Jan 31

“…but a man of understanding will draw it out.” Proverbs 20:5

Like the depths of sea that cannot be reached without proper equipment and training, the deep waters of a person’s heart, emotions, experiences and individuality will also require some special preparation. If we are to help, reach out to or grasp what another person is about, we may need more than mere superficial responses and pat answers. God is a powerful source of wisdom and understanding. He makes it clear in His Word that He is willing to freely and liberally give of His wisdom, to all who genuinely seek Him and ask it of Him. In working with others, if we are to be beneficial and edifying, we need the wisdom and understanding of God. By prayer and study of God’s Word and the application of scriptural principles to our own lives, we construct, as it were ‘brick by brick’, a strong and useful edifice of knowledge and experience. This can become a structure that we can lean on, a reservoir we can draw from, when it comes to lending a hand to someone in need of comfort or direction. Godly wisdom begins in the fear of the Lord, and is an asset much required in a world that has gone astray from the morals and commands of God. Most people grow up with hang-ups and issues which affect the quality of what they do and the relationships they attempt to build. In Christ, we are able to help and support one another with more than just dismissive comments or light hearted evasion. We can pray with our brother or sister, listen with genuine interest, ask God for wisdom and then in the understanding He supplies, bear one another’s burden and share the goodness of the Lord. What a privilege to belong to the family of God and share in the growth He supplies for each of us!  

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

Jan 30

 “…as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee” Joshua 3:7

How reassuring and comforting to know that God is with us, that He will bless and will use us for His ultimate glory! The Lord God was establishing Joshua as the new leader of Israel after Moses. In man’s eye succeeding such a great man of God, would be a hard ‘act to follow’, but Joshua wasn’t relying on his own skill or talent, he was trusting God. Yahwah is no respecter of persons and will work through whomsoever He chooses. Through His perfect plan and purpose, He would show Israel that He stood by this leader and worked through him, just as He did with Moses. God’s servants do not need to promote their own selves, if they are called of God to a task, and trust Him, He will do the promoting. The text uses the word ‘magnify’, to mean that God would use His power to show His endorsement of Joshua. That is how the Lord does it! He arranges things and circumstances and through His own strength and ability, shows that His hand is on and in the life of a man He wants to use. The anointing He places on the individual to function and perform His will, makes it clear that it is not man’s doing, but the Lord’s. Man without God, often acts differently, he will do his utmost to demonstrate his own value, ability and superiority, by comparing and attempting to be better than others around him. This striving is unnecessary in the church of the Living God, for He rewards the humble, and lifts him to what position or task He determines. What we need to do is follow His Spirit and remain self-less and unpretentious when God chooses in His love and grace to bless us, and use us for His glory!

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

Jan 29

“…This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded.” Numbers 30:1

It is of paramount importance to have God’s authority behind any moral or social concept we adopt. The world is in trouble with understanding the ‘why’ of any moral code, because man has chosen to remove God and His authority from the picture. All of a sudden sin becomes mere preference - not wrong, just differing from one person to the other; and morality becomes a plastic medium to be bent at will, depending on the circumstances and situation. After all, once God is ‘removed’ as the Ultimate Authority for right living, who says it’s wrong? It all becomes just opinion! The new morality adopted by our modern society, largely states that provided ‘no-one-gets-hurt’, then the practice, in whatever context, is acceptable. The problem is that the clauses used in replacement for God’s mandates are very vague and too flexible, easily redefined by various situations and individuals. Sin becomes ‘normal’ when viewed in this way, and is therefore encouraged and fostered in our society through a filter of modified morals, which is supposedly based on the wish of ‘consenting adults’, in a context where no-one-gets-hurt! Not for one moment does modern man consider that God may not consent, that He speaks against sinful practices, however camouflaged or justified, and that sin will always hurt the individuals who participate in it, regardless of their age! God’s law is not so easily shunned or bypassed, without serious personal consequences. Israel knew then, as we know now, the revealed will of God. Through His written Word and the ministers who faithfully remind us of His commandments, we learn the value they bring into the life of each individual and society that chooses to observe them. We also learn the consequences and hurt that will come to us, when we disregard them. Pray that there will always be faithful leaders and ministers of God’s Word, teaching us and preaching with anointing, the Lord’s principles and values. Pray too, that there is willingness in each believer’s heart to repent, readiness of mind to recognise that - “this is the thing which the LORD hath commanded” - and the courage of faith to obey what He has said!


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

Jan 28

“For ye are yet carnal…” 1 Corinthians 3:3

Although in Christ, there was evidence among the Corinthian church that carnality was still being given place. This can be true of a lot of believers and it is this condition, of lacking in total spiritual commitment and reflecting at least in part the world and its ways, which has caused more problems for the church than possibly any other. It is mostly based on this complaint that the cries have risen against believers, cries that hypocrisy and insincerity are rife in the church. The defence is made that ‘Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven’. While it is true that even as believers we are in the process of change, that God is still working on us and we are not yet where we should be, this should never become an excuse for continuing indifferent and unconcerned, in poor, un-consecrated and fleshly service unto the Lord! In fact it is the express will of God that we are sanctified for his service, and Jesus made it very clear that perfection (at least in the sense of being complete) is certainly something we should strive for and make efforts towards, in all aspects of our lives. The problem is that developing such perfection is hard work, requiring spiritual discipline, the diligence of daily studying God’s Word, along with much prayer and soul-searching. These tasks are not pleasing to the flesh and so, many Christians capitulate to mere religiousness, which is a half-hearted, at best lukewarm effort towards God. They belong to a church, but they do not belong to God! This inevitably results in carnality reigning. Four times in as many verses, and raising examples of their behaviour and treatment of each other, Paul points out the open carnality and fleshly mind-set of the church he was addressing. Lest we should rise in criticism of the Corinthians, and seeing God’s Word and principles apply just as much to us today, how do we rate when aligned to the same values?

