July 31

“…and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz…” Ruth 2:3

From our human standpoint we may think of events in our lives as being ‘chance’ or even ‘good luck’, when in reality these incidents are actually directed by the provision and providence of God. Such is the scene before us regarding Ruth. She may have felt like she merely ‘stumbled’ across Boaz’s field, and that it was accidental or coincidental, but the scriptures show clearly how this was all part of God’s plan for her life! Yahwah had determined to bless Ruth for her faithfulness, selflessness and compassion, and He was moving all the pieces into place to make this happen. God’s provision does not always come by miraculous means, but it is always a miracle because He has intervened. The Lord may use people and circumstances which may at face value appear to be functioning in the ‘normal’ course of life, and turn such common-place situations into blessings of provision and protection, which to us are nothing short of miraculous! The child of God who trusts and has faith in the Lord, is safely in the Father’s hands and in this privileged position, nothing that take place in his life is mere coincidence. There is purpose, learning, growing, correction, strengthening and blessing in all that takes place in a believer’s experience, day to day, when they are walking in the ways of the Lord. God is interested in every aspect of our life, even the most intimate and minute detail. It should be our joy and privilege to walk close to God and cherish the personal interest He takes in our lives. Daily in prayer, we should open wide every door of the house of our hearts to Him, and welcome Him to move freely in every room. There should be no drawer or cupboard or chest, locked and secured from His scrutiny and touch. It is then, in this willingly yielded condition of heart, we will have the knowledge and experience that Jesus is in control of every aspect of life and our ‘haps’ will be His will and direction!

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 30

 “…the king… made a covenant before the LORD…” 2 Kings 23:3

King Josiah was responsible for a major revival in Israel. He meticulously removed the idolatrous places of worship, overthrew their temples and destroyed the priests of the heathen religions which had grown populous in the nation. His cleansing work included the removal of sodomite houses, and of those practicing occult arts. The Bible reports him as doing right in the sight of the Lord, walking in all the ways of His forefather David, and not being influenced by pressures around him, but staying on course spiritually. This is a sterling testimony and a rarity among the usually poor performances of kings who either did outright evil in rebellion against Yahwah, or walked righteously but only in part and without consistency throughout their lives. Josiah stands out from among the rest as being a righteous man and a godly king in Israel. He stood by the pillar - this was understood to be a special place in the temple set aside for the king, from where he would make his orations to the people and offer prayer and worship unto God. It was from this prominent and public place and in front of all the people that Josiah made a promise to God. His heartfelt pledge to God included that He and the people would walk close to God, keep His laws with all their heart and all their soul, and uphold the words of God’s covenant with them as written in the book of the law. Wonderfully all the people took a stand with him in total support and commitment to that promise. How precious it is to have leaders who are sensitive to the Spirit of God, in tune with His will and obeying His word wholeheartedly! God will perform good and great things through such men! The task of all believers is to be obedient and aligned with Jesus and His word. This is much easier to achieve when the individuals who lead us, give us a consistent example of loving God and honouring His word. When such men by their example and teaching remind us of all that is holy and righteous, we should take notice and with all our hearts make our stand with them! May God raise many leaders like Josiah among us, to help guide us in the path of righteousness and encourage us to a life of holiness before the Lord!  

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 29

“…because of false brethren unawares brought in…” Galatians 2:4

It seems that infiltration into the church by those who are bent on doing damage, is not a new thing! Paul faced such enemies constantly. They were determined to bring his ministry into disrepute, and the souls of the saints to whom he ministered, back under the bondage of the ceremonial laws of Israel. Today similar challenges exist for true believers and probably even more so. With the advent of progressively easier, private and public methods of communication, spreading of false doctrines, canvassing among the believers, and detracting from what they learn at church, has become common-place, and even accepted as normal and healthy behaviour. Paul warned the church incessantly against the philosophies and tradition of men, which were contrary to God and were being held in higher regard than God’s word. Dissention of such kind, has not only revived many old false doctrines and issues, but created all sorts of new variations. From a pastoral standpoint, it is almost impossible to address in close detail, all the fallacies and erroneous doctrines which prevail today, and often find their way to the ears and eyes of the congregation. The best possible defence is to ensure that true doctrine is taught from the pulpit, and that the saints are well versed with why they believe what they do. They must be equipped with a working knowledge of the Scriptures to defend their minds and hearts from all such attacks. The onslaught presenting all kinds of perverse views, and waged against God’s people, will take place anytime and anywhere. The workplace, school, the shops, the media or even general conversation, can often be a battleground where the truth of God’s word is under attack and as a result, so are those who believe it.

Learning to contend for the truth is the task and responsibility of every believer. We can never stop learning and growing in the truth of God, and should develop a deep love and sense of responsibility for it. Like Paul we will then be more ready and prepared to engage those who oppose, and stand fast against the infiltration of false doctrine in the community of the believers.

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 28

“I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.” Psalms 18:1

Clarke says that “love always subsists on motive and reason”. Love does not exist without meaning and purpose, it is an act of purpose and choice. The love expressed in this verse, is a love born out of tenderness. It is significant of true inward affection, expressed outwardly in word and deed. Like David we can pray this same prayer of love as of children towards our loving Father. It is a pledge of continuance in this love, not a mere momentary feeling or emotion. It is a commitment to love Yahwah because of Who He is, what He has done and the promise of all He will fulfil in our lives. It is an expression of intimate relationship with our Creator and Saviour, redefining our position in relation to Him and reminding us of the heartfelt regard and respect that our love should demonstrate towards God. It is a confession of our need for the power and strength of the Lord and further reason why we love Him and fear Him. It is in loving God from a pure heart that we experience the greatest benefit and vigour for daily life. In loving God with all our hearts, we have the greatest motivation for serving Him and helping others. Genuine love for God is the fuel that powers our Christian living, and makes it holy, useful and committed. It is the backbone of any love we are able to share and give to others. Developing a deeper, more significant and resolute love for Yahshua, (Jesus) will keep us from sin, provide us with vision for His will and purpose and settle us in all circumstances of life, while reassuring us that our essence is safe and sure in the hands of the Eternal, Almighty, Holy One whom we love! 

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 27

“…Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest” Psalms 55:6

David might have fought like a lion and conquered like an eagle, but there were times in his life where he felt he would prefer to flee from danger like a dove. We all experience times when our response to life’s difficulties is to hide, fly away, somehow get away from any person or circumstance that is afflicting us. This is not a sign of cowardice or even fear necessarily. David had fought bravely and knew how to deal with his enemies and the challenges which life presented him. There are just some times, when we may feel like we do not want to fight, resist, oppose or withstand. We long for quiet, peace, solitude and sufficient distance between us and the condition which affects us. We are directed by God through His word in such times, to turn to Him for strength and for refuge. God will supply the power we need to overcome, and the comfort we need to live above and beyond the reach of those people or situations that would otherwise torment us. Believers find refuge from life’s turmoil and rest from the taxing demands of everyday living, in the arms of God. Prayer in the Holy Spirit, supplies us with the very 'wings' David longed for, and helps us to escape from the taunts and torts of life. This provision is not for the purpose of avoiding or ignoring life’s tough times. Prayer brings relief and reprieve in such times. It recharges us resets our minds, and refuels our resolve, so that we may in faith and with God’s strength face whatever may come!  We have in God, both the power to battle valiantly in the fight of faith, and the grace to restore our hearts, soothe our spirit and renew our strength.

