Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness | Eric Mtimkulu

Well, good morning everybody. Please greet the person in front

of you, next to you. Just say hello, smile and say

hello. And there are two things I want

to do this morning before we there are two things I want to

do this morning before we jump to to the word of the Lord this

morning. Yeah, Firstly, just to

acknowledge that I'll please stand.

He is he is a mentor of mine. He didn't tell me what's coming.

He just came. And I've known him for many

years and anti apartheid activist is social justice

warrior, good friend of mine, but also a mentor of mine for

many years. He officiated our wedding in

2008. That's an amazing man.

Well, thank you. And as you know, this week, it

was the IT was the global, the global conference where our

friends from America and Europe and many parts of Africa

gathered in Somerset, W at New Gen.

And so at this point, I'm going to invite Zob and Lynn to come

just to share their experience and what stood out for them.

I'm also going to ask Pet to also come because on Friday they

had a Next Gen. session for leaders as well.

So I'm going to ask Pat also to come to share as well.

Just with that, Mike. OK, let's do this one.

Let's take this one. Well, good morning.

Well, we've headed Lynn and, and Eric and Zuki, we, we had a

wonderful time at the advance conference.

And so again, this, as Eric was saying, it's, it's, it's a

advance is really a movement of, of bringing a number of churches

worldwide together, churches that have the same DNA but with

1 accord. And that is to, to, to raise up

leaders to, to raise up new believers to disciple and, and

just keep expanding the churches that we have.

And so it was awesome just to see how this was actually

happening with over different parts of the world.

And that advance itself has got so many resources.

And they did their greatest desire is just to build churches

up, establish churches, build people up and and make us more

and more mature, more and more like Christ becoming better

leaders and then in in turn leading others and and and and

expanding the church that way. So it's seeing this large number

of churches represented was awesome in itself.

And then the second thing, there was a number of things, but I

can only share too because of the time, but the just seeing we

had at the maximum, I think was about 850 delegates in this one

venue and just seeing everybody with the same accord of just to

want you to glorify God. That in fact, the whole

conference was glorifying God. It's good, you know, expanding

churches and numbers and things like it's got nothing to do with

people. It's all about God and, and, and

and how God has worked and so just seeing everyone just

raising their voices with 1 accord all together was

absolutely inspiring. Thanks God.

I think also what struck me, you know, we're still a very small

church and I think we don't tend to look at the bigger picture.

And so to be in a place with, I think there was something like,

I know there were 27 countries represented throughout the

world. And I think there were so many

churches that came from Africa because it was more affordable

to come to Cape Town rather than to go overseas.

And then you'd like Job said, you, everybody is there

glorifying God. And so you realize you're part

of this bigger picture. Each one of us has got our part

to play where sometimes we look at it and think, Oh gosh, we, we

really small, we can't do anything.

But through the, the various testimonies that people gave,

the one that struck me most was Eritrea, where they are

incredibly persecuted. The guy who stood up said he had

been arrested four times, twice was about to be executed.

But again, God saved him. And so we heard stories like

that and everybody just gave the glory to God the whole time.

And I think that's what we must remember.

We are here to spread the word of God.

And I think the the whole conference, it was called to

further together. I keep thinking future together,

further together. And and I think that's what we

must remember. It's together.

We've got help, We've got we're part of a big thing.

God would never place us on our own.

And the the one thing that I do remember, the one Speaker he

said, Jesus is king, not family, not church and not mission.

And I thought I'd leave you with that.

Is he your king? Because that's what he's got to

be. It's about our relationship,

one-on-one with with God, with Jesus.

Thank you. Yeah.

So we had our session on Friday afternoon, we had a 2 hour

session meeting as the youth leaders of here and then a few

we met one or two from outside of South Africa.

And I think one of the key things for me that really stood

out, and I think we shared the same thing, Manisha and Lindsay

as we're driving back, is that he spoke on strong leadership,

right? And he referenced that there's

three things around leadership that we need to focus on, which

is really your vision, repentance and your deeds.

Like vision was just this beautiful reminder to see God's

direction, you know, as leaders of young people, repentance then

spoken to this beautiful reminder that before God wants

to use us, right, he wants to work in US first.

So that's why it's important for us to continue to repent.

And then he and and then he made a reference to say in our deeds,

right, to remind us that our faith must be lived out through

our actions. And then he went a little bit

further because, you know, such a beautiful session that we had.

And he went a bit further and he reminded us that our Friday

nights is not just about us having this program.