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

Jan 27

“Honour thy father and mother…” Ephesians 6:2

We are reminded that this is the first commandment with a promised attached, although we do understand that in all obedience of God’s commandments, we find blessing and life. The directive here is to honour our parents, and to do so towards them both equally. This means to hold them in great regard, to esteem and appreciate them and give them due consideration, because of the position they hold as the physical originators of our lives. This is not a negotiable suggestion, based on whether we approve of them as individual human beings, or of their respective actions and performance in life. Their value as parents and their position has been mandated by the Lord, to deserve our honour. What of the situations, however, where parents do great damage to their children and act in the most deplorable ways towards them? Is it possible to honour parents and yet lack respect for them? The idea of honour is automatically attached to the position of progenitor and is definitely commanded of us. Respect however, though it should and often does accompany honour, is more in nature and connection to honour, what trust is to love; it is not always automatic or commanded, but rather earned through the actions and consistency of the individual in focus. For instance one could say that he honours the leader of the country for the position he fills, but have little respect or trust for the individual, due to his personal failures or ungodly proclivities! Woefully, this is more than ever the case with many of our contemporary leaders! The same concept extends to those in other privileged, leadership positions, including fathers and mothers. As more  parents turn away from godly living, abandon their God ordained responsibilities, and fail in their personal lives to be a good example to their children, it is increasingly difficult to find families where true respect is both earned and duly given. Sadly this has become just as true among professing Christians, and it is an ever increasing epidemic, the result of worldly and sinful choices. For believers who intend to uphold and obey God’s Word, it is nonetheless necessary to honour father and mother in faithfulness to God, and in loving response to His Word, even if we may feel that as individuals, our parents may not merit our wholehearted trust or respect. When in turn we become parents, let us remember the privileged and honourable position we have been granted by God, and be careful to maintain our relationship with God in good order.  Wisdom and discipline for us will mean to keep earning through correct behaviour, and never taking for granted, the respect and trust that our children deposit in us as their examples, friends and leaders.    

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

Jan 26

 “And delivered just Lot…” 2 Peter 2:7

Though many have done injury to the character of Lot and accused him of all sorts of wrong doings from the moment he parted ways with Abraham, God in His Word, distinguishes him as a righteous man. It should be enough for any of us that God is willing to give us a good character reference, even if some, who think they know us, would vilify and defame us. Paul stated in his epistles that we will all stand in judgement, and clearly it is God who will judge, not fallible man. It becomes our task then to be pleasing to God first and foremost in all our doing and obedience, and not to be too much concerned with being man-pleasers. The records God keeps are the correct and just evaluation of our character and life. They cannot be falsified by the tampering or doctoring of man’s perceptions, preferences or even by our own meddling. What is so reassuring in our text is that God knows godliness when He sees it, and that He will deliver the righteous! In the midst of the most severe and comprehensive punishment or tribulation, God is able to keep and protect those who fulfil His righteousness. We serve a just and loving God who is not limited. We can rely on Jesus to defend and guard our heart, mind, body and soul, when we commit all of ourselves to Him.

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

Jan 25

“…from the presence of the Lord…” 2Thessalonians 1:9

The everlasting destruction of those who persevere in their wickedness against God is an act of justice. The Word of God presents this topic over and again, as a standing warning to all, and no man will be able to claim ignorance of the love and just severity of God, at the judgment bar. The devastation mentioned in these verses is interesting, in that it is an explanation of at least one aspect of what it means for the wicked to be everlastingly ‘destroyed’. The context presents this punishment as a permanent separation from the presence of the Holy God and all He provides, a continual banishment from the benefits and faithfulness of His endowing power. In a very small measure it would be something like the doom of those poor wretches who, for the term of their lives, were imprisoned in dark, damp cells, deep in the bowels of the earth, away from the warmth, light and beneficial effects of the sun. Sin against the Everlasting and Infinite God, unless repented of, will reap the wages of everlasting and infinite punishment. This is the awful consequence of sin. Yet in spite of the mess and chaos we bring into our lives through sin, so many still largely choose to ignore, mock and decry God’s warnings as mere fables, and religious make-believe. By the time these same people face their eternal destiny, it will be too late to re-frame their belief system. Their minds will be changed in spite of themselves, as they stare at the reality of God face to face. Their knees will bow in acceptance and confession that Christ is indeed Lord, but it will be too late to benefit from this submission. The time of salvation will be past. They will be expelled from the presence of God, to spend a dark eternity in the dreadful torment and realisation, that all they had ever wanted in life was in fact just that – the wonder, beauty and blessing of the presence of the Lord!

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

Jan 24

“So I bought her to me…” Hosea 3:2

In yet another remarkable object lesson for the benefit of a backslidden and idolatrous Israel, God again directs the prophet to marry a wife. This woman too is compromised, this time by adulterous behaviour and as such is under penalty of death and the dowry which is paid for her, is but the half the price of a servant! Yet he is to love her and see her restored rather than destroyed by her sin. In this powerful object lesson, is the story not only of Israel and God’s dealings with His people, but also a fitting simile of our lives before we knew the merciful Lord and Saviour of our souls! We, as that woman, had given ourselves over to all kinds of iniquity and idolatry. Following the ways of the world and adulterating our souls with the filth and degradation of sin, we, like dumb sheep going to the slaughter, were doomed to eternal damnation in retribution for our rebellion, disobedience and loose living. We rendered ourselves worthless and miserable, without hope or future, and became the inheritors of death. That was until the Lord in His inimitable love, reached out to us, and while we were yet sinners, in our darkest spiritual fog, Jesus died for us! He paid the price for our sins, but not merely what we were worth, for that was precious little, even less than the price of a servant! No! He paid the highest price – He yielded the one ingredient which alone could cleanse sin and make repair for it. He submitted the one substance which all of heaven and earth could not replace or equate in value – His precious, sinless blood! How blessed are we to have this loving Benefactor and gracious Saviour, who willingly condescended to reach down and lift us up from the depths and miry clay of sure death and destruction, to heavenly places with Him!

