July 31

“…and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz…” Ruth 2:3

From our human standpoint we may think of events in our lives as being ‘chance’ or even ‘good luck’, when in reality these incidents are actually directed by the provision and providence of God. Such is the scene before us regarding Ruth. She may have felt like she merely ‘stumbled’ across Boaz’s field, and that it was accidental or coincidental, but the scriptures show clearly how this was all part of God’s plan for her life! Yahwah had determined to bless Ruth for her faithfulness, selflessness and compassion, and He was moving all the pieces into place to make this happen. God’s provision does not always come by miraculous means, but it is always a miracle because He has intervened. The Lord may use people and circumstances which may at face value appear to be functioning in the ‘normal’ course of life, and turn such common-place situations into blessings of provision and protection, which to us are nothing short of miraculous! The child of God who trusts and has faith in the Lord, is safely in the Father’s hands and in this privileged position, nothing that take place in his life is mere coincidence. There is purpose, learning, growing, correction, strengthening and blessing in all that takes place in a believer’s experience, day to day, when they are walking in the ways of the Lord. God is interested in every aspect of our life, even the most intimate and minute detail. It should be our joy and privilege to walk close to God and cherish the personal interest He takes in our lives. Daily in prayer, we should open wide every door of the house of our hearts to Him, and welcome Him to move freely in every room. There should be no drawer or cupboard or chest, locked and secured from His scrutiny and touch. It is then, in this willingly yielded condition of heart, we will have the knowledge and experience that Jesus is in control of every aspect of life and our ‘haps’ will be His will and direction!

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July 24

“…and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.” 1 Kings 11:6

Solomon weakened his stand for God as he aged. The verse says he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and his evil was idolatry. He had held a privileged position with God and had been blessed with great advantages by Yahwah, but unlike his father David, Solomon added to the worship of Yahwah, his allegiance and adoration of pagan idols. In this sense then, the scriptures say that he did not go ‘fully after the Lord’! Full-hearted desire and service for the Lord, is still a measure of the quality we offer the Almighty God. The mandate of scripture is that we should love the Lord with all our heart, soul and strength. If our love for Him is wholehearted, then our service to Him will reflect that same fullness. There seems to exist a trend among many Christians today, which reflects more the ways of Solomon, than the ways of his father David. I refer to the half-heartedness, partial devotion and splintered love, which so many professing believers offer to God, while at the same time holding onto a passionate, intense and consuming desire for many things of the world. This, the Bible calls enmity against God, spiritual adultery and faithlessness! We must judge and weigh out the condition of our hearts towards the Lord. Is an ardent, deep and fervent love for God held firmly in our hearts, grasped so steadfastly that it cannot be easily dislodged? Does it surpass the affection we have for anyone and everything else? Is it fully devoted to Him as our only God, or shared with things and interests we hold so dear that they have become idols in our lives? The lukewarm heart condition of the Laodecian church of Revelation, or the condition of having lost our first love as the Ephesian Church was charged, are not the state our hearts should be found in at the coming of Jesus! The summation of our lives should read more like the résumé which God gave to King David, a shining testimony of a person who while perhaps not perfect, yet followed after the Lord with all his heart! Such excellence of love and wholeheartedness is our reasonable service to God and appropriate response to His love for us!

