Faithfulness
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Introduction
Introduction
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
ARE YOU FAITHFUL?
Can the preacher count on you?
Can God count on you?
Perhaps, God wanders today, why some ask for so much yet they are never faithful?
We must grow the fruit of faithfulness to become what God has planned for us.
Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible is truth and all else becomes lies or deceit.
We must weigh what God thinks of faithfulness and then press toward His Goal.
Sunday School became so optional, there is a generation that now knows nothing about Sunday School.
People being unfaithful control the tone?
We need faithfulness in S.S. for it develops learning opportunities, with a chance of building better relationships with other people and families.
1. WHAT IS FAITH/FAITHFULNESS?
The same word for faithfulness is the same word for faith!
--to build up
--to foster as a parent
--to nourish
--steadfast
--stability
--trustworthiness
--establish
--firm, secure
--reliability
--dependability
--sure
--constant
Faithfulness must be Godward, but it must reach to the family and to fellowman.
The Word, consistent PRAYER LIFE, and FAITHFULNESS TO THE LOCAL BODY will build better people and a better community.
We don’t use people to build better churches, we use the church to build better people.
WE HAVE TOO MANY "GRASSHOPPER PROPHETS" TODAY.
We have too many unfaithful people jumping from here to there, with no root structure, that want to tell the faithful what is wrong, and where to get off.
My Bible says, 1 Cor. 4:2
Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
Don’t tell others to be faithful, model to them, SHOW THEM.
2.GOD IS FAITHFUL, AND HE EXPECTS THE SAME OF US!
Your testimonies, which You have commanded, Are righteous and very faithful.
God honors His Word by being Faithful to it!
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
3. JESUS IS FAITHFUL!
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
Jesus is faithfulness personified. He is reliable, trustworthy, and steadfast!
4. Faithfulness to CHURCH HONORS GOD.
When we gather together, we pay homage, love, and respect to the Most High and the Most Holy.
Faithfulness to church is the best witness you can give to the community and your family!
5. FAITHFULNESS IS DEMANDED BY GOD OF HIS PEOPLE! It is not optional, it is a requirement.
Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
If there are not roots there will be no fruits.
We must develop faithfulness in attendance, in giving, in Bible reading and study, in works and in obedience,and in prayer.
Read 1 Cor.9:7
Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?
6. GOD WANTS AND NEEDS YOU FAITHFUL IN CHURCH ATTENDANCE.
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Every individual is accountable. You reap what you sow, lazy church attendance usually means lazy giving patterns? Lazy witness patterns?
Coming together as individuals strengthens the church as well as the individual.
7. YOUR FAMILY NEEDS TO LEARN FAITHFULNESS TO THE LOCAL BODY!!
I begged a friend of mine to go to church with us and take her son.
She refused, but she allowed me to take her son. I did for years.
When he got 13, he slept late just like his Mom and
Dad.
I moved away.
Years later, I received a call, Momma was crying.
Her son had stolen some guns and was in jail.
We looked though the bars, at this precious young man.
His momma cried, "Please, go to church with me, PLEASE?"
With cold bitterness, the son replied, "Momma, I begged you to go to church with me when I was little, I WILL NOT GO WITH YOU NOW."
I paid to get the stolen guns out of the pawn shop, and got him out of trouble. In weeks, he was in trouble again, and pulled some hard time in jail.
Today momma goes to church alone and sheds many tears.
Our children will not get the Bible training and
root system they need at school, even in home schooling.
Our children need to come together and learn to worship and praise.
Our children need to learn giving and tithing.
They need to learn social skills and coping to face the real world.
They need to hear the heart of missions.
Without parents in church, the stats show very few children will stay faithful to church through the danger years.
Families in church are not perfect, but in church the Holy Spirit can teach and birth in them a concern for the lost.
The church is by far a better place to meet a mate than in a bar.
8. GOD IS LOOKING FOR FAITHFUL MEN AND WOMEN!
Samuel’s mother knew how to touch God, and her son, birthed by prayer, would change the course of history and would anoint two Kings, all because Hannah knew of the value of the faithfulness and God.
Eli allowed his sons to become unfaithful, and a faithful praying Mother prayed and faithfulness returned.
Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.
Our kids know more about the foolishness of this world than the KING OF KINGS and the LORD OF LORDS and the world He is bringing with Him!
Guns go to school, where Bibles cannot?
Fear looms ever present, because there is little love for faithfulness to God’s house.
9. FAITHFULNESS MUST EXPRESS IT SELF TOWARD OTHERS, THEY NEED YOU TO BE FAITHFUL.
There is a local pastor that needs your talent.
He is probably overworked and under paid.
Pastors are often discouraged by low/ unfaithful attendance, just your faithfulness would encourage the little man of God.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
There are workers that are tired and near quitting, you could help them to go a little further.
How can you encourage your brothers and sisters if you are seldom there?
The TV church is no substitute for the local body.
Most TV preachers will verify this.
But still many watch TV and fail to attend local church faithfully, thus they ease their conscience by watching edited ministry.
10. REALIZE YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE! GOD REWARDS FAITHFULNESS!
We owe a debt to God! Are you standing at your post
of duty?
MAY ALL EXCUSES CEASE.
GOD AND HIS WORD VERY CLEARLY STATE THE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL.
YOU NEED TO BE FAITHFUL TO A LOCAL BODY.
VERY FEW WILL READ THIS, BUT MY HANDS ARE RELEASED
AS I PROCLAIM THE WORD.
FEWER WILL READ THIS AND DO IT, BECAUSE THIS IS
NOT A POPULAR MESSAGE.
BUT THAT IS NOT MY JOB.
YOU CAN IGNORE THE WORD IF YOU PLEASE, BUT YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Will God find faith and faithfulness when Jesus returns? Well, it is up to you!
I do not know the writer of this little story but it fits in so well.
Will you help bear the weight?
When John Paton was translating the Bible for a South Seas Island tribe, he discovered that they had
no word for trust or faith.
One day a native who had been running hard came into the missionary’s house, flopped himself into a large
chair and said, "It’s good to rest my whole weight on this chair."
This became some sort of a revelation to Paton.
"That’s it," he said. "I’ll translate faith as ’resting one’s whole weight on God.’"
When we are Biblically believing in God, we are indeed resting our whole weight on Him and not standing on our own merit.
