July 14

“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.” 2 Chronicles 25:2

This verse paints the picture of typical human imperfection. It is true to say that even at our best, we are flawed and incomplete. This should not be a cause for discouragement however, but a reason for rejoicing in the love and mercy of God toward us. Amaziah was 25 years old when he became king and in the 29 years of reign that followed, he demonstrated that he could do the right thing. He also left no doubt that he could just as easily violate against God. In the same chapter which informs us that he did righteousness by fulfilling the law of God, we also read that after a victorious battle against the Edomites, he took their idols and bowed down in worship to them! Perhaps in not quite as obvious and blatant manner as in the life of Amaziah, but if scrutinised, we would find In every person, even in those who strive to live an upright and yielded life, that there is a negative human factor, which detracts in one way or another, and can mar that which is good. We often hear expressions of frustrated resignation such as: ‘he is a good man, but he lacks common sense’, or ‘he is a strong leader, but can be very impatient with others’, or ‘she is a good mother, but has little self-control’. These and many other such sentiments, highlight the deficiency in character and conduct, which abound in the human family. The ‘but’ of our lives, is the area or areas of life, where we mess up, don’t do so well and fail. Ultimately we all admit and agree that ‘no one is perfect’, but we all still admire that elusive quality to some degree. The truth is that only God is absolute in perfection and that we as humans we are overall flawed, but (and this is a good ‘but’) God nevertheless loves us, works with us, and helps us to grow when we stay close to Him. It is wrong to use our ‘imperfection’ as an excuse in life. The ‘I’m only human’ excuse for not making efforts or doing wrong and sinning against the Lord, is weak and should not be tolerated. Conversely we must all admit our shortfalls, and know that in spite of them, we can be empowered by the Lord to imitate Jesus, the only example of perfect humanity. Our task in life then, is to continue faithfully in obedience to God and do our level best to fulfil all that He has purposed for us, offering God our pure and genuine hearts, not our human excuses. For our inevitable lacks and shortcomings, we can all fall on His mercy and love, and know with the assurance He has already given us in His word, that through Him and by His strength we can overcome and be counted among the righteous.

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

June 17

“Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock…” Psalms 28:1

David had been in the unique and rather strange circumstance of life, of being anointed to be the next king of Israel, by the prophet of the Lord, and yet sought after as an evil doer, and pursued to be killed, by the present king! Twice he was in a position to rid himself of Saul and the threat which weighed heavily on his life, and twice he turned down the opportunity and temptation to take things into his own hands, choosing rather to leave it in God’s hands and timing. There must have been times like this one described in our text, when he felt totally at odds with his life’s situation, and could not but to cry out to the Lord in distress. Recognising and admitting that we are struggling sometimes, is not a bad thing, provided that like David we don’t wallow in the mire and self-pity our condition, but rather go with our distress and need, to the One who can help us and lift us up out of the pit we feel we are in! In other words it is when we concentrate on the problem and not the solution that we can do damage, and potentially lose ground in our walk and progress with God. This does not mean merely ignoring the problem or thinking positive thoughts, but dealing with the issue through One who has power greater than our own! Everybody experiences low times in life, and it is human to feel the sting and pressures of the afflictions we face. The all-important difference is our willingness and desire to go to the Rock! Jesus is the Rock upon which our salvation is founded. He is the basis of our faith and victory, and the One who has overcome sin and the world, and gives us power to overcome any and all of the difficulties which face us. Our crying out in prayer and supplication to the Fountain of Life, the Source of all Good, the Rock and Strength of our souls, will achieve much, when done in faith and fervently. God will supply the answer to our question, the solution to our problem, the relief to our distress. At times He does so by somehow removing the impediment or difficulty from our lives, for He has the power to do all things. We rejoice over the victory He gives in these situations and feel delivered and lifted. If the irritant, or problem, or affliction in our life is meant to teach us some valuable lesson, God may not remove it, but utilise it to build our faith, strengthen our determination, steel our resolve and impart to us priceless traits of character such as patience, persistence, humility and stability. During these times we may not feel the ‘burden lift’ per se, but we will register His calm and confident strength, which makes us able to carry the burden victoriously and continue regardless, on our journey towards heaven. We serve a God of power, love and wisdom, and must trust that He knows what is best for us in every situation. In faith praying, trusting and leaning on Him we can make it, and are more than overcomers through Christ Jesus our Lord!

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

May 25

“And the LORD discomfited them before Israel…” Joshua 10:10

Attempting to defend themselves, five Amorite kings formed an alliance to fight against the Gibeonites, who had become servants to the already feared Israelite intruders. Their plan was probably to draw Israel into a defensive battle; it succeeded, but not to their advantage. God reassured Joshua not to fear them, and preceded Israel in battle, disturbing, confusing and disadvantaging the enemies. Though Joshua and the people fought valiantly and the battle is described as a great slaughter, yet it is clear that God’s intervention in the battle made the greatest impact by raining huge hailstones on the enemy, which accounted for the larger number of those slain! Throughout the Old Testament we find that whenever God’s people trust in the Lord and keep His commandments, Yahwah is present and prompt to fight their battles. This is a principle we can also rely upon in our day, as Christian believers. Although our enemies are not ‘flesh and blood’, and our battles do not involves human weaponry, we certainly are faced with real spiritual enemies, and are involved in spiritual warfare. The weapons of our warfare, the scripture says are not carnal, but they are mighty through the Holy Ghost! We have Jesus to our General, and He will fight our battles with us, helping us to overcome the enemies of our souls, the devil, the world and the flesh! Some may feel that the battles we face are not as ‘real’ as those we read of in the scriptures, but they are in fact even more definitive. Whereas the battles Israel fought were largely for physical survival and conquest of land, our battles are for our souls and will impact our eternity! It is our task as Joshua did, to lean on, and trust in the leading and direction of God’s Spirit, and with courage and faith, face the enemy and consider that while we remain in Christ, we have the assurance of His overcoming power! 

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

May 21

“…but we glory in tribulations also:…” Romans 5:3

Christian living is not for the faint-hearted or for anyone who unduly fears pain and discomfort. The path of eternal life is narrow and fraught with difficulties and challenges, but for all these, God has made provision. He does not say that as believers we will never face trauma or hardship, but He does say He will make available all we need to overcome our worst life’s situations. There is therefore, something counterintuitive yet extremely powerful, expressed in this portion of the Holy Text! We are all naturally disinclined to difficulties, trials, persecutions and afflictions, and thus logically avoid and decry these things, desiring nothing of them in our lives. The true believer however, though he will not purposely seek out affliction, finds ‘glory’ that is, rejoicing in these times and circumstances also. Along with the great blessings and provisions of salvation and sanctification, he who trusts in Jesus, can find reason to rejoice in difficult and troubled times. This may be contrary to our usual disposition, but becomes more ‘natural’ in concept and more acceptable in practice for the believer, the more and further he trusts the Lord. In fact, this truth holds a powerful and invincible principle, which over the centuries has seen many, face even their martyrdom as Christians, with calmness, quiet resignation and even welcoming joy! What could possibly cause a human being to actually rejoice, when faced with some of the worst possible circumstances and threats of life? It is an inner knowledge and divine peace, which strengthens and steels the soul of a man, into a conviction that God can transform the pain, suffering and distress of any affliction, into patience, hope, strength and power greater than ever known before! In other words, rather than seeing defeat, detriment or destruction, the believers ‘sees’, and finds God-ordained victory, improvement and life, from the times of distress which face him! Here then is the remarkable power of the Christian life that is truly committed to Christ – it is built up and improved by the wonderful blessings and privileges God provides, and it is also enriched, strengthened and enlarged by the sufferings He allows! In this context, the yielded life is impregnable and beyond conquest! It continues and improves regardless of what it is faced with or challenged by. This is true life in Jesus, it is the overcoming life, and it is His will for all who believe. 

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