Gifts from One Who is faithful, conclusion

We mentioned yesterday that we can hold onto certain facts; we can hold these solid and precious things because they are built on this truth: God is faithful. We see His faithfulness and design in the snow and the rain that He gives; we see it in other ways, too.

“My word is like the snow and the rain    that come down from the sky to water the earth.They make the crops grow    and provide seed for planting and food to eat. So also will be the word that I speak—    it will not fail to do what I plan for it;    it will do everything I send it to do." (Isaiah 55:10-11)

God is faithful both in His character, and in His actions. Let me explain what I mean.
Whether we are reading in Genesis or in the Gospels, whatever God speaks, happens. He is the never-changing God, so whatever He says, is what will happen. The Bible tells us that He spoke the worlds into existence, and it also tells us that He can end them if He so desires:

And,“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,    and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain;    they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up,    like a garment they will be changed.But you are the same,    and your years will have no end.” (Hebrews 1:10-12)

Jesus told us, too:

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."(Matthew 24:35)

So, what does this mean to us? It means that God has the final word. It means that the Word of God is His bond. He will keep all of His promises, and fulfill every prophecy.

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? (Numbers 23:19)

What God says will be just as true a million years from now as it is today. Let's think on that and count His promises to us. We can rest on those promises - even if we can't see it now, they're as good as done!
That brings us to one of His sweetest promises . . . He will keep us. Look at these verses for confirmation when you are wavering:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;    his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;    great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,    “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him,    to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly    for the salvation of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:22-26)

Another translation says Jeremiah's words were more like this, "Because of the steadfast love of the Lord, we are not cut off." We are secure. Paul addressed this in Corinthians. He says Jesus will....

 ......sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (I Corinthians 1:8-9)

He will establish us, confirm that we are saved, sustain us to the end. We will be blameless, guilt-free. If you've been searching diligently for verses that give you assurance of your salvation, that is a great one!
I believe that the assurance of our salvation, the faith that says, "He will keep me!" is not because God will save us even if we stop believing. Our assurance is because God will personally see to it that we keep believing. That verse says He will sustain us to the end. He will make our hope firm to the end. It is He Who will cause us to persevere. Look back at verse 9; that's the basis of the promise. God took the initiative -- it's He Who called us to fellowship. He is certainly not going to abandon what He's begun. He will bring us across the finish line because He's faithful.
In the words of an old hymn, "I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able, to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day!" (You can read Paul's declaration that the hymn is based on, at II Timothy 1:12.)
God is faithful and He will complete our salvation:

All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37-40)

Because God is faithful, we have assurances for our lives here on earth -- with His help, we can conquer every temptation; with His help, we will stay close. Even if I don't keep up my side of the relationship, He keeps up His side. I can count on Him and depend upon Him. And we have assurance that after our life on earth, we'll be with Him for all eternity. That's just as much a part of His plan as the rain and snow falling to replenish the earth and make growth possible.
We'll be with Him!
Praise His name!