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

Jan 23

"…thou shalt overlay it with brass.” Exodus 27:2

Moses was obedient to do as God commanded him in the building of the tabernacle and all the items of its furniture, taking no shortcuts, nor re-interpreting the commands, for the sake of comfort or ease. The brazen altar was a place of sacrifice, a place where symbolically sin was judged. It is interesting that this altar which was constructed in wood should be overlaid with plates of brass. No doubt this made it resistant to the fire, which would otherwise destroy the timber, but it also has a greater and deeper purpose and meaning. Brass as a metal in scripture is often significant of hardship, judgement and punishment. Jesus fulfils all the typology of the tabernacle and sacrifices associated with it. In this piece of furniture, we see the hardship He suffered, in the punishment which He personally took on our behalf, because our sins were judged in Him. We see also the strength, lustre and resistance of the brass to the fire of sacrifice, representing the glory, majesty and overcoming of Christ at Calvary. God in great wisdom and in so many ways, communicated through types and shadows, His great and ultimate plan to bring redemption and salvation to fallen man. His plans and purposes were laid out from eternity, and established from everlasting, for He knows the end from the beginning. The smallest detail in what God does and commands us to do, may hold great implication and carry great weight. As Moses was obedient, we too should follow carefully the mandates and directions of God in our lives, much more than our immediate situation may be at stake!

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

Jan 22

“…who hast set thy glory above the heavens” Psalms 8:1

God’s creation all around us shouts the praises of the Creator and reflects His beauty, wisdom and power. Yet the Creator is greater than His creation! He is the source of it, and though we may with breathtaking wonder, be in awe of the physical evidence which fills our senses and confronts our sensibilities, our admiration should turn quickly to the One who made it all! Some men and women spend a lifetime in study, research and observation, of just one small aspect of this wondrous creation, without ever plumbing its depths or fully comprehending it. Conversely and woefully, most men and women, spend not a moment to consider the love, wonder and brilliance of the Creator God! It is good for us to consider the masterpiece and benefit from its beauty and grandeur, but it is even better to acknowledge, praise and worship the Maker, Designer and Builder of it all.  However grandiose, we must not like some, make the mistake of worshipping the created works of nature, rather than the Creator! God’s glory is reflected in the work He does, but is above the work, in greatness and magnitude. It is the Lord’s ability, power and majesty which should most amaze, thrill and bless us, and should cause us to want to know the Artist personally! 

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

Jan 21

“…mine own son after the common faith…” Titus 1:4

Close and family-like relationships are created among members of the body of Christ. This is a level of unity and community that goes well beyond just friendship, it is brotherhood! Once we are saved, we recognise our common spiritual Father is the Lord, and that we being filled with His Holy Spirit, each descend spiritually from Him. This establishes the ‘family ties’ of our faith, and even if we had no-one else to relate to, we are safely anchored to this wonderful and eternal Progenitor! God’s family however includes many members and many opportunities for familial intimacy. Apart from ‘siblings’ in Christ, that is brethren of precious like faith, we can identify also with those older than ourselves in the faith and with them we often find, ‘father-like’ and ‘mother-like’ relationships. When we consider those who were responsible for bringing us into the message of salvation, or ‘raising us’ through years of patient training, teaching, assistance and example, we can appreciate the blessing and privilege of belonging to the Family of God. We see then the reality of Paul’s expression towards Titus and his address of him as ‘mine own son’. Because of the common spiritual ancestry and due to the spiritual relationship which members of God’s Church develop, like Paul, we too are blessed and can relate to others in the faith, as precious family!

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

Jan 20

“…he deceiveth himself.” Galatians 6:3

Generally speaking natural man has this very flaw prominent at heart, he deceives himself. Forgetting the frailty bound in his physical being and that it is only by God’s grace that he is kept alive and breathing, he deludes himself with all sorts of notions of grandeur and self-glorification. Ultimately, this pride and forsaking of God, will result in the most traumatic and destructive end for humanity. The most insidious self-deception, is the self-aggrandizement which causes us to believe we are better and greater than is so in reality! This is particularly dangerous for the Christian. This kind of self-deception can make us think we are more spiritually apt and mature than our lives give evidence for. It causes many to stop growing, depleting true desire for searching the scriptures and deepening biblical knowledge, and killing the reliance we should have on God, through faith, trust and prayer. The Lord in His love and consummate knowledge of our flawed and fallen human nature, has given many warnings against the trap of pride and self-exaltation. The prime example of this ancient sin, was the fall of the mightiest angel Lucifer, who lost his original estate through pride, to become the defeated, and doomed, arch-enemy of God. The infection of his sin was passed onto the human family shortly after creation, and has plagued us ever since in many varied forms. The greatest single expression of sin continues to be pride and rebellion against God. This is what marks and stains human beings from conception, and will cause the eventual eternal damnation of all the human family that refuses to accept the only antidote and remedy available for the sin-sick soul – God’s salvation! Coming to know Jesus means also coming to an understanding that without Him, we are nothing but lost, miserable and dead in iniquity and sin - in other words, a realisation that we have nothing to be ‘proud’ of! This reality check and the development of a close, intimate relationship with the Lord, should arm every believer with the correct degree of genuine humility! It is therefore totally incongruous, that a Christian should give way and subscribe to pride in any form, and be self-deceived when he knows that outside of Jesus, he is nothing. Any good thing that he is able to perform, any good action, thought or motive, any useful and charitable expression, is only through and because of the One from Whom all blessings flow, and Who is the author and finisher of the our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ! 

