Fruit of the Spirit Study Day #9

Let's pray! Jesus thank you for your faithfulness! Even when we are faithless you remain faithful. While we were still sinners...you died for us. YOU.DIED.FOR.US....sometimes I lack the realization of just how big that is. Thank you for loving us. Help us take the faith given to us and remain in you...remain faithful to you and abide in you!

Here is the devotional for the day at www.shereadstruth.com

"If we are faithless he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." 2 Timothy 2:13

Consider for a moment the absolute necessity of the faithfulness of God. We are dependent upon His faithfulness for our final salvation (1 Corinthians 1:8-9), for deliverance from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13), for ultimate sanctification (1 Thessalonians 5:23), for the forgiveness of our sins (1 John 1:9), for deliverance through times of suffering (1 Peter 4:19), and for the fulfillment of our ultimate hope of eternal life (Hebrews 10:23).

This fruit is not only remaining faithful to God but remaining faithful as a Christian to others. The dictionary defines faithful as "firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty." Some common synonyms are dependable, reliable, trustworthy and loyal. The word also has the connotation of absolute honesty or integrity.

Are you completely honest?

Are you completely dependable?

Are you loyal? 

Are you trustworthy?

We have all want to hear those words, "Well done good and faithful servant!"

Consider the reward for faithfulness. In the parable of the talents, the master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:21). It may be argued that the faithfulness here is in relation to God rather than to one another. That is indeed true. But faithfulness to God includes faithfulness to one another. That is the ultimate point of each of the Scripture passages we have considered. It is God who requires that we be faithful in all of our earthly relationships. So only if we seek to grow in the grace of faithfulness toward one another will we have any hope of hearing Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."