GOD IS FAITHFUL

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When I was growing up one of my favorite shows to watch in reruns was Gilligan’s Island.

Every episode started with the catchy theme song that introduced what happened to them.

So seven people set sail on what was scheduled to be a three hour sightseeing tour on the charter boat the minnow, but they got caught in a storm and ended up stranded on an uncharted tropical island.

The comedy develops from the failed attempt at escaping the island and the interaction of the very diverse group of people.

Their shipwreck was turned into a comedy, but most shipwrecks, storms and trails are anything but a comedy.

In October 1991, a storm stronger than any in recorded history hit the coast off of Gloucester, Massachusetts.

This storm created an almost apocalyptic situation in the Atlantic ocean, where boats encountered waves of 100 feet the equivalent of a 10 story building and winds of 120 miles an hour.

While the storm may not have been a threat to the land or to the homes along the shore, it was however deadly to those men and women who were caught in the shipping and fishing lanes.

Many of the families of the small fishing towns surrounding Gloucester suffered the loss of friends or family members in what is now remembered as the perfect storm.

Most of us in this room this will never face a situation like the one that I just described. However, there will come a time in the life of the believers when we will come upon a different type of storm.

Liberty it’s been a crazy year an a half and we have had a difficult month but God is Faithful.

I would dare say the world has been shipwrecks.

Life shipwrecks are the unwelcome, unexpected, uncomfortable, hard, painful, difficult experiences we go through.

I can imagine everyone here can bare witness to that. In the pass year in a half we have experience good times, bad times, loss and disappointment but through it all God has been Faithful.

He has been Faithful to provide

He has been Faithful to protect

He has been Faithful to forgive

He has been Faithful to His Word

ONE OF THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD IS FAITHFULNESS

One of the attributes of God is His faithfulness. When I say God is Faithful I mean He is trustworthy, dependable, Steadfast, unwavering, loyal, reliable, honest, Firmness.

God is not wishy washy He doesn’t switch things up. God never gets anything twisted.

GOD IS TOTALLY TRUSTWORTHY!!

His word will always come to pass. We can always rely on His Faithfulness.

Psalms 119:89-90

says Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven. Your Faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth You created.

That means God’s word is forever and firmly fixed in heaven. It will never change and remains relevant to ALL people in every culture throughout history.

If God spoke something a thousand years ago, it still stands.

Numbers 23:19 says God He’s not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change His mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through?

God is Faithful to His word because because His word is an expression of His nature and character. The promises He made still hold true because He does not change.

Malachi 3:6 says I am The Lord and I change not.

Hebrews 13:8 says He is the same yesterday today and forever.

In God there is no falsehoods, lies, or deception. God is Faithful!

PAUL’S STORY

Earlier I spoke to you about being shipwrecked. In the bible there’s a story that depicts a shipwreck but it also depicts the faithfulness of God.

In Acts 27 the Apostles Paul is sailing to Rome to meet with Cesar. Jesus spoke to Paul in Acts 23:11 and said be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the good news in Rome as well.

But before the Apostle Paul made it to Rome he endured some storms and literally a shipwreck.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were trying to kill him because he was preaching the good news of Jesus Christ. But God Faithful to protected Paul.

He was put in prison. So sailing to Rome he was a prisoner aboard the ship. But God was Faithful to provide for Paul.

Paul was place into the custody of a centurion name Julius. Julius was kind to Paul and when the ship docked at Sidon, the centurion Julius allowed Paul to go ashore to visit with friends so they could tend to Paul’s needs.

Paul and the crew experience some dangerous weather during their journey.

Paul even warned the ship’s officers if we continue on our Journey this late in the season there would be trouble ahead. He was right.

Before long a fierce wind called the northeaster came.

The crew became concerned for their lives.

They started throwing things overboard to lighten the load of the ship.

The crew tried to escape by lowering the boats on the side of the ship. They were gonna leave Paul and everyone else on board the ship to die.

The Apostles Paul told them don’t abandon ship or you will surely die.

The Apostles Paul encouraged them to stay and eat something. I want you to see something the prisoner became the captain and started giving the orders.

Why? Because Paul had a promise from God. His promise gave him a different perspective on the problem.

Not only did he have a different perspective but Paul also had an assurance. This is why God gives the promise. The promise gives us the assurance on the journey.

What was the promise, you’re going to Rome. So for Paul, enduring, the storms, the shipwreck, being bitten by a poisonous snake he knew he had a promise from the Lord and the promise was going to sustain and carry him through to Rome.

