T 17 NOVEMBER 2013
OUR FAITHFUL GOD
I STAND HERE THIS MORNING AWARE OF THE TROUBLES OF THIS WORLD
OF ITS SICKNESS AND PAIN
AND THINK OF A VERSE OF THE HYMN
ABIDE WITH ME
VERSE 2.
SWIFT TO ITS CLOSE EBBS OUT LIFES LITTLE DAY
EARTHS JOYS GROW DIM ITS GLORIES PASS AWAY
CHANGE AND DECAY IN ALL AROUND I SEE
O THOUGH WHO CHANGEST NOT ABIDE WITH ME
MANY OF US CAN TESTIFY TO THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD HERE THIS MORNING MYSELF INCLUDED
I WANT US TO LIFT OUR EYES AND BEHOLD A GOD WHO IS FAITHFUL
WHO WAS WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME
TEXT LAMENTATIONS 3:22 3:25
BECAUSE OF THE LORDS GREAT LOVE WE ARE NOT CONSUMED
FOR HIS COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING
GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS
I LOVE TRUE STORIES THEY LINGER LONG IN THE MEMORY HERES ONE
IN ARMENIA IN 1998 SAMUEL AND DANIELLE SENT THEIR YOUNG SON ARMAND OF TH SCHOOL
SAMUEL SQUATTED BEFORE HIS SON AND LOOKED HIM IN THE EYE
HAVE A GOOD DAY AT SCHOOL AND REMEMBER THAT NO MATTER WHAT ILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU
THEY HUGGED AND THE BOY RAN OFF TO SCHOOL
HOURS LATER A POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE HIT THE AREA
IN THE MIDST OF PANDEMONIUM SAMUEL AND DANIELLE TRIED TO DISCOVER WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THEIR SON
THE RADIO ANNOUNCED THAT THEIR WERE THOUSANDS OF CASUALTIES
SAMUEL GRABED HIS COAT AND HEADED FOR THE SCHOOL
ON HIS ARIVAL HE SAW TOTAL DEVASTATION
THE SCHOOL WAS A PILE OF RUBBLE
OTHER PARENTS WERE STANDING AROUND MORNING AND CRYING
FOR A TIME SAMUEL JOINED THEM
THEN SAMUEL FOUND THE PLACE WHERE ARMAND,S CLASSROOM WAS
HE LIFTED OF A BROKEN TWISTED ROOF BEAM OF THE PILE OF RUBBLE AND THEN A ROCK AND PUT IT TO THE SIDE THEN ANOTHER AND ANOTHER
ONE OF THE PARENTS LOOKING ON ASKED WHAT ARE YOU DOING
DIGGING FOR MY SON SAMUEL ANSWERED
YOUR JUST GOING TO MAKE THINGS WORSE THE BUILDING IS UNSTABLE AND HE TRIED TO PULL SAMUEL AWAY FROM HIS WORK
SAMUEL SET HIS FACE LIKE FLINT AND KEPT WORKING
AS TIME PASSED ONE BY ONE THE OTHER PARENTS LEFT
THEN A FIREFIGHTER TRIED TO PULL SAMUEL AWAY FROM THE RUBBLE
SAMUEL LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID
WONT YOU HELP ME
THE FIREFIGHTER LEFT AND SAMUEL KEPT DIGGING
ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT AND INTO THE NEXT DAY HE TOILED
PARENTS PLACED PICTURES OF THEIR CHILDREN AND FLOWERS IN THE RUINS
BUT SAMUEL KEPT WORKING
HE LIFTED A BEAM AND TOSSED IT ASIDE WHEN HE HEARD A FAINT CRY
HELP HELP SAMUEL STOPPED AND LISTENED BUT NOTHING
THEN HE HEARD A MUFFLED VOICE PAPA
SAMUEL BEGAN TO DIG FURIOUSLY
FINALY HE COULD SEE HIS SON
COME ON OUT SON HE SAID WITH RELIEF NO ARMAND SAID
LET THE OTHER KIDS COME OUT FIRST BECAUSE I KNOW YOU,LL GET ME
CHILD AFTER CHILD EMERGED FROM THE HOLE
I WONDER WHAT THEY THOUGHT WHEN THEY SAW THEIR FACES IN THE PICTURES PLACED IN THE RUBBLE
UNTIL FINALY ARMAND EMERGED
SAMUEL TOOK HIS SON IN HIS ARMS AND ARMAND SAID I TOLD THE OTHER KIDS NOT TO WORRY BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU,D ALWAYS BE THERE FOR ME
FOURTEEN CHILDREN WERE SAVED THAT DAY BECAUSE ONE FATHER WAS FAITHFUL
SO THEN HOW MUCH MORE FAITHFUL IS OUR HEAVENLY FATHER
