Signs and Seasons and Days and Years

we're going to continue our studies in the Book of Genesis the beginnings the book of beginnings today and we're going to look to Genesis chapter 1. I'm going to read two verses there in verses 14 and 15 then I'm going to jump over to Genesis chapter 8 and read verse 22 and then finally Jeremiah chapter 33 verses 20 and 21. good to see everyone in the house of the Lord today thank you for your faithfulness to God's house amen we're looking forward to what God is going to do if you're watching online good to have you and we invite you to listen and to hear God's word as it goes forth today Genesis chapter one I'm actually going to read verses 14 and 15.

now I know that Skips a whole bunch because we ended last lesson in verse 4 where it talks about God said let there be light and there was light and so we're going to skip over several verses there days two days three of creation and I know there are some good lessons we could pull out of them too but trying to fit 13 lessons in a quarter and we're going to move on from there verse 14 says this and God said let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years and let them be lights in The Firm of Heaven to give light upon the Earth and so it was I want to title this lesson if you will from that section there he said let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years signs Seasons days and years Genesis 8 and 22 says this while the Earth remaineth God's speaking to Noah given him this promise he said seed time and harvest cold and heat summer and winter day and night shall not cease and then from Jeremiah chapter 33 verses 20 to 21 says this thus saith the Lord if you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night that there should not be day or night in their season then may also my Covenant be broken with David my servant but he should not have a son to Reign upon his throne and with the Levites the priests my ministers since our last lesson we've entered into what is no doubt my favorite season of the year and that is fall the last lesson was shortly before first day of fall this is the time of vibrant colors just love to look at the trees and all their Glory the mornings are brisk and the evenings are short but fields we look at are gold in anticipation of harvest and you look and there's pumpkins and mums everywhere you go and but fall is also often a time of reflection isn't it maybe it isn't for you I think it is probably for most of us it's another year prepares to draw for to a close we look back at the previous year or the year that we were in and see events that have happened and perhaps more than any other season I think Autumn probably reminds us of our mortality we look at it and begin to reflect on life and what it's all about and we know the winter is coming soon but at the same time even through all of that we can always look forward to another Springtime in another year it's going to happen amen we are not going to change it there is never any doubt in our mind that the seasons are going to continue and their unending cycle and it's that very fact that provides the basics basis for our lesson today in the beginning the times we're looking at this quarter God decided that it was going to be so and on that fourth day of creation he set in motion the elements that we're going to Mark time for all of humanity until he says time is no more so this day sets forth yes earlier he had said let there be light but here he specifically calls out the light in the firmament to divide the day and the night the Sun and the Moon if you will and he said let them be for signs for seasons for days and for years the rising of the sun to Mark the day the setting of the sun to Mark the night and the appearance of the Moon the seasons that repeat themselves year after year after year after year the signs in the heavens referring to things such as constellations that appear at certain times of the year and not in others or or possibly other Stellar events that we see we're all set in motion by God now what's the significance of all that well the word of God makes it very clear these signs these Seasons these deep days these years they all point to the faithfulness of God just as there will always be a day followed by a night and fall will always follow summer and winter will come and spring will follow that God will always be faithful to his word even after God destroyed the world and I I think about Noah being in that Ark with the with the flood and he was in there with one window that had to be kept closed until they finally opened it to let a bird out so inside that Ark not seeing the Sun not seeing the moon not seeing any of the things not seeing the seasons just there inside that that big boat and he was there when he comes out God shows him a rainbow and he said see I'm setting my bow in the cloud as a sign to you and then he continued that with while Earth remains see time and harvest what he was saying is nothing has changed everything still goes on just the way it always has cold heat summer winter day night it will not cease so even though in Noah's day the Bible said that they thought of man were evil it would never alter the faithfulness of God God does not change the writer of Hebrew said this he said Jesus Christ he is the same yesterday today and forever aren't you thankful to know that Jesus is always consistent he