covenant relationship

What is a covenant relationship?

The concept of “covenant” is ancient and had its roots in the bible and the various cultures of the Ancient Near East. In this context, a covenant was understood to be a binding agreement through which both parties had certain responsibilities and could expect certain benefits in return. Unlike a simple contract or a “business deal,” however, a covenant implied a meaningful relationship between the two parties. In this way, God made covenant with Noah, Abraham, and eventually all of Israel at Mt. Sinai. God continues this covenant relationship through Jesus Christ.

Why “covenant” with a local church?

Many believe that this model is the best way for Christians to commit themselves to being disciples of Jesus Christ. Being in a meaningful relationship with God, our neighbor, and the world (including all of creation) is what it means to be the church. This is very different in some ways from what is traditionally thought of as “membership” in the local church. Since we “join” many different groups in our society, the word “membership” carries with it certain assumptions that we may wish to avoid in the context of the church. There may be the thought, for instance, that being a “member” of a church means that there can be no dissenting opinion from the leadership or a particular denomination. “Members,” it may be assumed, are expected to “buy into” the professed agenda 100%.  Not so. When a Christian enters into a covenant relationship with a local church, they are agreeing to a meaningful association with that local church, and are expected to exchange ideas and opinions in an environment of grace, love, and mutual respect with other covenant members.

 

What is expected of those who enter into a covenant relationship?

Those who enter into a covenant relationship with Westwood Church are expected to sincerely pursue the “Six points of the Covenant Relationship” outlined below. Those in covenant seek to understand God’s ongoing story and apply it in a meaningful way to our current context. Those in covenant also seek to live out their ongoing unique spiritual journey, welcoming God’s healing and wholeness into their lives, being in community with their neighbor, serving their neighbor locally and around the world, and celebrating with others in the life of the church, especially in worship.

Six Points of the Covenant Relationship

1. Tradition

At Westwood Church, we affirm the central truths of the historic Christian faith. We see ourselves as standing in a long line of faithful witnesses who have engaged, wrestled with, and interpreted these truths for their particular historic context. We believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God that has been transmitted through poems, stories, narratives, and letters that communicate to us the divine will for our lives, put to us in THE WORD OF GOD as stated in the Bible

THROUGH OUR TRADITION, WE COVENANT TO LOOK TO THE PAST.

2. Journey

At Westwood Church, we believe that God is working to restore a fallen creation. Beginning with the covenant with Abraham, God has been preparing a time when the divine presence would draw near and begin the redemptive process. We believe this has happened in the person of Jesus Christ. As a church, we seek to find ways to partner with God in bringing about this renewal both in individual lives and in society as a whole, even as we anticipate the fullness of the future kingdom. We seek to find new and relevant ways to live out and communicate the teachings of Jesus, always knowing that faith is a journey that we must all be on.

THROUGH OUR JOURNEY, WE COVENANT TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE.

3. Discipleship

At Westwood Church, we believe that it is God’s will for us to be fully integrated persons – mind, body, soul, and spirit. As people of faith, we seek to embrace the grace of God offered through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We value the path of discipleship, seeking to grow in knowledge of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, forgiven of our sins, healed of our brokenness, and restored in the created image of God.

THROUGH OUR DISCIPLESHIP, WE COVENANT TO LOOK WITHIN.

4. Community

At Westwood Church, we value the dignity of all human beings, regardless of differences, because the image of God is in all people. We also believe that faith can only be fully lived out in the context of community, for God has called us to be in relationship with one another, to bear one another’s burdens, to be generous with our gifts, to pray for one another, and to share our stories.

THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY, WE COVENANT TO LOOK TO ONE ANOTHER.

5. Service

At Westwood Church, we believe that God is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and that the church, through the Holy Spirit, represents God’s continuing presence in the world today. Through the Spirit, we are led to work for justice and peace in the world, bringing relief to those who suffer, comforting those who grieve, and fighting oppression wherever it may be found. We believe that God in Christ calls the church to be a force for change, and that the church is at its best when it serves, sacrifices, and loves unconditionally.

