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 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!

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

June 12

“By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.” Proverbs 3:20

God’s knowledge and wisdom is perfect and complete, and far outdistances anything we as humans can even begin to imagine. The divisions of the oceans in relation to the land masses, their respective depths, the wonders of the morning dew as it forms gently on the earth and a myriad of other marvels, which we often do not even notice or are aware of, all speak of the incomparable wisdom and knowledge of Yahwah. As new discoveries are made in the fields of science, medicine, physics, astronomy, or other disciplines, we are astounded at how little we really know and understand, and how much yet remains outside our grasp! For instance researchers are just beginning to discover how vast the resources of water that are under the earth! It is now estimated there may be more water under the earth, than we have in the oceans on its surface. How is this possible? How did such vast amounts of water get there? How does it stay there? What is its purpose and why is it so? Such considerations are stunning! Yet all that exists, how it works, its purpose and function are all known to God, the Creator of all things. With all our discoveries, knowledge and innovations, we are yet a bit like children playing in the backyard, and realizing but minute aspects of the universe that surrounds us. Wise men have tapped into the knowledge of the Almighty and searched carefully the things He has revealed, leading to many great, wonderful discoveries and significant advancements, which have helped mankind in many ways. The wisest among them, have reflected long enough to reason that such knowledge is too wonderful without a Creator and have stopped to acknowledge and praise Him and His great works! Far too many others however, attempt to explain away the evidence of Divine wisdom and the signature of the Almighty, by naturalistic means, many of which in fact require greater faith to accept, than to believe in the Creator God in the first place! It seems for them overall more convenient to ignore and set aside the concept of a Supreme Deity, lest by admitting His presence, and Divine ownership of all, they should then have to admit their accountability to Him! Nevertheless the knowledge and presence of God remains, and all of man’s cleverness and self-importance will be erased and eradicated on the day when he stands before this same Benevolent Ruler, Who will then be his Righteous Judge! How will unsaved humans of every standing, culture and learning, wish then that they had made Him their Saviour, and accepted His knowledge and wisdom, ahead of their own! For some it is already too late; for others it will be too late by then - but it is not too late now, to concede to the Lord Almighty, accept His power and majesty, and willingly place ourselves under His blessing and protection, by making Him Lord and Saviour of our souls! 

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

May 20

“…whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.” Proverbs 20:2

Royalty was in scripture what ultimate civil authority may be to us today. The decision of a king was final and his authority in the sphere of ruling his people, virtually unlimited. In this sense he is compared to a lion as the ‘king’ of the jungle, and his anger as something which no man under his power, would want to raise. Perhaps not in the same context of royalty, but we have a concept here, which is very much applicable to us, in living lives marked by wisdom and uprightness. Firstly then it is clearly unwise to provoke the antagonism of those who are in ‘authority’ over us. We live in a time when to be purposely rebellious to all that is authority is in fashion. This is not necessarily due to some legitimate issue or wrong to protest and speak up against, but simply because overall, authority of any kind is viewed by many as restrictive and undesirable. This mentality, which would claim that an absence of authority is an idyllic condition, fails to recognise that without prescribed power in place, the imagined ‘liberty’ of doing one’s own thing without restraint, would quickly cease or be hampered and even violated, by someone else’s self-asserted liberty, so that no real peace or personal safety could ever be achieved! Authority and more specifically godly authority, is therefore necessary to the well-being, growth, protection and overall living quality of every individual. Man’s attempts at governance, even when at their best are flawed, but it is the best we, as flawed and sinful humanity can achieve. Even so, it is a wise and proper manner and attitude of life, when we live under a ‘reasonable’ government, which overall takes care of its citizens, not to purposely or without legitimacy, provoke its ‘anger’. There is a Government however, over which the Perfect and Holy God reigns as King absolute, and under which all humans, whether they recognise it or not, are responsible and accountable. This Governance is not flawed, fickle or corrupted. It does not allow for human manipulation, preference or election. This King is the King of Kings, and reigns supreme. His law and precepts are perfect and cannot be altered, amended or tampered with in any manner. When we as humans attempt to do so, we cause the ire of the King; when we openly violate His laws and in bare-faced rebellion disregard His precepts and choose rather our own ways, we provoke His anger! The advice of our text is that we do this to our own detriment, and to the demise of our own soul! We literally err or ‘sin’, and thus cause death to our souls that is, an eternal dying – this is an awful indictment! Wise humans choose to stay of the ‘right’ side of God, the side of His mercy, love and provision, by obedience and observance of His law and counsel. God is the Eternal and Almighty King, there is no God like Him in love, mercy and longsuffering, if we choose to be His faithful subjects. Conversely there is no comparable enemy, and no surer way to condemn our souls, should we choose to refuse His authority, provoke His anger, and continue to antagonise Him! 

