Maybe you've heard the phrase: "He's as good as his word." But how good is that? The saying means, "You can depend on him to keep his commitment." But some of us wouldn't want to be "as good as our word"; we'd want to be better than our word, because our word may not be so good.

One way to be "as good as our word" is to remember that these words go together: promise and faithfulness. The idea is, a promise made is a promise kept. That's faithfulness.

Let's begin by considering some specific promises made by God in Psalm 119. First, read the psalm, all 176 verses. Now, read it again, listing each promise you find. Some of them will be repeated or rephrased. Write them down each time. What does God expect of us? And what are some of his promises to us?

Consider this: God's example of faithfulness is an example we are expected to follow. We must learn to keep our word, as God kept his word, as he is keeping his word, as he will always keep his word.

Peter's struggle with faithfulness

Read Matthew 16:13-20. What does Peter say that sounds faithful? How does Jesus respond?

Now that Peter is feeling pretty "faithful," he goes on to blow it in the very next paragraph. Keep reading in Matthew 16, verses 21-23. What does Peter do and say? How does Jesus react? Was Peter still being faithful at this point?

Now keep reading. In verses 24-26, how does Jesus define faithfulness?

Turn to Matthew 26:31-35. Is Peter showing faithfulness here? Now skip ahead to verses 69-75. Was Peter as good as his word? How did he react when he realized he'd failed?

Fortunately, that's not the last we hear of Peter. Turn to Acts 2:14-41, and read one of the greatest sermons of all time. How did Peter turn out after all?

• Divide a sheet of paper in half. In one section, write: "It's hardest for me to keep my word when … " In the other section: "It would be easier for me to keep my word if … " Spend some time brainstorming each area.

• Now, let's count the cost of following Christ. We know the rewards are great: heaven, truth, friendship with God. But have you ever counted the cost? On a sheet of paper, ask yourself some hard and honest questions:

1. If I really follow Jesus, I might have to stop … "
   Stop what? What are you doing that you shouldn't?
2. If I really follow Jesus, people might think … "
   Might think what? What's the risk to your reputation?
3. If I really follow Jesus, I might be called to … " What?

You get the idea. See how many "costs" you can think of, then ask yourself: "Why is it worth it to pay the cost of following Jesus?"

Want more? If you've found this column helpful, you might be interested in the Deeper Devotions Series, also by Jim Long. It's Who You Are That Counts is a study of the Fruit of the Spirit. When Life Gets Tough is based on the book of James. Both are published by Zondervan Publishing House and are available at your local Christian bookstore, or for information, call 1-800-727-3480.