THROUGH OUR SERVICE, WE COVENANT TO LOOK OUTWARD.

Control What???

Control What???
Do we really want to control guns? Well what else then? If we have control over guns can we not then control the people? Most certainly, remove all the guns from all the people and you remove the gun violence. NOT. You have simply made it more difficult to get guns, but I promise that if I want a gun, I will get one. probably any style and or type I want. You have just made it more difficult for honest law abiding people to acquire a gun for themselves. Which then makes them more vulnerable to someone who wants to do gun violence on them. 
        The phrase has two words in it. "Gun Violence". One of the words describes an object, a gun, it is inanimate, it can do nothing by itself, it must have an operator or someone who wields it. The other word is violence. Just the spoken word brings to mind harmful thoughts and vivid images of people and things in a state of uncontrolled mayhem. Just ask a ten year old child what the meaning of or what the concept of violence is, and you will hear a vivid description of some type of physical violence, involving the use of some type of weapon and it is usually exacted by one person against another. 
          So what is it really, that we want to do? We want to stop gun violence. Do we want other types of violence to go uncontrolled? Well actually we would like to remove all violence from society.  How could one do that? By having all of us love our neighbor as ourselves, and that then brings to mind the phrase" that is not possible". So even in the Bible we have very vivid descriptions of violence. From cutting off the heads of our enemies, to driving tent peg stakes through their heads, to crucifixion. Then how can we do this? Did you ever hear of the words "Love your neighbor as yourself"? 

A Thanksgiving State of Mind?

A thanksgiving state of mind?

 It is a seasonal celebration of the gifts God has made available to his people.
It is also a state of mind, an attitude, a prayer of thankfulness. However it changes nothing unless it is a continual and constant state of mind .

 There is most certainly a communal blessing attached to it, and much good comes from it. But unless it becomes a part of ones daily lifestyle, it will only remain a seasonal feeling. Thankfulness is a way of living life to the fullest, and expecting God's goodness to flow as he has most certainly promised that it will to those who believe the message of Jesus Christ, and accept the calling of "Christian".

 A commitment to live a life of forgiving gratefulness, of thankfulness, of endless love for our fellow man, A life where one is sharply aware of thankfulness to God. Where one is aware that all good things come from God, and only one gift, Jesus Christ,  is God's loving gift to mankind for salvation. All else is simply the stuffing for the turkey.

All good gifts are from God and all blessings are God created to suit the individual need of the moment. Much as one needs breath to live, one cannot take in all the breath one will ever need in one great gulp of air. One can only breath one breath at a time, for which we should certainly be grateful. And by the same comparison one does not receive all the blessings one can have at one time. God's blessings come more on an as needed basis. But one does not thank God personally for every breath taken, or for every blessing God sends our way. We are always breathing, and just as breath is a blessing, we are also always receiving God's other blessings, It is just that we do not always recognize them as blessings.

 It is a matter of living a life of thanksgiving. Allowing God's free gifts to flow in to and out of our life much the same as we breathe. It should become a matter of continual routine, like breathing, that we thank God for the blessings that he provides us.

Then it should become a matter of continual routine that we dispense our ample supply of God's blessings to others we meet. Those who are more needful than we of the good gifts from God that our life has been blessed to receive. Then as the parable of the talents implies, We are meant to share these gifts the same way as those servants were intended to invest the talents that their master left with them when he went away for a long time. Upon returning from his long journey he expected a return on his investments. We are in receipt of God's blessings, and we are in charge of them. God will expect a return on his investments. Our blessing is that God has chosen us to use his investments wisely. We are fortunate indeed to have a God who will trust us with his blessings. and for that we should always be in a thanksgiving state of mind.

