ME: I have considered myself a Christian or at least someone who has known of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ since the age of 14, I am now 34 years old. I guess it is in your best interest (the sooner the better) for individuals (Christian and Non-Christian) to come to the realization that while in this world there will always be issues and problems that have to be dealt with. The Christian hope is that we will overcome these trials and tribulations like our savior Jesus Christ did. Life can throw you some curve balls and possibly knock you off of your feet. When the pressures of life are all about the question I always ask myself is; where is my trust and my faith? Is it in me? Or is it in God? If my Salvation depended on my 100% faithfulness to God’s word then I would have serious concern, but I am grateful that if I indeed am a Child of God that my salvation is secured through God’s promises as communicated in Philippians 1:6: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” I am confident that although I may fall that I will get up on my feet because of the faithfulness of God. This is the Hope of the Christian (The faithfulness of God).
WE: The faithfulness of God is why the Christian should never give up, even when it seems that all hope is lost and life has you on the ropes. God is behind the scenes engineering circumstances for the Christians good and can use situations that are a result of actions that we have taken to teach us valuable lessons and bring us closer in our walk with him. We should persevere as Christians and know that if we are down that the fight is not over based off of God’s faithfulness. I pray that we remember this fact and all of the historical examples that God has provided of his faithfulness throughout the years to encourage us in our walk on this earth.
GOD: God has a lot to say about his faithfulness in the pages of the bible:
Lamentations 3: 22-23:
It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is your stability and faithfulness.
1 Thessalonians 5: 24
Faithful is he who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and he will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you].
Psalm 36: 5
Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, extend to the skies, and Your faithfulness to the clouds.
2 Timothy 2: 13
If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.
The above verses all speak to the faithfulness of God and there is one in particular that is very re-assuring as a Christian. The verse that gives the Christian tremendous re-assurance to me is 2 Timothy 2:13 where God basically is saying that even if we are unfaithful and untrue to him, as people who he has called and begun a work in , It is not in his nature to turn his back on us. God will remain faithful and loyal. Not that it will be a walk in the park but God says that he will discipline and restore his people:
Hebrews 12:11 –
“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
YOU: If you are going through a hard time in life at the present and are considering giving up on your belief in God, you can be assured that God will not give up on you. You should appreciate and recognize the chastising and disciplining that God will give you as a blessing to restore you to a good standing in his sight. Wait on God and know that he will move in his time to turn circumstances or your current state of being around.
WE: Should not put our faith in ourselves or in anything besides God because he has demonstrated his faithfulness to his people through historical example after historical example and this is the hope of the Christian that God is faithful even though we are unfaithful at times.
God’s Blessings in Christ Jesus…
Brother Bush