Unchanging God (Psa. 4:1)

Read Psalm 4:1.

God was faithful before.  Why wouldn't He still be faithful?  He answered prayer before.  Why would He stop answering now?  As he has been, so shall he be.  Forever.

Haggai 2:1-5

photo: pinterest.com

Read Haggai 2:1-5.

Circumstance can't cancel covenant.  

You look around (Why are you doing that, anyway?) and conclude that things were better yesteryear. From that conclusion, you self-determine that God's intent toward you is different now.  That's a sure way to welcome fear into your life!

In spite of the circumstances you're in right now, God says, "My covenant is still in effect; I'm still with you."  Then comes a sigh of relief.  Panic begins to fade.  Fear loses its grip.  The work at hand begins to prosper.  At least  a little.

It is one thing to read an encouraging word such as this.  Do you believe it?  Unless you believe it, you'll never escape from that doubt, that black cloud that lingers.

Zachariah & Elizabeth (Lu. 1:5-17, 23-25, 57)

Read Luke 1:5-17, 23-25, 57.  (You might want to read the whole chapter.)

1.  God's delay does not mean His disinterest, His displeasure or His denial.

2.  When God has a plan for you (and He does), you can't fully understand it all at once.

3.  Zachariah and Elizabeth were broken, battered, belittled, beyond and barren.  God came through anyway!  Your inability becomes God's opportunity.

4.  God not only meets and satisfies but He exceeds.  Zachariah and Elizabeth got a son, but he became a prophet, a voice, a forerunner, the promised "Elijah".

Faithful Then And Again (1 Sam. 17:36-37) (Part 5)

Conclusion:

• There is nothing wrong with talking to God about your obstacle. 
• However, that's not the invitation for today.
• There is nothing wrong with talking to your obstacle about the greatness of your God. 
• However, that is not the call for today.
• Today's opportunity is for you to talk to one another about the greatness of God.
• It is an invitation to remember and report His faithfulness.
• There might be a “Saul” here, someone who desperately needs to hear your testimony as much as you delight to give it.
• Be one who declares boldly, “He is faithful! I can prove it!”
• When you carefully steward God's faithfulness, you will be able to praise when others are panicking.
• Since God came through for you many times before, you should look for Him to come through for you again.
• God cannot not be faithful.

We ended the service with antiphonal testifying.  Someone from the left side of the congregation testified to the right side about a specific experience with God's faithfulness.  Then someone from the right side testified back to the left side. How quickly 15 minutes went by!

Faithful Then And Again (1 Sam. 17:36-37) (Part 4)

Transition: Since the best way to deal with adversity is to focus upon God's faithfulness, you must carefully steward it.

YOU MUST CAREFULLY STEWARD GOD'S FAITHFULNESS.

• EXPLANATION
• How do you carefully steward God's faithfulness? You must be “apt”.
• Awareness > To steward God's faithfulness, you must recognize it. Are you in the habit of looking for God's faithfulness?
• Preservation > To steward God's faithfulness, you must record it. If you rely only upon your memory, you will forget many occasions when God showed Himself faithful. For this reason, I suggest keeping a journal.
• Testimony > To steward God's faithfulness, you must repeat it. This will strengthen your own faith and another person's.
• ILLUSTRATION
• Beware of any narrowing, dismissing, limiting, downsizing or belittling comments about God's faithfulness.
• “It happens to everyone.”
• “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
• “It was pure luck.”
• “It's no big deal.”
• APPLICATION
•  If you're guilty of using any of those sentiments, or others similar to them, right now is a good time to repent.
• Every act of God's faithfulness is a unique expression of His unchanging nature!
• Okay, so maybe you haven't received supernatural courage to grab a lion by its mane and club it to death, but what has God done for you?
• Why isn't that a big deal to you?
• Why isn't it still a big deal to you?
• Is it any less impressive or worthy of praise only because time has elapsed?

In tomorrow's post, we will conclude.

Faithful Then And Again (1 Sam. 17:36-37) (Part 3)

THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH ADVERSITY IS TO FOCUS ON GOD'S FAITHFULNESS.

• EXPLANATION
• How does David not deal with adversity?
• He does not get proud.
• He does not cower in fear.
• He does not panic.
• He does not implement the power of positive thinking and deny the size of the obstacle.
• He does not form a committee and thus talk himself out of contention.
• He does not wait it all out, hoping the situation will resolve itself.
• How does David deal with adversity?
• He focuses upon God's faithfulness.
• Can you hear him?
• “If God did it before, he will do it again. The only thing that has changed is the kind of predator.”
• ILLUSTRATION

“What the Lord has done for me,
I cannot tell it all.
He saved me and washed me in His blood.
Now I can sing, 'Hallelujah',
I can shout, 'Hallelujah',
I can shout and praise the Lord.”

