Faithfulness
Faithfulness Part 1: There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Great is Thy Faithfulness!
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
It has been said that Faith is a cherished value that God likes to see in His children; Yet, Faith is also said to be a gift of God. It is also said that those that are the Children of God shall be tested and tried. So we, through these trials, may be stretched and grown. So we may abound in the fruit that God wants to see in our lives: Faith, patience, perseverance, love. But more importantly to know God and His righteousness and Faithfulness.
The Christian Faith stands only upon a rock that is Faithful and True. Not enough can be said to the stability, consistency, everlasting, ever present God. Through whom we have strength to stand in the day of battle and march forward and take the land. It is through Christ's consistency that our walk with Him continues. All that the Father has given me I have lost none except the son of perdition that the scriptures may be fulfilled. For even when we forsake Him, He is faithful and true to pursue us, chasten us, and complete us until the day of His return. The work that He has done, He is faithful to finish. So we also have this Hope, not only because He shows Himself faithful in this world with us, but as an example directly to us, it gives us even more faith in the hope of His promise, at death, out of this world and into the next, that He will be faithful to His word for eternity. So Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations. Great is Thy Faithfulness. And great is Thy forgiveness unto me.
Faithfulness:
God’s faithfulness:
-All the promises in the Bible.
-All the promises that He has given you directly.
-All provision, protection, council
-His steadfastness that we can rely upon. When all else fail
us.
-His love that outstretches His arm to first show us that He
loves us. Far before we ever knew
of Him.
-His commitment to us. All His work and resources He has committed to us.
-His Son given for us. And, Jesus likewise loving us,
faithfully endured our sin, our penalty, our punishment, our pain and
suffering, to provide a way to the Father.
-His promise to establish us, teach us, complete us, and
keep us, until the day of His
return.
-His promise to find us when we are lost. His promise to search for us when we stray.
His promise to turn us back to Him when we turn our backs on Him. His promise to prepare us for
good
works, and nurture us through the vine to bear fruit in season.
-His promise to prepare a place for us in Heaven. His promise to clothe us and prepare us for it.
-His promise of Hope. Daily His mercy is available to us. Daily He is willing to cleanse us from our mistakes and sin. When we are down, He is faithful to lift us up. When we are in dark places, He is our light. When we are in trouble, He is our security. When we are afraid, He is our strength. When we sin, He is our salvation. When we are angry, He is our Council and Vengeance. When we are without knowledge and Wisdom, He is our Help in time of need, our Teacher. When we are weak, He is our Trust. When we are lonely, He provides with love. When we are without, He is our provider. When our will is gone, He is our restorer. When we commit to Him, He establishes our steps and our thoughts. Yes, all His works shall declare His name. When we are empty, He fills us up. When things are false, He is true. When our footing is unsure, He bears us up, and makes our path wide to our feet. When the world vanishes away , He is our promise. He is our all in all.
Trust, Integrity, Faithfulness- Each Christian, who has entered into any calling of God, has had the opportunity to inquire into the faithfulness of God.
Many times in the Bible, we are tasked to trust in the Word and promises of God. Some times these are as strong as commands. Sometimes these are as subtle as following the similar actions as spoken with in the pages of the Bible. Such as taking a day off a week and devote this to the things important to God that it may be a sign between God and You.
Sometimes we are even told boldly to test God in these manners: Give unto the house of the Lord and test Me that I will not pour out blessing upon your house.
Malachi 3:10
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,"
Says the LORD of hosts,
"If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
God tells us: The work He has begun in you; He will be faithful to finish it.
Phil 1:6 6
...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;...
God has also granted gifts of the Spirit, and will open doors of opportunity. God will even guide you into labors and activities in which He as ordained and blessed for your life. Not only will these things be blessings for your life, but God's expert hand will bear fruit all around you: -To the immature believer: They will watch you and listen to the insights that the Lord has given you, and how you react and move with them. -To the Non-believer: They will consciously or unconsciously know that there is something different about the way you are accomplishing your labors. God willing, the right time and sequence of events will allow the full testimony of God's work in your life and in your divinely blessed labors.
It is one faith to believe without action, and there is a whole new level of faith in taking action. As you progress and grow in Christ- As your calling and labor in Christ is guided and flows into concrete action, plans, labor-, There will be times when provision is not of our capacity. There may be times when your best effort and planning are not enough. There will be times when you fall short of the work and labor that God has placed before you. This is it. Where the rubber meets the road. When we no longer are in our comfort zone, but our reliance needs to be firmly placed on someone besides ourselves.
It may be easier for a single mother who has placed her faith, daily in God, for her and her families provision, than a new comer who has never had to place his faith on the physical provision of God.
Spiritual gifts, Yes of course these are easy for God because He is of Spirit? Right? But what of the physical? What of those problems of food on the table, of that job, or that boss, or waiting on that spouse, or paying those bills.
There may be a time when you plan to raise your banner for Christ, and you just come up short.
Integrity, Faithfulness, and Trust- Not only are these attributes of God, but these are attributes God wants to see in your labors and your relationship with Him.
Sometimes, we are lacking in a certain area, and the Lord places us in difficult situations so that we can grow. Testing draws us closer to God. When provision can no longer be from ourselves, it must come from God. When the work is God's, not only will others know it, but you must know it also. For we are blessed by being involved, but all the glory is God's. Yet, we shine on this earth with the glory of God, but maybe only a slight reflection of Him.
He is Faithful and True. He will not leave you nor forsake you. He will finish the good work that He has begun in you. We will lift our banners to bring glory to His name. He will not ask you to do, what He will not enable you to do. In this we can rest in our labors; the good day of work, God has blessed, as well as, the difficult day of work. If we are in God's will for our lives, He will be there to guide us, protect us, provide for us, and up hold us. If we are not, He is faithful and true to put us back onto the right track.
Seek first the Kingdom of God and all things will be added unto you.
What of the areas in our lives that are not directly related to our Godly ministries? God promises not only to bless us in the provision of food, clothing and shelter, but to make us fruitful in our families, work, and even all that we come in contact with.
Faithfulness Part 1: There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Great is Thy Faithfulness!
Faithfulness Part 2: Scripture His Faithfulness Next page in series.
Faithfulness Part 3: Scripture Chastening
Faithfulness Part 4: Your Faithfulness to God
Faithfulness Part 5: Overview Diary notes in a time of difficulty
Faithfulness Part 6: Out of control, But God is in control
Faithfulness Part 7: Notes in a time of peril
Faithfulness Part 8: Knowing God, God knowing you, and your love relationship with one another.
Faithfulness Part 9: Praise of His Faithfulness