Fruit of the Spirit - Faithfullness

Introduction

I want to begin today’s time in the scriptures as we are walking through the fruits of the spirit and we are on the fruit of Faithfulness.

I want to begin a little different today to begin today I want to read something not from the bible

Gasp!!

Mend All The Pieces

This is the Lyrics from a song by Since October on their album Life/Scars/Apologies

I’m Having trouble standing on my own

I’m sick and tired of believing I am strong

And how many ways do I have to say?

And how many times do I have to pray?

You’re the wall that surrounds me, it bounds me

Keeps me locked inside the blame

How did it ever really come to this brokenness?

Impossible to fix

I’m never really satisfied with promises

My faith has died

Another day, another hour bleeds away

And every minute seems to take its toll on me

And now I’m concerned that I’ve wasted time

But how can I learn if I don’t try?

Do you understand me?

Take my hand please

Can you walk me through this maze?

Something inside me keeps trying to break through

My broken excuses

need someone to mend all the pieces

Mend all the pieces

Pray

Think about this poem or lyric. If you listened to it, It’s a lyric of faith destroyed.

Faith that has come into contact with Life/Scars/Apologies.

Those people, Those things Those events that Make life difficult, That you wonder why you, Those things that make you feel low.

The fruit of faithfulness is a gift of the spirit. It grows in us when we are living in the spirit and the spirit lives in us. But it can be crushed by life, wrong thinking, and spiritual attacks. These things can cause our faith to waiver.

What is faith?

Belief or assuredness of God, his promises, and his truths.

Firmness in God.

Being true to someone as a husband is true to their spouse faithful.

We take a step of faith when we accept God as real period because you can’t test him, you can’t prove him scientifically. There are evidences, But you can’t test for God. But these evidences lead us to Christ in which we as Christians choose to follow as the truth. And because of these evidences Faith is not blind faith, But is faith.

We take a step of faith when we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior. And when the Holy Spirit comes upon us when we believe it begins to grow our faith.

But like all these fruit things in life, things in the world, things not dealt with in us can wither our fruit and grow other fruit.

And when we lose faith.

It’s not just that we stop believing. It effects our very being.

It’s when we struggle with Discouragement and Depression.

Let me say this that Discouragement and Depression is very normal. We all struggle with these things. We all have the lows and highs of Life.

Some of the most biblical people in the bible struggle with depression: Elijah, Look at David.

Depression happens.

When I am talking about Depression I am talking about our normal lows.

Sometimes, 1/8 will get what’s called clinical depression

In which you really do need to see a counselor. Medicine may or may not be helpful. Medicine can help you deal but should never be used to hide your problems but they can be needed.

4 reasons for discouragement

Give you 4 reasons for discouragement From Nehemiah 4

Loss of Strength

Look at those feeble Jews – Without Strength

Fatigue

Just get over booked

Get Busy

Might be busy doing the right things

Sometimes you just need rest

Loss of Focus

We focus on the wrong

Instead of what right

Look at the focus when the wall was half done

Cup half full or half empty

Loss of Confidence

When lose confidence not in yourself but in God

You can’t do it, but He can’

Stop and look in the rear view mirror

Look back and see what God has done for you

Where he has lead you

Loss of Security

Fear

Enemies attack

You have been through a lot

Lost job

Lost friend

Been betrayed

Been abused

Causes us to lose our security

4 steps to help with lows

4 steps to help – Four things that can help don’t say there is some easy answers for depression or for discouragement but four things that can help continuing from Nehemiah 4 (not original)

Get Moving - Be Proactive – Do Something

They set a plan to keep themselves safe

They prayed but they kept going they built the wall

Do something Positive

Help others

Rest

Worship

Workout

Have fun

Get moving

Get Perspective

Remember who is 4 you

When you are with God who can be against you

Remember who God is

Journal

Read about God

Look at your memories

Read Psalm 103

Get Mad – Fight, Fight, Fight

Don’t slip into that victim mentality

That poor is me

Choose to fight discouragement and depression

Fight

This is not Angry

Get Connected

Goes along with get mad

Find someone honest that you can trust

Never fight alone

Get people in your corner

Just Get help

Might mean a counselor

Might mean just a friend

Next Steps

Everyone deals with lows of Life how will you deal with them?

Look at the reasons for you discouragement

Get moving

Get perspective

Get mad

Get help

Are you faithful or are you having an affair on God?

Now if you are going through and need us to pray for you please don’t be afraid to ask.

Need help please talk to us.

You need to ask Jesus into your heart the source of hope

Please come and pray talk

Need to be baptized

Or join the church

Please Come

Pray