Whoopsie. I'm sure everybody can hear me,

right? Yeah, that is not just about us

running this program, right? But it's really about us making

disciples, sitting with these young people and trying to lead

them into this place of discipleship.

And then he made a reference to Scripture and he said, and he

made reference to 2nd kings Kings Oopsie, chapter 4 right,

which speaks about the widow and the oil.

And he said and he and, and he and made reference and reminded

us rather that scriptures speak that the only time that the oil

stopped flowing right, is when they were out of Charles.

And then and that made a reminder of that God wants to do

more through US, right? And, and, and in order for him

to do that, we need to be conscious of creating that space

where he can do that through us. So, yeah, I think unless Lindsay

and Monetia's got what to add, I think that's what we left with

from the session. Thank you for.

Thank you so much. Joy to belong to a family of

churches. Church, I want you to know that

the gospel is advancing. The gospel is transforming

lives. Many churches are being planted

even in hostile environment. We are seeing gospel fruit in

Africa, but also we are seeing gospel fruits in parts of

Europe. And God is at work.

God is at work. So let us come to the word of

the Lord, Galatians, chapter 5. This is our final message on the

Galatians 5 · chapter mention

on our series on the fruit of the Spirit.

Last week we had Greg Holloway speaking to us about

self-control. And this morning we will look at

faithfulness, the fruit of the Spirit.

So let us read our text. I'm sure you're probably

familiar with this text by now. Colossians chapter 5.

We'll begin reading from verse 22.

But the fruit of the Spirit is Lovejoy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,

self-control. Against such things there is no

law, and those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the

flesh with his passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the

Spirit. Let us not become conceited,

provoking one another or envying one another.

Our gracious Lord, we are so grateful about what you are

doing in many parts of the world.

Thank you O God, we are seeing many lives being transformed by

the power of the gospel, where we are seeing so many healthy

churches being planted, Christ exalting churches, Christ

honoring churches, Christ the centre churches being planted.

So grateful of God for just what you're doing in Africa, what

you're doing in Congo, what you're doing in Zambia, what

you're doing in Cameroon. Lord, God, in so many parts of

this world, we are so, so grateful.

And Lord, even as we come to submit ourselves to your word

this morning, we ask that you would please speak to us and

address our hearts. We ask in Jesus name, Amen.

So this morning again, I'm addressing the subject of

faithfulness and I'm going to address the subjects under 3

headings, the faithfulness of God, faithfulness to God and

faithfulness in community. As you would have heard many of

the other preachers as they were expounding and speaking on each

of these. And again, as a reminder, this

is not just a list. This is not fruits of the

Spirit, rather it is fruit of the Spirit.

And this is because we need all of these virtues and all of the

all of these fruits. And again, they come through the

Holy Spirit as we are joined to Christ.

And the whole purpose is for us really to have a fruitful life.

But I also want you to remind you this morning that as we are

about to talk about this particular fruit, that this is

not a justification issue. Rather it is a sanctification

issue. Yes, you are saved.

Perhaps this morning Christ has redeemed you.

The Spirit has joined you to Christ.

Your salvation is secure and you will never lose your salvation.

But this we're talking about here in relates to

sanctification. It relates to the work that the

Holy Spirit does in us in making us to be more and more like

Jesus Christ. Our justification is declared,

but our sanctification is made. The Holy Spirit is at work in

each of us, making us more and more like Jesus each day.

Church, we haven't arrived because we live in a fallen

world, but also where there is presence of sin and therefore we

haven't arrived. The Lord still needs to do a

work in US. And I'm sure that even as we

talk about faithfulness this morning, you're going to be

reminded of what it means to be faithful.

But also you may also start to think about areas perhaps where

you and I are not faithful and where we need the Spirit work to

help us to be faithful. And that can only happen when we

abide in Christ and as the Holy Spirit works in US.

Therefore, let us first start by defining this word,

faithfulness. In fact, when you look at the

root word as it relates to faithfulness in Galatians 5, in

fact, it translates faith. Interesting enough, it

translates faith in the original.

But when they use the same word in relation to a personal

characteristics, it is the same, a slightly different meaning.

And I think you're going to see it up up there.

Rather, it refers to a virtue, A tendency to respond or behave in

a reliable, trustworthy and dependable manner.

