Opportunity to Grow Toward Christ-Loyalty
JOHN SHIRK – Today is an opportunity to grow toward Christ by being clothed with loyalty.
Loyalty is characterized by faithfulness to commitments, vows, and allegiance.
Dogs are known for various characteristics. One of their more lovable reputations is their loyalty to their owner. That is one lesson we can learn from dogs-to be loyal to our Owner.
In our relationship with God, loyalty can be described by having an undivided heart. We don’t serve two masters. With a loyal heart, we are fully committed to Jesus, and desire to serve Him. We are responsive to His Word, receptive to His grace, and respectful of His authority over us. In response to His loving leadership, loyalty gives us a single purpose to be an instrument of God’s grace in the world.
Oswald Chambers writes that “the idea is not that we do our work for God, but that we are so loyal to Him that He can do His work through us.” Before King David died, he prayed in First Chronicles 29 that God would keep the hearts of the people loyal to God. That can be our prayer for the church today, so that the name of Jesus would be distinctly honored by a unified body of undivided hearts.
Loyalty is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
Dear John
I enjoy reading your blog. I have been trying very hard to live a christian life, and be loyal to Jesus`s ways. I read in scripture that we are not to be angry, yet there are so many things in this world that make us angry. I ask GOD to forgive me when i get angry, then something else will happen that makes me upset again. Is it wrong to keep repenting of this and then doing it over and over again?
I also want to know about the buddah. My husband has many figures of the buddah and he used to burn inscents for the buddahs. I refuse to pay any attention to them for the fact that i believe in only worshiping GOD. I have expressed this to him and he has since put them all in a bag in the attic. What is your take on this?
Thank You for any insight. Wendy Hernandez