Thank You For Your Eternal Faithfulness to Me

21 Bible Verses on God’s Faithfulness

The topic of faith is important in all religious systems. But what exactly is faith?  I think the biblical definition comes from Hebrews 11:1 which says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

”  It is simply believing in something that you cannot see.  There are many passages throughout the Biblical text that deal with faith and faithfulness.  We know that a characteristic of God is that He is faithful.  We are called to be faithful and people of faith.

Consider the following…

Psalms 86:15 “But you, O Lord, are a God  merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

Scripture That Shows God’s Faithfulness

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God  who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

Psalms 36:5  Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

Psalms 89:8  O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD,  with your faithfulness all around you?

Psalms 119:90  Your  faithfulness endures to all generations;  you have established the earth, and it  stands fast.

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;  his mercies never come to an end; they are new  every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Romans 3:3 What if some were unfaithful?  Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the  fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:9 We must not put Christ  to the test,  as some of them did and  were destroyed by serpents,

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and  he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But  the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against  the evil one.

Hebrews 10:23  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Bible Verses That Define Faith

Psalms 91:4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will  find refuge; his faithfulness is  a shield and buckler.

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Bible Verses About Faith in People

Psalms 40:10  I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;  I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;  I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

Proverbs 28:20  A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

Matthew 25:21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Luke 16:10  One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

2 Timothy 2:13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.

The Bible clearly shows that faith is not just a one-time decision to follow Christ (which is certainly important and has eternal consequences) but we are called to increase in faith.  Faith has been described a muscle.  A muscle in our body will atrophy if it is not used.

  If you have ever had a cast on an arm or leg for a few weeks you know what I mean.  Just from not using the muscle it withers away and is almost useless.  Our faith is the same way.  We need to use our faith and to grow Christ and increase our faith.

  Pray to God for him to increase your faith in Him today. Praise Him!

What Does the Bible say About Faith?

Resource – The Holy Bible, English Standard Version “Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” video “Every Season” by Nicole Nordeman

as: Bible Verses, faith, faithfulness, God's faithfulness

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Источник: //www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/21-bible-verses-on-gods-faithfulness/

55 Unique & Loving Thank You Messages for a Special Boyfriend (2019)

Boyfriends can slay spiders in bathtubs for you, queue for coffee for you, hold your shopping bags on your shopping trips, drive you to wherever you need to go, or hold your hand in an unfamiliar crowd

Источник: //bestwishesandquotes.com/thank-you-messages-boyfriend/

Faithfulness – She Reads Truth – She Reads Truth

Have you ever looked around at the wonderful, beautiful things your Christian friends are doing in their lives and thought, When I build up a little more faith, that will be me. Or, One day when I have faith that, I’ll let God know I’m ready for Him to use me.

I want to be used for an eternal purpose. Really, I do. I long for my life to be completely His, yet I hold back, assuming everyone doing those big things must have big faith—faith much greater than mine.

So, naturally, when I saw I’d be writing on faithfulness, my first thought was, Ah yes, faith… that’s something I need to work on. It was only when I started digging into my study of faithfulness that I realized the irony of my statement.

Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit, not a fruit of my efforts.

Faith is something present in us from the moment we give our life to Christ, accepting that His death has covered our sins and we are fully forgiven, our life now hidden in a bigger purpose than our worldly satisfaction.

According to Ephesians 2:8, this faith is a gift to us from God Himself! Hebrews Chapter 11 (a.k.a.

the “Hall of Faith”) lists person after person who took the faith they were given and walked in faithfulness to God’s promise, a promise they believed but could not yet see.

Faith is the conviction that Jesus Christ is our only salvation.
Faithfulness is remaining in that truth, holding fast to the faith.
The issue is not the quantity, or “bigness”, of my faith so much as Who I’ve put my faith in.

The disciples in Luke 17:5 say to Jesus, “Increase our faith!” His response is probably not what they expected: “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed… you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you” (Luke 17:6).

Even Jesus’ own disciples—the men who walked with Him, saw His miracles with their own eyes, listened to His words firsthand—are told it is not the size of their faith that matters.

Instead, Jesus compels them to turn their small faith into lives of much faithfulness—remaining in and acting on the faith they’ve been given.

The fullness of God’s purpose for each of us comes when our faith propels us to offer up our lives for the glory of the Kingdom. Not later, when we feel more qualified or can see just where He’s leading us—but right now, just as we are.

