A Call To Be Faithful

I will start my message today just slightly different than I normally do and I give thanks and honor to all of those that have served today's in this service. Many getting here earlier than 7:30 beginning to prepare for this service and I give honor to each of you. There is a place in Yellowstone National Park that has become famous all over the world. It is known as Old Faithful.

Old Faithful is a geyser, a natural feature that periodically shoots hot water and steam high into the air. When members of the Washburn expedition observed it in 1870, they were so impressed by the regularity of its eruptions that they gave it a name that has endured all of these years. Over 150 years. And they simply called it Old Faithful.

And you may sit today and ask yourself why? Why name it such a name that would live through the centuries and live through culture change and through different seasons of life and through wars and uh through through landscape changes. And all I can tell you is it was named Old Faithful because it demonstrated a pattern of dependable behavior. It kept doing what it was known to do.

It didn't have to erupt at precisely the same minute every time to earn the name. It's timing varied. It is said every 60 to 110 minutes, it will erupt, but its characteristic behavior remained dependable. And I want to preach to somebody today in this great church this morning about the importance of being dependable in our walk with God.

We live in a world where consistency is becoming increasingly rare. People start things and never finish. They make commitments that they never keep. They make promises never to fulfill.

They get excited about something new, but when the excitement wears off, the commitment begins to fade. Some people are faithful when the music's playing, but what happens when the music of life stops playing? We're faithful when the blessings are coming in, but what happens when the battle begins? Some are faithful when the pastor is preaching what they want to hear, but what happens when the word of God confronts something in our lives that needs to change?

Some are faithful when everybody is watching, but what about what happens when nobody's around and nobody sees you? I can stand today on this Sunday and tell you God is looking for an old faithful generation. They are I I FELT LED TODAY TO PREACH UNTO US THAT THERE IS A CALL TO BE faithful going out today in this house. I'm not looking FOR A GENERATION THAT MERELY knows how to shout.

I'm not looking for a generation that merely knows HOW TO WORSHIP WHEN EVERYTHING IS JUST PERFECT and just right. I'm not looking for a generation that I'm preaching to that just knows how to serve God when everything is right. But what God is looking for, and I feel compelled to share, he is looking for a people who will remain faithful. I've come to preach TODAY TO THE FABRIC OF OUR CHURCH THAT WE MUST LET OUR LIFE EARN THE TESTIMONY OF FAITHFULNESS.

When people look at our lives, let them see somebody who still prays. Who still worships, who still lives holy, who still believes the word OF GOD, WHO STILL LOVES GOING TO CHURCH, WHO LOVES THE CHURCH, WHO STILL BELIEVES IN REACHING for the lost, and who just walks with God every single day. I know I look across this vast audience, and I I I believe I could get a get an amen. You may not be the most talented in the church.

YOU MAY NOT HOLD A VISIBLE POSITION in the church. YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE GREATEST PLATFORM OF INFLUENCE, BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, YOU CAN STILL BE FAITHFUL. God's looking for faithfulness, not just your ability. 1 Corinthians 4:2 is where I will where I will jump off into the deep waters today, and it simply says, "Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful."

Now, I want you to notice what the apostle said. "It is required." It's required. He did not say that faithfulness is an option.

He did not say it was just required for the preachers, the pastors, the teachers, singers, you know, if you're serving ministry, if you're in leadership, he said that a steward must be found faithful. What is a steward? It's someone entrusted with something that belongs to another. Everything, hear me today, church, everything God has placed in our hands is a responsibility that we must handle faithfully.

God has entrusted us with time. He has entrusted us with our families. He has entrusted us with opportunities to serve. He has entrusted us with the truth of the word of God.

He has entrusted us with the mission of reaching a lost and a dying world. And what I've come to you today, I FEEL WITH A QUESTION FROM THE throne room today, and it's simply this, can I trust you with what I placed in YOUR HANDS? CAN I TRUST YOU WITH WHAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU? THE MOMENT THAT YOU'RE LIVING IN, THE MOMENT THAT I HAVE PUT INTO YOUR HANDS, can I trust you with it?

Can I trust you to pray when nobody has to remind you to pray? Can I trust you to live right when your friends start living wrong? Can I can can can I trust you to protect the unity of the church when division tries to creep in? Can I trust you to keep believing when the answer takes longer than you planned or expected?

These are These are things that went over in my spirit last evening because I I I understand the trap in the church today. We often celebrate the ability. We often celebrate the talent, the gifting, the achievement, the Come on. But I'm telling you today, God's putting tremendous value on faithfulness.

You can be You can be and still inconsistent. You can sing, but you can still be inconsistent. YOU CAN KNOW THE BIBLE and still be inconsistent. You got position in the church and still be inconsistent.

BUT WHEN GOD LOOKS AT OUR LIVES, HE'S NOT MERELY ASKING, "WHAT CAN YOU DO?" HE'S LOOKING AT WHETHER HE CAN DEPEND ON YOU TO DO WHAT HE'S CALLED YOU TO DO. HERE'S WHAT I Here's my assessment of life and and ministry and pastoring over the last almost 17 years now, November the 1st. Faithfulness will be determined in what you do with the little things.

He that is faithful in that which is least, Luke 16:10, is faithful also in much. We sometimes imagine that faithfulness will be demonstrated through some great moment. We think about a big sacrifice. We think about, you know, a great revival.

We want to see a 100 soul revival. Yes, we want to see the whole WORLD SAVED. WE WANT THAT EXTRAORDINARY miracle or that testimony that that's different from everybody else. And boy, oh boy, they got when they got the testimony of all testimony.

Boy, if I had that testimony, God would use me. Boy, if I had their story, be careful what you ask for. You don't know what how they go to bed every night and what they wrestle with in their brain. Yeah, YOU SEE THEM TODAY IN THEIR SUIT, but you don't know the hell they've been through to GET WHERE YOU'RE AT TODAY.

FAITHFULNESS IS OFTEN DEMONSTRATED IN JUST ORDINARY MOMENTS WHEN NOBODY'S AROUND. THEY SEE YOU TODAY, BUT THEY DON'T SEE THE LIMP AND THEY DON'T SEE THE STRUGGLE. THEY DON'T SEE WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH AND THE TORMENT THAT YOU FIGHT THROUGH EVERY DAY JUST TO KEEP YOUR MIND INTACT. THEY DON'T KNOW THE PRIVATE BATTLES THAT YOU WAGE WAR IN THE SPIRIT.

THEY DON'T know the hours you get up and pray when you really want to sleep. They don't know what what what it took for you to get your family to church today. But I see you in the house. I SEE YOU BEING FAITHFUL.

I SEE THE STRUGGLE. I SEE THE FAMILY. I see THE CHILDREN AND I SEE IT AND I'M LIKE, "Oh God, THEY MADE IT. THEY GOT HERE.

THEY DROVE OVER AN HOUR TO GET HERE, BUT THEY'RE HERE." OH. WOAH WOAH WOAH woah woah. What about opening that Bible when nobody's looking, brother Christian?

What about keeping that word when it would be easier to break the word? Ooh. Faithful is not always spectacular. But it is always significant.

I'm going to say Can y'all hear me? Faithfulness is not always spectacular. You're not going to many times get a pat on the back, brother Boson. But it's significant.

I said it's significant. The great moments of faithfulness ARE BUILT UPON THOUSANDS OF LITTLE decisions in obedience to God. Little things. When nobody's watching, I'm still going to be faithful.

Nobody really care, I'm still going to be faithful. Don't you despise the little things, church? Your daily prayers do matter. That private devotion in that chair that nobody's ever seen, that sit you sit IN EVERY DAY, THAT CLOSET YOU MAKE YOUR WAY TO, THAT MOMENT OF SACRIFICE, YOU YOUR DEVOTION MATTERS.

Your integrity matters. Your commitment to family AND YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR FAITHFULNESS TO CHURCH, it matters. You may feel nobody's noticed your consistency. But I can tell you that heaven hadn't overlooked it.

I said heaven hadn't looked overlooked it. Let me tell you how powerful faithfulness is. You want a church tomorrow? We want a legacy in a few years?