never changes what he was yesterday he will be today and what he is today he will be tomorrow what he was in the book of Acts he is today what he was is he walked on this Earth he was what he did in his miraculous power and his mercies all those things are just as real and just as true today his mercies and his compassions never fail because God is the same God is constant and when we think about that it really opens up a lot to our minds because he loves you he only wants what is best for you in every situation now may not be what you think is best but what is best for you that's what God wants for you because he loves you because God is omniscient because he knows all things he knows what is best for you amen he knows and because he is omnipotent because he has all power and he can bring things to pass he will do that always and because he is faithful I don't have to fear putting my life in his hands because I am safe with him aren't you glad to know a God Like That amen a God that will not change that God that is a faithful God in fact everything we know and believe about God and believe about this book is based on God's faithfulness we often emphasize being faithful to one another and we talk about we need to be faithful to God but today we're looking at God's faithfulness to us think about it if God were not faithful to us any faithfulness our part would really be useless well I'm going to live for God like he said I should and then God turn his back on us we'd say what's the point right but trusting in Him would be futile but thank the Lord he is faithful in every aspect in every respect and we're going to investigate some different aspects of the faithfulness of God number one he is immutable in his character that means he does not change in his nature he is faithful in his character and he is constant in his dealings with us when we think about a nature a nature is something you cannot change the Bible says we are born with a certain nature in fact it makes it very clear that we are born with a sinful nature we are born in in sin we are shaping in iniquity and that is the core of our being we cannot separate ourselves from that Bible asks question another place said Can a leper change his spots he can't do it it's his very nature that nature is inherent it's inborn so we cannot change it of course God can but we cannot so when we look at someone's nature it reveals the reality of that person some people choose to disguise their nature they project a contrived Persona trying to impress others they know that they are one thing but they act out another kind of like looking at a piece of Fine Furniture and realize when you look closer that it's just particle board covered with a pretty veneer right although we can't see beneath it God can look at the true essence of a person's nature the Bible says man looks at the outward appearance but God looks into the heart and the Bible says in Proverbs that he weigheth the spirit so he can judge those and he sees really the true nature behind that behind what we are but in contrast the nature of God is genuine through and through there is no pretense there is nothing false about it the psalmist wrote of old you've laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of a of thy hands they perish but you'll endure he all of them will acts wax old like a garment and is a vest your usual change them and they shall be shames but thou God you're the same in thy years have no end we use that term immutable to describe God and the word is only used in one passage of our Bible and that's in the New Testament writer of Hebrews said this wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto The Heirs of Promise the immutability or the unchangeableness of his counsel he confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable unchangeable things in which number he is a true God and also it is impossible for him to lie he said because of that or because God does not change it gives us a strong console consolation gives us a strong hope we have a hope that it will not change he said who those who have fled for Refuge to lay hold on the Hope set before us which hope we have what does he call he said it is an anchor of the Soul it is sure and it is steadfast why why is it sure why is it steadfast why is it something that we can attach Our Lives to it is because God does not change think about that why is it important for God not to change God's a perfect God right so if he were to change he would suddenly be less than perfect because if you've already reached Perfection there's nowhere else to go right so if God changes he would be less than perfect if he is all-powerful and we know he is he can do anything nothing impossible with him to change would mean he would suddenly be less powerful I'm thankful he doesn't change amen if God's word always comes to pass if it is always true if God were to change then he'd have to become a liar I'm thankful he doesn't change God's constantly as seen throughout scripture to Moses god revealed himself he said I am the I am his very revelation of himself declares his faithfulness I am God is it's present tense not God was I was that and now I'm something different not God will be when I finally get there now he says I am does not matter God is constant what he was in creation he is today what he was for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Moses he is today