Model of Faithfulness

We recognize that God is calling us to a walk of faithfulness to Him, and He displays His glory through devoted men and women who lay down their own lives so that the life of Christ might flow through them. In 2 Timothy chapter 2, Paul writes:
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

We are pleased at Faith Radio to have a lineup of faithful servants who teach the Word of God and lead us in worship.  This year is a milestone year for the ministry of The Urban Alternative, with Dr. Tony Evans: it's 40-year anniversary!  And, we can be thankful that God has given to the Church leaders who preach and teach the Word boldly, who inspire us and set a godly example of faithfulness: it's evident in the local church across our nation and around the world, and Faith Radio is pleased to play a role in providing sound Bible teaching so that you might grow in the Lord.

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Isaiah chapter 1 addresses the subject of faithfulness; specifically, our faithfulness to Him.  As redeemed people of God, He calls us to serve Him with our whole hearts, and we can read in that 
chapter:
17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land...

God wants us to know, understand, and live out His Word, and we can be thankful for the pastors and Bible teachers whom He has given to the body of Christ.  Faith Radio is pleased to present to you a strong, solid, high-quality lineup of nationally-recognized Bible teachers throughout the day.  You can see our schedule at FaithRadio.org in the "Programming" section and through our app.

One of those individuals has reached several milestones this year.  It is the 40th anniversary for the ministry of The Urban Alternative, which is the ministry headed by Dr. Tony Evans, who is heard on the radio program, The Alternative, weekday mornings at 9:30 on Faith Radio.  Dr. Evans is also Senior Pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas.

A recent Baptist Press article noted another milestone reached by this renowned Bible teacher; it states:

The first study Bible and one-volume commentary published by an African American theologian has hit yet another milestone. “The CSB Tony Evans Study Bible” and “The Tony Evans Bible Commentary” recently won a pair of Bronze Awards from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) for each selling more than 100,000 copies.

The article notes, "The publications have since sold around 148,000 copies and 123,000 copies, respectively." 

Tony Evans has released a series of books centered around the "Kingdom" theme, and his desire for God's people to live according to the principles of God's Kingdom is reflected in the study Bible and commentary; he related that he wanted to “show the kingdom thread throughout all the books of the Bible and to help readers see how eternity and history are connected by this unifying theme of the glory of God through the advancement of His kingdom.”  

When those two items were released two years ago, Dr. Evans commented, “I’m humbled. I’m from urban Baltimore. I would never have thought I would be in this place,” adding, “I know God could have used someone else. The fact that He’s allowed me the opportunity to do this with my weaknesses and with my flaws, it shows me grace, it shows me mercy, it shows me gratitude.”

Andy McLean of B&H Publishing Group, a division of Lifeway Christian Resources, stated: “The message and ministry of God’s missional kingdom is not only one that Dr. Evans has so clearly articulated and advanced, but also one he has faithfully lived out in his pastoral ministry, resulting in changed minds and hearts across the globe.”

Beginning tonight and continuing through Wednesday, a new movie presentation is in theatres, featuring Tony Evans, along with his daughters Chrystal Evans Hurst and Priscilla Shirer, called, Journey With Jesus, which was filmed in Israel.  The Fathom Events website offers this description:

JOURNEY WITH JESUS brings the Bible to life as Dr. Evans and his daughters lead a beautiful and captivating walking tour of the historical sites and places of Jesus’ ministry, delivering personal insights, powerful teaching and biblical context for each location.

It will be available at 7:00 each evening at the AMC Festival Plaza 16 in Montgomery and the AMC CLASSIC Dothan Pavilion 12.

Well, I believe that without question, Dr. Evans is a model of God's faithfulness.  And, I believe that God's faithfulness is expressed as God's response our faithfulness to Him, which comes as we surrender to the Lordship of Christ. If we treat the Christian walk in a cavalier way, even though we may encounter blessings because of God's love and sovereignty, we will not experience the fullness of what He wants to do in our lives.  Because of his heart, God has shown Himself through this minister.

And, it has not been without difficulty, especially in recent years. He experienced the death of his longtime wife, Lois, just under two years ago, following on the heels of his father's death, and other loved ones within a two-year span, before that.  He had COVID earlier this year, but he continues to be faithful to the Lord and set an example of grace, even through suffering. 

In light of Dr. Evans' example, we can consider this: What is God calling us to do?  Certainly, He is calling each of us to greater devotion to Him and to His Word.  We can show ourselves to be "willing and obedient," as Isaiah 1 suggests, earnestly seeking Him and following the direction of His Spirit, who empowers us to do what He has called.