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

Jan 19

“Hearing of thy love and faith…” Philemon 1:5

Philemon’s godly life and the love he bore towards God and the fellow-believers made Paul joyful and thankful. There is a reputation of godliness and diligence, which should precede those who are true Disciples of Christ. It is not a status, achieved through personal boasting, advertising of one’s virtues or self-promotion of any kind! The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were bent on attracting attention to their spirituality through such means. It is rather that which God brings forth in us and others are able to communicate, having experienced for themselves the reality of the fruit, which the faithful servant abundantly bears unto the Lord. There can be no pretence about this. It cannot be a strummed up ‘character reference’, without supporting ‘documentation’! The enduring quality of the individual’s life, his loving interaction with peers and the longevity of his service and diligence, become the ‘unwritten’ documents, which underpin the claims of godliness others may proffer about him!  Though some may appear in the shorter term to bear such fruit, it is over the longer period of service in Christ, that such fruit and the reality of it is validated and verified. A tree may bear good fruit for one season, but if after that it fails to raise a crop, or its fruit is stunted and sickly, it will hardly be sought after. A good tree and one worthy of commendation, on the other hand, is one which continues to bear good fruit, season after season, and is reliable for the quality and quantity of its produce. Clearly as Christians also, it is not a matter of merely having some spiritual fruit, some of the time, but rather, as God’s Word exhorts, that it should be plentiful and remain - that is be more permanent in nature. This is how godly reputation is formed. It cannot be the result of a single effort, just a season of well-doing followed by periods of indifference and fits of tepidity, nor a resting of previous ‘laurels’ of achievement, without present signs. It must stem from ongoing, active and evident, submission to the ways of God in love and faith, and from assiduousness to fulfil the law of Christ towards others, which is the law of love. Such a fruitful life brings great rejoicing to those who lead, and great inspiration to all who follow Christ!

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

Jan 18

“Who will render to every man according to his deeds:” Romans 2:6

God is a loving Saviour and a just Judge. In the same way that His love reaches out and touches every human being with the offer and gift of salvation to be accepted by faith, so also no-one can escape the hand of God in judgment. The Lord justifies the sinner on the grounds of faith in Him, a faith shown by obedience to His Word and not by the works of the law. In this is our salvation, through His work at Calvary, we can add nothing by our own doing, but only identify with the death, burial and resurrection by which He purchased our salvation. When it comes to justification of our character as believers however, each man will find God also ready to render or return to him, according to the ‘deeds’ done in his body! To ignore this aspect of God’s requirement, or rebel against the righteousness He desires of us, is to merit God’s indignation and wrath, according to our text. In fact, this is the basis of God’s judgment, not His work of salvation in us, which is perfect, but the manner of our walking with Him. When we will stand at judgment, we will be aligned with the requirements of God’s Law - His Word, and measured by His holy standard! This will not be a comparison between men to find a ‘better-than-another’, or a measurement based on our own understanding and preference. It will not be a competition as to who has been superior in doing or serving. It will be a personal and individual alignment with the revealed will of God for each of us, to see just how faithful we have been in our obedience of it, and how steadfast we have remained in our quest to become more like Jesus. God has already given us in His Word, all the directions and instruction we need to bring forth the kind of fruit which pleases Him and will mark us as the Children of the Light, the Overcomers who enter in. All that remains is to carry out our devoted, committed obedience and diligence to the Lord. In this pursuit we must remain faithfully till the end, that we may show ourselves worthy of the calling we have received, and demonstrate beyond mere words, genuine thankfulness for the salvation He has provided!  

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

Jan 17

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105

The strongest and ablest of men can stumble and fall if he attempts to progress in darkness. The idea portrayed in this renowned verse of scripture, is that God’s Word shines a light at our feet so we can safely walk the path of life. Each of us is journeying, and all of us face potential dangers and pitfalls as we travel life. The light of God at our feet ensures we have a safe passage. The Lord’s light shines with His wisdom, principles and commands enriching and giving meaning and purpose to life, but also keeping us from unnecessary hurt, loss and injury. He provides the understanding and comprehension we need to make it in life and walk rightly. His directives may be at times uncomfortable to the eyes which had grown accustomed to darkness, but when angled right as the light of a lamp or candle, they help us to clearly see where we should step next and avoid the pitfalls and dangers of that darkness. The light for our feet, He also shines on our path. This too is in the same manner a blessing and security to us human travellers. It shows just enough of the path ahead of us so that we can stay the course and not deviate or take the wrong turn, but causes us also to stay close to the light by not being able to see too far ahead of ourselves! God shines it in this manner so we can trust Him, lean on Him and rely on His direction at each step and at each bend in the road. If we in faith take our stand and step in the light He has given us, He will surely continue to shine it for us, so we can take one more step and another, and another… till we finally will step into the glorious city which is filled with the light of God and in which there is no more darkness nor night!