Obama The Great; A Fool And His Democracy Are Soon Parted

Obama The Great; A Fool And His Democracy Are Soon Parted
Every move Obama made during his first year in office was pro-Islam and anti-Israel and Christian. Went to Middle East and gave speeches that were not pro-American. Stopped the trials at Gitmo even though the perpetrators admitted they were guilty. Changed the Rules of Engagement downrange. Had our men start reading Miranda Rights to those they caught killing us. Went to Gaza and told them he would give the lands that 200,000 Jews lived on. At the Democratic Convention last election, the Libs wanted to get God and Israel out of their theme. This caused a tremendous uproar and they were foiled but it again was proof of where they stand. Obama went to the U.N. to involve us in Libya and have Ghadaffi slaughtered and interfered in Egypt to get Mubarak. Both men no threat to America and both men kept Al Qaeda and Muslim Brotherhood at bay. This move raised eyebrows in Europe and Israel. Egypt went on to get rid of Morsi and tell America and Obama to pound sand. They realized what they were up against and wanted no part of it. Now Syria, Libya et most of the Middle East along with much of Africa is over flowing with Al Qaeda and the news yesterday from the Congressional Hearings on terrorism is that we are at the same risk now that we were before 9/11. This is no accident on the part of Obama and now McCain and much of the world, is more than willing to say the truth that Obama has upset the balance throughout the Middle East and Africa. He has accomplished his goal. America is in serious danger and the Muslims are gaining footholds throughout the world killing Christians and threatening everyone. Obama is the most dangerous man to ever hold office and will go down in history as a tyrant.

Early Bird Brief - Military Times

    Early Bird Brief - Military Times

Nov 10, 2016  
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Good morning and welcome to the Early Bird Brief. Please send news tips and suggestions to: earlybird@militarytimes.com.
Today's Top 5
  1. Inside the Pentagon, early fears Trump will micromanage the generals more than Obama did
(Military Times) There are plenty of reasons to believe Trump's White House will continue Obama's pattern of heavy-handed management.

  2. After Donald Trump's surprising win, Pentagon launches immediate transition
(Military Times) Election Day ended just a few hours ago, but transition work at the Pentagon begins this morning.

  3. Trump administration promises more aggressive, less political cyber stance
(Federal Times) In an election that rarely dipped into policy specifics, cybersecurity was front and center as both a political weapon and a major platform for both parties.

  4. Defense Industry Expecting Boost from Trump Election
(Defense News) The election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States should give a boost to the defense industry, although one analyst warns there may be new challenges that arise in the international market.

  5. Anti-Trump Protests Break Out In Cities Across The Country
(npr) rotesters have marched in several cities across the United States, angered by the surprise election of Donald Trump.

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Donald Trump & the Presidency
  Who will be Trump's secretary of defense?
(Military Times) President-elect Donald Trump’s surprise victory this week has left defense watchers scrambling to figure out who will take over key national security posts next year, including defense secretary​.

  Dear President-elect: Advocacy group's open letter to Trump outlines key concerns of military families
(Military Times) Less than a day after the election of a new commander in chief, military families are making their frustrations known to Donald Trump via an open letter from the National Military Family Association.

  From Moscow: Russian Politicians and Pundits Shocked by Trump Election
(Defense News) The Russian media had been preparing for Hillary Clinton for weeks, if not months. On state television channels and news outlets, the former secretary of state was routinely derided as a corrupt, anti-Russian war monger. Some Russian media even went so far as to depict her as possibly insane, and out to start World War III.

  Arab-Israeli Hardliners Eye Brighter Days Under Trump
(Defense News) Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi was the first Arab leader to call and congratulate US President-elect Donald Trump, and others throughout the region quickly followed suit, offering hopes of closer ties than those frayed by eight years of President Barack Obama.

  Northern Europe, Baltics Worry About the 'Unknowns' of a Trump Reign
(Defense News) Worried Nordic and Baltic-rim state governments are seeking "early" individual meetings with Vice President-elect Mike Pence to discuss what US security policy may look like under Donald Trump’s new administration.

  Analysts: Trump Victory Forces Europe's Hand on Russia Policy
(Defense News) Europe must start making its own decisions on confronting Russian aggression following the shock victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential elections, a European analyst has warned.

