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" Who's Faithfulness is it anyway ? " -- Victor King

" My faithfulness and My mercy and loving-kindness shall be with him, and IN My name shall his strength be exalted " - Psalm 89:24

Sometimes, we feel disappointed, frustrated or condemned when we are not being faithful or faithful in the small things in life. We might think God moves by our faithfulness but actually, its the other way, God moves by His faithfulness. Its ALL about His Faithfulness and Grace.

There are many stories in the Bible that proves that it's all about God and His faithfulness, not ours. Friends, when you know that we are saved, delivered and blessed based on His Faithfulness, there will be such a peace and rest on the inside.

I will share with you a beautiful story from the Gospel. It brings out the Undeserved Faithfulness of God. Its a story about 2 disciples.

Peter & John.......

Before Jesus was crucified, Peter boasted his love for Jesus but he betrayed and denied Him. He ran away and hid himself. The one who said that he would be there with Jesus till death, left Him. The other disciple, John, was the one who boasted about Jesus' love for him. He called himself the disciple whom Jesus loves and he was with Jesus all the way till the cross. Thank God! for John. He had his own calling and ministry. There is a beautiful picture about God's love for us in the story of John (by Ps Prince). But let's look at Jesus in HIS Grace and faithfulness. JESUS is Grace and Faithfulness, personified.

Looks like John was the faithful one here compared to Peter, infact he was the Only disciple among the 12 was at the feet of Jesus at Calvary. He was faithful and even in the small things ......but! when Jesus rose from the dead, guess who did He come back for. The Bible says that Jesus came back looking for Peter and the apostles ( Mark 16:7 ). Jesus specifically singled out Peter and wanted him to know that he is not condemned and he is blessed based Jesus' faithfulness. Jesus died for his wrong doings. Not only did Jesus gave him the gift of no condemnation but He wanted him to take care of His sheep's! (John 21:15-17). The Bible says in Acts 1 that Peter started preaching Jesus first. All the other apostles were there, including John but Jesus called forth Peter to "kick" off His ministry.

Amazing!!

Would you entrust something so precious to someone who had just lied and betrayed you or someone who had been faithful to you? Think about it..... That is GRACE!!! And that's why Grace is so amazing! Grace is Undeserved, Unmerited and Unearned. Peter did Not deserve it. John or maybe James or Andrew would have been more deserving. Not Peter! He was not even faithful in the small things but Jesus is Grace.

Good news!!!!

By Knowing that, you become more like JESUS. You start doing things that you could not have done before by your own effort. But now, by Knowing and being convicted that Its all about His faithfulness, you see yourself being more faithful in serving, taking communion, tithing, attending caregroup, reading the bible, enjoying your job, family, the people around you and many other things. This time you are doing it IN His faithfulness through the Holy Spirit and not yours. I'm sure the Holy Spirit does a better job, amen ;-)

Sometimes, we fight to say that we have to be faithful or faithful in the small things but we know that there is complaining, murmuring, cursing and secret gossiping in the things we do. Deep down in our hearts, we know that we know that we have not been faithful in many things but it was His Grace and His FAITHFULNESS that brought us through.

But, have you noticed something?

If it's about you being faithful in the small things, then when God delivers or blesses you, it is no longer by His grace because you earned it by your works. God has no choice but to bless or deliver you because you earned it by your faithfulness. God is not a debtor to no men. God says this in Isaiah " In My faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them " - Isaiah 61:8

Think about it Friends,
It's all about His Grace. ' Let the elevator go all the way to the top'. Lets not limit His Grace. If our faithfulness has to play a part, then Alot of people would not qualify but if it's all about HIS faithfulness, then we All qualify. It's all about HIS faithfulness.

-- HE is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness - 1 John 1:9

He showed His faithfulness 2000 years ago on the Cross. He took every negative things in our life and gave us His own life. That's why the Bible says, the life that we live, we live it unto the Son of God and it is not you who lives but it's CHRIST (Anointed) that lives in you - Galatians 2:20. The more you see your sins and lawless deeds taken away by the Lamb of God, the more He lives your life. Romans 6:14 says, that sin shall have No dominion over you for you are NOT under law but under GRACE. Law is all about self confidence and Grace is Christ confident. Confident in the Finish Work inspied of negative circumstances.

When you have failed or sinned and facts are "shouting" at your face, you can see it and feel it. You feel discouraged, guilty and condemned. If you feel bad for what you have done, then you are under the Law and sin shall have dominion over you. For the law is the strength of sin - The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law - 1 Corinthians 15:56. But when you have done something wrong, in thoughts or in deeds and you thank GOD that HE took your place for the penalty of that sin, you are are under Grace and sin shall have no strength over you. It loses its control over you slowly.

Sooner or later, its got to go because Jesus' Blood and Sacrifice is much Bigger than ALL our sins combine.

The Bible says, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds, I will remember NO More" - Hebrews 8:12.

Yes!!!!!! GOD does not remember your sins and your lawless deeds and wrong doing's anymore..

When you divert your sin and lawless deeds to the Cross, slowly that sin or that lawless deed loses its control and it has no dominion over you. Don't worry about the diverting part, JESUS' Spirit will help you. The Bible says in John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit is your Helper and HE will help you in all things. HE will convict and convince you of His Righteousness, not of sin. Hebrews 8:12 tells you that GOD does not remember our sins and lawless deeds anymore. Whenever you've sinned or failed, HE convicts and reminds you of your righteousness in HIM. HE always brings you back to the Cross where HE paid your sins away. Amen!

" Nevertheless, My loving-kindness will I not break off from him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail " - Psalm 89:23

So Don't condemn yourself if you are not faithful enough. Jesus will make you faithful and that is why His Spirit is residing in you to help and teach you.

You will become more like Him. As Christ IS so are you in this world,amen

Piczo