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July 26

“The heavens declare the glory of God;…” Psalms 19:1

How can man excuse himself before the Almighty God, when the very heavens which surround him wherever he is, so loudly declare the glory of the Creator God? Many may attempt to justify themselves and say they have never heard the word of God, yet the heavens themselves could be termed a message from Yahwah to mankind, telling of His love and provision for all. Man in his own wisdom has characterised God as being ‘outside’ of the reality of life, distant and a stranger to all we call tangible and ‘real’. In fact the reality and tangibility of all things around us, were made possible and provided by this very God! Again in its own wisdom, humanity has imagined all sorts of scenarios, theories and conjectures, in futile attempts to explain how all ‘this’ got here, without the Creator God. Often in such endeavours what has resulted is merely an alternate religion, disguised as science, which expects its adherent to believe stories that are besieged by impossible odds, and demanding a faith in man’s limited knowledge far greater than is required to believe in God and His infinite knowledge in the first place! The design in the heavens, the universe around us, the stars, planets, continue to provide man with information about the Great Designer! Sadly by far and large, man insists on ignoring the clarity of these messages, intent on his own explanations and ideas. No concept, however outlandish and unlikely is dismissed by these corrupt and sinful minds, just as long as it does not involve the idea of a Supreme Creator! Meanwhile hanging as a great neon sign, far above all this self-glorification and busyness of mankind, and reminding us of all of what Yahwah has done, the heavens continue to smile and loudly declare the glory of God! They perpetually tell man the story that God is real, He is the Boss and Possessor of all creation, He is the One to whom we will all one day give account, and that He is still ready for now, to give salvation to whosoever will believe in Him and accept Him! 

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 25

 “The LORD hath made all things for himself:…” Proverbs 16:4

The scripture in our text declares the motivation for God’s creation. God has made all things to service their proper end and to suit His eternal and perfect purposes. All of creation shouts loudly the glory and majesty of God. It declares His wisdom and power. It presents for all to see His love and provision. Man has been allowed access to what God has created to use wisely and benefit from, but it doesn’t belong to man, it belongs to God. It was created for His pleasure and to fulfil His will. Man himself as God’s creation belongs to God. All of creation continues to function according to the design of the Creator, in perfect obedience and in synchrony with His will. Man, on the other hand, who is created with a free will to choose, has not ceased in his attempts to change God’s laws and aberrate God’s intended pattern and design for his life. Instead of bringing glory and honour to its Creator mankind largely disgraces God, sullies His commandments and discredits His authority! In spite of this ill-treatment of the privileges humanity has been bestowed, Yahwah in His great mercy, patience and love continues to deal with the hearts and minds of man in an effort to reach him and save him. If a human had made or invented anything which would be so contrary in functionality and rebellious in attitude, as we are towards God, he would surely destroy, discard and do away with such a thing! We should be immensely grateful that the Lord is longsuffering and not at all like us, in the way He deals with mankind. There will come a time however, when the Lord will call a halt to any and all abuse of His love and grace. He will come with vengeance and power to visit judgment on all who have insisted on being rebellious against their Creator and His purposes. Now a Saviour, He will then be a judge to the creation which has refused to fit His will and reflect His glory. Let us, as many as call on His name, make certain that at least in our lives, we align with the will of the Almighty, and pray that in so doing, we might be an apt example and influence in the lives of many others. 

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 24

“…and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.” 1 Kings 11:6

Solomon weakened his stand for God as he aged. The verse says he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and his evil was idolatry. He had held a privileged position with God and had been blessed with great advantages by Yahwah, but unlike his father David, Solomon added to the worship of Yahwah, his allegiance and adoration of pagan idols. In this sense then, the scriptures say that he did not go ‘fully after the Lord’! Full-hearted desire and service for the Lord, is still a measure of the quality we offer the Almighty God. The mandate of scripture is that we should love the Lord with all our heart, soul and strength. If our love for Him is wholehearted, then our service to Him will reflect that same fullness. There seems to exist a trend among many Christians today, which reflects more the ways of Solomon, than the ways of his father David. I refer to the half-heartedness, partial devotion and splintered love, which so many professing believers offer to God, while at the same time holding onto a passionate, intense and consuming desire for many things of the world. This, the Bible calls enmity against God, spiritual adultery and faithlessness! We must judge and weigh out the condition of our hearts towards the Lord. Is an ardent, deep and fervent love for God held firmly in our hearts, grasped so steadfastly that it cannot be easily dislodged? Does it surpass the affection we have for anyone and everything else? Is it fully devoted to Him as our only God, or shared with things and interests we hold so dear that they have become idols in our lives? The lukewarm heart condition of the Laodecian church of Revelation, or the condition of having lost our first love as the Ephesian Church was charged, are not the state our hearts should be found in at the coming of Jesus! The summation of our lives should read more like the résumé which God gave to King David, a shining testimony of a person who while perhaps not perfect, yet followed after the Lord with all his heart! Such excellence of love and wholeheartedness is our reasonable service to God and appropriate response to His love for us!

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 23

“…they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship;…” Galatians 2:9

God was anointing and blessing the work of Paul and Barnabas, indicating their call and ministry. Based on this perception, James, Peter and John, who were established apostles in the church, extended the ‘right hand’ of fellowship to them. This was a token that Paul and Barnabas were now accepted as God-ordained ministers and admitted into the church and the society of the saints, and given full permission and consent to carry out their work. Their labours of preaching and ministering God’s word, though not limited only to the Gentile people, emphasized reaching those who had not known the truth of the God of Israel to date. It has always been important that ministers form and maintain strong and stable relationships. God’s work thrives when there is unity and singleness of purpose among the brethren. Factions, jealousies and seeking self-recognition, can only impair and hinder the progress of preaching the gospel, reaching to new souls or establishing existing believers. There is room for diversity in the manner and specific influence of the various individuals whom God calls to be ministers. The scriptures describe under general headings the various areas of ministry to which some are called. These include: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.  In many cases, aspects of each of these areas of works overlap and form the overall individual ministry of a man who is called by God. It is a good and encouraging advantage to have a body of believers who will recognise, give place to, pray for and welcome into fellowship a man with the calling of God on his life. The Bible also adds cautions to believers such as to ‘know those who labour among’ us, indicating that we cannot be superficial about our relationship with those we trust in ministry. Clearly evaluating a man’s calling and determining the degree of his sincerity in conducting the work to which he is called, becomes the responsibility of the individual who would sit under the influence of such ministry. How wonderful it is when true, loving and one-minded fellowship exists among the saints of God and especially among those in spiritual authority! The body of Christ, the church, is meant to be a place of refuge, comfort, encouragement and fellowship. This closeness is ‘family-like’ and affords those who participate the best of what the human family is able to offer, by way of love and mutual support, in an environment which stresses and places importance on spiritual, holy and righteous living. Spiritual fellowship therefore, is more than just a ‘club’ getting together, it implies genuine and holy intimacy, belonging to a family, learning and growing in spiritual things, and working for the common purpose of bringing glory to God and seeing His kingdom furthered.  

