March 29
Joshua 19:49-21:45; 1 Chronicles 6:54-81
J. Hudson Taylor, missionary to China in the 1800's, said, "The inconsistencies of Christian people, who while professing to believe their Bibles were yet content to live just as they would if there were no such book, had been one of the strongest arguments of my skeptical companions." Christians who claim one thing, but live faithless lives mar the image of Christ to many who don't know Him. So many who choose not to believe will point to a person or a church leader who poorly represented Christ. Many Christians get discouraged failing to understand that we serve a God who is faithful and Who will "never leave us nor forsake us". If we behave like we can't trust our god, how can we expect others to trust our God. Yet many who stand under the name of God have presented a face of fear. Some have backed up their reactions by stating it was for the safety of others or for the greater good. Others have misrepresented God as though He has to change His mind to stay relevant to today's godless standards. All of these reactions create the false impression that God's word cannot be trusted. But our message should be clear: Not a single word of God has failed. Since what He has promised has come true, what He has promised in the future will also come true. Because He is faithful and can be trusted.
We read in Joshua 21:43-45, "So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass." The Israelites were not faithful. They complained that they wanted to go back to Egypt. They grumbled every step of the way which changed a one year journey to a forty year period of wanderings. They worshiped other gods. They had often broke the Mosaic covenant which had been established. But, God promised them that He would give them the land flowing with milk and honey, and because God is faithful, that is exactly what He did. We need to realize that the faithfulness of God's word never ends. He promised a Messiah who would be born of a virgin in Bethlehem, and eventually die for our sins, and He was faithful. He promised the gift of the Holy Spirit, and He was faithful to that. He promised that the nation of Israel would be reborn, and despite improbable odds the nation of Israel was reborn on May 14, 1948.
Some might state: but I prayed for a spouse, I prayed for children, I prayed that my loved one wouldn't die, I prayed for that job, I prayed that I wouldn't get sick, and God did not answer those prayers. We read in James 4:3, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures." None of those statements prove that God is unfaithful. God never promised those things. Just like any father who receives multiple requests from their children, sometimes the answer is yes, other times it is no. When we pray, it is not to get what we want, but to align our will to His will. We are living in seemingly unsteady times. Nothing is as it was. But God! He never changes. His Word never fails. He is very much in control. He is indeed faithful, and you can trust on the words of Jesus who said in Matthew 5:17-18, "“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." So will Jesus come back for His church? Absolutely. Will He come back to reign over His kingdom? You can trust that. Our faith cannot depend on a person, a nation, etc. Our faith needs to be centered on Him and His Word. He is faithful. Never forget this.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: