40 Days Pondering the Fruit of the Spirit

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days PONDERING the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Day 37 | FAITHFUL
FAITHFUL

Colossians 1:2-4
“To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints.”
 (NASB)

If someone were to write about YOU, would they ever use the word “faithful” in describing you?

What does “faithful” mean anyway?

When Paul wrote this letter to the church at Colossi, in Greek, he used the word “pistos” for “faithful.”  Strong’s Concordance defines it as “faithful, reliable, trustworthy, and believing.” Thayer’s Greek Lexicon further defines such a person, in part, as “faithful in the transaction of business, execution of commands or the discharge of official duties.”

Back in the 1st century, they had problems with people SAYING one thing and then not doing it… and I’m sure we’ve all had that happen to us. Paul would describe such a person as NOT being FAITHFUL.

The more I study the WORDS of our mouths, the more I see that what we say really matters.
In Matthew 5:37, Jesus, in His “Sermon on the Mount,” says: “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’”  

Later in Matthew 15:18, Jesus said: “But whatever [word] comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what defiles and dishonors the man.” (AMP)

So, when we SAY something and then don’t do it, we are showing that we are NOT faithful, and since that is one of the Fruit of the Spirit, we are offending God the Holy Spirit by saying one thing and then doing another. And you and I do NOT want to do that!

Prayer: LORD, I admit, I have not been a person of my word 100% of the times in my life. Help me always be so, which will show me faithful and that Your Spirit lives within me. Amen.