The God You Can Depend On

We live in a world where people crave dependability. They'll even sacrifice quality if they have certainty. Have you ever heard somebody say, "It's not the best food, but it will do." And the reason that they say this is because they are willing to believe that they can put up with less as long as they know what to expect.

Sometimes we try to make up for the difference by adding a little effort of our own and seeing if we can't make what is not good enough better through our work. The problem with this is that although it's fine in the world we live in, it has no place in the relationship that we have with God.

Our God is dependable. Our God is faithful and true. Our God has never made a promise that he didn't keep. And when we expect less than what he said, he doesn't look at us and give us grace. He looks at us and is insulted because he has never failed. >> And there is no amount of our effort or our work that we can add to what he's done to make it any better. >> This morning, I've come to tell you that we have a God you can depend on.

We have a God who is faithful from generation to generation. We have a God whose mercies are renewed every morning. We have a God who is able to do, as Ephesians said, exceedingly and abundantly above all that we could ask, think, or imagine. Our God has never failed to keep one promise.

If he said it, he has done it. You can depend on him in an hour of need because he is the God who is a provider. You can depend on him in a day of sickness because he is a God who is a healer. You can depend on him no matter the storm that you're going through because he is the one who rides upon the wings of the storm and he is the God who calms the winds and the waves.

If you're abandoned and alone by others, you can depend on God because he said, "I'll never leave you and I'll never forsake you." Some may fail you, but God will not. Others will forget you, but God has not. Your enemies will turn on you, but he said when they come at you, he'll prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies.

He'll serve you with his goodness, with his grace, with his mercy, with his loving kindness, WITH HIS FAVOR. WHY? BECAUSE HE IS A GOD THAT YOU CAN DEPEND ON. GIVE THE LORD A HAND CLAP OF PRAISE. But how often do we do this? focus our attention, give our full devotion to God's promise.

We don't hold fast for the 40 minutes we're in church. We have a generation that suffers from dramatic attention deficit disorder. And what we hear in this verse is that when it comes to God's promise in our life, it's not up to him. It's up to us to do the work that's necessary to receive it.

And it's simply hold fast. Don't waver. Oh, we can hold fast on Sunday morning and then when pastor gets the blessing and we get dismissed, we start to waver in the parking lot. Do I really believe what I heard today? Often times we get so fickle because we put more faith in our feelings than we do the reality of God's word.

And sometimes we start to waver because God didn't do it when we wanted him to. You need to remember this. God's delay is not denial. >> Just because you have to wait doesn't mean God's not working. And so many times we want God to work on our schedule.

We want to pull up our heavenly Amazon Prime app and tell God when and where to deliver the blessing that we're asking for. You need to understand that his ways are not our ways. We want God to be a provider, but we don't want to carry the need.

We want God to bring us victory, but we don't want to face a conflict. We want God to give deliverance, but we don't want to go to the furnace like Meshack, Shadrach, and Abednego. That's not how God operates. >> In the Bible, he told his children, "I am the Lord.

I do not change." Which means that whatever God has done, God is doing and God will do again. And when you look at something he has done, like providing and healing and delivering, you can decide that based on what he has done, he is doing it. He's still providing.

He's still healing. He's still delivering. And he will do it again. He'll provide again. He'll heal again. He'll deliver again. But when you see this pattern in other things, you need to realize it's just as true. And here's the pattern that God uses in his word. He gives one of his children a promise and then they have to endure until the promise comes to pass.

Can you do that? Can you continue to count on the Lord when others tell you you should quit? Can you continue to trust in his word when some tell you they don't believe it? Can you count on God like David said in Psalms 27, "Wait on the Lord and be of good courage and he will strengthen your heart."

God is good and he's merciful, but God will not be taken for granted. And therefore, we have to hold fast without wavering. That's called faith. In Hebrews, it's the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But when you read the Bible, it tells us clearly, "The just shall live by faith."

We hear in the New Testament, "Faith is the victory that overcomes the world." The Bible tells us, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God." Jesus said in the Gospel of Mark, "Have faith in God." Say that with me. Have faith in God. And then the sentence ends, which means you can't add anything to it.

The Bible is filled with imperfect people. But in spite of their imperfections, they had faith in God. I believe that a lot of Christians would have a much better life if they would quit worrying about being perfect and remember to be faithful. Abraham wasn't perfect, but Romans 4:3 says he believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.

Now, that sounds simple, but put yourself in Abraham's shoes. He believed God and God asked him to do some hard things. The first thing that God speaks to Abraham about is getting away from his father and away from his family and away from his nation. Abraham grew up in a polytheistic world where they worshiped many gods and God wanted one who would follow him and him alone.

Now, it's easy to abandon a mud hut. Abraham, leave your father's house. Yes, Lord, thy will be done. But Abraham didn't grow up in poverty. When you understand the culture that Abraham was a part of and how his family was positioned in it, Abraham was surrounded by wealth.

He had comfort. He had protection. And God says, "I want you to leave everything that you know and you're comfortable with, and I want you to follow me." Now, how do we know that Abraham believed God? He did it. You don't tell people you believe. You show people you believe.

Then the Bible says that he dwelt in tents. He lived in a Madison Avenue brownstone mansion. And God says, "Leave. I'm going to show you a city whose builder and maker is God." and he lived in a tent. And the fact that Sarah stayed with him is a miracle.

Hebrews 11:10, it says that Abraham believed for a city whose foundations and whose builder was God. Even when he didn't see it, he believed it. And when God asked him for his son and giving the life of Isaac was unreasonable, the Bible says by faith he obeyed. In Hebrews 11:19, it says that Abraham was accounting that God was able to raise him from the dead.

Now, that word accounting means that Abraham had done the math and he added it up and he said, "If God has been faithful through all of these things, God is able to do this thing." Even when it seemed absolutely unreasonable, Abraham still reasoned that God was dependable because God kept his word. >> Do you have that kind of faith that even when it seems unreasonable, you can come to the conclusion that God is still dependable?

How quickly we give up on God. And yet God promised that if he said it, he'll do it. Galatians 6 says, "Do not grow weary while doing good." Don't give up on God. He'll never give up on you. Consider Abraham back to Hebrews 11 where he looked for a city whose builder was God.

This is something that should encourage you and challenge you at the same time. Abraham got his promise of God showing him a city in the book of Genesis. You say, "Now, we read it in Hebrews, but Abraham died in Genesis, so he had to get it over here."

And yet, he lived the rest of his natural lives in desert tents, constantly telling all who asked, "I'm looking for a city whose builder and maker is God." Abraham, why did you leave your father's house? I'm looking for a city whose builder and maker is God. Abraham, why did you give up your earthly inheritance?

I'm looking for a city whose builder and maker is God. Abraham, why didn't you stay in dad's business? I'm looking for a city whose builder and maker is God. Abraham lived and he died and he never saw the city. Abraham goes to eternity where he is now. And yet he still hasn't seen the city.

This promise has now BEEN EXTENDED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. And yet in Revelation 21, we read John the Revelator saying, "I, John, saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, and he who sat on the throne said to me, it is done." What did Jesus say to John?

It is done. What's he going to say to Abraham who received this promise all the way back in Genesis? It is done. Abraham, I might not have done it in your lifetime. I might have taken 4,000 years to do it, but I promised you I would do it.

And when I do it, it will forever and always be done. If God has made you a promise, hold fast to that promise because he will perform it. He may not do it when you want him to do it. It may not come the way you thought it would come.

But the grass will wither and the flower will fade. But the word of the Lord will endure forever. Whatever God has promised you, whatever God has promised you, whatever God has promised you, he will do it. If he said, "I'll show you great and mighty things that you know not," you need to recognize that if you're breathing, it's not over.

He'll still keep that promise. If you've been waiting for an answer, you need to recognize that if God made the promise, he'll keep the promise. It's not over. If you've given God everything and you're waiting on A BREAKTHROUGH, ASK GOD ONE MORE TIME. BECAUSE WHEN YOU KNOCK, IT SHALL be open to you.

When you seek, YOU SHALL FIND. WHEN YOU ASK, YOU SHALL RECEIVE. CHILD OF GOD, DON'T give up. Don't give in. Endure today BECAUSE IT'S NOT OVER. GOD WILL NOT FAIL. The resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything. In my new book, From the Tomb to Triumph, I take you through this resurrection truth. from the suffering of the cross to the empty tomb and into the authority every believer is called to live in today. >> This month for your gift of any amount to support the work of Hegy Ministries, we want to send you Pastor John Haggy's new book, From to Tomb to Triumph.

Claim the victory of the resurrection. And with your love gift of $125 or more, we'll send you our handcrafted Genesis 12:3 Olivewood Anointing Oil Set Box from Israel. And with your gift of $500 or more, in addition, you'll also receive the Prophecy Study Bible and His Glory Revealed. >> The Risen King reigns now and his power is at work in you. >> Call the number on your screen, use the QR code, or go to jhm.org/ org/spring. >> Hold fast without wavering is translated in two words.

