Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
Acts 11:22-24
The early church endured hardship, opposition, and outright persecution on a scale that most of us have never experienced. There were plenty of reasons these believers could have given in to discouragement and plenty of excuses they could have given as to why they would not publicly identify as believers. Yet the Christians in this church remained steadfast and committed, strengthening and encouraging each other through the hard times. One of the reasons that they succeeded when it would have been easy to give up was that they were committed to God with an intense devotion.
Jonathan Edwards wrote, “On January 12, 1723, I made a solemn dedication of myself to God, and wrote it down; giving up myself, and all that I had to God; to be for the future, in no respect, my own; to act as one that had no right to be himself, in any respect. And solemnly vowed to take God for my whole portion and felicity; looking on nothing else, as any part of my happiness, nor acting as if it were; and His law for the constant rule of my obedience: engaging to fight against the world, the flesh and the devil, to the end of my life.”
No one drifts into righteous and holy living. We constantly face temptation from the world, the flesh, and the devil. We will not walk in God’s ways unless we do so intentionally. We must choose to “with purpose of heart…cleave unto the Lord” if we are to follow Him for a lifetime.