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

May 3

“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” Proverbs 24:10

Strength is tested in all of us, not in times of ease and comfort, but in days of adversity, trouble and distress. The nature and degree of the difficulty we may face can have a lot to do with the response we give to it. Naturally the concept is relative to each individual. This can be seen by the fact that various people react and deal differently when faced with similar adversarial situations. One factor of this concept is what the bible here calls ‘strength’. This quality has a great deal to do with whether we ‘faint’, that is become easily depleted and defeated by the challenge which faces us. The strength, by which we are able to withstand trials and difficulties in life, is not a personal or character asset alone. It is a fortitude which comes from the faith which we are able to place in God, whose ability never fails or runs out. Time and again Jesus admonished His disciples for having ‘little faith’ in God. This did not mean they were not sincere or able to believe at all, but that they had not yet matured or grown sufficiently in their relationship with the Lord to believe further, and last the distance with the challenges that faced them. The Lord’s caution to His disciples was to encourage them to further growth, stretching their hearts with faith and trust in God. In other words a measurement of our ‘strength’ in spiritual terms, has to do with how much we are able to lean on God and believe in Him. This is not automatically related to our ‘age’ physically or even spiritually, but is more so, the outflow of a maturity found in holding and fostering a deep and loving, holy relationship with Jesus! If we fail to nurture a closeness and intimacy with God, we are more than likely going to faint easily in the day of adversity. Our spiritual resolution and determination, will easily give way to despondency and dejection. We are not all that durable when we face life and trials in our own strength alone! As believers particularly, we have the responsibility to learn how to lean on Jesus, rely on His strength, through faith in His principles and closeness to Him. This trust and dependence on the Lord provides the strength, wisdom, courage and steadfastness we need to remain, persist and endure in times of difficulty and trial. 

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

May 2

“Buy the truth, and sell it not…” Proverbs 23:23

Consider that by truth here is meant all that proceeds from God in His revealed will and word. Jesus taught He Himself is the Truth. With that in mind - how precious is truth? The value of it exceeds the air we need for our lungs, the water and food we require for our bodies, gold, silver, or the most precious commodity we could find on earth! Such is the importance and worth of the truth of God! It is sad to see how devalued it has become among the human family, and at what tragic and disastrous cost and consequences, it has been discarded and sold out. The instructions in our text concerning it are twofold. We must ‘buy’ this truth, it is not something we can afford to put off, or postpone till we may find it at bargain price! The direct command to ‘buy’, signifies we are not to spare the sacrifice, personal cost or price we should pay to obtain it. Ahead of any other ‘purchase’ in life, our time, energy, mind-space, desire and heart, should be settled on taking share and participating promptly and abundantly in the personal ownership of God’s truth, His word, His principles, His wisdom. This acquisition is of paramount importance! It is not made by just buying books which report the truth, or supporting financially those who propagate the truth. It is a personal necessity and can only be fulfilled when we hide the truth in our own hearts. It takes place when we, as the apostle Paul did, make the knowledge, power, and excellency of this truth personally ours, by understanding it and practicing it; when we esteem it so highly that we consider it greater than all other possessions in life. Once we have it and are growing in it daily, there is another directive regarding it. We are to hold on to God’s truth at any cost, never part with it, never lessen its influence in our lives, never replace it or sell it in favour of anything else! Great men and women who have gone before us, have shown how determined they have been to hold on to this treasure from heaven, that their very lives were not considered too high a price to pay. They give testimony to the fact that God’s truth is to live for, and to die for. Such precious commodity cannot be found anywhere else, but in God. To forsake His truth for worldly advantages and temporal pleasures, is to forsake Him. We should therefore defend it in our lives from anyone or anything which could damage or reduce it, taint or adulterate it, modify or manipulate it, compromise, twist or profane it! Absolute care should be taken and prioritised, to ensure that we do not lose sight of the value of it, or forsake the excellence it produces. Keeping this precious truth of God at all costs and increasing in daily in it, must become our ardent, personal desire. 

