Scripture Treasures

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well ~ Matthew 6:33 To seek His kingdom here on earth is universal, for it is a call to all of humanity to willingly subject themselves to God’s will. It is a universal call to make Him Lord of your life, all aspects of your life, so that His righteousness might reign in you. It does not matter if you are an angel, or the Church at large, or an individual; God is to be King over all. The call for this type of life, says Jesus, is not for outward show, but for inner resolve. It is spiritual. It is new life. It is brought out of the “born again” experience. It is to seek how to live as Christ, with integrity and honour. And, it is to look at how this life extends into the next life, for not only is His kingdom here within us, but His kingdom is to come for eternity. So, be diligent in seeking, in desiring, in looking for the treasure in the field that is above all treasures. Devotion by

For He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones ~ Proverbs 2:8 In the verse before this, the writer expresses that God is our shield and our success placeholder. Without either, our course in life would not be kept in the way of justice and righteousness – we would in fact, go off track. It is easier to walk rough terrain when we have a support system in place. A hiker in the mountains would take the proper equipment: proper footwear, water, a walking stick, possible tools or cover for weather. They go out prepared for the elements of the trail. So we go forth in this life with God at our side, in our front and coming up behind us to guide and keep us safe. God’s hand is ever in ours as we walk, as we seek His counsel, as we act accordingly in justice. The Lord preserves those whom are faithful to Him, and display that love and faithfulness to others in His name. His grace covers us, and opens the way for us. Our route in life leads ultimately to Hi

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God ~ Philippians 4:6 When our eyes are looking vertically, we worry. We see the troubles around us, we see the chaos of some relationships, we see the financial struggles which we may encounter; we see the world! When our eyes turn to look vertically, we see another world. We see the promises of God who is faithful, we see our Saviour who died for us, we see the power of the Holy Spirit who guides our thoughts and actions; we see another World! When our eyes are set on that Other World, our prayers and petitions focus on what God can and will do rather than what we cannot do. When our trust is in Him, our anxious thoughts come under His control. It may not be easy, for I know some of us are more inclined to keep our eyes horizontal rather than vertical, but if that is the case, keep giving the problem to the Lord and turn your eyes again upward. Bring you

Bear with each other and forgive one another if have of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you ~ Colossians 3:13 To forgive does not necessarily mean to forget. There are times when people hurt us very deeply, and we cannot forget what has occurred. We do not need to continue to involve ourselves in a close relationship which continues to hurt us. We do need to forgive, however. There is not one of us who is perfect, but One! He died on the cross for our sins, and there He removed them from us through His forgiveness. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" were Jesus words spoken from the cross, not only to those who had hung Him there, but to those who would read His words and hear what He has spoken. I make mistakes, and so do you. We are forgiven for those. When we then forgive others for the cross they place upon our back, we remove any bitterness that may enter our heart, and stain our witness for Christ. When we forgive, i

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid ~ John 14:27 This is a typical closing benediction the Jews used with each other…peace I leave with you. It passes on the invocation of blessings of peace and happiness, something we all want to leave with those we love and care for as we prepare to leave them for a time. Until we meet again, live in peace, live in joy. Jesus goes above this with adding His peace. His is the peace of heaven, the peace of the promised world, the peace of eternal joy. His is the peace that cannot be broken by strife, or anxiety. The worlds peace is short-lived, short-sighted, short-tempered. The world seeks peace in fame, in riches, in fame but do not seek the peace from the eternal. The world seeks peace with empty words, with empty promises, but Jesus’ words are always true, always faithful. If we then know this, if we then trust in Jesus’ words to be true,

But he [Jesus] said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent” ~ Luke 4:43 The Gospel message is transforming! That is what is so amazing about it, it opens up channels within us, and then it explodes from the within to the with outside! It is not a thing to hold to ourselves, but it is to be shared, and shared, and shared. How beautiful are the feet of those who spread the Good News! (Rom. 10:15) Most certainly if Jesus was sent, we are a sent people! The kingdom of God is sorely needed today, just as when Jesus walked this earth. There are many people who need the peace within that Jesus brings, the restoration of the soul which leads all into relationship with Christ. The kingdom, not only to come in eternal life, but the kingdom now which blossoms in love. There is no better time than today to go and preach the good news of the kingdom of God to someone. Will you do it, will you go? Devotion by Pastor Julia

In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry ~ Ephesians 4:26 There are most certainly times to be angry, that is, when something takes from the glory of God, be angry! Be angry at poverty, at injustice, at oppression, at abuse! Be angry about crimes which take innocent lives, and actions which prevent someone from proper education, or work-place equality. Yes, be angry then. But don’t be angry with any one. Relationships take work, they do, it takes communication and resolve to work situations out. Seeing eye-to-eye is not always how it happens between two people, let alone when more are in the mix. But, do not go to sleep with unresolved feelings. When we do, resentment builds, and revenge takes hold. Once this is set in place, it is difficult to find the path of resolution and peace. Passions of the heart may lead us into unwanted places, therefore, guard your heart and your mind against those things which will lead you astray. If the sun is g

