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 26

“…subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” Galatians 2:5

There are instances when pressures from fellow believers, who may express their opinions openly and forcefully, would cause some to compromise their stand in God. Paul found himself facing some perhaps well meaning, Judaic Christians, who were insisting that certain practices of the law, be observed as necessary to salvation of Gentile Christians. The apostle was confident in his stand for truth that he did not, even for the least time, give in to them in the least detail on this issue! What Paul faced in his day, with some not giving place to the newly established Christian way, we are finding somewhat in reverse. In our day, we are faced with many determined to do away with the established  Christian way and resolute on re-inventing Christianity, giving rise to a re-interpretation of all that believers over the centuries have stood, lived and died for! There may be many areas in Christian living, where we can allow for various degrees of personal conviction and individual stance, as the Lord may guide. There are however, core doctrinal issues, on which there can be no compromise, or room for negotiation. As we head further into the last days of time, the bulk of Christendom is allowing for modernisation, change and adjustment, in an effort to appeal to the contemporary mind. We are seeing more compromise, watering down of Biblical truth and revisionism, taking place at every level of Christian belief and practice. We are surrounded by many church goers, who insist that it is ‘old fashioned’ to believe in holiness and sing hymns, preferring rather that rock and roll be used as a means of worship. We are pressured into thinking that unless we can get ‘with the times’, become relevant to contemporary thinking and preferences, we cannot grow or survive as a church. We are faced with the criticism that rejecting agenda-driven, new age versions of the Bible, is narrow minded and separates us, identifying us as a sect! The opposition we face may be ‘new’ and geared to our modern times, but in fact it is motivated by the same old and antichrist spirit, which would bring believers into bondage and lure them away from the truth and simplicity of the gospel of Christ. The devil tried to undermine the church in its infancy, and is now trying to topple it, in its aged and established state. Like Paul, we must not give place or subjection to these things, not for a moment, that the truth of the gospel may continue with all those who sincerely desire it. In this we rejoice, that Jesus has already determined that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church of God! There will be a remnant, faithful to God till the end, enduring in the doctrine and the faith, without compromise and adulteration! Let’s be sure we are among those who stand faithfully for Jesus, till He comes!

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