and what he will be in eternity when we see him is just what he is today he said I am the Lord I change not and because God's immutable and unchangeable it lets us know he is consistent aren't you thankful for that you don't have to wonder what kind of mood he's in today right he's consistent in his dealings he doesn't act one way one day and different the next day we never have to wonder God do you love me today I thought you did yesterday I'm not sure whether you do or not today we don't have to wonder that fact here's what he says and what his word is telling us today if the sun came up today he still loves you we never have to doubt his Mercy his grace and his forgiveness there's some who have printed out and we I want to touch on this because sometimes people question this they have pointed out well sometimes the Bible talks about God repenting and if God changed his mind doesn't that mean that he is not immutable let me give you two examples where the Bible says he had repented in Noah's day said God saw the wickedness of man it was great every imagination and thoughts of his heart was on evil continually and it repented the Lord that he made man on the earth and hit grieved him in his heart so do we say well God you change your mind we'll talk about that in a minute in other words when God said he was going to destroy Noah or Nineveh he said I'm going to destroy the city told told him go preach that yet in three days I'm going to destroy this city and Jonah went preached to Nineveh and the Bible says and God saw their works when they repented they turned from their evil ways and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not so some would say well does that doesn't that make God a liar doesn't that mean God changed I mean Samuel said it this way the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent yet here we read two scriptures it said God repented so how do we reconcile those things I think it is helpful for us to understand from God's perspective that most prophecy is conditional at least when it concerns us not when it concerns the Messiah or the end time events but when it concerns us it is conditional upon the response of men God makes it abundantly clear through Jeremiah he said this whenever I speak concerning a nation or concerned in a kingdom and I say I'm going to pluck it up I'm going to pull it down and I'm going to destroy it he said when I say that if that Nation against whom I have pronounced evil pronounce this will turn from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them and at what instant I shall speak concern in a nation in a kingdom if I speak about another kingdom I say I'm going to plant it I'm going to build it it's going to grow if it do evil in my sight that they obey not my voice then I will repent of the good that I was going to benefit so you say well God are you changing his mind no judgment far from being absolute is conditional a change in our conduct will bring forth a change in God's judgment now some would say okay well if God can change because because of what we do well in his omniscience doesn't he know whether you're going to repent or not yes while that's true it still does not mean God has changed his mind what we have to understand is that we're looking at God through our limited Viewpoint and sometimes God will pronounce judgment knowing that this person is going to repent and that this one is going to turn away and he is going to re pronounce that judgment and he will pronounce it anyway to give us opportunity to change our ways now really God isn't changing his Minds he's saying I'm going to pronounce this judgment except you repent you shall all likewise perish but to those that do okay well you're not going to perish when we do repent it doesn't mean that God had second thoughts now from our Viewpoint appears he changes mind but from his here's what he is doing he leads us to change our ways and so he pronounces judgment hoping of course he knows but he pronounces it giving us an opportunity to change our ways Paul wrote this to the Romans in Romans 2 4.

he said do you despise The Riches of his goodness and his forbearance and his long-suffering when God is just dealing with you and keeps waiting and waiting not knowing that the goodness of God leads to repentance so when he pronounces judgment it's for a purpose to lead you to repentance now you still have the choice to make but as we observe God's ways aren't our ways and so he he will do things to lead us to that repentance Exodus 34 says this the Lord the Lord God he is merciful and he is gracious he is long-suffering he is abundant in goodness and Truth he keeps Mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgressionist sins and that will by no means clear the guilty God is consistent God is immutable now when we look at man and stark contrast we're not that way are we we change we try not to but we do often we have good intentions here's what I'm going to do and this is what I intend to do and then life throws us the curve and we go a different direction we can see this many times and we see a couple of instances in the Bible when the children of Israel come to Mount Sinai and Moses delivered God's message Israel you're going to be God's special people and he has called us and he's going to make you a kingdom of priests and a holy Nations and he told them this and what the Lord required and the Bible