COVENANT MINDED MINISTRIES

Jesus Christ Highly Exalted 

When the Word of God became flesh (Jesus Christ), the incarnated God (God embodied in the flesh), who suffered and died for the sins of the world, and was resurrected from the dead on the 3rd day, and has now ascended to heaven at the right hand of the throne of God;

God the Father has highly exalted Him and given Him the name (JESUS) that is above every name.

Although all will one day worship Christ, only those who put their faith in Him in this life will have an everlasting relationship with Him after death.

Everyone (those who have died before His return, and those living at the time of His return, including the angels in heaven) will unanimously affirm what God the Father as already stated:

For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: (Isaiah 45:18)

“ I am the LORD, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in vain’; I, the LORD, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. (Isaiah 45:19)

“Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. 
They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save. (Isaiah 45:20)

Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? 
Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me,  A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. (Isaiah 45:21)

“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:22)

God Gave His Only Beloved Son Jesus Christ

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:17)

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)

For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (John 3:20)

But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John 3:21)

The Humbled and Exalted Christ

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:5)

who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (Philippians 2:6)

but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:7)

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8)

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, (Philippians 2:9)

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, (Philippians 2:10)

and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Whether You Acknowledge Him Now or Not

Whether you acknowledge Him as God or not, the Day is coming that evey knee should bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of God the Father.

Worshiping and praising God is annoying and very fulstrating to the devil and his children; as a matter of fact, they really cannot stand it.

When the children of God worship and praise Him, the devil and his children are punished because of their lack of admiration and love for and of God.

Worshiping in Spirit and in Truth

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (John 4:23)

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)

the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 4:17)

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. (John 15:26)

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (John 16:13)

I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, (Romans 9:1)

This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. (1st John 5:6)

Unacceptable Worship and Praise

Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me (Zechariah), saying, (Zechariah 7:4)

"Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me --- for Me? (Zechariah 7:5)

The seventy year period of time while the Israelites were in exile and the temple laid in ruin, their fasting and their feasting were both motivated by self-interest rather than a desire to honor God.

Sacrifices and worship are of little or no interest to God if they are not accompanied by practical piety (religious devotion and reverence to God; heartly, sincere, earnest devotion to God).

Loving commitment and concern should guide our relationships with others, in particular, that of not oppressing or taking advantage of the helpless and less fortunate.

Evil scheming against others is prohibited, and all judicial decisions must be and should be made without partiality or bias.

True worship and praise to the LORD and service to others must be done with a clean heart and a contrite spirit (one filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; showing sincere remorse).

Zechariah's above admonitions to the Israelites also highlight the practical concerns emphasized by the prophets Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah.

Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: (Isaiah 1:10)

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the LORD. 
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. (Isaiah 1:11)

“When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, 
To trample My courts? (Isaiah 1:12)

Bring no more futile sacrifices;  Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. (Isaiah 1:13)

Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. (Isaiah 1:14)

When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. 
Your hands are full of blood. (Isaiah 1:15)

“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, (Isaiah 1:16)

Learn to do good; Seek justice,  Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:17)

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, (Isaiah 1:18)

For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)

With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? (Micah 6:6)

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (Micah 6:7)

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?  (Micah 6:8)

Avoid Worldly Wisdom and Being Deceived

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. (1st Corinthians 3:18)

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (Ephesians 5:6)

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. (1st John 3:7)

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)

Jesus Christ Died for the Ungodly

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. (Romans 5:7)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Romans 5:9)

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:10)

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:11)

Alexander the Great 

Alexander the Great, born in 356 B.C., and also known as Alexander III of Macedon, was an ancient Greece King of Macedon.

History has him as one of the most successful military commanders of all time and is presumed undefeated in battle.

By the time of his death in 323 B.C., at age 32 years and 11 months, he had conquered most of the known world as known to the Greeks.

Shortly before beginning of the Arabian campaign, he contacted a high fever after attending a private party at his friend's Medius of Larisa.

As soon as he drank from the cup he "shrieked aloud as if smitten by a violent blow."

The fever became stronger with each following day to the point that he was unable to move and speak.

The Macedonians were allowed to file past their leader for the last time before he finally succumbed to the illness on June 7, 323 B.C. in the Macedonian month of Daesius.

Alexander the Great, the Macedonian king and great conqueror of the Persian Empire, died at the age of 33 without designating a successor to the Macedonian Empire.

Daniel 8:5–8 and 21–22 states that a King of Greece will conquer the Medes and Persians, but then die at the height of his power, and have his kingdom broken into four (4) kingdoms.

This is sometimes taken as a reference to Alexander the Great, who was a polytheist (one who believes in, or maintains the doctrine of, a plurality of gods).

No other gods before God

“You shall have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:3 & Deuteronomy 5:7)

You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you (Deuteronomy 6:14)

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ (Deuteronomy 18:20)

So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them. (Deuteronomy 28:14)

with whom the LORD had made a covenant and charged them, saying: “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them; (2nd Kings 17:35)

And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. (2nd Kings 17:37)

And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. (2nd Kings 17:38)

This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. (Jeremiah 13:10)

then you shall say to them, ‘Because your fathers have forsaken Me,’ says the LORD; ‘they have walked after other gods and have served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken Me and not kept My law. (Jeremiah 16:11)

Therefore I will cast you out of this land into a land that you do not know, neither you nor your fathers; and there you shall serve other gods day and night, where I will not show you favor.’  (Jeremiah 16:13)

What's the Value of Your Soul to You

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? (Mark 8:36)

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (Luke 9:25)

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. (1st John 1:6)

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1st John 1:7)

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1st John 1:8)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1st John 1:9)

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1st John 1:10)

Application for Salvation

You can apply right here and now for your own personal salvation, and no one who is sincere is guaranteed not to be denied.

Follow the following steps:

Hear and receive the gospel of Christ

Believe in your heart what you've heard

Confess with your mouth your belief

Say the following:

I have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  I was born in sin and shaped in iniquity, and I cannot save myself; I need the LORD Jesus Christ.

I confess with my mouth the LORD Jesus, and believe in my heart, that You God has raised Him from the dead according to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

According to Your word, if my heart believes unto righteousness, then, confession with my mouth can be made unto salvation; this I submitt whole-heartedly to You, in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son.  Amen.

Welcome to the Body of Christ

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the LORD has said, Among the remnant whom the LORD calls. (Joel 2:32)

And it shall come to passThat whoever calls on the name of the LORDShall be saved.’ (Acts 2:21)

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”(that is, the word of faith which we preach): (Romans 10:8)

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:10)

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11)

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. (Romans 10:12)

For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

Israel's Rejection of the Gospel is not Final

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14)

And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “ How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15)

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?” (Romans 10:16)

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” (Romans 10:18)

But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”  (Romans 10:19)

But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.” (Romans 10:20)

But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.” (Romans 10:21)

The Coming of the Son of Man

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Matthew 24:29)

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)

And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:31)

His Second Coming Will Convience Israel

Jesus Christ will fulfill the role of Israel's deliver and King at His Second Coming,  in which, Israel and the whole world will mourn for not having accepted the Messiah the first time He came.

The Second Coming is when Jesus returns to defeat the antichrist, destroy evil, and establish His Millennial Kingdom.  Revelation 19:11-16 describes this major event in detail.

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. (Revelation 19:11)

His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. (Revelation 19:12)

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)

And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. (Revelation 19:14)

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15)

And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)