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit – Romans 15:13 If we are to have hope, the best hope comes from the Lord God, for he is the author of all well-grounded hope in His people. We can have hope in ourselves, hope that he is not the author of, but that will be false hope. God is the writer of true hope, hope that is found in the midst of despair. Hope that is found in grace. With His hope we find that our hearts are filled with the inward gifts of joy and peace. But too, these gifts come from the Holy Spirit of God. The gifts of joy and peace come not from our own natural self, but from God alone. They come from a heart which trusts in Him. To know joy and peace, we must know what is in scripture, for herein is God revealed to us. We cannot be inspired by that which we do not know. It is a state of mind brought about by a believing heart. It does not happen

…those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint ~ Isaiah 40:31 The eagle lives to be a very old age, yet, his youth is renewed on a regular basis as he continues to moult, even in his old age, unlike other birds. His feathers are made new, over and over again. As the eagle’s process of renewal is within him, so ours is without us, our renewal is outside of ourselves. We cannot renew our own strength, our own spiritual life, it comes alone from God. There are many times when we may feel exhausted from the busyness of life. We do live in a very busy age, running children here and there for sports, working long hours, and many other things in life which keep us going and going. We need to stop, and listen, and pray. We need to tap into the great energy giver, God. To renew our strength means that we will alter life, to change it, so that we can then revive and renew our spir

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful ~ Joshua 1:8 In the Old Testament, Israel and her people were saved by obeying the Law. Strict adherence to it meant blessing, falling away from it meant God turned His eyes away and calamity happened through the overpowering from another nation, or death of the one who disobeyed. We are no longer under the Law for salvation, for our salvation came through the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We now live under grace. The Old Testament people could never live up to the Law, neither can we. This is grace, that Jesus loved us even though the Law could not be upheld by any one of us. But, this does not mean that God’s Laws are done away with. Jesus himself said he came to fulfill the Law. Within it we find our moral and ethical codes and basis for living day to day. The Ten Commandments are about loving and ho

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you ~ John 15:7 This is a verse Jesus spoke to His disciples, so that their desires and life would be regulated by something other than their emotions. He instilled in them a living principle. First, they were to remain in Him, or some versions say, abide. This requires faith, obedience, and being filled with His Holy Spirit. God honours our trust in Him. Second, His words need to be in our heart by our knowing them, believing in them, remembering them, persevering in obedience to them. None of this can happen on the fly. We have to be students of God’s word, daily pouring ourselves into it, meditating upon it, digesting it. God’s word will bring fruit from within us as it purifies and restores us. These, said Jesus, are the conditions for asking whatever you wish and to have it done for you. The interesting thing to note is that when we are in such a deep relationship with Jesus, our a

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! ~ Luke 11:13 Most parents want to give good things to their children. Most parents make mistakes in child rearing, yet, it does not stop them from wanting more for those they have borne and are raising. Jesus is saying that He acknowledges our brokenness as parents, yet He also sees how our hearts yearn for our children to do well in life, or to have we did not have, or, to be given in exceeding to what we did have! The majority of parents want their children to be blessed. We all know that it is not always so, that there are parents who are evil to the point of destroying their children in the emotional and sometimes physical way. These parents are themselves very broken, very damaged, very hurt. Our God cannot be compared to earthly parents. There is no basis on which we can do this, for God as our Father, as our Par

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him ~ Psalm 103:13 After the age of 8 years old, I never had a father figure in the home, so this verse in the human way does not strike a chord of depth within me. I can remember fun times before my father left us, but those are vague. Some of you may not even have had what I had for perhaps your human father was never around, or left you before you have even faith memories. And, truth be told, fathers come in all sizes and shapes and with all different characteristics. Some are good, and some are not so good. When I became a Christian, things changed. I now have a heavenly Father, and in Him I find that He is compassionate and caring. He watches over me and my children and grandchildren as I pray and seek His hand over their life. This is even though they may not be aware of it. He is my provider and helps me with making my financial ends meet, and He has blessed me with brothers and sister

Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing ~ Psalm 34:10b There is an advantage of seeking the Lord, for the one who seeks always finds. Jesus does not play hide and seek with us, hiding behind a tree or a fence, testing to see if we will keep searching until we are worn out from it. We search for One who is near to us, who delights in being found, in having communion with those who seek for Him. For the truth be told, when I am seeking for Him, He has already been seeking for me. God provides all that I need to find Him, namely, that if I turn my thoughts toward Him, if I desire Him, He will be found. God is everything to us, or should be, and everything else in comparison is nothing, therefore, if I want Him, I will find Him. If we seek Him in truth, what we find will be what we need. What we do not need, we will not get. Devotion by Pastor Julia 

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe ~ Proverbs 18:10 Names both describe us and distinguish us from each other. The name of God describes His character as it has been revealed to us, and most certainly, Lord, or Jehovah, tells us He is the existent one, from the beginning of time. He is full of compassion, ready to forgive, and here, we are reminded He is a strong tower. Towers of old were built to be a secure place, a place where harm could not reach. The tower was fortified and usually built on a solid foundation. Most certainly the foundation of our God is strong and secure, He is faithful, He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is dependable, and in Him we can place our every confidence. He is our defence, He is our salvation. Devotion by Pastor Julia

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear; though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging ~ Psalm 46:1-3 If you ever feel you need to flee the circumstances of life, the one sure place where you can run, is into the arms of Jesus. In times of trouble, or danger, the people of God find in Him a refuge found no where else. Any anxiety or sorrow which may come upon you, any doubts that may overwhelm you, and you can come into the safe haven of our Lord and there you will find peace. Thomas Carlyle wrote: “a sure stronghold our God is He, a timely shield and weapon; our help He’ll be, and set us free from every can happen. And were the world with devils filled, all eager to devour us, our souls to fear shall little yield, they cannot overpower us.” The Lord has been found, by experience, to be a great helper in all kinds of trouble.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5 Most often we hear these and the verses that follow read during a wedding ceremony, but initially they were written to a church which had discord within. Paul started to talk to them about love, and to their question, “How can we know what love is”, Paul writes it out so that they will know when and how to distribute this love he speaks so highly of. He gives in the end, thirteen notes of a charitable person. What he gives us, is that love is not simply an emotion, but it has a purpose and a principle. It sees that the happiness of another is accomplished, and in that accomplishment, the self finds love as well. It exists with the love of God, and is confirmed by the Holy Spirit. It encompasses Jesus’ command to love God above all and to love others as the self. It i

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God ~ Matthew 5:9 This saying comes from what are called the Beatitudes, from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus spoke to the crowds and uttered several ways in which His disciples would live life, this being one of them. Blessed are those who make peace, who bring about peace, who work for peace. Wars and divisions distract countries, families, and individuals from each other. Peace restores unity among brothers, and gives them one interest together in which to concentrate. A peacemaker, instead of bringing about a state of war, will use his or her influence to bring wisdom and peace, promoting reconciliation. Our God is the Father of Peace, and the Gospel is one of peace and love. Devotion by Pastor Julia

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth ~ Acts 1:8 We do not witness by our own power, we do not live in our own power, we do not praise God from our own power! All the power we have comes from the Holy Spirit, and His presence is known within our own spirit. To the first disciples, these words were said to console them; the Holy Spirit would come to them and grant them the power of speaking with new tongues and to preach the gospel with great effect. When exactly this would happen, they did not know. Then Pentecost arrived, and the Holy Spirit fire fell upon them and a wind blew amongst them, and Jesus breathed His Holy Spirit into them! And in great boldness they came out from hiding in that upper room and proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ! And that same Holy Spirit is breathed into us, and we too have the power from Him to witness to the ends of th

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you ~ John 14:26 The day of Pentecost refers to the festival celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover, also known as the "Feast of Weeks" and the "Feast of 50 days" in rabbinic tradition. In Christian tradition, Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the followers of Christ while they were in Jerusalem. On that day, and when a believer accepts Jesus Christ as Saviour, the Holy Spirit came to reside in men and women, and to take up residence within. So, come Holy Spirit, come! Fill us anew! Speak into our hearts and minds your truth, grant to us your discernment as we walk through this life. Teach us and change us to be more like Jesus. Come and edify us with the Word of God. Plead our cause before our heavenly Father, and grant to us the peace that passes all understanding. May

He has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time ~ 2 Timothy 1:9 Before the beginning to time, God had planned for Jesus to become our Redeemer, our way back to Him from beyond the curtain. Once sin entered this world through the “first Adam”, God was concealed to mankind, speaking through prophets and leaders, and behind the Holy of Holies in the temple. God prepared His grand purpose out of His great love and grace, making it so that we did not have to earn our way into His goodness, but so that all we had to do was return His great love. His salvation is a gift! That gift calls us to move from our past into a new future. All that was behind, is gone forever, and all that is before, will open up in wonder as we move forward with the Lord in us, and surrounding us. And in that new life we are daily sanctified, becoming more and more li

