“The Faithfulness Factor” Pt 2
(The Fatherhood of God Pt 14)
IX. The Faithfulness Factor
We entrust our souls to Dad’s insistent faithfulness.
We live in a world of unfaithfulness; people fail, falter, forget, forsake their commitments on a regular basis. We learned that only God is absolutely faithful to Himself, His word, His creatures.
A. What is faithfulness?
The core concept has to do with dependability and trust to carry out what is promised.
Words like dependable, reliable, trustworthy, steadfast, true, loyal, committed, consistent, unfailing, unwavering. It could apply to people or things or animals. We all know by observation and experience that no one or no things is or ever has been absolutely faithful.
For any number of reasons people and things fail because people and things are fallible.
B. What causes unfaithfulness?
Lack of interest or commitment
Lack of knowledge or insight
Lack of ability or skill
Lack of authority or influence
Lack of energy
Lack of time
Lack of memory
Lack of discipline or self-control
Distraction
Oppression
Sin and selfishness
None of the factors that cause unfaithfulness in people and things applies to God.
Only God is infallible.
C. What makes God faithful?
Since His love is perfect, He is all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere at all times, eternal unchanging, truth, holy, just, kind, merciful -- He is by nature faithful. He never falters, forgets, forsakes, forfeits His word. He NEVER fails. He must be faithful; He can be nothing else.
He is faithful in all things at all times. Psa 33:1-5 He says what He means and does what He says. Deut 7:7-11 His faithfulness is forever. Psa 100:4-5 His faithfulness is immeasurable. Psalm 36:5-9 His faithfulness is GREAT! Lam 3:19 He is clothed in faithfulness. Psalm 89:1-8
D. How do we know God is faithful?
1. Creation declares God’s faithfulness
2. The Bible records continual historical accounts of God’s faithfulness
3. People tell stories of God’s faithfulness
4. We have personally experienced God’s faithfulness
5. Scripture declares God’s faithfulness in spite of circumstances
Last week we reviewed Jeremiah’s powerful declaration of God’s faithfulness even though nothing about his circumstances had changed.
The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him." Lamentations 3:22-24
Just moments before that powerful declaration, Jeremiah had written a heart-wrenching expression of his utter hopelessness and the depletion of his strength to go on. Jeremiah had trudged through 18 months of horrifying devastation brought on by the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Jerusalem had fallen. All of the able bodied and healthy had been deported and carried off to Babylon. Jeremiah sat in the ashes of Jerusalem surrounded by the weak and confirmed an aged. One could hardly blame him for his loss of hope. Hadn’t God promised to deliver his people? What about all the glorious promises of a beautiful Jerusalem and a blooming desert? Jeremiah saw none of it. The key to Jeremiah is miraculous transformation of perspective can be found in verse 21.
This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Lamentations 3:19-21
What did Jeremiah recall to mind? He remembered the eternal declaration of divine Scriptures in spite of the present dilemma of desperate situations. He understood that God’s mercies are new every morning whether we perceive them or not. Jeremiah’s transformation came about not by a dramatic change in his circumstances, but by a radical change in his perspective. He gained the eternal perspective necessary to cope with the temporal problems. The key to Jeremiah’s turnabout is the same key that has enabled millions to deal with life in a fallen and tragedy filled world. It is the same key that has enabled parents to cope with the loss of their children. It is the same key that has enabled persecuted Christians to maintain their faith through horrible atrocities. It is the same key that inspires hope in spite of broken dreams, ill health, impending doom, broken families, traumatic childhoods, economic disasters, unexpected and oft times undeserved personal tragedies. Hebrews 11 lists a group of people who faced impossible situations with unfaltering faith. Abel’s service pleased God and he was murdered by his brother Cain. Noah endured years of persecution and ridicule. Abraham left the security of his homeland. Moses chose to endure ill-treatment in order to serve God rather than enjoy the passing pleasures of Egypt’s riches. Gideon faced an army of thousands with only 300 men.
Daniel chose to face the ravages of hungry lions rather than deny is God. Some of those faithful experienced miraculous deliverance from monumental difficulties. Others died clinging to an unshakable faith in a faithful God. Hebrews 11:13-16 Hebrews 11:33-38
What was the key to their endurance? What is the key to our endurance?
Eternal perspective!
They endured by focusing on the eternal promises of God. They were able to endure by focusing on life beyond this life. They understood that present life on this earth is only temporary and that God promises a future everlasting inheritance far beyond our greatest imagination. Like Jeremiah, they understood that true hope does not depend on anything in this present world but on God who is our portion, our inheritance, our life, our future hope. They entrusted their eternal souls to the promise of a faithful father in spite of present dilemma.