I love that definition. So in essence, trust that in

essence, faithfulness, therefore is loyalty, trustworthiness and

dependability. And I guess if you look at those

words this morning, you may be even wondering, am I loyal, am I

trustworthy, am I dependable? But I want to suggest to this

morning that before you think like that, we think about the

faithfulness of God. Our own faithfulness flows from

the faithfulness of God. So point #1 the faithfulness of

God. Suppose perhaps you were asking

an Israelites who are singing about the faithfulness of God,

and you say to them, Hey, how do you know that Yahweh, the God of

Israel, is faithful? I'm sure the Israelites would

sit you down and tell you many wonderful stories of God's

faithfulness because Israel knew something about the faithfulness

of God. They knew something about a God

who keeps His promises and never breaks His covenant with His own

people. Perhaps the people of Israel

will talk to you about how God kept his promise and brought

them out of Egypt. Perhaps the people of Israel

will tell you about how God brought his judgment against

Egypt as they were exploiting the people of God.

Maybe they would tell you something about how when they

were grumbling against God, rebelling against God in the

wilderness, and yet God gave them food and water to keep them

safe. The Israelites know something

about the faithfulness of God. That is why we see many songs in

the Old Testament that speak about the faithfulness of God.

Israelites know something of that faithfulness that God can

indeed be trusted and in oftentimes because of their sin

and rebellion. God would bring His judgment

against Israel in many instances, but also God would

bring His restoration, fulfilling His promise to His

dear people that He will one day restore them.

When the people of God, for example, worship the golden calf

and Moses is intervening, he's saying, God, Please remember the

promise that you've made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

He's not appealing based on the merits of the people.

Rather, he's appealing to God's reputation and God's

faithfulness. God, please don't let your

judgment fall on these people. Why?

Because God is faithful. When you read the book of

Lamentations, when Jerusalem has been destroyed and the temple is

burned and the people of God found themselves in exile, they

are suffering the consequences of their own sin and yet they

utter this wonderful word. In Lamentations chapter 3, verse

Lamentations 3:22

22, Jeremiah says this. I mean, I, I think it's Jeremiah

who wrote that book anyway. Other people think it's not, but

he says the following. The steadfast love of the Lord

never ceases. His mercies never come to an

end. They are new every morning.

Great is thy faithfulness. It is as though that worship

team knew I was going to preach on faithfulness this morning.

Great is your faithfulness because God is faithful, God is

trustworthy, God is truthful, God is reliable, and all of this

is grounded in His nature, is grounded in His identity.

The psalmist writes the following For the Lord is good,

he is steadfast, love and yours forever, and his faithfulness to

all generations. Saints, the Lord is

faithfulness. The Lord is faithful to Abraham

in moments of doubt and faithlessness.

And when Abraham tells lies, God remained faithful and keeps his

covenant with Abraham. Not only that, he blesses

Abraham as the father of many nations.

Isn't it quite interesting that God is faithful even when we are

faithless? God is faithful even in our

rebellion and sin and wonder, but God remains faithful.

When Sarah knew that she was promised a child, she knew that

God is faithful. For the writer of Hebrews says

the following. And by faith, even Sarah, who

was past a child bearing age, was unable to bear children

because she considered him faithful.

Who made the promise? God is faithful.

Perhaps this morning you have your own story where you've seen

the faithfulness of God in your own life thing for a moment

where God has been faithful in your life in many areas of your

life. Lest you forget that God is

faithful in moments when you know that perhaps this is not

the hand of man. Clearly this is God at work.

Think of moments in your family where you've seen God being

faithful, how God has been faithful to your children, how

God has been faithful to your workplace, how God has been

faithful in many areas of your life where you've seen the

finger of God that God is faithful.

And when you just see the faithfulness of God, you begin

to be reminded that Lord, I don't deserve this.

I didn't get this because I've done anything good, but because

you are faithful, God is faithful.

And the apostle Paul knows something about the faithfulness

of God. He writes in First Corinthians

one verse 9. God is faithful who has called

you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

He writes in First Corinthians 10/13.

God is faithful. He would not let you be tempted

beyond what you can bear, But when you are tempted, He will

also provide you a way out so that you can endure.

Second Timothy chapter 213 says even when we are faithless, he

remains faithful. Maybe this morning you may even

be doubting God's faithfulness, perhaps because of what you are

going through presently. Maybe the circumstances are

pressing and are very difficult at this moment, but may I say to

you this morning, be reminded of this biblical truth that when

man is faithless, God is faithful.

He is worth your trust, for he never breaks His promises.

He will always keep His promises.

His yes is yes, his no is no. Therefore, believe him, God is

faithful. He is faithful because he is

unchanging in nature. God does not change.

