Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- April 21, 2012
“This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.” Revelation 14:12
Faithfulness tends to be practiced by the few. However, for all committed followers of Christ, the clarion call is to remain faithful. He is the object of your adoration and your obedience, and He deserves and desires your faithfulness. It should be easier to remain faithful when the object of your faithfulness is as pure as the driven snow.
There is nothing about Jesus that doesn’t elicit faithfulness. His fairness invites faithfulness; His grace and generosity generate faithfulness; His love longs for faithfulness; His holiness inspires faithfulness; His compassion creates faithfulness; His forgiveness foretells faithfulness; His judgment motivates faithfulness; His life models faithfulness. Jesus remained faithful to the very end and, in Him, so can you.
Is there anything about Jesus that keeps you from remaining faithful? Who else can you go to for eternal life (John 6:68)? Faithfulness to Jesus is par for the Christian life. He is the standard by which you live. Even under the onslaught of illness, you remain faithful. As circumstances around you crumble, you remain faithful. When people mistreat and misunderstand you, you remain faithful.
If you lose your job, you remain faithful. When a close friend lets you down and rejects you, you still remain faithful to Jesus. Faithfulness to Jesus is the chorus of Christian living. Moreover, His faithfulness to you is the measure of your capacity to remain faithful. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit’s power in your life provides you with the capability to remain faithful.
Remaining faithful to people is a natural byproduct of remaining faithful to Jesus. People can be disappointing and downright disturbing. But your faithfulness may be the very thing that draws them to Jesus. Certainly, your remaining faithful will give them pause to reflect on your radical love and forgiveness. Faithfulness reminds people of truth. Paul said, “I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus…” (1 Corinthians 4:17).
Therefore, make it a goal to remain faithful to an “undeserving” relative or friend. This becomes a magnet attracting them to God, and not a detour to the devil. You may need to dissolve a working partnership, but you can still salvage the relationship. You can remain faithful even when the other party doesn’t. Let your faithfulness, not your feelings, be the gauge for your giving, your service, your forgiveness, and your love. Above all else, remain faithful to Jesus, for He is the Faithful One.
Taken from April 19th reading in the 365-day devotional book, “Seeking Daily the Heart of God”… http://bit.ly/bQHNIE
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Thank you for the timely Word. As always thank you for being used by God!
So live it don’t just talk it!
Please make note of my new email address for my daily devotional. Thank you!
I pray that this email isn’t all about me. Hopefully, there are millions of people who read this very same email. No revisions.
But please do not speak illness over me.
“Even after the onslaught of illness…you remain faithful.”
It is annoying that many people are taking the easy way out and focusing/placing all of their unhappiness or discomforts, misunderstandings, etc. on me.
This is too deep for me. I am a woman from the hood. But unfortunately, instead of people dealing with or focusing on the real issues (many of their own) they have decided that I am the focal point. (I AM NOT JESUS!!!) Jesus died for me as well.
Hi… Purely technical comment. I love the new format. I do have a question – for those of us who need bigger, bolder print, how can i increase the font / page size? The old format allowed use of the magnifying tool, but i do not see that tool available here. Perhaps other users have found solutions?
Your message speaks to me every day. Thank you.
Your devotionals are now coming to me in an overlapping/jammed together format that makes it extremely difficult to read.
Please email rita@wisdomhunters.com with you old and new email address and she will take care of this for you.
I am a kenyan saved and christ is my savior,i will like to ask the team to visit kenya for sharing the word of christ,cause his kingdom is around.Isaih;18,and zakaria;4-5.