Faithful GOD???        A Word from THE WORD!!! #131

Sometimes we allow ourselves to be ‘dis-couraged’ instead of looking up to our Lord—our God—our Savior—our JESUS—for a word of ‘en-couragement’; so I’d like to take a few minutes today to share some encouragement from God’s Word, and may I add that to truly know the faithfulness of God we have to know HIM in the ”new birth” and know HIS WORD!  For if we don’t know what God has said, how can we be confident in it?  We can’t!  It’s part of the reason (aside from the fact that God called me to it!) that I’ve spent the last 34+ years teaching people how to study God’s Word for themselves.   So let’s dig in to that very Word and see what we can find out about our GOD Almighty—Father, Son-Jesus, and The Holy Spirit.

“And the very God of peace

sanctify you wholly;

and I pray God

your whole spirit

and soul

and body

be preserved blameless

unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you,

who also will do it.”  1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Our God is faithful not because we want Him to be, but because HE IS a faithful GOD!  The Psalms are replete with words of truth about our God, I encourage you to read them (if you read 5 Psalms a day, and 1 chapter of Proverbs a day you will go through both books in a month!  And repeatedly is a plus!).

“Thy mercy, O LORD,

is in the heavens;

and thy faithfulness

reacheth unto the clouds.

6 Thy righteousness

is like the great mountains;

thy judgments

are a great deep:

O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.

7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!

therefore the children of men

put their trust

under the shadow of thy wings.” Psalm 36:5-7

My question is, do you know this Faithful God, and HIS Son, Jesus?  I can’t express the faithfulness that I have experienced in my walk with HIM, and He is there for you if you will but recognize your need.  See your sin as sin, repent and turn to the cross in faith/belief in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for your sin and mine!  Oh, praise God HE forgives, saves, and cleanses us from our sin!  (See Matthew 1:21—it’s why HE came!)

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers of the inheritance

of the saints

in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness

of sins:” Colossians 1:12-14

And the Apostle John put it amply well, for both the believer who needs forgiveness and restoration, or the lost who needs a Savior!  And remember JESUS IS “the truth” and “The Word” (See John 14:6 and John 1:1-5)!

“If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful

and just

to forgive us

our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.”  1 John 1:8-10

This faithful God made provision IN Jesus for our sin to be exchanged for HIS righteousness; Paul put it in a nutshell, so to speak, for us!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us

the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit,

that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then

we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him

to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made

the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Jesus Himself, paints a picture of this transformation by the “indwelling” presence of the Savior within HIS own!  Is HE in you?  Are you in HIM?

“Behold,

I stand at the door,

and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

Paul spoke another word of encouragement to the believers in Thessalonica—will you receive it?  Have you received Jesus?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test; and Jesus won’t ask what ‘words’ you said, or what aisle you walked, or where you were baptized; HE will ask if you have been “born again”, “let HIM IN”, “followed HIM”, or did you do it your way?  HE knows!

“But the Lord is faithful,

who shall stablish you,

and keep you from evil.”  2 Thessalonians 3:3

In closing I want to share the words of our Lord—our faithful Lord—who calls us to be faithful too!

“And he said to them all,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross daily,

and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

but whosoever will lose his life for my sake,

the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged,

if he gain the whole world,

and lose himself,

or be cast away?”  Luke 9:23-25

Take up your cross, for the cross is an instrument of death.  Paul defines it spiritually.  I pray that you will repent, die to self, and live to, for, with and by the power of Jesus Christ The Lord—the faithful GOD…Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who “loves” us!!!

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live

in the flesh

I live by the faith

of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Only Jesus!

“Neither is there salvation

in any other:

for there is none other name under heaven

given among men,

whereby we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

Praying that you are trusting to this faithful REDEEMER!G

Amen and Amen!!!