A SURE FOUNDATION FOR FAITH IN TIMES OF TRIAL
OUTLINE
1.COUNSEL
2.COURSE
3.COMMITMENT
4.CHOICE
5.COVENANT
6.COMPASSION
7.CHARITY
THE MESSAGE
A SURE FOUNDATION FOR FAITH IN TIMES OF TRIAL
1.COUNSEL
Job 42:2
The word of God promises that God can do everything and that no thought of His can be hindered. The plan and the counsel of God will be fulfilled in our lives. In the bible we read of Joseph, David, Daniel
and many others in whose lives the counsel of God was fulfilled although they faced many opposing forces. This is a sure foundation for our faith in times of trial .
2.COURSE
Isaiah 43:13
The word of God promises that when God works no one can stop it. God is building His Church.He is blessing His people.The kingdom of God is expanding.The Gospel is reaching the nations of the world. Although Satan tries his best to stop God’s work he is not able to do it. When we are doing the work of God and following the path and the course He has set for us we can have the same assurance that no force can stop the work of God that is being done through us.This is a sure foundation for our faith in times of trial.
3.COMMITMENT
Numbers 23:19
The word of God promises us that God is not a man to lie or change his mind.God will keep His promises and commitments. We must realise the difference between God and man.Man may promise something and later find it impossible to do it because of changed circumstances or unforeseen difficulties. But the omnipotent and omniscient God who is all powerful and all knowing never makes promises which He is unable to fulfill.Man may lie and make false promises which he has no intention of fulfilling. But the righteous and holy God never makes false promises.He will surely fulfill what He has promised to us. This is a sure foundation for our faith in times of trial.
4.CHOICE
Romans 8:28-34
The word of God promises that when God makes a choice He calls,justifies and glorifies those whom He has chosen. There is no authority for anybody else to question or accuse those chosen by God.Because when God choses it is a deliberate decision of a Sovereign and all knowing God. Man may chose somebody and later regret it because they come to know of somebody better or because they later become aware of the weaknesses of the person they have chosen.But when God makes a choice He makes it after knowing all the others who are available and after knowing everything about the person whom He chooses .This is a security for the person whom God chooses because God has taken a deliberate decision and nobody else has the authority to question God’s decision. This is a sure foundation for our faith in times of trial.
5.COVENANT
Exodus 2:23-25
The word of God promises us that God keeps His covenant. God made a covenant with Abraham to bless his descendants. God remembered this covenant even hundreds of years after Abraham died. When the children of Israel were crying out to God because of their oppression in Egypt, God remembered His covenant with their forefathers Abraham,Isaac and Jacob.Even though these men were dead God did not break the covenant he made with them. He showed mercy on their descendants and brought them out of bondage in Egypt. Man may break his covenant once the concerned person dies and cheat his descendents of their inheritance. But God keeps his covenant even after the lifetime of those with whom he has made a covenant. When we make a covenant with God for the blessing of our family and our people we can be sure that God will keep that covenant even after our time on this earth.This is a sure foundation for our faith in times of trial.
6.COMPASSION
Psalms 136:23-24
The word of God promises us that God has compassion on us. He remembers us in our low estate for His mercy endureth forever. People may surround us when we are in authority and prosperity hoping to get some benefit out of us. But not many would seek us when we are in a low state without power or wealth or influence .Even friends and relatives may avoid us when we are in a helpless condition. But God will never fail us nor forsake us. He will remember us in our low estate and lift us up once again.This is a sure foundation for our faith in times of trial.
7.CHARITY
Hebrews 6:10
The word of God promises us that God would remember our charity and labour of love and will reward us faithfully. He is not unrighteous to forget our labour of love that we have shown in His name by ministering to His saints. Jesus promised that even if we give a cup of water to someone in His Name we will not lose our reward. Man may forget all the benefits that he has received from us. The world may fail to reward us and fail to acknowledge the good works that we have done .But God is not unrighteous to forget our labour of love. He will surely remember all that we have done in His name and reward us accordingly.This is a sure foundation for our faith in times of trial.
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