• APPLICATION
• No, you can't tell it all, but what can you say?
• What has the Lord done for you?
• Has He saved you?
• Has He healed you?
• Has He comforted you?
• Has He strengthened you?
• Has He provided for you?
• Has He loved you?
• Has He convicted you?
• Has He forgiven you?
• Has He set you free?
• Has He directed you?
• Has He revealed Himself to you?
• Has He given joy and peace to you?
• Has He restored you?
• Has He baptized you in the Holy Spirit?
• Has He given to you a new name written down in glory?
• Has He proven His exceedingly great and precious promises to you?
• Has He guided you into the paths of righteousness for His name's sake?

In tomorrow's post:  What is your responsibility, considering God has been faithful and will continue to be faithful?

Faithful Then And Again (1 Sam. 17:36-37) (Part 2)

Background:  There are five things you need to know so that today's message will make sense.

• David is the youngest of eight sons and he is set apart to become the next king of Israel.
• Saul, the current king of Israel, is with his troops at the war zone.
• The Philistines, Israel's enemy, are people who live in the territory of Philistia.
• Goliath is the over-sized champion fighter of the Philistines.
• No fighter in Israel will accept Goliath's challenge to fight one-on-one to the death.

Introduction:

• In today's story, David shows up at camp when the soldiers and king are wondering, 'What are we going to do with Goliath?”
• The giant you face might have a different name – finances, health, career, relationships, grief, etc. – but the question remains the same.
• What is the best way to deal with the obstacle, challenge or opportunity before you?
• The answer to that question is the focus of this week's sermon.
• Context: Read 1 Sam. 17:31-37.
• Do you remember the question I mentioned earlier?
• What is the best way to deal with the adversity before you?

In tomorrow's post, I will answer that question.

Faithfulness Then And Again (1 Sam. 17:36-37) (Part 1)

This post is for pastors and preachers.  Actual sermon content will begin tomorrow.

Title: Faithful Then And Again

Text: 1 Samuel 17:36-37

Theme: Remembering & repeating God's faithfulness Expository

Exegetical Subject: (1 Sam. 17:31-37) > How did David persuade Saul to permit him to fight Goliath?

Exegetical Complement: (1 Sam. 17:31-37) > David persuaded Saul to permit him to fight Goliath by reporting God's faithfulness.

Homiletical Subject: What is the best way to deal with the obstacle, challenge or opportunity before you?

Homiletical Complement: The best way to deal with the obstacle, challenge or opportunity before you is to remember and report God's faithfulness.

Homiletical Proposition: Since the best way to deal with adversity is to focus on God's faithfulness, you must carefully steward it.

Further Thoughts on Favor (Neh. 9:26-27)

Read Nehemiah 9:26-27.

1. In the NIV, verse 26 starts with the word "but."  In spite of God's favor, expressed in verses 19-25.  God's blessing doesn't eliminate the need for man's cooperation.
2. Verse 26 reminds us that blessed, favored people don't always respond as if they're favored.  That's an observation, not an excuse.
3. God's faithfulness is greater than man's fickleness.  He remains faithful even when we are faith-less (2 Tim. 2:13).  God doesn't wait for us to act right first.  Thank God for divine initiative!

Do It Again, Lord (Psa. 44:1-26)

Read Psalm 44.

• Inspiration.  Look at what the Lord already did.  Listen to the elders' testimonies about God's mighty work.  What did He do?  How did He do it?  Are there patterns?  What can be learned?  God doesn't change.  What He has done, He will do again.  Today is tomorrow's fuel for faith.  Today you earn interest on yesterday's faithfulness.
• Desperation.  You can't fool God, so you might as well be honest before Him.  What He did yesterday, what He did for others is inspiring, but you need Him to intervene for you right now.  Tell Him that.  He's big enough to handle it.  "Do it again, Lord!  Do it for me!"  The posture of desperation is honesty.  Desperate people talk differently to God.  They retain reverence, but push the envelope.  You know what you want God to do.  Does how you pray reflect that?
• Preservation.  Let's stay on the honesty train for another minute.  It's a natural tendency to suggest you're suffering due to no fault of your own.  That very well might be true.  Maybe it isn't.  It's easier to preserve self and accuse God of abandonment than it is to embrace responsibility.  Before you pull the "God isn't fair" card, consider your current situation could be His discipline.  Before your rule out His interest, rule out your own irresponsibility.  Honesty demands it.
• Resignation.  Having ruled out that your behavior or lack of it isn't the cause for your predicament, resign yourself to the sovereignty of God.  It's the pressure relief valve.  It's the admitting of humanity, finiteness and perspective.  It's a position of continued trust in spite of the unanswered questions that assault you.

All about God's Faithfulness (Neh. ch. 9)

If you ever needed proof of God's faithfulness, read Nehemiah chapter 9.  Maybe you need that assurance right now.

God is faithful, even when we are faithless toward Him.  He is the God of mercy and compassion, neither of which His people deserve.

2 Tim. 2:13; Lam. 3:22-23.

C'mon, somebody get excited!