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July 22

And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land;…” Judges 2:2

The angel of the Lord reiterates two of the covenant principles Yahwah had made with Israel. He points out that they had been disobedient and had failed in their fulfilment of them. This event took place towards the end of Joshua’s life. In spite of the great victories God had afforded the Israelites and His faithfulness in keeping the promises He had made to them, already this early in the piece there were signs and symptoms of straying from God and His ways. The first of the two covenant principles which is highlighted for us in this verse is that the people of God should not make alliance with the population of the land of Canaan. Confederacies of this nature have throughout man’s history been significant of closeness, friendship, mutual protection and sharing of the power base. They almost inevitably resulted in intermarriage and sharing of social and religious practices. While these things may appear innocent and maybe even desirable from a worldly point of view, in actual fact they represented deterioration from the purity God wanted for His people, and an offence to Yahwah and His directives. God had covenanted with His people that He would be their God, lead them and protect them. In His wisdom and foreknowledge the Lord knew that the ways of the people native to Canaan were evil and would corrupt His people if they associated with them. As a nation Israel ignored the love, concern and directions of God, and tried to make its own way, with its own leagues and under its own steam! The results were disastrous! Soon they abandoned the truth and worship of the true God and gave themselves to all the idolatry, iniquity and practices of the people of Canaan. God’s displeasure with them, merited them punishment, judgment, and enslavement by the very people they trusted in place of God. We do not always understand all that God has in mind and heart when He directs us to do His commandments or follow His directions. This is why faith in Him is so important. We have to believe that He knows more, best and further than we do ourselves. We have to trust that His ruling on a matter is higher and purer than ours and that His wisdom is greater. When we take ‘things’ into our own hands and deny Him His place in our lives, we are saying we are greater in knowledge, understanding and power than He, and set ourselves up as ‘gods’ in His place. This is highly offensive to the Lord! It is the honouring, respecting and worship of self. It is the greatest and most affronting form of idolatry that we can be guilty of! The matter comes down to a simple concept. Either Yahwah is God in our lives, and therefore should have control, authority and pre-eminence, or we are our own ‘god’ and bosses, and own ourselves. It cannot be both ways. When we take the latter stance, by our actions and belief we are saying we created ourselves and we are supreme in our own lives. This not only displaces God out of His correct place and right position as Creator and God, but also sets us up as an idol, an affront to God’s supremacy and Deity. When God told them not to make ‘friends’ with the people of the land, He was not being mean or unsociable. He wanted His people to remain pure, so they could influence others with the truth and bring them away from their idolatry and death, into the way of life. Israel was to be an example to be followed, an ambassador nation for the ways and truth of the living God! He knew the influence would otherwise flow against them and take His people out of His path, and they would lose their privilege and influence with Him. God knows how weak man is and how easily influenced he is by sin and the things of the flesh. We should today also be careful of the influence of the world. We may, like the Israelites feel potent and unaffected by the world and things of it, but the warnings in the scriptures are clear. We should not allow such influences in our lives to diminish our obedience and love for God. When we develop love, attraction and desire for the world and the things of it, we have made league with it, have become associated in practices and thinking and have adulterated our relationship with the Lord. The friendship of the world is enmity against God. That principle is as true today as it was for Israel in the days of Joshua. Let us make our stand with God, remain faithful and obedient to His way of holiness, and resistant to the desires and influences of the world around us. 

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July 9

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 1:4

The greatest joy a Christian parent can experience, is the knowledge that the children who have grown in his own family and under his care have made their personal choice to follow the Lord, and that over time, whether still at home or elsewhere, they continue faithfully in that choice! In the home of the minister of the gospel, this is particularly cause for great rejoicing. How very traumatic if, having preached to so many others and seeing them continue in the faith, the preacher’s own children, should turn from the teaching of Christ and be lost in the ways of the world! A similar expression of the great joy, as that experienced by parents whose children are loyal to the faith, is found in our text. John rejoices over the faithfulness of those who were converted under his ministry and in a spiritual sense are his children in the faith! When a pastor has devotedly preached and taught those who are sitting under his ministry, the greatest reward and consolation he can find on earth, is their enduring faith in Christ, their example to others and their ministering to the needs of others. Ultimately the reason for any minister’s service is the Lord, and in Him alone is found eternal reward and consolation. Godly ministers have also the assurance given in God’s word that their labours are not in vain. Somehow steadfastness in serving God, is a reward in itself, and is not really dependant on the performance of others, their choices or the direction they may take. Nevertheless from a human standpoint, the knowledge that those we have taught love God fervently, obey His word tenaciously and continue to endure in the truth they have learned under our ministry, seems to place the ‘icing on the cake’! If by personal experience, relationship with Christ and faithfulness, there is in a man’s heart a firm assurance of eternal life in heaven with Jesus, then the only sweeter victory is to know that others, who have been affected by that man’s ministry, have also chosen to stand firmly in Christ and have inherited eternal life too! We must always pray for those in ministry, who preach and teach the word of God, influencing by His Spirit the lives of their hearers. Uphold them before the Lord, call for God's anointing upon their utterances and beseech the Lord for increase from their watering!