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

Apr 10

“…go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend” Proverbs 6:3

The book of proverbs is replete with wise and spiritually healthy advice for the believer. The concept of being ‘surety’ in the Bible is equivalent to our being ‘guarantor’ for someone else’s debt. This practice is not recommended, and in fact is called ‘unwise’ in scripture. The reasons are obvious. When a person becomes ‘guarantor’ for someone else, he also becomes immediately liable, should that other individual fail to pay their debt. The sentiment in taking on such responsibility, is the belief that the person being ‘covered’ is trustworthy, and will make good his debt. While the intention may be solid and the belief in a friend admirable, we cannot in reality ‘guarantee’ another person’s future circumstances and actions. This means of course that, should the conditions upon which our initial trust was based change, then we would probably find ourselves locked into someone else’s debt, and responsible to pay it. We might still choose to consider this course of action for another person, particularly a family member, depending on the circumstances, but in general, it is not a ‘wise’ thing to do. We are always well advised in scripture ‘not to owe’, that is, not to enter into debt unless absolutely necessary, and then to make sure we pay back all that is owed as quickly as possible. In days of old, if a debt was not repaid by the debtor or his ‘surety’, the debtors, their assets and their families, could all become the ‘property’ of the creditor. This many times meant that entire families would enter into servitude, until the debt was paid off! While this may not appear as great a concern or severe a practice today, in our modern western society, the advice offered in the text still stands. Truly the debtor is subject and dependent on the creditor. Our present world conditions, where entire countries owe astronomical amounts of money in national debt, illustrate how quickly even an entire nation can become controlled by and subservient to, the money lenders. In a situation where either an individual is in personal debt, or in debt via having being ‘surety’ for someone else, the correct attitude to take is one of humility, appealing to the creditor’s goodness to consider leniency. Instances are recorded, where more time was allowed to pay back the debt, or where the debt even all together forgiven. Arrogance, empty excuses, or ‘passing the buck’ of responsibility, are not attitudes appropriate to one who is indebted and cannot repay! Wisdom then teaches to avoid debt, and when that is unavoidable, to exit debt quickly by remitting diligently and efficiently. Keeping the right spirit and humility of heart, is a necessary condition for those who believe, not merely towards anyone to whom a material debt may be owed, but most of all towards the Lord, to Whom we owe the greatest debt of all

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

Mar 8

“That thou mayest regard discretion…” Proverbs 5:2

Words can sometimes mean different things in different situations. There is also a difference between the meanings of some words when taken in a scriptural context, and when understood by the common or cultural context. Discretion is a good example of the above. According to the dictionary for instance, when someone does something ‘at their discretion’, they are exercising the power or right to decide or act according to their judgment. The ‘age of discretion’ in context, was considered the age at which a person was old enough to determine their own affairs. However the same word can mean to act with prudence or decorum, so as not to be offensive in a social setting. The biblical emphasis of the word as used in the text before us, and in other, similar passages of scripture, actually highlights neither the freedom of judgement or choice, nor the necessity for being cautious of social feelings. In the word of God, discretion is an aspect of spiritual wisdom, as it relates to the conduct of one’s life toward God. God instructs His people to observe ‘discretion’ - the wisdom of conducting their lives in line with His precepts, and being careful not to be offensive or affronting to Him! The focus of our discretion in other words, should be to have prudence that we remain pleasing to God in what we say and in the way we behave. This means taking care to obey God, and is quite the opposite of asserting our own rights or preferences! It also sets straight the issue of ‘Who’ we should care more to be inoffensive towards.  We should emphasize right and harmonious relationship with our God, ahead of that which we strive for, with our society, particularly when culture and social practices contravene God and His Word! It can even be seen by various examples of scripture that at times in serving God and pleasing Him, some, including Jesus, were not at all ‘discreet’ with regards to the sensitivities of the cultural ways around them, choosing rather to act discreetly unto God! The spiritual wisdom of obeying and following God’s ways, and honouring Him above anyone else, whilst not a licence for rudeness or inappropriate behaviour towards our fellow-man, prioritises our diligence and allegiance, and reminds us that in all things, we are to please God ahead of man! 

