Day 17 - Loyalty, A Kingdom Value | Our King and the Kingdom of God - 21 Day Devotional
1 Corinthians 3:10, According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
Psalms 11:3, If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?
Loyalty defined: The state of being true or faithful in allegiance; faithful to the lawful government, to a prince or superior; true to plighted faith, duty, or love; not treacherous; constant.
David told Solomon to serve God with a loyal heart and a willing mind. What does it mean to have a loyal heart? It meant that Solomon needed to maintain a clarity of purpose and a sharp focus on the commands and direction of the Lord and his father/leader, David. He (and we) needed to maintain proper relationships vertically (with God) and horizontally (with prophets, priests and people) He needed to know the nature and quality of those who came along side.
Solomon had received from God the gift of wisdom a divine ability to make proper choices and decisions that were consistent with God's will. He did well as long as he maintained a loyal heart. By wisdom he built the glorious temple. By wisdom he resolved disputes among his people. By wisdom he made a great nation even greater. The Queen of Sheba came to behold the greatness of the kingdom under Solomon and to meet the man whose fame was known to many lands.
So long as he maintained a loyal heart, he served the purpose of God and enhanced the Kingdom of God. However, when he began to compromise loyalty of heart, foundations began to crack and crumble. In time, the kingdom of God suffered loss and crisis.
Sometimes, that which seems desirable from personal perspective ultimately injures the kingdom of God and the witness of christian unity in a community. We were told by the Apostle Paul to not be a partaker in the sins of another.
Disloyalty to God, to man, and to the Word creates an internal disorder which, like HIV, may take years to manifest as a deadly condition. "Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?" (Prov. 6:27).
The strength of a foundation is only known by the storms and stresses that try it. It is certain that any plan, idea, belief, action, reaction, response, or ministry that is not built by or squarely based upon the Word, will not survive major storms. It is only a matter of time before an absent or faulty foundation is revealed.
A disloyal heart displeases God because it is contrary to God's nature. Cain refused to offer an acceptable sacrifice to God or become his brother's keeper. His killing of Abel incurred the curse of becoming a vagabond one who wanders from place to place, having no home, no identity, loyal to no one but self (Gen. 4:12).
Some keys to restoring a loyal heart include:
1. Faithfulness to God-ordained relationships and purposes
2. Repentance and restitution for injuries caused by lies, gossip and false judgments
3. Understanding one's own gifts, grace and measure in the body of Christ and working within them
4. Submitting to spiritual authority as unto the Lord
5. Reading and living out the Word of God
6. Strengthening and supporting your local church/leaders and thereby enhance the larger church
7. Resolve conflicts and problems by the Word going to those with whom we have a problem.
Loyalty defined: The state of being true or faithful in allegiance; faithful to the lawful government, to a prince or superior; true to plighted faith, duty, or love; not treacherous; constant.
David told Solomon to serve God with a loyal heart and a willing mind. What does it mean to have a loyal heart? It meant that Solomon needed to maintain a clarity of purpose and a sharp focus on the commands and direction of the Lord and his father/leader, David. He (and we) needed to maintain proper relationships vertically (with God) and horizontally (with prophets, priests and people) He needed to know the nature and quality of those who came along side.
Solomon had received from God the gift of wisdom a divine ability to make proper choices and decisions that were consistent with God's will. He did well as long as he maintained a loyal heart. By wisdom he built the glorious temple. By wisdom he resolved disputes among his people. By wisdom he made a great nation even greater. The Queen of Sheba came to behold the greatness of the kingdom under Solomon and to meet the man whose fame was known to many lands.
So long as he maintained a loyal heart, he served the purpose of God and enhanced the Kingdom of God. However, when he began to compromise loyalty of heart, foundations began to crack and crumble. In time, the kingdom of God suffered loss and crisis.
Sometimes, that which seems desirable from personal perspective ultimately injures the kingdom of God and the witness of christian unity in a community. We were told by the Apostle Paul to not be a partaker in the sins of another.
Disloyalty to God, to man, and to the Word creates an internal disorder which, like HIV, may take years to manifest as a deadly condition. "Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?" (Prov. 6:27).
The strength of a foundation is only known by the storms and stresses that try it. It is certain that any plan, idea, belief, action, reaction, response, or ministry that is not built by or squarely based upon the Word, will not survive major storms. It is only a matter of time before an absent or faulty foundation is revealed.
A disloyal heart displeases God because it is contrary to God's nature. Cain refused to offer an acceptable sacrifice to God or become his brother's keeper. His killing of Abel incurred the curse of becoming a vagabond one who wanders from place to place, having no home, no identity, loyal to no one but self (Gen. 4:12).
Some keys to restoring a loyal heart include:
1. Faithfulness to God-ordained relationships and purposes
2. Repentance and restitution for injuries caused by lies, gossip and false judgments
3. Understanding one's own gifts, grace and measure in the body of Christ and working within them
4. Submitting to spiritual authority as unto the Lord
5. Reading and living out the Word of God
6. Strengthening and supporting your local church/leaders and thereby enhance the larger church
7. Resolve conflicts and problems by the Word going to those with whom we have a problem.
Reflection Questions;
1. Why is loyalty a kingdom principle?
2. What are your loyalties? How do you show it?
My Action Items:
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