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July 1

“Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” Psalms 12:1

When the qualities of godliness and faithfulness cease and fail among men, we are in dire straits and need help from the only One who can supply it! We can in our day, easily echo the cry of despair and concern, which the psalmist uttered, for we are seeing the fulfilment of scriptural prophecy regarding the perilous conditions, which would exist in the last days. Our distress is not something we can take to another human, for no peer of ours can help in this situation. Our pleas for assistance must be lifted to Yahwah, the Lord Almighty, in whose power we rely and trust. He and only He is able to alter the course of life’s condition, in the manner it befits His will, or provide us with the consolation and comfort of knowing that even if others won’t stand for righteousness, He will keep us and see us through! The ‘godly’ character of man referred to in the text, is translated from a word rendered in other scriptures as ‘holy’, the ‘set-aside’ or separated unto God, kind of man. This is what we find there is a serious dearth of in our world today, but more sadly the deficiency is clearly noticeable within the church. There is poverty and scarcity of any desire or pursuit of holiness, with the majority of professing Christians, wanting an easy, sacrifice-free church involvement, where they can be entertained and find a social outlet, more reminiscent of a club membership, than a place of true growth and worship unto the Holy God! Many who held to convictions of personal, practical holiness in the past, have ceased doing so, due to pressures from fellow-believers, seeing them as ‘old-fashioned’ or ‘bound’ in mere tradition and false doctrine, and from the world around them, which labels them as extreme, cultish or even abusive . Faithfulness to the strongest, most necessary and defining principles of scripture, is failing in our day at an alarming rate. The qualities of faithfulness and holiness, by which God most wants to be known, and wants His people to reflect, are the very areas where Christian testimony lacks, ceases and fails! Let us join those who faithfully are holding onto to the values of God, and cry out in prayer every day, for revival among God’s people, and renewal of all they should uphold for God and His glory!  

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June 26

“After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.” Job 3:1

Much has been written on Job, his patience and faithfulness in his relationship with God. This verse is a clear reminder that even men who have grown in relative perfection and in such graces of God as patience, compassion and generosity, are yet human and capable, under circumstances of pressure, pain and affliction, to open their mouths and utter things which may be unwise, negative or unedifying! This is not to say that if a believer expresses sorrow, disappointment or another negative feeling, he is automatically sinning. Sin can take hold however, if we do not deal with the negative emotions correctly, give place to them, and become controlled by them. Instead we should yield them to God and trust Him for help, solutions and strength to overcome. Job had by this time endured seven days of mourning after the loss of all his family, possessions and health, without apparent relief to his condition, and he does something here, which was not unusual among the people of his time, when they were faced with intense distress and sorrow – he curses the day he was born. Although this may be considered a slip in his spiritual compass, let us note a few things which may be explanatory. Firstly, Job did not ‘curse’ God as the devil had falsely predicted, and his wife had so callously incited, nor did he curse anyone else or even himself as creatures of God. In fact he did not even curse the present condition and suffering he found himself in. Secondly, it is questionable that man can of his own accord, actually ‘curse’ anything, since such power lies outside his ability, and is therefore merely reflective of an attitude or desire to do so, if only it were possible. Thirdly, he turned his despair and ill will, towards something that could not be changed nor was in any way in his control, making his ‘cursing’, a mere token expression of his inner despair, his discomfort and disconsolate situation. Lastly, later in the narrative of his life, we find Job repenting of anything he may have spoken unwisely and without due regard toward God. He was conscious that even this moment of negative expression from his lips, should have been avoided. Such cursing isn’t necessarily saying any bad word or oath, but a wishing that the event, in this case his birth, had never taken place. Jeremiah stated something similar (Jer 20:14-18) when he was in distress over Israel rejecting God’s word and torturing God’s prophets. The reasoning behind this expression of negative emotion is that the present suffering and distress, which is so painful and discomforting, would not have taken place if the individual had not been born; we would relate it to the expression - ‘sorry you were ever born’. So whilst it is an expression of suffering humanity, it is nevertheless inappropriate for the believer to make such a statement, because it reflects a lack of acceptance that God is in control of all things. If we truly know and believe that Yahwah is Omniscient, then not only the time and event of our birth, but all the details of every aspect of our human lives are known to Him, and ultimately in His control. True faith, in spite of our despairing humanity, would call and demand that we remember this fact. It would encourage us to believe that somehow God’s mind, His wisdom and plan is perfect and higher than what we can comprehend in our despair, appropriate to us by His allowance, and that we should take nothing in our hands and away from His, even if only in token complaint or misplaced desire, born out of our human  affliction. This high standard of trust and reliance upon God is a goal of all true believers, and it is only from God that we can draw the strength to perform our lives in this manner and remain pleasing to the Lord. 