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

Mar 2

“…a message by the hand of a fool…” Proverbs 26:6

In an age of technology where zillions of messages are sent via all the electronic gizmos and gadgets we employ, our scripture text may not seem at first reading, all that applicable. It is probable that most of the messaging communicated on our phones and electronic apparatus nowadays, is barely relevant, and certainly not essential to life or survival. However in the context of the time the verse was written, sending a message was not only of the highest importance and may be a matter of life and death, but was also no easy task for the despatcher. Often specially trained ‘runners’ would travel on foot or beast for hours, or days non-stop across all sorts of terrain, at the risk of their lives and with one goal and sole aim in mind, to safely deliver the message into the hands of the receiver. In those circumstances, the sender of a message would want to make certain that a reliable individual was chosen for the task. With that in mind, we see the point of the proverb at hand. The text implies that not to use someone, who with prudence and diligence could deliver the message and perhaps return an answer, safely and in good time, would be equivalent to cutting off the feet of the runner or sending someone who had no feet! The imagery is strong! The moral in the proverb, is that ‘important’ tasks should not be relegated to irresponsible people. This is true of life in general and it should form a part of what we do and practice in the service of the Lord. The task of serving God is one of the most important undertakings any human being can be involved with. God needs reliable, dependable, wise and enduring messengers, to take His Word and deliver it to the lost! It is an urgent task, a pressing task and one which one be handled with care, prudence and faithfulness. This is no job for a fool! In all our personal grounding let us personally prepare in excellence to serve the Lord, and never settle for ‘just getting by’. In turn, let’s make certain that all that which is of spiritual importance is delegated to sensible individuals, filled with the Spirit of God and wisdom from above, who have shown themselves to be reliable in their personal lives and witness for Christ, for all service unto the God, is of great importance! 

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

Feb 21

“A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame…” Proverbs 17:2

The wise and the fool are often contrasted in the book of Proverbs. In the normal course of human government, a master’s son would naturally have rule over a servant. Wisdom however, can make a huge difference to the status, position and responsibility of any individual. In the presence of titled foolishness, servant wisdom may well be preferred and given place. In our verse, it may be because the son’s father recognises the son’s looseness and foolishness that he places him under the authority of the wise servant in question; or perhaps simply through sagacity and diligent application, the servant progressively wins the favour and authority of the father over his foolish son. Either way we learn by comparison, the powerful value of wisdom, its application and benefit in every area and dealing of life, versus the poverty and shame which foolishness and irresponsibility, inevitably will bring. God is intent in teaching His people to be wise people with a godly, heavenly, kind of wisdom. This is not an astuteness to be used against others, for personal glorification or gain, but rather an endowment, by which to glorify God and be of service to our fellow-man. God blesses those who navigate the seas of life, steering with the helm of godly discernment, and powered by the sails of obedience, filled with the winds of divine principles! It matters not what our initial status in life may be, if we prove ourselves wise and faithful, God has greater plans and purposes ahead for us! Yahwah is no respecter of persons! His blessings and opportunities for life, His endowments - both present and eternal, are open and available to all, without reference to family heritage, entitlement or position. Indeed we are all servants of the Almighty God, and as such none above another. The difference in the position He grants us then, may well come down, to just how much in love and regard for God, we each individually submit to His ways, learn His wisdom, and become profitable servants for His Majesty’s glory!