We want to see buildings built that we hadn't seen built yet? It ain't going to just happen cuz we wish it would happen. It ain't going to happen because it's a good idea. It's going to happen because men and women, boys and girls, young and old BUYING TOGETHER AND SAY, "WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE A LEGACY OF FAITHFULNESS THAT THERE WILL BE A CHURCH WHEN WE'RE GONE."

WHEN I TOOK MY LAST BREATH, THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE A CHURCH THAT THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST. IT'S GOING TO BE BECAUSE WE REMAINED FAITHFUL. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN because our FAITHFULNESS IS A TESTIMONY TO THE NEXT GENERATION. I do not want faithfulness to end with us.

I do not want faithfulness become an option. I want the body to feel your absence when you're not here. I hate to tell you you got your new front row seat. And when you ain't there, and when you ain't there, we miss your presence.

When you ain't in that seat, we miss it. That's your seat. Now, somebody may come in and take it next Sunday, and we're going to move on down the line. We'll put a chair up here if we have to.

That's how important faithfulness is. Because I do not know who's going to walk in next Sunday, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO GOD'S GOING TO CONNECT US WITH. BUT WHEN THEY GET HERE, I WANT THEM TO LOOK AROUND AND SEE, "MAN, I SEE GRAY HAIRS, and I see little kids. I SEE THE YOUNG, AND I SEE THE OLD, AND THEY'VE ALL THEY'RE ALL IN THIS WORSHIPING, PRAISING, AND MAGNIFYING.

THERE MUST BE SOMETHING HERE WORTH BEING FAITHFUL FOR. YOU GOT TO GET CONVINCED WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS WORTH BEING FAITHFUL FOR. Judges 2:10. It's the It's the story that It's the story written by every generation.

But it's the story I want to refer to this morning. It's the story that tells of another generation that arose after Joshua's generation. The Bible says, "Which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel." So, I I have to ask myself, and I preach from this so many times, but I begin to deal with it just a little bit different in this message.

This generation There was a generation that had witnessed the works of God. But they died. They passed off the scene. And another generation come THAT DIDN'T KNOW THE GOD OF THE GENERATION WHO WAS now in the grave.

I'll never forget walking my precious grandmother to the cemetery. Pastor Jerry Sullivan walking with me. And he would walk beside me, and they were leading that body out, and we were about to commit her body to the ground, a cemetery right outside the church there at Pleasant Ridge. And he would look at me AS WE WALKED OUT THE DOOR.

I'll never forget it. It's made a lasting impression. We're walking out, and he said, "Brother Brent, I don't know about this modern-day church." And we're just walking.

He said, "But I can tell you there's a church in that ground out there. We're about to bury your grandmother out here, and there's a church in this ground that when that trumpet sounds, they're going to get up out of that ground. I know how they lived and I know how they believed. I know how they depended upon God.

While it was a compliment, it was a convicting moment in my life and it seared something in my spirit. I refuse to let MY GRANDPARENTS AND MY MOTHER AND FATHER BE WHERE THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD ENDS. THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING THAT RESURRECTS IN ME THAT WOULD SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT? IT CAN'T BE.

THERE'S A CHURCH OUT THERE IN THE CEMETERY. THERE'S AN UNCLE GLENN BURIED OUT THERE WHO BELIEVED. THERE'S A GRANDMOTHER SOMEWHERE OUT THERE THAT BELIEVED." NO, THERE'S A CHURCH TODAY TRIUMPHANT.

THERE'S A CHURCH WHO STILL BELIEVES ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM. IT CANNOT END WITH US. IT CAN'T END WITH US. HOW DID IT END?

How did it cease to come forth from them to be passed on? How How did it happen? I can tell you what happened. They got rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing.

They started living off the the promises of God and forgot who the promise keeper was. They forgot who had made the covenants and made the promises and they got entangled in the world in which they lived. We cannot afford to be faithful only for ourselves. I said we can't be faithful only for ourselves.

We must be faithful for the sake of those coming behind us. Our children needs to see more than a Bible sitting on a table closed. They need to see a Bible open and the word feeding our hearts. They need to see parents that know how to pray.