WETHER TRAPED BY FALLEN DEBRIS OR ENSNARED BY LIFES HARDSHIPS AND STRUGGLES WE ARE NEVER CAST ADRIFT FROM GODS FAITHFULNESS
HE IS TRUE TO HIS CHARACTER
HE IS RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY
AND CAN BE COUNTED ON ALWAYS
HERE IS A SIMPLE DEFINITION
GOD,S FAITHFULNESS MEANS THAT EVERYTHING HE SAYS AND DOES IS CERTAIN
HE IS 100% RELIABLE 100% OF THE TIME
HE DOES NOT FAIL FORGET FALTER
CHANGE OR DISAPPOINT
HE SAYS WHAT HE MEANS AND MEANS WHAT HE SAYS AND THEREFORE DOES EVERYTHING HE SAYS HE WILL DO
KEY PASSAGES ON GODS FAITHFULNESS
LETS LOOK AT SOME
EXODUS 34::6
THE LORD THE LORD THE COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS GOD SLOW TO ANGER ABOUNDING IN LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS
DEUTERONOMY 7::9
KNOW THEREFORE THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GOD HE IS THE FAITHFUL GOD KEEPING HIS COVENANT OF LOVE TO A THOUSAND GENERATIONS
DEUTERONOMY 32::4
HE IS THE ROCK HIS WORKS ARE PERFECT AND ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUST A FAITHFUL GOD WHO DOES NO WRONG UPRIGHT AND JUST IS HE
JOSHUA 21::45
NOT ONE OF THE LORDS GOOD PROMISES TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL FAILED EVERY ONE WAS FULFILLED
PSALM 25::10
ALL THE WAYS OF THE LORD ARE LOVING AND FAITHFUL
FINALY PSALM 89::8
REMINDS US. O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY WHO IS LIKE YOU
YOU ARE MIGHTY O LORD AND YOUR FAITHFULNESS SURROUNDS YOU
THESE VERSES WHEN TAKEN TOGETHER ESTABLISH THAT GODS FAITHFULNESS IS NOT SOME MINOR OR SECONDARY PART OF HIS CHARACTER
TO STATE THAT GOD IS FAITHFUL GOES TO THE VERY CORE OF WHO HE REALY IS
IF HE DIDNT KEEP HIS WORD HE WOULDN'T BE GOD
I AM AN ENGINEER.
I THINK LIKE AN ENGINEER
I THINK OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD LIKE A CAR ENGINE
PISTONS FAN BELTS WATER PUMPS AND THOUSANDS OF MOVING PARTS ALL WHIRL AROUND WITHIN A SMALL SPACE
PRODUCING POWER TO CREATE MOMENTUM
THE PARTS ALL WORK TOGETHER IN SYNCHRONISATION
IN HARMONY AS COMPONENTS OF THE WHOLE ENGINE
THAT IS THE WAY GODS ATTRIBUTES FUNCTION TOO
IF YOU TOOK AWAY LOVE GODS CHARACTER WOULD BE INCOMPLETE
GODS LOVE WORKS WITH ALL THE OTHER ATTRIBUTES
HIS LOVE WORKS WITH HIS JUSTICE
TO PRODUCE THE RIGHT RESULTS
WE CAN COMPARE GODS FAITHFULNESS TO THE OIL IN THE ENGINE THAT LUBRICATES AND KEEPS EACH PART RUNNING SMOOTHLY
GODS FAITHFULNESS MEANS THAT EACH ATTRIBUTE IN HIS CHARACTER IS WORKING AT FULL CAPACITY AT ALL TIMES
WHEN DOES GODS LOVE FAIL
NEVER BECAUSE HE IS FAITHFUL
WHEN IS GOD LESS THAN HOLY
NEVER BECAUSE HIS CHARACTER IS PURE AND HE IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL TO WHO HE IS AND TO WHAT HE SAYS
A W TOZER PUTS IT THIS WAY
ALL OF GODS ACTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH HIS ATTRIBUTES NO ATTRIBUTE CONTRADICTS ANY OTHER
BUT ALL HARMONISE AND BLEND INTO EACH OTHER IN THE INFINITE ABYSS OF THE GODHEAD
GODS FAITHFULNESS IS AT THE CORE OF HIS VERY NATURE
HE IS KNOWABLE. HOLY
THE CREATOR. OMNIPOTENT OMNISCIENT. OMNIPRESENT
JUST SOVEREIGN UNCHANGING
AND LOVING
BECAUSE HE IS FAITHFUL TO HIS OWN CHARACTER
HE NEVER CHANGES ANY OF HIS ATTRIBUTES
1 THESSALONIANS 5::24
THE ONE WHO CALLS YOU IS FAITHFUL HE WILL DO IT
THE HEBREW WORD FOR LOVE IS
HESED A WORD RICH WITH MEANING
IT HAS WITHIN IT THE IDEA OF LOYAL LOVE
A LOVE THAT HAS BEEN FAITHFUL FOR ALL OF TIME
A LOVE THAT WILL NOT LET US GO BECAUSE IT DOES NOT DEPEND ON EMOTION BUT ON AN ACT OF THE WILL GOD IS FAITHFUL
AND WILL FOR ALL TIME STICK BY THE PEOPEL HE HAS CHOSEN
GOD LOVES US BECAUSE HE PROMISED TO LOVE US AND NOTHING CAN CAUSE HIM TO BREAK HIS PROMISE. HE IS A FAITHFUL GOD
AS BAD AS THINGS ARE FOR SOME
IF IT WAS NOT FOR GOD FOR HIS LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS FOR HIS LOYALTY THINGS WOULD BE MUCH WORSE
SCRIPTURE TELLS US HIS COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL
THE WORD COMPASSIONS IS PLURAL
THAT IS VERY UNUSUAL IN ENGLISH
HE IS NOT COMPASSIONATE THE ONCE HE IS
COMPASSION PERSONIFIED
GODS COMPASSIONS ARE PLURAL BECAUSE HIS MERCY IS INTESE AND LIMITLESS IT COMES ROLLING IN WAVES FROM THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD
THE RIVERS OF MERCY RUN FULLY AND CONSTANTLY THEY NEVER RUN DRY
THE WORD COMPASSION COMES FROM THE HEBREW WORD WOMB
IT ROOT MEANING IS PROTECTION FROM HARM TO HAVE COMPASSION
IT SHOWS US THE GENTLE FEELING OF CONCERN AND CARE THAT GOD HAS FOR HIS CHILDREN
THE WORD LITERALLY MEANS
TO BE MOVED IN THE HEART OUT OF LOVE FOR ANOTHER
GODS COMPASSION EMANATES FROM DEEP WITHIN HIM AND FLOODS OUR LIVES HE IS MOVED IN HIS HEART WHEN HE PICTURES YOU
WILL GOD MEET OUR NEEDS
HOLD THIS THOUGHT.
THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING
THATS THE WAY IT IS WITH GODS COMPASSION AND MERCY YOU CAN NEVER USE IT UP
ITS LIKE MANA IN THE WILDERNESS
GATHER AS MUCH AS YOU NEED IT WILL NEVER RUN OUT
JUST ENOUGH FOR THAT DAY TRUST HIM THERE WILL BE SOME MORE TOMORROW.
DONT LIVE ON YESTERDAYS BLESSING THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING
GODS BLESSING IS NEVER EARLY BUT IT ISNT LATE EITHER
THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING
WHAT IS MY HOPE FOR LIVING
SIMPLE. THAT GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS
HOW AMAZING IS THE LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF GODS GRACE OFFERED TO US AT THE START OF EACH AND EVERY NEW DAY
LETS CELEBRATE HIS FAITHFULNESS EVERY DAY
TO SAY THAT GOD IS FAITHFUL IS TO SAY THAT HE IS COMMITTED TO YOU
HE IS STEADFASTLY DEVOTED TO YOU AND IS LOOKING TO PULL US OUT FROM UNDER THE RUBBLE OF THIS LIFE
HIS FAITHFULNESS IS A SHIELD OF PROTECTION AS WELL
A STORY TO FINISH
A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS AN ATHEIST AND WAS TRAINING TO BE AN OLYMPIC DIVER WAS CHALLENGED BY HIS FRIEND ON MANY OCCASIONS ABOUT FAITH IN CHRIST
HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE HAD NO USE OF CHRIST IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS
ONE NIGHT HE WENT TO THE COLLEGE POOL TO PRACTICE. THE LIGHTS WERE OF BUT THE MOON BRIGHT ENOUGH TO PRACTICE HIS DIVES HE CLIMED UP TO THE HIGHEST BOARD TURNED HIS BACK TO THE POOL ON THE EDGE OF THE BOARD HE EXTENDED HIS ARMS OUT AND SAW A SHADOW ON THE WALL THE SHADOW WAS IN THE SHAPE OF THE CROSS INSTEAD OD DIVING HE KNELT DOWN AND FINALY ASKED JESUS TO BE HIS LORD AND SAVIOUR
AS HE STOOD UP ON THE DIVING BOARD A MAINTENANCE MAN WALKED IN AND TURNED THE LIGHTS ON
THE DIVER GASPED IN HORROR THE POOL HAD BEEN DRAINED FOR REPAIRS
LETS SING A HYMN
GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS
