Faithful

I pray for our church and other churches.  Among other things, I ask the Lord to help us obtain and retain men and women who will make up the joints and bands of our ministries, Col 2:19.  It is through these folks God can accomplish the vision he has for each of our local churches.

One character trait that these people must have is faithfulness.  1 Cor 4:2 says, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful”.  To be faithful is to be firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty.

Moses was the first man that God described as faithful, Num 12:7.  The Lord said of Moses that he was “faithful in all mine house”.  We know from studying Moses, as he led the children of Israel into and through the wilderness, that he did everything he was told to do the way he was told to do it.  Notice how many times the phrase, “as the Lord commanded Moses” (or similar) is written in Ex 39-40. 18 times.  And then Ex 40:33 says, “So Moses finished the work”.

Of Samuel, the Lord said, “I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind”, 1 Sam 2:35.  Faithfulness, clearly, is understanding what you’ve been given to do and executing it exactly the way the Lord, or the person who gave you the duty, wants you to do it.

Other notable faithful men were David, 1 Sam 22:14, Hananiah, Neh 7:2, Abraham, Neh 9:8, the treasurers, Neh 13:13, Daniel, Dan 6:4, Timothy, 1 Cor 4:17, Tychicus, Eph 6:21, etc. All of these served God faithfully to get his work done.

In the gospels, the Lord commends faithful servants.  They start out with something small to do and, as they prove their faithfulness, they are given more responsibility and authority.  He makes them rulers over more in his millennial reign than they oversaw in their stewardship.

Therefore, take care to do the small things you are given to do.  In time, you will be given more responsibility and you will be more beneficial to the ministry.

One of the servants Paul commended is Onesimus.  In Phile 10-11, he had been unprofitable to Philemon.  But after Paul led him to the Lord, and spent time with him, he became a faithful and beloved brother, Col 4:9.

So, even if you weren’t faithful in the past, you can become very profitable to the ministry as you grow and learn to take care of the things for which you are responsible.

To continue the work of the ministry beyond our years of service, we have to pass along that which has been committed to us.  Paul wrote that we must commit these things to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also, 2 Tim 2:2.

I am thankful for the men and women the Lord has brought our way to carry on in the work of the ministry he has given us.  We are grateful for your faithfulness.