He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

And therefore he will keep his promises forever because his

word is true. God never come to us and say,

hey guys, in fact, I made a mistake.

What what, what I've said, actually, it's not what I meant.

He never said that. What he says stands because he

is faithful. God is faithful often to people

who are unfaithful. This is amazing mercy and grace

that God is faithful to people who are unfaithful.

Reminded in Isaiah 49 verse 15, God said can a woman forget her

Isaiah 49:15

nursing child that she had, that she should have no compassion on

the son of her womb. Even though even these may

forget, yet I will not forget you.

A mom can forget the child that she is nursing and God says even

though the mom may do that, listen to this I will not forget

you. Why?

Because I am faithful, I'll not forget you.

So faithfulness means we follow even in highs and lows in life.

So hear me now. Our faithfulness does not flow

from ourselves. Our faithfulness flows from who

God is the Lord who is faithful #2 faithfulness to God.

I think it is correct that is believers, we reason this way,

that because God has been faithful to me by the help of

the Holy Spirit, the ancient of the Holy Spirit, therefore I

ought to also be faithful to him.

I think the apostle Paul makes a similar point.

He writes the following in Colossians 123.

Continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from

the hope of the gospel and the Word.

Continuing here actually means constantly trusting in Jesus.

I do not know what today and tomorrow holds for many of us.

I don't know what next year pass may hold for many of us, but as

we are being reminded of the faithfulness of God, I want to

say to you that is you trust in God.

As you draw near to God, be reminded of the text that was

read this morning. That whatever you may face, they

can never separate you from the love of God.

In sickness, in loss, in lack, in tribulation, in distress, in

suffering, in danger, in persecution, in famine, in

brokenness. Be reminded that you can still

trust Jesus in all of these things.

They will or care. It's not a of matter if they

will care, but also it's a matter of when, because they are

on the way, they are coming. And perhaps some of us this

morning are already experiencing some of this, experiencing

suffering, loss, lack, hardship, brokenness.

But even in those moments we want to cry out.

Like the psalmist, I will trust the Lord faithfulness to God and

in in certain moments of our lives more especially when we

are pressed by suffering, pressed by difficulties, we may

even want to tend back, just like the the the audience of the

book of Hebrews, We may actually want to say, like the audience

of Hebrews, maybe we should go back to Judaism that's better

and leave Christ all together. And the author says no, no, no,

no, no. Guys, listen to me.

Jesus is better than the prophets.

He's better than Abraham. He's better than angels.

He's worth dying for. Judaism is not better.

And often suffering may make us feel that way, that we want to

turn back because the pain is too much.

But I have faith for the Saints here at Common Ground Weinberg

that it will be our resolve, it will be our determination that

Lord, we will not turn back on Christ nor will we desert him.

We will not jump with the ship and forsake him.

No, we will remain committed in following Him no matter the

cost. Elin was sharing about that one

guy who who shared at the conference and he stays in an

island. I think it's a communist island.

Interesting enough. He says, listen, you know they

jail one of us and another one continues to preach.

They kill one of us, another one steps up and preach and the guy

is smiling at this perfect mind. He said, didn't they jail me 4

times? They put me in the container and

he's speaking that with a smile. Oh God, he knows what it means

to be persecuted, to be jailed, and yet he is willing to pay the

cost for the sake of Christ, faithful to him.

Consider with me, for example, John Rogers.

You will see on your screen there a man who was proclaiming

the Gospel, fighting against the wrong doctrines that that the

other bishops we're bringing forth and, and, and, and they

take him and they say to him, John Rogers, can you please

recount what you say? Please say you're not following

Christ. And he said the famous words

there. That which I preach, I will

steal with my blood. They take John Rogers while his

wife and kids are looking and they burn him at the stake

because he said, I will not recount, I believe in Christ.

Therefore I cannot say I do not believe.

I'd rather die faithful to Christ.

What about John Haas, A reformer who fought against the

supremacy, the inherent word of God and before in his death he

said this, these words in the same truth of the Gospel.

I am ready to die today. He says kill me because I

believe in the sufficiency of Scripture, that this is the word

of God. Kill me and he died.

Kill them. What about Lady Christina who

was being accused of neglecting the addicts and those who were

her superiors? They threatened her with death.

That if you do not recount your faith, we will kill you, she

replied, I cared not for my life, and she was beheaded in

three. O 4.

