Second Friend Day - Elmer Towns

faithful when you do the proper thing for the proper reason. If you have failed many times, this
does not mean you cannot become faithful. Everyone has failed in some things. Don't let your
defeats discourage you, even though no one learns as much from success as from failure.
Edison was once asked, "Why didn't you quit after 780 failures?"
"I've not failed 780 times, but learned 780 things that don't work in a light bulb." You
can't stop a spirit that won't quit.
Faithfulness is not always just hardheaded determination John Wesley met an agnostic on
a narrow footbridge. He glowered at Wesley. "I never step aside for a fool."
"I always do," answered Wesley. He was faithful to God, yet wise enough not to get
involved in a needless fight.
Jesus was faithful. The Bible says, "He went about doing good" (Acts 10:38). He
seemed to be always knowledgeable of what He was doing. Jesus seemed to be in perfect control
of circumstances because He was in perfect control of Himself.
The young man who finishes college has been faithful. He told the world, "I feel my
education is more important than a nice car."
There is nothing wrong with competitive sports, but when placed ahead of soul-winning,
prayer and Bible study, sports are wrong. The man of God must learn to push pleasure down on
his priority list. When Sunday afternoon football squeezes out Christian service, it's
questionable. You must take an active grip on your sports program and push it down on the
priority list.
"Doing things you don't desire will build character," said Bob Jones. A young person
heard him and said, "I do things each day I don't want to: get up and go to bed. "
Every choice you make molds your future. Past choices have already affected you and
present choices will affect your children. Sir Walter Raleigh owed $600,000 at age 55, but made
a determination to pay it off before he died. He did.
Conclusion
Solomon says, "A faithful man, who can find?" (Prov. 20:6). In a day when men change
with the blowing wind and chase every dog that barks, it is hard to find a man who is faithful to
God. But those who are faithful to God have His blessing. "A faithful man shall abound with
blessings" (Prov. 28:20). To get the anointing of God upon our lives, we don't have to be flashy
or sensational . . . just faithful.
There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. No one remembers the bride, what she wore, or
who attended the ceremony. Yet, Christ's presence made it the best-known ceremony in all
eternity. Just as Christ's presence immortalized the wedding in Cana, so His indwelling will
make you faithful. People will forget what Sunday School class you taught and the size of your
paycheck, but your faithfulness can live forever.