Tag: Faithful

The LORD Will Take Away

As a follower of Christ I am comforted that I will have rewards in heaven. I know that the LORD will provide for my needs. My salvation has been granted thanks to my acceptance of it from the LORD as His gift. But, all that I have in this world is not guaranteed. That which I have been blessed with can and will be taken away if I am not faithful to the LORD and do all that He has commanded of me.

“11Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, ‘Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.’” – 1 Kings 11:11 (ESV)

As Solomon had not kept up with his work for the LORD, the LORD removed the blessings from him.

This lesson is for me even today. I have been blessed with where Lori and I live. We are in a community that is friendly, generous, and desired by those outside looking in. The LORD made it possible for us to have raised our boys in this community where they were somewhat shielded from a lot of the world and the hardship that is found in other areas of it. But, as was with Solomon, the LORD could take it away at any moment if/when we fall away from Him.

There is however something that I am able to count on with regard to the LORD, His provision. Yes, I have been blessed with where we live and the LORD can take that blessing away at any moment based on my lack of continued dedication to Him. But, I can find solace in the fact that even if those blessings are removed from me, He will still provide for my needs and honor His promises to me.

“12Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.” – 1 Kings 11:12-13 (ESV)

Solomon, who turned away from the LORD, was not cut off from God. His provision was not taken away. The LORD will do the same with me. God loves me, and my inheritance in His kingdom has been guaranteed, but blessings in this world are not, only provision. He will take away the excess that is not part of that guarantee. I am not entitled to the excess, and frankly, I am not entitled to anything, yet the LORD, through His grace, ensures that my needs will be met in this world.

It is up to me to remain faithful to the LORD. It is my choice to do so. That is the beauty of the LORD, He has given me way to free will. And with that free will there are consequences when the choices I make do not align with Him and His will. But even when I do not choose Him and His will, He remains faithful to provide for my needs and His promise of salvation.

What are your thoughts as to the things we receive from the LORD? Are you even aware that the LORD provides the blessings you have? What if you were to recognize that those blessings are just that and can be taken away by the LORD, but, He will still provide for your needs?

Steadfast and Faithful, Evidence of Righteousness

“4Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. 5This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering” – 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 (ESV)

The people of the church of the Thessalonians were sticking to the LORD. These people were under persecution for their following of Christ and Paul was fast to recognize it. He wanted them to know that they were not unnoticed. They were recognized to be righteous in their actions and their faith.

I know, I am reading into things a bit here as the righteous reference was to the judgment of God. I will not claim to know that the people were righteous. I simply see that their acts of faith and steadfastness are evidence of righteousness. They held to the LORD under all sorts of persecution and affliction and suffering. And, as you read on further in the passage, they are rewarded for it with the destruction of those persecuting them. Yet, they do not follow the LORD for their persecutors to be destroyed, they follow Him for the reward of heaven and communion with Him.

I have to let this be a lesson to me. I have to love the LORD and do His work, not for what I would receive here in this world, but it is what I am to do thanks to the grace He afforded me through His death. I have to give evidence to the LORD for his declaration of righteousness. I have to be steadfast and faithful through all, the good times and the persecution. The LORD will see my dedication to Him and ensure that I am given relief. He will judge my actions according to my heart. I will be rewarded with glory in heaven.

What evidence do you present of your dedication to the LORD? Are you hoping that you have taken a few actions to show it? What if you were steadfast and faithful always as your evidence of righteousness to the LORD?