Aug 1

 “...for his great love wherewith he loved us.” Ephesians 2:4

How could we who were dead in trespasses and sins ever find life or even hope for any improvement from the finality of our spiritual death? There is but one answer: God! The Almighty God who is rich in mercy and possesses an everlasting love towards us, made a way! This has to be the greatest story of love that we as humans have ever heard of. Why should the Holy and Supreme God, regard or care for a world of lost and dying malevolent sinners, particularly when rebellion against Him was the choice we made? We had rejected His love and provision, rebelled against His purpose and plan, and selected our ways of death in place of His way of life. In human terms we would say, we got what we deserved, and reaped the wages of our disobedience. God could have remained still holy, righteous and eternal, above all and separate from the humanity which had rejected Him. Except for the fact that God is love! Yahwah, the Eternal Ruler of the universe is rich in mercy, and has as the essence of His being a love which permeates His every action and purpose. A lesser deity might have turned away from the awful mess mankind had landed itself in, distancing itself from the problem of sin and its effects, but not this God! Jesus is the Spring of Mercy, the Ocean of Love and the River of grace! In His benevolence and tenderness of heart, He by mercy overlooked the injury and offence humanity was guilty of, and treated the offender better than was deserved! His grace, to save and rescue those who will hear, is the outflow of that incomparable mercy and reaches into the soul of every individual who chooses to receive it. His dealings with mankind are always motivated by His great love. This is the very nature of the Almighty. It touches everything He does and blesses anyone who understands even the least aspect of it! Like the ocean, God’s love is immense and great because it is the nature of the Immense and Great God! It stems from the One who fills the universe and knows no bounds or limitations! God’s love is great because it is not like the natural love we are able to give, which is based on merit, character, relationship and largely limited to those who are close to us and who reciprocate love to us. God’s love is given freely to all mankind and is not limited or exclusive. 

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

Apr 12

 “The Lord was as an enemy…” Lamentations 2:5

As the Creator God, Yahwah, is a benefactor and lover of all of His creatures, particularly so of man. It is not God’s default condition to be or behave as an ‘enemy’ to man, especially to His own people! Israel had found God to be their Friend, Protector, Leader and Ruler, but when they turned their backs on Him, they also experienced the reality of His enmity! We learn a great deal from the Lord’s dealings with the people of Israel and can draw much personal instruction from their experiences. God will not play ‘second fiddle’ to anyone or anything else in our lives. Some think that because judgment has not instantaneously fallen upon them, when they violated God’s law that somehow they have got away with it, or that God no longer rules or cares. This could not be further from the truth!  There is a time stored up for the wrath of the Almighty, and in that day, woe to them who find Him to be their enemy! The God, who is love, is also a just and fair God. He will visit his antagonism on un-repented sin. He will reply to the defiance of the atheist and the questions of the skeptic, with answers which will forever silence their tongues, and settle their eternal destiny. The Almighty is not a whimsical God, who simply chooses to turn on His creation. He has given plenty of time for all mankind to turn from sin and make things right with the Creator. When in the final analysis, man chooses to remain the opponent of God, he will find that the Lord is indeed a formidable and terrible foe! How inane for a man to go against the Almighty! How senseless for limited and finite humanity to question and defy the Eternal and Omnipotent! Why does God allow it? How can He put up with it? It seems God is not lessened or harried by man’s defiance. His mercy lingers still and His longsuffering prevails, and there still remains a choice for mankind. The time will come when He will say “no more”! Will He be then your personal Saviour, or your eternal Judge? The choice for now is still left to you and me!

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