Responding to Our Knowledge of God - Faithfulness

Introduction:

1. We’re continuing our new series today in our Worship Service: Reaching New Heights in Our Knowledge of God!

- as we study this subject in the worship service, we want to further APPLY the subject to our lives as an ABF, so we’ve entitle our ABF study: Responding to Our Knowledge of God

2. We need this study for several reasons, one of which is what Daniel wrote:

• Daniel 11:32 "…but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.”

- we say this in counseling a lot, but counseling problem are theological problems (unless of course it’s medical problem that can be proven in a laboratory)

- i.e. people struggle with problems in marriage, family, various life situations because many times their view of God is WRONG!

Input: Complete this sentence: Many people think that God isn’t __________________?

– but gracious, powerful, loving, in control, patient, aware, etc. – all of these are BAD theology]

- so that’s why, in part, we doing this study

- Paul wrote in Phil. 3:10-14

• Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death

‘know’ = knowledge based on personal experience (because of the interaction/relationship)

3. Our goal is that you not only Reach New Heights in your Intellectual Knowledge of God . . . but in your PRACTICAL knowledge of God (a life of obedience, a attitude of hope, and high motivation for future service to demonstrate that faith in God and what you truly believe about Him!

4. The plan is to take each of the attributes about God that we study and FURTHER apply them to our lives, families, work, and life situations!

* Basically, we’re wanting to accomplish two things:

1) to glorify God by our obedience to His Word

2) heed the admonition of ‘knowledge alone can make a person proud’ – so we want to put that knowledge into ACTION!

• 1 Corinthians 8:1 . . . Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies!

- the first part of our study includes:

I. Reaching New Heights in Our Knowledge of God: His Faithfulness!

- that is (or was – depending on your ABF) the subject of our study in the worship service

* Faithfulness = He fulfills all His promises to His people, whether expressed in words He has spoken or the written Word

- in other words, God keeps His promises and is very dependable and loyal to those He loves and those who obey Him!

- that faithfulness is communicated by His Words AND His actions (i.e. He demonstrates that faithfulness)

- probably one of the more well-know verses on this subject is:

• Lamentations 3:23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

- now, * One of our goals in this study is to learn more about God . . . and His FAITHFULNESS so we can be more FAITHFUL to His Word and bring glory to Him by:

1) exercising our faith in a God Who is faithful

2) proclaiming this truth of God’s faithfulness to others

3) modeling this attribute in our lives (that others may “see our good works and glorify our Father Who is in heaven!”)

- each week, we’re going to be asking a set of questions for you to consider in the context of the specific aspect of God that is being presented in the Worship Service!

II. Responding to Our Knowledge of God’s Faithfulness

Q: Are you faithful to God and to those you say you love?

• What other passages communicate this attribute of God? [various answers]
• Psalm 33:4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness.

• Psalm 89:1 I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever; to all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.

• Psalm 119:86 All Your commandments are faithful; they have persecuted me with a lie; help me!

• 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
• What impact should this attribute have in the following areas:
• Temptation to sin:

- I should question my loyalty to God as I think about sinning – am I faithful?

- how will this choice impact my relationship to God

- how will this choice impact my testimony to others

• Facing Trials (suffering, illness, disappointments)

- God is with me during the trial (Heb. 13:5 I will never leave you . . . )

- God will never give me more than I can handle . . . God is faithful

- I can have HOPE in the darkest of hours

- even is I don’t understand, I can rest in the fact that God is faithful

• Conflicts with people:

- while people may disappoint me (or even be disloyal) – God WON’T!!!

- am I being faithful to the Word in trying to solve problems

- I have to be concerned with my being faithful to others and obedience to Word

- the main focus is to do the right thing and pleasing God because He is holy

• Prayer Life:

- we can be encouraged because He is faithful to His word:

Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

- don’t react when God doesn’t answer your request on YOUR TIME

- you can go to Him ANYTIME and He is there for you – He’s faithful!

• In what ways does our church emphasize/model this quality? [various answers]

- Counseling – one of the most common verses we share it 1 Cor. 10:13

- we engage in building projects because we believe God is faithful

- we sing praise to Him in our Worship Services about this issue

• In what ways do we as a church need to GROW in the way we emphasize/model this attribute? [various answers]

- to encourage one another in times of difficultly that God is faithful and keeps His promises

- to model that faithfulness in our communication to our missionaries!!!

• How can you emphasize this attribute to your family (spouse, children) and friends?

- teaching them to keep their commitments – to be dependable/faithful

- don’t develop a friendship that’s conditional – as long as _____ happens, then we’re friends

- don’t get discourage or loose hope when God doesn’t answer your prayers in your time/way

- bring them up in the teaching of the Lord (explain to them how God is faithful – He always keeps His promises

- model faithfulness to your spouse/family & kids/local church !

• How can we help each other grow in this quality?

- Be willing to communicate when someone is unfaithful – go asking q’s about their choices

- Ask questions about how each other is doing in the area of faithfulness

- Pray for one another to be faithful

• What keeps you from modeling this attribute or causes you to doubt God in this area?

- wrong view of God – ignoring the examples of God’s faithfulness in the scriptures

- confusing God’s faithfulness with God’s timing of demonstrating His faithfulness

• How did OT Israel fail to grasp this aspect of God’s faithfulness?

Example: They were doubting His promises!

• Deuteronomy 32:20 "Then He said, 'I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; For they are a perverse generation, Sons in whom is no faithfulness.

• What instruction was given to the NT regarding this subject?
• 1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

• Matthew 25:21 "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 22 "Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.' 23 "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'

• Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

• KEY QUESTION: What impact should this attribute have on the following?
• Outreach: we need to faithfully proclaim the Gospel
• Praise/Worship: it should bring confidence, trust, joy and hope in our Faithful God!
• Discipleship/Growth: keep growing to be like Christ (He is Faithful!)
• Serving (use of gifts/abilities): be dependable and faithful to do what I’m asked to do and/or I’ve committed to do
• One another ministry (Building Meaningful Relationships): God made us relational beings and we need to be careful how we treat each other “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Prov. 27:6

Conclusion:

Q: Are you seeking to be more faithful because God is faithful?

Q: In what ways does your knowledge of God truly impact your actions/choices/thoughts?

Remember this:

• Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.
• 1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.