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

Feb 15

“Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness…” Proverbs 20:6

There is a general tendency for humans to want to be seen, noticed, appreciated and even praised when doing acts of benevolence or generally ‘good things’. Certainly in a world which majors on wrong doing and wickedness, any act of compassion, kindness and care, should be thoroughly appreciated. Genuine humility in doing ‘right’, and letting that be a reward in and of itself, is difficult to find. When from time to time this quality still surfaces, it is noticeable and thus a rare and precious commodity indeed! For the most, even when ‘good things’ are done among humans, it is usually with all the due credit giving and taking, and the fanfare, which leaves no doubt as to whom the ‘benefactor’ is. Jesus in the Gospels, taught His disciples the correct attitude in giving, when He showed the difference between the trumpet-blaring-attention-seeking of the hypocrite, and the faithfulness of the giver who does so ‘in secret’, as unto the Lord.  Faithfulness to God at this level is hard to find. There are that will give, but not without due credit, and sadly ‘giving’ even among believers, has become a means of personal positioning or credit taking. When we do ‘good’, it should be for Christians, a natural reaction to reflect all the glory and the praise to the Lord. We know without doubt that any goodness that can be found in us or from us, doesn’t belong to us, but comes from the Lord, and that it is to Him the praise and thanks should be given. We might summarise our correct position on this matter in this way: Firstly, let us to all the good we can possibly do with all our heart, strength, passion and resources. Secondly, let us say nothing of the good we might have done, but quietly and prayerfully thank the Lord for the opportunity and privilege to be used in this manner. Thirdly, in spite of our intentional lack of self-proclamation, should anyone notice and desire to acknowledge us in any manner, let us then remember that our reward is in heaven, and that the glory, praise and credit for all we are and have, belongs unto the Lord! Lastly, let us always analyse our reasons and motives in doing ‘good’. We should ensure that they are never tainted with cravings for the appreciation and accolades of man, false humility, or other egotistical motivations, but rather filled only with a passion to love, serve, please and glorify God!

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

Feb 8

“…but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” Proverbs 10:4

The first ‘hand’ referred to in this verse signifies a manner of slackness and looseness, without discipline and clearly results in poverty. The ‘hand’ referred to as being of the diligent, has the meaning of being ready and prepared for energetic effort! In this we see the different dealings the diligent takes with life. Diligence implies a prompt effort without delay or constant procrastination; a sustained effort which does not give up in difficulties or opposition; and an effort which is meaningfully applied to the task, in other words it is appropriate and relevant to the job and duty at hand! Though in the past these were the object of many maxims and stories with a moral, often in our modern world, qualities such as diligence are often scoffed at and belittled. For the believer however, there can be no other attitude and manner taken towards his work in whatever sphere it may exist. Slackness whether in physical or spiritual matters is not an apt reflection of true Christian values, or an appropriate testimony to the unsaved world around us. There was a time in western society, when Christians were sought after by prospective employers, because of their reputation for honest, diligent and dependable hard work! This verse goes on to show the reward of the ready, hard-working and energetic, diligent person – he is enriched! This does not mean only in a financial sense, but clearly in all areas of life, wherever we choose to be diligent and work as ‘unto the Lord’, we grow and become rich in knowledge, understanding, experience and ability. It is true to say that when Christians behave the way God prescribes, they are improved and blessed. In turn they influence their community to share in the blessing and richness of God’s principles and promises.

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

Feb 5

“…but every fool will be meddling.” Proverbs 20:3

Some people seem to find pleasure in strife. They do not seem satisfied unless they are involved in some contention, crisis or problem even when to begin with, it has nothing to do with them! Meddling is getting involved unnecessarily into things that do not concern us. It takes wisdom to know and differentiate between what things we are capable of and responsible to help and assist in, and what is simply none of our business. The scriptures often refer to ‘the fool’, as being the person who doesn’t see the obvious, doesn’t recognise boundaries and has no respect for wisdom. For instance, it is a fool, according to scripture that believes there is no God, speaks his entire mind, and in this verse, meddles in matters unnecessarily. This proverb indicates the good sense and honour of a man who makes efforts to cease from contention, and contrasts it with the foolishness of the person who insists on involving themselves with strife wherever they find it and worse, making a point of creating their own, almost every time they have a conversation. The notion that one has to speak their mind about everything, even when they are not asked, and particularly when it is not their place to direct or correct, is hardly evidence strength or wisdom! The Bible calls it foolishness! Yet many consider it their life calling to ‘straighten out’ whoever it is they are speaking with. Maybe if we were wiser and stopped ‘meddling’, we would find agreement more frequently and be more like the ‘peacemakers’ which Jesus blessed. God desires for us to live peaceably and as much as we can, to maintain harmony with those around us. Naturally this doesn’t mean we should compromise our values and stand in God, but ‘getting along’ and avoiding being overcritical, or making comments that engender discord, is most definitely a Christian virtue!

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

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 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