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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
Faithfulness is a commodity that is in short supply. Faithfulness - or fidelity - is that quality of reliability - or trustworthiness - which makes a person someone upon whom you can utterly rely - and whose word you can believe receive and accept. That is in short supply - even within the visible Church.
We are reading slowly of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians Chapter 5.
Jesus Christ wants to grow in us, through the Holy Spirit, this quality of faithfulness. Jesus is showing us how to live in the Kingdom of God while still around in this present world - this present evil age. These qualities speak about life and maturity and being a branch in the vine. The fruit is not so that we will be admired for living a useful profitable fruitful life - but so that others may pluck and eat the fruit and live and be nourished.
Luke Chapter 24 at verse 13 onwards - On that Resurrection afternoon - towards evening time - these two men were walking along the road to Emmaus and Jesus appears as they make their way out of Jerusalem. Jesus is so faithful - He said He would rise - He said He would be raised. He promised to meet His disciples after He had been dead. He sets the pattern for keeping His Word.
Later that day, the disciples are gathered in that Upper Room in Jerusalem. They are so afraid - and the risen Jesus appears. He turns up.
Thomas missed it all because he was missing. You can miss a lot when you are not in fellowship along with all the others. You can miss meeting Jesus - seeing Jesus - and hearing Jesus. Thomas had to wait a week. That must have been a long week. Did he wonder if he would ever see Jesus - will I ever meet Jesus? - will I ever hear that voice again?
Jesus comes along and breathes the Holy Spirit into our hearts - like planting a mustard seed - something almost insignificant - and one quality He wants to grow is faithfulness. "God is faithful".
This world so needs men and women who are faithful - men and women upon whom others can rely - men and women who will keep their word - men and women upon whom Jesus Christ can depend.
God sets the example. God gives us the pattern to follow. He said Jesus would die - and be buried - and that He would rise again. And God the Father faithfully brought Jesus Christ out of that tomb - raising Him from the dead. He did exactly what He said He would do - that is faithfulness.
The key meaning is - TO DEPEND. We depend upon Jesus and His shed blood and His resurrection - for our salvation. We depend upon Jesus to turn up - and to be with us in all kinds of situation - and in turn, we grow dependability.
By that I do not mean - it depends upon whether I have anything else to do - or anywhere else to go - whether I have a field to plough - or people coming for lunch - or it depends upon what so-and-so might be doing.
Faithfulness is a quiet steady unruffled continuing trust in God. Jesus said that if we are faithful in little things, then we will be faithful in larger spheres of ministry.
Faithfulness and Obedience are very close. In fact, the question has to be asked - "Is it possible to be faithful without being obedient?" In Hebrew these two words are closely linked. PISTIS is the word used – faith or faithfulness – the just shall live by faith – or faithfulness.
In the life of Jesus, His obedience to the Father, led to perfect complete faithfulness. Jesus was faithful to the end.
The Children of Israel - as they came out of Egypt - they made such a good beginning - but after only three days - two million people began to grumble and ONE MAN PRAYED. Two million who had suffered so much and who had seen so much, GIRNED, and one man went to GOD - and God in His faithfulness met their immediate need - but they wandered around in circles for 40 years, when the journey could have taken them about 40 days.
Jesus keeps reminding the people - those who are faithful in little will be faithful in much. And, it can begin with something so tiny. Turn to Luke 16 verse 10.
I remember the days when people just would not turn to Luke 16:10. They may have had a good reason for not turning to Luke 16. But if a man says in his heart - "I'm not turning to Luke 16 - I've no intention of turning to Luke 16 - I don't want to turn to Luke 16 - any way I know what is in Luke 16. If a man knew what was in Luke 16 he would turn to it - and if he didn't know what was in Luke 16 then he needs to turn to it - and verse 11 too.
God works with very basic principles - when He sees us obeying little things - He then comes and asks us to tackle bigger tasks. We call this - cultivating faithfulness.
If a man allows the weeds of disobedience to flourish he should not be too surprised if they take over. It is like sitting your driving test - if you fail it first time round you have to re-sit the test - and if you don't re-sit the test you are not allowed out on your own.
Jesus Christ wants to send us out - as leaders - with apostolic prophetic ministries as priests.
As prophets we bring GOD to people - as priests we bring people to GOD.
Verse 12 - My task is to bring you this word as faithfully as I can. Derek Prince used to say, "I aim to be the best Bible teacher I can be - and I will not compare myself with any other Bible teacher." Aim to be the best you can be in Christ - the finest disciple - the highest quality of service which you can render and offer.
There was a farmer who sold milk, and he had to drive his cow around in a trailer from door to door, and milk the cow and sell the milk in front of the buyer. It caused him a lot of bother - but why? He could not be trusted not to water down the milk - and his dishonesty doomed him to this daily drudgery.
One of the worst things about dishonesty is to be the person who is dishonest - and one of the best things about faithfulness is to know that you are pleasing God.
If a man is dishonest - and he tries to pray - that thing will come up into his mind as he seeks to pray.
It is faithfulness - it is fidelity - that holds a society together - and that quality cement is in short supply. Jesus is so willing to increase the supply and improve the quality.
Our faithfulness as disciples of Jesus Christ will be tested. I have told you about some young people in Cowdenbeath who came to Jesus Christ - the parents were so pleased - they were going to be better behaved boys now - until a family picnic or party was planned for Sunday - and one young man politely but firmly said - "I'm sorry - but I cannot be with you - I meet with those who belong to Jesus."
We are tested - and faithfulness never fails - because God is faithful - and He never fails. We are very much aware of having to face bigger tests. How will we react at such times? Never is the work of the Holy Spirit demonstrated more wonderfully than when it is seen in the lives of those who are faithful.
These disciples knew what it was to lose Someone they loved and trusted - and Someone Who had loved them in a way that no-one else had loved them. Jesus took them through that valley, and Jesus turned up on the other side. Jesus can only bring us out of the valleys if we are willing to go through them. There are times when He will take you through FIRE - to PURIFY you - and then to bring you out triumphant.
Faith or Faithfulness - Romans 10 verse 17. If you don't have faith you can get it. Faith and Faithfulness are the same word, so if there is a lack of faithfulness is that the consequence of a lack of faith. You can get it, but there are conditions.
God is so faithful - Jesus said He would die at the hands of sinful men - be buried - and be raised from the dead - and it all came true. Jesus promised that He would pour out the Holy Spirit and He did - and they were filled to overflowing and praised and prayed in languages they had never learned.
He is faithful. He said He would bless us. He said we would suffer, and sometimes we only hear the first part. Turn finally to 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 24.
God is faithful - if He has called you - He will never let you down. When you might think you are on your own HE will turn up. If you think you can do without Him that is probably what you will have to do.
Many people out there have never seen faithfulness - and their hearts are crying out.
It is like a vitamin deficiency - and they are suffering from spiritual rickets. They are spiritually malnourished. They might come to your tree to pick some faithfulness.
“Gracious Father, help me to be faithful. Thank You for being so faithful to me. Thank You for keeping the promises You made. Show me how to be faithful in all things. Let that quality fruit grow in me.” Amen.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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