Truly Faithful

"He, who was God, is God and King of all because He laid His will down in favor of God's."

DON'T LET YOUR FAITHFULNESS be proven unfaithful. “But I am faithful to attend church.” But did you turn loose of that thing which He asked you to do? “But I'm faithful to read and study.” But is it at your time or His? Faithfulness to God is counted in our intent, and He who knows our every thought, knows our intent and that which came from our mind or our spirit. Faithfulness defies the odds. What we don't understand, we sometimes turn loose of. God asks us to cling tighter to every Word He says and lean on Him in steady faithfulness to fulfill it.

He who was the most faithful was the most humble. He knew what He'd come to do and desired no exaltation from it. He knew the reward but sought to do the will of the Father (John 5:30). He, who was God, is God and King of all because He laid His will down in favor of God's. He chose to promote God's will despite the opinions of men which came against him. Many mocked and scorned Him and after His death, rejoiced, but He is alive today in spite of it. Our lives must be a reflection. Promotion comes from God. He, alone, exalts. Our heart must be His and all else that does not reflect it be set aside. We do not do things for the drama but that they are done and done well, whether any man anywhere notices.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)

“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9)

Our gifts and callings from God are in His eyes without repentance. He does not sorrow in giving them to us, but we can set them aside with our unfaithfulness. Being called, being given a gift, even being hired and standing in a pulpit is blessed only as long as we seek God and walk after Him in the manner He’s chosen for us. Many have called themselves. Others have done what was obvious to their mind and in their thinking and gotten astray from God’s plans for them. Minister Rick Renner thought he was called to be a pastor but discovered nothing he tried in that calling worked well for him. When he gave up his pastoral office and returned home to seek the Lord, faithful to the Word of God and the pull of the Spirit of God, he realized he’d messed up. He is now where God desired him to be and abundantly blessed there.

It is easy to get in the flesh and to do what feels good, to even do what is being asked of us when it isn’t directly what God wishes for us. We must remain faithful to God’s voice over men’s even if the immediate effect is painful. Paul felt this pain many times and remonstrated the churches for it. “I stood among you with fear and trembling,” he said to the Corinthians. “Not having the world’s wisdom but God’s. I wanted you to trust Him.” Yet they then argued over who was the greater one, Paul or Apollos. Christ is not divided, he gave in reply. But see the apostle’s faithfulness to his calling despite conflicts. When we are faithful to God, then He will place us where we have favor with men. But favor with men only comes from favor with God, and that requires faithfulness.

People are difficult. They are needy. But we are called as the body of Christ to meet their needs, and sometimes, that is uncomfortable for us. We cannot be unfaithful. To say, “Well, I’m not really good at doing that,” meaning feeding the poor, or ministering to the sick, is not enough. Did God ask it of you? We must ask this first and then, if it still seems incorrect, ask Him if we should walk away. It isn’t our decision to make either way. Only by knowing the Spirit intimately can these decisions be made, at times, what will be “on the spot.” And sometimes, when we do not hear clearly, being faithful is the answer. My conscience won’t allow me to hurt others by being unfaithful. Though I have done this, I cannot do so any longer. The conscience was created by God for this purpose, and it works together with a renewed mind and the mature heart of man to direct us correctly.

The Spirit of God is our wisdom for every situation. He is wisdom where specific people are concerned, where callings are concerned, where the direction of our life is concerned. And our faithfulness is the rubber band that ties us to His will. Be faithful as He who chose us is faithful and what He will do with you will be far greater than what you could ever do under your own efforts.

Image by Frank Reppold from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com