Category Archives: Faithfulness

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MY INHERITANCE

TITUS 3:7

“so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

I saw a movie recently in which all the family were clamoring over the inheritance left by their father and grandfather. When it all went to someone else, they were furious. They had been planning how to spend all that money and now there was nothing for them. Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t leave us out of His inheritance? He promised it, so we will receive it.

But just exactly what will we receive? We will receive eternal life. We will receive entrance into heaven. We will receive all the riches of heaven. We will receive crowns and rewards according to our faithfulness here. You see, the difference between our inheritance here on earth and our inheritance in heaven is that WE have to die to inherit our heavenly reward. And for the believer, there is no greater inheritance.

APPLICATION

Do your children know they will inherit your stuff? I am assuming that’s how your will is written. What? No will? Well, you need to get that written, if you haven’t. If you have that will, and your children are named as the recipients, at some point you need to go over it with them. They need to know who is getting what. Too many families end up fighting and fussing over mom’s and dad’s inheritance when they are gone.

But more importantly, you need to talk about their heavenly inheritance. When you bring out your will, talk about how the Lord has already established their inheritance for all His children. Unlike your will, which you could change, He will never remove you from what He has promised you in Christ. There is nothing you can do to be removed. It was His grace that justified you.

Are you waiting on some earthly inheritance? Are you making plans on how to spend that money? Don’t be so sure. Earthly treasures are fleeting. You can rest in your heavenly inheritance. It is a sure thing. God has promised it, and He never breaks a promise. Live today as God sees you. You are a child of the king. You are royalty. You are rich beyond description.

I know I am Your child, and along with every other believer I am an heir. Thank You for taking me into Your family. Thank You for making me Your child.

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SHOW YOURSELF

TITUS 2:7

“in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,”

Bottom line? Our faith is public! Our relationship with Jesus is private. But if our faith is real, others are going to see it. Paul is telling Titus that so clearly here. Every word of this verse points this way. “Show yourself” has the meaning of holding something up close to someone to show them. You can’t hide stuff when it’s up close. They see it all.

And what should they see? That you are an example. That word has the idea of a stamp that is on you. They can see the image of it on you. What’s the image? Christ, course. They are His good deeds done through you, not yours. Your teaching, which is done publicly, is imperishable and pure. It’s not tainted. They can trust it. And finally, he says “dignified.” This invites reverence from others because they see you are the real deal. Public, not private.

APPLICATION

Public faith in your home begins with you, mom and dad. You can’t just tell your kids about Jesus. You have to live it out. Seeing faith lived out shows them how to do it. Head knowledge is great. We must teach them the Word of God. We need to memorize His Word. But unless we are willing to apply it in our everyday lives, it is futile and meaningless.

Faith is a shareable commodity. We receive it from the Lord at salvation, and we are expected to share it. It’s one of those rare items that grows the more we give it, like love. As you share your faith in your daily life, as others see you live it out, it inspires them toward a deeper faith. You may never even know who you are influencing, but they are watching. There will be times you make a faith decision when your children are in the background just observing. God is using you. It’s public, not private.

Are you one of those “private” Christians? Are you afraid you may offend someone if you share your faith? Listen, if you are sharing the example of faith given to you in Christ, let it offend. I don’t mean to be judgmental or critical. I mean let it convict. True faith in Christ will expose those around us who are living outside of faith. Let your faith draw them home.

Faith is Your gift to me You gave with the intention of giving it away. Help me live my life today that others can see my faith in You is real and alive. I pray someone will come to faith today.

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LEFT BEHIND

TITUS 1:5


“For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,” 

We have all heard stories about parents mistakenly leaving their children. Of course, one of the classic Christmas movies is “Home Alone” in which Kevin McAlister is left behind when his family leaves for vacation. It’s humorous on the screen. It’s not so funny in real life.

This is NOT what Paul is talking about. He left Titus in Crete for two reasons – to set things in order and to appoint elders. Paul had seen Titus’ worthiness during their travels together. He knew he could be trusted to carry out these duties. Crete was not an easy place to minister. Cretans were known to be pretty crude and hard to deal with. But Paul knew Titus could handle it.

