“Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. HE NEVER GROWS WEAK OR WEARY. No one can measure the depths of His understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. (because He is a faithful God)” (Isa. 40:28-29). God’s faithfulness to His people is not the same as our faithfulness to God. When God is faithful to us, HE CARES FOR US, HE LEADS US, HE PROVIDES FOR US, HE PROTECTS US and HE LOVES US. When we’re faithful to God it means that we TRUST that He will care for us, we FOLLOW where He leads, we STUDY to show ourselves approved to Him and we LOVE Him in return. Being faithful also means that there will be EVIDENCE of our faith in God. A faithful Christian will produce fruit.
“He who is faithful in what is least is FAITHFUL (pistos: one who can always be relied on) ALSO IN MUCH; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.” (Luke 16:10) “God tested Abraham, “Abraham!” God called. “Yes, Here I am.” “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah (the same place Jesus was crucified). Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering…The next morning Abraham got up…saddled his donkey and took Isaac…he chopped wood…and set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day…Abraham saw the place…so he placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he carried the fire and the knife. Isaac said, “Father? We have the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” “GOD WILL PROVIDE Abraham answered.” (Gen. 22:1-8)
Abraham knew that God could DO ANYTHING so whatever God required of him he would do because Abraham was faithful!!! “Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar…Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice…THE ANGEL (Jesus) of the LORD called to him “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” THE ANGEL said. “for now I KNOW THAT YOU TRULY FEAR GOD. You have not withheld from me even your son, YOUR ONLY SON.” Then Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son.” (Gen. 22:9-13)
“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer…BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham