1. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

3. Abundance of Faithfulness
I Corinthians 10:13

4. Abundance of Faithfulness
Our study this morning is one that is geared towards this 2014 theme
We have been studying the abundant spiritual blessings of God
These are things that we may not think of often, but are certainly blessings nonetheless

5. Abundance of Faithfulness
A blessing that we might easily take for granted with God is His faithfulness
We often find it hard to find faithfulness in this world
People often turn their backs on us; they can deceive us or let us down

6. Abundance of Faithfulness
To have someone we can count on is truly a blessing
As Christians we know that we can count on God to always be there
When we go to Him in prayer, He is there to hear us and to answer those prayers in His wisdom

7. Faithfulness Defined
It is important for us to not what we mean by the faithfulness of God
The word used in the NT in conjunction with God is the Greek word pistos
It means trustworthy, faithful, sure, true; someone that can be relied on

8. Faithfulness Defined “God is faithful…” (I Cor. 1:9)
“…God is faithful…” (II Cor. 1:18)
“…the Lord is faithful…” (II Thess. 3:3)
“…He is faithful…” (I Jn. 1:9)

9. Faithfulness Defined
We see through scripture that God is faithful and trustworthy
However, we may ask, “What does that mean for me?”
There are some important implications for us to know that God is faithful

10. Abundance of Faithfulness
1. God will never leave us
There are times when we wonder if our spouse will leave us for another person
There are times when children wonder if a parent will desert them and the family
Perhaps we wonder if friends will forsake us when we go through difficulties in life

11. Abundance of Faithfulness
1. God will never leave us
It’s wonderful to know that because God is faithful, that He will never leave us
“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Heb. 13:5-6)

12. Abundance of Faithfulness
1. God will never leave us
God’s trustworthiness means that He is not going to desert us because the grass looks greener somewhere else
God has dedicated Himself to us and to our spiritual well being
Sending His Son has proven this (Jn. 3:16)

13. Abundance of Faithfulness
1. God will never leave us
When there is a separation from God, it is never because God has left us
Isaiah 59:1-2 makes this abundantly clear
We may leave God and forsake Him for the world, but He will never leave or forsake us for another

14. Abundance of Faithfulness
2. God will keep His word
There are numerous promises that God has made to each of us through His word
God’s faithfulness teaches us that He will keep His word
God has never broken a promise and never will

15. Abundance of Faithfulness
2. God will keep His word
Both Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18 teach us that it is impossible for God to lie
Therefore when He says something, it is the truth
When we read of God’s faithfulness in I Corinthians 10:13, it is attached to a promise

16. Abundance of Faithfulness
2. God will keep His word
Most all the verses in the New Testament that speak of God’s faithfulness are attached to a promise
Verses include I Thessalonians 5:23-24, II Thessalonians 3:3, Hebrews 10:23 and I John 1:9

17. Abundance of Faithfulness
2. God will keep His word
However, we don’t just take God’s word for it
We can look for ourselves and see that God has never broken a promise
The Bible teaches us that God has always been true to His word

18. Abundance of Faithfulness
3. We must be faithful
God’s faithfulness to us demands our faithfulness to Him
God’s frustrations with Israel deal with their unfaithfulness to Him (Jud. 2:17; I Chron. 5:25; Jer. 3:1)
What good is a one-sided contract?

19. Abundance of Faithfulness
3. We must be faithful
Those in Smyrna who were facing persecution were told to “be faithful until death” (Rev. 2:10)
Paul spoke of the faithfulness he had during his Christian life as he drew near the end (II Tim. 4:6-8)

20. Abundance of Faithfulness
3. We must be faithful
Our commitment to God is based upon His commitment to us (Heb. 10:23; I Pet. 4:19)
Paul encouraged us to be “steadfast, immovable” (I Cor. 15:58)
Colossians 1:21-23