APPLICATION

I pray you never leave your child behind accidentally. But I do pray that you can have enough confidence in them to do it intentionally. “Boy Carl, that’s confusing.” Let me explain. We want our children to become independent. We want them to show responsibility. What better way than to let them be tested for short periods of time, all the while under your guidance.

We have way too many “helicopter” parents. These are parents who literally hover over their children and do everything for them. That will never prepare your child for living on their own. Think of some tasks you can give your child to let them learn to be depended upon. They may fail, but they will fail safely.

Are you trustworthy to be left behind? Could Paul have left you behind to accomplish his instructions? We are not all leaders. That’s okay. But we all have our roles to play in carrying out God’s plan. Are you doing what the Lord has asked you to do? If not, start today.

I am thankful You see me as worthy of Your trust. I will do my best to accomplish Your will for me. I consider it an honor to serve You.

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I’VE GOT FAITH IN YOU

TITUS 1:3

“but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,”

You can’t tell from the English translation, but “was entrusted” is the Greek word from which we get the word “faith.” It’s the verb form. It’s also a passive verb which means someone else has the faith in or has entrusted Paul with this proclamation. Who is that?

The same God who entrusts us with the Gospel entrusted Paul with the Gospel. He gave Paul a specific task – to preach His message to the Gentiles. Paul spent his whole ministry doing that. He was unashamedly bold in his approach. He risked it all because the Lord had faith in him.

APPLICATION

I pray you let your children know how much you believe in them. They need to hear you say that, not just think it. You may not have a task as big as Paul’s to give to your children, but they need to know that mom and dad believe in them. How do you do that? There are a number of ways, but here are a few.

  1. Give them small tasks to complete
  2. Encourage them to try out for that part in the play they want
  3. Be at their performances
  4. Let them hear as you tell others how proud you are of them.

You can determine the growth or the downfall of your child’s spiritual by the way you show your faith in them. How are you doing with that? I want you to think of at least one way today you can portray your faith in your child. They may not be in a good place right now. That’s not important. Let them know. Entrust them. Show faith in them. See what happens.

Lord, You have faith in me and I am thankful. Help me do the same for others. As underserving I am of Your faith in me, I will serve You.

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OUT OF THE LION’S MOUTH

2 TIMOTHY 4:17

“But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth.”

Do you know any lions? Boy, I do. I have encountered a few. Now, I don’t mean real lions, of course. I am referring, as Paul was, to those who wanted to destroy me. If we stand for the cause of Christ, His enemies are going to try to take us out. They do not want us proclaiming the Gospel. Why? Because it exposes their sins.

However, most of these “lions” do not see their sins as sin. How dare we call their lifestyles sinful? How dare we insinuate that they can’t live as they want and be ushered into heaven with the saints? Paul’s goal was to preach Jesus to the Gentile world which was filled with idolatry and wickedness. Guess what? Our mission is the same.

APPLICATION

Your children probably have heard the story of Daniel and the lions’ den, right. Well, read them this verse and then read them that story. Ask them what they think Paul was referring to. I mean, he wasn’t with Daniel. But he faced just as ferocious an enemy.

Ask your kids why others who don’t love Jesus would want to “eat them up.” You can make it a little funny. That’s okay. But make sure they understand that when they live a life pleasing God, those who rebel against Him, knowingly or unknowingly, are going to try to stop them, discourage them or outright fight against them. That’s to be expected. It’s okay. Just keep living for Him.

Are you in the mouth of a lion right now? Pray for deliverance. Ask the Lord to give you the boldness to stand against the enemies of the cross and proclaim Him even louder. The Lord can defang the most ferocious of lions. Ask Him for pliers.  Lol

Lord, I do not fear the fangs of the lions because You are with me. Give me strength, as You did Paul, to face them courageously and victoriously.

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MY STUFF

2 TIMOTHY 4:13

“When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.”

Paul was in prison, his last imprisonment, and like a lot of prisoners, was asking a friend to bring him a few things. From what I have read about his conditions, they weren’t too nice. He was basically in a hole in the ground, guarded around the clock. It was a damp, cold, uncomfortable cell. So, he wanted that cloak to stay warm.