That wonderful woman of faith. Perhaps the last person to

consider John Stott, whom some of us know and are familiar with

the writings of John Stott in his old age when he was

bedridden. And someone comes, a dear friend

goes to Joe's Start and say John's Start, how can I pray for

you? Start replied, Pray that I will

be faithful to Jesus until my last breath.

I will not die faithful. The cost of faithfulness to God.

The psalmist puts it this way in Psalm 119, verse 30.

Psalms 119:30

I have chosen the way of the faithfulness.

I set your rules before me. A faithful Christian obeys God

even when no one else around is obeying.

Another person uses a wonderful phrase.

He says that we should call that a holy stubbornness.

And when others don't want to obey, I will obey.

I, I I told you that in 2008. We stood before that.

The owl as he was officiating our wedding and he asked us to

take vows as we looked at each other and take vows and he asked

us a number of questions. He said to us from have to hold

from this day forward, for better and for worse, for

richer, for poor, in sickness and in hell, to love and to

transform this day forward until death do us apart.

He was saying to us guys, as you step into this, you are

committing yourself to one another, but also there is a

call for you to be faithful to one another.

Even when there's no money, be faithful.

Even when one of you falls sick, you don't say, hey, I didn't

sign up for this. Now I'm jumping ship.

For better, for worse. That's faithfulness that

marriage is that picture of a lasting your loyalty, fast

worthiness in a relationship of those who seek to keep the

promises they've made before God.

And therefore be reminded that my wife and I to remain

faithful. It's not because Eric is a very

good husband, not at all. In fact, it falls short a lot as

a husband and as a father, but I'm always reminded of the

commitment I made to my wife. But also, more importantly, I'm

remaining faithful because God is faithful to me and that the

Holy Spirit being at work in both of us help us to do that.

Well, it's nothing of me, everything of Him.

So let us consider together, perhaps are the areas in our

lives where perhaps we need to be faithful.

And sometimes it can be small things when you promise someone

that, hey, borrow me this thing and I'll bring it back to you.

And it's been over a year and you've not brought it back.

Maybe you're an artisan here. Maybe you are a builder,

whatever your trade is and you are, you are paid to do a

specific job that you ought to be doing.

And you submit the quote to your client and the and the quote

includes some of the most expensive material.

And when you go to Builders warehouse, you buy the cheapest

material. It's in a small things very

faithful. If you code for the expensive,

you buy the expensive. Why you're faithful to Christ

and you know if you're doing that, you are cheating and

defauding others. Therefore it's wrong to do it.

If you like me, if I could speak in tongues, which I don't speak

in tongues, I think every time I would go and see a mechanic I

would preach, I would speak in tongues.

I always get worried when I get to the mechanic, but I know

nothing about cars and sometimes they just look and look and say,

OK, it's 20 grand buddy, how how to get to 20,000.

And maybe that's your trade and you know that the issue is so

small and yet you're charging people more money.

Faithfulness in small things. Maybe as you are sitting here

today, you don't have a driver's license and you've already made

a deal with a traffic officer somewhere to pay something and

to get your driver's license. We don't do those things because

we are faithful to Christ. One pastor said if he were to

ask his own church members who bought licenses, he said he

would not have a church afterwards.

Colossians reminds us it says the following.

Whatever you do, do it with all your heart as though working for

the Lord and not for human masters.

Do everything as though you're working for God.

That brings God's blessing to what you're doing, whether it's

your job, do it faithfully. And therefore church.

I am suggesting that we need faithfulness in our marriages,

faithfulness with our children. We need faithfulness in our

friendships, and we need faithfulness in the church among

God's people because our faithfulness impacts those

around us, those we love, and those we serve, including our

members. This is what I'm saying, that

God's faithfulness motivates us to be faithful.

That's where it flows from. And there are many people in the

Bible who are called faithful. So it's not a strange thing that

believers are called faithful. For example, in Numbers 12,

Daniel 6, Moses and Daniel are called faithful.

The apostle Paul calls Timothy and Silas First Corinthians 4,

Ephesians 6, first Peter 5. He calls them faithful.

These are faithful believers #3 our last point, our faithfulness

in community. I think this points begs 2

questions from us. How can we exhibit faithfulness

towards one another, but also how are we called to be faithful

as brothers and sisters in Christ to each other?

I'm always drawn to the story in Philippians chapter 2, the

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

apostle Paul talking about Timothy, but also talking about

Epaphroditus as well. These wonderful two men who were

faithful. Not just what the apostle Paul

says in Philippians 220 says about Timothy.

I have no one like him. Wow.