says in Exodus 19 and all the people under answered together all that the Lord have spoken we're going to do it that's wonderful he'll be our God will be his people yes Moses that's what we are going to do they all said we will do what he's spoken Moses said okay well I'm going to head up the mountain and talk to God for a little while and he goes up the mountain people sitting there watch he disappeared and day goes by and two days and a week and another week and in the month and they look around and say well that's for Moses we don't know what happened to him we don't know what's going on Aaron help us out here so they brought him gold he melted a fire fashioned a calf and he said this these are your Gods oh his or what's brought you up out of the land of Egypt forty days earlier they said we're going to follow the lord we're going to only do what he wants and 40 Days Later they're back worshiping a golden calf and Moses comes down what in the world are you doing look at the New Testament human changeableness the fact that we are not immutable we look in Matthew 26 Jesus told his disciples that he was going to die and the things that were going to happen and and Peter looked at him and he said though L men are offended to you because of you I won't be offended everyone else might die though I should die with you that I won't deny you it doesn't matter I'll I'll Die For You Jesus I'll do whatever everybody else can leave I'm not leaving Temple guards come into the garden to arrest Jesus Peter pulls out his sword cuts off the servant of the high priest ear Jesus reach it down and puts it back on Peter doesn't know what to think puts a sword away follows at a distance Jesus is being tried and Peter's standing there warming by a fire and somebody turns to him hey aren't you one no not me uh was just a few hours ago it doesn't matter if everybody else dies I'll die with them three times he denies Jesus Christ because change is woven into our nature but I'm thankful God never wavers our moods rise and fall our feelings wax hot and cold but God is steady and true from Everlasting to Everlasting not only is he unchangeable but God is faithful in his character because he is immutable we can trust his faithfulness that word means his steadfastness that he does not change his purposes or his way when we see for steadfastness portrayed in the way of the universe we don't have to wonder if the Sun is going to rise in the morning we don't have to wonder which direction it's going to rise we don't I wonder if it'll come up in the west tomorrow maybe the south north no it's going to come up where it always comes up we can trust that the Earth's rotation will Mark the days and the nights its revolution will Mark Around The Sun Will Mark the years the way it tilts will Mark the seasons and none of that will change the psalmist points out to this steadfastness of as a reminder of the faithfulness of God in Psalm 119 he said forever O Lord Thy word is settled in heaven it's not going to change it's settled it is done thy faithfulness he said is unto all generations and then here's what he said thou has established the Earth in an abideth this day according to thine ordinances for they are all thy servants he said you can look at the earth and the way that things happen he said it continues to this day what you established back in Genesis chapter 1 has never changed he said and just like that it is faithful because God is faithful remember earlier I mentioned Jonah and God repented destroying Nineveh notice what Jonah did he was convinced God if I'm going to preach and you're going to hurl fire and brimstone down from heaven and I'm going to watch it because I don't like these ninevites and so he went and preached with the chip on his shoulder at least it had results right he was wrong but it still got results because it was he did what God asked him to the last thing he wanted them to do was to repent because he knew God was merciful isn't that funny I mean here he is a prophet and he knew that God would be merciful and so finally the day arrives and he cries out judgment is coming he goes up on a hill outside of the city picks a good spot and sits down and say I'm just going to watch it happen you're going to get your due and he sits there and he waits all day and he waits all night and he gets hot and he gets mad because he's so hot out there and we know the whole story nothing and as soon as they repented here's what we know mercy and Grace of kindness of God would not let him destroy this place but notice what Jonah said it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry God I told him you're going to destroy and you haven't done a thing and he prayed unto the Lord now listen what he prayed I pray the Lord was not this my saying when I was yet my company didn't get country in other words didn't I know this is exactly what was going to happen and that's why I didn't want to go that's why I went to tarshus I knew and here's what he knew I knew that you're a gracious God I knew that you're merciful and that you're slow to anger and of great kindness and repentance of thee of the evil he said I knew your character I knew what kind of God you were I knew that you're not up there just waiting and wanting to destroy people but you're you gave that message that they might turn from their evil so even though he obviously he in his own mind he was wanting to