Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) Hebrews 10:23.
The Lord Jesus, reflecting on the crises of these last days warned that, “…because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12).
Indeed, many are beginning to lose hope, wondering if God still cares and protects. Of course, He still cares for, and protects, His children!
Psalm 91:3-8 represents God’s sovereign declaration with regard to His commitment to protect and take care of you—even in the midst of all the troubles and crises in the world! It says, “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee….” How comforting this is!
Trust His Word. You’re shielded, and divinely protected against the onslaught of the enemy: whether at night, or in the day, the Lord protects and takes care of you. Your faith response, therefore, should be, “The Lord is in me, with me, and for me; therefore, I refuse to fear!”
No matter how adverse or severe the situation or the circumstances around you might be, refuse to let your heart be troubled! Keep your focus on God’s Word. He said in Isaiah 43:2, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Trust and hold on to His Word, for therein is your safety.
RESPOND TO HIS FAITHFULNESS WITH YOUR FAITHFULNESS
In Matthew 25, Jesus talked about three servants who were entrusted with talents. One was entrusted with one talent, another with two talents, and the third, five talents (Talent being a weight measuring standard, usually of money, e.g. talents of silver). The talents were given to them on the basis of their abilities. So, what their master was looking out for was their faithfulness.
The one who got five talents came back with 100% success (Matthew 25:20). The one that was given two talents gained two more, which was also 100% (Matthew 25:22). But the servant that was given one talent was a disappointment to his master. He said, “Master, I know you very well; you like to reap where you didn’t sow; therefore, I kept your talent for you” (Matthew 25:24). He did nothing with it.
Evidently, he was a bellyacher. His life was never productive. He had only the ability to manage one talent, and he still ruined his chances. His master called him wicked and unprofitable because he desired him to be faithful. It’s the same with the Lord. As read in our theme verse, we’re all so uniquely graced and gifted by God, and He seeks faithfulness; He expects results.
You may wonder, “How do I know what’s expected of me?” It’s simple: You know what’s expected of you by what you’ve been told. The ability of God is given through His message; His Word. What did He expose you to? What information did He give you? When you analyze what He’s told you, you’ll understand His expectation of you.
Whatever the Lord has taught you or is teaching you, whatever He’s exposed you to and helped you to know are all for the furtherance of the Gospel. Therefore, find the opportunity to use them to advance His righteousness and the reign of His Kingdom in the earth.
GOD TESTS YOUR FAITHFULNESS
Remember, He tests your faithfulness. If you’re faced with certain challenges or difficulties in carrying out what He’s asked you to do, your only option should be to win! Don’t have excuses. Be fully committed to the furtherance of the Gospel. Remain steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Surely, at the end of all things, the Lord will say to you, “…Well done, thou good and faithful servant…” (Matthew 25:21).
Each one of us is called to fulfil a unique role in Christ; we all have varied assignments given to us by God. It was the same in Bible days. Some assignments could be greater or more far-reaching than others, but how you perform in your assignment is judged by your faithfulness. The Lord will judge and reward you on the basis of your faithfulness in service, in the assignment given to you, not the one given to someone else.
Remember, He’s the One who gives you the ability to do whatever He assigns to you. If He gave you more to do than someone else, He doesn’t think that makes you greater as a person; it’s about His placement and choice. So, it matters that you’re diligent in carrying out what He’s assigned to you.
Proverbs 22:29 says, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” Take God’s admonition in our theme verse to heart; whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.
If you serve the Lord as though you’re serving man, whatever reward you get won’t go beyond this world. Therefore, whatever assignment God gives you in His Kingdom, do it with joy, passion, and with faith, as unto the Lord. Practise it, and you’d be amazed at the demonstration of His grace in your life.
GOD’S FAITHFULNESS NEVER FAILS
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (Numbers 23:19).
What comfort, confidence, and blessed assurance to know that you can trust God with your life! You can depend on Him to take care of you and guide you into your destiny; the destiny of His working! He’s trustworthy, faithful and reliable! He never fails. When you trust in the Lord you shall not be confounded (1 Peter 2:6). That means you’ll never be disgraced or “put to the blush,” for trusting God.
The Scripture is replete with testimonies of those who, in defiance of life-threatening circumstances, demonstrated absolute trust and confidence in God and experienced a miracle. The three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, for one, at the risk of their lives, defied King Nebuchadnezzar’s decree for them to bow to an image of gold. They were therefore thrown into the fiery furnace, but their faith and trust in the God who never fails prevailed, and they got a miracle.
No wonder the Psalmist declared “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what can man do unto me” (Psalm 56:11). God never fails or disappoints. The Bible describes Him as the friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). He’s the very present help in times of need (Psalm 46:1). All you need do is call on Him. He said “Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honour me” (Psalm 50:15). This is God’s invitation to you to trust Him, irrespective of the challenges you might be facing right now, and He’ll not fail you. He wants you to put your trust in Him alone, and rest your faith on His Word. Let His eternal Word be your hope and the anchor for your soul.
Remember, God and His Word are one: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Thus, to say God never fails means His Word never fails. The Bible assures us that though heaven and earth shall pass away, God’s Word remains steadfast forever. His Word always comes forth with enough power to effect a change in you. So, demonstrate your trust in Him today, and take Him by His Word. Act on His Word today, for He never fails. He’s the all-powerful and eternal God of glory, the maker and ruler of heaven and earth.