FAITHFULNESS
"General Booth of the Salvation Army was once asked the secret of his success, He hesitated a second, then with tears in his eyes, said, ’I will tell the secret. God has had all there was of me to have,"
BIBLICAL SUCCESS
Success is simply to succeed in whatever you are doing, as the apostle Paul would put it "to finish the course."
Abraham’s servant and the Psalmist both asked God for success (see Gen 24:12, Ps 118:25). Abraham and Joseph were granted success (see Gen 24:31, 39:23). Joshua
was promised success (see Jos 1:7-8). The success stories of God’s people go on and on.
To ask and believe God for success is not wrong, however the motivation behind our drive for success can be wrong which would lead us in to spiritual failure.
"If the devil cannot use failure to drag you down then he will use success"
"There is a glare about worldly success which is very apt to dazzle men’s eyes" ’A.W, Hare’
Jesus said " where your treasure is there your heart will be also" if our motivation is the riches of the world’s success then our heart will fall into spiritual failure (see Matt 6:19-24).
MEASURING SUCCESS
Pennies, Popularity, Power and lots of it is the world’s idea of success.
The pressure to gain the three "P’s" leads people to material idolatry and spiritual failure.
Jesus said "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self", there is more to success than attaining the three P’s (see Lk 9:25).
The Prosperity and Poverty gospels are differing Christian views on worldly and spiritual success.
The prosperity gospel tells us that all God’s people should be rich lacking nothing (Jos 1:7-8, Ps 1:1-3) the reality is not all God’s people are materially rich and those who are not may end up feeling a spiritual failure.
The poverty gospel on the other hand tells us that we should live our lives as simply as possible, taking only what we need and giving the rest to the poor (Lk 6:20, 12:33-40). The problem here again is if you are blessed materially you can be left feeling a spiritual failure.
For the Christian success simply comes down to doing the things that please God (see Eph 5:10, 1Jh 3:22).
It is not so much what you do in life that pleases God, you can be preacher or a painter and still please God, it is how you do what you are doing in life that pleases God .
The heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11 were all successful servants of God, because of how they did what God had called them to do "THEY WERE FAITHFUL"
Faithfulness can be defined as trustworthy, reliable, dependable, loyal or consistent. The faithfulness of God’s people should reflect the faithfulness of God who is faithful to us in temptations, forgiveness and salvation (see lCor 10:13, 1Jh 1:9, Phil 1:6)
Faithfulness is the evidence of our trust in God, of the Holy Spirit’s presence and work in our lives, faithfulness is therefore a characteristic of God’s people (see Gal 5:23, Eph 1:1, Col 1:1).
CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL
God calls us firstly to be faithful to Him. To be a servant whom He can trust with His Will, whom He rely upon to declare His Word and whom He can depend upon to keep His Ways, (see what God was calling Joshua to be faithful in Jos 1:7-8).
God calls us to be faithful to each other (see 3Jh :5). Many of God’s people are faithful to an organisation or a Church building. The early Church did not have their own building or denominations, they had each other.
They showed their faithfulness when they shared their possessions that no one would be in need, Paul encouraged them to think of themselves as a ’Body’ and to suffer and rejoice together (see Acts 4:33-37, lCor 12:12-36),
God calls us to be faithful in every thing (see 1Tim 3:11). Faithfulness should be a part of the Christian character so whatever we do we must do it faithfully.
Our faithfulness to God and to each other will be challenged by Satan, therefore, it is essential that we are faithful to God’s calling upon our lives and our brothers and sisters in Christ.
When Persecution challenges your faithfulness, do you rejoice and look forward to your reward? or do you fail and deny your God? (see Matt 10:14-11),
When Poverty or Plenty would challenge your faithful giving to God, do you "ROB" God by holding back your tithe ? or do you continue to give willingly and
generously to God ? (Mal 3:8).
When the Pain of sickness or emotional hurt challenges your trust in God and love for His people DO YOU REMAIN FAITHFUL ?
God says He will ’preserve and protect’, ’bless and reward THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL, (see Ps 31:23, 97:10, Prov 28:20, Matt 25:21-23).
