Do You Have Loyalty in the Duffel Bag of Your Character?: [Revelators]

By Paul L. Staack

Loyalty is a character trait that should be indigenous to the church. Yet the atmosphere of loyalty is becoming “rare air” in this world. There are many in the church who practice “bandwagon loyalty.” They are following the fashionable trends and the latest fads of Christianity. In this book, you will see loyalty put on display. It has been written with the hope that you will add loyalty to the contents of your character. There are many who speak the vocabulary of loyalty. There are few who function in the vocation of loyalty. This book exposes the current trend of the “free agent” mentality and the “grass is greener syndrome.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664269040

Paul L. Staack

Paul L. Staack started his adventure with God on his waterbed. He kneeled on that bed before Almighty God and gave his empty life to Christ. He came out of that bedroom with new thoughts and desires. He followed those thoughts and desires into a life of service. Paul has served in the Ministry of Helps at Speak the Word Church International since May of 1980. He has been in full time ministry as an assistant pastor since May of 1994. During a time of worship, Paul heard the call to write books with a passion and a vision to help the body of Christ to come into maturity. This book is a mirror reflecting Paul’s life of loyalty as a believer.

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-6903-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-6905-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-6904-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022911074

WestBow Press rev. date: 6/21/2022

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Other books by Paul L. Staack

Available through paullstaackbooks.com

Pillars: The Invisible Support Team of the Local Church

(Local Church Series)

Rejected: But Not Rejected

(Books for the Human Race)

Do This in Remembrance of Me:

One-Year Communion Devotional

(Paul’s Devotionals)

I dedicate this book to my dear friend Jay Hesby. Jay is one of the original members of our church, and he is still here after forty-five years. Through the years, he has dished out words of encouragement to me when it seemed as though my plate was clean and the cupboards bare. He had a witness about my calling when others overlooked me. He is my partner in prayer and my friend. It is only fitting that I dedicate a book about loyalty to Jay. He has been a prime specimen of the trait of loyalty—a character trait that seems to be on the endangered species list in this world. So Jay, my friend, I dedicate this to you. I trust that it will represent the quality that you have modeled for me since May 1980.

CONTENTS

Preface: Revelators

Introduction

Chapter 1 What Is Loyalty?

Chapter 2 Loyalty to God First

Chapter 3 What Does God Consider Good?

Chapter 4 Loyalty: A Hand-Under-Thigh Relationship

Chapter 5 Loyalty as Displayed by David and His Men

Chapter 6 The Behavior of Loyalty

Chapter 7 The Loyalty Clinic

PREFACE

REVELATORS

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On January 2, 2008, we conducted a Wednesday night service at church. At the end of the service, we prayed for everyone in attendance. We do this at the beginning of the New Year to set good things in motion for the coming year and to acknowledge that our year will be lived in vain without God’s involvement.

My pastor prayed for me that night. He didn’t pray or say much. However, there was one thing he did say that was branded into my consciousness. He referred to me as a revelator. This term has been brought back to my remembrance as I prepare to write this book. You are holding in your hands, one book in a series of expeditious adventures called Revelators. An expedition is a voyage or a journey. An expedition is also characterized by promptness and efficiency. These thoughts are built into the vision for this series of books.

Revelators will be an intense but condensed study of one of life’s subjects. Each book will lift a vein of thought from the Word of God to draw the life of God from that vein to administer a transfusion of truth to every reader.

My pastor also said that there would be light associated with my assignment as a revelator. I trust that God will use these books to illuminate your way.

By Your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. (Psalm 119:105 MSG)

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines revelator as one that reveals—especially: one who reveals the will of God. My prayer for you as you read this book is that you will be filled with a clear knowledge of His will along with wisdom and discernment according to Colossians 1:9–10.

My goal for each book in the Revelators series is to reveal God’s point of view to elevate you to see the path of your life more clearly and accurately. The truth that you know will make you free.

INTRODUCTION

This book is set against the backdrop of the trenches of war. Soldiers carried duffel bags that contained all the essentials they needed for life in the field of battle. In fact, a duffel bag is used for transporting personal belongings.

Trenches were bases of operation for the military engaged in the heat of battle. A trench is a long, narrow excavation used for military defense. Those who reside in the trenches experience the sights, the sounds, the agonies, and the suffering of warfare. Those who fight from the trenches do so with this solace: There are soldiers fighting next to them in the same battle. There is strength and courage to be derived from people working and fighting together against a common enemy. Soldiers in the trenches should be dependable people surrounded by dependable people.

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 NKJV)

Companions are people who are knit together. The church is also comprised of soldiers who are knit together. We are engaged in the ultimate war with an invisible and wily enemy. We are in the trenches with each other, and we derive courage and comfort from the support and camaraderie of men and women on either side. Camaraderie means that we share the same sleeping quarters. In other words, we are in this together. We share a life in common with fellow believers, and we should all be willing to lay down our lives for each other. We should be in the trenches with people who have our backs.

Sadly, there are more duffel bags than soldiers in the trenches. There are duffel bags with no corresponding soldiers because men and women have deserted the trenches and left their duffel bags behind. What is the explanation for this condition? The answer lies in the contents of the duffel bags of the missing soldiers. If you turn the duffel bag of a missing soldier upside down, shake out its contents on the ground of that trench, and scratch through those contents, your question will be answered. The mystery will be solved.

The soldier did not have loyalty in the duffel bag of his or her character.

Loyalty is a character trait that should be indigenous to the church. However, the atmosphere of loyalty is becoming rare air in the body of Christ. There are many who are deserting the trenches and leaving their duffel bags behind.

Those who are on the front lines of battle—the leaders and those who are elevated in rank in the church—are targets in this battle. The enemy has them on his radar.

Unfortunately, many are fighting with little support. Some soldiers who should have their backs have left their duffel bags in the trenches and defected to fire the artillery of the enemy. They probably don’t realize they are fighting with the enemy. However, if they are targeting the leaders with their words and their actions, they are, in essence, fighting in the infantry of the enemy.

This book is dedicated to the understanding of loyalty. I am writing this book to aid in the restoration of loyalty to the church. I want to teach you about loyalty with the hope that you will add it to the contents of your duffel bag. Of course, it is your responsibility to make it a part of your personal belongings.

Believers are admonished to stay out of the mold of this world. However, there are many in the church who are assuming the free agent mentality. If I don’t get what I want in this place, I will go to another place that is more beneficial for me.

Loyalty does not live by the creed, It’s all about me!

Loyalty does not ask the question, What’s in it for me?

There are many who speak the vocabulary of loyalty. There are few who function in the vocation of loyalty.

The bandwagon is loaded down with so-called loyal people. However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Lots of people claim to be loyal and loving, but where on earth can you find one? (Proverbs 20:6 MSG)

Many people declare themselves loyal, but who can find someone who is {really} trustworthy? (Proverbs 20:6 GW)

It is amazing to me that one has to search for a loyal person. As believers and imitators of God, loyal people should always be at hand. This is not the case. My hope is that this book will change that scenario. After reading this book and applying this teaching to your life, I believe that many more will be able to answer yes to a question that is also the title of this book:

Do you have loyalty in the