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 22

And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land;…” Judges 2:2

The angel of the Lord reiterates two of the covenant principles Yahwah had made with Israel. He points out that they had been disobedient and had failed in their fulfilment of them. This event took place towards the end of Joshua’s life. In spite of the great victories God had afforded the Israelites and His faithfulness in keeping the promises He had made to them, already this early in the piece there were signs and symptoms of straying from God and His ways. The first of the two covenant principles which is highlighted for us in this verse is that the people of God should not make alliance with the population of the land of Canaan. Confederacies of this nature have throughout man’s history been significant of closeness, friendship, mutual protection and sharing of the power base. They almost inevitably resulted in intermarriage and sharing of social and religious practices. While these things may appear innocent and maybe even desirable from a worldly point of view, in actual fact they represented deterioration from the purity God wanted for His people, and an offence to Yahwah and His directives. God had covenanted with His people that He would be their God, lead them and protect them. In His wisdom and foreknowledge the Lord knew that the ways of the people native to Canaan were evil and would corrupt His people if they associated with them. As a nation Israel ignored the love, concern and directions of God, and tried to make its own way, with its own leagues and under its own steam! The results were disastrous! Soon they abandoned the truth and worship of the true God and gave themselves to all the idolatry, iniquity and practices of the people of Canaan. God’s displeasure with them, merited them punishment, judgment, and enslavement by the very people they trusted in place of God. We do not always understand all that God has in mind and heart when He directs us to do His commandments or follow His directions. This is why faith in Him is so important. We have to believe that He knows more, best and further than we do ourselves. We have to trust that His ruling on a matter is higher and purer than ours and that His wisdom is greater. When we take ‘things’ into our own hands and deny Him His place in our lives, we are saying we are greater in knowledge, understanding and power than He, and set ourselves up as ‘gods’ in His place. This is highly offensive to the Lord! It is the honouring, respecting and worship of self. It is the greatest and most affronting form of idolatry that we can be guilty of! The matter comes down to a simple concept. Either Yahwah is God in our lives, and therefore should have control, authority and pre-eminence, or we are our own ‘god’ and bosses, and own ourselves. It cannot be both ways. When we take the latter stance, by our actions and belief we are saying we created ourselves and we are supreme in our own lives. This not only displaces God out of His correct place and right position as Creator and God, but also sets us up as an idol, an affront to God’s supremacy and Deity. When God told them not to make ‘friends’ with the people of the land, He was not being mean or unsociable. He wanted His people to remain pure, so they could influence others with the truth and bring them away from their idolatry and death, into the way of life. Israel was to be an example to be followed, an ambassador nation for the ways and truth of the living God! He knew the influence would otherwise flow against them and take His people out of His path, and they would lose their privilege and influence with Him. God knows how weak man is and how easily influenced he is by sin and the things of the flesh. We should today also be careful of the influence of the world. We may, like the Israelites feel potent and unaffected by the world and things of it, but the warnings in the scriptures are clear. We should not allow such influences in our lives to diminish our obedience and love for God. When we develop love, attraction and desire for the world and the things of it, we have made league with it, have become associated in practices and thinking and have adulterated our relationship with the Lord. The friendship of the world is enmity against God. That principle is as true today as it was for Israel in the days of Joshua. Let us make our stand with God, remain faithful and obedient to His way of holiness, and resistant to the desires and influences of the world around us. 

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 21

“And hath raised us up together…” Ephesians 2:6

Our status as to our spiritual condition was officially ‘dead’! The wages of sin is death, and there is no human who is not affected by this tenebrous influence. The Bible proclaims that ‘..all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God”. This makes our human destiny a dark one indeed, were it not for the light of God’s love and grace! God has made a way to raise us from the dead! When we come to the salvation He has provided, that is, we accept the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary, and participate in His death, burial and resurrection, we pass from death to life! We are raised together with Christ! In His victory over sin and death, we find our victory also! We overcome death, sin and the world, because He overcame them. It is the only solution to the sin/death problem which plagues the human family.  This is the ‘good’ news of the gospel, that while in our natural state, we are the inheritors of death, Jesus made a way to give us life, and that more abundantly! It is strange how so few comparatively, choose to have life instead of settling for eternal death. Logic and wisdom would seem to make it a simple choice, but because it requires faith to believe that God means what He says (and for many to believe He even exists in the first place!), not so many choose life. Those who do believe and accept in faith what God has given discover the wonder and blessing of His truth! They become alive where they were spiritually dead, and awake to the reality of all that God has in store for His followers. Maybe some stumble at the simplicity of the gospel. They might feel that if God had demanded some difficult task, such as climbing a high mountain or killing a beast with their bare hands, in order to obtain salvation, it may be more credible. They miss the point that God wants to make salvation available to all, and that means all must be able to come to salvation the same way. The one thing that all humans can do, regardless of age, opportunity, ability or background, is believe! God has put in all humans ‘the measure of faith’, that is, the ability to believe. Ultimately man could not do anything of his own anyway, no matter how great the exploit, to purchase his personal salvation. Only Christ’s sinless life was an apt sacrifice for sin. Jesus gave His life freely; He did it for all humanity, and that is why faith and not our own provision, is essential! Why should we remain dead in trespasses and sins, when Jesus has made a way to resurrect us and give us life eternal? Let us allow God to work in us, and through the faith He has given us, accept the loving gift of salvation, that we may be born again, resurrected and inheritors with Christ of eternity.

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 20

“…whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, … with the brightness of his coming:” 2 Thessalonians 2:8

This passage refers to the ‘man of sin’, ‘the wicked one’, the antichrist and all that is associated with him and his work. The end of the reign of antichrist and the destruction of his influence is prophesied here. There may be times as believers, when looking at the condition of the world around us, that we may think evil has triumphed and that perhaps the battle against evil has been lost. God through His word encourages us to lift our heads in faith towards heaven, and know with assurance that the future has been set and determined by His own hand, and that the end result is not the victory of evil, but its thorough and total destruction. Yahwah IS the winning side! All we need to do is remain faithfully on His side, and we will see the fulfilment of all that He has planned and promised. The wicked one will be slain, his influence made void and his kingdom destroyed and removed. This work, God will perform by the same power He has demonstrated in creating the universe. He spoke the worlds into existence, and it is by the same ‘spirit of His mouth’, that He is able to destroy or bring to nought. We should not think of a battle between God and the devil, as some sort of arm wrestle where the outcome is dubious or hanging on the balances of chance! The comparison would more be like God’s atomic bomb versus Satan’s bow and arrow! Yahwah will only need to speak the words of destruction and the enemy will be consumed. God’s own glory will render useless and hopeless any and all power which may be aligned against Him. This is a battle already won in eternity and simply waiting for its future fulfilment! God’s almighty power is not threatened by the workings of the wicked one, nor is it lessened because evil is allowed to rule for a while. There is purpose and reason in what God does and He is always ultimately in control of all! Like a dog on a chain, the devil is limited in the scope he is given and to how far God will allow him to go. The damage he can do is real, but again limited largely to those who allow him to rule in their lives and choose to stay close to him or support his agenda. God could have totally destroyed him before, but has in His wisdom elected to permit his influence, so we as humans can make our own choice of who we will serve. This way when we serve God, it must be by our personal choice and free will. This is the only way God really wants us to love, worship and serve Him! In the end however, there will be no more time for such choice. We will each have set our eternal destiny, and final judgment will fall both on the wicked one, and all who have followed him. Victory for those who stand on God’s side is guaranteed, the question is one for each of us to answer - where will we be standing when God comes in His brightness to judge the wicked?

