Sooner or later, each of us must face the reality that in our own strength we don’t measure up—we’ve all sinned and fallen short most every day of our lives. But the good news is God’s faithfulness to us has never depended on our perfection. In this message, Dr. Stanley explores four ways in which we experience God’s fidelity in keeping His promises to His children. Relax into the trustworthy character of our heavenly Father—He will never leave or forsake you. For more messages from Charles Stanley, including this week’s broadcast, go to www.intouch.org/watch
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faithfulness is very important to God
kaitlin’s important to each other
faithfulness is important to ourselves
that we have the quality you can be
trusted that what you say you will do
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four decades ago we started in touch
ministries to lead people worldwide into
a growing relationship with Jesus Christ
throughout the years we’ve seen God’s
greatness his love and his blessings in
such awesome ways that we just want
everyone to know him so let’s open God’s
Word and seek Him together next on
InTouch the reassuring quality of
faithfulness faithfulness is one of the
most important qualities to be found in
our life and when you think about what
that involves sometimes we have believed
in people and had faith in them and they
disappointed this they tell us one thing
and do something differently and then
their people who go through very
difficult times in life hard times
they’re betrayed oftentimes or live with
big debts or whatever it might be
because of somebody’s unfaithfulness
lack of faithfulness and so it’s a very
important quality and I would ask you
would you be would you fit the category
of somebody who’s faithful when you say
you lose something you do it when you
say who you are that’s who you really
are or do you take that lightly God
doesn’t say it lightly so I want to
title this message there reassuring
quality of faithfulness and when I think
about that I think about this passage in
Genesis in the 32nd chapter so just
listen to it a moment in verse 9 Jacob
said o God of my father Abraham and God
of my father’s II Oh Lord who said to me
return to your country and to your
relatives and I will prosper you I am
unworthy of all the loving kindness and
that all the faithfulness which you have
shown to your servant and just his way
of expressing his gratitude toward
Almighty God would you say that you’re a
grateful person that you look around in
your life and usually have
who God has been that you are grateful
and that you are grateful because of his
faithfulness see so throughout scripture
there’s a whole bunch of verses about
his faithfulness and I just like to read
through a few of them just to remind you
how important it is in Deuteronomy
chapter 7 verse 9 listen know therefore
that the Lord your God He is God the
faithful God one of his attributes is if
he says you’ll do something he’ll do it
in Psalm 33 verse 4 for the word of the
Lord is upright and all his work is done
in faithfulness he does what he says
he’ll do faithful to his promises Psalm
36 verse 5 your loving kindness O Lord
extends to the heavens your faithfulness
reaches to the skies Psalm 1 1990 his
faithfulness continues throughout all
generations in lamentations 3:23
great is your faithfulness then of
course and when I think about that I
think about 2nd Timothy 2:13 listen when
we are unfaithful he remains faithful
our sin does not nullify rend avoid the
faithfulness of God that is we’re not
faithful sometimes but God always is you
and I have never confessed our sin to
him genuinely you were in a minute that
he didn’t forgive us you can’t name a
single promise that God has failed to
keep that’s who he is he’s a faithful
God who keeps his promise in every
circumstance of life so we say he keeps
his promise but also one of his other
attributes says he’s that is that God is
immutable that is he doesn’t change
everybody changes we all change but God
never changes when he says I will never
leave you nor forsake you what does he
mean God says I will not forsake you I
will not leave you
faithfulness is one of the attributes of
God we rest upon so faithfulness that is
being who we say
we are doing what we say we’ll do and
making it a way of life
is what God intended for every one of us
because to be unfaithful is to tell
something that is not true or act out
something that is not true
so with that in mind the Holy Spirit
makes it part of his responsibility to
guide us leaders and to enable us to be
faithful in difficult very difficult
situations the Holy Spirit is faithful
and expression through us the qualities
that are consistent with the nature of
God that’s the way he always operates
he’s not going to work in us something
that is not true of God so when he sent
the Holy Spirit he sent the Holy Spirit
because God knew you and I would not be
capable of living a Christian life
we’re not apart from the Holy Spirit you
can’t there’s not a single one of us who
has the strength and the energy the
fortitude and the faithfulness to live
the Christian life apart from the
indwelling Holy Spirit he sent him and
that’s why he said sit down in the city
of Jerusalem until you be endued with
power from Allah you’re not ready to do
what I’ve called you to do which is to
evangelize the world you’re not ready
until the Holy Spirit who will live
within you and enabled you and equip you
comes and anoint you for the power to do
that
so you’re if you’re if you’re a believer