Today, as we go about our lives and ponder our circumstances—whatever they may be—let’s remember Jesus Christ, the source and object of our faith. The One who gives us faith is the One who makes us faithful when we remain in Him.

Rather than listening to the lies of the Enemy who wants us to believe our broken pieces and small faith make us ineligible to be used by God, let us cling to our mustard seed of faith and believe in the unseen promises of God.

Oh, Lord, by the power of your Holy Spirit, make us faithful. Amen.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Who should I send? Who will go for Us?”
I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
–  Isaiah 6:8

Helen’s eyes were kind and steady. Deep, deep brown a doe. I admired everything about her. We spent my first year of college in Bible study together and had grown to become good friends.

The college ministry we were involved with sent students all over the country and around the world on summer missions. Most of our friends were off to those exciting, exotic locales serving God and we were stuck back at home taking summer school classes and working.

We decided to stay connected and support each other throughout that summer by meeting together for Bible study.

I grew up culturally Buddhist. In high school I began a relationship with Jesus, so the Christian faith felt relatively new. Helen was not only two years older than me; her spiritual maturity exuded a deep, intimate relationship with God and her knowledge of the Bible proved equally admirable. I happily anticipated time with Helen in hopes of becoming more her.

We sat cross-legged on a large boulder next to a babbling stream. Our Bibles open, the birds chirping, the sky a Colorado summer vibrant blue…a truly picturesque, Pinterest-worthy scene.

We closed our eyes to pray for our friends far away and for each other.

I opened one eye in time to see an ugly creepy crawly bug scurry across the pages of my Bible. I lifted my hand ready to smash bug guts everywhere, but in that split second I watched as Helen cupped her hands and let the bug crawl onto her hands. She carefully released the bug in the nearby grass.

Helen embodied everything I was not.

Back then I equated “gentle” with “shy.” Verses 1 Peter 3:4, “but let it be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God,” left me despairing, wondering how to willfully become shy.

Further study on the word “gentle,” however, yielded both unexpected relief and challenge.

The Greek word for gentleness, prautes, is defined as meekness, which means “strength under control” (Barclay). The image is one of a beautiful, strong stallion, trained under bit and bridle.

The stallion retains all his tremendous strength, but now operates under the control of a master. Gentleness is not weakness; it is not a personality bent, a sentimental fondness or passive quiet.

It is a fruit of the Spirit which enables a believer to place the will of God before her own.

Jesus, with strength enough to control the weather, describes Himself as gentle and humble in heart (Matthew 11:29). He subjects His great power to the will of God the Father, a model of the biblical gentleness that is precious in the sight of God.

You and I can’t control the weather, but we do retain our personality, gifting and strengths when we come into relationship with God.

I still think my friend Helen is one of the gentlest people I’ve ever known, but now I better understand the “why” of her gentle spirit. Rather than shy, the fruit of gentleness calls me to be surrendered.

Quiet or outgoing, bug-squisher or bug-saver, the key is found in the posture of our heart. A Christ gentleness is not clutching and grabbing for control.

It is the spirit of following Jesus with hands and heart open, humble yet strengthened in Him.

Father, help us bear fruit that honors You by laying aside our will for yours. Amen.

Vivian Mabuni is an author and speaker, and a sushi, white Christmas lights, coffee-with-friends-lover. She has been on staff with Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) for 26 years and serves with Epic Movement, the Asian-American ministry of Cru. Vivian is the author of Warrior In Pink: A Story of Cancer, Community and the God Who Comforts.

Page 3

The alarm goes off at 6:30am and I lay in bed thinking about the day ahead. I have the best intentions—I will eat healthy, exercise, limit my time on Instagram, , and email. I will be cheerful and present for my family, friends, co-workers, and keep my tongue in check. “I am in control” is the unsaid message exchanged between my head and heart.

My feet hit the floor and, in less than an hour, I have already spent too much time scrolling through social media, resulting in a rush to get breakfast on the table. Now feeling anxious and angry, I yell at everyone in the house for being late.

The personal and work emails that arrived overnight overwhelm me, and the sight of dishes piled in the sink and clothes left on the floor exasperates me.

Today’s exercise, I rationalize to myself, will be walking from the car to Starbucks and back again.

My good intentions have evaporated all too quickly, and I am ready to throw in the towel and surrender the white flag before it’s even time for lunch. The control I thought was mine seems lost. I am wiped out and done in with self-defeat. And with that, I have left an open door for the enemy to wreak havoc.

