Sunday: Faithfulness
“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2, NKJV). To fight and win “the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12, NKJV) is crucial for a faithful steward.
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“Faithful” is what God is and what we are to become through Him working in us. Being faithful means staying true to what we know is right, especially in the heat of spiritual battles.
Spiritual conflicts between right and wrong, good and evil, will surely come. They are part of the fight of faith. The decision that marks stewards in every situation is the choice to be faithful. If you love wealth, be sure to remain faithful to God and what He says about the dangers of the love of money. If you crave fame, remain faithful to what the Word of God says about humility. If you struggle with lustful thoughts, remain faithful to the promises of holiness. If you want power, remain faithful to what God says about being a servant of all. The choice to be faithful or unfaithful is often made in a split second, even if the consequences can be eternal.
Read Hebrews 11:8-12, Hebrews 11:17-19, and Romans 4:13, Romans 4:18-21. What do these verses teach us about being faithful?
In Hebrew “faithful” means to trust. The same Hebrew root gives us the word “amen,” and it really means to be “solid” or “firm.” Faithfulness means we have been tested and tried, and have remained firmly committed to God’s plan.
Preparing to speak before the emperor, the Reformer Martin Luther “read the word of God, looked over his writings, and sought to draw up his reply in a suitable form. . . . He drew near the holy Scriptures . . . and with emotion placed his left hand on the sacred volume, and raising his right toward heaven, swore to remain faithful to the gospel, and freely to confess his faith, even should he seal his testimony with his blood.” – J. H. Merle d’Aubigné, History of the Reformation (New York: The American Tract Society, 1846), vol. 2, book 7, p. 260.
| Read Revelation 2:10. What should the words about being “faithful unto death” mean to us in our everyday walk with the Lord? |
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Being faithful rings accordance with overcomers. Now one who is faithful and an overcomer is slow to anger, and uses discretion. Proverbs 16:32. If we refuse to storm or fret or scold, the Lord will show us the way through dealings with our fellow man. He will help us to use the talent of speech in a such Christlike way that the attributes of precious patience, comfort, and love will bought into our family of God. To overcome means to put our trust in God. David put his trust in God therefore he was able to overcome. Psalms 9:10. Psalms 16:8-9. Forgiveness was an integral part of his faithfulness. Psalms 51:4.
The apostle peter thought he was fully in line with forgiveness when he asked Jesus about how often he was supposed to forgive and even gave Jesus a figure of seven times but what a disappointment to peter when Jesus essentially told peter that his seven times was "Too little," and gave peter a larger number of 490 times and then went on to tell him a parable of how a man was forgiven a large sum of money by a king and then that man went and mistreated his own servant for a small sum of money owed him by his servant etc. And here is the bottom line for me about god and his forgiveness: Jesus would never have said to peter to forgive 70 times 7 times if god himself did not forgive like that also. But here is the bottom line below that bottom line: god expects us to forgive like he forgives too.
Hi Pete
In regard to your most bottom line, is it actually true of God's nature and character that He "expects" things of us? If so, why/on what basis does God expect this?
Few of us are ever going to experience what is described in Revelation 2:10, or anything similar to a fiery furnace moment. Instead, our walk will be small, quiet steps (especially those quiet times in prayer and studying scripture), walking on the path of a hundred little choices and decisions - those are the steps that will determine where our walk will lead us.
I watched a sermon on YouTube last night that fits in nicely with this very topic. Here is the link if anyone is interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgyV6N8GLeI
[Moderators note: we don't usually allow links in comments but are making an exception in this case.]
Could be that the decision we make today to remain faithful to what's right may only bring bitterness and sorrow and even mockery from other quarters in our lives but I beseech you that, just like Abraham remained faithful because he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God,let's also follow in his footsteps and remain faithful even to the point of death.
Thank you for words of "Wisdom" and for allowing the YouTube link to be added from our fellow believer's comment. As I lye awake in turmoil of broken promises and hopelessness, reading and hearing the truth restored my faith, hope and peace that God's Wisdom is healing life. God Bless!
Most time we used the term face your fears, however, we must learn how to "faith our fears".
Roman 4:18 - 21 is a very important text, because we are spiritual descendant Israel. And we grow stronger and our strength by our faithfulness or loyalty to Jesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith.
Abraham was not always faithful to God. But just like he was given opportunities again and again to prove himself faithful to God, God will do the same for us and not forsake us when we fail Him but give us opportunities to try again to get back on track in serving Him and being faithful to Him.
I think fear and discouragement has a lot to do with our decisions. I think fear and discouragement can have a significant affect on us as to what type of stewards we will be. But God did not give us a Spirit of fear. To be good stewards, here is what He gave us:
John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Isaiah 35:4 – Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you.”
Joshua 1:9 – Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go.
Romans 8:38-39 – For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2nd Timothy 1:7- For the Sprit God does not make us timid, but give us power, love and self-discipline.
And those passages I just reference is not the full armor of God. There is more in the arsenal!