  Cautious Optimism in Turkey After Trump Wins US Presidential Election
(Defense News) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Donald Trump’s election as the 45th president of the United States would mark a “new era,” adding that he hopes the US election will “bring favorable developments.”

  Yonhap: U.S. President-elect Trump pledges commitment to defend South Korea
(Reuters) U.S. President-elect Donald Trump pledged his commitment to defend South Korea under an existing security alliance during a phone call with South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Thursday.

  French President Anticipates 'Period of Uncertainty' After Trump Is Elected US President
(Defense News) French President François Hollande has said the US election results have ushered in a time of uncertainty, even as the French head of state congratulated Donald Trump for his victory.

  Will top cyber talent join the Trump team? Jury's out.
(NextGov) Some former officials and cyber experts said Wednesday duty to country would outweigh partisan divisions or hostility to Trump’s particularly divisive style in technology and national security sectors. Others were less sanguine.

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  Cotton: Trump can make 'tough calls' on waterboarding
(The Hill) Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said Tuesday that President-elect Donald Trump is ready to make “tough calls” if it comes to waterboard terrorism suspects.

Overseas Operations
  U.S. Says It Has Killed 119 Civilians in Iraq and Syria Since 2014
(New York Times) The United States has killed 119 civilians in Iraq and Syria since it began military operations against the Islamic State there in 2014, military officials said Wednesday.

CyberCon 2016
  Register Today for CyberCon 2016!
(Federal Times) Join Defense News, Federal Times and C4ISRNET on Nov. 16, 2016, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Air Force
  Air Force starts selecting second round of enlisted RPA pilots
(Air Force Times) The Air Force will choose its next class of enlisted airmen seeking to fly remotely piloted aircraft in 2017.

  American, British and Korean fighter pilots come together for Invincible Shield
(Air Force Times) American, British and South Korean air force fighter pilots are wrapping up the 10-day Invincible Shield exercise on the Korean Peninsula Thursday, a show of force in the face of continuing North Korean provocations.

Army
  The Army is building an airborne bomb squad
(Army Times) The Army is building an airborne bomb squad that can respond to contingencies around the world as quickly as the 82nd Airborne Division and the Global Response Force.

  DIA employee sentenced for making child porn on work laptop
(NextGov) An Army lieutenant was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison and 20 years of supervised release for producing child porn and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, the department said in a statement.

  Army “networks” combat vehicles with Ethernet
(Defense Systems) The Army is integrating sensors, weapons, computers, communications gear and display screens into its tactical and combat vehicles.

  Army’s Multi-Domain Battle To Be Tested In PACOM, EUCOM Wargames
(Breaking Defense) The major inter-service exercise will work out what that Multi-Domain Battle concept means in practice.

Navy
  Randy Forbes is the Favorite for Trump’s Secretary of the Navy
(USNI News) An advocate for a 350-ship Navy and $20-billion annual shipbuilding budgets and a vocal opponent of Chinese aggression in the Western Pacific will likely be the pick for the next Secretary of the Navy in a Donald Trump Administration.

Marine Corps
  Happy Birthday Marines! What makes the Corps great — in 10 awesome images
(Marine Corps Times) Nov. 10, 1775, marks the beginning of the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen. To celebrate the Marine Corps' 241st Birthday, we looked at the top 10 things that make the Corps awesome.

  Top Marine general tells units to suspend operations to curb mishap toll
(Marine Corps Times) One hundred and fifty-two Marines died in fiscal 2016. The causes ranged from motorcycle crashes to a mid-air collision between two CH-53 helicopters that was among the deadliest Marine aviation accidents in years.

  Marine Corps fighter jets collide near San Diego
(The Hill) Both pilots safely ejected and are in stable condition and have been taken to medical facilities for observation, a Marine Corps statement said.