But why the books and parchments? He wasn’t through writing and reading God’s Word. We don’t know what the books were, but I bet they were Greek fables. Paul didn’t have time to waste on mindless thoughts. His focus, even there, was presenting the Gospel. And the parchments? I suppose they were for more writing. Aren’t you glad Paul wrote his thirteen letters of the New Testament for us to read today?

APPLICATION

You are probably thinking, “How will you apply this verse, Carl?” Well, think about it. How much time and energy are you wasting right now? Paul didn’t spurn one moment. He was laser focused even in his last days to present the Gospel. Are you and your children doing the same? We may not be in a prison cell, but we are in the last days. Yep, I believe that. I believe every day could be our last, so bring me my cloak and books and parchments.

Explain to your children that we have a responsibility to take every opportunity we have to share the Word of God with the lost. Do they have lost friends? Make sure your children know how to share with them. Do they have a teacher who needs to hear about the Lord? Perhaps you can go with them to share. That would be cool – tag teaming with your child.

Just don’t waste these moments. Take full advantage of every day the Lord allows you to be here on planet earth. He has placed you here and brought you to salvation for one purpose. He wants to use you to spread His message of salvation to a lost and dying world. Will you do that? What do you need? A cloak? Some books? Some parchments? Ask and it will given.

O Lord My God, I know You will give me exactly what I need to accomplish Your mission. Give me the gumption and desire to fulfill all You have for me. I want to see many come to You.

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WHEN FRIENDS DESERT

2 TIMOTHY 4:10

“for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.”

Just who was Demas? Well, Paul mentions him in the letter to the Colossians and also in his letter to Philemon. In both of these references it appears he is serving and loving the Lord. But…then we come to today’s passage. Some time has passed. Something has happened.

Paul says he has “loved this present world.” We don’t know what that means. Whatever lured him was responsible for leading him away from his faith. He abandoned Paul while he was in prison. That word “deserted” literally means to leave in a lurch, to walk away from. How sad and hurtful for Paul.

APPLICATION

Your children are going to have friends desert them. They will have friends who pretend to be friends and all of a sudden turn turn their backs on them for someone else. That is going to hurt, and there is no way to protect them from this. However, read them this verse. This has been going on for a long time. Even in this verse, Paul did not speak evil of Demas. He simply stated what he had done. Paul obviously still loved Demas.

It’s more important that we teach our children not to be a Demas. We do not want them to abandon their friends. That’s hurtful. And we sure don’t want them to walk away from their faith. That would be catastrophic. Ask your kids what they think drew Demas away. Ask them if there is anything that could draw them away. Then pray for their commitment to friends and faith.

Are you a faithful friend? Are you committed to Christ whatever may come? Don’t be like Demas who ducked and ran when things got tough. He probably knew Paul was about to die and decided he was better off back in the world. That is never true. Stay committed. The Lord will see you through any challenge you face, no matter how daunting.

O Lord, I can’t do this without You. Remind me daily of Your sustaining power. I want to represent You well.

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THREE GOOD F’S

2 TIMOTHY 4:7

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;”

Most of the time when you hear someone has three F’s you think failure. But not this time. Paul has “fought,” “finished,” and remained “faithful.” Those are three awesome F’s. First, he fought the good fight. Both the verb “fought,” and the noun “fight” come from the same Greek word from which we get the word “agony.” It means to strive as if in an athletic contest or a battle.

He finished the course. The word for “finished” has the word picture of the old pirate’s scope that unfolds to complete it for use. It reaches an end. And “course” is a race. Paul has come to the end of his race. Finally, he kept the faith. He has guarded and protected the faith he has proclaimed. The most important thing about these three F’s is they are all in the perfect tense which means the action has lasting results. That’s cool.

APPLICATION

Ask your children if they think it’s okay to fight. If you have taught them well, they will probably say it isn’t. Then read them this verse and explain some fights are worth fighting. We have to be ready to defend our faith. Have they ever run a race? If so, they know the fulfillment of completing that course. All the energy expelled is worth it when they cross the finish line. One day they will experience that, if they are a believer, when they finish the race we are in as Christians. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

And how do we teach them to guard the faith? By teaching them the truth of God’s Word. It’s not just a Sunday, feel-good book we read. It guides every decision they make. It is the truth above all truths. When they understand that, they will eagerly defend it against all attacks, thus defending their faith. The three F’s are still worth pursuing.

