COMMITMENT (The blessing of Faithfulness)
What is commitment? It says, I’m going to be here no matter what happens; for better or for worse. In wedding vows, we say “Forsaking all others.” With our brethren we should be committed to the assembly of ourselves together.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (previously marked this verse).
Hebrews 13:5 God keeps His end of the committed relationship. “He will not forsake us.”
We have previously marked this verse.
Having a relationship with God means we are committed to Him, we are faithful to Him.
Is it narrow-minded for you to want your husband to be faithful? Would you say He was committed to you if he was mostly of usually faithful? No, you want him to be completely faithful giving his love and affection only to me!
In the same way, God desires our complete faithfulness and loyalty to Him.
God is a jealous God.
He is jealous of the time we spend in worldly pursuits, seeking worldly things. He wants us to seek pleasure from Him, not the world.
Consider what He tells Israel about faithfulness to Him.
Exodus 20:4-6
- Hi-lite “you shall not make” and “you shall not bow down”, “not serve them.”
- Circle “carved image.”
- Hi-lite in another color “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God”, “showing mercy”, “to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
- Underline “jealous God” and draw a line to the margin making note “of idols in my life.”
What does faithfulness look like?
Hebrews 11
- Hi-lite every occasion of the words “by faith.”
James 4:8 – Draw near to God with frequent prayer and study.
- Hi-lite “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
- Circle “cleanse” and “purify.”
Matthew 6:33 –Seek Him first in every situation.
- Hi-lite “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
- Circle “first.”
- Underline “all these things shall be added to you.”
- What are “these things”? Circle “these things” and draw a line to verse 31.
Romans 12:10 – Choose Christian friends over worldly ones.
- Circle “one another” twice.
- Hi-lite “kindly affectionate”, “brotherly love”, “in honor giving preference.”
Talking to God and Getting Close to him, committing ourselves to Him and depending on Him are the easy parts. Going through trials together is the harder part.
COMMON EXPERIENCES (The blessing of Shared Experiences)
How do you get to really know someone? We experience something together: Work together, play together, church camp or youth trips. In a our marriage we experience the birth of babies, financial troubles, health issues and death.
Romans 5:3-4 What can these “shared experiences” produce?
- Here is another one of Paul’s lists.
- Underline “glory in tribulations”, “tribulation produces.”
- Hi-lite “perseverance”, “character” and “hope.”
- Circle “knowing.”
BE TESTED – A common experience together with God.
1 Corinthians 10:13 He does not tempt us but is with us in temptation and helps us.
- Hi-lite and underline “God is faithful.”
- Circle “temptation” and “common to man.”
- Underline “will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able”, “make the way of escape”, “you may be able to bear it.”
Romans 4:20-21 Abraham believed in God’s faithfulness.
- Hi-lite “strengthened in faith”, “giving glory to God”, “fully convinced.”
- Underline “that what He had promised He was also able to perform.”
- Circle “He did not waver.”
Difference between trials and temptations.
| TRIALS | TEMPTATIONS | |
| SOURCE | God* | Satan |
| PURPOSE | Test our Strength | Entice us to do Wrong |
| EFFECTS | Brings out our Best | Brings out our Worst |
*God Tests the righteous – Jeremiah 20:12 & 1 Thessalonians 2:4 God tests our hearts.
Trials are difficulties in life that can draw us closer to God.
-death of a loved one
-accident
-financial problem
-wayward child or spouse
Temptations are ways that Satan tries to draw us away from God.
We have Good News!
2 Peter 2:9 -The Lord knows how to deliver us!
- This is the “then” part of an “if/then” statement that starts in verse 4.
- Circle “then” and draw an arrow to the word “if” in verse 4.
- Hi-lite “the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations.”
Through the Fire (song by Randy Travis)
He never promised that the cross would not get heavy
and the hill would not be hard to climb.
He never offered victory without fighting
but He said help would always come in time.
Just remember when you’re standing in the valley of decision
and the adversary says “give in.”
Just hold on, our Lord will show up
and He will take you through the fire again.
Relationship with God! It is vitally important to have Communication with God (through prayer and study), Commitment to Him and have Common experiences with Him (the trials that we go through in this life.)