FAITHFULNESS
Opening scripture: 1 Cor. 4:1-2
“Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
[To be found faithful is our part in the Covenant relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ.
In Genesis 15:8-13, Abraham slept while the Lord walked the path between the pieces of the animal sacrifice. He cut covenant in place of Abraham. It was God’s decision to take the place of Abraham because He knew Abraham, or any man, could not keep the terms of the Covenant. But God could.
It’s the same way in the new Covenant of Grace. Jesus took our place. He kept the terms of the Covenant and died in our place. Now it’s God’s responsibility to be faithful to the Covenant promises. What is our responsibility?
In the New Covenant, we are stewards of God’s Word and the mysteries of God. A steward was someone who managed the household of a master, someone who delegates the chores to be done. In this case it means Born-Again Believers who are stewards of God’s grace, responsible for giving it out to people. As in 1 Pet. 4:10, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
It says we are the stewards of the “mysteries of God”. There are a lot of mysteries in the Kingdom of God. For us Gentiles to share in the blessings of Abraham is a mystery. The Rapture is a mystery, etc.. The most important mystery is salvation. The simplicity of the salvation message is a mystery to the lost. God expects us to be faithful in the responsibility of sharing that Gospel message. If we are faithful, fruit will follow.]
FRUIT IS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Gal. 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith (Faithfulness), 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (There is no law saying you can’t demonstrate these Fruits of the Spirit)
Mark 11:22: “Have faith IN God”(KJV) Literal translation: “Have the faith OF God”
Too overwhelming? Another word for “faith” is “fidelity”, or faithfulness. Have faithfulness of God. Romans 12:3 tells us we are given THE measure of faith. Let’s use it and be faithful to His Word by taking it at face value and believing it.
UNDERSTANDING “FAITHFULNESS” – True faithfulness, or God’s kind of faithfulness, can only be understood by understanding a Blood Covenant relationship. When two people cut covenant they promise loyalty to each other. When one fights a battle the other one will be there to help him fight it. When one needs help paying a bill the other offers his checkbook, etc. Couples who have been married for a number of years practice Covenant relationship every day.
LOVINGKINDNESS / STEADFAST LOVE:
Faithfulness to the terms of a covenant has another name in the Bible. It’s “lovingkindness”. Another word for lovingkindness is “steadfast love”. In the KJV sometimes it’s translated as “mercy”. Try going through your Bible, especially the O.T. and substitute “steadfast love” for “mercy.
God’s Steadfast love is a love based on the fact that we are bound in a Blood Covenant relationship. It’s not based on emotions, not based on looks, not based on flowery words or the kind of shampoo you use. It’s not based on the fact that you have paid your dues and deserve it. It’s a love based on the fact that you are united in a Blood Covenant relationship with God thru His Son, Jesus Christ.
This word Lovingkindness means you’re stuck with each other for the rest of your lives. You are bound to each other. Lovingkindness means that after the rest of the world has totally abandoned you, your covenant partner will never walk out on you. Your covenant partner will be there with joy & gladness when times are good and He’ll be there to cheer and strengthn you when times are bad.
Your partner will never leave or forsake you. Does that sound familiar?
The last part of Hebrews 5:13 says, “I’ll never leave nor forsake you.” Amplified Version: “for He, God Himself, has said, I will not in anyway fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake you nor let you down nor relax My hold on you. Assuredly not!”
David understood Covenant relationship. 1 Sam. 17:26 “And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Phil-istine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” The key word to understanding the courage of David is the word “uncircumcised”. David knew the battle was not his but God’s. He even quotes Duet. to Goliath by telling him the battle is the Lord’s.
Jonathan, the son of King Saul, cut covenant with David. Jonathan also understood the power of a Covenant Relationship. He knew Israel was in Covenant with God. 1 Sam. 14:6, “And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.” It was just Jonathan, his armor bearer and God. The Philistines lost the battle.
HOW IMPORTANT IS A COVENANT TO GOD?
Joshua and children of Israel entered Canaan and took Jericho. Just over the mountain a people called the Gibeonites heard how how the cities of Canaan were falling. They heard about the miracles God was performing for His people and the Gibeonites came up with a plan. They understood covenant so they put on old clothes, old worn out shoes and stale bread and went over the mountain to Joshua. They told him they came from a long, long way and had heard about Joshua, his people and the God they served. The Gibeonites told Joshua they wanted to enter into a covenant with him. Joshua looked at their clothes, their shoes and stale bread and, without consulting God, said, “sure” and cut covenant with the Gibeonites. A few days later the other tribes of Canaan heard about the Gibeonites and, seeing them as traitors, decided to attack them. The Gibeonites sent a message to Joshua and told him what was happening to them and reminded Joshua that they were in a covenant relationship and to come help them out of the mess they were in.
