Success Equation: Faithfulness
Pastor Peter Gowesky
GOOD GRADES + COLLEGE + HIGH PAYING JOB= SUCCESS
NICE CAR + ZIP CODE + SOCIAL STATUS= SUCCESS.
THE WAY YOU DEFINE SUCCESS DEFINES YOU.
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. —1 John 2:15-17
- Passion
- Possession
- Position
- Faithfulness
- Fruitfulness
- Fulfillment
FAITHFULNESS= TRUSTWORTHY or DEPENDABLE
A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. —Proverbs 28:20
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ —Matthew 25:14-23
PT. 1 FAITHFULNESS STAYS FUTURE FOCUSED.
17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. —1 John 2:17
What am I doing with what God has given me?
24 “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. —Matthew 25:24-27
PT. 2 FAITHFULNESS IS CONCERNED WITH
SMALL THINGS DONE
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. —Hebrews 10:23
My hearts says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. —Psalm 27:8