✝ Daily Encouragement (11/22/24) "The Kept Faith"
Published: Fri, 11/22/24
Updated: Fri, 11/22/24
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(Click refresh or reload for current message) Friday, November 22, 2024 "The Kept Faith" Note:
This
week's daily
encouragement
messages (and
the last two
from last
week) are
developed from
a study I
prepared
forour
Crossroads
Adult Bible
Fellowship
last Sunday
based on
teaching from
2 Timothy
4:1-8. We
expect to have
one more
message next
week based on
2 Timothy 4:8
and the "crown
of
righteousness". Message summary: Like Paul, our great aspiration at the time of our departure will be to proclaim, "I have kept the faith"! May that be your aspiration as well. Listen to our message on your audio player. "When they (Paul and Barnabas) had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:21,22). “I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Last
night we had
long-time
friends,
Larry and
Tina,
over for
dinner and
fellowship. We
met them over
30 years ago
in the Lehigh
Valley where
they attend
the church my
brother
pastored for
many years. In
that period of
time we have
all progressed
in our life
spans, an
inevitable
consequence of
staying alive.
They refreshed
us with their
testimonies
and we are
heartened to
see them
continue to
demonstrate
their faith in
God.
For
many years I
have sought to
encourage
people with
the simple
injunction, "Stay
Faithful".
Some of you
have heard
that from me.
Brooksyne
believes that
phrase should
probably be on
my tombstone,
but after I've
departed I
would rather
it say, "He
Stayed
Faithful".
"Stay
faithful" is
another way of
saying "keep
the faith".
Early in
Paul's
ministry he
encouraged
believers to "continue
in the faith"
and it was his
theme all
though his
ministry. Throughout
the Bible we
have many
examples of
those who did
not keep the
faith. In
Paul's writing
to Timothy he
wrote of those
who had
"made
shipwreck of
their faith"
(1
Timothy 1:19),
"departed
from the
faith" (1
Timothy 4:1)
"denied the
faith" (1
Timothy 5:8)
"abandoned
their faith"
(1
Timothy 5:12)
"wandered
away from the
faith" (1
Timothy 6:10)
and "swerved
from the
faith" (1
Timothy 6:21). In the final description of his life as he realized it was nearing the time of his departure (death) he stated, "I have kept the faith". Let
us consider
three aspects
of "keeping
the faith"
(there are
probably
more): 1) Foundational faith. This is essentially the faith we have in God as revealed in the Scriptures, the great definition of faith in Hebrews found in 11:1. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen". 2) Doctrinal faith. This is the set of beliefs we have been taught through life and expressed by Jude as to what we are to contend for: "Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). 3)
Practiced
faith.
This is the
day by day
living out our
lives by
putting our
faith into
practice. Our
faith should
not be merely
spiritual in
nature but
should impact
every area of
life.
Like
Paul, our
great
aspiration at
the time of
our departure,
will be to
proclaim, "I
have kept the
faith"!
May that be
your
aspiration as
well.
Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13 Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"I
Believe"
Listen
on YouTube
Phil Wickham
(same title,
different
song)
Larry
and Tina, our
guests last
night, are
visiting
Lancaster
County for
several days
and awoke this
morning to our
season's first
snow flurries,
with nothing
sticking to
the ground.
Rosie and
Falcon took to
our guests and
thankfully,
they welcomed
their
affection.
Larry is
taking Tina to
Shady Maple
today for her
free birthday
dinner. Of
course, he's
the paying
customer!
Happy
birthday,
Tina.
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