June25

“Now I have prepared with all my might…” 1 Chronicles 29:2

David had not been allowed by the Lord to build the house for God that he so desired to erect. His son Solomon would do that when came into the reign as the new king. David contented himself nevertheless to do all he could towards the construction, by supplying all the materials necessary for it, which he had accumulated, including much gold and silver from his own personal wealth. This example of desire and passion to see the house of God built, stirred other leaders and the people to also give as they could towards this great and worthwhile cause. In due course Solomon did build the renowned and awe inspiriting temple in Jerusalem which became the centre of Israel’s worship. A simple and yet powerful lesson we can draw from David’s contribution toward this great event, is found in his manner and attitude. Lesser men, when turned down on their desire to do something, also turn away with disdain and pride, feeling that is if they are not ‘good enough’ to do what they wanted or offered to do, then they will have no part at all with the situation or project. They then often look down on whatever ensues from there, with distant aloofness and unfeeling disregard. Clearly David was made of better stuff! With the same purity and humility that characterised his entire life, rather than turn away and shut down the idea, he pursued it in any way he could! His desire to build God’s house, was not motivated by personal pride or a desire to be recognised, his motivation was his love for his God! If he couldn’t build the temple per se, then he would facilitate the building of it by whatever means and ways he could! What is particularly of note is his manner and spirit in even doing that! He didn’t go about it with a half-hearted, ‘I’ll see what I can do’, type of attitude! He was pro-active about the project and did all he could with all his power, might and with all due zeal and diligence! In a time when kings were often remembered for the structures which were erected and the cities built during their reign, David sought no such recognition or accolade, yet is remembered to this day as a man after God’s own heart! This is not a title he assigned to himself, but attributed to him because of the life he lived for the Lord, and is probably the greatest praise that any king could ever be given, and the greatest achievement that he could be remembered for! What attitude and manner do we take when we do service unto the Lord? Does it matter to us what aspect of His work we are called to or allowed to do? Do we do it with all our might?

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

June 21

“…as Christ also hath loved us…” Ephesians 5:2

The Holy Ghost through the Apostle Paul here instructs us to walk in love, in the same manner that Christ loved us. The high calling of the believers in Christ includes the privilege, honour and responsibility to demonstrate to one another and beyond reasonable doubt, the kind and quality of love that they have learned and experienced from Jesus. The love of Christ is open, manifest, constant, selfless and available to all. When such qualities are evident in ‘our’ love, we are approximating the example of Jesus and delivering a true message from heaven to those around us. It is noteworthy that we do not actually have anything like true love of our own, that is, in our natural fallen nature. Any love which is morally appropriate, godly and scripturally correct, is therefore a reflection of what God has imparted to us, and of what we allow Him to work through us. The best exercise we can enter into when considering love, is to look to Jesus and observe closely His pattern of love. The purity, altruism, gentleness and firmness of His matchless, unparalleled love, strikes our hearts with a sense of reality and causes us to long to be more like Him! We cannot imitate His Omnipotence, or His Omniscience and are limited in our physical ability to be in more than one place at once - but we can all learn to love more like Jesus does and follow the example He gave us! This is doubtless one of the ways by which we can most readily emulate the Lord, His manner and life. It is within the reach of every believer, and every day brings to us ample opportunities to practice His love. He told us this was His new commandment, the one by which others would identify us as His true disciples, that we would love one another by the standard and quality of His love! Even our love for God is quantified and qualified by the love we hold for each other! I think we can all readily admit that we are thoroughly challenged by the benchmark He has set for us, and that we all, even when we have been at this for a while, and may have made some progress, have yet a long way to go!  

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

May 17

“…remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt…” Deuteronomy 15:15

Debts owed and remaining unpaid in Israel, sometimes resulted in the debtors becoming slave servants to the creditor. While God allowed for this as an appropriate way to repay what was owed, rules and laws were also given to the people to control and limit the use, and avoid the abuse of slaves. Everything from the treatment of the slave to the manner of their dismissal when the debt was finalised, was legislated by God. Beyond the actual ‘lawful’ practice, God also added an emotional and personal consideration to this aspect of Israelite life. God appealed to His people to remember that they had all been slaves to the Egyptians, had suffered at their hands, and that God had delivered them by His might, and in mercy provided for them. Strangely sometimes we too can forget where God has brought us from! There is often no greater critic of a sin or conduct, than the person who was very guilty of the same thing at some time in his past! We also can find it naturally easier, to shake our head or censure conduct in others, which in various ways, upon scrutiny, can be found in our own lives. Sadly we can to forget, the wrongs, errors and imperfections of our own lives.  For instance, it is easy when we get older, to forget what we were like when we were younger, and how we too may have failed in the same or similar things for which we now so readily judge others or look ‘down’ on. Remembering where the Lord brought us from, what we were, and how still on a daily basis, He lovingly and patiently deals with us, may give us a little more latitude with our brother and sister, and help us remain a little more patient, a little longer! 