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

Jan 16

“...keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him...” Daniel 9:4

We demonstrate our love to God, by keeping His commandments and following His ways. Like a good and loving father who cares for his children, the Lord shows us the right we should do and warns us to avoid the wrong. He teaches us at length about the rewards of righteousness and the repercussions and judgments of sin. He regards those who are faithful and shows open mercy and goodness towards them. His promises and pledges are renewed to the obedient and diligent follower, improving the quality of his life through blessing and growth. Some view God as capricious or whimsical, but the opposite is true, He has made known His stand and position from the beginning. It is us who are moody, inconsistent and change our position far too readily. We weaken our stand and commitment towards Him, reduce our discipline and abandon our convictions. The adjustments God makes are largely in response to our variability, but His intention and desire is made very clear – He wants to bless! He is faithful, He keeps His covenant, if there is distancing or loss in our relationship with Him, it does not find its genesis with Him! If we want to please the Lord, the best thing we can do is to remain faithful to Him in response to His faithfulness, and allow Him to bestow upon us the bountiful gifts and goodness He so much desires to bless us with! 

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

Jan 15

 “Wine…whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1

Strong drink when indulged, can easily take control of even the wisest and most capable of individuals. It will destroy the minds and reputations of worthwhile people and ultimately help bring eternal condemnation to those who yield to it. It is indeed a mocker as the scriptures title it, and is often at the centre of some of the worst human failings, poorest choices, most horrendous accidents and highly heinous crimes. People with usually bright and responsive minds, can be turned to dull, irresponsible brutes, and become capable of violent actions and promiscuous behaviour, they would not normally consider even remotely appropriate. How foolish to be deceived by a substance known for its trickery, which promises a pleasure it doesn’t deliver! Yet its scorn continues to be given place and worse has strengthened its hold, in a humanity so given over to its power and abandoned to its control. The deception of indulgence in strong drink is twofold – firstly in the fact that the drinker is deceived in believing he will remain in control, when in fact his mind is being altered, his will bent, and at last, like a fool, he can no longer reason wisely or be considered responsible. Secondly its deception extends to the wider scope of society, which largely adopts, excuses and allows for this controlling substance to be consumed far too liberally. Drinking is viewed as ‘normal’ and even necessary in many circles. Thus, in spite of the knowledge that it grossly alters human behaviour, drink is often encouraged, and the deception perpetuated, even while the lives of individuals and families, are being destroyed by the habits which result from this indulgence. The repercussions on society and the cost of dealing with the effects and results of alcoholism are astonishing. In our so called ‘civilized’ culture, it is surprising that we would even remotely countenance this lavish abuse, yet the practice increases and is celebrated, with growing number of outlets and multiplies ways in which strong drink can be easily obtained. Christians do well to avoid any such indulgence and better still stay clear from the practice of drinking alcohol all together, particularly when they consider they were delivered from it in the past, and ponder the importance of their witness for Christ, in the present. We are directed by God’s word not to be brought ‘under the power’ of anything - alcohol certainly qualifies as a controller! Wisdom in God includes making the right choices in response to God’s teaching, and knowing how to lean on the Spirit of God sufficiently that the flesh is not given place or control. Foolishness on the other hand, is ignoring what the Lord says and doing what pleases the flesh. Being unwise is never a virtue, but becomes even worse when the ‘fool’ is one who professes to know and serve God! 

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

Jan 14

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul…” Psalms 19:7

The doctrine and teaching which the Lord has revealed to mankind via His Word, is complete! It lacks nothing which may be needed by man to live a fulfilled, purposeful and useful life. The perfection of the laws of God, is observable in the fruit of righteousness and goodness which they bring forth in the lives of men and women, who live by them and obey them. The most prosperous and successful of countries in history, have been those whose governments based their rules, upon the law of God as found in His Holy Word. We can easily note, in various Godless regimes, but also and especially in more recent times in western cultures, that the departure from God’s law and principles has resulted in huge problems with immorality and instability, in what once were recognised as civilized and Christian societies. Human nature is fallen and naturally tends towards evil. Man cannot merely be controlled by law; he must be converted by it! Man’s law may change some of the behaviour of some of society, but cannot change the soul of any individual. This results in either an increase the amount of force and means necessary to control and direct individuals, or worse, the redefining of what is wrong, sinful and abhorrent, so that less control is needed, doing further damage to mankind and departing all the more from God’s original plans and purposes. God’s law is perfect, and can change and convert the soul of man through faith and obedience, from a lost, sinful, rebellious and spiritually dead individual, to a godly, fulfilled, loving, faithful, and spiritually alive person. This means a person will ‘want’ to do what is right from the inside, not merely because of some rule which society imposes on him. All this, God performs through His Word! Tampering with what Gods has set down and provided for humanity, can only result in precisely what we see in our human family today – increase in crime and immorality, a loss of worthwhile and godly values and ultimately self-destruction and death. God’s statutes, commandments and directions for man’s relationship with God, his fellowman, and all other things created, remain and are eternally established, they are the best way for mankind and they can’t be improved on by man’s intuition, revisions or intelligence for they were perfect to begin with! 

