Faithfulness Is The Habit Of Spiritual Dependency

The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – FAITHFULNESS #2

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

Trusting In Our Lord Jesus Christ

In Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT says, “5  Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6  Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”

In Malachi 3:10-12 AMPC says, “10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it”, says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 2:2.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruits before the time in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight”, says the Lord of hosts.

If the people would obey God, giving as they should, God would flood His people with blessings. There would be an overabundance of God’s blessing if He was given what He requested.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart – This is the center and marrow of true wisdom (Proverbs 22:19; 28:25; Psalm 37:3-5). It involves both a positive, dependent reliance on God and a negative warning against the arrogant hubris or pride that illicit types of wisdom may arouse (1 Corinthians 8:1). Rationale: ways – Cf. 2:8, 12 and Psalm 1:6. acknowledge – by seeking God’s wise aid (Proverbs16:3; Psalm 37:5; Jeremiah 9:23, 24). He shall direct – rather, “make straight” (RSV, NIV) (cf. Hebrews 12:13).

In Hebrews 12:12-13 NLT says, “12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.”

This passage vividly pictures God as a challenging coach who pushes us to our limits, encouraging us beyond what we think we can attain. Tired hands want to stop working. The Christians were at the point of sheer exhaustion; morale was low. Rather than concede defeat, Born-Again Christians must take a new grip to make the effort and always be ready to endure. Discipline or persecution should not cause Christians to fear; instead, difficult times should encourage them to endure. Rather than dropping in defeat, Christians should stand firm – even when knees are weak and legs are shaky – in their confident expectation of Christ’s return (see Hebrews 10:37).

Most “paths” encountered in nature wind and dip along with the terrain. A straight path, however, has most likely been constructed by someone who took the effort to move the rocks, level out the holes, and even clear away little pebbles that would be hard on one’s feet. This picture of making a straight path ties in with the “righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11) that results in the life of a person who has faced discipline and has worked to remove any stumbling blocks that would impede progress. Hard work obviously helps, but it has another benefit for those who follow behind. Some who follow may indeed be weak and lame. We can help them not to stumble and fall by encouraging them and working hard to remove the obstacles that may be in the path.

As said throughout this epistle, Christians have the responsibility to encourage one another and to help those who are weak. If the original readers were contemplating a return to Jewish practices, their example would prove discouraging to new Christians. Instead of running in a straight, clear path, they would be adding hindrances and obstacles to the already difficult trip. Born-Again Christian believers must not live with only survival in mind – others will follow their example.

Faithfulness simply means God can count on us. He can count on us to be positive when others are negative. He can count on us to obey when others are disobedience. He can count on us to follow when others  bail out because of the steepness of the ascent, or climb. Faithfulness is the quality that honors God with obedience – joyous obedience. A faithfulness that grumbles at the requirements of God is not faithfulness at all. It is only grudging acquiescence or grudging agreement.

In Hebrews 13:5-8 NLT says, “5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” 7 Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Another command for the believers’ private lives concerned material needs: Stay away from the love of money. This was also commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13) and Paul (1 Timothy 3:3; 6:10). Materialistic cravings and greed are a great evil because they show dependence on money rather than on our Lord Jesus Christ. Materialism is the antithesis of Hebrews chapters 11–12, where a life pursuing heavenly rather than earthly rewards is extolled. Materialism also demonstrates that someone cares more about items they can see than about spiritual promises that they cannot presently see.

The antidote to greed is contentment, so the writer says, be satisfied with what you have. Again, this teaching was given by our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:31-34) and Paul (Philippians 4:11; 1 Timothy 6:6). Our contentment should be in what our Lord Jesus Christ gives, not in what we can achieve for ourselves. Money cannot save a soul from God’s punishment. Money cannot even bring contentment. Where money fails, God does not. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.“ When faith reminds us that God is in control, we remember that we have all we need.

Money cannot give security (Hebrews 13:5); only God can truly help us. While we are not guaranteed to have earthly possessions, we are guaranteed that God is our helper. He watches over His people and gives them what they need. Every believer, along with the psalmist (see Psalm 118:6), can say with confidence that the Lord is my helper. It must have been wonderful for these Jewish believers to realize that, when they became believers, the promises in the psalms could still be used as songs of praise!

When we are confident that God is our helper, we need not be afraid. If the King of the universe is on our side, what can mere mortals do? Granted, humans can take our possessions, mistreat us, throw us into prison, or even kill us. Humans cannot hurt our souls or affect our salvation (Matthew 10:28). With God as our helper, we truly have nothing to fear!

In Verse 7 says, means is next follows instructions about the religious life of his readers (see also Hebrews 13:17, 24). Their religious leaders had provided examples for others to follow. The leaders referred to here were most likely the founding Christians, the elders of the group who first taught them the word of God. Although these leaders had died, their influence remained, as evidenced by the existence of the communities of believers. These leaders had copied our Lord Jesus Christ’s example and the example of the great crowd of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1-2). Because they had trusted the Lord and done good, their lives were worth imitating.

Though times and leaders change, our Lord Jesus Christ does not. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the same all the time. He served faithfully yesterday (dying on the cross to make atonement for our sins; see Hebrews 2:17-18). He serves faithfully today (interceding for us at the right hand of God; see Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:25). He will remain faithful forever. Because of what He has done in the past and what He does in the present, He is sufficient for any need any Born-Again Christian believer will ever have. (See also Hebrews 1:12.)