E. What is God faithful to do?
God’s faithfulness applies to every promise he has ever made. God demonstrated faithfulness all through the Scripture. Every prophecy made and so far fulfilled to the letter demonstrates His absolute faithfulness. Every promise made and carried out points to the completion of every promise made and yet to come about. What is God faithful to do? What can I trust God to do on my behalf? What can I count on God to do?
1. Faithful to keep His Word Deuteronomy 7:9-10 Isaiah 25:1
2. Faithful to care for His creatures. Psalms 36:5-9 1 Peter 5:6-7
3. Faithful to forgive our sins whenever we confess our sins. 1 John 1:8-10
If we think that sin is not an issue with us, we are only deceiving ourselves. Sin will always be an issue this side of eternity. Just ask any of your friends. Sometimes were the only ones that don’t see our faults. God has promised forgiveness to his son Jesus. When we admit our sin before God he is faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us. He is faithful to forgive. That means he always forgives! He never fails to forgive. He never forgets to forgive. He never refuses to forgive. He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all of righteousness. That is his promise. Why do we carry our sins and? Why do we refuse to forgive ourselves? Why don’t we walk in forgiveness? We go around like God has not forgiven us. Anytime we fail to receive His forgiveness we call him a liar. God always forgives. Is there something in your life you feel like God has not forgiven or can’t forgive? Will you trust your feelings or will you trust the unchangeable declaration of Scripture? God always forgives. God continually cleanses us from all of righteousness.
4. Faithful to finish the work He started
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 2 Timothy 1:12 . Jude 1:24-25
You think God is finished with you. He never stops. He is building a kingdom of citizens who will be like His Son Jesus. He is populating a community of people who will live in perfect community throughout eternity.
5. Faithful to provide an escape that enables us to a endure temptation.
1 Corinthians 10:12-13
Be clear what this verse does not say. It does not say that God will not allow you to be tempted.
It does not say that God will necessarily take the temptation away. What does the first promise?
What is God the faithful to do? God is faithful only to allow temptations that are common to everyone. There is not some unique temptation that no one has ever faced that will come into our lives. God is faithful not to allow temptations without a way of escape. God will not allow an impossible situation beyond our ability to endure. God will always provide some way of escape that enables us to overcome any temptation. Notice the promise does not have to do with removal of us or temptation but with endurance. He promises to provide some way by which we can avoid yielding to the temptation. I know what you’re thinking. There have been hundreds of times when I have fallen into temptation and I didn’t see any escape. The Scripture says that God is always faithful to provide an escape. Just because I did not see the escape or take the escape does not mean it wasn’t there. Perhaps I wasn’t looking for an escape. Perhaps I was looking for a way to avoid rather than endure but a difficult situation.
How many times have we avoided the Scripture memorization and meditation escape, the prayer escape, the call a friend escape, the turn away and run escape, the draw near to God escape, the resist the devil escape, the make no provision for the flesh escape, the looking to Jesus escape, the entrust your soul escape? With every temptation God always provides a way of escape. Look for it. Take it.
6. Faithful to strengthen and protect us from the evil one.
2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 1 John 4:4 Luke 10:19
7. Faithful to train us through discipline.
God sometimes uses those difficult situations to train us that we may share his Holiness.
We talked about the fathers training previously. We learned that that is God’s faithful promise to continue to discipline us. Psalms 119:73-77
8. God is faithful to bring ultimate justice through Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 42:1-4 Revelation 19:11-16
9. Faithful to renew His mercies every morning. Lam 3:22-23 Psa 36:5
F. What should I do?
1. Remember His faithfulness
Remember what the Bible says about God’s faithfulness.
Remember that these truths are true in spite of what we see or feel in the present.
Remember examples of God’s faithfulness in the past.
Remember that the fact you are breathing is testimony to God’s faithfulness.
Remember that his mercies are new every morning because of his great faithfulness.
2. Entrust your soul to a faithful creator and father
Hebrews 10 encourages us to holdfast your hope for He who promised is faithful. This comes just before the catalogue of faithful servants in Hebrew 11 we mentioned earlier. Entrust your soul to faithful Creator. Jesus endured all that he faced on the cross by entrusting his soul to his faithful heavenly father. Even when Jesus cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!” Jesus understood the temporal nature of the pain and looked instead to the joy of the ultimate goal. Peter encouraged his readers who were suffering persecution and tribulation to think about God’s faithfulness.
Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. 1 Peter 4:19
Jeremiah understood that as excruciating as the situation was, it was only momentary in light of eternity. Therefore he was able to trust God in the circumstance while waiting expectantly for the promise of ultimate restoration.
3. Declare His faithfulness
Speak it! Sing it! Psalms 100:4-5 . Psalms 89:1