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

Jan 13

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification…” 1Thessalonians 4:3

So many wonder what God’s will for their lives is, and what it is that He intends to do with them. Here we have a clear indication of God’s will and an answer to that often asked question. Starting with this clear revelation of what God wants for our lives, will mean placing ourselves in the best possible position to discover what further and more specific or personal things He may intend for us to carry out. Sanctification is an appropriate and correct place to start our journey of service and usefulness unto the Lord. To be holy as God is holy and pure, is exactly what He has called all believers to become. When we walk with Him in such manner and with such spirit that He can transmit His holiness and purity in every area of our lives, we are fulfilling His expressed desire and purpose for our lives. Ahead of developing his ability to preach, the minister ought to hone the edge of his sanctification to the Lord. Before emphasising his talent with an instrument, the musician should remember the melody sanctification must sound forth in his life. It is a case of the ‘cart and the horse’, for our lives in God to be the most fruitful and pleasing to Him, the priority in any and all our activities or tasks of service to God, must be and always remain - sanctification. In seeking any other aspect of God’s will, we ought to first fulfil what He has already shown us to be His desire. In all aspects of our daily living for God, be it our speech, behaviour, our thought life and desires, sanctification - the process of holiness and separation to the Lord, should play the foremost consideration. This is the will of God – no excuse can be made or offered to circumvent this basic and direct truth and statement of scripture. Are we fulfilling God’s revealed will for our lives?   

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Jan 12

“….that they be of the same mind in the Lord.” Philippians 4:2

We are throughout scripture instructed and encouraged to strive for the unity of the faith. Although this is to be done without compromise of the main core tenets of the faith, it is intended to be a necessary exercise, practiced by all who profess to follow Jesus. Unity in the faith is achieved through choosing the bond of peace, the attitude that prioritises others instead of ourselves. Rivalry and self-ism is inappropriate and dangerous among believers. We are therefore to make efforts towards a one-mindedness, finding common ground on which to stand and unite our efforts for the Kingdom. This is not to say that we are all to be mere ‘rubber-stamp- copies of each other, but rather that we should all draw closer to the mind of Christ, and in imitating Him, be in fact nearer in mind, heart and purpose to each other. Like a team on one side of the rope in a ‘tug-a-war’, though each member grips in a different place on the rope, yet all pull together, have the same goal and contribute to the same victory! Being of one mind, still allows for our personal and individual growth, personality and approach to various aspects of life, but standardises what we believe, how we respond to matters regarding Christian living, and what we preach to the lost around us. One-mindedness causes us to recognise what God is doing with our fellow-believers and without envy and resentment, and genuinely support the work they do. When we insist on individuality, personal superiority and recognition, ahead of keeping ‘one-mind’ humility in the message of Christ, we will end up in divisions and debates, and the very cause of Christ we uphold will suffer. There is much to be said for the beauty, peace and harmony that come from a genuine ‘one-mind’ approach to Christian life. The women mentioned in our text, though they had possibly co-operated in the work of God, had probably at some stage, and through circumstances, become estranged. This kind of distancing places a burden on the body of Christ, for any such division between brethren of precious like faith, is felt and noticeable. Paul exhorts them and pleads for differences to be put aside and oneness restored, that God’s work may be done in a spirit of true unity and love. This is good advice to all of us believers today!

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Jan 11

“…by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” 2Peter 2:2

The Apostle Peter in the last moments on his life takes time to warn the church against the false teachers and the insidious doctrines they will spread among the church. Sadly many fall prey to these evilly motivated individuals, who are out to corrupt and deceive God’s people. The effects of their actions and works are felt not only in the body of Christ, where some depart from truth to follow them, but also among those unsaved, who are watching the church. The actions of those who falsely profess to believe the Lord, but teach erroneous doctrine, bring disrepute to the way of truth. Often, because of these errant individual’s association with Christianity, true believers and their faith in Christ is also rejected by unbelievers and those who observe the church. The ‘truth is evil spoken of’ therefore, due at least in part to these questionable and unscriptural beliefs found among the ranks of believers. Much is already levelled at Christians because the faith of Christ is so contrary to our contemporary, social and cultural practices. These false teachers only exacerbate this problem, by further aggravating the situation and pouring fuel on the fires of those who are already antagonistic to Christ’s message. As believers it is our task not only to identify these wolves in sheep’s clothing, but also to stand against the falsehoods they attempt to propagate, distancing ourselves from anything which is not supported and validated by the Holy Scriptures. 

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Jan 10

“…Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people….” Joshua 3:6

Filled with the symbols of God’s provision and protection for His people, but most of all a vehicle of the presence and glory of God, the Ark of the Covenant was in its correct place and its rightful position, when it was borne by the priests to be in front of the people. There, the power of God was most evident and performed the greatest of miracles for His people. Our eyes should ever be set on the presence of the Lord and all He holds in His Word for us. His rightful place in our lives, is not as an ‘optional extra’, or a piece of luggage we drag around ‘just in case’, but as the central feature of our eyes, and heart’s desire. He should be the One at the focus of our thoughts and plans, and should be at all times in view of our spiritual eyes. In Israel it was recognised that the ark leading the people in battle meant protection, power, victory and conquest. We also should know assuredly that seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness in everything we do or desire, will bring victory, cause us to overcome and see all the things necessary to our lives, added by the power, provision and compassion of the Lord. We struggle unnecessarily to seek the temporal and the mundane, when true satisfaction, fulfilment and permanency is found in putting Jesus in the right and most prominent place of our heart, mind and soul!

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Jan 9

 “In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.” Psalms 120:1

There had been great times of rejoicing in David’s life, but he was also well acquainted with sorrow and distress. With David we too can truly say that the Lord is the God of the good times, and yet He is still God in the bad and troubled times. In the seasons of difficulty, anguish and pain, we may feel alone and ill-equipped to cope with the misery that life can bring. Friends are not always there for us or able to help and understand. Although these are not the only times when we should remember to call on the Lord, it is most appropriate that we do so. The Lord is prompt and ready to hear us, He does not slumber or sleep, and is not put off by the difficulty of our request. Though God is supreme and can select to answer us as He chooses, we have an assurance that He will heed our cries and that He is interested in us and our troubles. Faith to trust Jesus, and believe for His intervention and provision, is necessary if we are to be blessed by the Lord. We all know we will be faced with turmoil and struggles in life, as wise servants of the Lord, we therefore ought to uphold a strong, holy and pleasing walk with God at all times, so when the storms hit, as we know they will, we will find harbour, solace and assurance in the God who can calm the sea!

