The Impact of Faithfulness

The Power of a Plan

Example of wandering into an area of life that we are unprepared for and having a guide to walk you through. (Retirement plan, diet plan, sewing pattern)

Raw materials (finances, ingredients, lumber, thread) get organized into something of use.

People get organized, too.

Coaches turn around teams.

Two factors:

Organizing resources toward a purpose

Overcoming obstacles

Hedgerows of Normandy

Our lives have the most impact under God’s plan.

How do we follow God’s plan?

2 Thessalonians 3:1–5 ESV

1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Stay active in prayer.

Easy to skip over

We know we should; most of us don’t pray enough

Why are the most exciting things considered boring?

Thanksgiving - expressing gratitude

Praying - conversing with the Creator of the universe and influencing his plans, vicarious participation in the lives and ministry of others

George Mueller

Frank C. Laubach, missionary and head of world literacy program, Prayer: The Mightiest Force in the World. He writes that to change our outlook on prayer, we must believe that

Every prayer we utter from the heart begins to change history at once…Evangelical Christianity is lost unless it discovers that the center and power of its divine service is prayer, not sermons; God, not the preacher. (Frank C. Laubach, Prayer: The Mightiest Force in the World, 1946)

The true vitality of a church is not found in its Sunday worship attendance; it’s found in its prayer meeting attendance, in its weekly Bible studies. Measured in the character of prayers uttered each time.

Paul had a hotline to God - like Batman and Commissioner Gordon - yet he asked for prayer.

Jesus asked for prayer, too!

Pray with expectation, active participant.

Reasons for prayer

That the Word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored

Honor - doxadzo - like doxology - praise and recognition of greatness

Some cars have both speed and honor

Scout, Century, Taurus

Speed ahead like going viral, message spread

That we may be delivered from wicked and evil men

When you shine the light, you’re going to find some dirt.

Lord’s prayer - Thy kingdom come, thy will be done…deliver us from evil.

“For not all have faith.”

Two responses to the gospel to watch for: Acceptance and opposition

Stay confident in God’s faithfulness.

Direct comparison of the faithless with God, the Faithful One. (Greek construction)

“…not all have faith. Faithful, however, is God.”

Headlines, doom & gloom, woe is us…God is faithful.

Confidence in God means we do not worry. We don’t take matters into our own hands.

He WILL, not He might.

ILL: Handley Page, aviation pioneer, flying to remote areas. Rat got aboard…sickening sound of gnawing - fragile mechanisms, difficult repairs. Remembered reading that rats can’t survive high elevations, pulled stick up until he could barely breathe. Gnawing stopped.

APP: When we face opposition, confidence in God means go high and not low. Low is own strength. High is faith in God.

Don’t give oxygen to trouble.

He will establish you.

Set firm.

Circumstances may not be fixed, but you are.

He will guard you.

Against the evil one.

Evil men vs. evil one

Symptom vs disease…source of trouble

Confidence in God about others

Stay busy in God’s work.

Expectation - are doing and will do what they are commanded.

Are doing - refers to what was already commanded in prior letter.

Some of the shortest verses in Scripture

1 Thessalonians 5:16–22 ESV

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

Stay open to God’s direction.

2 Thessalonians 3:5 ESV

5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

The Lord is directing

Relinquish control of your heart to God.

Refuse to let other forces direct your passions.

Hearts are the object

Doing in v4 vs being in v5; hands and heart

Align heart to God and the hands will follow

To the love of God

To the steadfastness of Christ

Romans 5:4 ESV

4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

James 1:4 ESV

4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Charles Swindoll writes about Ignace Jan Paderewski, the famous pianist, who was scheduled to perform at a great concert hall in America. It was a high-society extravaganza. Present in the audience that evening was a mother and her fidgety nine-year old. She had brought him in the hopes that when he heard the great composer play, he would be encouraged to practice.

As the mother turned to talk with some friends, he slipped away and was strangely drawn to the grand Steinway piano on the platform. Staring wide-eyed at the keys the boy sat on the stool, placed his small fingers on the keys and began to play “Chopsticks.” The roar of the crowd came to a hush as frowning faces pointed in his direction. Someone began to shout, “Get that boy away from there!” “Where is his mother?” Somebody get that kid.”

Backstage the master composer overheard the sounds out front. He quickly realized what was happening and hurried toward the stage. Without one word of announcement, he stooped over behind the boy, reached around on both sides, and began to improvise a countermelody to harmonize with and enhance “Chopsticks.” As they played together, the composer kept whispering in the boy’s ear, “Keep going; don’t quit. Keep playing; don’t stop. Don’t quit….”

It is the same for us as we work for the Lord. Our playing of “Chopsticks” may not be impressing anyone. But about the time we’re ready to give up, we hear the Master say, “Keep going; don’t stop; don’t give up.”

This is God’s message to us. “Don’t give up. It doesn’t matter what others think about what you’re doing. Do it with all your heart unto Me and I’ll help you.”