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June 22

“…This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it” 2 John 1:6

The scriptures labour at length to teach us all about that which is necessary for us to fulfil the will of God. In this verse we are taught that we can only truly love God, when we are obedient to Him by walking in His commandments! Many, in their own versions of the Christian faith, have divorced the necessity of unrelenting obedience unto God and His Word, from any evidence of our love for Him. They have made loving God a mere ‘fuzzy, warm feeling’, akin to what we may feel towards a favourite song, picture or other comfort; an emotional, temporary response to God, based on how we feel at the time. Given the ‘right’ circumstances, today we might ‘feel’ love for God, but not so much tomorrow, when the circumstances have changed, and the comfort or ‘warmth’ is no longer there! Such ‘love’ for God is at best a poor imitation, and is not a reflection of the true love, which the scriptures teach we are to have for God. In God’s economy, obedience to His Word, His directives, is the way we can measure and determine the reality and quality of our love for Him. The text also insists that God’s standard on this has not changed. The commandment of God, meaning His entire revelation to man through His Word, His entire counsel on how we should live our lives and please Him, has been the same from the beginning! Keeping His word then means to obey what He says we should do, make it our life, walk in it and reflect it in all our directions and dealings. It means determined obedience, even when it is not comfortable to do so, when others mock, disagree or disapprove. By walking in God’s commands, we are not making our obedience and therefore love towards Him, an isolated instance or once of condition. Walking intimates a continuing process, an ongoing exercise and a progression towards a goal or direction! Love for God is the greatest motivation for our service unto Him and cannot be based on the whimsical nature of human feelings. It is directed, strengthened and supported in response to the obedience we give the Lord. Our relationship with Jesus grows nearer and closer as we willingly  yield more of ourselves to His will and ways! What a privilege to know the Lord and to have the benefit of His word to teach us how to love Him the way we should!

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June 18

“…and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding…” Colossians 2:2

The apostle’s prayer was that saints may come to a place of unity, strength and fulfilment in God. It seems the problem existed then as it does now, that most of us become content with but a little of God, enough to get by and just sufficient to feel justified in bearing the title of ‘Christian’. It is God’s desire we see here reflected through Paul’s epistle, that we grow to have and appreciate the full spectrum of the riches which are found in Christ Jesus! Quality of spiritual wealth is not determined merely on quantity in a preferred aspect or practice, but also on appropriating and reflecting the full scope and variety of all that is available in Christ. Unlike what is often true with man outside of Christ, where we find highly skilled professional individuals who may be the best in their particular field of expertise, yet sadly lack in the necessary parental or marital skills to be equally successful there, the Christian is to strive towards excellence in every aspect of the Christian walk. There is no such thing as a ‘specialist Christian’, one who may specialise in say giving financially, but knows nothing of faithfulness in prayer, dedication in service or desire for holiness. A man may well be called to a specific area of ministry such as pastoring, but this does not exonerate him from fulfilling all the other necessary aspects of the Christian walk, in fact such a call, makes him even more responsible to fulfil them and to such a degree that he may be an example to others! This spiritual richness comes with a full assurance, a firm conviction and strong persuasion, based on the understanding of the biblical teaching. God’s Word, is the depository of God’s revealed will and wisdom, and understanding what He has shared with us is like tapping in the largest oilfields or striking the richest lode of gold. It is the only way we can truly become spiritually rich! No one who seriously appreciates the value of such treasures, is content with just a little of it, but rather desires to mine and extract all he can from this source.  Accompanied by prayer and a humble spirit, knowing and understanding God’s Word, is partaking of heaven’s boundless treasury and feeding at God’s sumptuous table! It is the Lord’s greatest joy to give to those who long for richness beyond the temporal and material things of this world, the best and greatest divine resources and treasures. It should be our greatest joy to thankfully receive all He has for us, appreciate it above all else in life, and use it for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom!

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June 11

“Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens” Lamentations 5:2

God had given the land in which Israel lived to Abraham and his descendants for an inheritance. As such it was to be considered precious and valuable. The Israelites had turned from the One True God, lost their relationship with Him, forsaken His ways and disobeyed His commandments. Here they lament the result of their disregard for God, the loss of their inheritance and property. They had become enslaved by the heathen people they had chosen to imitate, and servants to the strangers they should have ruled over. The provisions and blessings which had come their way freely and plentifully from the hand of God, now were scant and they had to pay for them dearly! Life was miserable, costly and painful, and affliction marked their days. The events of their lives and how God dealt with them, is a constant reminder to us today, to pursue godliness and righteousness assiduously. The apostle Paul taught that if God cut off the olive tree (Israel) because of their disobedience, we Gentiles, who are grafted into the olive tree should walk carefully, lest we also be cut off! Like them, we too have an inheritance which we could forfeit if we do not walk according to the ways and purposes He has set for us. Some preach a gospel of unconditional salvation, stating that essentially once we are saved, we are always saved, regardless of how we live our lives, or whether we remain obedient to God. This however, is not the pattern or teaching of the Bible. Faithfulness and continuance in obedience, holiness and righteousness are upheld in scripture, as necessary measurements of our sincerity and stated belief in God. Staying on course with God and aligning our lives with His Word is as necessary as staying on course with north on the compass, given that was our destination! It would be foolish to think we would still get there, by selecting any other direction than the north marked by the faithful, tried and reliable position of the compass! The Israelites lost their physical land and homes, because of their choice to abandon the truth, take their own direction and ignore the warnings of God. As Christians today we stand to lose and great deal more, for we have been given much more again! Our inheritance is eternal not merely some country or property here on earth! Our final home in a heavenly country, a city built foursquare where God is the light and there is no darkness, sorrow or sin. Our inheritance includes eternal life, immortality and complete bliss with Jesus forever, in a place where no sin, sickness or death will ever again exist! Most of all we will be forever with Jesus, eternally at His side and recipients of His glory! There is far too much at stake for us to lose, and too long an eternity to lament our loss! How much better to be wise and walk prudently with the Lord each day, in His love and nurture, following His will and Word, sensing after His Spirit and in humility obeying His commands, that we may inherit all that He has prepared for us in heaven! 

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June 2

“…Israel did evil…and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim… ” Judges 3:7

The Israelites became apostates, traitors of the true God and His ways. This is a pattern which was repeated time and again among the people of God, bringing the Lord’s displeasure and judgment upon them. Their backsliding was largely due to the comforts they had found and made for themselves in the Promised Land, along with their choice of subscribing to the ways of the heathen nations which surrounded them. Their alliance with neighbouring nations was often strengthened by intermarrying with them, thus becoming ‘family’ and further weakening their stand in God. They had been warned by the Lord not to marry with unbelievers, and means of proselytising a foreign person to the faith of Yahwah were in place, but clearly for the most, they were either ignored or forgotten. The natural progression of human nature, when unrestrained by the laws and directives of God, is to the lowest point on the moral scale. Like water naturally finding and flowing to the lowest level, even so the sinful nature of man will lead an individual, or a nation to forget and forsake the high place and standing of God’s values and commands, and settle for the ‘lowlands’ of sin and degradation. Of interest is the fact which always accompanies such deterioration – the object of worship is altered and exchanged, this results in idolatry. The people who knew the Only True God, turned their eyes and hearts from Him, forgot His ways, repudiated His laws and served Baal and the idols of the groves in worship and practices! This was the condition the Israelites found themselves in, and often returned to, even after judgment, repentance and forgiveness. It was in keeping themselves from idolatry, that God’s people failed the test of faithfulness and incurred His wrath. We might sometimes wonder how this could ever take place, with people who were so blessed and provided for by the Lord, but sadly it is also a pattern which all too often emerges among believers today. In spite of the clear knowledge and teaching imparted us by God’s Word, and impressed upon us by His Spirit, there are many who live a double life. In name, they profess to know God and be followers of Christ, but in practice they idolise the world and the things of it. Their lives differ nothing from the unsaved, unchristian people of the world around them. This has earned them the reputation of being nominal (in name only) Christians, people who justify following the trends and sinful practices of the society they live in, but also claim membership in the Christian church. Jesus faced similar religiousness in His day, and called such professors hypocrites, showing them the same firmness of love, with which Yahwah dealt with backsliding Israel. It should be our pleasure and desire to serve God with all our minds, hearts and souls, at all times and in all places. For this He has saved us, called us and established us, that we may live a holy life and faithfully show His grace, love and righteousness to the world around us!

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May 27

“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught…” Titus 1:9

Among the several qualities listed as necessary for a man to hold the office of bishop in the church, is the attribute of stability in the word. This necessity is ever clearer today, in an age when so many so quickly change their stance and beliefs of God’s word. Few nowadays, will endure sound doctrine, and many will easily turn away to fanciful fables and deleterious doctrines. This does great damage to the cause of Christ, and particularly when the individuals who so violate, are ministers who are in a position to impact others, and often hold sway over large congregations, or may have international influence through their programs and publishing, as is the case in many instances at present. The men who are entrusted with the positions of leadership in the church, should be men who have proven to be faithful in the doctrine of the Bible, have not swayed or strayed from it, and have continued to preach and teach the message of salvation in its entirety, without compromise or alteration. God’s word is faithful in that it does not change, and similarly those who are assigned the privilege and task to bear it to others, ought to do so with the utmost precision and faithfulness. Far too many individuals have been hurt in churches where ministers have assumed the right to do or preach as they choose, without regard to the word of God. They behave as if the church, that is, not the building but the people, the body of Christ, somehow belongs to them, and they have the right to speak whatever they want, rather than what God wants. Such disregard, neglect and arrogance are among the violations of the scriptural code, which can turn many away from God, convincing them that Christianity is a farce. Let us uphold the high standard of ministry and love of truth that is required in scripture, at all levels, but especially so among the ranks of the ministry.