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you ~ Isaiah 26:3 In Hebrew, “perfect peace” is in fact, “peace, peace,” thereby placing emphasis upon the word. It essentially means “undisturbed.” It speaks of a mind which has confidence in God and is not agitated by the trials which might come upon it by persecution, poverty, sickness, or bereavement. Isaiah writes and speaks to a people who had been taken away to the distant land of Babylon, and been subjected to many trials there, while also stripped of their country and honour. They lived as prisoners and captives. Yet they still trusted in their God and that He would and could deliver them. Their minds were fixed on God, just as we now fix our minds on His Son, Jesus Christ. We are grounded and rooted in Him, and nothing can sever that relationship, or us from His love. Our God is faithful and sure, His covenant is faultless and steadfast. If you are undergoing trials today, keep your mi

I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth ~ Job 19:25 I know my Jesus lives, and I know He will return, and I know that when He does, all those who do not recognize Him now, will submit to Him then. I know that when He does stand on the earth there may be some I know and care for who will then see what I saw when I turned my life over to Jesus. A Lord and Saviour who brought me out of the miry clay and redeemed me from the depths. Job suffered in the miry clay of sores, and death, and great loss, yet he could look to His Saviour, his God and know that no matter what happened in this life, God had control and would not lose Job’s world to chaos, though Job felt it already was. It was not that Job deserved his trials, but he was certainly tested through them. Have faith if you are being held under scrutiny for your belief in a living Redeemer. Once day, every knee will bow at the name of Jesus. Devotion by Pastor Julia  

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need ~ Hebrews 4:16 Some people tremble at the feet of those in authority, fearing for their lives. We are taught from the time we are young to respect authority, and sometimes it can be overbearing, instilling a fear which is immovable. God’s throne is one of grace, willing His people to come close, and to come with the confidence that He will hear and answer. God knows what is in our heart, yet still He wants to hear us pray to Him, to seek Him, to draw near to Him. We may wonder why, if He knows me through and through, why do I need to come before His throne to receive the grace that will help me in my time of need? He knows my needs, He knows my problems and issues in life, why then should I have to speak them? It is quite simple really. He wants to know you as a friend and friends communicate with each other. Friends ask freely of each other and d

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world ~ 1 John 2:1, 2 John’s words are familiar to those spoken by Paul in Romans 6, though John is the only one to use the word “Advocate” in reference to Christ. Paul speaks about grace freeing us from sin, whereas John speaks directly that though we are Christ followers, we may still sin. Paul speaks rather subtly about the fact that we are still creatures which can be ruled by sin if we give in to our temptations. The defining difference now is, if we sin, we are not cast out from God’s sight, for Jesus died for our sins and for the sins of the whole world. This does not mean we do not need to acknowledge our sin or repent for our sin, we most certainly do, but when we miss the mark, Jesus stands in our place to reconcile

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us ~ Romans 8:18 It is far easier to look to the eternal, to heavens joy, when life is treating us well, but we have a harder time looking ahead when our eyes are caught up with the troubles of now. Then we are like Peter whom Jesus called out of the boat in the midst of the sea. Our eyes turn to the waves around us and we begin to sink. Our present suffering may be severe, and no doubt every person has troubles and anxieties to bear, and sometimes those burdens come because we follow Christ. Paul puts the emphasis on comparison though, as he writes that what we suffer now is temporary, the glory however, is eternal. This is the difference between us and people who do not believe in God. Our temporary pains will end in joy; theirs will not. And this joy or glory is not yet revealed, it is a secret, yet, it is already in being; it is prepared for us. So, how do we handle our pres

Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honour ~ Proverbs 21:21 It only stands to reason that if I pursue righteousness and life, I will find the blessings of life, yet, do I always remember to pursue the right things in life? That is my big question this morning. In every person there are many opposite virtues. Think of someone who is gentle yet courageous, or full of energy yet very patient, and this one small aspect of God’s character - justice and mercy. Justice alone marks a character of deficiency; it could be trusted by not loved. Mercy is the other side – it makes one weak when not countered with justice. The object of this proverb is goodness, the true pursuit of all people. Or, it should be. Holiness and happiness are inseparable. Love is not that love which is self-seeking, but it is love which is self-denying and compassionate. Both of these, righteousness and love, stem from within a person but both are other orientated. What will benefit th

Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them ~ Titus 3:10 In today’s world, we would call this divisive person a heretic, or one whom has created a division as a result of self-will, doing the teaching they chose, independent of the teaching of the church. Paul says that we should avoid these people, for reasons that there would be no end of the quarreling and disputing which would take place between the parties. As he says, this continual battling is the cunning of Satan, who finds power is the division of God’s people. Now, we must be very careful here not to call every dissenter a heretic. There are times when the correction of God is given to us through others, and we must know whether the “will” in the wrong place is theirs, or ours. Paul is talking specifically about those who would hold, cherish, defend an erroneous or perverse doctrine. Differences do arise in God’s people, but when handled with two parties who ar