They need to see mamas and daddies that know how to worship. I'm preaching on a call to be faithful. I I'm telling you today, when I saw these babies, I call them babies, these kids I've watched born and now watching them grow up, when I see them worship, you know what it says to me as a pastor? Our worship's in good hands.

They've been watching somebody. Have they been watching you? Has your worship influenced them? Well, it's just a hand clap, pastor.

You don't understand what that means. You don't understand how important your leap is. You may minister to a young man or a young lady that's going through suicidal thoughts, walking through the battle of depression, walking through so MANY MENTAL BATTLES OF HARMING THEMSELVES PHYSICALLY, BUT WHEN they come in and they see YOU WORSHIPPING GOD, YOU MAY BE THE ONE THAT SAYS, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY GOT, BUT I WANT IT. WHAT THEY'VE GOT SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN ME."

IT'S A CALL TO BE FAITHFUL. YOU MAY NOT THINK NOBODY'S WATCHING, BUT THEY ARE. MAMAS AND DADDIES RISE TO THE OCCASION AND SHOW YOUR BABIES HOW TO WORSHIP. WHETHER YOU FEEL like it or not.

They need to see our homes and our God. They need to see us forgive. They need to see us repent. They need to see us worship and remain committed to truth.

It's a call to be faithful. Our children need to know that serving God is not a phase we go through. Well, you can make it about 3 years and that's about as far as you can go. You need to rebuke that devil in the name of Jesus.

The curse stops here. I'm making up my mind that I'm going TO LIVE FOR GOD AND I'M KICKING EVERY DEVIL in the teeth IN THE PROCESS. I REFUSE TO GIVE MY FAMILY TO A WORLD AND MAKE IT 3 YEARS AND FALL OUT. MAKE IT TO AND I COME AGAINST THERE'S A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS THAT ARISE UP IN THE PEOPLE OF GOD.

HE SAYS, "COME HELL OR HIGH WATER, I'M GOING TO BE IN THE CHURCH. YOU CAN'T OFFEND ME OUT OF THE CHURCH. YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT ME OUT OF THE CHURCH." THIS IS MY CALL TO FAITHFULNESS.

THIS IS WHERE I BELONG. THIS IS MY PLACE. [panting and gasps] WE'RE NOT JUST BUILDING A A BUILDING FOR THIS GENERATION. We are establishing a testimony that can influence generations to come.

Let our children be able to say, "Yes, we were faithful." I can say my grandparents were faithful. I can say my parents were faithful. But here's what I'll tell you.

It ain't always been easy living at my house. It ain't always been easy living at mom and daddy's house. There were times that they could have took fault with what was going on and backslide. But you know, times got tough.

They just made up in their mind. I'm going to trust God in this. That's where I belong. This is what God's doing.

Culture changed, they stayed with the word. When the enemy fought, they still went to prayer meeting. Schedules changed, they worked their schedule around the kingdom of God and what God was doing. When the road got difficult, they still they still walked with God.

That old spirit of of Enoch, just walking with God. We And this what hit me in the Holy Ghost, Brother Adam. Brother Adam, you you served our you served our youth department. State director of our youth, youth president.

Brother Connie Brother Zach, you serve our section as we speak. We cannot guarantee that this next generation will make every right decision. But here's what hit me in the spirit. We can make sure they have witnessed what faithfulness it looks like.

You can't make the decision for them, but you can show them what it looks like. [gasps and snorts] You can show them what faithfulness looks like. Talk about that's okay, I'm still going to be faithful. Gossip if you will, get jealous if you will, I'm still going to be faithful.

I found a place I can be faithful at. Because here's the truth, it's much like submission. Submission is not true submission when we both agree. Submission is when you don't agree and you're still submitted.

That's what submission is. It's kind of like faithfulness. I'll flip that and say that's what faithfulness is. Faithfulness is Faithfulness is really not faithfulness when things are good.

Faithful is when things aren't. They don't go as planned. They don't go as you thought, but you're still faithful. Anybody can get excited.

Oh, I'm faithful, everything's going good. It's easy to praise God when the report's good, but when What What about when the report's bad? What about Oh, but Lord, our savings account is like this. Bills are paid.

We're living in the overflow. But can you be faithful when there is no overflow and you're going to the meal barrel and every day you go, you're you're dipping just enough for today. And God says, you just keep coming and I'll keep being faithful to you. You just keep believing and I'll be the God I'll be JEHOVAH JIREH.

I'LL PROVIDE FOR YOU IF YOU'LL JUST keep being faithful. The prayers sometimes are easy to to pray when you get a few answers just immediately. But being faithful in prayer is when he's silent. And you don't know where he's at and you don't know how he's moving, but you keep being faithful.

What happens when you prayed and the answer hadn't come? Those are questions I'm bringing to you today on this call to be faithful. What happens when you've done everything you know to do and it still hasn't changed? You prayed for healing, but the tumor's got bigger.

You pray for the situation to change and it's got worse. You're you're praying for victory and it looks like you're surrounded by defeat. This is where faithfulness is tested. This is where you have to you've got to make up in your mind.

I will be faithful no matter what. I bring to you one biblical character as a reference. Daniel tells us the book of Daniel tells us in Daniel 6 and 10 that when Daniel knew the decree had been signed that would prohibit prayer to anyone except the king, he went into his house. Bible would give us the instruction that he opened his windows toward Jerusalem and he prayed three times a day.

But it did not just leave it there. He did not leave it there for us to consider, but he put words there. Four words, seemingly insignificant. He gave thanks before his God, comma, as he did aforetime.

Daniel did not begin praying because he was in trouble. He was already a man of prayer. He didn't suddenly develop a prayer life when the lions' den became the possibility of his fate for his obedience to God. His relationship with God was already established.

When the pressure came, Oh, help me right now, spirit of the living. When the pressure came, his pattern was already set. When the law changed and the decree went out, there was one thing about Daniel, his devotion did not change. WHEN THE THREAT WAS SO IMMINENT, if you pray, you're going to the lions' den.

You know what Daniel's did Daniel's commitment did? It remained settled. It remained steadfast. Daniel was not going to let a new crisis change an established relationship with God.

And as I sat last night and I looked over and I prayed as I read as aforetime. He did as he did aforetime. I said, "God, this church needs people who have already just made up their minds." You just got to make up your mind.

Before the crisis ever comes, you got to make up your mind, "I'm going to pray." Well, there's pressure, pastor. I You got to make up in your mind, "I'm going to live for God." Well, you don't know how bad I've been tempted.

You don't know the temptation. You just got to make up your mind, "I'm going to honor God as I have aforetime." Well, you don't know what I'm facing at school. You don't know what my high school peers You don't know what they're doing to me.

You don't know what they're trying to convince me to do. You got to make up in your mind, I'm going to live for God and remain under the authority of the word of God. Every time the enemy tries to come in and and contaminate and threaten your peace, you've got to you've got to make up in your mind, I'm going to trust the Lord as I have a four time. Daniel was not faithful just because he he would escape the li- He didn't know he was going to escape.

He didn't know that he was going to wake up the next morning and he was going to God was going to stand beside him and there would be an angel of the Lord and that the lion's mouth was going to be shut and they would not harm him. No, he was faithful because he knew who he served. He knew if I die here, my next breath will be on the other side. And this is the kind of faithfulness we need in our church.

We need as individuals. We don't serve God merely because he always gives us the outcome that we desire. We serve him because he is worthy. Because he he is Lord.

His word is true. We serve him. Your faithfulness, hear me today church, cannot be based upon your feelings. Your feelings will trump the spirit every time.

Why? Because feelings change, but he doesn't. One day you may feel strong, the next day you may feel exhausted. One day you may believe and the next day you're praying, Lord, I believe but help thou my unbelief.

ONE DAY YOU MAY FEEL ENCOURAGED and the next day, Lord, I feel like my world is crumbling on me. There are days when worship will come easily. There are days that you're going to you're going to have to remind yourself, bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Faithfulness means that our commitment to God is deeper than our temporary emotions.

You cannot live for God on an emotional roller coaster. You cannot live for God and be effective in the kingdom living like that. When you're having a bad day, when you walk out of your house, put a smile on your face. You don't know who you're going to see that needs to see your smile.

You don't know who's going to need your influence, your worship, but if you walk around with your lip about to touch the bottom of the And people are like, "I thought they had the Holy Ghost. They sure don't look like it." I thought God had redeemed them and had God had had saved them and didn't they used to be didn't they used to be strung out on drugs and didn't they used to be this and didn't they used to be and we look like we've lost our best friend. What would happen if faithful people, even though they grow weary according to scripture, Bible speaks on it.

Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. I'm not saying today that faithful people will never grow weary, but what I am saying that when we grow weary, we we turn to the strength of the Lord rather than running from it, we run to it because he's never left us nor forsaken us and I can tell you in the spirit, there is a harvest connected to your willingness to endure. Do you want a harvest that's connected to endurance or do you want the harvest connected TO WEARINESS? I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH A HARVEST CONNECTED TO WEARINESS, BUT what I want to do and what I'm begging THIS CHURCH IS IF THEY WOULD GET A CALL TO BEING FAITHFUL and say, "God, I MAY BE WEARY, BUT HERE'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

I'M GOING TO KEEP PRAYING. I'M GOING TO KEEP BELIEVING. I'M GOING TO KEEP SERVING. I'M GOING TO KEEP LOVING.

I'M GOING TO KEEP STANDING BECAUSE THERE IS A HARVEST CONNECTED TO MY ENDURANCE. There's something connected to my endurance. It's connected to it. Don't allow a temporary season of difficulty to make a permanent decision in your devotion to God.

I'm trying to come to a close. I'll go back to the story. I'll go back to the story in which I started with. Old Faithful always keeps us pointing back to his name.

The geyser does not have to announce its name every time it erupts. It does not have to tell people what it's called. Its pattern of behavior is what gives it the reputation. Think on that.

It earned the name by what it repeatedly did. And so today is a day full of questions. What kind of reputation is your life developing? Not what we say about ourselves, but what does our pattern of living demonstrate?

Do people know that we can be trusted? Does our family know that we will pray? Do people know that our word means something? Does Does our community see a difference in the way that we live?

When somebody talks about our walk with God, is faithfulness one of the first things that come to their mind? Revelation 2 and 10, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." My when I look at that scripture and I look at If I could just defend and define being faithful is a lifetime calling. It means I'm not going to live for God only while I'm And then when I get 18, I'm out the house, I'm going to just do whatever I want to do.

I'm going to serve him my whole life. I'm going to be committed only when I'm receiving recognition. Nah. I'm going to be You know, when I got a mic in my hand then I'll be committed.

Oh, this I'll I'll I'll be faithful as long as I'm on the schedule. I intend to walk with him all the way. Here's what I asked the Lord last night and I and I pray that you will you will catch this. I want to finish this race with my faith intact.

Paul wrote to young Timothy, "I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith." Paul was looking back over a life filled with opposition.

Paul was looking over the the prisons, the the hardships, the shipwrecks, the persecutions, the sacrifices of life, and he did not say that the journey had always been easy. He but but he wrote, "I KEPT THE FAITH." "I MAY HAVE HAD A ROUGH START, AND I MAY HAVE DONE SOME THINGS I'M NOT PROUD OF, BUT WHEN HE GOT MY ATTENTION ON THAT ROAD OF DAMASCUS, I ANSWERED THE CALL OF FAITHFULNESS. I ANSWERED THE CALL AND I NEVER LOOKED BACK.

I never picked another sword to to take anyone's life for their faith, but I spent the rest of my life trying to convince whoever I come in contact with to believe in the Christ who saved me." Some people begin this journey with great enthusiasm, but lose their commitment along the way. I don't want to become a flash in the pan. I don't want to become just something.

I don't want experiences, the difficulties, and setbacks, AND PAINFUL SEASONS that I can explain and that I can't [sighs and gasps] I want everything that happens to keep me returning to the Lord who is faithful and keep pressing forward. I want to be among those that finish and finish well. I want this church to be a church where the saints are still standing when the years have passed. I want it to be known this church knows how to pray.

This This church knows how to stand in the gap and make make up the hedge. These know how to pray and pray for the sick. They know how to worship, and they know how to reach the lost. They know how to teach our children.

They believe in the power of the Holy Ghost. THEY LIVE A GODLY and separated life unto him. WE LIFT UP THE NAME of Jesus, not occasionally, but on a daily basis. Let us be known not only for how we worship in a service, but how faithful we walk with God outside after the service is over.

When we walk in our jobs, when we walk in our communities, when we walk in the coffee shop, let our testimony speak a life of faithfulness. I could go on and on and on, but I'll come quickly to a close. Wow. I've been talking for the last 30-plus minutes about being faithful to God.

But the reason we can remain faithful is that our God has always been faithful to us. Old Faithful is a geyser with a name given to it by people. Its interruptions Its eruptions are governed by natural processes. Its intervals can vary, but the faithfulness of our God is not a natural phenomenon.

I read last night before I laid my head on my pillow, it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. OH, JEREMIAH WOULD PEN THOSE WORDS IN THE MIDDLE OF DEVASTATION.

JERUSALEM HAD JUST suffered terrible destruction. The circumstances WERE PAINFUL. IT WASN'T IN A TIME OF FRUITFULNESS. The future looked uncertain.

But in the middle of sorrow, Jeremiah took a trip down memory lane and remembered the faithfulness of God. And what he was essentially declaring, everything around me may have changed, but God HASN'T CHANGED. EVERYTHING AROUND ME MAY BE UNCERTAIN, BUT GOD IS CERTAIN AND TRUE. He has been faithful through every season.

As I look back over my life, as you look back over your life, think about the prayers that he has answered. Think about the times he did rescue you. Think about THE PLACES YOU SHOULD BE TODAY, but you're not. Think about a life that you deserved, but he said, No, I've got something better prepared for you.

And he if he has been faithful in your past, you have every reason to trust him in your future. Oh, you don't know where I'm at today. You don't know where I'm going through. Has he ever been faithful to you?

If he has, stand to your feet. If he's ever been faithful, stand all over this house. OH, YOU DON'T KNOW, PASTOR, WHAT MY FAMILY'S GOING THROUGH. YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE MY KIDS ARE.

You don't know how they're strung out. You don't know the decisions I've got to make THIS WEEK. YOU DON'T KNOW. I KNOW I DON'T, but I can look back and I can take a fresh assessment that he has never left me, nor forsaken me.

He is THE STORY HE IS ON THE THRONE HIGH AND LIFTED UP. HE DESERVES our obedience. He still deserves our commitment. He deserves more than whatever is left over after we've given our best energy to everything.

He deserves our best. Not just what we have left over. If he's been faithful, he deserves first place in your life. If he's been faithful, he needs you to make a trip back to an altar and come in covenant with his faithfulness.

If he's been faithful, we owe it to him to be faithful. If you could imagine with me standing in Yellowstone National Park and watching Old Faithful erupt, impressed by the display, pictures preserved as a memory, you return home with a memory that you will never forget. But the memory really isn't the significance. The real significance of that geyser is not the single eruption that you witnessed.

It's the dependable pattern that will take place day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. The saddest tale that could be written is someone you invited to church walking in and asking where's so-and-so? And they're not here. Where's brother so-and-so?

I hate to tell you they used to come, but they don't come. Oh, they used to tell me how great your church was. They used to tell me how great the presence of God was. They used to tell me how great the singing and how great the spirit of God, how great I know.

Something come along and distracted and then discouraged. I thought they were all They didn't know it, but they were all faithful in my life. I never told them, but I depended on their conversations and their prayers. And I'm so sorry.

Those of you that are standing in the altar I thank you. Those that are standing in your seats, I'm thankful. I want you to hear it from pastor today. We must never confuse a moment of power with a lifetime of faithfulness.

The altar is a place where we can renew our commitment, and that's what we're going to do. And I want to invite everybody. This altar is where we're going to renew our commitment. But it can't stop here.

It can't stop here. It's got to go with us out the door. Brother Hayward, it can't stop Brother Brother White, it can't stop here. Sister Tammy, it can't stop here.

The altar's where we renew our commitment. But faithfulness is demonstrated by how we live after we leave the altar. You may been serving for God for God 40 years, keep being faithful. But you may have only served God for 4 minutes.

Keep being faithful. It doesn't matter what end of the spectrum you're on. Maybe you just recently came back to God. Maybe you just reunited with your calling and your purpose.

Where God has placed you and God's allowed your roots to go down here and your branches to grow up here. Be faithful. Your story's not over. Your story's not over.

There's a new chapter you're getting ready to You're fixing to get right. You're getting ready to write a new chapter. You're getting ready to write a new chapter in your life. But if I'm preaching to you today and you sit on this side of the aisle, if you failed, can I just tell you to repent and get back up?

Don't stay down in defeat. Don't let Don't let the pain of yesterday. Don't let the weariness of the trial keep you where you are. If you've fallen, repent and get back up.

If you've grown weary, that's what the altar's for. It's to get your strength back and you answer the call to be faithful. You answer THE CALL TO SAY YES TO THE WILL OF GOD. If you're honest with yourself today and you say, "Pastor, I've got distracted."

Get your attention back upon the word. Get your attention back upon the promises of God. If you've let trials and disappointment cool the embers that once burned bright in your life, bring that disappointment to the altar. The answer to unfaithfulness is not to pretend that nothing is wrong.

It's to repent. It's to turn back to God and renew your commitment to him. I want us to become a church where faithfulness is not the exception, but the expectation. Every time them doors are open, you're expected to be here.

Every time there's something going on at the church, you're expected to be here. Not not on the long list of things if I get to you know what, I'll try to work that. No, it's a it's an expectation. Because what we do today will affect our tomorrows.

What we establish in our children and in our families will affect our future. I don't want to be remembered as somebody who once prayed, but I want to be the one who still prays, who's still faithful, who still worships, who still remembers where God found me. Would you lift up your hands all over this house? There's a call to be faithful.

I said there's a call going out to make room for more. Why don't we just press forward in this house? Take a couple steps forward. Take that step Sing with them.

Repent from your heart. Let your emotions God. Let your emotions be anchored in him today. I'll say yes.

Come on. I said I said That's what I want. That's what I'll be. Can I invite Let's come close.

Let's come closer to the altar. Let's press our way. Let's you take a few steps forward. Save room for some more that want to come.

There's a call going forth. There's a commitment in your family. There's a commitment in your marriage. There's a commitment in your children.

I'm going to be what that so called to be faithful. I'm going to be I'm going to be faithful in my time. I'm going to be faithful in my talent. I'm going to be faithful in my treasure.

That's it, church. Let this altar call change you. Let this altar call change. Lord, I agree.

What's your desire today? What are they? Be what you want me to be. That's what I'm going to be, God.

Why don't you just begin to connect with somebody right now? Lay your hand on somebody's shoulder if it's appropriate. That's it. That's it.

That's it. That's it, brother Christian. There's a generation rising up. There's a generation answering the call.

That's it. This is him. This is him. That's him, Luke.

That's him, Mason. That's him. That's him. Lord, I will.

That's him, Brother John Dory. That's him. That's him, Brother McDaniel. That's him.

Would you make that commitment today all across this nation? I'll say yes. I want to tell you today as we prepare to leave, there is a reward for faithfulness. I said there is a reward for faithfulness.

There is a crown beyond the current conflict that you face. There is a home beyond this journey that we're on. One day the songwriter said this gravel will turn to gold. There is a day coming when the struggles of this life will be over.

The faithful will stand in the presence of the Lord and all I want to hear him say is well done thou good and faithful servant. He's not going to say well done thou good and faithful talented singer, thou good successful businessman, thou good and faithful popular individual. No, he's going to say thou good and faithful servant. May we go this week being the hands and the feet of our Lord, a servant of the master.

May our faces, may the glow of his presence shine forth from us and may we leave an lasting impact on those that God will bring our way. May our testimonies flow through us as we share what God has done and as we do we bring glory and honor unto him and we will remain faithful until he comes. In Jesus' name Lord, keep us. Keep us in the palm of your hand.

Keep us God under the shadow of the almighty and God may you lead and guide us, direct us into all truth and may this truth keep marching on. Be faithful as we are faithful. Mhm.