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 19

“And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables…” Deuteronomy 10:2

God had supplied the first set of stone tables, and written on them by His own hand the commandments He wanted His people to live by. When Moses had returned from his encounter with God on the mountain to the Israelite camp, he found they had broken the very laws he was bringing to them! In anger and disgust at their idolatry and short lived faithfulness to Yahwah, who had delivered them from Egypt, he threw down and broke the tables of stone, and judgment was visited upon the people. The scripture tells of three thousand who were killed on that day, and plagues which came upon the Israelites because of their sin. The second set of tables were carved out of stone by Moses, but again written upon by God Himself. The accuracy and veracity of the original text, was in this way preserved by the Lord. God has always been interested in keeping His revelation to man, free of mistakes or tampering. All subsequent scripture was therefore given by inspiration of God, so that the writer was merely the hand on the pen, but the Author was still Yahwah. This process of full verbal inspiration lifts the Bible above any other book ever written, and on a plane unique and superior to any work of man. The accuracy and veracity of the scriptures have been challenged and verified many times, in various spheres of science and observation. Personal experience also confirms the content of the Holy Writ and provides further evidence of its truth! People from all walks of life, from all cultures and of all levels of education, have found God’s Word to be true, trustworthy and a reliable source of guidance, light and learning. God wrote then, and wrote again while here on earth, resulting in the forgiveness of a woman who had been caught in sin. His writing was and is a letter of love, direction and instruction. Today He still writes -this time not on tables of stone, but the fleshly tables of our hearts. There He lodges the truth and conviction of His principles and inscribes the reality of His love and grace. In our hearts He engraves the knowledge of His will, and stores the confidence of our salvation! Praise God for all that He writes and communicates with us, for without Him and His Word, we would have no knowledge of right, no understanding of our purpose, no love for one another and hope for the future!

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 18

“To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also:…” 2 Corinthians 2:10

The Apostle Paul was considered a senior minister and general overseer, to the churches which had formed under his direction. In these verses he shows confidence in the leaders and people of the congregation at Corinth. Paul was willing to stand by the judgements they made, whether they were to forgive a wrong, or to gratify a need, as if he were present and had taken part in the process. Such assurance in fellow- members of the church family is of great importance to the practices and survival of the body of Christ. The church is a community where justice and righteousness is essential. Holiness is the calling card of the church, and the way it conducts its affairs is a testimony both for those within the body and those who are looking on. The scriptures are replete with instructions to ministers, in how to deal with the various problems that may arise in a congregation. Balanced and godly judgment, along with firm discipline and genuine love, are all vital, and blessed is the congregation where these are present and practiced. The confidence Paul placed in his Christian brethren, is a trust that we need more than ever today, among fellow-Christians. Sadly due to a lowering of the standards of Christian living, a lack of holiness in Christian hearts, and a widespread enchantment with the world and the things of it, many Christians are not worthy of such trust. Their judgment of things within the church is marred by a warped and unchristian worldview, so that the things which should naturally come to Christians do not. If he lived today, would Paul be able to express the same level of confidence and trust in the actions and conclusions which fellow-believers are reaching? Would he be able to go along with the compromised positions, the weakened testimony and the lack of spiritual insight that plague the Christian church today? Could he stand by the decision of many believers who willingly give over to pressures of societal views and who join in support of unbiblical and even sinful practices? I dare say not! We must in this day and age, lift the standard of holy conduct and righteous judgment, based completely on the authority of God’s word, so that again trust and confidence can be afforded to the church of the Living God!

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 17

“A time to rend, and a time to sew…” Ecclesiastes 3:7

The times and seasons of life, are described in this chapter and affect all of us. The literal sense of the text here is understood to refer to a practice rather unknown in our western world, but quite common in the east and particularly in ancient times. In times of grief and self-abasement, or in occasions when great offence was suffered, it was a practice for one’s own clothes to be rent. This showed the great distress and anguish of soul that the individual was experiencing at the time. A tragedy in the family, the loss of a dear one or some other personal calamity, would often result in this response or ritual of tearing clothes, in an expression of unbearable grief or anger. This text speaks to us spiritually, as it reminds us that there may come a time in life, when tearing up or ripping away something out of our lives is necessary. This would be true for instance, of the necessity to utterly remove those things which displease God, and that would hold us back from wholehearted and dedicated service unto Him. Sin cannot be allowed to remain in our souls, nor can it be dealt with gently and kindly, but rather with the force of conviction, it must be torn away from our hearts. The process is not pleasant, but necessary. Conversely there are times of 'sewing'. This may represent those seasons of life when we must assemble concepts and principles in our hearts by patient learning, keep things together, finalise projects, and give shape or form to ideas, goals or promises. Times of painstaking effort, creative application and rewarding growth, should form part of our lives regularly. Accepting the tides and ebbs of life, with humble resignation and determined faith, is necessary. In the journey of life, we cannot always have smooth seas to sail over, and whilst our prayer may call for protection from life’s storms, it must also include a statement of reliance on God, for strength and faith to make it through the storms, should God allow them.  

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July 16

“Shall vain words have an end?...” Job 16:3

Job responds to his miserable comforters and challenges their arguments. ‘Vain words’ here literally means words of wind! We might say, ‘just a lot of hot air’, words which hold no true value, or help in any way, which are idle and pass by us like the wind. Exchanging casual conversation in friendship and fun, is enjoyable can be beneficial, and not to be ignored, but there are serious times, times of need, grief or pain, when offhanded, unthoghtful or inappropriate words, can do much harm to individuals and relationships. We have all had someone who has attempted to bestow upon us such inept expressions, and perhaps at some stage we too have been guilty of the same incompetence. What Job was asking is essentially a question we should all answer. It seems as long as humanity exists, frail and faulty in its outlook and perception, there are going to be vain, empty words spoken and thrown about like dead leaves in the wind. Words, when lacking in godly or edifying purpose, may not only be just irrelevant and confusing, but may also cut and damage the heart and soul. The bible often describes the beauty and preciousness of words spoken in wisdom, in context and in the right time. Those words are worth having, they give life; they assist us on the journey, provide true comfort and support in trials and afflictions. We are encouraged to carefully ‘weigh up’ our words, and avoid idle talk, knowing that we will give account for every word we speak. It is hard to say what exactly motivates us to speak empty words. Job asked that question too. What provoked his ‘friends’ to be so vocal and so opinionated about their own views and feelings, at a time when all he wanted was possibly just some silent companionship? We can learn from this event, and apply the biblical exhortation, that there is a time to speak (and when we do, it should be salient and wise) and a time to be silent. When in pain and sorrow, a friend is least likely to appreciate our observations, reminders or philosophies about what they did to land themselves in such straits! There may be a time for that conversation, but not when they are afflicted. Genuine love is sensitive about the other person and their predicament, and is able to weep with those who weep. Perhaps we fall into the trap of saying something, anything, however ‘vain’, simply because we do not wish to appear like we have nothing to say. The truth is that in some circumstances, it is not so much the sound of our voice, but the presence of our heart, that is required. There are also occasions when we may feel that our talking is necessary communication, but In fact unless what is said is relevant, wise and of assistance, it may actually hinder any true exchange and destroy dialogue. Let us be wise and pertinent in all we say, careful and godly in the advice we offer, and mindful that speaking fewer words which say a great deal, is always better than a lot of talk which is empty, inappropriate or inconsiderate.

