What if God was true, but on a limited basis? This would be a cause for great concern; however, this is quelled by the fact that He is both true and faithful.
God has a calling on each man’s life. Furthermore, He enables men to fulfill their appointed work. Man, however, must be strong and DO the work.
Elijah was a good man who loved the Lord. He could not bear the thought of the people of God rebelling against the Lord. Although misguided into thinking that he was the only remaining person who cared about the things of God, he certainly did care. Elijah took things personally when the people forsook the Lord’s covenant, threw down His altars, and killed His prophets. Elijah constantly pleaded with them to make things right. The apostle Paul felt the same way, but his feelings even extended to a jealousy over the people of God (2 Corinthians 11:2). Unfortunately, few people today seem to take such a personal interest in the Lord or His people.
Biblically speaking, a man’s name is equal to his character (Proverbs 22:1). This is why God’s character is often defined by His name. Faithful and true are two words that describe the very nature of God, but they are also names by which the Son of God will be called at His second advent (Revelation 19:11). Even the name Jesus was associated with the person and work of our Lord (Matthew 1:21). These names, and many more like them, are well known to believers, but few know that the Lord’s name is also said to be Jealous. Why? Because that is who He is! He is the One true and living God who demands man’s sole attention. Just as He is Faithful and True, God is also Jealous.
Learning how to be the right kind of steward can seem difficult, but never without reward. The Lord Jesus taught and explained His parables of stewardship. In these teachings, He presented the faithful steward receiving his reward at the time of accounting for his stewardship. The apostle Paul confessed this truth in 1 Corinthians 9:17 when he said, “if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward.” Paul knew God had a special calling upon his life and also knew he would stand before God to give account for his service. In like manner, each believer will one day stand before the Master (Jesus Christ) to give an account of his stewardship. Those who have served as good stewards will receive reward, while those who failed to do so will suffer loss (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
Loyalty may seem to go unobserved but eventually yields unexpected and momentous dividends. The story of Esther’s uncle uniquely exemplifies this point. Mordecai sat in the king’s gate in Shushan. One day, while he sat in the gate, he overheard two men plotting to kill the king. When Mordecai heard the news, he immediately repeated these words to Queen Esther, thus foiling the plot. The two men were tried, found guilty, and ultimately executed. At first, Mordecai’s loyalty seemed to remain unnoticed, but one night the king was troubled and could not sleep. His servants, by divine providence, read the record of Mordecai’s loyalty to him (Esther 6:1-3). Soon thereafter, Mordecai’s loyalty was rewarded (Esther 6:4-11). His loyalty most likely saved his life and spared the lives of countless Jews (see Esther chapter 7).
Two of the greatest opportunities within godly homes revolve around time spent at the family altar and time spent together at the supper table. Both interactions help to develop a cohesive family unit and an unbreakable bond. The family altar helps the family to get to know the Lord while the family table enables the family to get to know each other. The psalmist speaks of the blessing of having children around the table (Psalm 128:3). Some may wonder if this is some other table, but the context of Psalm 128:2 is that of a meal. Families historically placed great importance upon gathering together around the table as much as possible. Today’s disintegrating familial unit usually has each person grabbing his or her own food only to rush off into some other room for work or pleasure. These times of gathering need to be given precedence in order to offer any hope of restoring the family unit.
This passage provides some of the last recorded words from Paul to Timothy. In it, Paul charged Timothy to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2), “watch thou in all things, endure afflictions,” and “make full proof” of his ministry (2 Timothy 4:5). Paul then focused Timothy’s attention toward Paul’s departure from this world. The three statements in 2 Timothy 4:7 point to Paul’s life of diligence. Paul had fought the fight, finished his course, and kept the faith. He certainly could be viewed by none as a lazy man. In fact, Paul was far from slothful, warning others day and night (Acts 20:31). Before salvation, Paul worked hard to destroy Christians and Christianity. After he learned the truth, he determined to give his best to the Lord and His work.
