May 9

“As newborn babes…” 1 Peter 2:2

It seems a concept reiterated and stressed in scripture, that believers should retain the simplicity of children as to their malice and desire for spiritual food. Babies are known by their cries for mother’s milk. Their desire for food is intense and all consuming; to the point that it becomes the main focus of their young lives. Although it is necessary that we grow and become mature Christians in our attitudes, abilities and consecration to God and His work, it is also essential that in faith and desire for all things spiritual we have the ‘hunger’ of babes! Interestingly most of us can look back to the early times of our conversion to Christ, and recall from those days, the enthusiasm, desire and hunger we had for God. A worthwhile test of our integrity and quality as believers is to see whether that ‘first love’, is still present. Do we still make a point of not missing a meeting? Does our time of prayer still stoke the fire in our souls? Is reading the Bible and understanding what it says, still as exciting and thrilling as back then? Do we look forward to times alone with God, and then in fellowship with brethren as we used to do? Are we still so excited about our new found faith in Christ, that we cannot but to share the great news of the gospel and what Jesus has done for us, with just about everyone we meet? Perhaps, like the Christians Peter was addressing in his epistle, we too could do with some fresh newborn babe hunger and desire! Should we develop such child-like faith and craving for God, we would find that He is ready and willing to supply all our needs, and satisfy us beyond what we may think to ask, for this Heavenly Parent knows all too well how to provide for His children!

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

Mar 18

“Thou hast given him his heart's desire…” Psalms 21:2

David had desired to fulfil all the counsel of God. He had wanted to be granted nothing that was not in the heart of God. It is such praying that honours God. It is born not of a selfish and self-consumed mind and heart, but issues from a yielded and devout spirit. When God fulfils His will in such a heart, there is great rejoicing, greater than if all the richest prizes of life, and the most munificent bequests of wealth had been given. God is always very willing to provide the desire of our hearts, when we desire His will and want His purposes. It should be noted that David considered it an immense personal privilege to be granted fulfilment of a desire which reflected God’s heart! This should be also our genuine joy and pleasure, to see all that God wants for us, take place in our lives, without hindrance or hesitation on our part. We spend a great deal of time cataloguing our ‘needs’ and wants before God, making our prayers laden with our own requests. David’s approach suggests that our prayers should start with wanting what God wants, and requesting fervently that He may satisfy and bring about first and foremost, all that He desires in us. Then we might find as David did, an unmatched joy in the knowledge that the Lord has indeed granted the desire of our heart.  As bible commentator E. R. Conder suggests, this is possibly a very practical test of both our desires and prayers. “Of our desires. Are they such as we can put into prayer? Are they pure--such as God can approve; reasonable--such as we need not be ashamed to put into prayer; unselfish--such as consist with the great law of love; unpresumptuous--within the scope of God’s promises? Of our prayers. Do they indeed express the desires of our heart? Prayer without desire is a dead form; a featherless, pointless arrow that will reach no mark.”

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