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July 15

“…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

The Lord’s stipulation is clear a man cannot inherit heaven in his sinful condition. There has to be a rebirth, a birth from above, a spiritual regeneration. Our sin creates a barrier between us and God, and bars our entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Human efforts cannot produce an adequate solution to the sin problem. Jesus made the only right way for salvation at Calvary, and we participate in His effort and solution by being born again, this second time spiritually. Verse 5 of this chapter tells us it is a new birth of water and Spirit, pointing us clearly to the necessity of being baptised in the name of Jesus, which is the name of salvation, and being baptised in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of regeneration! It may seem a narrow way into heaven and indeed it is, but God has made that clear from the beginning. Our gospel should take nothing away from what Jesus taught here. It should present the way as He did without compromise or adjustments. The message of the new birth is interwoven with the message of the death, the burial and the resurrection of Christ, and subsistent upon it. When we have preached Christ and His atoning, substitutionary death for us on the cross, we must along with that preach the necessity of being born again of water and of the Spirit, by which we identify and partake of Christ’s sacrifice. This is not some optional extra, or a mere tag to suffix the term Christian, it is a real, discernible experience in God; a revolutionary change of life, which renews and renovates our thinking, desire, purpose and manner of living; a way of life in which we must grow and continue in faithfully until the end! That end, for born again believers, will actually be the beginning of eternity in heaven with Jesus!

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July 14

“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.” 2 Chronicles 25:2

This verse paints the picture of typical human imperfection. It is true to say that even at our best, we are flawed and incomplete. This should not be a cause for discouragement however, but a reason for rejoicing in the love and mercy of God toward us. Amaziah was 25 years old when he became king and in the 29 years of reign that followed, he demonstrated that he could do the right thing. He also left no doubt that he could just as easily violate against God. In the same chapter which informs us that he did righteousness by fulfilling the law of God, we also read that after a victorious battle against the Edomites, he took their idols and bowed down in worship to them! Perhaps in not quite as obvious and blatant manner as in the life of Amaziah, but if scrutinised, we would find In every person, even in those who strive to live an upright and yielded life, that there is a negative human factor, which detracts in one way or another, and can mar that which is good. We often hear expressions of frustrated resignation such as: ‘he is a good man, but he lacks common sense’, or ‘he is a strong leader, but can be very impatient with others’, or ‘she is a good mother, but has little self-control’. These and many other such sentiments, highlight the deficiency in character and conduct, which abound in the human family. The ‘but’ of our lives, is the area or areas of life, where we mess up, don’t do so well and fail. Ultimately we all admit and agree that ‘no one is perfect’, but we all still admire that elusive quality to some degree. The truth is that only God is absolute in perfection and that we as humans we are overall flawed, but (and this is a good ‘but’) God nevertheless loves us, works with us, and helps us to grow when we stay close to Him. It is wrong to use our ‘imperfection’ as an excuse in life. The ‘I’m only human’ excuse for not making efforts or doing wrong and sinning against the Lord, is weak and should not be tolerated. Conversely we must all admit our shortfalls, and know that in spite of them, we can be empowered by the Lord to imitate Jesus, the only example of perfect humanity. Our task in life then, is to continue faithfully in obedience to God and do our level best to fulfil all that He has purposed for us, offering God our pure and genuine hearts, not our human excuses. For our inevitable lacks and shortcomings, we can all fall on His mercy and love, and know with the assurance He has already given us in His word, that through Him and by His strength we can overcome and be counted among the righteous.

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July 13

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” Colossians 2:9

Having encouraged the Colossian church to walk in Christ as they have received Him, and warned them of the pitfalls and dangers of man’s traditions and philosophies, Paul now reinforces the pivotal concept of the deity of Christ. He teaches that In Jesus, dwells all the fullness of Deity, in a bodily form! Several concepts are to be noticed here. Our faith in Christ Jesus is predicated upon the fact of His deity, not merely on the divine origin of His doctrines, as some would have it, making Him merely another prophet or messenger from God. Jesus is God! He is the fullness of God in One being. The tense of the word ‘dwell’, is in the present. This means that Jesus remains God today, and was not God or Godlike merely as some stage in the past, but continues to be the true and full manifestation of Deity today. We note also that not a portion or a percentage of the Godhead dwells in Jesus, but the all the fullness of it. The import of this statement is paramount. Some have wrongly concluded that Jesus is but a third of some divine committee of three persons, but that would prevent Him from having ALL the fullness of deity residing in Him! Jesus must be the One and Only, Supreme deity, for this to remain a true fact of scripture. If all dwells in Christ, then there is no more to dwell in any other ‘person’! The ‘fullness’ here, must refer to all that the Godhead or deity is, the sum total of the power, and the completeness of the essence of what Deity is - all the attributes and all the fullness of them! Thus it is all in Jesus, and He is All in All! When we pray to Him, we are praying to the entirety of the Godhead. We are praying to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, for these titles merely reflect the various offices, which Jesus, the One God fulfils! That is why we are to pray and do all in the name of Jesus, for it is name in which the power and authority of God is summed up. There can only be ONE Almighty, and the fullness of that power cannot be divided, as some imagine among multiple divine persons! We have it on good biblical authority that it all dwells, abides, resides and remains in Christ Jesus! ‘Godhead’ here cannot be seen as some aspect of divinity alone, but a reference to the entirety of all that is God, the whole of Deity. Anything less, would make this statement irreconcilable and inane. It would be like saying that ‘in Jesus is the all the fullness of only a part of what God is’. That would make Him less than all of God, and therefore, not God at all! Almighty Deity requires an absolute singleness a numerical oneness, and is not something that can be shared, pooled or made communal! Yahwah Himself states that there is no other god beside Him. He knows all things, yet does not know of the existence of another Almighty person! This same, singular, Almighty God became flesh, the Logos incarnate, was born of the virgin Mary, and as the Son walked among men. In that bodily, human form, existed all the fullness, just as it did eternally prior to the incarnation! Jesus was always Almighty God, from eternity. The physical body died in offering and sacrifice for our sins, but was resurrected immortal. It continues to exist today, as the only visible, physical form that God has even begotten or taken for Himself. One day we shall see Him, as He is. We too will have immortal, eternal bodies like unto His glorious body, and will eternally live in heaven with the One in whom dwells, all the fullness of the Godhead bodily!

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July 12

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light:…” Isaiah 9:2

The Messianic Prophet Isaiah, speaks here of the great light which was to come to the world, in Christ Jesus. Both the people of Israel who had fallen in spiritual darkness through sin, and those nations who had never known anything but the darkness of their lost spiritual condition, would soon see the Great Light. God’s personal expression, the image of His person, would be revealed on earth as the promised Messiah, to bring spiritual deliverance to the lost and dying. The term ‘walked’ refers to living life, continuing in this case, in spiritual murkiness. Such is the condition of every man, woman and child, before they ‘see’ and receive the light of God’s love and grace! Christ’s coming to earth, to save the lost, was the brightest star to ever light mankind’s tenebrous sky! The darkness of sin is dark indeed. No glimpse of hope or clarity exists there. The destiny of man without Jesus is to grow, live and die in that spiritual gloom! God understood the self-inflicted plight of man, and loving us beyond our most vivid imaginations, He made a way to remove the darkness from us! He came as the Son, in the human form of a servant, lived a sinless life, and died to give great light to all those who would receive it. The light that God shone for man is undeniably great! Many purposefully hide from this light, placing barriers to shield themselves from it, as they would from sunlight. Yet God has made certain that anyone who wants to, can and will ‘see’ it, receive it and benefit from its benevolent, magnificent influence. Viewed from a carnal standpoint, Jesus’ life and death may be dismissed as some miniscule ‘candle’ lit for a short while, in some remote corner of the earth, insignificant or at least no more momentous, than the life of many other individuals. From a spiritual standpoint however, the life Jesus lived, and what He did at Calvary, is the singular, most significant event in the history of humanity! It shines brighter, more permanent and more powerful, than the brightness of the noon-day sun! God’s light is still available today even for those who have lived in the darkest, darkness of sin, and have not to date recognised or accepted this divine gift! If allowed to shine into our souls, the warmth, healing and blessing of God’s Great Light, will fill us, renew us and forever chase away the deepest, thickest, most resistant darkness!