Joshua hung his head in shame as he realized the Gibeonites had tricked him. Joshua’s generals argued that they should not honor the covenant because it was done in deceitful way. But Joshua said no, they had to go to their aid because it was a blood covenant. So they went and fought on behalf of the Gibeonites and God honored the covenant. In fact, God performed one of the greatest miracles in the Old Testament by having the sun stand still until the battle was over and Joshua was victorious over his enemies in a battle defending a former enemy, the Gibeonites.
ILLUSTRATION OF THE WORD “PECULIAR” (1st Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”) Peculiar in the Gr. is a compound word. One part means “around”. Other part, “to be”. Illustrated by a dot within a circle. The dot is the possession of the circle. 1 Thess. 1:1”. . . unto the churh of Thess. Which is in God the father” has the same idea. Literally means the chuch of Thessalonica is in the sphere of God, circumscribed by God and surrounded by God. So is every Born-Again Believer.
Nothing can come from the outside the circle without passing throught the borders of the circle. Just as the dot is the possession of the circle, we are the prized possession of God. We are prized because our price was so high.
WE ARE PRECIOUS IN GOD’S SIGHT
1 Pet. 2:7 in the NASB “This precious value, then, is for you who believe” In other words, in God’s Eyes, the preciousness of Jesus is imputed to us. Father God loves us just as He loves His only Son, Jesus. The circle is a place of protection. Arrows represent trials and temptations. None of these can pass through to the dot without passing thru the border of the circle. Just as no trial or temptation can reach you unless if first pass through the permissive will of God. As we walk in the center of His will, God will not permit the Devil to attack us with anthing too great for us.
GOD WILL NEVER LET US BE TESTED BEYOND OUR LIMITS
1 Cor 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Jesus has sent His Holy Spirit to be our Covenant companion. Another word for Holy Spirit is Comforter, in other versions the word is “Paraclete.” Paraclete is a military term meaning someone who fights alongside you in a battle. When you and the Holy Spirit get into a trial, or battle, He’ll go to the wall for you. Then, when you get to the wall and it looks like there is no way out, He’ll make a door.
BUT SOMETIMES WE SLIP AND GIVE INTO TEMPTATION. WHAT THEN?
Even though there are times we are unfaithful to God He remains faithful to us.
1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
FEEL LIKE A BUMP ON A LOG? Another name is “BURL” Burls are formed from an injury to the tree as it’s growing. Just as we are wounded as we grow in the Lord. Burls get stronger and so do we. Pioneers prized a Burl. They hollowed them out to make a bowl. It wouldn’t crack along the grain. The outside of a burl is ugly and rough. But get beyond the surface and there is beauty. Today burls in wood are prized because they make the most beautiful veneer.
WHEN OUR FAITH IS WEAK:
We all experience times when our faith is weak. You may say, “I just don’t have the strength to carry me through this trial. I’m at the end of my rope” II Thess. 3:3, “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.” The word for “stablish” means “to strengthen.” When you get to the end of the rope He’ll give you the strength to tie a knot and hang on.
MAYBE THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU EVEN DOUBT THE WORD OF GOD.
Maybe you’re still unconvinced. Maybe there are times when you doubt the Word of God. Maybe you are standing on the Word of God for healing. You’re sick as can be, you’re hurting and there’s no relief. Doubt is creeping in. You might even be to the point of saying, “God, I just don’t believe I’m healed.”
Go to 2 Tim. 2:13, “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.”
Listen to the Living Bible version, “Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, he remains faithful to us and will help us, for he cannot disown us who are part of himself, and he will always carry out his promises to us.”
THE REWARDS OF BEING FAITHFUL. (MATTHIAS)
Acts 1:15-26
Rev. 21:9-14
Proverbs 28:20: A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
All of the Scriptures _ Old and New Testaments together _ are a record of how God never, never, never, never, never gives up.
- Adam and Eve disobeyed the very First Rule. But God never gave up because He had a p plan.
- Abraham wandered, and Sarah laughed. But God never gave up. He had a plan.
- Moses hid and shook with fear. But God never gave up. He had a plan.
- Saul went insane. But God never gave up. He had a plan.
- David plotted against Uriah. But God never gave up. He had a plan.
- Ahaz sold out to Assyria. But God never gave up. He had a plan.
- Israel was divided and fell into pieces. But God never gave up. He had a plan.
- The Jewish people became exiles. But God never gave up. He had a plan.
- John the Baptist was beheaded. But God never gave up. He had a plan.
- Peter denied he even knew him. But God never gave up. He had a plan.
- The disciples all ran away. But God never gave up. He had a plan.
- The Son of God was crucified. But God never gave up. He had a plan and
it was to give His all so you would never have to give up.
That is true steadfast love. Don’t give in to the Devil and give up on God.