A person without self-control is a city with broken-down walls.
– Proverbs 25:28, NLT

I’m sure I’m not the only one reading these Scriptures today whose good intentions become muddled in the presence of daily stresses, desires and demands.

The determination to exhibit self-control can deteriorate quickly in the reality of the day, leading us down a path of guilt and discouragement, fear and shame.

Scripture teaches that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, not a fruit of our determination. As believers in Christ’s saving grace, we have the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, guarding our life which is now hidden in Christ.

The Spirit is a sort of wall, protecting our mind, heart and soul. In His love and mercy, God rebuilds and redeems our broken pieces as we learn to abide in Him.

We may not always exhibit self-control the way we want to or ought to, but His presence is here in us—Jesus promised us this!

The Holy Spirit in us is not subject to our desires, but rather He conforms our desires to Christ’s will. As we’ll read tomorrow in John 15, Jesus explains His relationship to His disciples as a vine into whom they are grafted. “Apart from me you can do nothing,” He says (John 15:5).

When we are grafted into the Vine, we already have the power and authority to say “yes” or “no,” or just “not right now” because the God who lives in us has all power. Abiding in Christ’s power releases us from striving to muster up our own.

In His presence we are free to move forward in grace and with courage, knowing that He is “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

I still wake up most days with a mental list of all the ways I’ll control my behavior, my words, my time and my disposition, but God is teaching me that true victory is not found in controlling myself—true freedom and victory are found in being led by God’s Spirit who dwells in me. Self-control comes when I relinquish ultimate control to Jesus, my Vine and my strength. When we find our identity in Him, the fruit will come in abundance.

Lord, may we experience fulfillment today, not because of what we determine to do or not do, but because of what we know you’re doing in us. Amen.

Page 4

Love.Joy.Peace.Patience.Kindness.Goodness.Faithfulness.Gentleness.

Self-control.

When I read the familiar list of the fruit of the Spirit, I immediately think, YES. I want to be all those things!

Who doesn’t love joy and peace? Who couldn’t use more kindness and self-control?

It’s right to see this list and want it to be true of us—the fruit of the Spirit is good because God is good! The problem comes when we set out to bear fruit by being good, when we pretend fruit-bearing is simply a matter of our will instead of a result of our connection to Christ. The key lies in the name: the fruit of the Spirit. Not my fruit. Not your fruit. Not the fruit of She Reads Truth, or your favorite theologian, or even the Church! The fruit of the Spirit is borne of the Spirit. Period. The end.

To understand fruit-bearing in Gospel terms, there is no better resource than John Chapter 15. (Seriously – read the whole thing and then read it again! So good.) Jesus uses clear and practical imagery to explain the connection between Himself and His disciples:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.”
– John 15:5 HCSB

Jesus Christ is our nourishment! His Holy Spirit in us is the fruit producer; we are simply the branches which have the privilege of displaying His fruit.

Or, as I keep saying and threatening to put on a t-shirt, “We don’t bear it; we just wear it!” (I know. Thank me for that one later.)

Friends, Jesus Christ comes to make us new.

He comes to redeem the dead branches that we are and give us abundant life! Abiding in Him—resting, dwelling, remaining in Him— is the only source of our strength, our goodness, our fruit.

Let’s press into the True Vine together today. Let’s be about the business of abiding in Jesus, and trust His Spirit to be about the business of bearing fruit in our lives.

As we wrap up this study, let’s take a moment to reflect and share:

Which fruit of the Spirit are you most tempted to produce on your own, apart from the Vine?

How has the Scripture you’ve read over the last 12 days changed the way you think of fruit-bearing? And abiding?

——

PSST – Just because our study of the Fruit of the Spirit is over, it doesn’t mean we’re done! Let’s keep reading! Keep seeking! Keep *ahem* abiding! Join us MONDAY as we begin a short, 5-day, crowd-favorite study of old Hymns and the Scriptures that inspired them! Not only will we enjoy some favorite returning guest writers (Sandra McCracken, Ellie Holcomb and more!), but this time around, we have actually been in the studio recording She Reads Truth’s very own arrangements! (More details tomorrow!!!)

So. Grab a friend or two, and plan to spend 5 days in the Word with us, with that special added layer of Scripture and worship!! WE CAN’T WAIT!!!

Источник: //shereadstruth.com/2015/05/19/faithfulness/