SCRIPTURE
“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you the Devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.” Revelation 2:10
SPOTLIGHT
In Yellowstone National Park, there is a geyser which ejects a consistent beautiful column of water and steam 100, to 180 feet into the air, every 60 to 110 minutes. No wonder this wonder is called, “Old Faithful.” Oh, that churches today were filled with both young and old “faithfuls.” I am speaking of believers being faithful to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love their neighbors like themselves. I am thinking of believers intentionally sharing their faith in the marketplace. I am talking about the great need today for Christians to follow and serve Jesus, not out of obligation, but because they consider it their greatest privilege and responsibility.
Fear is the great challenger of faithfulness to Jesus Christ. People fear about witnessing and taking a stand for their Christian values, because they may lose a job promotion, be laughed at, or disrespected. The Apostle John warned the Christians in Smyrna not to be afraid but to PROVE TO BE FAITHFUL. In the Scripture text above, he pointed out that the devil uses people, causing believers to suffer, be imprisoned, and even die for their faith in Jesus Christ. Faithfulness to Jesus is what is most important, regardless of what people might accuse you of, or what the government might threaten to do. The faithful believer wins the victorious crown. The Smyrna believers knew this as the winners’ crown, which was awarded at the annual athletic games. James reinforced the same point when he wrote, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” [James 1:12.]
As the world approaches the end times, so Christian persecution will increase. As the world continues to turn, it is going to become more challenging to live for Jesus. God’s people need to prove to be faithful now because it is going to be even harder to be faithful in the future. Peter wrote to suffering Christians saying, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.… Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” [ 1Peter 4:10,12.] Being responsible and being reliable, are signs of stability in the Christian life. They are strong evidences of Christian maturity. Such a person can be counted on. He, or she, will be faithful in giving his, or her treasures, time and talents to God. The story is told about a little boy who was heading out for Sunday school on a very stormy Sunday morning. A family member said, “No one will be there. The weather is too bad.” Confidently, the youngster responded, “Oh, yes there will. My teacher is always there.” The Sunday school teacher was not just an example of faithfulness, but had produced another generation of faithfulness.
My friend, Reverend John Lacho, pastored the Apostolic Church in Bratislava, Slovakia, during the time of the Communist regime. His country was combined with another country and named Czechoslovakia. Today, there are now 2 countries and his church is known as BCC – Bratislava City Church. He told me many stories as to how the protection of God became very apparent and real. Often, he repeated these words, “It was not easy….it was crazy!” John lived outside of the city, in the country. His home became a drop off point for Bibles and Christian literature. In the morning, he would go out to his garden and not find vegetables, but bags of Bibles, Christian books and tracks that had been thrown over the fence the previous night. One time when he was traveling with some people from Slovakia to Romania, he was stopped at the Romanian border where the police thoroughly searched his car. If they discovered Bibles, he and his friends would have been imprisoned. When one policeman looked in the car trunk and took out the spare tire where the Bibles were hidden under plastic, the officer did not see them. In John’s own words, “It was like God put a wall over his eyes so he could not see the Bibles.”
In the USA, Christians, who make up the church today, need a revival of faithfulness. I am not speaking of a revival of obligation or guilt. Faithfulness to God reflects a person’s true spiritual state. Faithfulness is one of the Fruit of the Spirit. [Galatians 5:22.] A believer who is filled with the Spirit will allow the Holy Spirit to produce faithfulness in his/ her character. My friend, John Lacho, is an example of faithfulness. He jeopardized his life because he was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.
In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, you have many people who loved and trusted God. They were identified as proving to be faithful. Enoch walked faithfully with God. [Genesis 5:22,24.] So did Noah. [Genesis 6:9.] Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully. [Genesis 48:15.] So did Moses. [Numbers 12:7.] In Revelation, the last book of the Bible, this strong reminder to PROVE TO BE FAITHFUL is given. In the end times, Christian persecution will increase.
PROVE TO BE FAITHFUL. The Bible says, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” [1 Corinthians 4:2.] You have been given the gift of salvation and you have been adopted by God into His family. Timothy was faithful. Paul said, “For this reason 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, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.” [1 Corinthians 4:17.]
May someone salute you for your faithfulness, the way the Apostle John did when he wrote, “It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth, and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” [1 John 3,4.]
SOMETHING TO DO
Read about Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Moses. Why were they faithful?
What do you have to change in your life in order to be described as a faithful person who walks with God?
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, You have always been faithful to me and I know that will never change. Please forgive me for not always being faithful to You. Today I am asking that the Holy Spirit would teach me and empower me to be more faithful to You. I want people to remember my life as someone who walked closely with You. AMEN.