Weekly Devotional 8-18-14 Faithful Brothers
Friends who will pat you on the back, so to speak, telling you that all is well with your conduct of life but not warn you where this conduct may be leading you, are not faithful friends. This is not to say that the conduct is immoral, but still, it may be a conduct that will produce a hardness of heart. A hardness of heart that will lead to wrong choices and, or priorities. This is also true of Christian brothers. Wouldn’t it have been great if the prodigal son of Luke 15 would have had a brother that would have warned him of where his desires were leading him? We read,
“11 A certain man had two sons. 12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything” (Luke 15:11-16).
Looking into the story we soon realize that it was his conduct of life that led the young man to desire things that were not wholesome. He took his eyes off of serving his father and began to focus on himself. Is this not what happens in the life of a Christian? When a Christian takes his eyes off the Lord and begins to focus on self, or other things, it is not long before his heart begins to harden toward the Lord. The result of a hardened heart is never good. We must put the Lord first in our lives or the door opens to things that lead us away from Him; even though these things might be worthy things. Consider the Letter that John was instructed to deliver to the church of Ephesus by the Lord Jesus,
“1These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent” (Revelation 2:1-5 NKJV).
The Christians of Ephesus were involved in worthy endeavors and had worthy desires, but they began to put these endeavors and desires ahead of their love for Christ. As faithful brothers we must warn one another when we see this beginning to occur in the life of our churches, or in the lives of our brothers, or if they see these things developing in our lives. If we are not faithful in this, we will surely become like those of the church of Laodicea.
“15I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— (Revelation 3:15-17 NKJV).
If we are faithful brothers we will encourage one-another to walk worthy before the Lord and we will, as faithful brothers, accept the encouragement of others.
Thank you, Lord for faithful brothers.
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; the Work of God on Behalf of man
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