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July 11

“…I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:” Acts 24:10

Paul finds himself yet again before the authorities where he might give an account of his faith and standing, and be a witness for Jesus, even as the Lord had foretold regarding Paul’s calling and ministry. The apostle was charged with sedition against the government by his enemies and opponents to the gospel. He was given audience to speak and present his case before Felix. Paul always glad to answer for his faith, was even more cheerful about it this time! The reason was that governor Felix had been consul to Judea for quite some time, and as such he knew the ways of the Jews first hand. He was aware of their infighting and perjuries. He was accustomed to being cautious, when making judgments, and not to quickly condemn anyone the Jews brought before him with accusations. Being a knowledgeable and respected governor, he would also have had a ‘finger on the pulse’ of events as they were taking place in his jurisdiction. This meant that if Paul had truly been a subversive individual, Felix would have heard about him, and most likely aware of his activities – this of course was not the case. Paul was confident both in the Lord and the favourable situation God had allowed with Felix, in spite of him suffering again, unjust and unwarranted allegations. We may learn from Paul and his joyful disposition, even when under question or afflicted. Clearly the righteous are not precluded from afflictions and trials, neither are they beyond unjustified or undeserved denunciations and contentions. In fact the testimony of scripture and life’s experience, concur in showing that all too often it is the virtuous and upright person that seems to attract the criticisms and attacks of a world steeped in sin and degradation. As faithful believers we must remain true to God and patient in afflictions. We must pray for God’s intervention and trust that as the Bible teaches us in Romans 8:28, “… all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” God’s assurance to us is not that we will be spared suffering, but that with each difficulty and trial, He will bring relief, make a way, open a door or alleviate the burden to whatever degree it befits His will. In all aspects of life then, we have hope, strength and purpose, while we remain in God’s hands!

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July 10

“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God:…” Psalms 10:4

Pride is the sin which underlies and feeds most of the other iniquities a man may commit. It was the original sin of Lucifer and the infection by which he tempted our first human parents to cause their fall. It is still one of humanities greatest iniquities and most destructive practices. Pride may have its seat in the heart of man, and may be camouflaged in false humility and choreographed mannerisms, but it will always surface and become obvious. The countenance of a person - their face, expressions, manner and looks, is often where pride is mostly noticeable and overt.  It stands out like the proverbial nose on our faces! Pride loves to be seen and cannot stay hidden for long. It wants to show itself and manifest in whatever possible way it can! The ‘pride of life’, is enumerated in scripture among the worst of qualities reflected by mankind, and listed with all the sins that merit punishment and will inherit death. It finds its place along with the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh as that which belongs to the unregenerate, wicked world, and is to be shunned by believers. Pride becomes the biggest obstacle to a person’s seeking after God. By its very nature pride wants to rule not be in subjection, it wants to lead not follow, it wants to dictate not obey. All of the principles which God teaches man, to bring him from the death of sin into the life of salvation, are violated by pride. The originator of this great sin still uses it as his main tool, to drive feeble and puny humans like puppets, into behaviour which is rebellious, distasteful and antagonistic to God’s law. Satan’s goal in encouraging pride and arrogance in humans, is to trick them into feeling more important and powerful than they really are, so they will deny and defy God. He knows that when humans do this, they condemn themselves to a Christless eternity of torment in hell. Through pride he makes them think they are their own ‘bosses’ and rule their own lives, when in reality all the while, he has control over them, and is stopping them from ever turning to God and asking for His help! The ultimate form of pride is atheism. When a man who is surrounded by all the evidences of the love and blessing of God - the creation He has formed and allows us to partake of, can say: “there is no God”, his pride has completely blinded him. The Bible says that regardless of his intelligence, achievements and abilities, that man is a fool! God has placed in every human heart the ability to believe and have faith, a seed in which is the potential of eternal life and hope. We must make every effort possible to stop pride from growing and smothering the seed of God in us. Once we have personally grown to have a strong and stable faith in the Lord, our task is then to help others turn from their blind pride and see the beauty, love and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ!

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July 9

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 1:4

The greatest joy a Christian parent can experience, is the knowledge that the children who have grown in his own family and under his care have made their personal choice to follow the Lord, and that over time, whether still at home or elsewhere, they continue faithfully in that choice! In the home of the minister of the gospel, this is particularly cause for great rejoicing. How very traumatic if, having preached to so many others and seeing them continue in the faith, the preacher’s own children, should turn from the teaching of Christ and be lost in the ways of the world! A similar expression of the great joy, as that experienced by parents whose children are loyal to the faith, is found in our text. John rejoices over the faithfulness of those who were converted under his ministry and in a spiritual sense are his children in the faith! When a pastor has devotedly preached and taught those who are sitting under his ministry, the greatest reward and consolation he can find on earth, is their enduring faith in Christ, their example to others and their ministering to the needs of others. Ultimately the reason for any minister’s service is the Lord, and in Him alone is found eternal reward and consolation. Godly ministers have also the assurance given in God’s word that their labours are not in vain. Somehow steadfastness in serving God, is a reward in itself, and is not really dependant on the performance of others, their choices or the direction they may take. Nevertheless from a human standpoint, the knowledge that those we have taught love God fervently, obey His word tenaciously and continue to endure in the truth they have learned under our ministry, seems to place the ‘icing on the cake’! If by personal experience, relationship with Christ and faithfulness, there is in a man’s heart a firm assurance of eternal life in heaven with Jesus, then the only sweeter victory is to know that others, who have been affected by that man’s ministry, have also chosen to stand firmly in Christ and have inherited eternal life too! We must always pray for those in ministry, who preach and teach the word of God, influencing by His Spirit the lives of their hearers. Uphold them before the Lord, call for God's anointing upon their utterances and beseech the Lord for increase from their watering!

