Be Loyal

Bill Keller wrote a devotional today that I
recommend to you for your consideration.  It has food for
thought.  He has given me permission to copy his e-mails,
and I'm sure he would be happy if you would share this
with people you know as well.

Do you put others first?  Or do you sometimes put yourself
first?  Being disloyal often means breaking your vows to
your spouse, not keeping your promises to family and
friends and dishonoring your relationship with God.

Please read on.

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL   FRIDAY JUNE 2, 2006
( Hebrews 13:5, 1 Samuel 22:14 )

***PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO PRAYERFULLY READ AND PRAY OVER
THIS MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE TODAY.  IT IS ONE THAT YOU
SHOULD FORWARD TO EVERY FAMILY MEMBER, FREIND, BUSINESS
ASSOCIATE, TO EVERY PERSON YOU KNOW.  IT IS THAT
IMPORTANT!!!

No more loyalty.  One of the observations I've made over
these past 40-some years is that loyalty has become a very
rare commodity.  Growing up, I was taught that being loyal
was an important part of who you were as a person.  Just
like I was taught to always tell the truth, to help others,
to be kind, being loyal was an important element in making
up the fabric of a person's character.

The longer I live, the more I see loyalty missing in the
character make-up of most people.  Today, being loyal is
not a component of who most people are.  This has become a
contributing factor to the breakdown of our society, but
even more important, the breakdown in the lives of many who
claim to know Jesus.

A great example of loyalty from God's Word is David's
loyalty to King Saul, even when Saul was trying to kill
him!  Now that my friend is a tremendous test of your
loyalty to someone.  Will you still honor them, be loyal
to them, even if they are trying to kill you?  Sadly, this
type of loyalty is very rare in today's world.

Men and women who are in relationships are no longer loyal
to their boyfriend, girlfriend or other friends.  They
think nothing of cheating on someone they are in a
committed relationship with.  Sadly, this mentality carries
over into marriage which is why you have husbands and wives
without conscience committing adultery, not even thinking
about or caring about the consequences of their sin and how
many lives it will hurt and even destroy.

Because so many children grow up today in a variety of
living arrangements, many in blended families, there is not
even loyalty to those in your own family any longer.  These
children grow up without ever being taught the importance
of loyalty and sadly have parents and step-parents who
model behavior that demonstrates no loyalty to anyone.  So
it is no wonder why these children grow up never learning
how to be loyal, even to those in their own family.

Of course, if people aren't loyal to their boyfriend,
girlfriend or friends, to their spouse who they vowed
loyalty to before each other and God for life, to their own
family, it is no wonder why employees are no longer loyal
to their employer, and likewise, employers are no longer
loyal to their employees.  40 years ago a person would have
2-3 jobs in their lifetime.  Now, they are likely to have
2-3 jobs before they get out of college and dozens more
throughout their working life.

The real danger is, this lack of loyalty that exists in
most people also carries over into their faith.  I mean if
you think about it, it only makes sense.  If you aren't
loyal to anyone in your earthly relationships, how can you
expect to be loyal to the Lord in your spiritual
relationship?  Just like a person can without conscience go
out and cheat on their wife, or betray a brother, or scheme
against an employer or employee, that same person who has
accepted Christ can turn their back on Him and willingly
sin and live in rebellion to God's Word!

Listen to me carefully.  If you aren't loyal to someone
you are in a committed relationship with as a boyfriend
or girlfriend or as a friend, if you aren't loyal to your
spouse who you vowed loyalty to for life to, if you aren't
loyal to your own flesh and blood, if you aren't loyal to
the place you earn your living or the people who help you
earn your living, WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE LOYAL TO
JESUS???

Our failure in being loyal really boils down to one thing
.....selfishness!  We put ourselves above everyone else,
including Jesus!  The reason a person cheats on their
boyfriend or girlfriend is that they are selfish.  The
reason a person cheats on their spouse is that they are
selfish.  The reason a person is not loyal to those in
their family is that they are selfish.  The reason a
person is not loyal to their employer or employee is that
they are selfish.  The reason a person is not loyal to
the Lord is that they are selfish.  We aren't loyal
because we are selfish!

Loyalty requires a commitment to someone or something
other than ourselves.  It often costs to be loyal.  We
want the benefits of a relationship, a marriage, having
a family, our job, knowing Jesus, but we don't want to
pay the price of having that relationship, being
married, being part of a family, having a job, or our
faith in Christ.  We all can be loyal when things are
going good, but the true test of loyalty is during times
of trouble.

The disciples of Jesus were all loyal when great crowds
came to hear Him preach, when He was sharing His wisdom,
when He was healing people and raising the dead.  But
where were they when the Romans came to take him in the
Garden of Gethsemane?  Nowhere to be found.  Running away
in fear for their lives.  Denying they even knew who He
was.

I love you and care about you so much.  My word for you
today is simple.  BE LOYAL!  It is a lost human
characteristic in most people's lives in the year 2006,
but one that every follower of Jesus MUST HAVE!  Being
loyal is part of what being a follower of Christ is all
about.  We are to be loyal to the Lord and to our faith.
The fact is, if we are loyal to the Lord then we will be
loyal in other areas of our life as well.  In our
relationships, in our marriage, to our family, to our
employer or employees.

I will be praying for you that God will open your heart to
really hear these words today.  I pray that you will do an
assessment of your life and how loyal you are to your
friends, to a boyfriend or girlfriend, to your spouse, to
your family, to your employer or employees.  Ask yourself
if you are really a loyal person in your earthly
relationships.

Finally, assess how loyal you are to Jesus and to your
faith.  Do you do your best each day to live in obedience
to Christ and to His Word?  As a follower of Jesus, are
you loyal to Him even when things aren't going so well in
your life?  It is easy to be loyal when the blessings are
flowing, but what about when you are in the midst of some
major battles?  Despite the challenges you face are you
still loyal to the Lord?

When I think of Jesus, I think of loyalty.  Jesus promised
that He would never leave us nor forsake us.  Even when we
turn our back on Him, Jesus is still there, loving us,
watching over us, caring for us.  That my friend is what
being loyal is all about.  May we follow the example of our
Lord and be loyal in our life to others and to Him, as He
is loyal to us!!!

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

***If I can help you in any way you can contact me
through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com

***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND
ETERNITY?  The fact is you will die one day.  At
that moment, you will either spend eternity with
the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness
forever separated from God your creator.  To know
for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.html

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(C) Copyright 2006, Bill Keller Ministries.
All rights reserved

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May God bless you as you learn from this message!

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2006 Donald W. Mitchell