National Guard
  Military MMA update: UFC officially scraps Kennedy fight, WSOF's new schedule, more
(Military Times) Lost amid some of the other news emanating from New York City over the past few hours was the official word from the UFC that Green Beret Tim Kennedy's fight set for Saturday against Rashad Evans at New York's Madison Square Garden is officially off.

Defense Industry
  Navy awards $13M network emulator contract
(C4ISRNET) Scalable Network Technologies, Inc. has been awarded a $13.1 million Navy contract to support a network emulator.

  Israeli navy considers deploying new UAV type on corvettes
(Flightglobal) The Israeli navy is assessing the deployment of a fixed-wing extremely short take-off and landing (ESTOL) unmanned air vehicle on its new fleet of corvettes.

  U.S. Air Force to "Cyber-Secure" Nuclear Arsenal
(The National Interest) The Air Force is seeking more interactions with private sector firms to build better networks for securing nuclear weapons computer systems.

Veterans
  Walmart's Greenlight a Vet returns as retailer's foundation donates $5 million to veteran nonprofit
(Military Times) While the Walmart-spearheaded Greenlight a Vet campaign rolls into its second year as Veterans Day approaches, one of the promotion’s partners has received a $5 million donation from the retail giant's charitable arm.

  Former Navy SEAL Wins Governorship as Vets Head to Congress
(Military.com) In an election night that proved to be an unexpected nail-biter for the presidential race, a number of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars found their own paths to victory.

  Personal information for thousands of Colorado vets may have been compromised
(KKTV) More than 2,100 Colorado veterans may have had their personal information compromised, the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) said Wednesday.

  Report: Vets face serious health issues, but are less likely to complain about them
(Military Times) Veterans are more likely to contract cancer, battle heart disease and face substance abuse problems than their civilian peers, but are also less likely to see problems with their overall health.

Congress & Politics
  The number of Iraq and Afghanistan vets in Congress will rise in 2017
(Military Times) More veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are headed to Capitol Hill next year, despite an overall drop in the number of representatives and senators with military experience.

National Security & Intelligence
  DARPA Banks on Robot Copilots to Help Quell Military Pilot Shortage
(Defense News) DARPA is making headway on two different concepts for robotic copilots that would be able to autonomously operate aircraft and offer advice to the human pilot onboard.

International Affairs
  Russia receives first Il-22PP Porubschik electronic countermeasures planes
(UPI) Russia's air force has taken delivery of the first three Ilyushin Il-22PP Porubschik aircraft, featuring up-to-date jamming equipment capable of disabling electronics systems on enemy planes.

  Depleted by coup, Turkish air force seeks to lure back seasoned pilots
(Reuters) Turkey's air force in September made a public appeal to hundreds of former pilots to return to its depleted ranks to replace more than 350 airmen purged after July's failed coup.

Commentary & Analysis
  The CVN, at Full Speed, But Going Where?
(Defense News) In seven months in theater, the Truman’s combat sorties averaged 10 per day. And, an average of about 0.78 pieces of ordnance were dropped per combat sortie.

  Why GOP national security experts must agree to serve in a Trump administration
(Washington Post) A president as seriously deficient in knowledge, experience and temperament as Trump is going to need a lot of help, and he will need it from the A-Team.

  Doors Slam Shut for Afghan Refugees
(New York Times) Inside Afghanistan, tens of thousands have become internally displaced in recent months as fighting between the Taliban and government security forces rages in several provinces.

  How much will Donal Trump really spend on defense?
(War On The Rocks) Defense industry stocks are soaring in reaction to a clean Republican sweep of the executive and legislative branches. But how much will President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to rebuild the military actually cost?

  Donald Trump's First 100 Days: How He Could Reshape U.S. Foreign Policy
(The National Interest) This is his chance to undo Obama’s legacy.

  What Will Donald Trump’s Asia Policy Look Like?
(The Diplomat) A closer look at what America’s incoming president might do.

  The Prompt Launch Scare
(RealClearDefense) Recent news stories about how, in a crisis, a president would have to quickly launch nuclear-armed missiles are dead wrong.