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July 8

“In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.” Psalms 71:1

A beautiful prayer by the psalmist, which echoes the expression of dependent trust in the Lord, as found in many of the psalms and other portions of scripture. When as believers we place our firm confidence in the Lord, we are safe and kept from the effects of the world and its iniquity. The word rendered ‘confusion’ here is rendered ‘ashamed’ elsewhere and impacts the follower of God in a special way. The only way we can be found in confusion, that is without clear direction, or lacking in balanced thinking and knowledge, is if we have violated God’s law and become tainted with sin. The same can be said of the word ashamed. For the Christian, shame comes when he trespasses against the God he claims to serve and forsakes the principles which he professes to uphold. This is the shame of poorly lived Christianity! It gives rise to much criticism and opportunity for contempt, from those who are yet unbelievers and want to see the evidence of God’s love, grace and holiness, in the lives of Christ’s followers. This then is the emphasis of this prayer and an apt invocation for all who believe, for though we may stand, we should always take care and humbly ask God’s assistance, lest we fall! The cry of this trusting heart seems to say: “Lord I place my hope and confidence in you, and mean to hold on in faith, walking in your grace and holiness, but help me Lord, because I am weak in myself, and cannot stand without you! Uphold me and don’t let me fall, because when I sin, I bring shame on myself, my profession of faith and most of all You Lord!” It is an expression of humility which does not allow for overconfidence in one’s own ability or strength! It is not unlike the statement we hear from the father of that tormented child, whom Jesus freed from an evil spirit. When challenged by the Lord to believe for his son’s deliverance, the man cried out and said with tears: “Lord I believe; help thou my unbelief’! There was an admission of faith, and yet a request for Jesus to make up, as it were, the lack on his part, should his faith not be strong enough to obtain the blessing! Let us fully trust the Lord, and be humble and willing to call for His everlasting arms to support us, in the daily toils of life, and to strengthen us in our faith towards Him, and in our stand against sin, that we be not ashamed, nor bring shame on His holy name! 

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July 7

“Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed:…” Lamentations 1:8

The city of Jerusalem which by its very name was meant to make known to the world the nature and character of God’s kingdom, has been labelled the ‘Holy city’, the place of righteousness, wholeness and peace! At least this is what God had always intended this city and its inhabitants to stand for and represent. Sadly time and again the people of Israel as a nation, both in Jerusalem and in the surrounding cities, turned away from God and committed grievous sin before Yahwah, totally disregarding His commands and disobeying His will. This text describes the persistence of their sin, and it emphasizes the fact that they ‘sinned sinfully’, an expression which communicates the magnitude of their wickedness. Their greatest failure in the eyes of Yahwah, was usually their penchant for idolatry and their fondness of copying the ways of the heathen, in practice, manner of life and worship. This was never tolerated by the Lord and the judgment poured on His people, after much warning and patient instruction, was severe. The description in this chapter is another sad re-run of what can be read many times as various prophets were sent to God’s people, with dire messages and ominous warnings. Jerusalem, instead of being God’s exemplary pattern of righteousness, had become an abomination to Yahwah because of the sin that bound its people. Spoken of in the terms of a woman, ‘she’ is vilified by the heathen people and idols she pursued, and as a result removed, from the land of promise, in which the Lord had established her. Quite often we are reminded in the scriptures of the conditional nature of our salvation and relationship with God. Our right standing in the Lord, which has been purchased by Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary, needs then to be maintained by true faithfulness and a walk of holiness in His sight. Anything less, grooms us for failure in our closeness to the Lord and unless we quickly repent, places us in danger of losing our right standing and provisions of blessing. Contrary to what some people believe and teach, there comes a time, if we persist in disobedience and disrespect God’s loving warnings, that God may cease to strive with us and allow us to have what we so clearly desire and insist on, to our own detriment, discomfort and ultimate judgment. Even in this God’s love is evident, for it is His desire that by feeling the ‘pain’ of our choices, we may repent, return to Him and make things right, before it is too late!   

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July 6

“…and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.” Proverbs 16:6

God’s mercy and truth deal with the sin question totally and thoroughly. Once cleansed, sin must be avoided by the believer. The best motivation and inner strength for this resistance and turning from all that is wickedness, is a genuine and full-hearted love for God. The Bible often expresses the love we must have for the Lord, as ‘the fear of the Lord’. This expression highlights the great awe and respect we ought to have for God, which is a reflection of the love that we have in our hearts for Him. The more love we have for God, the greater our ‘fear of the Lord’ will be. This fear is not a being ‘scared of God’ fear, but being genuinely concerned not to displease Him, or offend Him, by our behaviour, thoughts or words. When we love, we want to please and not affront or hurt. It is in this context that the fear of the Lord helps, reminds, and encourages godly men to keep from sin. This is the right motivation by which those who love God, will avoid iniquity, resist temptation and turn away from doing evil! We must not replace this motivation with anything else, for whatever the replacement, it will be less effective and inferior as a reminder and an incentive to do righteousness. Some for instance replace true love and the respect of God as the motivator for living a holy life, with a personal desire to avoid the punishment of hell. While this may be a motivator in itself, it is a poorer stimulus for righteousness. Firstly, because it is a negative approach to doing something good, and secondly, because it has ‘self’ at the heart of the reason for avoidance of evil. Jesus must be the focus of our reason for living a holy and righteous life. Our love for Him is expressed in the way we honour, respect and give Him place in our lives. It is the best impetus, the inspired, God-ordained motivation, and the correct spiritual drive for our standing against evil, and performing our service unto Him!

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July 5

“…thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:” 2Chronicles 6:8

In these verses Solomon reiterates the direction God gave his father David, regarding the building of the temple. It had been David’s desire to build the house of God that Israel might have a place in which to worship Yahwah. God had recognised, acknowledged and praised this heartfelt sentiment, but had also forbidden David to be the one to erect the sanctuary. David had been a man of war, and though a man after God’s own heart, the Lord had determined that his son would be the one to construct the place of worship. Many times we find this same principle in God’s word. God’s will, must be fulfilled God’s way. The will of God includes the timing of God and the way in which God wants it to be done. When we violate any of those parameters, we cannot say we have done God’s will. The costliest mistakes made by God’s servants in doing His will, often involved forsaking, omitting or adding some detail to that which God had commanded. Our heart’s motivation may be appropriate and commendable, but our obedience to God must remain complete and of the highest order. Our heart’s yearnings must not surpass our desire to obey the Lord, or supersede our complete submission to His will. Presenting the sacrifice of obedience to God, must therefore be done in clear reflection of His holiness, and in a manner acceptable unto the Lord, in order to be correct and righteous. David loved God, and did not allow his desire, however pure, noble and laudable, to overtake his absolute compliance to Yahwah’s instructions. Let us be like David, showing God the intensity and depth of our love for Him, by our complete, willing and humble obedience of His will! 

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July 4

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal…” 2 Corinthians 10:4

In several of his epistles, the apostle Paul makes it clear we are at war. Unlike any other warfare our end is spiritual and so are the means by which we fight the war. From this text then we are reminded that we are at war, that we have weapons and that they are not of a carnal, fleshly nature. The Christian’s war is not against flesh and blood. It is not a battle against other humans or human governments. It is a spiritual fight against spiritual entities, powers unseen by human eye, and yet very real and threatening. These principalities and powers, spiritual wickedness in high places, as the Bible describes them, are the seat of Satan’s authority and government. They are the promoters and motivators of temptation and sin, urging iniquity upon humanity. They influence man to turn from God, His spiritual life and His love, and towards the world’s materialism, inciting rebellion against God’s ways and encouraging selfishness, self-will and self-worship. The Christian’s battle is not only to personally overcome these forces of evil, but to also help others against them. To do this, God has supplied the believer with weaponry! This is not like conventional armaments, such as can inflict physical injury or death, but a spiritual arsenal to be used against the enemy and in support of those whom evil victimises. The weapons given to believers to overcome in this fight are many and include, prayer, the name of Jesus, the power of the Holy Ghost, the knowledge and preaching of the Word, the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit, fellowship, church, God’s love and a lot more! The wise and faithful believer will learn how to use these arms, and maximise their effect, in the conflict against sin and the devil. The Bible further describes these weapons as not being carnal, but mighty through the Holy Ghost! Carnal here, refers to that which belongs to the flesh, which by comparison to the power of the Holy Spirit, is weak and ineffective in such spiritual warfare. Christians can rejoice in the fact that God has not left them without means to overcome, and has also promised not only to be with them, but to ensure their victory if they trust in Him!