you’ve trusted Christ as your Savior you
were sealed under the day of redemption
as he says so you have the one in you
who will enable you to be faithful in
every circumstance of life when we’re
unfaithful it’s the same Holy Spirit who
lives within us who convicts us of sin
so faithfulness is very important to God
faithful is important to each other
faithfulness is important to ourselves
that we have the quality if you can be
trusted that what you say you will do
and so the Holy Spirit is equipped with
so that’s why when I think of the Holy
Spirit I think of him there’s God’s
enabler he has placed within us the
enabling power to do what we say we’ll
do
and so we have a helper that’s what
Jesus called them the helper the Holy
Spirit so let’s think about that for a
moment
and some verse specific areas in which
God has promised to be faithful to us
every day
and one of them is one of the most
familiar ones and that is first John 1:9
you know it by heart watch this watch
what he says if we confess we met we are
in agreement with God about something if
we confess our sins that we’ve sinned
against him he is faithful this is God’s
part he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness why does he put that
just business in there because if God
just says okay you’re forgiven you’re
forgiven
then forgiveness wouldn’t mean much
faithful and just to forgive us that is
when Jesus went to the cross and paid
our sin debt in full it makes it
possible legally with God that if we
confess our sins we agree with him there
did the wrong thing
he will always forgive us because he’s
paid our sin debt in full he has the
right to forgive us and God being
truthful and God being holy and if there
were no pardon at the cross then God
wouldn’t be giving his word but he’s as
faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness that is God’s faithful
promise to you it’s interesting to me
that God made that verse so simple so
short so clean so easily understood that
if I agree with him that I’ve sinned
against him I regret that he listens
sees hears he’s faithful we can trust
him that we are forgiven of our sin now
how many times have you confessed your
sin to God and gotten up walked away and
thought god I hope so
lord I pray so Lord I’m not sure I’m not
and there was he says God’s faithful
here’s what that means what he says he
will do he will do now is that true of
you well do you have to answer that
between you and God
second thing that is God’s faithfulness
limits the power of our temptation
now you remember in first Corinthians
chapter 10 verse 13 and maybe you should
maybe we should turn to that one it’s
one we most all of us know about Hart
chapter 10 verse 13 no temptation has
overtaken you but such as common demand
God is what faithful listen who will not
allow you to be tempted beyond what
you’re able but with the temptation will
provide the way of escape so that you
can endure it that is when we’re tempted
we have the promise of holy God that he
puts a limitation on all of our
temptation some people are stronger than
others some people just pushovers for
the devil some people a stalwart strong
obedient faithful loyal servants of God
he says that his his promise he will not
allow the devil to tempt you more than
you are able to bear as you trust him
we’re talking about believers the
unbelievers they they don’t have any
help listen to that no temptation has
overtaken you but such as is common to
man that is there are all kinds of
temptations God is trustworthy he’s
faithful he will not he will not allow
you to be tempted beyond what you’re
able so therefore the Bible says God
promises you don’t have to yield the
temptation becomes holy God has put a
limitation on every temptation you face
now if you say well God if you had done
this I would I wouldn’t have done
nothing odd says here’s a promise I’ve
made to you that I put I put a stop to
the temptation it can only go so far
that’s the promise of God you believe
you God keeps his promises yes you do
I’m sure you do so ask yourself the
question when you’re tempted do you fail
do you yield that temptation and then
say God you know I’m weak in that area
why did you let this happen that doesn’t
work it may work for you but you just
think it works for you because gut says
no I put a limitation on it all of us
have been tempted in lots of ways
anybody who says well I’ve never been
tempted just lied or somebody who says
probably a lot of people would have to
say I’m tempted daily the best thing to
do if you face the same temptation every
day is don’t go to the same place every
day or if you go to the same place every
day watch what you watch watch what you
look at what watch what gets your
attention
lust is a major major tool of the devil
and lust is simply a strong desire to do
something that is to think about
something that is an act of disobedience
to God God says I’ve put a limitation on
it then he says in Philippians 4:7 and
the peace of God which surpasses all
comprehension will guard your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus that is his his
promise when you and I get anxious about
things they usually will his anxiety or
sin well I’ll put it this way we
shouldn’t be anxious but there are times
when something hits us and all of a
sudden we may feel anxiety especially if
it has to do with somebody we love and
maybe they’re in trouble something
happened to Oh a sickness or whatever it
might be so all of us are going to hit
those times in life when we feel anxious
