BE CONSISTENTLY FAITHFUL
BREAD
1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (NIV)
17 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 (NIV)
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved–and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. Philippians 1:27-30 (NIV)
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. Acts 9:36-42 (NIV)
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:7-10 (NIV)
19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. Romans 16:19 (NIV)
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:21-26 (NIV)
BUTTER
“Culture that is fixated on stardom misses the rising sun of extraordinary people doing holy, ordinary work….The soul was never made to carry the weight of Fame. Fame can only be carried by the One who could carry the weight of the world on that Cross.” Ann Voskamp
“A life well lived is simply a life filled with continual ordinary obedience in doing the next right thing particularly when no one sees, when no one is watching. No fireworks go off, no horns blow, no grand applause from an adoring audience. It is living the one life we have been given for an audience of the One Who gave it to us, for His pleasure for our good. Being a follower of sweet Jesus will always boil down to a matter of our faithful ordinary obedience. And will always lead to a life well lived.” BHY
“I owe my conversion to Christ to an unknown person, who certainly was no minister in the ordinary acceptation of the term; but who could say this much, ‘Look unto Christ and be saved, all ye ends of the earth.’” Charles H. Spurgeon
“Every miracle always begins with the first ordinary step of faithfulness.” Ann Voskamp
“God is looking for courageous believers who will rely on His power to work in and through them to accomplish all He has planned for them to do. He is scouting for followers who will obey Him regardless of their present fears or past failures. He is looking for men and women who know they are good enough because of His power working in them and through them. God chooses to do extraordinary work through ordinary people who will bring glory to His name. Men and women who know they are not good enough in their own strength but are incredibly powerful in God’s strength, slay the giants of this world.” Sharon Jaynes
“Every time we resist the slightest temptation, we honor God. Every time we overcome even the smallest problem by trusting and obeying our Lord Jesus, God is glorified in our lives. Whenever we choose character over convenience, faithfulness over ease, or honesty over deceit, we bring honor to the Lord Himself.” Robert J. Morgan
“Use your gifts faithfully, and they shall be enlarged.” Matthew Arnold
“Habits are to the soul what veins are to the blood. The very course of our life depends on them. Random acts of greatness pale in comparison to habitual acts of faithfulness.” Ann Voskamp
“The faithful person lives constantly with God.” Clement of Alexandria
“Our significance isn’t found in fame or fortune, but in knowing that we have been links in God’s chain. Our faithfulness to Him, even in obscurity, will yield results that can only be calculated in eternity…..Our only duty in life is to be faithful to all the work the Lord assigns.” Robert J. Morgan
“Kara Tippetts died March 22 following a 2.5-year battle with breast cancer. She was 38 years old, the wife of a Colorado pastor/church planter, and the mother of four young children ages 3-12. Kara blogged about her journey with cancer on her web site which was appropriately named Mundane Faithfulness. Kara chose that name based on a Martin Luther quote, “What will you do in these days of mundane faithfulness?” Last fall Kara stepped into the national spotlight when she penned a letter to 29-year-old Brittany Maynard, the Oregon young woman who gained notoriety for championing her own assisted suicide. Maynard, in light of her own terminal diagnosis from brain cancer, chose to end her life on her own terms in an effort to avoid undue suffering for both her loved ones and herself. Tippetts, dying of cancer herself, wrote Maynard an open letter which stated unequivocally: your life matters, your story matters, and your suffering matters.” Donna Evans
“The kind that made a vow and had the bravery to let it age. The wrinkled faithfulness of monogamy. How she said that the bravest love is wildly faithful and it falls hard again every morning. It knows what we seek may be found in what we already have…It’s grace and fresh gratitude that can make us strong enough to marvel in the seeming monotony of anything. And the happily married have eyes that look long enough to make the familiar new. When he comes up behind me and hugs me at the stove, I still whisper it to him: “I still can’t really believe I get to be married to you.” Ann Voskamp
“Faithfulness rarely feels heroic; it feels much more like showing up and hanging in. It is a matter of going to our cell, whatever form that might take, and letting it teach us what it will. Availing himself (Brother Lawrence) to consistent faithfulness yielded the blessing of both proficiency and presence—the presence of God—right there in midst of the monotony of dirty pots and pans.” Margaret Guenther
“I do not pray for success. I pray for faithfulness.” Mother Teresa
“We’re pilgrims on the journey Of the narrow road And those who’ve gone before us line the way Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace. Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses Let us run the race not only for the prize But as those who’ve gone before us Let us leave to those behind us The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives. After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone And our children sift through all we’ve left behind May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find. Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful May the fire of our devotion light their way May the footprints that we leave Lead them to believe And the lives we live inspire them to obey Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.” Steve Green Lyrics
HEART SAVOR
• God has called His children to a life of faithfulness wherever He has placed us.
• It is through His power that we are able to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel and please Him in all that we say and do think. He desires for our lives to prove His Words are true by our faithful actions.
• May those who come behind us find us faithful.
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