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Jan 8

“….to have always a conscience void of offence…” Acts 24:16

Paul in all his service unto God, sought always to maintain a clear conscience, that is, one without conflict with God or man. However, it is clear from the record that conflict with some individuals both in the church and out of it, existed in his life, in spite of his efforts. It should not mean that because we may not manage to make all relations and dealings free of difficulties or clashes, that we therefore, throw all caution to the wind, and care nothing for keeping peace or harmony with our brethren. The attitude that easily dismisses some ‘difficult people’ or treats them with contempt and avoidance, is not the kind of ‘exercise’ Paul is speaking of in this text! Some have become masters at indifference toward those they consider hard to deal with, choosing the comfort of others, who may provide the personal praise or acceptance they seek. I am sure we all desire to be appreciated, but it is not likely that our growth or the improvement of the other person, will happen without exposure to some tough love. Others seem to have taken a degree in grudge-holding, remaining distanced and alienated even when there may be a way to bridge the gap, and win in not a tender closeness, then at least a position lacking in offence. The Scriptures teach us that in every way possible, and with as much effort as we can summon on our part, we should live at peace with all men. Naturally this does not control the other party! They must be willing to obey the same directive for themselves. We can only dictate to our own conscience and direct our own actions and responses, but certainly that much, we must do. Although conditional, our hearts, minds and desires need to be so immersed in God and His love that we can manage to maintain the best conceivable and most harmonious relationship with as many individuals as is possible. This means effort and consistency, patience and humility. Insisting on finding common ground and a basis for communion, oneness of mind and unity with our brethren, is at the core and foundation of the kind of love we are all commanded to have one for another, and cannot be easily dismissed or put in the ‘too hard basket’! 

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Jan 7

“…..in due time Christ died for the ungodly” Romans 5:6

Jesus found us at our weakest, most needy and vulnerable moment, when we were least able to cope with or deal with our lives. Some of us have always considered ourselves to be proficient and to have the capacity to function without external help and support. Yet even if in many aspects of life we ‘had it all together’, the problem of our sin-sick soul remained, and nothing we could do by our own means, could resolve that issue! Outside of Christ, the Bible calls us ‘the ungodly’, simply because we are without God in our lives, and thus not able to sustain any true spiritual health. We may imagine that we don’t really ‘need’ God; after all, we are managing just fine. However the record shows, that many who have come to the Lord, were not destitute, abandoned nor needy. It is not only the physically and mentally broken or emotionally distressed, who need God. Salvation is not merely for the poor, underprivileged or the person who has wrecked their lives. At the precise time in God’s plan, Christ died for the ungodly. That description applies to all levels of humanity and society, from what we may consider ‘the lowest to the highest’, wherever there is a ‘lack of God’ in our souls! Jesus paid the price for you and me, and did not care what condition we are in, or what position we fill in society. We can be as much of a sinner as the vilest person we know, though we may be dressed in the finest of clothes, live in the best home or hold an elite position or respected occupation in society. Our life-style does not in itself determine the condition of our soul – the presence or absence of God in us, does! God in His love, made provision for all ungodly humanity, and in case we think we are slightly better than the person next to us, we are told that in ourselves and by our own means and deeds, there is ‘none righteous, no, not one’! Clearly nothing we can do justifies us before the Lord, we need God and His provision for our souls! Right on time, in the plan of God, you were provided for, there remains but one requirement - to make what Jesus did, yours personally and benefit eternally!

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Jan 6

“And he must needs go through Samaria.” John 4:4

Jesus felt the distinct need to interact with the woman at the well and be a positive and uplifting influence in her life. This is a glorious summary of the ministry of our Lord on earth. All of His dealings with mankind show this quality of love and concern, for the spiritual well-being and blessing of souls. In His provisions, miracles, teaching, corrections or encouragements, we see a singular motive in the Lord – love! Jesus demonstrated the kind of love that caused Him to go ‘out of His way’ for a lost soul. We can learn a great deal from the manner and attitude of ministry the Lord possessed. All too often we are not willing to be ‘put out’ for someone else. We become reluctant, reticent and easily burdened when a need is presented to us. We feel easily imposed upon by our brethren and their concerns rather than forbearing as Christ did. The truth, if we were to admit it, is that we are very much caught up in self. Everything, ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘mine’, takes precedence and little time if any, is left available for others. We must learn to give at this level. Taking a ‘detour’ from our own interests, preferences and comforts, and becoming involved in others and their needs, may result in great spiritual benefit and make an eternal investment in a soul, or at the very least, will result in our becoming a little less self-centred!   

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Jan 5

“…Like … the young lion roaring on his prey, …. he will not be afraid of their voice,…” Isaiah 31:4

The prophet describes the Lord’s action as He is intent on carrying out His judgement. Like a young and vigorous lion, unafraid and unconcerned of those who may turn against Him, He will conduct His purpose and carry out His will! God has everything under control and will not be unsettled or hurried by anyone. We may feel there are lapses in His timing, or periods of inactivity where we see little or no results, but God is at work all the while, in His way and His timing. When His purpose is ready to be carried out, there is no power on earth that can distract Him from His objective or detract from His result. There are many voices which cry against the Lord and His Word. Some have great followings and establish movements dedicated to the detraction and removal of God from His rightful place in human consciousness. These all will pass away - like the kings and kingdoms of past eras, that considered themselves potent and yet have faded and vanished away, so too will all those who would reduce and diminish the Almighty, become but distant whispers of the past. They will pass away, but the Lord will endure forever. God remains unconcerned about the voices of man and their statements of grandeur and the challenges they proffer. His judgments will come on fallen and rebellious humanity, who has rejected His love and salvation, even as He has promised. Those who trust in God, trust in He who will not be moved! He is everlasting and His purposes established from eternity. He will keep the faithful from all alarm and show them the path of eternal life.


