Tag Archives: faithfulness

November 14
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“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22, NIV)

Information. Inspiration. Perspiration.

Information is knowledge. God presents every person with the information that leads to life and peace.

Inspiration is the desire to act on that information. It is the bright light of revelation. It is the “I get it” moment. The devil attacks at the moment of inspiration to delay or to detour our engagement.  These sidetracks (often very rational, convenient, and well-reasoned) are effective because they keep us on the sidelines or altogether away from God’s work and, thereby, damping the ardor of the Spirit at work within us.

Perspiration is the work of taking information — fueled by inspiration — to reality. Information and inspiration without perspiration is akin to having a construction blueprint and all building materials at hand, but never breaking ground. Nothing of either temporal or eternal value is established or sustained without perspiration.

Get informed. Get motivated. Get to work.  – Luther

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October 30
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“Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.” (Hebrews 11:35, NIV)

Every follower of Jesus should read the entirety of chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews to grasp the fact that current-day faithfulness does not guarantee current-day success.

While it is true that God blesses His faithful ones, we err when we begin to think that these “rewards” all come our current life; or at times when we think we would derive the most benefit from them. Some rewards — like some punishments, for reasons known only to God — are reserved for life after life.

To be a true person of faith requires that we continue to believe (and act in accordance with that belief) although we have yet to receive that for which we hope. It is not always an easy day.

However, as the writer of Hebrews assures us in verse 1: This is what the ancients were commended for by God.  – Luther

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September 17
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“Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.” (Proverbs 24: 19-20, NIV)

When it seems that evil and the servants of evil have gotten the upper hand, the word of God reminds us to “not fret” because “the evildoer has no future hope.”

The resistance of evil can be wearying to the spirit because there never seems to be an end to it. Evil seems to be everywhere and in everything; and its agents seem to thwart even the smallest grace.

Even so, remain faithful to the word of God and to the leading of the spirit of God. There is no future in the practice of wickedness; and there is no hope for the agents of evil. The extent to which we are able to confront evil without becoming like it; and to resist evil without losing heart, is a measure of our faith.  – Luther

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