Revelation 2:10 Faithfulness

Merriam - Webster defines faithful as "having or showing true and constant support or loyalty; keeping your promises or doing what you are supposed to do." Thinking about the context of persecution I am reminded of a passage in 2 Timothy 3:1 - 5: "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people" (ESV). Notice that "in the last days' there will come times of difficulty" and in those days people will be lovers of self, engaged in all forms of evil, rather than lovers of God. These people will be faithless to any standard that is truly godly and will tent to resist those who are faithful. If a person is to be faithful, then that person must love God more than self. It is out of that love that one is obedient (John 14:15). Thus, a faithful person will be one who is in love with God and when faced with persecution will stand firm in obedience and continue on as an effective witness. Jesus made it clear that we will be hated, by those who are faithless, for his name's sake (Matthew 10:22) This hatred is growing with intensity in many parts of the world. To remain faithful there are a growing number of cases where ones love for God must be so much greater than their love for family members that they are able to sacrifice a family member to remain faithful (Luke 14:26). When we face persecution we must remain faithful in doing what we are supposed to do as a follower of Jesus Christ and not be ashamed of him or his words (Mark 8:38). We are not to allow adversity or times of difficulty to cause us to be unfaithful. We must trust God with justice for the evil against us and stand firm in love and forgiveness. This act of faithfulness toward our Lord then becomes a supernatural witness of extraordinary power.

Prayer 

Father, whether we face persecution or not, it is important that we remain faithful because if we don't it will be so easy to slip into the lifestyle described in the 2 Timothy passage. Father, it appears that our love for you is growing cold and we are exchanging faithfulness in our walk with you for friendship with the world. Forgive us and challenge us to renew our love and faithfulness toward you.