Who in scripture is an example of consistency?
Enoch – He walked with God and was not.
Methuselah lived 969 years his grandfather Jared lived 962 years. Methuselah’s father only lived 365 years yet he lived the longest. Gen 5:21-24 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Why would God do that? Because Enoch must have lived a very consistent life following after the ways of God.
Job – all calamity came upon him, he stayed consistent in his resolve that God is faithful.
Having been consistent before God: Job 42:10-11 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.
Daniel – would consistently pray to God
Would not bow to the King. But the lions bowed down to Daniel.
Shardrach, Meshach, Abednego – Faithful to the NEAR end
Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
Joseph – he never wavered from his beliefs and morals.
He accepted his condition whether in prison or seated at the right hand of the King. He did not change his beliefs or personality or mood based on circumstance. God blessed him for that.
Peter was the antithesis of consistency.
He walked on water – he fell into the water. He used his sword in the garden to protect Jesus, he lied about knowing Jesus in the courtyard.
2/3 09-11-18
Paul was not well loved until he got older and mellowed.
As to emotions, he too was the antithesis of consistency – as too evangelism there was no turning to the right or the left. Acts 20:24 I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. BUT, if he was in a bad mood, everyone knew it.
Do you know Christians who come into a room and drain the energy right out of the light sockets? But they are not always that way…sometimes they are really up and enjoyable. They have a mini bi-polar personality with their emotions.
Do you know people who are consistent – that no matter how good or bad things are for them, you can still count on them to do a job and do it with a sense of peace and even keel as to their emotions? How much better that is. All Christians should work at having consistent emotions – that doesn’t mean never hurting or laughing or feeling discouraged. It simply means, having a grounded sense about your faith in Christ that keeps you from living your emotions out in a way that it affects others around you.
My pastor – Rev. Hitch was this kind of man – I saw him on bad days and he rarely let that affect others. I said rarely – he was human – we all have a breaking point – but for many that breaking point comes weekly or daily instead of yearly or more.
Hebrews 5:11-14
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Today’s Text……………Acts 2:36-47
"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call." With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Christian character is developed by allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives through the study of God's Word. We study the Bible to learn about the kind of character God desires in His people.
Christian character is developed by allowing iron to sharpen iron – to have fellowship with brothers and sisters who will prod you on to a greater, more consistent life in Christ.
Christian character is developed by allowing worship to usher you into the throne room of God with great consistency – not just when you get in trouble.
Christian character is developed by having prayer as consistent a part of your life as breathing. Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
“Be Consistent in four things. No, five!”
STUDY, FELLOWSHIP, WORSHIP, PRAYER --- SERVICE
43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (They Served and people came to Christ)
Consistency is a key ingredient to being obedient to God, defeating sin in our lives, and putting on Christ-like qualities.
"No one can win a race with intermittent effort. Christ likeness cannot be reached with that kind of effort either—it is an ongoing pursuit. So Paul says, "Let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained" (Phil. 3:16). The Greek verb translated "keep living" refers to walking in line. Just as a runner must stay in his lane and keep up the same effort until he reaches the finish, you must stay in line spiritually and keep moving forward toward the goal of Christ likeness." - John MacArthur
From the Heart,
Pastor Jeff Cooper
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