So while everyone else is freaking out and confusion is all around Paul doesn’t have to freak out because he can rely on the promise and the word that God gave to him.

Paul urge the crew to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of there lives, but only the ship will be loss. Paul said to them, last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me and said, Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in His goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.

Not only did Jesus speak to Paul in Acts 23: 11 concerning going to Rome, but God sent a angel to confirm His word to Paul in Acts 27:23

Isaiah 55:11 says So my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.

God was not only faithful to spare Paul’s life but He spared the lives of everyone aboard. God is just that Faithful and good.

obviously Paul made to Rome because we have the book of Romans.

APPLICATION

All Of Us Have A Journey

All of us have a Journey that we’re on. Everyone is trying to get from A to B. I don’t know what your B is, but there’s going to be some storms and shipwrecks along the way.

There’s going to be times where you even doubt that B is ever going to happen.

Sometimes storms and shipwreck can cause us to stop believing in the Faithfulness of God.

But as we seen with the Apostle Paul story God is Faithful to Protect you, to Provide for you, and He is most certainly Faithful to His word.

MY STORY

In 1973 when I was 8 years old I remember it so clearly God speaking to me and telling me when I turn 40 my life would begin.

Along the way to God fulfilling his word to me I experience some storms and shipwrecks.

There were times when we didn’t have money

There times we didn’t have food

There was a time our house caught on fire

I experience loss of family and friends

I experience sickness

I was homeless

There are so many other stories or things I could add

But nevertheless God was faithful to his word.

On my 40th birthday I had just started a new job. I was sitting in my first meeting and The Father brought back to my remembrance what He had told me when I was 8.

I started crying right there in the middle of this meeting. It caught everyone off guard. Finally someone Pastor Bruce said brother are you ok?

I began to explain what was happening I told him what God had spoke to me when I was 8 and that today is my 40th birthday and I am working for God I didn’t know what to do but cry.

You see God gave me a dream just before my 40th birthday. In the dream God told me to quit my job. He actually said quit your job because it is a hinderance to your ministry.

I was like my job is my ministry. I was working for probation at JV Hall.

But God kept telling to quit and I finally obey and a few months later Liberty offer me a job and God told me take except.

God is faithful to His word even if when we are face with shipwrecks in our lives.

And if he has to move you to get you where you’re supposed to be then so be it.

So what do you do when you have a word from God, a promise from God and you have not seen the fulfillment of that word or promise?

We read about God’s Faithfulness and we even sing about it.

However sometimes it just doesn’t feel like God is being faithful.

Sometimes it’s when we wait forever for him to answer our prayers while others are enjoying answers to prayers.

At times, we can wonder about God‘s faithfulness when we have to deal with the sickness of a child or parents.

Or we have to say goodbye to someone we love dearly.

There are moments in life when we grow weary, tired, empty as we wait for God to come through for us.

In ALL of these challenging moments we need to be reminded of God’s Faithfulness.

We would All say the last year and a half has been challenging. We have all gone through some shipwrecks.

But God is still Providing, still Protecting and He is still Faithful to His word.

When I was going through last year I had to stand on God’s promises to me.

(Practical application) How?

1. I went back to the foundation.

2. I went back to getting down on my knees and crying out to God.

3. I went back to fasting and denying myself.

4. I went back to to making sure I was connected to the Vine at ALL times.

5. I up my giving

7. I began to remind God of His word. God You said You would rebuke the devour for my sake.

I had to remember the goodness and the faithfulness of God. I open up the bible and started reading. scriptures like

Maybe your shipwreck was a loss of a marriage, or a job, maybe it was an illness,

He never said the road would be easy. Matter of fact Jesus said in John 16:33 that we will have trials but take heart because I have overcome the world.

So how do you keep your faith when you’ve been shipwreck?

How do you keep trusting God when you’re life has been shipwreck?

INFORMATION

Last year I experienced some loss, some disappointment. I had my own shipwreck and it rocked me. But God! He began talking to me about my future and the promises He has spoken over me.

The Father told me to go back and read and listen to ALL the prophetic words He spoken to me.

Some have come to pass and some hasn’t yet but if He said we believe it.

I may have been through a storm and shipwreck but God protected me, God provided for me, God kept His word to me because He is faithful and He can not lie.

2nd Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one,

I want you to begin to think about ALL the promises God has made to you.

Think about ALL the promises that have come to pass. In spite of all that has gone on in the world over the last year and a half there have been some promises fulfilled.

What would it look like if all of us did that?