THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT
PROGRAM AIR DATE: 10-24-2021
LESSON TITLE: FAITHFULNESS
WELCOME
WE'RE TRULY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY AS WE TOGETHER BREAK THE LIVING WORD OF GOD. AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GLAD THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN THIS DAY TO GIVE THIS TIME TO YOUR CREATOR. AND TOGETHER WE HAVE THE GREAT PRIVILEGE TODAY TO WORSHIP OUR GOD AND TO PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME. AS WE COME TOGETHER ON THIS DAY, IT IS MY HOPE AND PRAYER THAT WE'LL EACH DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. AS WE OFFER THIS COLLECTIVE OFFERING BEFORE HIS THRONE, AND AS WE SUBMIT THESE SACRIFICES BEFORE HIM. SO AT THIS TIME, AS WE GIVE OUR FULL ATTENTION TO THE REASON THAT WE HAVE COME TOGETHER TO WORSHIP GOD, MAY WE APPROACH OUR FATHER'S THRONE IN PRAYER? WILL YOU BOW WITH ME, PLEASE?
PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE AND EVERY PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY BE ALIVE, BUT ALSO TO LIVE FOR YOU. FATHER HELP US TO ALWAYS BE LIGHTS IN THIS WORLD AND HELP US TO ILLUMINATE THAT OTHERS MIGHT KNOW YOU THROUGH US AND THEREFORE BE ABLE TO OBEY YOUR WILL AND FIND THE HOPE OF SALVATION. AND FATHER WE ALSO ARE THANKFUL BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT IS ONLY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, THAT WE STAND ACCEPTABLE. AND THEREFORE WE'RE THANKFUL FOR HIS SACRIFICE, HIS RESURRECTION, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD FATHER TO THE DAY THAT WE'LL LIVE WITH YOU ETERNALLY ON HIGH. IN JESUS NAME, WE PRAY. AMEN.
MANY OF THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE SO ENCOURAGING AND THEY COMFORT US AS HIS FOLLOWERS. OUR FIRST SONG IN THE MORNING REMINDS US OF THE SACRIFICE MADE AND THE BLOOD SHED SO THAT WE MIGHT HAVE LIFE ETERNAL. SO ONCE YOU PARTICIPATE AND JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME, AS WE SING TOGETHER, THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD.
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT AND IN THE HISTORY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, WE SEE THERE ARE MANY MEN WHO REALLY WERE LED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT ULTIMATELY AT TIMES HAD A DIFFICULTY DOING WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO. AS WE CONSIDER THESE THINGS, WE KNOW THAT MANY OF THESE LEADERS AND REPRESENTATIVES OFTEN ACCOMPLISH THE PURPOSE OF GOD AND SOME DID NOT. I'M REMINDED OF A VERSE IN PROVERBS 11:14 THAT SAYS, 'WHERE IS NO COUNSEL, THE PEOPLE FALL. BUT IN THE MULTITUDE OF COUNSELORS, THERE IS SAFETY.' HERE WE LEARN THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR PEOPLE TO BE TAUGHT AND LED BY THOSE WHO KNOW GOD AND WHO ARE STRIVING TO FOLLOW GOD IN THE RIGHT WAY. THIS WRITER SAYS THERE SAFETY IN NUMBERS. WHEN WE CONSIDER THOSE WHO LEAD IN THE PROPER WAY. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT LEADING AND THUS ARE NOT GROWING IN THE PROPER DIRECTION, THEN THERE'S DISASTER. FOR EXAMPLE, CONSIDER THE PERIOD OF THE JUDGES, IN THAT BOOK WE FIND IT OFTEN SAID THAT EVERYONE DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS PERIOD DURING THE JUDGES WAS ONE OF THE GREAT DISOBEDIENT PORTIONS OF THE LIVES OF THE ISRAELITES. BUT HERE AS WE SEE ISRAEL CONTINUING TO TURN AGAINST THEIR GOD AND TO DO THEIR OWN THING AND EVEN BEING CONDEMNED BY GOD FOR IT. WE DO SEE THAT THEY FORSOOK HIM. IN HOSEA 4:6 WE READ, 'MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED,' FOR WHAT? 'A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE REJECTED KNOWLEDGE.' HERE AGAIN, WE FIND THAT THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OR COUNSEL AND LEADERSHIP UNTO KNOWLEDGE CAN LEAD TO WHAT? DESTRUCTION. NOW GO WITH ME OVER TO THE NEW TESTAMENT. AND THERE WILL AGAIN BE REMINDED OF THE GREAT STATEMENT MADE BY THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH IN ACTS 8. THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD SENT PHILIP TO MEET HIM AND TO EVEN TEACH HIM THE TRUE. SO WHEN PHILLIP FOUND HIM AND CAME NEAR TO HIM, HE HEARD HIM READING THE SCRIPTURES. NEXT NOTICE THAT PHILLIP ASKED THE EUNUCH, "DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE READING?" NOW HEAR THE ANSWER OF THE MAN FROM ETHIOPIA. HE SAID, "HOW CAN I, UNLESS SOMEONE GUIDES ME." YOU SEE BRETHREN, THE REALITY IS WE DO NEED TO BE TAUGHT. WE DO NEED TO BE LED AND WE DO NEED COUNSEL. WE NEED TO HAVE A GUY TO UNDERSTAND OFTEN THE VERY PRECIOUS TRUTHS OF GOD THAT WE MIGHT NOT ONLY LEARN THEM, BUT THAT WE MIGHT LEARN HOW GOD WOULD HAVE US TO KNOW THEM AND OBEY THEM. SO THE QUESTION MIGHT BE, ARE WE WILLING TO LOOK FOR THAT COUNSEL? AND ARE WE WILLING TO GROW IN THE THINGS OF CHRIST EACH AND EVERY DAY. THAT ULTIMATELY WE MIGHT BE FOUND ACCEPTABLE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.
AND JUST A FEW MINUTES, IT WILL BE TIME TO BEGIN OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY, OUR TOPIC OF STUDY WE'LL AGAIN DEAL WITH THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. AND THE SPECIFIC TITLE IS FAITHFULNESS. AS FAR AS OUR SPEAKER OF THE DAY, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE BROTHER COREY ORR WITH US. WHERE CORY IS THE MINISTER FOR THE BONA CHURCH OF CHRIST BONA, MISSOURI. AND WE THANK HIM FOR JOINING US THIS DAY. AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO REMAIN WITH US THAT HE MIGHT LEAD US IN THE STUDY OF GOD'S WORD AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. AS FAR AS OUR NEXT SONG OF THE MORNING, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN WITH THE CONGREGATION AS WE SING TOGETHER, UNTO THEE, O LORD.
LESSON
BY CORY ORR
WE ARE THANKFUL THAT YOU HAVE STAYED WITH US TODAY. AGAIN MY NAME IS COREY ORR, I'M THE PREACHER FROM THE BONA CHURCH OF CHRIST IN BONA, MISSOURI. SO THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FROM BROTHER RAY AND THE KANSAS EXPRESSWAY CONGREGATION, TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY. CONTINUING OUR SERIES ON THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. AND WE THINK ABOUT GALATIANS 5:22-23 WHICH SAYS, "BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE JOY, PEACE, LONG SUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL AGAINST SUCH THERE IS NO LAW." WHEN WE REALLY THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST THIS, WE ARE GOING TO GET INTO LOOKING AT OUR SUBJECT TODAY AND THAT BEING FAITHFULNESS. AND THE IDEA OF FAITHFULNESS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FAITHFUL. WE WILL LOOK AT THE GREATEST EXAMPLE THAT WE HAVE OF FAITHFULNESS AND THAT BEING GOD HIMSELF. BUT AS FRUIT BEARERS, THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE. YOU SEE AS A CHILD OF GOD OR SOMEONE WHO CLAIMS TO BE A CHILD OF GOD, THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE IS TO BE A BEARER OF FRUIT. THAT WE ARE TO BEAR THESE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT AS WE SEE. AND TODAY WE LOOK AGAIN AT THAT WORD FAITHFULNESS. WHAT DOES IT TRULY MEAN TO BE FAITHFUL? YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AT THIS WORD, WE THINK ABOUT THIS WORD TODAY AND WE LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS. FAITHFULNESS MEANS THE ABILITY TO BE COUNTED UPON, IT MEANS TO BE RELIABLE, TO BE DEPENDABLE AND TO BE MOST IMPORTANTLY CONSISTENT. YOU KNOW I OFTEN THINK OF HOW HARD IT IS AT TIMES IN OUR LIVES TO REMAIN CONSISTENT. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND I HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THEM AT ALL TIMES. YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMES UP WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FAITHFULNESS IS OUR OWN FAMILIES. AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR FAITHFULNESS IN OUR FAMILIES FROM TIME TO TIME, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THERE IS SOME RESENTMENT FROM CHILDREN TOWARD THEIR PARENTS IS BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE NOT ALWAYS CONSISTENT IN WHAT THEY SAY.
WELL LET US LOOK TODAY AT WHO IS CONSISTENT IN ALL THINGS AT ALL TIMES. IN HEBREWS 10:23 HERE WE READ ABOUT GOD. THE HEBREW WRITER WRITES AND SAYS IN HEBREWS 10:23, "LET US HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION OF OUR HOPE WITHOUT WAVERING FOR HE WHO PROMISED IS FAITHFUL." DO YOU SEE THAT WORD WITHOUT WAVERING? WELL WHO IS THAT DIRECTED TO? THE HEBREW WRITER HERE DIRECTS IT TOWARD HIMSELF AND HIS AUDIENCE. HIS AUDIENCE BEING CHRISTIANS. HE SAYS THAT WE ARE NOT TO WAIVER. DO YOU NOTICE THERE WHEN HE SAYS THAT HE WHO PROMISED, AND THAT WOULD BE GOD THAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT. HE DESCRIBES GOD AS BEING FAITHFUL. HE WHO PROMISED IS FAITHFUL. DO YOU SEE HIM SAY, WITHOUT WAVERING THAT HE NEEDS TO HOLD HIMSELF WITHOUT WAVERING? NO, OF COURSE NOT. WHY? BECAUSE GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL. GOD IS ALWAYS CONSISTENT, HE IS ABLE TO BE COUNTED UPON. YOU KNOW OFTEN I THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE RELY ON GOD AT ALL TIMES. WHEN WE HAVE DIFFICULTIES COME UP THROUGHOUT OUR DAY, OR WE HAVE THINGS IN LIFE THAT TAKE PLACE, DO YOU EVER LOOK TO THE HEAVENS AND SEEING A SIGN WHERE GOD SAYS, "OUT TO LUNCH," OR "THAT I'M GOING TO BE OUT OF THE OFFICE THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH," AND HE SAYS, "DON'T DIE ON THAT DAY BECAUSE THERE WON'T BE SALVATION OFFERED TO YOU," "DON'T CHOOSE TO COME TO ME ON THAT DAY," OR "BE OBEDIENT TO MY COMMANDS ON THAT DAY, BECAUSE SALVATION IS NOT GOING TO BE GRANTED OR OFFERED"? NO YOU SEE, GOD IS NEVER OUT TO LUNCH. HE NEVER TAKES A DAY OFF. HE NEVER TAKES TIME THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET AHOLD OF HIM OR GET INTO CONTACT WITH HIM. GOD IS CONSISTENT. GOD IS FAITHFUL. AND THAT'S WHAT WE SEE IN HIM AT ALL TIMES. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT GOD ALSO REQUIRES THEN OF HIS FOLLOWERS, OF HIS CHILDREN. IF WE LOOK THERE AT 1 CORINTHIANS 4. IN 1 CORINTHIANS 4, WE SEE THAT PAUL WRITES HERE TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH AND HE BEGINS IN VERSE NUMBER ONE. 1 CORINTHIANS 4:1 "LET A MAN SO CONSIDER US AS SERVANTS OF CHRIST AND STEWARDS OF THE MYSTERIES OF GOD. MOREOVER, IT IS REQUIRED IN STEWARDS THAT ONE BE FOUND FAITHFUL." YOU SEE THAT WORD COMES OUT AGAIN. THAT FAITHFULNESS THAT WE ARE TO DEMONSTRATE. WE ARE TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR ACTIONS TOWARD GOD. WE ARE TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR SERVICE TO GOD. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE COUNTED ON, TO BE RELIABLE AND TO BE DEPENDABLE. GOD IS ALWAYS TO COME FIRST IN OUR LIVES. JESUS SAYS IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IN MATTHEW 6:33, "SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU." JESUS THERE IS TRYING TO GET US TO STOP BEING PHYSICALLY MINDED, BUT BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED. AND FAITHFUL CHILDREN OF GOD ARE GOING TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED. THEY ARE GOING TO FOLLOW AFTER GOD IN ALL THINGS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE COUNTED UPON. IT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE. WE NEED TO BE COUNTED ON. AGAIN WE THINK ABOUT GOD IN 2 THESSALONIANS 3 THERE IN VERSE 3, HERE WE SEE THAT AS PAUL WRITES TO THE CHURCH AT THESSALONICA HE SAYS TO THEM, "BUT THE LORD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL ESTABLISH YOU AND GUARD YOU FROM THE EVIL ONE." AGAIN, THE LORD IS FAITHFUL. HE IS THE ONE WHO ESTABLISHES US, WHO GIVES US THAT FIRM FOOTING WITH WHICH TO STAND. HE IS THE ONE WHO GUARDS OR PROTECTS. WHY? BECAUSE HE IS ALWAYS OUR GUARD. ALWAYS OUR PROTECTOR. THERE IS NOT A TIME WHEN HE DOESN'T GUARD OR PROTECT US. INSTEAD IS IT IS AT ALL TIMES THAT HE GUARDS AND PROTECTS. AGAIN THE LORD HERE IS FAITHFUL. AND THE REASON THAT WE USE THIS TO BOOKENDS IS TO UNDERSTAND THE CONSISTENCY OF GOD THAT HE IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL. THERE IS NEVER A TIME THAT GOD WOULD BE UNFAITHFUL TOWARD US, THAT WE CAN'T COUNT ON HIM OR RELY OR DEPEND ON HIM. ALWAYS WE ARE ABLE TO RELY ON GOD. ALWAYS WE ARE ABLE TO DEPEND ON HIM IN ALL THINGS IN FOR ALL THINGS. GOD IS ALWAYS THERE FOR US AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEN THAT WE ARE THERE FOR HIM. AND IF WE THINK ABOUT THOSE WORDS AGAIN, IT SAYS THERE THAT IT IS A REQUIREMENT. WE ARE REQUIRED TO BE THAT WAY. AGAIN, WE DON'T SEE THAT WORD USED WITH GOD. WHY? BECAUSE GOD REQUIRES IT OF HIMSELF AND GOD IS ALWAYS CONSISTENT, ALWAYS FAITHFUL IN ALL THINGS. AND SO WE'D LIKE TO LOOK THEN AT SOME OF THE EXPECTATIONS THAT GOD HAS OF US AS HIS CHILDREN, AS HIS STEWARDS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE FRUIT BEARERS, A PART OF THAT FRUIT AND A PART OF THE WAY THAT WE ARE TO DEMONSTRATE FAITHFULNESS. WE SEE IN MATTHEW 5.
IN MATTHEW 5 HERE AGAIN IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IN VERSE NUMBER 37, JESUS HAS TO SAY THIS, "BUT LET YOUR YES BE YES, AND YOUR NO, NO FOR WHATEVER IS MORE THAN THESE IS FROM THE EVIL ONE." GOD EXPECTS US TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR WORD. HE EXPECTS US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REMAIN CONSISTENT IN OUR WORD. THAT WHAT IS YES IS ALWAYS YES. AND WHAT IS NO IS ALWAYS NO. WE THINK ABOUT GOD, GOD REMAINS THAT WAY DOESN'T HE? HIS YES IS YES AND HIS NO IS NO. OUR WORD NEEDS TO REFLECT SUCH THINGS. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REMAIN CONSISTENT IN OUR WORD. THAT OUR WORD HAS MEANING BEHIND IT, THAT IT HAS SUBSTANCE BEHIND IT. YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE THAT WE HEAR SONGS AND WE HEAR PEOPLE THAT ARE OLDER, THE OLDER GENERATION SAY, YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE THAT YOUR WORD AND A HANDSHAKE, WE'RE ALL SOMEBODY NEEDED TO KNOW THAT YOU WERE GOING TO STAND BEHIND WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY. WELL WHAT ABOUT OUR SOCIETY TODAY? HAVE YOU GONE TO BUY A CAR LATELY? HAVE YOU GONE TO PURCHASE A HOME OR MAYBE EVEN REFINANCE A HOME LATELY? MAN YOU HAVE TO SIGN THREE OR FOUR INCHES WORTH OF PAPERWORK, RIGHT? AND YOU HAVE TO SIGN YOUR NAME OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND WHAT DO THEY SAY? BASICALLY THE SAME THING EVERY TIME. THIS IS SAYING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO REPAY IT. THIS IS SAYING THAT YOU AGREE TO REPAY. THIS IS RESTATING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO AGREE TO REPAY AND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PAY EVERY SINGLE MONTH AT THIS TIME AND THAT IT'S DUE AT THIS TIME EVERY SINGLE MONTH. THEY WANT US TO MAKE SURE TO KEEP OUR WORD AND WE HAVE TO KEEP SIGNING IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND THEY LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COVER ALL THE LOOPHOLES, RIGHT? SO THAT NOBODY IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO WIGGLE THEIR WAY OUT. OUR WORD IS TO MEAN SOMETHING. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS FRUIT BEARERS, THAT AS FAITHFUL CHILDREN OF GOD, THAT OUR FAITHFULNESS IS SHOWN AND IS DEMONSTRATED THAT IT'S SEEN IN OUR WORD. IF I TELL SOMEBODY I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING THEN I AM DOING IT. IF I TELL SOMEBODY, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK ABOUT. IF I TELL SOMEBODY THAT I AM PRAYING FOR THEM, THEN I BETTER BE PRAYING FOR THEM. IF I TELL SOMEBODY THAT I WILL BE THERE AT A CERTAIN TIME, THEN I NEED TO BE THERE AT THAT CERTAIN TIME. IF SOMEBODY ASKS US, IF WE WOULD LIKE TO GO TO DINNER. DO YOU MAKE PLANS? OR SAY THAT YOU HAVE OTHER PLANS WHEN YOU DON'T. WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS, "HEY, ARE YOU HOME?" YOU PRETEND NOT TO BE HOME BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO HANG OUT THAT NIGHT OR YOU DON'T WANT TO GO OUT THAT NIGHT. YOU KNOW, IT'S OKAY NOT TO WANT TO. IT'S OKAY TO WANT TO STAY HOME THAT NIGHT. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. YOU SEE WHAT COMES IN IS AS WRONG THEN IS LYING, IT IS UNFAITHFUL. WE'RE TO BE FAITHFUL TOWARD ONE ANOTHER. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WORD MEANS SOMETHING. THAT AGAIN, IT HAS THE SUBSTANCE BEHIND IT THAT SAYS I AM GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. IN ECCLESIASTES 5, HERE WE READ HOW WE ARE TO BE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TOWARD GOD AND OUR WORD TO HIM. IN ECCLESIASTES 5 BEGINNING THERE IN VERSE 4, "WHEN YOU MAKE A VOW TO GOD, DO NOT DELAY TO PAY IT FOR HE HAS NO PLEASURE IN FOOLS, PAY WHAT YOU HAVE VOWED. BETTER NOT TO VOW THAN TO VOW AND NOT PAY." YOU KNOW, WE ARE COMING IN AND JUST STARTED OUR FALL SEASON, RIGHT? THE FIRST DAY OF FALL HAS COME UPON US. AND WE THINK ABOUT THIS NEW SEASON AND WHAT GOES ON, AND THE THINGS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW, WHAT'S GETTING READY? THE SEASON WE'RE GETTING READY TO HAVE NEXT THEN IS WINTER. A LOT OF TIMES WE GET ICE AND SNOW AND SLICK ROADS. HAVE YOU EVER HAD A BAD ROAD CONDITION? AND YOU'VE BEEN DRIVING HOME AND YOU'RE WHITE KNUCKLED ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND YOU'RE REALLY PUCKERED AS YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THAT ROAD AND YOU WANT IT TO BE SAFE AND YOU WANT TO GET HOME OKAY AND YOU SAY GOD, IF YOU WILL JUST GET ME THROUGH THIS, THEN I WILL FILL IN THE BLANK. PERHAPS YOU'LL STOP SMOKING. OR PERHAPS YOU'LL STOP TAKING HIS NAME IN VAIN. PERHAPS I'LL BE MORE FAITHFUL TO YOU THAN WHAT I HAVE BEEN. AND YOU GET HOME AND THE FIRST THING THAT YOU DO IS LIGHT A CIGARETTE. THE THING YOU VOWED TO GOD THAT YOU WOULD QUIT. DID YOU KEEP YOUR WORD? NO YOU SURE DIDN'T. NOTICE THAT RIGHT HERE, THE WRITER HAS TOLD US WHEN YOU PAY A VOW OR MAKE A VOW TO GOD, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU PAY IT, THAT YOU HOLD UP YOUR END. AGAIN THAT'S YOUR WORD MEANS SOMETHING. OUR WORD IS TO MEAN SOMETHING. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO GOD, BUT ALSO TO OUR FELLOW MAN THAT WE FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO SAY. GOD ALSO EXPECTS US TO BE FAITHFUL THEN IN OUR ACTIONS.
