Ours is a Faithful God

"I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. ² For I have said, "Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens." ³ "I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: ⁴ 'Your seed I will establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations.' " Selah ⁵ And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. ⁶ For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD? ⁷ God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him. ⁸ O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You."

Psalm 89:1-8

God is faithful!  Did you know that 33 percent of the references to God's "faithfulness" in the Bible (KJV) appear in Psalm 89?  I didn't until a couple of minutes ago!  The definition of "faithfulness" in the Strong's Concordance is:  "literal firmness; figurative security; moral fidelity, stability."  God's faithfulness is not dependent upon our faithfulness.  God's character is absolute and unchanging, and we receive of His goodness through grace.  Over time man changes in appearance, opinion, and principle, but God does not change.  God remains the same merciful, just, powerful, faithful God He has always been.

Yesterday our family received word from the department of immigration in Australia that our two-year visa has been approved!  This marks the end of a process started long ago with the gathering of legal documents, enduring physicals, obtaining FBI background checks, making financial disclosures, paying fees, submitting resumes, filing for certifications and authorisations.  Throughout the entire process, God has been faithful to our family and our church fellowship in Sydney.  It feels like a stamp of approval not only from the government, but a confirmation from God that we are in His will to minister here.

Who can be compared to our God?  Who is faithful like God, who forgives iniquity and grants enduring mercy?  God is secure and trustworthy.  Jesus Christ is the LORD of all, the Saviour who has all authority in heaven and earth.  As it is written in Revelation 1:18:  "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death."  He who holds the keys the hell and death also is the path to life!  A statement found in Revelation 3:7 has been a great encouragement as we in faith pursued God's will to serve Him in Australia:  "These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":  ⁸ I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name."

Praise God for the strength He gives!  God has proved His faithfulness once again to open the door for us to minister at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  We can only enter by His grace.  God is established with all authority in both heaven and earth and thus has the power to establish His people wherever He wills.  Praise Him with us!