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July 3

 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6

Godliness is God-centeredness, having the Lord at the centre of all aspects of life, or as Poole puts it: “…the exercise of a true faith in Christ, conjoined with a holy life…”! The outflow of all we might call ‘true religious piousness’, the practice of holiness, along with the serenity of the sufficiency which is found in Jesus, is truly great riches! Those who have built this level of relationship with the Lord are satisfied individuals, people who will not need much else in life. The truth and depth of the text before us, escapes most believers. All too often godliness is taken to be a burdensome chore, an unwelcome imposition on mind, heart and time. Unholy, disgruntled and discontented ‘Christians’, are merely church-going, pew warmers! That is not at all the life to which Christ has called us to follow! He is the King Eternal and His riches are our great gain, if we but partake of the kind of life He wants us to live. It is a life of holiness, faithfulness and love; a life filled with new discoveries of truth and life principles, freshly delivered to us by His Holy Spirit every day! It is a life that fulfils, contents and satisfies beyond anything which we ever experienced prior to knowing the Lord! The key is living it the way Jesus wants us to live it, according to His word and in His Spirit. It is like having a very specific recipe which when followed will yield the desired result. Obviously if we choose to change the values, contents or method, in the recipe, we cannot expect the same outcome! Yet foolishly so many think they can manipulate God’s precepts to suit themselves and still retain a contentment in Christ, a fulfilling joy or a sense of real purpose, direction and growth! 

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 2

“But where shall wisdom be found?...” Job 28:12

Job reasons that whilst there is a place for everything on earth and value given to the natural treasure found in it, such as silver and gold, yet wisdom and understanding are not to be found as natural resources in mankind. Our modern world would probably decry Job’s claim, and belittle his query as mere opinion, pointing perhaps to the great increase of knowledge and greater understanding we have of our natural world today. Yet Job’s statements, inspired by God, hold true! The wisdom and understanding he is speaking of is not that of the natural man for natural things, but that which is spiritual. True wisdom is the fear of God and understanding is to depart from evil! This is what natural man lacks. He has little cognizance of the higher things of God, for they are revealed and become real only when he yields to God’s higher power. This wisdom and understanding are from above, spiritual and represent the greatest wealth and value that any man could possibly own. Job says that the finest of gold and the greatest of riches, cannot buy such wisdom, nor provide spiritual understanding. It is without price in worth, and yet God gives it freely to all who would receive it. In fact we are encouraged to ask of God such wisdom and be reassured that we will be given it, liberally and without reserve! Sadly, most of humanity places so little importance on these treasures, and ignores them to such degree, that on the ‘commodities market’ of life, they are considered of little or no consequence. For those however who have stopped long enough to view, receive and grow in these precious heavenly commodities, they are the most valuable assets and possessions that could be held. For the believer the choice is made when Jesus is accepted as Lord and Saviour! Thereafter all things of this world should grow dim in the light of His glory and grace! The fear of God, which is the beginning and source of wisdom, remains a great spiritual pearl, far more valuable to any man, than any of the trinkets the world has to offer!

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

July 1

“Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” Psalms 12:1

When the qualities of godliness and faithfulness cease and fail among men, we are in dire straits and need help from the only One who can supply it! We can in our day, easily echo the cry of despair and concern, which the psalmist uttered, for we are seeing the fulfilment of scriptural prophecy regarding the perilous conditions, which would exist in the last days. Our distress is not something we can take to another human, for no peer of ours can help in this situation. Our pleas for assistance must be lifted to Yahwah, the Lord Almighty, in whose power we rely and trust. He and only He is able to alter the course of life’s condition, in the manner it befits His will, or provide us with the consolation and comfort of knowing that even if others won’t stand for righteousness, He will keep us and see us through! The ‘godly’ character of man referred to in the text, is translated from a word rendered in other scriptures as ‘holy’, the ‘set-aside’ or separated unto God, kind of man. This is what we find there is a serious dearth of in our world today, but more sadly the deficiency is clearly noticeable within the church. There is poverty and scarcity of any desire or pursuit of holiness, with the majority of professing Christians, wanting an easy, sacrifice-free church involvement, where they can be entertained and find a social outlet, more reminiscent of a club membership, than a place of true growth and worship unto the Holy God! Many who held to convictions of personal, practical holiness in the past, have ceased doing so, due to pressures from fellow-believers, seeing them as ‘old-fashioned’ or ‘bound’ in mere tradition and false doctrine, and from the world around them, which labels them as extreme, cultish or even abusive . Faithfulness to the strongest, most necessary and defining principles of scripture, is failing in our day at an alarming rate. The qualities of faithfulness and holiness, by which God most wants to be known, and wants His people to reflect, are the very areas where Christian testimony lacks, ceases and fails! Let us join those who faithfully are holding onto to the values of God, and cry out in prayer every day, for revival among God’s people, and renewal of all they should uphold for God and His glory!  

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

June 30

“Sorrow is better than laughter…” Ecclesiastes 7:3

Here is presented a concept which at face value may appear counterintuitive to our minds. In a world where the social norm and the contemporary wisdom is all geared to finding and promoting ‘happiness’, how can sorrow ever be ‘better’ than laughter? The bible states that the ‘joy of the Lord’ is our strength. There is however a vast difference between the satisfying joy that comes from God, and the elusive happiness which fallen man seeks, often in vain and in constantly changing circumstances. A step further back than that again, is the common place notion that if one can ‘laugh’ enough, then happiness will come. Again this seems another futile man-made attempt, at circumventing the true source of joy and contentment which is Jesus. While it may be true that laughter has some benefits and value for mental and emotional health, it should be the result of a content, settled and happy soul, not seen as a means to obtaining those conditions. In line with this erroneous thinking, the world has assembled a host of so called comedians who find it necessary to pollute and profane in their language and subject matter, every area of life, by serving up a mess of lewd, smutty, negative, vulgar and offensive performances, in an attempt to bring questionable laughter, to those who feel they need cheering up! It doesn’t even begin to make sense! Even so how can sorrow, be better than laughter? From a spiritual standpoint, this concept is very clear. Laughter is for a moment, and passes with very little permanent effect and no benefit to the spiritual man.  The sorrow spoken of in scripture, is not mere sadness or depression, it is a sense of personal regret for offenses committed against God, the distress of realising one’s own wrongs.   When a person can be truly sorrowful therefore, the effects reach the inner, spiritual man and can make a more permanent imprint on his being. Thus sorrow is better, when it is sorrow for sin! Instead of laughing at sinful jokes, a man who realises the guilt and awfulness of sin and becomes troubled over his own iniquities, can by repentance find forgiveness from God and new spiritual life! Such godly sorrow then is better, more useful, commendable, and more profitable than foolish laughter, because it recognises the mistakes which have been made. Instead of foolishly laughing them away, attempting to cover them or trivialising them, it causes the person to face them, repent and make changes to their way of life. Sorrow is a necessary part of the process of humbling oneself in the eyes of God, obtaining forgiveness from the Lord and turning back from a life of sin and degradation. It is the starting point of a person’s self-realization before God, and the pavement of the entry hall which leads to eternal life - a life of unending joy, glory and blissful contentment! That considered, it is not so hard to see why sorrow is better than laughter! 

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion