[John LaBissoniere] Well, the date was May 11th, 1685, and it would be the final day of life for 18-year-old Margaret Wilson. Margaret lived in a small hamlet located in Southwest part of Scotland called Wigtown, had about 1,000 people, very small town, together with an older friend also named Margaret, Margaret McLaughlin. She's 63. Young Margaret had been condemned to death. But why? Because she refused to swear allegiance to King Charles II of England, Scotland, and Ireland as the head of the Anglican church. Remember this is over 300 years ago. Both women had refused to swear that allegiance. They were of Calvinist, which is largely Puritan beliefs, which emphasize God's, you know, perfect supremacy and the authority of the Bible. These principles stood in stark contrast, though, to those of the Episcopal or Anglican church, the church of England, basically, in that age. It's a little different now, but it stressed that the king and a hierarchy of bishops were a sole authority in the church. All citizens of that time were required to swear allegiance to the king as the head of the church, and yet both women refused to do so, so they were condemned to death. How were they to die? By drowning.

A book written in 1869 entitled The History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland from the Restoration to the Revolution Volume 1 by Robert Burns and Robert Wodrow explain that on that fateful day, the two women were chained at low tide on the Solway Firth, which is a bay that's the border between Scotland and England in the Irish sea close to the Isle of Man. As the tide slowly came in, the older Margaret began… The water began rising, and choking and struggling for her last breath, she drowned. She's chained to this post at low tide. Young Margaret, however, had been chained by an officer of the king near the shore in a belief that she would be terrified to comply with the… so she would be so terrified she'd want to comply with the king's orders. Well, as the waters rose higher and higher, the officer shouted to her, "Margaret, swear allegiance to the King," but she refused. Hearing this, her family and friends who were standing on the shore desperately pleaded with her to change her mind, to swear allegiance to the king as the head of the church. Her own mother, on the shore, begged Margaret to give up her faith to save her life. Even the local town official tried to intervene by imploring Margaret to pray for the king. She replied. She said this, and I quote, "God, save him if He will. For it is His salvation I desire." Well, hearing that statement, her relatives on shore shouted, "She said it. She said it." The king's officer again shouted to Margaret to swear allegiance to the king. Summoning all of her energy, she replied, "I will not. I am one of Christ's children." Soon afterwards, the water, the waves, overwhelmed her, and she struggled for her final breath. She too drowned, died. Well, as the water subsided later that day, her family members retrieved the bodies of the two Margarets and they buried them in a churchyard in Wigtown. Today, a memorial is there at their burial site.

Now, certainly, Margaret's story is one of faith and courage in the face of terrible adversity, but it's also one of something else, of loyalty to Jesus Christ as she knew Him. Loyalty, loyalty. It's a powerful and deeply meaningful quality of character. Throughout history, it has stirred people to take significant and intrepid actions. But what can be said about this vital quality today, this attribute in our 21st-century world? Is loyalty highly valued or is it fading away? Is it becoming increasingly uncommon in society?

In a 2010 book written by Timothy Keiningham and Lerzan Aksoy entitled Why Loyalty Matters, they wrote the following on page 8, and I quote, "Loyalty is now out of fashion and anachronism in today's rapidly changing environment. Loyalty is frequently spoken of as a character flaw." Paul Begala, former advisor to President Bill Clinton observes, so some time ago, you know, he said this, "We have a media culture that derides loyalty, sees it as phony, looks for an ulterior motive or is at best patronizing about it." Now, what does the Bible say about loyalty in our age today? In a dual prophecy to ancient Israel and our present age, the prophet Hosea said this, and I'll just read this to you from Hosea 4:1 from the Contemporary English Version, says this, "Israel, listen as the lord accuses everyone in the land! No one is faithful or loyal or truly cares about God." Also the prophet Micah stated this about our age today in Micah 7:2, also from the Contemporary English Version. It says, "No one is loyal to God; no one does right. Everyone is brutal and eager to deceive everyone else." Isn't that sort of what we see today?

So prophecy says that but what does Scripture tell us that people say today? Proverbs 20:6. This is from the International Standard Version. Again, I'll just read it for you. "Many claim ‘I'm a loyal person!’ but” then it goes on and says, "who can find someone who truly is?" The same scripture in God's Word Translation says, "Many people could declare themselves loyal, but who can find someone who really is trustworthy?" For example, rare it seems our elected officials in our nation or other countries who show true loyalty to the voters who placed them in office. More and more frequently, it seems that these so-called leaders are lining their own pockets, have compromised their principles, and have made deals to take personal advantage of what should be a position of service and sacrifice to their constituents. And what's the result? We see the governments today are often no better than the politicians who comprise them. Well, sad.

And another example of loyalty, it's more and more rare to see in the covenant of marriage because people say, "Well, I'm committed till death do us part," but 50% of marriages fail today, and that's a statistic that's been around a long time. Sadly, this leaves shattered relationships of adults and then children, innocent children in its wake. Sad. Loyalty, it seems, often looks like something from a distant past because years ago, children were taught loyalty at home. Is it even taught there anymore? I don't know. How about school? I don't think so.

So, today, this critical value is missing or going missing. Seems very few people today really understand what loyalty is all about and why it's so critical. So let's examine this important quality today. The sermon title is this, “Loyalty: From the Heart” “Loyalty: From the Heart." The word loyal is derived from an old French word, L-O-I-A-L, which essentially means legal, but the actual word, loyal, takes its meaning to a much higher level than legality. For example, if someone says someone is loyal but they only do what the law commands them to do, it's not really loyalty. Is it? Loyalty must come from deep down inside, from the heart. The Collins Dictionary defines loyalty in the following way, loyalty is the quality of staying firm in your friendship or support for someone or something. Also, synonyms for loyalty are faithfulness, fidelity, meaning firmly, and being devotedly and firm to a person, a cause, idea, or purpose. Another definition, steadfastness in the face of trouble and difficulty, being fixed or unchanging, steady, constant, unswerving, dedicated. So these are… You see a long lexicon of definitions of this quality today. Perhaps a more conventional way of describing loyalty is simply knowing you can count on somebody that they'll do what they say. It's knowing you can depend on a person that they'll be there for you when you need them. It's also knowing that when you give a person a job he's going to get it done or she will. Partly, you and I need to do the same thing for other people. So it goes both ways. And again, speaking about the Bible's use of the term loyal or loyalty, you won't find those in the King James Version, but they are in more modern translations like the New King James. As a result, loyalty is equivalent of the words faithfulness, trustworthiness, commitment, again, steadfastness. All these words we described already. Those are the words you'll see in these other translations.

But let's go to Matthew 6:24. Try some of this good Cincinnati water. Matthew 6:24. You know, the question for each of us, it comes down to us, doesn't it? Really. How can you and I be more fully…? How can we more fully develop and especially apply this character quality of loyalty? Why is it so important that we do that, that we grow and employ it this way all the time? Because it's an essential requirement for anyone who wants to have a strong, resilient, and loving relationship with God. That's the most important thing for you and for me. Well, really, for everyone, though. Matthew 6:24, it says this, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Let's move ahead to Matthew 24:45 now. Matthew 24:45. Let's see more of what God expects of those He calls into His service. It's for young people, old people, all of us. Matthew 24:45, "Who then is a faithful," meaning loyal, "And wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing," carrying out the job he gets them to do. So God instructs anyone who wants to maintain that close relationship with Him to demonstrate consistency, loyalty, constantly.

1 Kings 8:61, I'll just read it. It says this, "Let your heart therefore be loyal to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments." That's how we remain loyal to God. We just do what He says. Those who want that deep conviction to have that relationship with God must be single-minded and do it from the heart to His ways constantly. You know, the Bible is filled with illustrations of the servants of God who had that type of unswerving loyalty, not only to God but to other people. And there are some instances of those who did not, which should be, you know, a cautionary note to all of us.

In this regard, let's take a brief look at several examples from the Old and New Testaments of whole-hearted loyalty. Some of these examples will most likely be very familiar to us while others we may not be as well acquainted. Let's go to Genesis 12:1 to begin. Genesis 12:1. You know, a few individuals in biblical history have been as loyal to God and God's mission for Him as the patriarch Abraham. The eternal God asked Abraham to leave his native country and go into the land of Canaan. Now, this was almost unheard of for people to leave their families and country at those age and going to a foreign land. That was unfamiliar to them, but God asked Abraham to do that. Genesis 12:1, it says, "Now the Lord said to Abram: 'Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you.'" Well, Abraham, he didn't drag his feet. He didn't make excuses, “Well, you know,” or complain about it, but he acted on God's word in true loyalty and obedience. Verse 4 simply says this, verse 4, it says, "So Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken to him." There he went. Let's go to Genesis 22 now. Genesis 22:1. Later, God tested Abraham's loyalty in a really momentous way.

Here in Genesis 22:1, I hear the pages still turning, so I'll just wait a second. I don't hear them on the internet, though. I hope you people are turning your pages though. Genesis 22:1, "Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, ‘Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' And He said, 'Now take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.'" So again, here, God wanted to know something about Abraham, if he was going to be loyal and faithful, that his loyalty and faithfulness would be so strong that he would not withhold anything from God. And what do we learn? Abraham went ahead up to Mount Moriah. He built the altar, bound his son, placed him on the wood. Verse 10 we read, "And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, 'Abraham, Abraham!’ So he said, 'Here I am.' And he said, 'Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know you fear God since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.'" How much did he love his son after all he went through deep down in the heart? But he loved God more. So Abraham proved his loyalty to God by obeying Him, and he did it I can only say eagerly. Are we willing to do that, to eagerly follow God that way, to do it in a profound way like that? That's an amazing thing. What a wonderful example. We won't turn to subsequent verses, but they explain that due to Abraham's faithfulness, God promised tremendous blessings on him and his descendants.

So God is a rewarder of loyalty to those who are loyal to Him. He loves loyalty and He will reward that very well. Let's look at another example, another admirable example of loyalty, Joshua. He not only proved to be exceedingly loyal to Moses, to the people of Israel as well but to God. Numbers 27:18, if you go there, Numbers 27:18. Well, Joshua demonstrated tremendous reliability. You know, he gave correct information after returning from spying out the land of Canaan, whereas others in the group that went, it was 10 men that went on that spying mission, they came back with negative reports, discontent reports. They were complaining and whining. Well, as a result of these incidents and other examples of loyalty that Joshua illustrated, God rewarded him highly as noted in this passage. Let's read this. Numbers 27:18, "And Lord said to Moses: 'Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight. And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.'" Now, God certainly wouldn't have honored Joshua in this way, this major way if he hadn't demonstrated loyalty over to Him in many situations. So that's again another great example that we can look at in the Scriptures.

Let's take a look at another example from the time of the judges of one who illustrated full loyalty to God and His nation, Israel, and that was a judge and prophetess Deborah. Let's go to Judges 4:4. You know, Deborah was one of only five women described as prophet in the Old Testament, and she was the only female judge mentioned in Scripture. So here we find the people of Israel, this is the story, they had turned away from worshiping and obeying God and they had embraced idolatrous and the corrupt culture of the nations around them. And as a result, God allowed them to exist under the suppressive domination of the King of Canaan, Jabin. So this went on for 20 years and the people finally, they cried out to God, "Deliver us, deliver us." I mean, they just wanted to get out from underneath this tyrannical ruler's cruelty, the way he operated. And this is when we learn about Deborah. Here in Judges 4, we find her holding court, you might say, under a palm tree where people sought out her impartial judgment.

Judges 4:4, "Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. And she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, 'Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and with his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’? And Barak said to her, 'If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!’ So she said, 'I surely will go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.'"

So what we find here with Deborah's actions is a deep sensitivity to God's voice and a swift willingness to carry out what He wanted done. Her desire was to fully and faithfully, you know, be loyal to God and to carry that out on behalf of Israel and God Himself.

Several verses ahead we read in verse 23, "So on that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan in the presence of the children of Israel. And the hand of the children of Israel grew stronger and stronger against Jabin king of Canaan, until they had to destroyed Jabin king of Canaan." So God blessed the loyalty of this judge of Israel, this only female judge.

Another example of intense loyalty to God was found in the life of King David. It's interesting you know this that he is a man after God's own heart as well. So after God had Samuel, the judge, anoint David to replace Saul as king and prior to David actually becoming king himself, he certainly understood that Saul remained as king over Israel. David also understood that no one dare harm the king, the one that God anointed. So even though Saul repeatedly sought to kill David, David never did, never turned against him. Humanly speaking, it could have been justifiable, you know, humanly thinking about it for David, especially knowing that he would immediately become king to go ahead and kill Saul, but David never came into his mind. He was loyal to God and to the office for which Saul held. In fact, he commanded Abishai, a military leader under David, not to take any actions against Saul.

1 Samuel 26:9, I'll read this for you, "And David said to Abishai, 'Do not destroy him;’ speaking about Saul, 'For who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?'" So David knew he must be loyal to his king and more so to God. Let's turn to Daniel now, Daniel 3:12. Daniel 3:12. Now the Scriptures explain that the people of God must always be loyal and obedient to God rather than to men if a conflict arises between the two. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Now that's a story we know. The kids will know that one. I'm pretty sure. They understood the important principle of refusing to obey Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar's command to worship the golden image. And reporting to the king, king's counselors said to him in Daniel 3:12, “'There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.’ Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king." After we learn what happened to them in the next verse or two, they refuse to obey. Verse 16 goes on, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O king, we have no need to answer you in this. If that is the case to be thrown in there and die, basically, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and He will deliver us from your hand, O king." Imagine what that must have been like for the king to have some whippersnappers say this to him. "These lowlifes," you know, he might think. But they were bold. They said that. They stood right up to him knowing what was right. Verse 18, "But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." Again, these men were single-minded in their desire to obey God and adore whatever penalty would come. Loyalty. They were thrown into the fiery furnace, but God rewarded their loyalty from that fiery death. They came out not even having the smell of smoke on their clothes. God rewards loyalty.

Let's go to Daniel now, Daniel 6:10, a bit farther ahead. Daniel 6:10, another biblical example. The prophet Daniel. He knew that his principle loyalty needed to always be toward God. You know, following Babylon's conquest by the kingdom of Persia, Daniel remained in service but now under the Persian government's administration, but sometime after that, the Persian King Darius decreed that anyone who petitioned any God or man for 30 days other than himself as king. Why do these kings do…? I mean, why do they have to be that way? Well, they have complete power, at least they think. Anyway, other than himself, they would be cast into a den of lions. When Daniel heard this declaration, he knew that obeying it would show disloyalty to God and he'd had none of that. What did Daniel do as a trustworthy and faithful, a loyal servant of God? Verse 10, "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. In his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before God, as his custom was in the early days." He didn't change anything. Opened the windows wide. Prayed to God. Well, this action had him thrown into lion's den, but miraculously, God delivered him as a loyal servant of His from certain death. God rewards loyalty.

Luke 2 now verse 36, Luke 2:36. Let's move on to the New Testament to briefly examine other examples of genuine loyalty, full-hearted loyalty. We'll begin with the prophetess Anna, the prophetess Anna. You know, after only seven years of marriage, Anna's husband died. Rather than remarrying, she decided to dedicate the rest of her life to serving God. Luke 2:36, "Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, in this tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and she had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years," very old lady, "Who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day." And, you know, Anna was there in the temple worshiping God on the eighth day after Jesus' birth when Mary and Joseph brought Him to be circumcised.

So God rewarded Anna for her loving loyalty from the heart by giving her the opportunity to set her eyes on the very redeemer that she had longed for and prayed for, for all of those many, many years. Here in verse 38 we read this, "And coming in that instant, she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke to Him," came into the temple. What did she do? She gave thanks to the lord right away, "And spoke of Him to all who looked for redemption in Jerusalem." So she spread the word herself. So God rewarded her so greatly for her loyalty over all those years.

Another example of commitment and loyalty is that of Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene came from this small fishing town in Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. During one of Jesus' travels in that area, He cast out seven demons from her. In deep gratitude, she became one of His most loyal followers. In fact, Mary was one of the disciples who traveled with Jesus along with other women who were… as Luke 8:3, you don't need to turn there. This is from the NIV. It says, "Who were helping to support them," Jesus and the other disciples, "Out of their own means." So they were taking money out of their own pocket to support Jesus and the disciples. That's what these women were doing, including Mary Magdalene. Also, even after most of Jesus' male disciples abandoned and fled after His arrest in the Garden of Eden, Garden of Eden, it wasn't the Garden of Eden. It was the Garden of Gethsemane. Mary Magdalene, after that, stayed loyal, courageously loyal, even witnessing Jesus' crucifixion and burial. And after Jesus' body was entombed, Mary was one of the women who bought and prepared spices to anoint His body. And she came to the tomb after Jesus had arisen from the dead, and perhaps really to show how much Jesus appreciated everything she did, how loyal she was over these years from the depths of her heart, she was a first of all the disciples that He appeared to after His resurrection.

Acts 9:36. In a prime example of loyalty to the brethren of the church, we now turn to a woman named Dorcas. Dorcas lived in the city of Joppa located on the Mediterranean coast about 33 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Dorcas was tremendously appreciated because of her tireless love and service to the brethren. Acts 9:36, "At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died.” The local brethren knew that Peter, the apostle Peter was ministering in a nearby city, that of Lydda, L-Y-D-D-A. So they sent two men to urgently request that he come to them." They were just heartbroken that Dorcas had died. Well, verse 39, it says, "Then Peter rose and went to them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and the garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them."

