Faithfulness is our theme for November.  Faithfulness is a large word with significant implication for attitude, thinking and lifestyle.  We all want to be known as faithful.  So each week, we will look at four distinct expressions of faithfulness in our lives.

Faithfulness is the quality of being faithful to someone or something. 

1. Being faithful with the mission and gifts and talents God has give us
2. Not just the easy stuff, but being faithful even as we experience pain and suffering
3. Remembering that faithfulness inspires others, and the role that faithfulness plays in being an inspiration to children
4. Success if a great feeling in every circumstance, but how can we be faithful with success we experience

Psalm 138 says 'I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.'

The faithfulness of God can be defined as His "determined loyalty to a gracious covenant." 

In the bible, "Faithfulness" is frequently joined to "steadfast love" or "unfailing love".  Faithfulness is also expanded and linked to:

• saving help
• miracles and wonders
• uprightness
• just and righteous and righteousness

Faithfulness is a character quality of Father God - it cannot be removed from Father God (Deut 7:9; 32:4; Ex 34:6; Ps 31:5; Isa 49:7) Because God Himself is faithful, all His works faithful (and just, Ps 111:7).  His works are done in faithfulness (Ps 33:4); His judgments have been appointed in faithfulness (Ps 119:138); His paths are faithfulness (Ps 25:10). The psalmist can even discern that afflictions are given in faithfulness (Ps 119:75). God gives men their recompense faithfully (Isa 61:8); His plans are faithful (Ps 25:1).

Psalm 89 begins with praise for God's steadfast love and faithfulness, where faithfulness is both carrying and caring, both strength and love. The psalmist recalls God's covenant with David and the faithfulness and steadfast love.

Similarly, Hezekiah's song includes both an appeal for health on the basis of God's faithfulness (Isa 38:18) and praise and witness to His faithfulness: "the father makes known to the children thy faithfulness" (v. 19).

The faithfulness of God is powerfully and finally confirmed in Jesus Christ. "God is faithful," Paul says, "by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor 1:9).  God has fully shown His caring and His carrying, His love and His strength, in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 1:18).  Paul is confident that God will sustain the community of believers even in temptation (1 Cor 10:13; 1 Thess 5:24; 2 Thess 3:3; Heb 10:23; Heb 11:11).

Peter says in 1 Peter 4:19 that the Creator who is called faithful expresses revelation of God's covenant faithfulness in Jesus Christ. The one God who made heaven and earth can be entrusted with our souls because He has the strength and the love to carry and to care. Because God is faithful and just, because He is loyal to His gracious covenant, He forgives our sins if we confess them (1 John 1:9).  It should be observed that many times in the New Testament "truth" is to be understood against the background of "faithfulness."

November is all about Faithfulness - faithfulness in mission, pain, inspiration and success!