The NFL season is almost here. I'm a big Miami Dolphins fan. Now, I've only been a fan for about two years, but I've been a Tua Tagovailoa fan (their starting QB) for five years, and this is through the last couple of years of criticism.
No matter what though, whatever or whoever I choose to be a fan of, I stay quite faithful. However, I do have my limits of faithfulness, as do must people.
What's crazy though is that, God gives us His faithfulness, and He doesn't have any limits. None of us deserve His faithfulness, yet He is faithful to us even when we aren't faithful to Him.
Why is this? The Bible says that it's because God's faithfulness is a part of who He is. He literally can't be unfaithful. It's why He's always with us, answers our prayer (whether in the way we hoped for or not), and keeps every promise He's ever made. Even when we are at our worst, and everyone else has left us and quit being our fan, God's still faithful to us.
Sometimes, we desire from those around us only what God can give. We want friends that will never hurt us, family members who are always there for us, and people to tell the truth and make promises that they’ll actually keep. The bad news is that all humans fail, but the great news is that God never fails and is always faithful to us in these ways and more.
The Bible shares about God’s faithfulness in great detail. Paul states, in His second letter to Timothy, that faithfulness is a part of who God is. It’s a characteristic of Him that affects other aspects of Him. In the book of Numbers, we find that God does not lie or change His mind. God is completely stable, what He promises and says, He means wholeheartedly. Psalm 33 speaks of this too, adding that God is faithful in all He does. There’s nothing He’s done or will do, that’ll ever go against being faithful. Furthermore, Isaiah praises God for His perfect, flawless faithfulness.
God’s good faithfulness means these things for us: Starting with that He forgives and purifies us. God gives us His word that He will faithfully wash away and clean us up from our sin if our heart and desires turn away from it. Two, it means that He fulfills all of His promises. Not one of God’s promises will ever fail to be fulfilled, and He has already completed many. Three, God does wonderful things that were planned a long time beforehand. The fact that God finishes things that were planned hundreds upon hundreds of years ago, and does them wonderfully, is just awesome in itself. Lastly, God strengthens us and protects us from the devil. How good our God is that, in His faithfulness, He doesn’t leave us to battle against the enemy alone, but that He actively prepares us and shields us.
Here’s what not to do, knowing God’s faithfulness: Take advantage of God’s faithfulness – You shouldn’t ever take advantage of those you love, especially God. Doubt that God will forgive you – If you’re truly sorry and actively try to stop continuing in the sin, God will forgive whatever you’ve thought, said, or did. Lose hope in having eternal life – If God promised it, He’s faithful to carry it out.
God's Guidance:
2 Timothy 2:13 (NIRV) – “Even if we are not faithful, he remains faithful. He must be true to himself.”
Numbers 23:19 (NIV) – “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
Psalm 33:4 (NIV) – “For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.”
Isaiah 25:1 (NIV) – “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.”
1 John 1:9 (NIV) – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Joshua 23:14 (NIV) – ““Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV) – “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”
Hebrews 10:23 (NIV) – “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
Application:
1. Commit to God to actively being more faithful to Him, in response to His faithfulness to you
2. Take time each day to thank God for how He was faithful to you throughout that day
3. Ask God to help you be a better representative of Him and His faithfulness toward others
Strength Point:
God is faithful to us at all times because faithfulness is a core part of His being.
Reflection Question:
How much do you trust in God's faithfulness?
Prayer Prompt:
Hi Jesus! Thank You for Your good faithfulness! You never change, allowing me to trust in every part of who You are. I’m sorry for not always staying faithful to You. I let doubt, excuses, busyness, problems, and __ get in the way, I want to do better than this. Help me to rely on Your faithfulness to me. Remind me, as I endure through life, of Your many promises that You’ve made and the ones You’ve already fulfilled. I pray that as I continue to meet with You and grow closer to You, that my commitment to You and Your kingdom would strengthen. I want to praise You for Your continual faithfulness by striving to be faithful to You in all that I do, please help me to do this through the power of Your Spirit. Thank You that even when all else in the world fails me, You never will. I love You so much! In Jesus' Name, I pray, amen.
A Prayer to Pray over Others:
Hi Jesus! Thank You for Your good faithfulness! You never change, You are totally secure and stable! Let this bring about trust in my friend for every part of who You are. Help them to want to be faithful to You, not letting doubt, excuses, busyness, problems, and life as a whole – get in the way. I pray that they would rely on Your faithfulness to them. Remind them, as they endure through life, of Your many promises that You’ve made and the ones You’ve already fulfilled. As my friend continues to come to know You and Your faithfulness, help their faithfulness to You and Your kingdom grow. I pray that they would praise You for Your continual faithfulness by striving to be faithful to You in all that they do, please help them to do this through the power of Your Spirit. Thank You that even when all else in the world fails us, You never will. I love You so much! In Your Name, Jesus, I pray, amen.
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