Be Thou Faithful

BE THOU FAITHFUL

George Crumbly

Humphrey UMC

May 16, 2010AM Service

Revelation 2:10

Turn to Revelation 2

We live in a real world, where there are real problems and there is a real Devil. This is not a “fairytale” world.

We are the church. There are folks out there you work with….folks you do business with….folks that are your neighbors…..they may even be your family….You may be the only church they ever see, or the only church they are ever associated with.

People are looking for answers to their problems, not theories or opinions but REAL answers to their REAL problems. When they turn to the world then their problems get worse. The only REAL answer to their problems? Jesus Christ.

(I have a preacher friend that has lived in the same community all of his life. He has pastored the same church his entire ministry in this same community. I’ve heard him say that he is the community’s pastor, doing funerals, weddings and counseling. Most of the folks do not have a church of their own.)

Revelation 2: verse 10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer, beware, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be faithful until death and I will give you a crown of life.”

It is so important today that we be saved!! And after we are saved it is important that we be FAITHFUL!! People look to the church for answers, for help, for strength, for guidance. We, the church, must be faithful. God gives us opportunities to minister to those in the world, we have to be living a life that is pleasing to God in order to handle these opportunities!! God will send folks our way.

Over the years the Lord has blessed me by using me in many areas of the ministry, especially the chaplaincy ministry. The other day I thought about the flea market. We set up every Saturday morning in Beebe Arkansas, we are set up by several folks we have become great friends with. A couple of them are Christians and a couple are not. (I believe this to be a good opportunity to minister, to be used of God)

If I lived in sin, if I was dishonest, if I lied and cheated then people would see it, they would hear it and God would not be able to use me. There is entirely too much phoney-baloney in our world today!!

(there is a fellow I have met that comes out to flea market professing to be a “preacher” yet he lives with a woman, his dealings are not straight. When you mention he is a preacher folks react “he is a preacher?”)

John is telling the church in Smyrna that things are going to get rough, they are going to be tested……yet, regardless of how tough it gets? BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH!!

(I Peter 4:19) “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continue to do good.”

Be faithful. Continue. Regardless of what we are going thru, be faithful, continue. I look back over the past 26 years and am reminded of difficult days in different churches. Days that folks commented years later wondering why we stayed and how we stayed during those difficult times. All I know is I am glad we remained faithful that we continued. You see we weren’t committed to a church, or a denomination but rather to a “faithful creator”.

Too many people today aren’t faithful because they are committed to a preacher or a church instead of being committed to God. I saw a sign the other day on a church that said “Why should God come to our house if we don’t go to His?”

As Peter was saying our suffering might be in God’s will therefore we should commit ourselves to Him. And then….continue to do good!!

(I’ve always believed bad things happen to us for 1 of 2 reasons: 1.) either a circumstance beyond our control or 2.) because of the way we are living.)

What is it with folks today? On face book so many always writing how good God is, how God has blessed them, yet they aren’t faithful!! They aren’t serving Him. I asked a young lady the other day as she was having so many problems yet she talked about God but I ask her if she went to church….she said “no”. There is your biggest problem.

(Psalm 103:17-18) “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.”

Come on folks we must be faithful!! Too many play church, they play with God, remember, you will reap what you sow!!