Aug 6

“…Hear…. the statutes and judgments…..that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.” Deuteronomy 5:1

Moses, Israel’s leader called the people together that they may hear, learn, keep and do the commandments of God. In the New Testament, Jesus similarly told us that it is a wise man, who both hears the word of God and performs it. Hearing only without the doing of it, results in failure and tragedy. How appropriate that this all important concept is consistently presented in both Testaments of the Bible. Knowledge of the things of God is all important, for without it there is no opportunity to do righteousness. To that end, God has gone to immense trouble and pains and ensured that His Word has reached the ears of humanity all over the world. The Bible is the most sold book in the world, and has been translated in more languages than any other! Particularly in our western world, it is not lack of information or opportunity to do well that lacks. Sadly our problem is by far more serious. We are guilty of having heard long and plenty of God’s directions, instructions, commandments and warnings, but having turned a deaf ear. Overall as western nations, we have turned our hearts, minds and choices away from God and His purposes, rather than towards Him. Naturally this is done to our own detriment, for we are accountable and it will be required from all of us, by the Almighty and Just God! Wise is the man that heeds the instruction of Moses and Jesus, firstly to hear the statutes and judgements of God, then to learn, keep and obey. This first step of ‘hearing’ in itself requires our commitment and willingness to apply time and effort. In the busy lives we have made for ourselves, we find it increasingly difficult to ‘make time’ for God and His word. The single greatest excuse for people not being at church or making time to listen to the teaching or preaching of God’s word is ‘lack of time’. We are too busy with other things and prioritise all else ahead of the necessity for God. There is still plenty of time to listen to one’s favourite music, or watch one’s favourite shows, but time for God is simply too big a stretch in many cases. The next level of commitment however, is even more relevant. Some in response to guilty consciences, a sense of what is right or due to peer or family pressure actually take time to be ‘at church’ or attend bible studies, but this too means little unless it is followed with a heart to learn, remember and do what is heard! Again in other areas of life, we find no difficulty with this aspect. We allow the lyrics of our favourite songs to be so imprinted in our brains that we can scarcely forget them, and we can easily recount to friends in vivid detail the scenes from our favourite shows, games or activities! Should even the smallest amount of the same attention and passion be paid to the Word of God, we might find that our lives and the lives of others would be impacted in very powerful and positive ways! Jesus is still looking for faithful servants who will not only listen, but learn, remember and perform His word. He says this is the test of our true love for Him. How does our personal life line up with this all important biblical standard? 

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

June 24

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD…” Ezra 7:10

Ezra had been directed by God and had found favour with the Lord, to do a special work and carry out a mission. He prepared his heart to carry out the threefold task of seeking the law of God, doing it, and teaching it to the people of Israel. His heart preparation is a significant aspect of true leadership. Spiritual leaders, who would please God with their service, are people who prepare themselves thoroughly and consistently. The athlete would not be ready to compete without his physical preparation, which often amounts to daily toil in strenuous exercise. The artist could not paint the variety of colours needed without suitably mixing and preparing them on his palette. The musician would not produce any intelligible or pleasing sounds, without first tuning his instrument. In the same manner we cannot really do God’s bidding, without appropriate and sincere heart preparation. Ezra gives us a good example of how we should prepare ourselves. He started in the right place and so should we. God’s word, His law, His thinking, His wisdom and authority, should be the starting place for all our preparation. Like Ezra also, it should become more than just head knowledge however, and develop into what we ‘do’. It should form the basis of all our thinking, understanding and action. It should guide our decisions, choices and preferences. It should touch and affect every area of our lives and influence all our desires. Only when we truly ‘do’ God’s word, willingly, faithfully, with willing discipline and joyful desire, can we really teach it to others, and be effective leaders. Pray that God give us leaders like Ezra, who are willing to prepare their hearts the right way, and personally practice what they have learned from God that they may positively affect others with their teaching and example! 

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

Jan 14

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul…” Psalms 19:7

The doctrine and teaching which the Lord has revealed to mankind via His Word, is complete! It lacks nothing which may be needed by man to live a fulfilled, purposeful and useful life. The perfection of the laws of God, is observable in the fruit of righteousness and goodness which they bring forth in the lives of men and women, who live by them and obey them. The most prosperous and successful of countries in history, have been those whose governments based their rules, upon the law of God as found in His Holy Word. We can easily note, in various Godless regimes, but also and especially in more recent times in western cultures, that the departure from God’s law and principles has resulted in huge problems with immorality and instability, in what once were recognised as civilized and Christian societies. Human nature is fallen and naturally tends towards evil. Man cannot merely be controlled by law; he must be converted by it! Man’s law may change some of the behaviour of some of society, but cannot change the soul of any individual. This results in either an increase the amount of force and means necessary to control and direct individuals, or worse, the redefining of what is wrong, sinful and abhorrent, so that less control is needed, doing further damage to mankind and departing all the more from God’s original plans and purposes. God’s law is perfect, and can change and convert the soul of man through faith and obedience, from a lost, sinful, rebellious and spiritually dead individual, to a godly, fulfilled, loving, faithful, and spiritually alive person. This means a person will ‘want’ to do what is right from the inside, not merely because of some rule which society imposes on him. All this, God performs through His Word! Tampering with what Gods has set down and provided for humanity, can only result in precisely what we see in our human family today – increase in crime and immorality, a loss of worthwhile and godly values and ultimately self-destruction and death. God’s statutes, commandments and directions for man’s relationship with God, his fellowman, and all other things created, remain and are eternally established, they are the best way for mankind and they can’t be improved on by man’s intuition, revisions or intelligence for they were perfect to begin with! 

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