The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of God endures forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (John 14:15)
But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
If you need a counselor in your life, look for someone who fears God, someone whose life testifies that God holds the first place in their life.
Because through the advice a person gives you, you can see whether that person respects God and whether they respect you.
A person who respects God and respects you will never give you advice that lowers your character — such as telling you to dress indecently, to use drugs, to drink, or to do things that are completely against the will of God.
Imagine a friend inviting you to go out. He is married, and so are you, but he comes to pick you up with two women in the car so that you can go partying with them. Such a person is not your friend, nor does he respect your marriage.
Faithfulness to God makes people strong, because God knows those who are faithful. And through prayer, fasting, reading the word of God, and enduring trials, we become faithful. For God sends trials so that He may know you are faithful. If you run away from God, you are not faithful, because trials draw people closer to God.
In the book of James it is written about two types of wisdom: the worldly one, and the one from above that comes from God. For we all need wisdom, but we must examine well which one we apply in our lives.
James 3:13-18 says: Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show it by his good conduct, by his works done in the meekness of wisdom. A wise person has good behavior that he can demonstrate.
But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and lie against the truth.
This wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, natural, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
Pay close attention to whom you take advice from. Just because you see someone treating another person badly, does not mean you should also treat that person badly, because you never know if that behavior is driven by jealousy or selfishness.
1 John 1:8-9: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Let us hold firmly to the confession of our hope, without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Faithfulness in the family, faithfulness in marriage, faithfulness at work, faithfulness in our service to God — all of it comes from above, because God is faithful, and God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)
When we are faithful and available to be used by God, great things will happen in our lives.
It is time for us to live faithfully.
Written by Pastor Marcel Balootje.