“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” (Deut. 7:9 NIV)

God is Faithful! Always!

People will and do fail you sometimes. It’s just the way it is and if you aren’t careful, you could believe God will somehow fail you, too! But, God cannot fail, ever! It’s just impossible because God is God and He is always 100% faithful and He must always be 100% faithful to His Word. “If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Tim. 2:13 ESV)

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num. 23:19 ESV)

All God’s work is done in faithfulness

“For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.” (Psalm 33:4)

His faithfulness establishes and guards you!

“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” (2 Thes. 3:3)

His faithfulness protects you against extreme temptation

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13)

Therefore…

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lam. 3:22-23)

Quotes:

“All God's giants have been weak men and women who have gotten hold of God's faithfulness.” - Hudson Taylor

“God cannot change. He cannot be anything other than who He is. Out of His love and His promises, you were selected as His treasure. God's faithfulness has been the bedrock of His dealings with humanity throughout time.” - Graham Cooke

“The same yesterday, today, and forever” -. John Bunyan

“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.” (Psalm 86:5 NIV)

God is the embodiment of perfect goodness, and is kind, benevolent, and full of good will toward all creation

“O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Psalm 34:8)

“Answer me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me.” (Psalm 69:16)

“For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)

“The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.” (Nahum 1:7)

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” (James 1:17)

Therefore…

“Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.” (Psalm 25:8)

“O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (1 Chr. 16:34)

Quotes:

“The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend.” - Aiden Wilson Tozer

“Remember the goodness of God in the frost of adversity.” - Charles Spurgeon

“Joy is a quiet gladness of heart as one contemplates the goodness of God's saving grace in Christ Jesus.”  - John Calvin

“What is sin? It is the glory of God not honored. The holiness of God not reverenced. The greatness of God not admired. The power of God not praised. The truth of God not sought. The wisdom of God not esteemed. The beauty of God not treasured. The goodness of God not savored. The faithfulness of God not trusted. The commandments of God not obeyed. The justice of God not respected. The wrath of God not feared. The grace of God not cherished. The presence of God not prized. The person of God not loved. That is sin.” – John Piper 

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us.” (Eph. 2:4 NIV)

Mercy: compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. It is leniency, clemency, compassion, grace, pity, charity, forgiveness, forbearance, soft-heartedness, tenderheartedness, kindness, sympathy, liberality, indulgence, tolerance, and generosity.

God is plenteous in mercy!

We have a powerful and merciful God. He knows we have all fallen short of His glory, but His mercy is incredible.

“For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy to all them that call on you.” (Psalm 86:5)

Therefore…

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” (Titus 2:11 NIV)

Grace is God’s unmerited favor and blessings

Grace is the free and unmerited favor of God as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowing of blessings. It is unmerited mercy (favor) that God gave to humanity by sending his son to die on a cross, thus delivering eternal salvation.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

It is given through faith

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:22-24)

You have been saved through faith

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Grace and truth through Jesus

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)

Therefore…

“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” (Romans 5:17)

Quotes:

“Grace is the free, undeserved goodness and favor of God to mankind.” - Matthew Henry

“Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon.” - John Piper

“ I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am.” - John Newton

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)

Jesus is the only way

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 ESV)

He’s full of grace and truth!

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

His Word is truth!

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

You were sealed by the Holy Spirit!

“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)

We are brought fourth by the word of truth!

“Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18)

Therefore…

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matt. 7:13-14 ESV)

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20 ESV)

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9 ESV)

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13 NIV)

If we focus on all the scary and alarming things happening around the world instead of the Word of God, it could cause us to lose heart. But, we do have the Word of God to encourage us and to tell us about the wonderful plans He has for us.

God has a great future planned!

God is going to create a new heaven and new earth for us! We are temporary here and have a great future to look forward to!

