Building Community of Faithfulness

As we continue Wednesday nights praying for the Fruit of the Spirit, last Wednesday we were led to consider faithfulness.  It is a complex word as it is translated by many English words of different roots:  believing and believable, hoping, trusting, trustful and trustworthy,  steadfast, reliable, faithful, loyal.  Consider these timbres and accents of Biblical concept!  When Apostle Paul lists the evidence of the Holy Spirit present in person’s life, when the Love of God is truly poured into our hearts (Romans 5:5) we become reliable, trustworthy, faithful, loyal!

Being a “believer” is often used as a label to someone who belongs to a church, or considers him/herself a part of a religious group.  We refer to ourselves often as “believers’ and those outside as “unbelievers.”  Today I invite you to consider how much a “believer” you are – are you reliable, could you be trusted, are you faithful in small things, are you loyal to God, are you steadfast in your commitments?

As you analyze and examine yourself, consider God’s examples of faithfulness:  He is faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us when we confess our sins (1 John 1:9).  Even when we are faithless, God remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself, it is Who God is – Faithful! (2 Timothy 2:13).  Psalms abound with praises to God’s faithfulness.  Lamentations of Jeremiah 3:22-23 had been put into song “Great is Thy Faithfulness, O God our Father!”

The desire of God’s heart is that we would be like Him.  That’s why He is willing to deposit Holy Spirit in us, to work a transformation of our character, with which comes also blessing to us.  Proverbs 28:20 teaches that “a faithful man will abound with blessings.”  Luke 16:10 records the words of Jesus “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much.”

Pray as disciples of Jesus did: ““Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5)  Pray that every church leader around the world holds deeply to a faithful spiritual and evangelistic perspective.   Pray that leaders, elders, deacons of our church would be faithful to their calling.  Pray for me, your pastor, to remain steadfast in serving you God’s word.  As the church is moving closer to the 60^th General Conference session pray that all who call themselves a remnant would be faithful to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and mandate of Christ to be witnesses (Acts 1:8).

Elder Bob Reeve’s favorite verse Hebrews 11:6 is “Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  Be faithful, to receive the crown of life (Rev.2:10^b)