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Jan 4

“…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37

There is ‘wholeness’ in the command by which Jesus summarised the early portion of the Decalogue, in this passage. The love we owe the Lord, is a wholehearted, whole-soul and whole-mind kind of love. Yielding only part of ourselves is not sufficient in achieving the correct and close nature of the relationship He desires with us. Contenting ourselves with half-hearted commitment to God, thinking that a ‘little’ of God in our lives is enough, and assuming that the Lord is pleased with such whole-less-ness, is a sorely mistaken notion and a largely misplaced effort. Nothing short of a complete yielding of ourselves in love and the willing effort to achieve this state throughout life, is pleasing to the Omnipotent God we serve, or worthy of Him. The command appears to be a high calling and it is, but it can only be that way, for to have anything of anyone in higher regard, love or esteem in our lives than the Lord whom we call our God and claim to worship, is to have entered into our own form of idolatry and spiritual adultery! Some actually justify their reticence to love God as He commands, for fear of becoming or being seen as ‘fanatical’! Sadly the same individuals often display a greater ‘fanaticism’ for many material aspects of life and do not find this misplaced affection a concern or a bother! There is also the tendency to mistake the object of our love and as a result to love Christianity more so than Christ and humanity more than the human individual. Loving God as He commands, is a far cry from empty headed and imbalanced fanaticism or merely generalised and religious affection. Committed love for God is godly, holy, balanced, humble, wise and kind. It portrays the principles of the faith firmly and lovingly and does not ‘lord it’ over others. In context it would be better for believers to fear far more, being too much in love with the world and the things of it, than too much in love with Jesus! It is our duty, privilege and joy then, to have the highest quality of love for God and hold it as supreme,  above all care and regard for all else in life. In the fulfilment of this command to love God with all the desire of our heart, all the passion of our soul and all the strength of our intellect, we will find the greatest contentment and personal fulfilment and the wisdom and power to carry out the other portion of God’s law – to love others as we love ourselves.


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Jan 3

“…but Hannah had no children.” 1 Samuel 1:2

Israelite women knew that the Messiah, whom God would send, would be born of a woman. Child bearing was viewed as the ultimate blessing from the Lord and when a woman was incapacitated to this task and privilege, she considered herself in the worst of conditions. Hannah was a God-fearing woman and was not prepared to accept her lot in life without a heartfelt, passionate and desperate appeal, to the only One who could help her in her situation. In spite of the calumny of some around her, or even the accepting encouragements of a loving husband, who attempted to fill the unfillable gap in her heart, she threw herself at the mercy of the Lord. Her trembling lips moved, and though her prayer was silent in terms of human sounds, yet it shouted the cry of her soul to heaven’s throne! It has been said, and quite accurately, that ‘a heart without words is better than words without a heart”! God heard Hannah’s prayer and she received her heart’s desire, but the Lord went even further in His response to her - He blessed her with a child who would become a great prophet and servant of God. Hannah’s devotion and faith, teaches us to look to and trust in God for answers to all of life’s tough questions. In every situation and particularly those where we feel least able to face and in control, and are sure no-one could possibly help or understand - God can and does! We can lean on the everlasting arms of the Almighty God, who is ever ready to hear the cry and passionate pleas of His people.


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Jan 2

 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High….” Psalm 91:1

Probably spoken with reference to the Holiest of Holies in the tabernacle, the ‘secret place of the most High’, was a place where only designated priests would be able to visit, and then only once a year! There the chosen minister would have an encounter with God and experience the joy of His presence. How blessed we are in this dispensation of time, when unlike then, whosoever chooses God, can have the privilege to not merely ‘visit’, but to daily live in the glorious presence of the Almighty! In Christ, we can make our abode closest to the heart of God and occupy a place of intimacy with Him. Our personal relationship with the Lord can be as close as we will choose and allow. No longer need we employ the services of another to enquire or hear from the Lord, now we individually and without reference to our social position or status in life, have access into the most holy place. If we do not develop a close connection with Jesus; if the quality of what we have and feel in God is poor or wanting, the fault can only be laid at our feet. It is the greatest privilege to find our right place in God, and discover the comfort, protection, provision and blessing that a near and dear heartfelt closeness with Jesus will afford.


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

Jan 1

“For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work…” Psalm 92:4

The work of God touches all of humanity, it is providential, and reflects the perfect love that He bears towards all of mankind. With David, we rejoice and are made glad, by the breathtaking work of God’s creation, His innumerable gifts of providence and the magnificent opus of grace, by which God wrought salvation for everyone who will believe! Apart from the wonders of all He has done already, the work of the Lord in each of us as individuals, is not yet finished. He toils patiently, intensely and wisely in each of us personally, to turn our otherwise worthless and flawed clay, into perfected works, patterned after His holiness and in honour of His glory! We do indeed celebrate His inimitable workmanship, as He moulds and shapes us, protects and provides, cleanses and fills us! As we pause to consider His work of love, we cannot but find endless praise in our hearts, in thanks for the labour which God so kindly and incessantly performs in our lives! Glory to His great name! 


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