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May 24

“…for ye were the fewest of all people:” Deuteronomy 7:7

It is said that there is ‘strength in number’. This usually means that the more numerous a group of people, or a nation, the more powerful, noticeable or resourceful it may be. When God selected Israel to be His people and to be a nation that would proclaim His principles and be an example of His Holiness, there were already many large and powerful nations, which could have commandeered His attention. Before Israel was a nation, God called one man, who through faith, became the father of the faithful whom God would make His. Abraham, his family and the families that would follow, remained a relatively small number of people among the many and larger nations of the world that surrounded them, for quite some time. By His choice, Yahwah emphasised that His motivation was not how impressive and numerous they were as a people, or what resources they had accumulated by their own ability, for none of those things mattered to Him. God showed that His choice of Israel was based on His love, and His faithfulness to the promises He had made to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God keeps His promises.  Predicated upon His unchanging faithfulness, constant love and inimitable longsuffering, Israel survived, and remained His people. The same can be said of the church today. Those same qualities which God displayed with them, He continues to demonstrate to us. Yahwah is unchanging; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His laws and ways are established from everlasting, and His purposes are determined from eternity. Like the Hebrews, the church also has grown. Yet though it may number many more followers than just the early disciples, by comparison to the unsaved - the Christless masses of the world, the term used by Jesus calling the apostles a ‘little flock’, is still applicable to the church today! We are encouraged therefore, by the fact that God’s love and not our numbers, defines our calling. We are sustained with the knowledge that it is not by our works and ability, but by His love, grace and power that our salvation is provided. We are strengthened in the conviction that He, who has elected the church, will fulfil the promises He has made, and that if we remain faithful till the end, we will live forever, because ‘he is faithful that promised’!

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May 19

“And when he had broken down the altars and the groves…” 2 Chronicles 34:7

Josiah was but a young boy eight years of age, when he began his reign as king over Israel. In spite of his youth, he did righteousness in the sight of God and walked according to the precepts of God’s law, in imitation of his forefather, the great king David. Josiah brought reform to Israel by thoroughly destroying all the places where idols were being worshipped. He journeyed throughout the land and wherever he found altars or groves dedicated to any heathen idol, he not only tore them down, but eradicated them, destroying them so completely that they could not be rebuilt again from the same materials! Revival broke out in Israel as a result of this ‘boy king’ and his actions of faithfulness to God. Josiah is a bright star shining in the dark sky of Israel’s history of backsliding. He reminds us to be faithful and to take a stand for God and His Word. We learn that when we stand for the Lord we must do so, totally and without compromise. God’s people must be faithful people and cannot stray from the truth of His ways. They cannot espouse means of worship and religion which are not acceptable to God. It is a mistake to think that we can imitate and adopt the ways of unconverted people around us, as suitable means or expressions for the worship of Yahwah, the true God. The message of Josiah’s life, is that there is no room for compromise in the life of the believer; that we must stand for God, His ways and His righteousness at all times and in all places; and that we must do so thoroughly and completely without giving place, not for a moment, to the enemy of our souls. Removing any contamination of the world from our lives, should be thorough. The systematic, methodical and comprehensive analysis of our minds, hearts and lives in the sight of God, and the removal of anything that may be offensive to God and contravening His Word, is a good practice for retaining a healthy spiritual life in Christ.

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Apr 28

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour…” 1 Timothy 2:3

It is a good and acceptable practice for those who are saved to pray and make supplication unto God for all men, in every walk of life. God desires the salvation of all people, regardless of their walk of life. It is our task to pray with the same determination, sincerity and passion for those who are friends or enemies and for those who may be peers or in authority over us. The spiritual need of a person is constant regardless of his or her position in life. We are directed to live peaceably with all men and to show forth a quality of life which reflects the godliness we have found in Christ. Our task in this world includes the action of prayer for all men. This is a personal engagement in the need of the souls around us, for there in no one exempted from our attention in prayer. The individual that mocked us, requires our prayer to God. The person who has chosen to be difficult or antagonistic is in need of our pleading to the Lord. The stranger we meet, the friend we have known a while, or the family member we grew up with, all are candidates for our supplication to the Lord. The apostle indicates we should not fall short in our prayer for all men, even when we think of what we might regard as ‘important’ or ‘popular’ individuals, those in our society and government who carry responsibility and the power of decision making. It is an ineffable joy to think that while I may never have a personal say in the establishing of law, or in determining some practice in society, yet greater and well above that, I have been given authority to pray and potentially bring about change and help effect the salvation of a soul! The ability by prayer to influence a positive outcome of the eternal destiny of a fellow human being is a deputation of great honour, which deserves equally great appreciation. In all our doing of ‘good and acceptable’ things to improve the physical or temporal condition of any other human beings, nothing could equal the importance and urgency of praying for their souls! God desires that all people everywhere be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. How many might be snatched from the grasp of hell, saved and live to fulfil God’s desire, simply because you and I were faithful to pray?

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

Apr 23

“…he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.” Nehemiah 7:2

Nehemiah had undertaken a huge task. He trusted God and was blessed with wisdom and strength to carry it out. Good men in the service of God, also need other good men to stand by them! Hanani and Hananiah, were such men. The qualities God’s word highlights in these men, has little to do with the skills and abilities which may be attractive to the human mind, and all to do with the degree of purity of a person’s heart and conduct. The kind of man that can be depended on is called here - a faithful man. This type of person can be relied upon, is trustworthy and can be given responsibility. He shows his faithfulness in every aspect of his life. His dealings with family, friends and work speak of his faithfulness. He is not easily distracted or turned away from his duties and remains constant and consistent in his efforts. He is present when others are absent, and willing to help carry the load without coercion or constant pep talks. He offers himself and what he has for the greater cause of the service of God, and doesn’t constantly whine, complain or begrudge the cost. When the going gets tough, he doesn’t quit easily, and will be found standing with those in leadership, in quiet but firm support. This faithfulness towards others and responsibilities in general, is the natural result of his other great quality, which we find in this verse – he fears God. This person has a wholesome respect for Yahwah, for His ways and His word. He desires to maintain a correct relationship with the Lord, and to that end he analyses his life, and aligns it with the law of God. He insists on pleasing God with his actions, words and thoughts. He avoids the pitfalls of sin and turns away from temptation. He will not pay homage to the flesh, and in discipline knows how to say no to himself. He prays and senses after God’s Spirit to lead and guide him, in every aspect and task of life. The fear he has of God sets him apart and above many of his peers, as a wise and godly man. It has been said that a leader is best served if surrounded by a few faithful, God-fearing men, than an army of mercenary, self-serving false professors. May God supply every hardworking, dedicated and faithful minister, with equally faithful, God-fearing men to help and support in the work of God, and in the carrying of its many and varied responsibilities.

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

Apr 22

“…thou art a mighty prince among us…” Genesis 23:6

Abraham has sojourned among the Canaanites for many years. He had come as a stranger among them, but was now considered a prince. His wealth, manner, authority and dealings with them, merited the recognition they gave him.  Clarke says of this account that they saw him as “… a prince of God - a person whom we know to be divinely favoured, and whom, in consequence, we deeply respect and reverence.” What a great testimony for the Lord to be seen and recognised as a person who is in favour with God and therefore to be respected. This is the kind of honour our lives, attitudes and conduct should bring to the Lord. Note Abraham’s kind and humble approach to the purchase of the field and cave he desired to buy for the burial of his dead. He didn’t take advantage of the position he held among them, nor commandeered his preferred portion of the land, he did not demand recognition or favour, but made a point of insisting on paying for it the full price. This was a legal transaction with witnesses and it made Abraham the legitimate owner of this parcel of land for all time. Some, who profess themselves as Christian, go about with an air of superiority and a manner which distances unsaved people from God and godly ways. They are argumentative and insist on knowing better, and being right on everything that is discussed, because they are ‘Christians’. They do damage to the cause of Christ because they do not convey or present a correct and appropriate witness and example of the faith. The humility that Christ taught by His manner and dealings with others, is yet another aspect of the imitation of Jesus, for which we are personally responsible as His disciples. It is difficult enough to win others to Christ without placing even more obstacles in their way, by our insensitive demeanour! No wonder we are told in scripture that "he that winneth souls is wise"! There is therefore a godly and Christ-like conduct, to which we as believers must learn to subscribe, and do so with genuine motivation. Like Abraham, we will find some around us recognising that we are, as we should be, children of the King and therefore ‘princes with God’!

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

Apr 21

“And if a man also strive for masteries…” 2 Timothy 2:5

It is a desire in the heart of many individuals to make whatever effort is necessary in order to master and achieve a goal. The ‘masteries’ alluded to in the verse, refer to the public or Olympic games for which competing athletes train rigorously and strive diligently. Although perhaps not in the sports arena, the same concept of striving to excel, exists in many other areas of life. It is because of this potential for greatness and achievement that this is a notable thought for believers. In our service for Christ we are called to excellence. Taking an attitude of mere mediocrity, a stance of ‘barely there is good enough’, is not acceptable to God, nor does it bring Him the honour and glory of which He is worthy. Just like the trained athlete, we too are to perform our best in serving God, and to do this we must ‘strive’. This presumes effort, sacrifice and discipline. When as Christians we do not exert ourselves, stretch with effort and vigorously pursue the ways of God, we are deemed lukewarm, indifferent, and cannot expect to be counted among those who by faithfulness and consistency, receive a ‘crown’. The difference between striving for the mastery of the Christian walk, and any other ‘competition’, is that we are not really competing against anyone else. In this toil and effort of living an exemplary Christian life, we can all win, if we so choose. It is not about who crosses the finish line of a holy life first, but simply about who will cross the finish line at all! The determination of ‘victory’ then is not done by a comparison with others, but a comparison with God’s will and word. That means that each of us in our own way can fulfil and achieve the mastery of living for God! Jesus left a big question for us to answer as individuals:  “when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” We must desire with all of our heart to answer a resounding ‘yes’ to this question. To be able to live to the standard of faithfulness which Jesus is expecting to find at His return, it will take the same desire, dedication and discipline that we attribute to successful and renowned athletes. There are no shortcuts or ‘cheats’ that can be used and invoked, such means only bring disrepute and dishonour. Striving righteously and according to God’s law and word, in His strength and for His glory, will bring the ultimate result for the believer, the crown of life and righteousness for eternity!