see he was wanting to see them fail and he was wanting to see Nineveh destroyed all along he knew he's a faithful God he's a merciful god and if the word Goes Forth they're going to be somebody that's going to touch their hearts and they're not going to be destroyed you know there are some people that preach Hellfire and brimstone and sometimes you think they're just hoping everybody goes there is nothing wrong with preaching Hellfire in Brimstone if you know it's going to change somebody's heart and somebody's got going to say you know what I'm going to fall upon this merciful god you can be like Jonah and say well I hope it happens you have the wrong attitude or you can say you know what I want to warn you of what's coming if you don't change your ways because there's a God that is merciful there's a God that is slow to anger he has great kindness and if you will change your ways you won't have to face that judgment in that time character is a composite of our characteristics our abilities attributes traits that distinguish us you know sometimes we see people that step outside of their character you say they act an out of character or uncharacteristic God never does that he doesn't begin to act like something else than what he is you ever notice that when we see inconsistencies in another individual of personal Integrity we tend not to trust them yeah no I've seen them do this before and I wouldn't trust that we don't understand why they behave that way or whatever but by the same token people tend not to believe in God based in their inability to understand some things God does hear people say well I can't believe in God because there's so much suffering in this world and I just can't believe a good God would do that however misunderstanding someone we know and misunderstanding God as something totally different when people act in unexpected or erratic ways it's only natural for us to say I'm not sure about that kind of doubt because we're two we too are human and our inconsistent actors sometimes have disappointed others however what we do know is God's ways are always worthy of trust he said trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean under your own understanding I don't understand it all and I don't comprehend it all I don't comprehend why you would save an Innova that's been so wicked I don't comprehend all these different things he said but trust me don't lean to your understanding our trust in him assures we can continue believing in him even when we do not understand what he does think of job he didn't understand the reason for his suffering as far as I read in the Bible in in the Book of Job God never really revealed the reason to job I don't know when the book was actually written I don't know who recorded it I don't know who had the Insight that all the stuff was going on in heaven between God and Satan that job never saw I don't know who had that Insight I don't know if God told it later and job wrote it down I don't know if someone else did but from what I see job never knew what was going on he never understood why he was going through the things God never explained it to him but here's one thing we know in spite of this he knew that God you're a faithful God you may not understand the things that are happening in your life and you may not understand what you see in the lives of others but hold on because God is a faithful God and job looked at all of that and desired to die and everything else but here's what he said I know that my redeemer lives number one I know he's faithful he lives and I know that he will stand at the latter day and though the skinworms destroy this body yet I shall see God it's gonna happen why because he is a faithful God job can teach us that regardless of what we go through and whether we understand or not what is going on in this life God is always faithful Hebrews 10 23 says let us hold fast the profession of our faith don't let go without wavering and here's why because he is faithful that promised hold on Child of God I know sometimes things aren't easy we go through sicknesses we go through other things in our life we go through financial stresses we have inner things with our families and things that happen in our life and we say why and I don't understand what's going on hold fast your faith don't waver because God is a faithful God and you can trust in him and God is constant in his dealings with us I'm thankful he doesn't say one thing today and change his mind the next well you've thought about that I don't want to do it that way God's will always act based on that character you know a lot of times I know it's not the Golden Rule but you ever notice a lot of times we do unto others just as they do unto us not as we want them to do to us if someone else keeps his promises well then I'll keep my end of the bargain you break yours then all bets are off if you're fair then I'll be fair but if you're unfair to me then well I'll treat you the same way God doesn't base his faithfulness on what others do he doesn't say well I'll be faithful to you all as long as you're faithful to me I'll be faithful to my word only as long as you are too and once you do then all bets are up he doesn't do that Paul wrote to Timothy in second Timothy 2 and he said this it's a faithful saying if we be dead with him we're going to live with him why because that's the promises of his word right he said