Fruit of the Spirit - Faithfulness
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Good Story
Good Story
The story is told that Andrew Jackson’s boyhood friends just couldn’t understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson’s friends said, “Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now.”
Another friend responded, “How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn’t they usually say three times and out?”
“Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat—he would never stay ‘throwed.’ Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and be the winner.”
Picking up on that idea, someone has said, “The thing that counts is not how many times you are ‘throwed,’ but whether you are willing to stay ‘throwed.’”
The Christian life is a battle. Scripture often speaks of God’s children as soldiers, and we should not expect to have things always be calm and peaceful. The question is not whether we ever fail, but whether we get back up when we do. says, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”
How it Applies to the Topic
How it Applies to the Topic
Today we talk about faithfulness.. Why?
We have been going through the FRUIT of the Spirit and it is next.
As people walking with Christ, we should be able to see progressive growth in our character that demonstrates a change from the old man to the new one.....
As people walking with Christ and being filled with the Spirit, the people in our lives should see our faith.. how when the pressures and temptations come, Christ rises up in us and we stand faithful.
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Heb 11:
The One Thing We Should Get out of the Message.
The One Thing We Should Get out of the Message.
How the World Defines Faithfulness
How the World Defines Faithfulness
Google - the quality of being faithful.
Dictionary.com:
strict or thorough in the performance of duty
true to one's word, promises, vows, etc.
steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant
Explore Dictionary.com📷Weather Words You Need to Know📷Can You Translate These Famous Phrases From Emoji?📷These Are the Longest Words in English📷These Are the Saddest Phrases in English
reliable, trusted, or believed.
reliable, trusted, or believed.adhering or true to fact, a standard, or an original; accurate:a faithful account; a faithful copy.Obsolete . full of faith; believing.
adhering or true to fact, a standard, or an original; accurate
urban dictionary - Faithfulness is committing oneself to something or someone. Being faithful requires personal resolve not to wander away from commitments or promises.
How the Bible Defines Faithfulness
How the Bible Defines Faithfulness
4102. πίστις pistis, pis´-tis; from 3982; persuasion, i.e. credence; mor. conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), espec. reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstr. constancy in such profession; by extens. the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:—assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.
From the root word that means to be persuaded by argument come this word which burns itself into a conviction that God is real, God is present, God is worthy, God is absolute… everything else falls way short.
If the world defines faithfulness as adhering to a thing or trusting in something or someone, biblical faithfulness points to the only thing worth having faith in.
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
How to Get Biblical Faithfulness
How to Get Biblical Faithfulness
Why We Want It
Why We Want It
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
H
I hope that as Christians that walk with the one who rescued you from hell and the grave - that one of your great desires is to please the one who made you.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
Through faith in Him and by his grace we a rescued.
Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
It seems that faith is connected to answers to our prayer. Sidebar.. this kind of faith requires a trust in him that even if there is harm, we understand that He will give what’s best for us.. so the answer is rarely no, but if we ask according to His will it might be “not yet”
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
It’s in the big 3
What or Who is the Source
What or Who is the Source
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12
We are all given enough faith right from the beginning to be able to persevere in the faith, but there is things we can do to increase the faith...
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
We need to get into the word. And by word I mean the Bible. You pick it up. You read it. Listen to it on the way to work.
It is not what people say about the word - that increases understanding at times.... but getting in the word is the integral way that our faith is increased.
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
We should have increasing faith as we walk with Him. Will storms come? Yes. Will we be afraid of what the world may do to us? Sure… but in the end Christ is with us.
Another Good Story
Another Good Story
The story is told about a little boy who had been invited to a friend’s birthday party. He was so excited and started counting the days until the party. But the morning of the party he was devastated when he found that a blizzard had struck their little town. The snow was falling in wet, heavy flakes, and the wind was howling. “I don’t think you should go to the party,” his father said. The little boy was so disappointed.
He began to importune his father, begging to be allowed to go. Finally, much to his surprise, his dad said, “All right, you can go to the party.” The little boy bundled up in his hat and coat and mittens and started down the street to his friend’s house. When he got to the door, he turned around and saw his father turning to walk back home. It was then he realized that his father had been walking behind him all the way to make sure he was safe.
There may be times when we feel like we are alone, but in truth we are always surrounded by the love and goodness of God. There is never a time when we are truly on our own. Even when we do not believe Him as we should, "he abideth faithful" ().
How it Applies
How it Applies
If we are going to increase our faith we obviously have to believe that He is there. Sometimes we won’t see Him but He is always present. We may stumble from time to time, but He is always there to protect us.
Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. But the wicked will perish: Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke. The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed. The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
Personal Application
Personal Application
Find a place to read out loud.
Pray