IN 1 CORINTHIANS 13 WE SEE ONE OF THE GREATEST ACTIONS THAT WE COULD HAVE. OF COURSE, WE CALL THIS CHAPTER 1 CORINTHIANS 13, THAT GREAT CHAPTER OF LOVE, RIGHT? BEGINNING THERE IN VERSE NUMBER 4, PAUL WRITES TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH TO TELL THEM LOVE SUFFERS LONG AND IS KIND, LOVE DOES NOT ENVY, LOVE DOES NOT PARADE ITSELF IS NOT PUFFED UP, DOES NOT BEHAVE RUDELY, DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN, IS NOT PROVOKED, THINKS NO EVIL, DOES NOT REJOICE IN INIQUITY BUT REJOICES IN THE TRUTH. BEARS ALL THINGS, BELIEVES ALL THINGS, HOPES ALL THINGS, ENDURES ALL THINGS. THE FIRST SENTENCE THERE, VERSE 8 TELLS US THAT LOVE NEVER FAILS. THAT LOVE THAT WE ARE TO DEMONSTRATE AND TO SHOW IS THE SAME LOVE GOD DEMONSTRATES AND SHOWS TO US FAITHFULLY EVERYDAY. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REMAIN FAITHFUL AS WELL, THAT WE DEMONSTRATE THAT SAME TYPE OF FAITHFUL LOVE. YOU KNOW, I LOVE MY WIFE VERY MUCH AND I THINK SO MUCH OF HER. IF I WAS TO, WHEN I ASKED HER TO MARRY ME, IT'S BEEN ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO NOW. BUT IF I WERE TO GET DOWN AND PROPOSE TO HER AND SAY TO HER, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND I WANT TO SPEND MY LIFE WITH YOU. AND 364 DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR, I'M GOING TO BE FAITHFUL. BUT ONE DAY OUT OF THE YEAR, I'M GOING TO BE UNFAITHFUL. DO YOU THINK THAT MY WIFE WOULD HAVE AGREED TO MARRY ME? OF COURSE NOT. WHY? BECAUSE MY ACTIONS WOULD NOT BACK UP WHAT I WAS SAYING THAT I LOVE YOU AND I WANT TO BE FAITHFUL TO YOU. MY ACTIONS WOULD BACK, WOULD NOT BACK THAT UP. IT'S NOT OKAY. HOW OFTEN DO WE DO THE SAME WITH GOD? TO WHERE WE SAY, GOD, I'M GOING TO BE FAITHFUL TO YOU, BUT SUPER BOWL SUNDAY IS A BIG DEAL TO ME. IT'S ONLY ONE TIME A YEAR GOD, IT'S ONLY ONE TIME A YEAR. AGAIN PUT YOURSELF IN THAT SHOES WITH YOUR SPOUSE. WOULD YOUR SPOUSE BE OKAY WITH THAT? WHY WOULD WE EXPECT GOD TO BE OKAY WITH THAT? DO YOU THINK THAT GOD CARES WHO WINS THE SUPER BOWL? YOU THINK THAT'S BIG ON HIS ITINERARY AND HIS LIST OF THINGS TO DO TO FIND OUT WHO'S GOING TO WIN IT. WE NEED TO MEAN REMAIN FAITHFUL. AND OUR ACTIONS NEED TO DEMONSTRATE AND TO SHOW IT. PEOPLE AROUND US NEED TO SEE OUR FAITHFULNESS, THAT WE ARE CONSISTENT. SOMEBODY TO BE RELIABLE, THAT CAN BE COUNTED UPON, THAT IS DEPENDABLE. THAT WE SHOW WITH EVERYONE IN OUR LIVES, THAT WE ARE GOING TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO GOD. WON'T YOU REMAIN FAITHFUL TO HIM? WON'T YOU SHOW IT? WON'T WE BEAR THOSE, THOSE GOOD FRUITS, THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT THAT WE SEE? FAITHFULNESS BEING ONE OF THOSE, THAT WE NEED TO REMAIN FAITHFUL IN ALL THINGS. AGAIN I WOULD TELL YOU, BE A FRUIT BEAR FOR THE LORD, REMAIN FAITHFUL, DEMONSTRATE THAT FAITHFULNESS IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
CLOSING COMMENTS
LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US THIS DAY. AND I HOPE OUR TIME TOGETHER HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND A BLESSING TO US ALL. AND WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD'S DAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS TIME OF WORSHIP BEFORE THE VERY THRONE OF GOD.
BUT FOR NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY'S LESSON, MAYBE LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A FREE CD OR DVD OF THE PROGRAM, OR POSSIBLY WE COULD INSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES. NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
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THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS WORD AND ITS CLARITY ON THE NEED FOR FAITHFULNESS. MAY WE THEREFORE STRIVE TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR DAILY LIVES TO GOD KNOWING THAT HE IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL TO US AND THAT HE ALWAYS DOES WHAT HE SAYS. YES, WE TRULY SERVE A WONDROUS AND AWESOME GOD.