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THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN NEEDS IN THEIR LIFE

Introduction

The Apostle Paul took three missionary journeys. In chapter 20 he’s about to begin the last lap (i.e. his 3rd trip). And in these verses he’s about to head out for Jerusalem, and he is saying goodbye to these saints at Ephesus who he has spent so much time with. This is a very tender and touching scene. It is, no doubt, one of the most moving and heartwarming farewell speeches you’ll ever read. (READ THE SCRIPTURE!)

Here we see that the Apostle Paul literally opens up his heart and let’s us look inside. As we take this look inside Paul’s heart we see some attributes that defined Paul’s life after He came to know the Lord Jesus Christ. (i.e. These are the things that made Paul the man of God that he was)

These attributes that we find in Paul’s heart and life are what every Christian needs.

What are they? Well, we only have time to look at one today, but it is an important one.

Let’s take a look at Paul’s FAITHFULNESS!

This verse 18 speaks of Paul’s faithfulness over the 3 years he was at Ephesus. He says that “from the first day” he hit the ground running and never let up! He faced many hardships while at Ephesus! Nevertheless, he was dependable and never quit, and never slacked off. He was faithful at Ephesus as He had been his entire Christian life.

Faithfulness is one of the most important qualities that we can cultivate in our hearts as well.

Faithfulness is a quality which we admire. But could I tell you it’s a quality which God requires!

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 –“Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

What are some of the areas where we need to be faithful?:

I.         WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR FAMILIES (i.e. OUR HOME LIFE!)

            Faithfulness begins at home.

Back in the 1996 presidential election, it was Clinton vs. Dole. Remember how there were those who were saying that a candidate’s private life was his own business, and should have nothing to do with his qualifications to run the country?

That was and is utter nonsense, because it has everything to do with it. Public office is a matter of public trust, and if a man is not faithful at home, he cannot be counted on to be faithful anywhere. That is at the very core of our lives.

If a man does not respect his wedding vows, how can he be trusted to respect his oath of office.

May I add that we don’t have to be physically unfaithful to be classified as “unfaithful.”

Some people appear to be more married to their jobs than their spouses. Some have a love affair with other things such as sports.

Being faithful involves establishing and maintaining proper priorities, even outside the bedroom.

Ephesians 5:25–“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

There should be nothing in our lives that is so precious (outside of God Himself) that we should not be willing to give it up for our spouse–No hobby, no job, no other thing!

By the way this goes for ladies too! No friend should come before your spouse.

No coworker should know secrets that we won’t tell our spouse! Our children should not come before our spouse.

            Faithfulness is a great quality, and it begins at home or it doesn’t begin at all!

WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR FAMILIES.

II.       WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR FINANCES.

            What would you do with a million dollars?

One guy said, “I’d put it toward my debts, as far as it’d go!” (Anybody feel like that?)

I can tell you something that will show you what you would do with it.

Just look at what you’re doing with the money you have right now. Are you putting God first with what finances he has blessed you with already? Are you a good steward of what you have financially right now? Or are you living a self-centered and self-indulgent lifestyle where God doesn’t have first place?

In you don’t put God first and tithe now you wouldn’t tithe if you had a million dollars. If you’re not generous now you wouldn’t be generous if you were rich. Generosity is a matter of the heart and a matter of character!

If you are not a good steward of what you have now, don’t believe for minute that having more would make you a better steward.

If you’re not faithful in your finances now you wouldn’t be then! That is what the Bible says. (Turn to Luke 16:10-11)

Luke 16:10–“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”

God says, “If I can’t trust you with a little then I can’t trust you with a lot” It’s the little things that count.

Luke 16:11–“If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” [i.e. Things like wisdom, power, and understanding.]

God says, “The test of your faithfulness in the spiritual realm is what you do with your finances in the physical realm.”

Many today are deprived of great spiritual blessings, frankly, because they are not faithful with their money. I’m not just talking about the tithe (the 10%) that God requires, but I’m also talking about the 90% that He entrusts us to keep and use wisely!

Do you want the true riches in your life? I trust that you do! Well that means we can’t afford to be foolish in our finances.

            WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR FAMILIES. . .FINANCES. . .

III.      WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL TO OUR FELLOWSHIP.

            (i.e. THE LOCAL CHURCH.)

The Bible has so much to say about faithfulness to Church. It’s a blessing to see folks come to Church. Its even more of a blessing when folks are faithful to every service and activity! It is even more of a blessing when folks get involved in the ministry!

Romans 12:5–“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”

            Every part of our Church depends on the people of our Church being faithful.

            1 Corinthians 12:12-20, 27

There may be some things you have not been gifted to do. You may not be able to get up here and sing. You may not be able to teach a Sunday School class. You may not be able to preach a sermon. But, if you are a part of the Church, God has something for you to do in His body! And whatever that something is, you need to be performing it faithfully!

That means you’re as much a part of me and I of you, as this arm is a part of my body. And when the body meets and you’re not here, then part of the body is missing, and we cannot fully function. We need each other!

Hebrews 10:25–“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

We have all probably heard someone say at one time or another, “you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian?” Technically, that’s true. But I doubt the sincerity of the salvation of anyone who knowingly and willingly forsakes the assembly when it’s in their power to be there.

Some say, “I get just as much out of nature, on the lake, with my family, at the park.”

Those who say that reveal the heart of the problem. You see, we are not to come to Church just for what we can get, but for what we can give.

Matthew 20:28–“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

            Hebrews 10:25 says that we are to come together to exhort one another.

“exhorting” = “encouraging”

How many of God’s people can you be a support and encouragement to down at the lake?

How many of you enjoy Church more when there’s a good crowd than when it’s half empty and you’re wondering where the rest of the body is?!

How can you help the body of Christ when you are down at the bowling alley, or ballfield or at home sitting in front of the television?

How many kids are you able to help come to Jesus there?

How much will your family be enhanced spiritually while you are somewhere else when you should be at Church?

I know what a struggle it is for me, personally, to fight against this world, this flesh, and the devil, and I’m in Church all the time.

I don’t know how some can claim to truly fight the fight without the support of the local Church, the way God intended for us to do it.

I hate to miss Church. I’m afraid I’ll miss a blessing!

Often I’m told by people that they “heard” they missed a good service and “wished” they would have been here.

Thank God, I’m also told by some that though they had to work or were out of town or were sick, (or Providentially hindered in some other way) they were blessed by listening to the message later on tape or CD.

I can point to some sermons that have absolutely changed my life since I was saved. And I was present for each of those life changing sermons.

            What if I wasn’t present? What if I had missed out on those sermons?

We ought to be faithful to our Church, trusting that God has our number and His messenger will “ring our bell” if only we follow the basic command to be faithful!

When we can’t be here, we need to take advantage of technology to catch up!

Every time we come to church we’re saying to God, “Lord, you are important to me!”

But we’re saying more than that. We’re also saying to the people we worship with (the rest of the Church), “you’re important to me!”

It is so selfish to skip to Church and say, “it won’t hurt ME.” Truth is, yes it will, and it hurts others too!

WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR FAMILIES. . . FINANCES. . .FELLOWSHIP. . .

IV.      WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE FAITH!

             I’m talking about the Word of God and the fundamentals of the Faith!

Many today are doubting some parts of God’s Word, and approaching the Bible “cafeteria style”, taking only what they like and leaving the rest behind.

Some folks are putting question marks after some commands of the Scriptures.

            Today is no time to be putting question marks down, but exclamation points!!!

Some who doubt the Word today even call themselves “theologians”, which I have a problem with. For that term comes from 2 Greek words:

            Theos = God Logos = Word

They don’t believe the Logos (Word) so they must not know the Theos (God)! It’s like Grape Nuts–they’re neither grapes nor nuts!

Folks, we are not to judge the Word of God! We are supposed to let the Word of God judge us!

Ill.—William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, said: “the chief danger of the 20th century will be #1 Forgiveness without repentance. #2 Salvation without regeneration. #3 Heaven without hell.”

            We are now in the 21^st century and his words are ringing true!

We not only need faithful preachers, but faithful people who’ll be faithful to the faith!

Conclusion

So, the first thing we see when we peer into the heart of Paul is faithfulness. Are you faithful? To your family? With your finances? To the fellowship? To the faith?

Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!