Faithfulness

      Today I just felt led to teach on faithfulness. So often we teach on the subject of the faithfulness of God, & that's a valid & true statement. For example; (1 Corinthians 1:9) “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” But today I feel that we need to teach on the subject of faithfulness to God.

      I. Turn with me to NUM 12:5-8a

                  A. In (V 7) it says that Moses was faithful in the Lord's house.

                              1. What does it mean to be faithful?

                                          a. We could say that faithful people are dependable. And they fulfill their responsibilities

                                          b. According to the dictionary it says that faithful people are:

                                                      i. Loyal

                                                      ii. Consistent

                                                      iii. Constant in performance of duties & service.

                              2. In (NUM 12:7) where it says that Moses was faithful, the word “faithful” means “To support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, pillars, to be established, make firm, lasting, reliable, trustworthy, to stand firm, to believe in, & trust.”

                                          a. Most of the time when the word “faithful or faithfulness” is used throughout the Bible it means the same thing.

                  B. 1SAM 2:35

                              1. This V tells us what the faithful to God will do.

                                          a. 1st the faithful will do what is in the heart of God.

                                          b. 2nd, they will do what is in the mind of God for them to do.

                              2. In other words, faithfulness to God & obedience to Him go hand in hand.

                                          a. Those that are faithful & obedient to the Lord will be blessed.

                                                      i. In (ISA 1:19) it says that the willing & obedient (that's faithfulness) will eat the good of the land.

                                          b. In (1SAM 2:35) God said to the faithful that He will build them a sure house.

                                                      i. The NIV translation says, “I will firmly establish his house.”

      II. Let's look at some Biblical examples of faithfulness & what it did for them.

                  A. Starting in (Dan 6:1), we see that DANIEL was promoted was one of the leaders in the city of Babylon. He was just about to be placed as the chief leader in the city under only the king.

                              1. The other leaders in the city became so jealous over him, they sought a way to bring him down, but they couldn't find any fault against him. DAN 6:4

                              2. They finally reasoned within themselves that the only way to find fault against him was to have the king make a decree or a law that was contrary to his belief in God.

                              3. They talked the king into making a decree (which is also called a writing) that no one was to pray to any God for 30 days. Daniel would not go against what God has said.

                                          a. DAN 6:10‑12a; 16‑23

                                          b. Daniel was faithful to the king & the king wanted to promote him.

                                          c. But Daniel was most of all faithful to God & God saved him & prospered him & God got all the glory.

                              4. DAN 6:26‑28

                                          a. There are times that you have to make a choice, whether to be faithful to God or faithful to man.

                                          b. ACTS 5:29

                  B. GAL 3:9

                              1. Here we see that Abraham was faithful.

                                          a. He was always faithful to God.

                                          b. But his faithfulness paid off.

                                                      i. The Lord made him a very prosperous man.

                                                      ii. The Lord made a covenant with him.

                                                      iii. The Lord gave him a child when he was past the years of having children.

                                                      iv. The Lord made thru him the chosen people, the Jews.

                                                      v. The Lord made him the father of many nations.

      III. 1COR 4:2

                  A. This V is definitely telling us that ministers & those in leadership position must be faithful to the Lord.

                              1. I won't put someone in a leadership position unless I know them to be faithful to the Lord.

                                          a. This V says the same thing. It says that the stewards (those in leadership) be FOUND faithful.

                                          b. The word “FOUND” in this V means

                                                      i. to meet with

                                                      ii. after searching, to find a thing sought

                                                      iii. to find by inquiry, thought, examination, scrutiny, observation, to find out by practice and experience, i.e., to see, learn, discover, understand; to be found, i.e., to be seen, be present; to be discovered, recognized, detected, to show one's self out, of one's character or state as found out by others (men, God, or both); to get knowledge of,

                              2. That might be talking about leaders, but God is no respecter of persons;

                              3. If He expects His leaders to be faithful then He wants to see all of His children faithful.

                  B When you're faithful even in the small things, God does not see them as small.

                              1. If you feel that all you're qualified for is sweeping the floor, if you're faithful in that, God sees you as faithful in much.

                              2. LUKE 16:10

                                          i. If you're doing what God told you to do then you are faithful.

      IV. Let's look at what will be the results if you are faithful to God.

                  A. PRO 28:20

                              1. (PRO 28:20) In the NIV says, “A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.”

                                          a. In this V God is telling his people that if you'll be faithful to Him you will be richly blessed.

                              2. PSA 31:23

                                          a. As you're faithful to the Lord, the Lord will preserve you.

                                                      i. The word “preserve” means “keep to guard & to protect.”

                              3. MATT 24:45-46; 25:23

                                          a. If you want God's blessings, if you want joy in your life than be faithful to the Lord.

                                          b. He said that the faithful will be blessed & will enter into the joy of the Lord.

                  B. REV 2:10

                              1. The word “crown” in this V means “A mark of royal or exalted in rank, Given as a prize to the victors, given only to the true & genuine servants of God & Christ, given as a reward of righteous.”

                              1. Jesus said that it is those that are faithful to the end who will receive the crown of life.

SUN PM 9/9/90 & WOLCC SUN AM 3/21/93