Steadfast love is a phrase brimming with richness, especially in spiritual and devotional contexts—it evokes the unwavering, covenantal affection attributed to God’s nature throughout scripture.
Here’s how it’s often understood and explored:
🌟 Biblical Meaning
Hebrew roots: The term often translates from the Hebrew word chesed—a deeply layered word encompassing mercy, faithfulness, loyalty, and compassion.
God’s character: Steadfast love in scripture reflects God’s enduring commitment to His people, despite their failures. It’s not just emotional affection; it’s active, sustaining grace.
Key verses:
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end” – Lamentations 3:22
“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds” – Psalm 36:5
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
To have a good fellowship in your church you not only need unity and kindness amongst other things . If there is a good and positive fellowship in your church it should help it to grow. Should that positive fellowship turn to negative fellowship and the unity in the church ceases to exist then that’s when the devil get’s in a the church will decline.
I have seen this first hand in one church I was a member off and it wasn’t a pleasant thing to witness. Needless to say it wasn’t long before I found another church where I felt at home.
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honour your father and mother.’[d]”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[e] to enter the kingdom of God!25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes,brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. 27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
What John 14:27 is promising is that peace isn’t found in the absence of the storms, but in the presence of Jesus. Peace is the inheritance that God gives his children. It’s what he wants you to have. Jesus is saying that his peace is different than what the world offers.
Recently, my wife and I have felt we have been ignored by our church fellowship, which is something we are not happy about
I also have a different issue I need to get off my chest. It is a burden I have been carrying for several weeks now. Although our church is a small one and only has three elders, it hasn’t been easy to get to speak to them
I should state that neither my wife nor myself have lost our faith
We are currently on holiday at the moment trying to relax, but I’m afraid it’s being overshadowed by the above issue.
13A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.
14An intelligent person is always eager to take in more truth; fools feed on fast-food fads and fancies.
15A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song.
16A simple life in the Fear-of-God is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches.
17Better a bread crust shared in love than a slab of prime rib served in hate.
18Hot tempers start fights; a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace.
19The path of lazy people is overgrown with briers; the diligent walk down a smooth road.
20Intelligent children make their parents proud; lazy students embarrass their parents.
21The empty-headed treat life as a plaything; the perceptive grasp its meaning and make a go of it.
22Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.
23Congenial conversation – what a pleasure! The right word at the right time – beautiful!
I don’t suppose I’ll have to tell anyone reading this that it take more facial muscles to frown than to smile. Don’t you think it’s a lot better to feel happy than down right miserable, I do! I believe God would have us being happy than sad. I also believe that because we know Christ as our Saviour we are joyful and it is our duty as Christians to go out into the world and reach out to those who don’t know Christ as their saviour.
2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
34 Women[f] should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.[g]
36 Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38 But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.[h]
39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
One of my favourite prayer choruses is ‘Prayer gently lifts me’ and the words to this simple chorus are displayed in the video