body piercing/tattooing find themselves in the ironic position of having proclaimed their uniqueness through conformity.

• Am I stressing appearance over substance? 

The Bible clearly emphasizes the inner spiritual qualities of a person and downplays the “outward adornment” (1st Pet. 3:3-4). The majority of our effort should be directed at increasing in godliness, not grooming a particular look.

• Am I drawing undue attention to myself? Any item of clothing, accessory, or jewelry worn simply as a fashion statement runs the risk of feeding pride in that it draws attention to the wearer. Bringing public focus to certain body parts, pushing boundaries, or creating a flashy display is not a godly reason for a body piercing, especially when we have this command in Scripture: “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility” (1st Pet. 5:5).

• Will this body piercing/tattooing be an obstacle to ministry? 

It’s conceivable that, in some situations, having a body piercing/tattooing will aid a believer in his witness to others. And, if the piercing/tattoo is decorated with Christian-themed jewelry, it could be a conversation-starter that leads to spiritual themes. But, for others, certain types of body piercings/tattoos may hinder attempts to share the gospel. 

We are Christ’s ambassadors, delivering God’s message to the world (2nd Cor. 5:20). We must consider what message the body piercing sends and whether it will aid or detract from representing Christ and sharing the gospel.

• Where do I draw the line? 

According to Guinness World Records, the record for total body piercings is 453 (male) and 462 (female). Those considering multiple piercings should be able to answer the question “how much is too much?” with specificity. At what point does body modification become extreme? How far can Christians go and still “honor God with your bodies” (1st Cor. 6:20)? Beyond piercings, questions should be asked about scarification, branding, facial flesh tunnels, skin implants, split tongues, pointed ears, sharpened teeth, and other things promoted within the modern bodymod community.

Of course, we could also ask where we draw the line on other, more socially acceptable body modifications such as breast implants, tummy tucks, face lifts, and such. Some of the same questions about motivation and appearance need honest answers if we are to do “all for the glory of God” (1st Cor. 10:31).

An important scriptural principle on issues the Bible does not specifically address is that, if there is room for doubt whether it pleases God, then it is best not to engage in that activity. Anything that does not come from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). Our bodies, as well as our souls, have been redeemed and belong to God (1st Cor. 6:20). Since our bodies belong to God and are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we should make sure it is His will before we modify them with body piercings.

So, if Lord God is telling His chosen people that He did not want them tattooing or putting any kinds of cuttings into their flesh - and their bodies were not even considered to be the temple of His Holy Spirit back in those Old Testament times - then how much more seriously should this command be taken by all New Testament believers, since all of our bodies are now considered to be the actual temple of the Holy Spirit?

As the above verses are telling us, our bodies have now become the temple of the Lord Himself.

We are no longer our own. As a result, we should be doing everything we can to glorify our God - which includes glorifying Him in our bodies as the above verse is telling us to do.

Marking up our bodies with the different kinds of tattoos and body piercing may not be what the Lord had in mind when He is telling us to glorify Him in both our bodies and our spirits.

And just as we would never consider marking up or defacing any parts of an actual Christian Church building - in the same way I do not believe that our Lord wants us defacing or marking up any parts of our physical bodies.

For those of you who have a good ability to pick up an inner witness from the Holy Spirit on many different matters in your life, simply tap in and see what kind of inner witness you get from Him once you entertain the thought of wanting to put any kind of tattoo on your body, or make an attempt to want to put any kind of body piercing on your navel, tongue, eyelids, breasts/chests or to any parts of your genitalia - knowing full well that you carry His presence right there on the inside of your physical body.

What kind of witness do you get from the Holy Spirit when you tap in to see what His opinion may really be on this kind of a matter?

My own inner witness tells me that He does not want us getting any kinds of tattoos or cuttings done on our bodies - and that if we do, it is a form of defilement since our bodies are now His Holy Temple.