40 HOLY DAYS

COVENANT

Click HERE for Covenant Video Introduction
(for webpage version click HERE)

Week One

Holy Nature

Day 7

Day Seven Devotions:

MORNING MEDITATION

AFTERNOON DEVOTION

EVENING PRAYER

MORNING MEDITATION

Morning Meditation: "Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done." - Genesis 2:1-3

On the seventh day of Creation, the Master stepped back from His canvas and laid His brush down. There was to be no final touching up, no area that needed a little extra attention, no missing element that needed to be added in - His masterpiece was complete. What was once without form had been transformed into a thing of beauty and given proper function, and where once there was emptiness had now become defined space filled with an extravagant display of the Creators' benevolent goodness. All around there was structure, order, beauty, and life. Everything was perfect. Everything was complete. "Look in the scroll of the LORD and read: None of these will be missing, no one will lack her mate. For it is His mouth that has given the order, and His Spirit will gather them together. He allots their portion; His hand distributes them by measure. They will possess it forever and dwell there from generation to generation" (Isaiah 34:16-17).

God's creative work was finished, and on the day He rested, all was good. There were no dark forces looming in the shadows, or any signs of disorder. The world was one and working together in perfect harmony fulfilling their designated functions in honor and worship of the faithful One who was upholding them by His Sovereign rule. From sunrise to sunset, week after week, season to season, and year after year, the cyclical nature of the created realm proclaims the security of all heaven and earth which rests in the faithful, good, loving, and holy hands of the Sovereign Creator-King. Everything that is and has ever been has come from His benevolent hand, to bless, to protect and to promote life. "Praise the LORD, all His works everywhere in His dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul" (Psalm 103:22).

Our holy Creator thought of everything we would need for a healthy and productive life, and He gave us seven feast days in a week, so we, the chosen representatives of His kingdom and blessed rulers of His created realm, would learn to trust Him, depend on Him, and worship Him as we follow His perfect pattern for work and rest every single week. May we be mindful from this day forward that every day of the week was created by God and for God, and He placed a big exclamation mark at the end of the week to remind us to always rest in Him. May we glorify Him this day with everything we do and say, but more importantly may we make our devotion and worship of Him the priority of our day. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for men" (Colossians 3:23). He alone is worthy of all our praise!

"The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;

let the distant shores rejoice.

The heavens proclaim His righteousness,

and all the peoples see His glory.

All who worship images are put to shame,

those who boast in idols - worship Him, all you gods!

For You, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;

You are exalted far above all gods.

Let those who love the LORD hate evil,

for He guards the lives of His faithful ones

and delivers them from the hand of the wicked."

(Psalm 97:1, 6-7, 9-10)

AFTERNOON DEVOTION

Afternoon Devotion: "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe My Sabbaths. This will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy." - Exodus 31:12-13

God placed His stamp of blessing on His covenant scroll on the seventh day and called it "holy." This sacred day would remain a visible symbol and a continuous weekly reminder of God's covenant commitment to His people. "This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy" (Exodus 31:13).

Holy God gave the Sabbath as a sign of His covenant with Israel to show that they were His chosen people who had been set apart as Holy to the Lord. "Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6). They were not made holy by their own nature, but by the divine presence of God in their midst. Their faithful observance of this covenant stipulation would not only demonstrate their obedience to God, but would also provide a weekly renewal of their covenant with God.

We have been given this one holy day each week as a perpetual reminder that God offers us complete and total rest in His Son, Jesus Christ. Our Creator rested from His work of Creation, but we find our rest in the completed work of Christ on the cross. "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:9-11). Our observance of God's day of rest, not only reminds us of our ultimate spiritual rest, but is a proclamation to the world of the rest that is only found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Let us honor our Creator by following the example He has given us, by becoming a holy example to the world of the perfect rest He offers - until we enter into that final day of rest!

"This is what God the LORD says -

He who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,

Who gives breath to its people,

and life to those who walk in it:

'I the LORD, have called you in righteousness;

I will take hold of your hand.

I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people

and a light for the Gentiles,

to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison

and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

"I am the LORD; that is my name!

I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols.

See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare;

Before they spring into being I announce them to you."

(Isaiah 42:5-9)

EVENING PRAYER

Evening Prayer of Praise: "And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done." - Genesis 2:3

Our Creator painted us a magnificent picture of His holiness in nature, but the true display of His holiness is found in a person - Jesus Christ. Where God's creative work ends, His redemptive work begins. This week we will continue to worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness as it is revealed in the holy image of Christ. Let us continue our journey with our hearts full of praise for the Author of our Marriage Covenant, as we make our way from the outer courts of His temple into the holy place of deeper union with Him, and as He opens the door to even more glorious revelations of His covenant of love.

"Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;

it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.

Praise the LORD with the harp;

make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre.

Sing to Him a new song;

play skillfully, and shout for joy.

For the word of the LORD is right and true;

He is faithful in all He does.

The LORD loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of His unfailing love.

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,

their starry host by the breath of His mouth.

He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;

He puts the deep into storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the LORD;

let all the people of the world revere Him.

For He spoke, and it came to be;

He commanded, and it stood firm.

The LORD foils the plans of the nations;

He thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,

the purposes of His heart through all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,

the people He chose for His inheritance.

From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;

from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth -

He who forms the heart of all,

who considers everything they do.

No king is saved by the size of his army;

no warrior escapes by his great strength.

A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;

despite all its strength it cannot save.

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him,

on those whose hope is in His unfailing love,

to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

We wait in hope for the LORD;

He is our help and our shield.

In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.

May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,

even as we put our hope in You."

(Psalm 33)

Devotional provided by Trumpet and Torch Ministries

Quick Links...

40 Holy Days Devotional Journey
The Family Foundation 40 Days for Marriage
40 Days for Marriage Video
On Holy Ground - A Prayer for the Journey
The #1 Question About Fasting? (Fasting 101)
The Garden of God (video message on fasting)
A Glimpse of His Glory (video)
Shepherds After My Own Heart (video message for pastors)
E-mail Archive (If you have missed any emails)

Coming Soon!
October 4th, 2014 - The Great Day of Intercession - make plans now for your congregation to unite at the end of our journey in one day of corporate prayer and fasting to intercede for our nation on the Day of Atonement.

October 5th, 2014 - Day 40 The Final Feast - A day of celebration for the Bride of Christ as we rebuild the prayer altar to become a house of prayer for all nations in a day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem and in prayer for pastors across the nation who will be speaking the Truth in love as they deliver God's Word on Marriage on Pulpit Freedom Sunday.

Contact:

Trumpet and Torch Ministries
40 Holy Days Devotional Prayer & Fasting e-mail journey
www.trumpetandtorch.org
info@trumpetandtorch.org

The Family Foundation
40 Days of Prayer, Fasting and Repentance for Marriage
www.familyfoundation.org/40daysformarriage
Roger@familyfoundation.org