They're showing these things because they loved her so much and all the things that she did for them. So, Peter must have been greatly moved by this legacy of service and the loyalty that she had to the brethren there. It came from her heart and he understood that. So what happened? Verse 40, "But Peter put them all out, knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, 'Tabitha, arise,' and she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive." Imagine that scene. Imagine that. Now here is a loyal woman to the brethren. That means she was probably loyal to God too, but in that case, we use this example of loyalty to the brethren, her brothers, and sisters in the Church.

Let's move on to another fine example of loyalty, that of the disciple named Onesiphorus, Onesiphorus. When other disciples abandoned Paul, Onesiphorus didn't. He remained utterly loyal. 2 Timothy 1:15, if you go there. 2 Timothy 1:15, in fact, this conscientious man traveled a long, long distance to go to Paul when he was imprisoned in Rome. And when he couldn't find Paul immediately when he arrived there in Rome, he didn't give up, but he kept searching and searching until he finally found where Paul was confined. From his inner being, Onesiphorus was proud of Paul. He was proud of the mission that he was on and he appreciated the suffering that Paul went through on behalf of God, of Jesus Christ. So Paul wrote this about this supremely loyal disciple, 2 Timothy 2:15, "This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among them are Phygellus and Hermogenes. The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, was not ashamed of my chain; and when he had arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and he found me." See? Do you feel the emotion there that Paul just so grateful that somebody cared enough to go after him? Verse 18, "The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day— and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus." So Onesiphorus was there for him. Talk about being there.

Let's go to another example. This is going to turn to John 17:4. Let's look at one more example of an individual who demonstrated the supreme example of loyalty, and that is none other than our second coming King Jesus Christ. Jesus repeatedly showed steadfast loyalty to His Father. He gave up His prehuman glory and that closeness that He had with the Father. And for 33 years, and through the 33 and a half years, He lived as a normal man and He learned what it's like to be human, just like you and me. He had been subjected to and overcame numerous trials and temptations. And throughout all of this, He proved completely faithful in carrying out His Father's will perfectly. At the final Passover service before His sacrificial death, He told His Father this in a prayer, John 17:4, "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do." And Jesus illustrated His loyalty one final time by being willing to give up His life for all people, for you and for me, all of us, for all people so that we could have the opportunity for salvation and eternal life. Again, talk about loyalty. Jesus, humanly speaking, He didn't really want to die. Matthew 26:39 just says… I'll just read it for you, "My Father, if it's possible, let this cup pass from Me." But then He says this, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Loyalty to the end, total loyalty, absolute loyalty from the heart, from our Brother and Savior Jesus Christ.

Let's bring it down to you and me today. How are we doing when fulfilling this quality of loyalty in our lives? When we were baptized, we promised God that we would follow His ways, always walking as Romans 6:4 says, "In newness of life," not going back, but keep walking forward. Newness of life, newness, never returning, never retreating. In other words, we pledge to remain firmly loyal to God and our calling. In this regard, the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian brethren, and he really wrote it to us today, obviously, by stating this in 1 Corinthians 4:2, this is from the New International Version. I'll just read it. "It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful." If you're been given a trust, you'd have to prove yourself. You have to prove that you are loyal. Later, Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 15:58 from Christian Standard Bible, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord's work." Steadfast, not shaking, not quivering, but going forward constantly, firmly, solidly loyal.

Indeed as God's people, loyalty must be one of our highest priorities. We got to be thinking about it. We got to be acting on it because Jesus prophesied something in Matthew 24:10 that in the days ahead, some will be, as He says, “will be offended, and will betray one another,” meaning they will become disloyal to fellow members. Brethren, we cannot allow that to happen to us. We cannot allow that betrayal to happen to us. We can never. That's why we have to stay close to God. That seems so critical. It's so important.

So let's stay do that. Let's stay close to God. Let's make every effort to remember the vital instances of loyalty illustrated in the Bible, the ones we went over and there's many more than that. Plus let's remember the significant example of loyalty and courage that 18-year-old Margaret Wilson displayed under extreme oppression, which could be an example for you and me since intense persecution is coming in the future for us. We don't know when that's going to come. We hope it won't, but it's going to happen, I think. I'm pretty sure the way we look, we see the Scriptures.

Let's try one scripture, one additional scripture, 2 Chronicles 16:9. You know, in a society where loyalty is becoming more and more uncommon, we can employ the examples of heartfelt devotion that we covered today. And, well, we can do that and live in that same manner as these examples showed us. This final scripture can help us see that God is loyal to us and how He desires that we be loyal to Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9, it says this, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of who? Those whose heart is loyal to Him." Therefore, let's be determined, you and me, let's be determined to develop and apply this critical character quality of loyalty from our hearts.