Human leaders have much to teach us, and we can learn much from emulating them (Hebrews 13:7), but we must keep our eyes on our Lord Jesus Christ, our ultimate leader. Unlike any human leaders, He will never change. Our Lord Jesus Christ has been and will be the same forever. In a changing world we can trust our unchanging Lord.

The Message To the Church of Smyrna

In Revelation 2:8-11 NLT says, “8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive: 9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty – but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. 11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.”

Smyrna, like Ephesus, was a proud and beautiful city. Smyrna also had earned the right to be self-governing. It had a large library, stadium, and the largest public theater in Asia. The city had become a center for the cult of emperor worship. Smyrna received permission (over several other cities who requested) to build a temple to the emperor Tiberius in 23 B.C.. Under the emperor Domitian (who ruled from A.D. 81 to 96), emperor worship was required for all Roman citizens. Those who refused could receive the death penalty. Once a year, all citizens were required to burn incense on an altar to Caesar, after which they would receive a certificate proving that they had done their civil duty. While this was more an act of political loyalty than a religious act, the citizen had to say, while burning the incense, “Caesar is lord.” Many Christians considered this act blasphemous and refused to do it.
In addition to being a center for the imperial cult, Smyrna also had a large Jewish population that actively opposed the Christians. Thus, the church in this city struggled against two hostile forces: a Gentile population that was loyal to Rome and supported emperor worship and a large Jewish population strongly opposed to Christianity. Persecution and suffering were inevitable in that kind of environment.

The description of our Lord Jesus Christ given to this small church on the verge of being snuffed out by persecution is that our Lord Jesus Christ is the First and the Last, who died and is alive (see Revelation 1:17-18). Although this church was almost dead due to persecution, our Lord Jesus Christ was reminding them that He was sovereign and eternal. No matter what they faced, our Lord Jesus Christ already knew about it; as the “First and the Last,” nothing could take Him by surprise. Our Lord Jesus Christ identified Himself as the one who died and came back to life again. Even if believers have to suffer to the point of death, our Lord Jesus Christ, the one who “came to life again,” would raise them to eternal life with Him.

The church in Smyrna was suffering because of persecution, and believers faced poverty even in this wealthy city. This probably refers to material poverty because our Lord Jesus Christ immediately assured them that despite their poverty, they were rich – referring to their heavenly riches (see James 2:5). These Christians’ poverty may have come from sanctions against them as part of the persecution they faced.

Much of the persecution seems to have been coming from the Jews who, as noted above, were actively opposing Christianity. They may have claimed to have descended from Abraham, but true Jews (God’s people) are those who have accepted our Lord Jesus Christ as Messiah and Savior (Galatians 3:29). Because these Jews had rejected the Messiah, they were, in reality, no more than a synagogue of Satan (John 8:31-47). These Jews were serving Satan’s purposes, not God’s, when they gathered to worship, because they hated and persecuted the true people of God, the Christians.

Our Lord Jesus Christ told the believers in Smyrna, who had already been facing persecution and suffering, that they ought not to be afraid of what they were about to suffer. More was coming, yet they should remember that although the Jews and Roman authorities were carrying out the persecution, behind any actions against them was the devil himself. Satan would cause some of the believers to be thrown into prison and even be killed. The persecution would continue for ten days – probably symbolizing that although persecution would be intense, it would be relatively short and have a definite beginning and end. God was in complete control. The church was challenged to remain faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ even when facing death and they would receive the crown of life. Smyrna was famous for its athletic games. Each champion would receive a crown, a victory wreath. In ancient Rome this was the most sought-after prize. To have gained this wreath meant that one had done special acts for Rome and would be considered a patron of the Empire. This can be compared to being knighted in England. In contrast, those who have suffered for their faith will receive “the crown of life” in God’s Kingdom. Amen!

Let me encourage our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ, and I want my readers to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because all, we as Born-Again Christian believers are strong in certain areas and weak in others, we constantly need to monitor the effects of our behavior on others.

In these FAITHFULNESS Series of Podcast, we will learn the following PURPOSES of this fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT:

1. God’s Blessings On Faithfulness – Podcast Faithfulness #1
2. A Persistent Commitment To The Right – Podcast Faithfulness #2
3. No Compromise – Podcast Faithfulness #3
4. The Road That Ends In Victory – Podcast Faithfulness #4
5. The High Art Of Persistence – Podcast Faithfulness #5

Observation: What do these passages say to you?

Interpretation: What do these passages mean to you?

Application: How do the meaning of these passages apply to you or to your situation?

If you are not sure that you are Born-Again Christian believer, please take a look of one of our ministries, “An Invitation To Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ” at https://homefellowshipchurches.org/an-invitation-to-meet-our-lord-jesus-christ/

Suggested Prayer: Father God, we come into your presence in Jesus name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for Your agape love and for the Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter. We cling, yield, plug-in and tune-in to you Holy Spirit to help us to understand God’s Words, receive Your divine revelation, know the Truth that sets us free, and obey them, in Jesus name, Amen!

God bless you all and our families!

In Malachi 3:10-12 AMPC says, “10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it”, says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 2:2.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruits before the time in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight”, says the Lord of hosts.

If the people would obey God, giving as they should, God would flood His people with blessings. There would be an overabundance of God’s blessing if He was given what He requested.