KEY PASSAGE: Deuteronomy 7:8-11
SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Genesis 1:1 | Numbers 32:23 | Psalm 36:5 | Psalm 56:3 | Psalm 62:8 | Psalm 119:90 | Proverbs 3:5-6 | Lamentations 3:23 | Malachi 3:6 | Hebrews 9:27
SUMMARY
How well do you know God?
Is He someone you come to when you need help but give little thought to otherwise? The truth is that most people don't know Him very well. Even those who say they believe in God and have trusted Him with their eternal life may not have an accurate understanding of Him because it's not based on what the Bible says. Furthermore, what some people claim to believe about God is contradicted by the way they live.
SERMON POINTS
There are many qualities of God revealed in Scripture, and one of them is His faithfulness. When the Lord was about to lead His people into the Promised Land, He gave them this reminder: "Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him" (Deut. 7:9-10).
To be faithful means to be reliable:
We can count on God to do what He says in His own time and way. His promises are sure, but they are not always positive. His faithfulness applies not only to His commitment to show lovingkindness to those who are obedient followers of Christ, but it also includes a promise of judgment and retribution for those who hate Him.
God's faithfulness is grounded in His unchanging nature:
He is the same God in Genesis 1:1 and throughout the sixty-six books of the Bible until the last chapter of Revelation. He is the inescapable, awesome, and righteous Judge of all mankind, and we must all stand before Him to give an account of our lives.
Yet so many people have a lesser view of God:
1). They think they are free to live as they please, but when trouble comes, God will bail them out.
2). They believe God doesn't pay attention to sin unless it's something really bad like murder.
3). They are confident that God understands their faults and failures and will overlook their sin.
All these perceptions of God are contradicted in Scripture. He sees all our sins and takes them very seriously. There is no such thing as a secret sin before the Lord. He says, "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Num. 32:23). Because He is holy and just, there is a penalty for sin. God in His faithfulness not only blesses us with His best but also confronts us with our worst.
People who don't know God personally may see him as a distant deity who resides in heaven but can be called upon for help when needed. If asked to describe their God, they are quick to defend their nebulous perception of Him by saying that He's too big for words. But in reality, they can't
describe Him because they don't really know Him. They have an unscriptural view of God; and therefore, they have no confidence in His faithfulness but can only hope that He will answer them when they need Him.
As humans, we tend to make our own version of God, but if He's not the one described in the Bible, we don't have the one true God because all others are false. Without the Bible, we'd have an excuse for our inaccurate ideas, but the Lord has given us His Word so that we can know Him and have a relationship with Him.
How does God display His faithfulness?
1). He always does what He has said and fulfills every promise He's made.
2). He never forgets, falters, or fails to keep His Word.
3). He is reliable, trustworthy, unfailing, unwavering, constant, and steadfast.
This is who God is all the time—in the light and the darkness, in good times or bad. His unchanging nature is the essence of His faithfulness and the reason for our security and trust in Him.
God's attributes are the foundation for His faithfulness:
1). Omniscient. The Lord knows all things—past, present, and future. He's never surprised by events and cannot forget anything. He knows how we live, whether in godliness or
sin. Although we may turn a blind eye to Him, He's aware of everything that takes place, and nothing is hidden from Him.
2). Omnipotent. God has all power to accomplish what He desires. We need never fear that He cannot answer prayer, provide for our needs, change situations, or fulfill His promises. If He doesn't intervene in our lives the way we desire or expect, it is not because He doesn't have the power but because He works to accomplish His will, not ours.
3). Omnipresent. The Lord is present everywhere all the time. Whether saint or sinner, we are all in His presence every moment. Although there may be times when we wish we could hide from Him because of our sin, there is no way of escape. But in reality, being without the Lord is not really what we want. When we belong to Him, He faithfully walks with us through every trial, heartache, and burden, bringing His comfort, guidance, and peace.
Truthful. Our God will never mislead us or deceive us. He's the source of all truth and always speaks what is true in His Word. Within Scripture, the Lord has given us guidance for every possible situation we may face. If we'll trust in Him and not in our own understanding, he'll make our paths straight and lead us the right way (Prov. 3:5-6). His truth not only affirms His great love for us but also convicts us of sin so we can return to Him.
Unchanging. The Lord is always the same—absolutely holy and perfect. Although His actions vary, His nature and attributes do not. His power never lessens; His knowledge cannot decrease; His purposes stand firm; and His promises will not fail. We, on the other hand, constantly change. Sometimes we're faithful, and at other times we sin, but we never have to fear that the Lord has changed His mind and taken our salvation away. Every time we come to Him He gives us grace, mercy, and wisdom for life and promises to bring us safely to heaven after death.
God's Word testifies that the Lord is faithful and trustworthy.
Psalm 56:3
Psalm 62:8
Proverbs 3:5-6
Psalm 36:5
Psalm 119:90
Lamentations 3:23
RESPONSE
How closely does your perception of God align with who He reveals Himself to be in His Word?
Are you more likely to view God according to your circumstances and experiences, others' ideas, or Scripture?
Do you truly believe that God is faithful all the time? How do your responses to problems, suffering, or trouble affirm or deny this truth?
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