How’s your report card? Are you fighting, finishing and staying faithful? Sometimes we get tired in the fight. Don’t stop. The Lord is there to lift your hands. We get weary in the Christian race. Don’t throw in the towel. Keep your eyes on the finish line. And keep defending your faith against the enemy. Don’t give him an inch.

I will pursue these three F’s today. Above all I want to please You, O Lord my God. I know my efforts are strengthened through Your Spirit who indwells me, making all things possible.

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NOT VERY COMFORTING

2 TIMOTHY 3:12

“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Paul has just told Timothy to follow him in persecutions and sufferings in the previous verse. Now, he tells him why. Because all who desire to live for Christ will be persecuted. Doesn’t that just make you want to shout “Hallelujah!”?  lol. Not really, to be honest. Who wants to be persecuted? That doesn’t sound fun. And Paul knew what he was talking about. The religious leaders had hounded him and years, solely because of his allegiance to and teachings of Christ.

Is that the kind of life you desire? Do you inwardly desire so strongly to live for Christ that you are willing to endure whatever hardship or persecution that may come your way? At what point would you say, “That’s enough! I can’t go any further.” Think about it. There may be a day coming, like in many parts of our world, where if you are a faithful follower of Christ, it could cost you everything.

APPLICATION

I don’t know a better way to teach our children this than to share true stories of believers who are suffering right now in our world. Most of us cannot imagine being persecuted for our faith. So, find a story to share with your kids. Talk about how that person must feel. Talk about how their children must have felt. Then ask your children how they would feel if that had been your family. It’s okay to say it would be scary. Emotions and fears are real.

But don’t leave it there. Take them to the verse today. God promises to be with us. Ask your children what they believe the Lord teaches us through persecution. It is so important they get this. They need to understand that, if God allows it in your life, it is always to make us better, not bitter. Persecution builds faith and helps spread the Word. We are just a vessel.

Are you a willing vessel to be persecuted for the cause of Christ if needed? Or are you good with just doing your “Sunday” thing and going through the motions? May I encourage you today to go all in. He needs your total devotion, your total desires, in order to accomplish in you what He wants. Trust Him to be with you should persecution come.

Though the world slay me, I will serve You. I will not fear the reprisal of men for loving my heavenly Father and following my Lord.

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SERVANT QUALITIES

VERSE OF THE DAY: 2 TIMOTHY 2:24

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,”

Paul spells it out pretty clear here as to what the Lord expects from His servants. They can’t be argumentative (word fighting). They should be kind. That word can also be translated as gentle. It’s used only here in the New Testament. It means to do everything according to God’s Will. Then Paul says they should be able to teach. Teach what? His Word. And he wraps up this by saying they should be patient when wronged. This word also appears only here. It means just that – you don’t retaliate when wronged.

Now, that’s a good list of qualities the Lord wants to see in us. Do we do that all the time? Of course not. We aren’t mind-numbed robots. We have good days and bad days. But we should be striving to be more and more like Jesus every day. He didn’t quarrel. He was kind to all. He was able to teach. And He was definitely patient when wronged.

APPLICATION

Which one of these qualities do you see in your child? One, two or none? Listen closely. You can’t instill these qualities. Only the Holy Spirit can. Your job is to nurture them in their walk with  the Lord. I know you have to deal with some of the opposite behaviors. When they fuss and quarrel, you have to stop that. Use this verse.

But the best way, as usual, for your child to learn these qualities is by seeing them lived out. You are the one they watch. So, are you kind and patient? “Now, wait a minute, Carl. This isn’t about me.” Are you kidding me? It’s all about you. You are the most important adult in your child’s life. Live like you want them to live.

Are you a bond-servant of the Lord? Have you chosen to serve Him? A bond-servant was marked by putting a hole in his earlobe. When you saw that you knew this person had chosen to remain with his master. He is free to go, but chooses to stay. Hmmm. Is that you? Or do you fight with God every step of the way?

Father God, I choose You. I choose a life of servitude to my gracious and holy Lord. I praise You for leading me.

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