Mar 27

“…the high priest rose up with…the priests, and they builded the sheep gate…” Nehemiah 3:1

Eliashib was Joshua’s grandson, and appears to be the first high priest since Israel had returned from the captivity in Babylon. Under Nehemiah’s leadership, he started the restoration work setting the pace and frame for his fellow priests and the people. This is the correct attitude towards any work physical or otherwise that needs to be done in the church. Some insist that because they are called to the ministry, they should not ‘soil’ their hands with physical labour or effort. Whilst it is important never to lose sight of the spiritual labour, and the focus and precedence that it requires in the life of a minister, there is clearly room for rolling one’s sleeves up, and getting into the physical work also! How encouraging it is to see and have the spiritual leader, show enough concern for what needs to be done, that he doesn’t merely ‘direct’ the work, but  initiates, propagates the vision for it, begins it with personal involvement and inspires others to join-in and lend a hand! How appropriate that such heart and attitude should be found with those who are ministers, considering the term which titles them, is one of willing servitude and self-sacrifice! Very fitting also was where these ministers began their work of rebuilding. The text indicates they focused first on the ‘sheep gate’. This is understood to be a special entrance into the wall, through which sheep were brought into the city. They would then be ‘washed’ at a pool near this entrance, before being taken to the temple to be offered as sacrifices. Here again we see a necessity for the minister and worker for God, to always make a connection between the physical work and its higher purpose - the service of God. We should never lose sight then that when we may be mowing a lawn for a widow, or laying some concrete, or digging a drain in the church backyard, or helping needy brethren with any of their physical load, the physical labour, with all its pressures, difficulties and cost, has a spiritual connection to it – we are doing it - ‘as unto the Lord’! Individuals may benefit from the efforts, but the Lord is glorified and the He is the motivation and reason for the service!

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

Mar 17

“Rooted and built up in him…” Colossians 2:7

The apostle Paul here uses two metaphors together, to convey the strongest concepts of the quality of the walk we ought to have in God. The foundation of our faith has been laid and is established, and that Foundation is Jesus! Through salvation, we are positioned on this Foundation, the firm rock of the Lord’s teaching.  Paul alludes to the way we should continue in Christ. He states that “as we first received” Him, we should also walk in Him. This walk is intended to be a progressively more profound experience with God! Like roots of a tree digging deeper and becoming stronger, even so, as we walk in the Lord, we must go further in the truth and understanding of His Word, and so become more firmly held, into the true and solid foundation Jesus has laid. There is no other foundation necessary, but there is for the believer, a necessary work of going deeper in His truth, deeper in love for Him and deeper in desire and obedience towards the Lord. No true believer can continue in a surface or shallow relationship with God. We are planted in the ‘good soil’ of His truth, and there, we must put down deep and healthy roots. Thus Paul firstly indicates the necessity of a deepening walk in Christ, and along with that and of equal importance, being built up in Him. We all recognise this is an ongoing aspect of our relationship with the Lord! Being firmly gripped into the Foundation - Jesus Christ, we can now, if we allow the Lord to work in us, become the kind of structure and edifice for God that He desires us to be. Here too we see a progressing and continuing work, as stage by stage, the Lord helps us to build, enlarge and improve on what we have had to date. It is again important to realise that the believer cannot remain stationary in his growth in God. Stagnation for the Christian would be like a structure that is partly built and then abandoned. It is God’s will that His people are growing people, constantly learning and becoming more perfected in His ways and principles. Spiritual growth is a process which will endure through life, and we can facilitate it by being willing to both go deeper and higher in God! Jesus is both the ground into which our roots can grow deeper, and the solid foundation upon which our edifice is established! 

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

Mar 1

“Then rose up Zerubbabel….. and began to build the house of God…” Ezra 5:2

The work of rebuilding the house of God, had come to a standstill. Inspired by the Lord, the prophets began to preach, and their message spoke to the heart of the leaders, whose response was to again take up the building work and encourage others to do the same. We are reminded of several principles in these verses. Firstly we recognise that in spite of early enthusiasm by most of God’s people, often even the work of God is put aside, and the vision for it lost when difficulties arise, or the work requires extended time and constancy. We often begin a project or effort supported by many, but soon, the desire and involvement lapses, and other things take over the time and energy which might have been invested as a sacrifice and service unto the Lord. Secondly, we see the necessity of teaching and preaching God’s messages, in order to rekindle the fire, passion and vision of service unto the Lord. These reminders must be ordained of God, and must be in His timing and anointed by His Spirit, to touch the hearts and minds of those who hear them. The result of re-awakening, revival and renewal of heart and vision, can have tremendous effects on the people as a whole, and the culmination and fulfilment of the work at hand. Unless the hearts of the people are revitalized, however, it is unlikely that any work they may undertake, physical or otherwise, will actually continue. Thirdly, we note the beauty and joy of various groups of people, or various individuals working together for a common goal and aim. Here we see the prophets, the civil leaders and the priests, all co-operating to complete and bring about the construction of the house of God. Each one of us has a task to do, and everyone can contribute and lend a hand, in doing what the Lord wants accomplished. When people put aside their personal agendas, strip themselves of the pride of their position, and willingly ‘roll up their sleeves’ in hearty, loving and courageous labour unto the Lord, much is accomplished and great joys and growth results from the experiences.

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