July 30

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

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

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

Apr 26

“The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us…” Deuteronomy 5:3

God had made covenant with the forefathers of Israel also. Moses here reminds the people that the covenant God made, did not apply just to their forefathers, but that it was current, standing and binding for the present generation. These reminders are essential for us humans, because we tend to easily forget, casually amend and thoughtlessly put aside valuable things. The mindset which easily dismisses the biblical principles that have applied to other generations and times may be guilty of being selective in obedience, or at least lacking in poised and careful consideration. There may be some very specific things, which God may have meant only for an individual or a limited group of people, but we would be wrong in automatically discharging ourselves from the responsibility of any of God’s commands, without due study, prayer and consideration. The very least that can arise from this more careful approach is instruction, learning and understanding, which is always beneficial to anyone intent in serving God from a pure heart. In our progressive and contemporary minds, we can often too quickly do away with principles and practices that have stood for many generations, and have reaped the blessings of God. Some driving forces behind these ‘modern’ dismissals are a belief that if something is ‘old-fashioned’, it should be replaced, and the questionable desire to distance ourselves from previous generations, in most things. We somehow believe and act to say that we are naturally wiser and know better than they did ‘back then’. Some modern innovations have improved lifestyle and perhaps make ‘more sense’ than the practices of the past. The problem arises however when this thinking is applied wholesale to God’s Word and His eternal principles. This all too often results in the proverbial ‘baby being thrown out with the dirty water’! In other words, the preciousness and value of God’s directives, purposes and ways, established in the covenant of His Word, are wrongly and summarily ejected, discarded and swept out with the broom of modern change. The feeling that because we are the ‘present’ generation, we owe it to ourselves to ‘spring clean’ all things we deem passé, can procure more trouble and heartache for us than we might imagine. God’s principles and purposes cannot be so dismissed, without repercussion. We would do well to remember the ancient covenant He made with fathers of our faith, made permanent in His Word, and see how it applies to us in our present and contemporary generation.

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

Apr 2

“The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.” Deuteronomy 5:2

Moses reminds the people of Israel of the covenant which bound them to Yahwah. It was established in Horeb, which is understood to be Sinai, and therefore was based on the commandments God imparted the people there. It was a national covenant. God had previously made covenants with individuals, the forefathers of the faith, which would affect them and the lives of their descendants, but this was a national covenant, applicable to entire nation of Israel collectively. It determined the existence and well-being of the people as a nation, provided they abided by it. It was a lawful covenant. It stated the commandments and law of God, by which the people were to conduct themselves. Faithfulness to it would be rewarded and disregard of it, would be punished. As all the law of God, it is absolute in nature, it clearly informs us of our responsibilities and related benefits or judgments, but leaves the choice of obedience to the individual or society. It was a preparative covenant. It was intended to prepare the hearts of men with the knowledge of the holiness of God, the realization and of their sinfulness and the evidence of their inability to remain consistent in faithfulness and performance of the commands. It prepared them to see their communal obligation, along with their personal responsibility. It was preparing man to accept the New Testament Covenant, which would follow, and is based on the righteousness of Jesus, not man’s works for justification. It was a holy covenant. It presented man with the holiness of God, in real and inescapable terms. It revealed the holiness of God’s commands, will and purposes for mankind. It demanded the condition of the heart and soul of man, to reflect the holiness of God. This is also a necessary New Testament condition and scriptural command, which endures to this day – “Be ye holy for I am holy” 1Peter 1:15,16. God’s covenants with man have always reflected His perfection, love and good desire toward us. As a caring Father, He has provided, not only the guidelines for us to follow and not err, but the strength of His Spirit to help us maintain a true faithfulness toward Him until the end, and not stray from the narrow path He has set. Let us desire to remain true to our God, by yielding ourselves to the influence and direction of His Holy Spirit!

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