1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
When I think of people in the Bible who were consistent in their character and their love for God, two men quickly come to mind – Joseph and Daniel. Both of these men demonstrated their faith in God and their love for him in less than ideal circumstances. They remained steadfast when placed under intense pressure – sometimes from authority figures, sometimes from family members, and sometimes from a corrupt culture. There are seven characteristics that set these men apart. If we desire to have a consistent Christian life, we should seek to learn from their examples.
1. They were passionate.
Often when we think of the word “consistent”, it is easy to get the idea of discipline and routine. While it is easy to see that both Daniel and Joseph were faithful toward God, we can also see that their consistency was not motivated primarily by duty, but by their devotion to God. They stayed faithful because they truly had faith in God. Their love for Him and their desire to please Him was what kept them on course.
2. They were prayerful.
Joseph and Daniel were men of prayer. Daniel is famous for his faithful prayer life, but praying three times a day did not begin for Daniel when it became a public issue. On the contrary, it was such a steady, regular part of his life that it was an easy target for his enemies. They knew he prayed. He prayed and sought God’s direction and wisdom throughout his life, from the time he was very young. Daniel didn’t pray because his parents made him. He didn’t pray because it was his “religion”. He prayed because he knew how much he needed God, he wanted to seek understanding from God, and he wanted to stay right with God. If we want to be consistent Christians, we need to learn to pray.
3. They were purposed.
Both of these men had made decisions about their character, their conduct, and their consecration to God before their circumstances put them to the test. When Daniel was commanded to eat the king’s meat and drink the king’s wine, we find that he had already purposed that he would not defile himself. He was a captive. He knew where he was being taken. He knew there could be severe consequences for refusing to obey. Yet, he had already purposed to make the right choice. Joseph was faced with a similar temptation when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him. We see that he too had purposed to stay morally pure
4. They were principled.
5. They were prudent.
6. They were powerful.
Consistent Christians are not “super Christians”, but they are sincere Christians. They are not faultless, but they are faithful.
Niki Lott | Pastor’s wife
New Testament Baptist Church | Butler, PA
https://www.visitntbc.com