about things if you went to the doctor
and he told you your heart was in bad
shape you probably get anxious and heart
were getting worse late because of what
he told you but there are times when we
feel anxiety and way at times we feel
anxiety by watching somebody else do
something that you know is gonna be a
disaster if they don’t stop God has made
a promise to us he stands by every
promise and that promise is that we can
have the peace of God and notice what he
said watch this which surpasses
all understanding that is God says I’m
gonna give you a piece that you can
understand the peace of God which
surpasses all comprehension and Paul is
saying you know there are times in
situations where we don’t understand and
we thank God where were you
you got here’s what you said here’s what
your Bible says but look what you
allowed to happen God what’s going on
where were you when this happened why
did you allow her to do this and him to
do it
why do you learn my children to get into
these situations the peace of God which
surpasses all comprehension thank God
for that verse that some things we don’t
understand said some situations we think
well God if you loved as you would let
that happen
Lord why did you let that happen to
so-and-so why have you just stood by and
and and watch these things develop
surpasses all comprehension all
understanding he will guard your heart
and mine in Christ Jesus
they’re people who become alcoholics
because they don’t know how to deal with
certain situations in their life and
they go to the bottle all people who get
into all kinds of adultery all kind of
things happen to people that is there
are situations and circumstances God
understands how traumatic had difficult
how painful has sorrowful this here’s
what he says and the peace of God it’s
the peace of God not somebody’s
explanation not a bottle not an affair
the peace of God which surpasses all
comprehension will guard your hearts and
minds how in Christ that is my
relationship to Jesus will guard me from
giving up hope my relationship to Jesus
will guard me from blaming God and
accusing him or turning away from God
walking away from his will the peace of
God will guard our hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus
awesome promises of God the faithfulness
of God and think about this the moment
you were saved the Holy Spirit came into
your life and he
there he’s the one who convict us of sin
gives us comfort and assurance in her
life
he’s also the one who limits the power
of Satan in our life listen to 2nd
Thessalonians 33 but the Lord is
faithful watch this the Lord is faithful
that you can trust them he will
strengthen and protect you from the
devil from the evil one
that’s the promise of God and you know
when people say well the devil made me
do it no he didn’t you chose to do it
you chose not to believe God you chose
to call God Allah who says I will
strengthen you and protect you from the
evil one and you have said no God if you
were God here’s the promise here are
four simple promises the first is the
forgiveness of our sins simple promise
limits our temptation and gives us peace
amidst their anxieties and limits the
power of Satan in our life with those
four awesome promises in your life you
face about anything and they’re all
simple verses you know by heart if
you’ve been coming to this fellowship
where you go to be going to church where
the pastor’s faithfully preaching the
word you already know those verses but
you put them together and put them in a
capsule of faithfulness because God is
faithful I’m not gonna yield to that
because God is faithful I don’t want to
stand there but I’m gonna trust him in
other words you can go right down the
line these four verses forgiveness of
sin límites the power of temptation
peace amidst our anxieties limits the
power of Satan you walk through anything
if you believe it if you trust him now
it’s interesting when you read the Word
of God and then these difficult times
come we find we find out whether we
believe it or not and so watch this
we’re gonna be tested and tried you can
expect that and you say well why isn’t
in other words if God loves me what does
he test me and try me what do you think
he does you say well if he if God’s
all-knowing
you don’t have to test you to find out
what you would do he heard he knows what
you gonna do he doesn’t try us and
testers are allowed in their life to
find out what we would do he knows what
we would do he wants us to know when we
are strong when we are weak or when some
particular sin may be at your doorstep
every day I think of how many people who
live wake up
they hate drinking but they got a drink
wake up knowing that adultery and
fornication all kinds of attitudes about
sin and sex no they’re not right they
gonna face them again our God says he’s
faithful he’s put a limitation watch
this he’s put a personal limitation on
your life of what you have to face in
which you don’t face and he’s not gonna
let you be tempted above what you’re
able to bear is a divine promise of holy
God so the person says well God knows
I’m sort of weak in that area and he
shouldn’t he shouldn’t allow that no he
knows you weakened a tear and he wants
to strengthen you so that you no longer
wake up every morning a little bit every
night facing some attitude that you have
of some situation you’re gonna have to
face God is faithful he keeps his
promise and then when the Bible for
example refers to the fruit of the
Spirit which he doesn’t accuse 5
faithfulness he’s referring to the
lifestyle you now to live that is