it died to self and you can have eternal life he said if we suffer we shall also reign with him that's his word you suffer for my sake he said I'll give you more you know in this life and in the world to come life Everlasting he said if you do he said If you deny me I'll deny you pretty straightforward you deny me I'll do that's reciprocating you do one thing and they'll do this all that's important it's God all this we understand God working in a reciprocal way however Paul says this if you don't believe or you don't trust God well that's a different story he abides faithful I don't trust God or I don't believe God don't believe in what your word says doesn't matter he's not changing he will not change he abides faithful the Bible says he cannot deny himself he is always faithful and he is always worthy of trust even when he is when we are not God's faithful means he will always follow through whether it calls for his judgment whether it calls for his Mercy very familiar verse in Malachi it's talking about a lot of grievances that Judah had for the disregard that God had against Judah they disregarded God they disregarded his law and he warned them of judgment if they would not repent and he said that those who did repent there would there would be reward but if you did not he said you would die and if you repented there would be mercy and forgiveness and healing and then he said this for I am the Lord I change not I said it in my word I said it through Moses I said it other multiple times through the prophets I'm the Lord I don't change you live in sin there's going to be judgment you follow after me there's mercy and forgiveness I never change that that's the God we serve they could trust him to follow through on his promises whether a promise of punishment or a promise of Salvation there are those that look at God and say well he's a god of love he'll never judge us he he never sent anybody he would never do this he wouldn't send someone to hell he would never whatever God is faithful to his word and if he said it he will do it Abraham trusted in God's faithful dealings with him he left his God Gods the false gods that he that was around him he left his home he left his family even his friends at the Lord's command and even though he never found the city that he was looking for during his lifetime he believed for it and he looked for it even though he had to wait 25 years for a promised son the Bible said he staggered not at the promise of God through unto belief but was strong in faith giving glory to God being fully persuaded persuaded of what what God had promised he was able to do it get persuaded in your mind that if God said it he is able to perform it and God will always keep his covenants or his word with mankind when God covenants with us we can depend on him for he is constant in his dealings he promised Israel this in Deuteronomy 6.

he said you're a holy people unto the Lord thy God the Lord God hath chosen you to be a special people he begins to talk about that and then he said this know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God he is the faithful God he keeps Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments to a thousand generations and he repays them that hate them to their face to destroy them what's he saying he said I am faithful you do what I asked you follow you stay in Covenant with me and I will be faithful to you you choose to go a different way and I will repay you for what you're doing God does not change notice God's covenants differ from the ones we make you can shake hands to close a business deal and then decide later you don't want to do it yeah I'll buy that company for 10 billion dollars no no I don't think so okay I will God's faithful he said it he's going to do it no questions asked you know they can sign a contract legally binding them to the provisions and then try to back out of it and get a lawyer and go to court they can swear on one hand on the Bible raise the other hand to God and swear and stand there and tell a lie that's the way man is you can stand before a church and say I'm going to love this woman and the rest of my life for the church and for God and then turn around walk away but all of those have been and can be broken why because we are unchangeable unlike man God will keep his promises so Thessalonians he said faithful Paul wrote is he that calls you who also will do it God will keep his Covenant he will do what he said he was going to do in our opening text we read the words of Jeremiah he said thus saith the Lord if you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night that there should not be a day and night then could my Covenant with David be broken God promised David he said there will never fail to be one of your sons on the throne of Judah there will always be a descendant of David sitting on the throne so sure was this Covenant that God compared it to the rising of the son and the promise of it's going down at night that day night cycle he said if you can break that if you can get up and stand and say tomorrow the sun's not going to come up and it not happen he said okay if you can do that then I'll break my what he was doing is pointing I have set some signs and some seasons and some days and some nights he said I've established that to show you that I never change God's faithfulness is shown by that principle that he established in Genesis 1 14.

