Sometimes we all pause and take a look back over the course and events of our lives. Today is one of those days for us. Today we celebrate fifty years of pastoral ministry. When I consider everything we have been through in the past fifty years of ministry, one message shouts loudly to me. You can trust God for He is faithful.
Let me lay a Biblical foundation for our consideration.
Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.
1 Corinthians 1:9 NKJV God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
We are not the only ones who have taken time to consider God’s faithfulness.
Several individuals stopped to think about God’s faithfulness. In the good times and challenging times, we need to know that God is faithful. Each of our stories are somewhat similar and at the same time very different. Each of us go through times of great joy and sorrow. Each of us experience loss and the pleasure of great gain.
The Psalmist experienced things that many of us have never faced, but what he says about the Lord his God speaks to our hearts.
David indicated that through every experience of life, God was faithful. Throughout the Psalms, David took up this subject of God’s faithfulness. He knew that he could trust the Lord God in every situation.
Psalm 89:1-2 NIVI will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
God’s great love and His faithfulness are linked and stand firm forever. Everyone that truly knows God’s love has experienced the certainty of His faithfulness. No amount of trouble, trial or difficulty can separate us from God’s faithful love.
As the Psalmist was considering God’s faithfulness, his attention was turned toward the heavens and he concluded, God is faithful forever.
Psalm 89:5-6 NIV The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
Think about this – among the saints and the angels, there are none who compare with the Lord. Every being in the presence of God in heaven recognizes God’s faithfulness, wonders, and miraculous works.
Psalm 89:7-8 NIV In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; He is more awesome than all who surround Him. O Lord God Almighty, who is like You? You are mighty, O Lord, and Your faithfulness surrounds You.
Take note that God’s faithfulness is characteristic of His nature. God is not just mighty or almighty. God is faithful and almighty.
Psalm 89:14 NIV Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.
Later in that chapter God said, “I will never allow My faithfulness to fail, break My covenant, or fail to keep my promises.” (Psalms 89:33-35)
I want to take a few moments today and talk to you about God’s faithfulness.
God has demonstrated His faithfulness through the people He has placed in our lives.
We have been blessed to know many wonderful people throughout our years of pastoral ministry. Their faces and names are indelibly placed in our minds. They stand out as heroes and faithful saints. They were friends and helpers, prayer partners, and encouragers. They were worshipers and brothers and sisters. In every church and town, God raised up people who were like Aaron and Hur who held up Moses’ hands in the day of battle. As we were looking back through these fifty years of ministry, these wonderful people enriched our lives. We have had some strong prayer warriors and emotional support. They held up our hands and encouraged us through difficult days of spiritual and physical challenges. They sat with us in hospitals and helped us in many ways. They gave counsel and support. Through every storm or trial, God raised up these people. They used their time and talent to help us and the ministry.
God has demonstrated His faithfulness through miracles, healings and blessings.
It would be easy to talk about all of our troubles, trials, battles, conflicts, and disasters. Life can become very depressing and overwhelming when those things become our focus.
When I consider every trial, trouble, affliction, sickness, or persecution, the Lord has faithfully delivered us from them all.
Every miracle and blessing we have experienced directly addressed the challenges, weaknesses and needs we faced. I cannot think of a time when the burden was so heavy that our hearts broke inside when God did not prove His faithfulness.
I need to say it again, God is faithful.
When we did not know the way to take, God always has opened up a way in the wilderness. He has always parted the water of difficulty. He has always defeated the forces of evil that threatened our very souls.
God is faithful.
What He has done for us, He has done for all of His children.
We do not want to be like the faithless who walked away from God when distress and trial arose.
During our lives, we have witnessed many who lost faith. When adversity or trial came, they walked away. As soon as the Israelites got to the Red Sea, many of them were ready to turn their backs on God and go back to Egypt. Paul said, “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.”
2 Corinthians 4:1 NKJV Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
As I considered this, God began showing me people who stood the test and did not quit. Some faced unimaginable pain and loss. Some were faced with great opposition and trouble. Some lost their health. Some were abandoned by family and friends. They are still continuing in faith and trust in God.
When the Apostle Paul was going through those kinds of things, the Lord was faithful to send encouragement.
2 Corinthians 7:6 NKJV Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,
1 Thessalonians 3:7 NKJV In all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith.
We have been through many agonizing days, weeks and years when it appeared that even hope would be lost. We could spend many days telling stories of heartache, betrayal, loss, and disappointment.
In the midst of it all, we have witnessed the mighty hand of God.
God has been faithful.
God has shown us His delivering and saving power. He has given us an abundance of comfort in the power and presence of His Spirit. He has provided hands full on purpose that came in just in time.
In Lamentations 3:22-23 Jeremiah wrote, “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness.”
I want to tell you God’s Word is reliable. You can trust God to be a very present and faithful help. His promises are sure and they do not fail. His power is unchanged. When you pray, you can know that God is bringing the answer. He knows the way that we take.
Hebrews 7:25 NKJV Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
You need to experience this for yourself. God knows how to save to the uttermost those who come to Him.
He is a faithful Savior.
God is faithful to keep.
2 Timothy 1:12 NKJV For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
Just in case you have not heard it God is faithful. You need to get this into your spirit and mind. God is able to keep you. Regardless of the trial, pandemic, sickness, suffering, heartache or pain, God is able to keep you.
Psalm 108:4 NIV84 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Lamentations 3:21–23 NIV84 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
