And they continued steadfastly

in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship,

in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

 (Acts 2:42)

A healthy Christian is a Consistent Christian.

There is wonder, power and great need when we consider consistency.   Perhaps the need for and the struggle with consistency has never been greater in all of church history than it is at this present hour. Therefore today, I make a plea to you to be consistent!

Healthy Consistency is supposed to be Normal

Here in Acts 2, we get a glimpse into what “normal Christianity” was at the beginning of church history.  This pattern pictures what healthy Christians are always to be.   Consider the words “continued steadfastly”. Take a moment and give a definition of what “continued steadfastly” means, how would you define these two words?  Quickly paint a mental picture of what “continued steadfastly” looks like.  What do you see?  Hopefully you understand these words to describe something that is constant, but also intentionally and insistently constant – priorities that hold a life in check.  Today…I call you to be one that “continues steadfastly”.

Healthy Consistency maintains the basics

Notice what these early Christians were constant about:

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine

and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

• The Bible – which is what “apostles doctrine” refers to.  These Christians were constant in their personal and corporate focus on the Bible, reading it, studying it, discussing it….living it.
• Fellowship – gathering together with other Christians, being with other Christians – sharing, praying, supporting and being together.  They did not allow isolation to ruin them.
• Christ centered living -   Breaking Bread refers to Communion, and even more to why we take Communion.  We are to do so in such a way that keeps the main thing before our eyes – if we are saved…it is all because of Christ.  Jesus and Him crucified for us is everything and is to hold us constantly.
• Prayer – continually and with actual habits of time given to prayer, both personally and as a church.

Look over that list of four things again, and in a simple way, I want to tell you that as Christians – these are the things we need to be constantly about!  I call you to such consistency!

Healthy Consistency is unmoved perseverance.

One of my favorite pictures of consistency is that of Daniel.  As an old man, Daniel was told that prayer had been outlawed for a time.  In the face of such an evil law, Daniel violated it and prayed.  As good as that is, what really draws me is that he did so and was enabled to do so because it was always his habit.

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

 (Daniel 6:10)

Christian, it is very possible that dark and difficult days lay ahead of us, times when the very basics of our Christian faith will be resisted.  If you want to stand then, in the face of such challenges, then the only way to do so is to be consistent now.   The one that thinks he or she will stand in those days of adversity, but don’t do so now when great freedom is ours…is surely mistaken. 

Daniel shows us a better way…a higher course.  To be consistent, to do and live the basics constantly now and in the future.

Today, I call you to consistency.  

To some, I am only reaffirming that which God has been working in you and you have been doing.  Your life is a pattern of consistency, not perfection, but consistency in these things.  I want to encourage you to keep going!  Grow in steadfast consistency!

To some, this message meets you in an embarrassing time in this regard.   The only consistency in your life is that you are consistently inconsistent.    I don’t say this to mock you or make fun.  I simply tell you that this is not where God has you to be…and I call you to leave the past behind, and today….press ahead to a consistent and steadfast life in Christ.   Do the basics constantly and without gaps. 

Today…I plead with you to pursue a consistent Christian life!

And they continued steadfastly i

n the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship,

in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

 (Acts 2:42)

Daniel … prayed and gave thanks before his God,

as was his custom since early days.

 (Daniel 6:10)

Jim