I often read things like that and stop words like this.

The apostle Paul says I have no one like Timothy, such a

faithful brother. But also let's be reminded that

he does not say that about everyone in the pastoral

epistles. For example, in Second Timothy

2 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4, the apostle Paul says Dimas in love with the present

world has deserted me and gone to Sectesola Nica.

And then he says, but look alone is with me.

And so Paul says, I have guys that have been with me and some

of them have deserted me. They love the world and they

left. But I have friends who are with

me through thick and thin that even though I am in prison, I'm

not in Hawaii. I am jailed for the sake of the

gospel. I have these people that are

with me, supporting me, praying for me.

And then he says, I have no one like him.

And then it says to the church at Philippine, I commend these

dear brothers to you and Paul. You can see here this wonderful

partnership in the gospel and how the apostle Paul is being

sort of loved and cared for by these men.

And church cannot say that at times the faithfulness can be

rare. I think it's a virtue that we

need to work on and perhaps rediscover and redeem among us

wherever we may find ourselves. But not just as well that he not

only speaks this way about Timothy alone, but also as he

addresses the issue of Ephoditus.

He says the following in verse 25 of Philippines chapter 2.

Not just the words he used to describe this dear brother.

He says to you, my brother, a fellow worker, a fellow soldier,

amazing words that that's who he is to me.

He is my brother, he is my fellow worker because this man

is standing with me side by side in the work of the gospel, but

also in the defence of the gospel as well.

He says this man has cared for me personally, loved me

personally and therefore I commend them to you.

What a wonderful picture of faithfulness in the context of

community. Faithfulness meaning being with

one another in our relationships, in the bonds that

we have as common ground. Weinberg believing the best

about each other, genuinely caring for the welfare of others

in this community because that's who we are.

Fellow soldiers, brothers and sisters, fellow workers in the

gospel, we are not simply acquaintances.

Those people. No, no, no, no, no, no.

We are a family. We are a community of the

Spirit. That's who we are, joined by the

grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore, you may be

wondering this morning then, what does this mean for me?

As we think about Timothy, Paul, and Aphroditus, what does this

mean to me? I think it means three things.

Number one, there must be genuine love for each other.

The apostle Paul reminds us that the only debt that ought to be

remaining among us is the debt of love, and we never fully pay

that debt. We continue to pay the debt of

love each day. #2A genuine concern for each other and where

possible, minister to the physical needs of others.

For the Bible says in Proverbs 1717, a friend loves at all

times. Perhaps in closing, let's be

reminded in closing that to be faithful to God, to be faithful

to others is not an easy thing. Why?

Because we are selfish by nature.

We are so selfish. In fact, we we are quite

prideful people. We are quite proud.

And often the the enemy will tempt us in many areas of our

lives to be unfaithful to Christ.

But thank God that this is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, that

the Holy Spirit produces this in us through the work of the

Spirit as the Lord is sanctifying us.

And if you've been unfaithful in many areas of your life, repent

and I'll repent with you. Because I've been unfaithful in

some areas of my life, I'll repent with you and so would

help us to be faithful. Lord, I want to grow in

faithfulness. I want to grow in faithfulness

in small things so that I can grow in faithfulness in big

things. Help me to be faithful.

The psalmist puts it this way in some 1912 who can discern his

errors? Declare me innocent from my

hidden fault. The psalmist says, listen, show

me my hidden faults. Perhaps they are not evident to

me. Perhaps I may be even unaware of

them. They are hidden from my eyes.

Lord, show me my hidden faults. I I want to see them.

Lay them bare before me. What are my hidden faults?

And please, as I see them produce in me this fruit of

faithfulness, because the one who calls us is faithful.

Our Lord. We are grateful this morning to

be reminded of how faithful you are, great and sovereign King,

you are faithful. Lord, we are so gracious of

your, We are so grateful of your faithfulness.

Even Lord God, as we read the Old Testament, we can just see

throughout as your people constantly went back to false

gods and false worship and how you constantly called them back

to you, restored them, forgive them and release them.

We're so grateful of God to learn of these wonderful

stories, but also God, more importantly, to learn about the

faithfulness of Jesus as the one who motivates our own

faithfulness, that he was faithful, faithful until the

point of death. And so Lord, we pray that help

us to grow in faithfulness. Please produce this in US.

And we're, oh God, we've been unfaithful.

We ask you to please help us. We repent of that.

But we ask you to please help us and cleanse our hearts.

Do a work in US and through us as a people, we pray.

Amen.