Be Faithful

A Little Faith podcast and Prayer Ministry

Be Faithful

March 21 2023

Ephesians 3:16-21

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

In the Old Testament, we find God's faithful people—those who have remained loyal to Him even after the fall of His once-mighty nation, So, the first and most obvious question is: How? The first key to being faithful in the Bible is knowing Thy testimonies. As the prologue to Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.

This quote is from Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 10:19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.

Proverbs is a book filled with wisdom, truth, and grand promises for believers. The fact that the Bible is full of promises for faithful people doesn't mean that the other people in the book are not full of truth, truth, and promise, either! But the Scriptures are full of knowledge and the truth about people, places, and things.

Let's look at some of the other vital Biblical characters who have shaped the Faith of true believers.

God

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

The Fall of Man

the fall of Adam, or simply the Fall, is a term used in Christianity to describe the transition of the first man and woman from a state of innocent obedience to God to a state of guilty disobedience. The doctrine of the Fall comes from a biblical interpretation of Genesis, chapters 1–3.

The Rise

The resurrection of Jesus is the Christian belief that God raised Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion, starting – or restoring – his exalted life ...

The Task of Christian

First, we have a Christian duty to serve each other. The Bible says, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." (1 Peter 4:10) It is in our service that all will see God's grace in action as we demonstrate our faith.

Many things are considered unique about the Bible as a written record of the Good News (Matthew 28:19). People often call it "God's New Testament." But, is it? We should examine its characterizations and find similarities with other books written by a man.

To begin this study, look at the book's opening statement: In the beginning, was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This lines up with what we've learned about the Trinity: that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, becoming our brother and friend in Christ, Jesus

What Characteristics of the Faithful Are There?

Let's start with the fact that the faithful keep the Faith. The Old Testament describes the faithful as those who keep the Law (see Malachi 2:13). These people are characterized as being ""obedient," and "righteous-path people." What about the faithful in the New Testament? In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul describes the faithful as those who have "been washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ" (5:25). Again, these people must have had a "filling" from God, which is described as being "like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind."

God's List of Faithful People

The Jews, as were the Greeks and the Romans, were known for their faithfulness. But who were the most faithful people in the Bible? Let's take a look! The answer to this question is in God's list of faithful people in the Bible.

Abraham – God chose Abraham to be the father of the nation of Israel. In Genesis 12:1, God said to Abram, "Go, breed out thyself in the land." Therefore, Abram was commanded to go, to become a "father of many nations" and, ultimately, to bring forth "descendants of them that [were] his ancestors." So, Abram was a true representative of the people of God.

Jacob – Jacob’s life began with a struggle. As a twin in the womb with Esau, he jostled for position and was born grasping his brother’s heel. Jacob’s name is translated as “he deceives” (Genesis 25:26). When his mother, Rebekah, asked God during her pregnancy what was happening to her, God told her that there were two nations within her womb who would become divided. One would be stronger than the other, and the older would serve the younger (Genesis 25:23). Jacob wrestled with a man who he later learned was God (Genesis 32:22-31). The man touched Jacob’s hip, putting it out of socket, but at daybreak Jacob still refused to let the man go. He asked for a blessing and was told, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome" (Genesis 32:28). Jacob asked the man his name and then understood that He was God. Jacob named the place Peniel, recognizing that He had seen God and yet God had spared his life. This wrestling match and name change marked a new beginning for Jacob.

Joseph: Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob, his first son through his favored wife, Rachel. Joseph’s story is found in Genesis 37—50. After the announcement of his birth, we see Joseph next as a seventeen-year-old returning from shepherding the flock with his half-brothers to give Jacob a bad report of them. We are also told that Jacob "loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him" (Genesis 37:3). Joseph’s brothers knew their father loved Joseph more than them, which caused them to hate him (Genesis 37:4). To make matters worse, Joseph began relating his dreams to the family—prophetic visions showing Joseph one day ruling over his family (Genesis 37:5–11).

David We can learn a lot from the life of David. He was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:13–14; Acts 13:22)! We are first introduced to David after Saul, at the insistence of the people, was made king (1 Samuel 8:5, 10:1). Saul did not measure up as God’s king. While King Saul was making one mistake on top of another, God sent Samuel to find His chosen shepherd, David, the son of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:10, 13).

Paul – There is much we can learn from the life of the apostle Paul. Far from ordinary, Paul was given the opportunity to do extraordinary things for the kingdom of God. The story of Paul is a story of redemption in Jesus Christ and a testimony that no one is beyond the saving grace of the Lord. However, to gain the full measure of the man, we must examine his dark side and what he symbolized before becoming “the Apostle of Grace.” Paul’s early life was marked by religious zeal, brutal violence, and the relentless persecution of the early church. Fortunately, the later years of Paul’s life show a marked difference as he lived his life for Christ and for the advancement of His kingdom.

Peter: Simon Peter, also known as Cephas (John 1:42), was one of the first followers of Jesus Christ. He was an outspoken and ardent disciple, one of Jesus’ closest friends, an apostle, and a “pillar” of the church (Galatians 2:9). Peter was enthusiastic, strong-willed, impulsive, and, at times, brash. But for all his strengths, Peter had several failings in his life. Still, the Lord who chose him continued to mold him into exactly who He intended Peter to be.

John: Although his name implies that he baptized people (which he did), John’s life on earth was more than just baptizing. John’s adult life was characterized by devotion and surrender to Jesus Christ and His kingdom. John’s voice was a "lone voice in the wilderness" (John 1:23) as he proclaimed the coming of the Messiah to a people who desperately needed a Savior. He was the precursor for the modern-day evangelist as he unashamedly shared the good news of Jesus Christ. He was a man filled with faith and a role model to those of us who wish to share our faith with others.

Luke –Little is known about Luke, the author of the books of Luke and Acts in the Bible. We do know he was a physician and the only Gentile to write any part of the New Testament. Paul’s letter to the Colossians draws a distinction between Luke and other colleagues “of the circumcision,” meaning the Jews (Colossians 4:11). Luke is the only New Testament writer clearly identifiable as a non-Jew.

Luke was the author of the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. Luke does not name himself in either of his books, but Paul mentions him by name in three epistles. Both Luke and Acts are addressed to the same person, Theophilus (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1). No one knows exactly who Theophilus was, but we know that Luke’s purpose in writing the two companion books was so that Theophilus would know with certainty about the person and work of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:4). Perhaps Theophilus had already received the basics of the Christian doctrine but had not as yet been completely grounded in them.

James – Jesus had two disciples named James: James the son of Zebedee and James the son of Alphaeus. Another James, the half-brother of Jesus, was never one of the twelve disciples but was a leader in the early church of Jerusalem (Acts 15:13) and wrote the epistle of James. One of the Twelve, James the son of Alphaeus, is called James the Less (or the Younger) in Mark 15:40, where we also learn that his mother’s name was Mary. Scripture does not record much more about James the son of Alphaeus, so we’ll focus on the other disciple, James the son of Zebedee,

When Jesus called James to follow Him, he was in a boat mending fishing nets with his father, Zebedee, and his brother, John. “[Jesus] called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him” (Matthew 4:21–22). From then on, James was in full-time ministry with Jesus.

The Bible records the history, Faith, and deeds of the people of God, both past and present. We find the faithful listed in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments. Many characteristics are common to all the faithful. God's "faithful people" are those who keep His commandments. They are those who trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They are those who love God and love others. They are "like a wave of the sea," driven and tossed by the wind, and they are those who "obey" God.