Timeless Truths: What Follows You - Faithfulness #1

"Some Assembly Required" series.

Series Theme Verse

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of our relationship with God.

The fruit of the Spirit is not evidence of our God-gifts.

·      This is not the “produce section” in your local store.

·      There is no choice among the listed attributes.

·      All the attributes listed are part of the single fruit.

Faithfulness is only possible because it starts with a faithful God.

The key ingredient in a relationship is faithfulness.

Unless we are equipped with the Holy Spirit, we are set up for failure.

FAITH moves from HEAD to HEART to HANDS.

When we act in faith, we are being faithful.

1. Faithfulness is the fruit of faith.

We are called to

a.     Walk by faith.

for we walk by faith, not by sight.  2 Corinthians 5:7 [NASB]

b.   Live by faith

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THERIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.
Romans 1:17 [NASB]

c.    Stand by faith.

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13 [NASB]

d.   Pray by faith.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12 [NIV]

e.    Sanctification by faith.

I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Acts 26:18 [NIV]

f.     Salvation by faith.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Ephesians 2:8

People of faith are faithful people.

2. Faithfulness is fragile.

“When men cease to be faithful to their God, [anyone] who expects to find them [faithful] to each other will be much disappointed.”
Bishop Home

Faithfulness today is no guarantee of faithfulness tomorrow.

Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith… some will abandon the faith.
1Timothy 1:19c, 4:1b

Trying to live contrary to what we know is true leads to a miserable existence.

Next week: What Follows You – Faithfulness #2

Special thanks to Dr. Keith Newman for the primary teachings used in this post. I invite you to his blog, which he's titled, Curious Sojourner.

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