Apr 25

 “And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan…” Judges 4:2

The circular pattern of disobedience, punishment, repentance and restoration became typical of Israel. It was displeasing to the Lord, and clearly not only ‘circular’ but also descending, deteriorating and more frequent. The basis of God’s relationship with Israel was His holiness and His law. They were to be a people holy unto Yahwah, who kept His commands and lived by His law. Whenever Israel transgressed and abandoned this God-determined pattern, and followed the ways of the heathen nations around them, they became idolatrous, and lost their status with God. The correction from the Lord was always administered in love and with a view to their restoration, but the frequency and consistency of their disobedience to His directives, demanded stern measures. In this instance God allowed them to become enslaved under the authority of the Canaanite king Jabin. Israel had chosen to follow the Canaanite practices in favour to God’s law, and in righteous and telling judgment, God delivered them into the bondage and oppression of the very people they had chosen to imitate!  Sadly the pattern present with the Israelite nation, can be observed among the people of God today. In many ways like them, we too can be guilty of ignoring God’s law, His love, His warnings and finally reap in our lives, families, churches and society, the results of our apathy towards God, and of our misplaced desire for the things of the ‘heathen’ world around us! It is interesting but not surprising to note, just how much control, oppression and influence the heathen society wields against the church! Largely instead of a repentance and return to the holiness and purity of service unto God, most Christians simply re-adjust the measure of consecration required, re-interpret the meaning of God’s directives and re-structure their practices to be more in tune with contemporary thinking. These manipulations become more prevalent and frequent with each generation, and succeed only in changing the level of tolerance believers should have towards sin and the sinful practices readily accepted by the surrounding ungodly society. Things thought totally unacceptable by Christians and seen as against God’s law in the past, are now more palatable and so commonplace among believers that hardly anyone even takes notice anymore! In fact it is the consecrated person who may in concern speak up, that is marginalised as ‘legalistic’ and ‘sectarian’, one given to divisive doctrine! Should we be surprised if in due course we reap God’s judgment? Would it be too unreasonable to believe that a righteous, holy and just God, who still wants His people to be holy, would judge the present church as He did His people of old? We may not be able to turn the unbiblical, God-dishonouring tide of present Christendom, but we can determine to learn from the lessons of the past and apply them to our personal lives, while we still can! 

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

Mar 27

“…the high priest rose up with…the priests, and they builded the sheep gate…” Nehemiah 3:1

Eliashib was Joshua’s grandson, and appears to be the first high priest since Israel had returned from the captivity in Babylon. Under Nehemiah’s leadership, he started the restoration work setting the pace and frame for his fellow priests and the people. This is the correct attitude towards any work physical or otherwise that needs to be done in the church. Some insist that because they are called to the ministry, they should not ‘soil’ their hands with physical labour or effort. Whilst it is important never to lose sight of the spiritual labour, and the focus and precedence that it requires in the life of a minister, there is clearly room for rolling one’s sleeves up, and getting into the physical work also! How encouraging it is to see and have the spiritual leader, show enough concern for what needs to be done, that he doesn’t merely ‘direct’ the work, but  initiates, propagates the vision for it, begins it with personal involvement and inspires others to join-in and lend a hand! How appropriate that such heart and attitude should be found with those who are ministers, considering the term which titles them, is one of willing servitude and self-sacrifice! Very fitting also was where these ministers began their work of rebuilding. The text indicates they focused first on the ‘sheep gate’. This is understood to be a special entrance into the wall, through which sheep were brought into the city. They would then be ‘washed’ at a pool near this entrance, before being taken to the temple to be offered as sacrifices. Here again we see a necessity for the minister and worker for God, to always make a connection between the physical work and its higher purpose - the service of God. We should never lose sight then that when we may be mowing a lawn for a widow, or laying some concrete, or digging a drain in the church backyard, or helping needy brethren with any of their physical load, the physical labour, with all its pressures, difficulties and cost, has a spiritual connection to it – we are doing it - ‘as unto the Lord’! Individuals may benefit from the efforts, but the Lord is glorified and the He is the motivation and reason for the service!

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

Feb 16

“But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.” 2 Kings 25:12

The captivity of Israel in the hands of foreign nations, was always a result of their sin and disregard for God’s law. Time and again the land was ravaged, the city walls broken down and anything of value taken by the oppressors, who would now rule them. The ancient Assyrians when conquering the land of Israel were motivated by the Lord not to massacre its people, but to take them captive. Occupants of the land with their possessions were relocated to the conqueror’s country to help with local industry, commerce and development. In this we see an evidence of God’s mercy towards His people, in spite of their sins and the need for their punishment. The temple which represented the worship of the True God which the Jews had despised and ignored in favour of false gods, was robbed of all its treasures and valuables, and the city walls which had offered them some protection were thrown down, but nevertheless God maintained His promise to Israel. Instead of being destroyed, the people were kept alive, to one day return to their own land, rebuild and re-instate true worship. A second instance of God’s mercy is seen in the action the king of the Chaldeans authorised towards the poor of the land. These individuals had no personal resources to contribute to their conquerors, and might therefore being considered completely dispensable. Again instead of being exterminated by the foreign ruler, they were left to tend to the fields and crops of the land. Whilst more than likely under tribute to the conquering ruler, these individuals not only escaped with their lives, but were also given opportunity to survive from the harvests of their crops, and maintain a workable state of land, which would otherwise have laid waste. It is clear in all the dealings of God with man, and in particular with His chosen people, that in spite of their failure to remain consistent in their love and worship of Yahwah and obedient to His law, the Lord’s desire toward them was and remains always, one of love, protection and restoration. We truly serve a Great and Loving Saviour and One that is worthy of all our thanks and praise!

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