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In Devotions

Fleeting Faithfulness

February 18, 2020 3 Comments

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:23, NIV.

I love that this scripture doesn’t say,

“Well done thy good and…

prosperous
talented
successful
ambitious … person, mother, employee.”

It says, faithful servant. Both servanthood and faithfulness are fleeting characteristics in our world. Commitments are lacking and promises are broken all of the time.

Also, not many people desire to be a servant of the Lord. Too many people are trying to make a name for themselves by growing their online presence and climb a professional hierarchy. There is nothing wrong with having influence or affluence, but if it’s costing you from becoming a true servant of the Lord, it is not worth the investment. Ask yourself, “Am I more concerned with building my earthly kingdom, rather than building the Kingdom of God?”

We can’t get so busy with life that we forget about eternity.

Being faithful is so important. The main literary component of faithful is the word faith. Faith in God is the foundational block of our relationship with Him.

Scriptures of Faith

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7.
“By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.” Hebrews 11:2
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18.
“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Hebrews 11:7

These scriptures prove that having faith in God will lead to faithfulness in God. When we trust that He is our substance, our reward, our righteousness—our everything—then our faithfulness to Him will come naturally.

Prayer: Lord, I do not want to have fleeting faithfulness when living for You gets difficult. I desire to be Your faithful servant, in better or worse, in sickness and in health—through everything and at all times. In Jesus name.

In Devotions

Be Still

February 17, 2020 No Comments

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 I don’t like sitting still. I am the type of person who tries to accomplish something in thirty seconds while I heat my coffee in the microwave. When I watch a movie, I break it into two to three segments…

In Devotions

Is This the One?

February 16, 2020 No Comments

“As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.” (Proverbs 27:19, ESV) If you have ever gone on a job interview, you probably did your best to make a good first impression. Hopefully, you dressed neatly, combed your hair, and had good hygiene. (And turned…

In Devotions

Continual Praise

February 15, 2020 No Comments

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13: 15, NKJV)

Is it possible to live a lifestyle of constant praise? What would our lives be like if we were to develop the habit of constant God-consciousness? To acknowledge Him as part of every moment of every day sounds like a blessed way to live.

Why Is Praise Important?

To list the many reasons praise is important would be a lengthy task—if even possible. We could note God’s love, goodness, mercy, power, greatness, compassion, majesty—and on and on. Psalm 48:1 declares, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised.” He is worthy of our adoration. Let’s look at a few of the reasons we should continually praise.

Praise draws us closer to God. Psalm 22:3 assures us He inhabits the praises of His people. When we offer God our praise, we are aligning ourselves with His plan and purpose. We acknowledge His sovereignty in our lives and bask in His love. The more we praise, the deeper our relationship grows.

Praise reminds us of God’s mercy and salvation. It would be impossible to praise God enough for giving Himself as the sacrifice for our sins. His mercy is new each morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), and the rising of the sun ushers in a new day to thank and praise Him for that mercy. “I will rejoice in thy salvation,” (Psalm 9:14).

Praise invites God into our daily lives. Psalm 34:1 says we are to bless the Lord at all times and continually offer Him praise. In the good times, the bad times, and all times in between. It should become as much a habit to us as breathing, our automatic response to the goodness of Almighty God.

Praise brings victory. Regardless of the circumstance, we can praise our way to victory. In II Chronicles 20, the Israelites went into battle singing and praising God, and victory followed. In Acts 16:25-26, Paul and Silas sang praises, and God shook the prison foundations in response. God will respond to our praise with victory also.

If We Don’t Praise . . . What Then?

Luke 19:28-40 records Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This happened just days before His betrayal and crucifixion. But on this day, the crowds were wildly praising God as loudly as possible for all the mighty works they had seen. Some of the Pharisees did not appreciate this display of emotional worship and demanded of Jesus, “Master, rebuke thy disciples.” But Jesus responded, “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (verse 40).

Each of us praises God in our own special way. Some sing, some whisper soft words of adoration, and others joyfully call out to Him. Whatever our style of worship and praise, it involves our heart speaking to His. Fill every day with praise. God finds it beautiful.

“Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.” (Psalm 33:1, NKJV)

(Study Suggestion: Using a concordance or Bible app, search out more scriptures on praise and its importance in our daily walk with God. You may also wish to journal new ways you can integrate praise into your life each day)

In Devotions

Respect: Society’s Glue

February 14, 2020 No Comments

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” (Titus 3:1-2, English Standard Version) I don’t think it’s my imagination…

In Devotions

Influenced or Influencer?

February 13, 2020 No Comments

So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed” . . . But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a…

In Devotions

The Cheering Squad

February 12, 2020 No Comments

“Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member, so that there may be no division in the body, but the members may have mutual concern for one another. If one member suffers, everyone suffers with it. If a member is honored, all rejoice with it.” (I Corinthians 12:24-26, New English Translation).

I’ve never been a real sports fan, but I know how important the crowd’s cheering is to those playing the game. Clapping, shouting, whistling, chanting—the roar of the crowd can lift flagging spirits and help them push on to victory.

Everyone, whether in sports or in life, needs a cheering section—people who give us that extra boost when life drags us down. And a “well done” when we’ve succeeded.

I once worked with someone who was going through a difficult time. Although we weren’t close friends, I tried to offer encouragement. I remember saying, “At least you have a good support system to help you through this.” She looked at me blankly and said, “I don’t have a support system.” Although successful in her profession, she apparently did not have any close friends to lean upon when life blindsided her. I could not relate to what she said. In addition to my close friends, I felt I had a whole church body ready to encourage me and pray for me whenever I might need help. I was part of a community of caring people. I now realize not everyone is so fortunate. I feel blessed.

The passage in I Corinthians 12 speaks of the body of Christ and the place each of us fills within that body. I love the New English Translation which speaks of our “mutual concern for one another.” Within that community of believers, we are loved. We are important to each other. A whole team is ready to cheer us on as we run our race—our own special cheering squad. If we suffer because of difficult circumstances, they suffer with us. If something wonderful happens, they rejoice with us. We don’t face life alone. We have God, and we have our brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you are on my cheering squad, then I need to be on yours as well. Don’t be embarrassed or hide your difficult times from me. I want to pray for you and with you. I want to support you in any way I can. But it’s not just about the bad times. Include me in the happy times too. Please share your successes and joys so I can rejoice with you. We are in this together!

When my church family cheers me on, I feel—

that I’m included and not facing life alone
that I matter to them
that they enjoy my successes, free of jealousy
that their encouragement motivates me to keep trying
that I have hope

“Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing” (I Thessalonians 5:11, NET).

Prayer: Lord, thank You for those You have placed in my life to strengthen and encourage me during the difficult times and to rejoice with me when good things come my way. Help me to show the same love and concern for others as they show to me. You are the One who demonstrates to us what true love and compassion look like. Thank You for the privilege of being part of this body of believers.