God's Faithfulness Gives Me Confidence

God's Faithfulness Gives Me Confidence - Dr. Matthew K. Thomas

Remember God is faithful. In the midst of difficulty, acknowledge God is faithful. The faithfulness of God gives us courage, comfort, confidence.

1. Faithfulness is an Attribute of God.
God is absolutely reliable, absolutely trustworthy, absolutely steadfast, absolutely constant.

Faithfulness of God speaks of the stability of God in a changing world. What was once considered sin is now considered a weakness. Values are changing. But, we have a changeless Christ who is faithful.

1Cor. 1:9 - God is faithful.

Psa. 36:5 - Your faithfulness reaches unto the clouds.
Man cannot outstretch it. No matter where you are, His faithfulness can reach you.
The extensiveness of His faithfulness.

Psa. 119:9 - Your faithfulness is unto all generations.
Man can never outlive it.
The everlastingness of His faithfulness.

Lam. 3:23 - Great is Your faithfulness.
The exceedingness of His faithfulness.
Man can never outmatch it.

2. Faithfulness is an Activity of God.
The Bible tells us how God was faithful to His people. The OT talks of the activity of God's faithfulness.

We have seen the faithfulness of God in our lives.

1Cor. 1:9 - We are called into His fellowship.

I. God's faithfulness gives me Confidence because of His Provision.

God's faithfulness gives me Courage.

1. Fellowship of Togetherness, of His Son. (1Cor. 1:9)
1Jo. 1:3 - Fellowship with us, with the Father, with the Son.

There was so much disunity in the Corinthian church. Paul talks about fellowship of Jesus Christ.

2. Fellowship of Truthfulness
The Son is the Truth, the Truthful One

3. Fellowship of Trustfulness
Gal. 2:20 - by the faithfulness of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me

II. God's faithfulness gives me Confidence because of His Protection.
1Cor. 10:13 - He is faithful... Will make a way of escape. Gives us confidence.

Once my dad was traveling with Pastor K. O. Varghese from Itarsi to Delhi. But, he was led by God to get down in Bhopal. After few hours, they heard the train had a derailment. Protective faithfulness of God.

He was once at Bhopal to speak. He was supposed to speak for Pastor A. J. Samuel the other day. But, 11pm God woke him and he knew he had to come back and not stay in Govindpura. He decided to come to Itarsi and go from here to Indore. That night there was the carbide tragedy in Bhopal. God's protective faithfulness.

My wife keeps reading Psalm 91 thousands of times, again and again. She keeps Psalms and Proverbs in her bag while traveling. We know the protective faithfulness of God.

God sends His angels to protect us.
He shields us with His favor.
It's a double protection.
Then, He says "I will be with you always."

III. God's faithfulness gives me Confidence because of His Power.
1Thess 5:23-25. Power for blamelessness.

IV. God's faithfulness gives me Confidence because of His Presence.

Is Water Baptism Necessary Before Partaking in Lord's Supper

"Last Supper" by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (1750) Yes, it is. Water baptism identifies one with the redemption work of Jesus Christ, with His death, burial, and resurrection. It is anticipated of visible identification with Christ and His Church. Every person has the personal responsibility to examine him/herself before deciding to partake in the Lord's Table. The Bible makes it clear that those who chose not to be baptized were rejecting the counsel of God (Lk.7:30). In a mixed congregation, it is not possible to always know who is worthy to partake of the Table; however, the minister must encourage only those who have been baptized for remission of sins (not just as a ritual but by faith in Jesus Christ) to partake of the Table. Before Jesus sat down to dip bread in the cup, He washed His disciples' feet. He makes the statement that they are already "washed" and only need feet to be washed. Of course, this may not explicitly/only refer to their baptism, fo

Matthew 6:31-33

"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Mat 6:31-33) The original sense of nakedness was from that deep insecurity of autonomy that sprung from man's first alienation from God due to sin-- spiritual death. Seeking God marks man's refusal to stay alienated by turning towards His Maker in whom alone is Covering and true Security and no reason to be ashamed anymore.

Is it not cruel for God to kill His Son in place of us?

The doctrine of atonement is a stumbling block for some who feel that it not only exemplifies cruelty but also does away with human responsibility. The issue abounds with various questions and attempts to solution. Questions: 1. If God knew that man would sin and fall, why did He create man? 2. Why doesn't God, if He exists, intervene and stop evil; why just be Judge but not be Governor with proper police security system that minimises the possibility of transgression? 3. How can the death of one particular man atone for the sins of many particular men? 4. Isn't it not cruel to punish an innocent man for the sins of others so that they go free? Answers that challenge the Christian doctrine: 1. God does not require sacrifice in order to forgive, He can forgive by sovereign authority. 2. Every man must bear his own guilt so that he has a sense of responsibility and possess a genuine reason to pursue good and turn from evil. Biblical Responses: 1. God's knowledge of human Fall

Marbaniang, Domenic

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