The Lord says for this time:
"Count on My goodness and faithfulness in your life. Yes, even in the midst of the situation around you and the situation that you see in the world right now. Look to Me, for I am still your faithful God. My faithfulness towards you has never changed."
The Lord wants you to know today that He is still your faithful God, and He will still be. So, trust Him that He will continue to show Himself faithful in your life and in every situation you face in your life.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NKJV) says, 'But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.'
The word 'faithful' here is 'pistos' in Greek, which can also mean 'trustworthy, sure, truthful'. As you can see here, the Lord isn't just your faithful God, but He is also your trustworthy, sure, and truthful God!
From this word 'pistos' here, notice that 'to be faithful' is 'to be truthful'. You see, He is a God who cannot lie. Hebrews 6:18 (NKJV) says, '...in which it is impossible for God to lie...' Like a relationship between husband and wife, one cannot say he or she is faithful unless he or she is truthful. The same it is with God, whom the Scripture says is the Bridegroom, and we His bride.
The word 'establish' here is 'sterizo' in Greek. This word can mean 'to strengthen you, to steadily set you on the right path, to set you resolutely in the right direction'. So, to establish you is to strengthen you, to steadily set you on the right path, and to set you resolutely in the right direction. And of course, 'to guard you' is 'to watch over you, to preserve you, to be on guard for you'. And that's who God is to you, beloved, no matter what happens around you or what happens in the world around you.
You can personalize this verse to yourself: "The Lord is faithful to me, and the Lord establishes me, and the Lord guards me from the evil one." You can say this again and again. Amen!
You may have heard the teaching about your faithfulness to God, and there is definitely a place for such. But today, the Lord is talking about His faithfulness towards us. It's a two-way relationship between you and God, God and you. He is faithful to you, and you are faithful to God. In fact, He is still our steadfast and unchanging God, even if at times we may have been unfaithful to Him. Why? Because He is a God who is patient towards us, even in our weaknesses and unfaithfulness. We thank God for that. We thank God for His mercy and grace towards us.
Beloved of God, if you may, read both 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians in a time like this. These two books are not just about you being faithful to Him and He is faithful to you, but these two books also speak of our time now, the end-time, and how we can prepare for the return and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see, we don't want to set date of the Rapture and the return of the Lord. Why? Because the Scripture says that 'of the exact hour and day, no one knows, except God the Father'. We don't want to overstep God's Word. But we can prepare our lives. We can prepare ourselves by living holy lives, ready for Him any time. Why? Because He can return at the hour we never expect.
In Matthew 24:36, Jesus said, "But of that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." And then, in Matthew 24:42-44, Jesus said further, "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming... Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
So, according to 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians, what can you do in a time like this?
1. Continue to receive His love and be abound in His love
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13).
2. Continue to receive His sanctification and walk in holiness
For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8).
3. Focus on your God-given calling and God's vision for your life
For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner; not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good (2 Thessalonians 3:11-13).
4. Be sober, watchful, and vigilant
You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep (i.e. 'slumber in our spirit'), as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:5-8).
5. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