faithfulness ought to be part of that
lifestyle somewhat it says well what is
your lifestyle like well I try to look
the best I can do the best I can be the
best I can trust God or whatever it
might be God has the best choices for us
I have to decide if I’m gonna choose his
way or my way I choose my way I’m gonna
get in trouble choose his way I’ll walk
out of the trouble I’ll walk out of the
trouble of victorious or kind of the
trouble trusting God who put a
limitation on whatever trial I may be
facing so let’s think about this
the Bible says that when the Holy Spirit
is living within us we’ll have a
lifestyle that is if I’m walking in the
spirit trusting him I’m gonna be devoted
to God that is he’s gonna be the one
that I follow are you person who is
devoted to God people know you as the
Christians a follower of Jesus is that
who you are loyal do they know you as a
loyal person you do what you say you’ll
be there when you say you will you give
what you say you’ll give you’ll help
when you say you have are you loyal can
they count on you to be on their side in
a tough situation thirdly unwavering
that is you’re the same every day you’re
not this today and that tomorrow can
they believe what you say can they trust
you to tell them the truth
steadfast are you steadfast that is your
steady your solid you’re not shaking
about this and that they can count on
you trustworthy you believable you only
tell the truth to those who know you can
say well she’s a very trust for them but
you if she said that you live in
dependable that is when you say you’ll
be there you’ll be there when you say
I’ll give this that’s what you give when
you say you will do a certain thing you
will that is the people who know you say
one thing about him he or she is
dependable obedient can it be said of
you that you a person who attempts to
obey God doesn’t mean you’re perfect but
you certainly attempt to obey God they
know you as a person then fruitful your
life’s countin your life is counting
it’s making a difference it’s
influencing somebody and the truth is
you’re influencing the people you work
around the people you live around in
your own home you’re influencing them
one way or the other
and the last one I would say is faithful
so look at this if we’re living in
obedience devoted to God loyal to God
unwavering before sin steadfast Trust
where the dependent little obedient
fruitful faithful you soon well all of
that in one person’s life
you are to having what you can do in
your own strength we all blow it so what
God is after in all of us watch this
carefully is to believe him to the point
that we trust him for anything
everything in every circumstance of
right you say well I’m not there yet
well most people are not there yet you
say well when we get there I can’t
answer that for you
if you ask me can I trust God for every
single thing I have two thoughts I think
I can but there’s some things I’ve not
faced I don’t know I just know at this
point in my life I believe I can trust
them for just about anything but I
wouldn’t boast of that don’t ever tell
anybody I said I can’t trust anything
that I can just handle in and everything
I’ve had a lot of things but they’re
people who’ve been through situations
and circumstances that I have not and so
we have to be patient with each other
when you see somebody stumble don’t be
too quickly to judge them you may have
the same opportunity you don’t call it
an opportunity but in other words that’s
sort of what it is when it comes to
learning to trust God we have
opportunities to trust them in every
circumstance of life and there’s people
who’ve been through situations and
circumstances that I have known and I
thought oh god I trust that I’d have the
faith and the faithfulness that they’ve
had to walk through that storm in life
they never boast of how much you have
trust God so does this describe you as a
person your actions your deeds your
thoughts that you a person who’s devoted
to God he’s first your law you’re doing
you don’t that you don’t deny him you
don’t you don’t deny that your believer
your unwavering you’re not up today and
down tomorrow
you’re steady in your Christian life
you’re steadfast
you committed you trustworthy whatever
you say it’s what you live you’re
dependable that is somebody can depend
upon you to do what you promised to do
you’re obedient as best you know what
obedience requires in your life you’re
fruitful your life’s making a difference
in someone else’s life and you’re
faithful that is you are you say you are
you do what you say you’ll do you’ll be
what you say you’ll be Amen father how
grateful we are that you didn’t save us
and just leave us here to manage did the
best we can because sometime Lord you
know we don’t always do the very best we
can but you know our hearts desire and I
pray for people who are struggling this
morning maybe they live in a household
right nobody else is a Christian or
their husband or wife is not all the
children giving him a very difficult
time whatever it may be we thank you
that you live within us and you have
made these promises to us to enable us
to be all that you want us to be we
thank you for these simple passages of
Scripture the life transforming in a
real assuring we love you in praise you
and thank you that your word says and we
know by experience you’re a faithful God
and we love that song great is thy
faithfulness O Lord our God we pray this
in Jesus name Amen
if you’ve been blessed by today’s
program please visit us at intouch.org e
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