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

Apr 20

“Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed…” Acts 4:4

God’s work is often carried out among the accusations, distrusts, confrontations and reviling of those who oppose the Lord, and those who even in Christ, are more interested in their own schemes than the work of God. The occasion had been the healing of the lame man at the gate of the temple. His joyous testimony gave rise to the preaching of God’s word, and the result was that five thousand heard the word and believed! Even in situations where the evidence of righteousness is there, staring in the face of those who are pitted against the people of God, the attempts to undermine, ruin and defame continue. This is to be considered normal and ‘par for the course’, in the lives of those who serve God. Jesus explained that in the same manner they wronged Him, the world would mistreat those who follow Him. He also encouraged us to ‘rejoice’ in those times when, for the faith we are abused or marginalised. When those who should know us, choose rather to loathe and dissociate from us, if we are standing in the word and holiness of God, we should not be dismayed.  It is not an automatic thing that because we serve God, we will have no problems! In fact it is often quite the opposite! At all times, the important factor is not our comfort, happiness and being appreciated, but the glory and honour which is brought to God, by the work done in His name through faithfulness, and in spite of strains forced on us, and distresses that may disease us . It is not unusual that some great results and an ingathering of souls, take place during times of attacks on our persona and character. It is Jesus that matters, His name that is to be lifted up and His truth to be proclaimed. Our task then, remains to stay at the work regardless! Sow the seed of God’s word far and wide, faithfully and without reserve. We are then to trust God for the increase and in faith pray and believe for the salvation of souls. Finally we must lean on Jesus for the protection He may choose to provide for us, and the strength He will grant us to face the next mountain!

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

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 24

 “…but the word of God is not bound.” 2 Timothy 2:9

Paul was in prison. This was no new experience for this faithful servant of God. He had been frequently imprisoned throughout his ministry, for preaching the gospel. Here again we find him incarcerated like a common criminal, and bound in chains. In previous instances, Paul had seen miraculous deliverance from prison, but God does not always choose to be glorified in the miraculous! This time we find Paul remains in prison, and remains bound! His testimony is that his captivity had no reflection on his faithfulness - the word of God IS NOT bound! Praise God, for men who will not allow their situations, however desperate and discomforting, to limit or incapacitate the ministry of God’s word! It is held in Roman tradition that on this occasion, Paul was placed in a dungeon below ground, which could be accessed only by a small hole above. It had neither natural light nor a staircase by which to exit. Although it cannot be verified, it is said that during this time Paul witnessed to, and baptised two of his prison keepers, as well as a number of other prisoners! This much we do know, that it was from prison that Paul wrote several of the Epistles which ministered to the hearts and needs of the growing churches, he had planted. The letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon and this epistle to Timothy, were all written while Paul was in a prison, treated as a wrong-doer, for preaching the gospel of Christ! We also know that while imprisoned in Rome, his testimony reached even into Caesar’s palace! Far from defeated, Paul continued to faithfully work in spite of his adverse and discomforting circumstances! Sometimes we complain of the ‘difficulties’ we face, in coping with ‘everyday living’ and trying to serve God, and think that if only we could have this or that ‘ideal’ circumstance, condition or provision, we might then really be able to do a work for the Lord! The evidence of scripture and the lives of other Christians, who have worked for God, and remained faithful in the worst possible circumstances, often under persecution and threat of death, shout at us, that we are really kidding ourselves when we think that way! Paul may have been in chains, but the word of God was not! He made every effort in spite of his situation to spread and share the gospel of salvation. If we genuinely desire to serve God, then we will in whatever situation we find ourselves in! The challenge is there for each of us, not to complain and ‘wish’ for better, but to make the best of every situation of life, and use what we have and what we can, for the glory of God and the furtherance of His kingdom. 

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