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When we think of faithfulness, we automatically think of God.
 | "I saw heaven standing open
and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and
True. With justice he judges and makes war." Revelations
19: 11 |
| "He is the Rock, his works are
perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he." Deuteronomy
32: 4 |
God's faithfulness is proclaimed throughout the entire book of
Psalms. Just one example is Psalms chapter 117 - "Praise
the LORD,
all you nations, extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward
us, and the faithfulness of the LORD
endures forever. Praise the LORD."
Let's look at the following ways that God's word refers to His faithfulness
in different areas of our life. Maybe we can then get a better
understanding of what faithfulness is all about.
- In our salvation - "He will
keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ. God who has called you into fellowship with his Son
Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." I
Corinthians 1: 8-9
- In the deliverance from temptation - "No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is
faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But
when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand
up under it." I Corinthians 10: 13
- In our sanctification - "May
God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May
your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do
it." I Thessalonians 5: 23-24
- In forgiving us and cleansing us from sin - "If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness." I
John 1: 9
- In our suffering - "So
then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to
their faithful Creator and continue to do good." I
Peter 4: 19
- In eternal life - "Let
us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is
faithful." Hebrews 10: 23
But what about us? Are we expected to be faithful?
How? In what? To whom? What does it mean for us to be
faithful? Let's look at the definition of "faithful":
Faithful - firm in the adherence to promises or in the service
of duty, dependable, trustworthy, believed, loyal, honest, full of
faith, believing.
Now let's look at some more Bible verses that deal with our
being faithful:
| "But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such
things there is no
law." Galatians 5: 22 |
| "Love the LORD,
all his saints! The LORD
preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full." Psalms
31: 23 |
| "Many a man claims to have
unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?"
Proverbs 20: 6 |
| "A faithful man will be richly
blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished."
Proverbs 28: 20 |
| "Now it is required that those
who have been given a trust must prove faithful."
I Corinthians 4: 2 |
| "To the angel of the church in
Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the
Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and
your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say
they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be
afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put
some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten
days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the
crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second
death." Revelation 2: 8 thru 11 |
We are definitely called to be faithful!
How?
| Being obedient to God and His Word - "Jesus
replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind.'" (Mathew 22:37)
Desire God. Desire the things of
God. "This
day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before
you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you
and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen
to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he
will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers,
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." (Deuteronomy
30: 19-20) |
| A Relationship - First and foremost develop a
relationship with God and foster it through prayer, meditation, Bible
study and servant hood. "Therefore,
I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of
worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but
be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to
test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect
will." (Romans 12: 1 thru 2)
Now let's look at what Jesus said: "My
prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them
from the evil one." (John
17: 15)
|
This is faithfulness!
| Renew you mind with God's Word |
| Renew your spirit with devotions - His mercies are new
every morning. Run to Him and receive His mercy, His love, and
His grace. |
| Renew your love for God by talking to Him and by holding on
to the "first love" you experienced when your first met Him.
Think about the words that Jesus spoke to the Church of Ephesus in
Revelation Chapter 2, verses 3 thru 5: "You
have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown
weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first
love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and
do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to
you and remove your lampstand from its place." |
Marks of Faithfulness
- Follows through on whatever he/she has to do
- Delivers the goods - whether a message or a meal
- Shows up - even early so others won't worry
- Keeps his word - Let your yes be yes and your no be no
- Honors commitments and appointments - don't cancel for
convenience sake
- Successfully transacts business - carries out
instructions
- Discharges official duties in Church and doesn't neglect
worship
- Devoted to duty - emulates Christ by seeking to do what
is the Father's will
How can we have these "Marks of
Faithfulness"?
| Call upon God in prayer and ask Him to help. "When
I called, you answered me, you made me bold and
stouthearted." Psalms 138: 3 |
| Be honest. "Whoever
can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever
is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with
much." Luke
16: 10 |
| Rely on God's strength. "I
can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Philippians 4: 13 |
| Fight self-indulgence. "No,
I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others,
I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
I Corinthians 9: 27 |
| Eliminate laziness and idleness. "She
watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of
idleness." Proverbs
31: 27 |
| Begin at home. "She
watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of
idleness." Proverbs
31: 27 |
| Be faithful in all things. "His
master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been
faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.
Come and share your master's happiness!'"
Mathew 25: 23 |
Conclusion - Allow God's Spirit to move into all areas of your
life so that faithfulness becomes a way of life for you. People around you
will then be able to see the love of God through your faithful living.
Bible verses referenced in this
presentation
are from the following translation:
New International Version
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