A Living Response

When we begin to understand the living element of covenant making, we learn a new response. We see in Abraham's response to God's covenant demand to offer up his son, Isaac, as a proof of his faith in the covenant God had made with him, that covenant with God demands faith. We also see that covenant is not one sided. We need God as a covenant friend, but God needs us as instruments in this realm to assure His perfect Will to be carried out. God needed Abraham to respond to Him. He needed Mary to respond to Him. He needs a ready Church to carry out a total response to Him in this hour. Jesus showed us His complete response to the Father.

This brings us to the question, What is total response? A covenant response answers a covenant expectation. Israel, in keeping the law, gave God a covenant response. But the early church learned to give God a total response as they were faced with martyrdom to follow Jesus. They were willing to die for Him rather than deny Him. But the Spirit has been speaking to me concerning a Living Response. This is what I want to discuss with you, today.

Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He came as the manifestation of God's covenant purpose. He came revealing the Father in human flesh. This is the fulfillment of God's purpose to make man in His image. It takes faith to become the evidence of this purpose. We must walk in the Way, be responsive to the Truth and manifest His Life in our flesh. This demands faith in God, in Jesus' finished work and the power of the Holy Spirit within us. We are His workmanship. We are His desired, cherished and eternal work of God. The creation, made for our benefit as mortals to be given the opportunity of becoming His, will be changed into the new earth. The work accomplished in you is eternal.

Our attitude must be revealed in the living response. Thankfulness in all things, praise and worship as a perpetual response for our lips, adoration for God as He is, and a love that reaches out to those around us and all His creation that is under His covenant. For The Truth to live in you, there must be a resistance to deception no matter what the source. Jesus is The Truth. Satan is The Lie. Jesus speaks nothing that is not of the Father. Satan, who lives in darkness, cannot speak truth that expresses the Father. So, when Satan comes to slander you and condemn you, he speaks The Lie. He declared he would make himself as God and he tries to get you to achieve that through your efforts. He condemns you to motivate you to "do something" to make you feel righteous. Your righteousness is by faith in Jesus Who accomplished it for you. Your identification by faith to Jesus is not easy in the face of Satan's condemnation, but it is your victory. Live each day as His workmanship and let those who live in darkness, see your Light.