He is Faithful

 A young worship leader Matthew (named changed) and his wife Alice (also changed name) were excited with the expectancy of their first baby.  Perhaps Dad was a little overzealous as a "proud papa" with plans to videotape and stream the coming birth to family and friends.  However, the week that the baby was due, she miscarried and the baby was stillborn. 

The next morning Matthew was scheduled to lead worship.  Understandably, as students gathered for worship the rumor mill spread the news quickly that they had lost the baby.  There was a holy hush of emotion and compassion that settled over the student body as Matthew came out to lead.  Matthew took a moment to catch his breath, looked out at the students who sensed his hurt, and simply said, "As you may know, we lost our baby last night."  He paused for a second, then said, "God is faithful, let's worship Him."

Clearly the time we need to realize God's faithfulness is in the hard times.  1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us that God is faithful even in challenging trials, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it." His faithfulness will provide the grace to go through the trial and also show us how to overcome it.

One of God's eternal qualities is His faithfulness.  Faithfulness is defined by Webster as "loyal, steadfast, not changing, unswerving adherence to an oath or promise.  Numbers 23:19 declares how and why we can know He is faithful, "God is not a man that He should lie." This truth is further defined in 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"  

The testimony of Moses, repeated by Joshua and Solomon, is that not one word has failed of all the good things God had promised.  (Joshua 23:14, 1 Kings 8:56)   Jesus, who is the exact image of the Father. also continues to show the faithful nature of God, "But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one." (2 Thessalonians 3:3)  God is faithful to keep His promises.  

In His faithfulness, He has promised awesome benefits to us.  First, in 1 Corinthians 1:9, it states that God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Fellowship may be simply defined as two fellows being in the same ship.  We are joined to Jesus, He in us and we are in Him.  Eternal life is described by Jesus as "knowing God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent."

He is a faithful God who promises that blessed are those who wait for His help, according to Isaiah 30:18. His faithfulness reaches to the skies, according to Psalm 36:5.  Because Jesus has paid the punishment for all our sins shedding His blood on the cross, 1 John 1:9 points out that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  Jesus is the Lamb who was slain for the sins of the world, so He can transfer His righteousness and overcoming power to those who come to Him.  Even if we have times of being unfaithful, He remains faithful, because He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13).  

1 Corinthians 4:2 calls us servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be faithful.  He who is faithful in little will be given much, and he who is not faithful in little will also not be entrusted with much.  He clearly is looking for the faithful and wise servant that He can reward.  We are called to "be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer" in Romans 12:12.  Finally in Revelation a more severe test is applied that confirms His faithfulness, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."  Enter into the joy of your Father, good and faithful servant.  Jesus is always faithful to keep His promises and reward those who are faithful and diligently seek Him.

Fills My Mouth with Good Things

Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits...who fills my mouth with good things so that my youth is restored like the eagles. 

Psalm 103:1-5  God also declares He has forgiven all our iniquities, healed all our diseases, redeemed our lives from hell, and crowned us with His steadfast love and mercy.  However, the next "benefit" is different in that it requires our participation.  He may "fill our mouths" but it is up to us to speak these good things. This is much like the expression, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

2 Corinthians 4:13 states that since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke" we also believe and therefore speak.  We believe Jesus has overcome sin, sickness, the devil, and death.  Then we bring this overcoming power into our lives by saying it with our mouths.  It is one thing to hear the Word of God, but another to make it ours by declaring this truth

Consider what words you usually declare.  If there was a recording of all your words from the past 24 hours, would it sound positive like hope and joy or would it be doubt and fear and defeat?  Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, according to Jesus in Luke 6:45, so our words reveal what is in our hearts.  Have you ever noticed what comes out of your mouth in emergency situations?  It is often something we didn’t even realize was in our heart.  Yet God has given us a new heart and now renews our mind with His truth and ways so we can become His mouthpiece on the earth. 

As we declare His truth, we allow the Holy Spirit to confirm our words with His power.  Our youth or life is renewed like the eagles.  Just as an eagle soars and is lifted up effortlessly by the wind, so our bodies are renewed by the breath of God.  

Beyond our personal benefit, God's plan is also for "His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven," which is how Jesus told us to pray.  Peter goes so far (1 Peter 4:11) as to say that we who speak are the oracle or mouthpiece of God.  Just as God spoke creation into existence with words, "Let there be light" and so forth, this same principle of power is declared in our spoken words, according to Proverbs 18:21, "Life and death are in the power of the tongue."  Amos 3:8 exhorts all those who hear God to speak what we hear, "The Lord has spoken, who can but prophesy?"  Prophecy is hearing from God and then speaking the message our loud to establish it on the earth. 

The bottom line is "It is finished."  Jesus, through His death and resurrection, has finished or completed the work of restoring all that mankind has lost through sin and now reigns as King.  We agree with God's Word and use His kingly authority to overcome anything and everything that does not submit to His rule.  Therefore, Romans 5:17 can boldly say "all those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and speak the good things from God's Word to renew your youth like the eagles!