we won't read the whole Psalm today but Psalm 89 expands this whole idea the psalmist is talking about King David in the faithfulness of God and he says this in verse 89 David didn't write this one it's another psalmist he said I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever with my mouth I will make known what Thy Faithfulness to all generations for I have said Mercy shall be built up forever Thy Faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens what he's talking about is that day night Seasons signs things that you see he said he established his faithfulness so that you can see it every day of your life and then he went on to say I've made a covenant with David that you're by thy seed will I establish forever and build upon up thy Throne to all generations that in the very heavens refers to those signs and seasons and days and years God's faithfulness goes on in verse 34 of Psalm 89 my Covenant will I not break nor will I alter the thing that has gone out of my mouth I will not change it once I have sworn by my Holiness that I won't lie to David he said his seed will endure and his throne and he says it again as what the son before me and it be established forever as the Moon that day and night as a faithful witness in heaven you get up and you see the sun in the morning you look at see this moon at night it's just showing God is faithful David he is going to do what he said he will do so what's that got to do with us okay he's faithful to David I'm glad you want to know God's faithfulness as you can observe in the annual cycle of the seasons and the days the rising of the sun going down are there to remind you that he is faithful in everything he has promised let's give you a couple examples so we wrap this up First Corinthians 10 he said there's no temptation that hath taken you but such is common to man okay so we're going to go through some things we're going to be tempted right we're going to be tried we're going to see things but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the Temptation Make A Way Escape that you may know that you may be able to Bear it no matter how difficult the thing you are going through might seem no matter how hard it may be God has promised you can get through it you can count on that just as surely as you can believe that Christmas is going to come in December the seasons the signs it is just as sure it is going to happen you're not going to stop spring from coming next year it is going to happen and he said just as sure as that I am able to help you through that Temptation trust in his faithfulness and he will see you through you know sometimes we struggle well I don't know if I can live for God I don't I don't know if I can make it I don't know if I joined that church I don't know if it'll become a part of that if I can do it well no you can't but God can help you to do it and you will here's what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians in first Thessalonians 5.

he said the very God of Peace will sanctify or will separate you holy and I pray God your whole Spirit your soul your body will be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ why because Faithful Is He that called you and he will do it notice he didn't say and you'll do it you'll just be able to work it out and he said no God is going to keep you so here's the thing that will help us don't worry if I live for God I'm just going to fail and I'm going to make a big miserable mess out of all don't worry about falling don't expect to fail in your walk with God he said I will sanctify you holy I will set you apart completely and I will preserve you until you come again trust God in that well I don't know if I want to commit to this you go ahead and put it in God's hand and he will be faithful to you he then reminds us he said I am faithful next time you think well I can't make it just get up and watch the sun come up God's faithful he's going to keep me through it well some of you don't want to get up that early go out and watch the Sun go down it's just as faithful it's going to go down every night and God is saying you know what I am faithful I am faithful I'm faithful I'm faithful I never change next time you think you can't make it go look God's saying I'm faithful I'm faithful and he's Whispering that to you maybe he's shouting it to you I am faithful Paul wrote that in the first letter of the Thessalonians I think maybe some people didn't get it because he had to bring it up again in this second letter second Thessalonians chapter three he said but the Lord is faithful who is going to establish you and he's going to keep you from evil in case you didn't get it the first time when he said he can separate you whole and he can keep you I'm telling you again he is a faithful God he will establish you he will keep you from evil the same faithful God who could preserve you blameless can establish you and keep you but Gary you sing the song You're Gonna Make It and there is a faithfulness of God that says you will make it don't lose hope why am I going to make it because it's in you no but because God is a faithful God Paul wasn't the only New Testament writer to write of God's faithfulness John says this if we confess our sins he is what faithful and just to forgive us our sins we often have difficult time forgiving ourselves we sometimes fail even with our best intentions and other times we fail just because of our stupid actions applies to all of us right we slip back make bad choices into our carnal wise whatever we can rest on Assurance that we are not always faithful God is faithful God is faithful probably one of the greatest promises God's faithfulness Lamentations 3 21 he said this I recall to mind Jeremiah said it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed his compassions fail not then what does he say they are new every morning I look up and I say God you're merciful today the sun come up God you're faithful today you are going to keep me God's covenant will abide forever God's church is going to Vibe forever if you're a saint of God you're going to be able to abide forever with him the stability and the wherefore are guaranteed not on what you do but the fact that God is faithful if you ever doubt that or you ever need reassurance just look at a calendar yep January February it's going to happen I can't stop it because he's a faithful God go out and watch the days go by and you will understand he is a faithful God aren't you thankful to know that today amen let's stand this getting ready to join us here in just a moment for our connect service before they do why don't you just lift a hand and thank him for his faithfulness he made an arrest in the promise that he's going to be faithful to you so thankful God for the faithfulness of God that never changes you will be there you will be our help you will be our strength that very present help in time and need you will be faithful to us Lord Jesus we trust you in that God and we want to build our lives on it in Jesus name