Sabbath Message 5/13/28/120
Dear Friends,
This week I would like to remind you to “Remember Your Contract”.
A Contract is an agreement between two parties who agree to certain terms and conditions. Both parties agree to do certain acts that will benefit the other. Both parties will be enriched by the relationship when they have fulfilled the terms and conditions of the contract.
When we went down into the waters of Baptism we made a contract with our Maker. That contract maybe the most important contract that we have made in our physical lives. God Almighty was calling us out of this world. What was our part of the contract? We were to walk before Him, we were to keep his commandments and be holy and blameless before him. Just what was this contract about? The apostle Paul puts it as follows:
Ephesians 1:3–14 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
What is required of us? What do we need to do?
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God,
and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.
We are to do our part of the deal. It is irrelevant what transpires around us
.All others were not parties to the contract .It is our performance that matters
.It is just between us and God Almighty who were parties to the contract that
was made.
Similar contracts, covenants were made before our time for example between God and Abraham, God and the nation of Israel. God did not fail, they did.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:
Paul confirms that God will be able to keep to the contract made with each of us and bring to successful completion the work He has started in our lives.
We need to follow the example Abraham laid out for us.
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place, which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Hebrews 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
We live in this world and we have been called out of this world. This world gives us a hard time. We do not need to be knocked around by those who are amongst us. It reminds me of the light on the wall. Once I turn on the light switch and the electrical link is made the light on the wall comes on. It illuminates the room in which I am writing this message. The light contributes to the room in its own way. It does not hurt but helps in a positive sense. We need to be like the light to add value to those in our fellowship.
Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
God reminds us of our part of the contract. God likens us to the salt of the earth.
Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Friends, do we want to run away from our contract? Jonah tried and all of you know the story anyway. We knew from the outset what we were getting into. God had reminded us to count the cost of our commitment.
Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first,
and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]?
We need not to despair. God knew that we could make the grade. Paul under inspiration
says the following:
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom
he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
When times are hard on us we can remember the following words.
Lamentations 3:23 [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:24 The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Lamentations 3:25 The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Besides the contract illustrated above, we made other contracts since then. We entered into contracts when we got married, when we went into employment. But these are just sub contracts that are derived from the terms of the main contract. The marriage contract has been there since the creation of our first parents.
We applied to enter into fellowship in CCG and we later applied for membership in CCG.
We need to honour what we have agreed to for it all boils down to us keeping
the commandments, statutes and ordinances. We were at various feast sites around
the world, we read the Law and we know what is required of us.
It won’t be long now. We cannot get sidetracked whatever happens. We need to
keep our focus on the goal set before us and not allow anything or anyone to
steal our crown from us. Remember the words of your master for he is coming
soon.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
He comes and will reward you.
Revelation 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Revelation 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Revelation 2:28 And I will give him the morning star.
So, my dear friends “ Remember Your Contract”.
Alan Brach
Coordinator South Asia
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