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jer. 29:11)

Therefore…

“But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” (1 Cor. 2:9 ESV)

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Phil. 3:20-21 ESV)

Quotes:

“Leave the broken, irreversible past in God's hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.” - Oswald Chambers

“Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and out future is secured.” - Rick Warren

“Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:20 NIV)

The Bible is the best instruction book and it covers everything needed to prosper in any situation!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5-6)

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jer. 17:7-8)

Whoever trust in the Lord is kept safe!

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Prov. 29:25)

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” (Psalm 91:1-2)

Therefore…

“The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered.” (Prov. 11:25

As your soul prospers 

“Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2) 

Quotes:

“If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper. I make it a practice to read the Bible through once every year.” - Daniel Webster

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matt. 5:6 NIV)

To be “hungry” or “thirsty” means having a strong desire or craving. That is the kind of desire you must have about gaining righteousness.

What is Righteousness?

Dictionaries define righteousness as “behavior that is morally justifiable or right.” Such behavior is characterized by accepted standards of morality, justice, virtue, or uprightness.

The Bible’s definition of Righteousness

According to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, “God the Father is righteous (just); Jesus Christ his Son is the Righteous (Just) One; the Father through the Son and in the Spirit gives the gift of righteousness (justice) to repentant sinners for salvation; such believing sinners are declared righteous (just) by the Father through the Son, are made righteous (just) by the Holy Spirit working in them, and will be wholly righteous (just) in the age to come. They are and will be righteous because they are in a covenant relation with the living God, who is the God of all grace and mercy and who will bring to completion what he has begun in them by declaring them righteous for Christ’s sake.”

The Bible describes the righteous person as just or right, holding to God and trusting in Him (Psalm 33:18–22).

We all fall short of God’s righteousness!

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23)

The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word. Thus, God’s laws, as given in the Bible, both describe His own character and constitute the plumb line by which He measures human righteousness.

You cannot become righteous by your own efforts!

True righteousness is possible for mankind only through the cleansing of sin by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have no ability to achieve righteousness in and of ourselves. But Christians possess the righteousness of Christ, because “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21)

We are made righteous in the sight of God because of Jesus!

We are accepted as righteous and treated as righteous by God on account of what the Lord Jesus has done for us on the cross. He was made sin; we are “made the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21). On the cross, Jesus was treated as if He were a sinner, though He was perfectly holy and pure, and we are treated as if we were righteous, though we are defiled and depraved. On account of what the Lord Jesus has endured on our behalf, we are treated as if we had entirely fulfilled the Law of God and had never become exposed to its penalty. We have received this precious gift of righteousness from the God of all mercy and grace.

Quotes:

“I preached on the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith. While I was speaking, several dropped down as dead and among the rest such a cry was heard of sinners groaning for the righteousness of faith that it almost drowned my voice. But many of these soon lifted up their heads with joy and broke out into thanksgiving, being assured they now had the desire of their soul - the forgiveness of their sins.” - John Wesley

“Our righteousness is in Him, and our hope depends, not upon the exercise of grace in us, but upon the fullness of grace and love in Him, and upon His obedience unto death.” - John Newton

“The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7 NIV)

Don’t be a fool, be wise!

“A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash” (Prov. 15:14 NLT)

Garbage in garbage out!

Some people tell me they can watch or read anything and it doesn’t bother them. That is foolish talk! Just because something doesn’t bother you doesn’t make it acceptable! It only means you have gotten so used to it that it no longer bothers you! It’s like the proverbial frog placed in warm water. If it is heated up quickly, it notices and jumps out. But if it is heated up very slowly, only one degree at a time, it doesn’t notice until it’s too late and it is cooked! When you can watch and read stuff that is profane, blasphemous, evil, vile, and abusive, and it doesn’t bother you, you have a problem. You have become a fool.

Whatever you put in your brain is what you become (or are)! 

You have a choice to make regarding what you allow to go into your head. You can put in trash or you can put in truth. The Bible says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7)

The place you need to go to fill your mind with truth is God’s Word. Proverbs 2:6 says, “It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding.”

Therefore…

 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor10:5)

Quote:

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” - Aristotle