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

May 14

“…thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.” Job 4:4

In his days of prosperity and wellness Job had succoured others. He assisted the troubled, visited the sick, and supported individuals who were weakened by sin, and whose strength of life and resources had failed. Job had lived righteously before God and man, and his reputation was that of a man of value and worth. He had willingly fulfilled his responsibility of care of those in need, consistently supplying comfort, advice, assistance and protection. We now find Job himself on the side of the needy. Those who are criticising him, his so called ‘comforters’, are fully aware of his good deeds towards others, and they raise them to his attention, however they do so not to praise him, or in commendation, but in accusation. Their message is essentially “You were giving out all the good advice and help when it was someone else’s trouble, but what about now you are in their shoes?” instead of returning the kindness, which they acknowledged Job had given to others, and imitating his conduct by giving him genuine comfort, they prided and gloated in his difficulty, and added to his burden by their comments and explanations. It is strange how often this can actually happen among believers even today. There is an almost wicked sense of triumph with some individuals, when trouble or difficulty befalls a brother or sister. This is the opposite of what should take place. We are supposed to ‘mourn with those who mourn’, not rejoice in their calamity! There should be a genuine sense of empathy for those who suffer, and a desire to uphold them in prayer! This should be in the heart of fellow believers, but alas all too often, there is either indifference or worse even rejoicing at someone else’s trouble. This is a sure sign of a serious and sad lack of God’s love. Among the many lessons that can be learned from Job’s experiences, we could include the fact that clearly afflictions, trials, and setbacks, can be found and observed in the lives of good and righteous men, every bit as much as in the lives of those who are in rebellion against God. The just are not preserved from all difficulties, but they are promised deliverance and strength to make it through. It is however a serious mistake to simply assume that just because a person is facing trial or opposition, they must be in sin or have erred before God. Another important fact to remember is that we must teach the principles of God, in their entirety even if there is the possibility that we may personally have to face some aspect or another of those things, and be measured by the values we have proclaimed and affirmed. In other words we should not fear or hold back on truth, but wholeheartedly teach it and affirm it, not because we have already mastered it or have personally succeeded in it, but for its own value and benefit. Paul taught not that if he had already achieved, but that as one yet striving towards the mark. Lastly, we must accept that all believers when faced with affliction may react less than perfectly in the circumstances, in one aspect or another. Rather than behave as Job’s discomforting ‘comforters’, we should find in our heart the love, kindness and tenderness to support, lift and encourage to the best of our abilities such a one, through their time of trouble, and not add to their load by our unthoughtful comments or behaviour. Such magnanimous hearts will be a blessing to others, and be in turn blessed and commended of God.

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

Apr 18

“…also upon the servants…will I pour out my spirit” Joel 2:29

God makes it amply clear in His Word that He is not a respecter of persons. Our text further confirms this truth, as in it the Lord, through the prophet Joel, promises to pour out His Spirit upon all (human) flesh, excluding no one as to gender, age or social status. In providing salvation for lost humanity, Yahwah had to break the bondage of sin, cleanse and remove it from the soul, and sanctify the individual by imparting His holiness, through the agency of His Holy Spirit, and the direction of His Word! The ministry of God’s outpoured Spirit in the heart and minds of those who believe, promotes the holiness of God, and makes it possible for fallible and imperfect humans, to live in righteousness and grow into perfection. This endowment is not restricted to those who are wealthy, worthy or well positioned. God includes all who will believe and accept His provision, in the blessing and glory, of becoming ‘new creatures in Christ’. The love of God is so powerful and all-inclusive, that it reaches to the most distant of mankind, the lowliest, and the most depraved, and makes available to each, should they accept and believe, the redemption the Saviour has supplied. We cannot but rejoice in the great and wonderful reality of God’s amazing grace and awe-inspiring love! It reaches out to each of us, and without regard for who we may be, or the condition we are in, opens wide the doors of spiritual life here on earth, and the potential of a blissful eternity with the Lord in heaven.

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