Don't quit. >> Look to your neighbor and just say, don't quit. >> Now say it like you actually want them to believe you. >> Do not grow weary in welloing. For in due season we shall reap a harvest. In due season, we shall reap a harvest. The problem that we have is we want harvest every Friday.

Throughout the word of God, especially in the New Testament, Jesus Christ continues to encourage through the Holy Spirit those who are following him, don't quit. Don't quit. Don't quit. Paul told Timothy, endure hardness as a good soldier. What is he saying? Don't quit. He tells the church in Ephesians 6, having done all to stand, stand therefore in the day of evil.

What's the message? Don't quit. Philippians, he said, forgetting those things which are behind me. I press on. What's he telling you? Don't quit. In Revelation, Jesus said, be faithful unto death, and I'll give you the crown of life. What's the word? Don't quit. >> There's a reward for enduring.

When you endure, you get to see what God intended. Amen. >> When you endure, you get to see what God intended. >> When you give up, you forfeit what he would have given. >> I can prove this in the scriptures. In James 5:1, it says, "Indeed, we count them blessed who endure."

And then it goes on to say, 'You've heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord God. Had Job not endured, he would have never seen what God intended. Had Job not endured, he would have never known twice as much good in his later years as he ever knew in his former years.

Had Job listened to the advice of his wife and his friends, he would have given up before he got the blessing. Have you ever thought about how many blessings you would have received if you hadn't have given up? How many times did you start praying and then stop praying before God could answer?

God has everything lined up to show you his power and his might to prove to you what Romans says. All things work together for good to those who love the Lord. But rather than endure, we say, "We've had enough. I tried it and it didn't work. Rather than press on, we pass out.

Rather than stay faithful, WE FAINT. GOD WANTS YOU TO HEAR TODAY, don't quit. Don't stop now. You've been through too much to GIVE IN. YOU'RE THIS CLOSE TO THE FINISH LINE. JUST TAKE one more STEP OF FAITH, AND I'LL SHOW YOU GREAT AND MIGHTY things that you KNOW NOT.

WHATEVER YOU'RE ASKING GOD TO DO, DON'T STOP ASKING TODAY. Keep knocking. Keep seeking. Keep knowing that if you ask, HE IS FAITHFUL to do exceedingly abundantly ABOVE ALL YOU COULD ASK, THINK, OR IMAGINE. GIVE THE LORD A HAND CLAP of praise. In every situation, there will come a moment when quit looks good.

Don't do it. Because those who endure to the end, the same shall be saved. One of the things that we have to do in order to stand fast without wavering is that we have to be dependent upon God rather than just ask for him to be available. Most people believe in God, but we only believe in God for his availability. meaning that we want him to be there when we ask.

Kind of like a concier. You go to a nice hotel, you pick up the phone and they say, "Yes, Mr. Hegy. How may I help you?" We want God to do the same thing. We say something in prayer and we want God to say, "Yes, Matthew. What would you like?"

That's availability. And that's not how God works. God doesn't want for you to require his availability. God wants you to be dependent upon him. >> Now, what's the difference between dependability and availability? I had a doctor talk to me one time about the priority of medical problems. And it didn't take long for me to understand it.

So, I believe I could share it with all of you. And though some of you may not have too much background in medicine, it shouldn't be too hard to get. He said, "Here's the priority of medical emergencies." He said, "There are breathing problems and everything else." Think about it.

I mean, if your foot hurts, that's a problem. But if you can't breathe, you're not real worried about your foot. He said there's breathing problems and then there's everything else because you can live about three minutes without breath and then it's over. So when you're dependent upon something, you can't live without it.

I depend upon my heart and my lungs. If they stop working, I stop living. I love having my hands available. But if I lose the availability of my hands and keep the opportunity to have my heart and lungs, I can continue to live. Whenever you begin to become dependent upon God, you're going to realize something very quickly.

You can't live without him. >> You can't do without him. There's not a day that goes by when you won't need him. In everything great and small, whether you like IT OR NOT, YOU'RE DEPENDENT upon him. Whether you know it or not, you're dependent upon him physically. The Bible says in him we live and we move and we have our being.

That means when you get up and you breathe air and you blink your eyes and your ears work and you GET TO TALK, GOD GAVE YOU the ability to do that. You're depending upon him. Financially, you're dependent upon him because it says he is the Lord who gives you the power to get wealth.

The world that we live in, we're dependent upon him because the Bible says that his word is the framework of the world as it is established. Everything in nature God holds in the palm of his hand. AND WITHOUT HIM DOING something on our behalf on a daily basis, we couldn't exist.

But we want to behave like independent free agents. We want to behave like we get to negotiate. Well, God, if you do this, I'll do that. No. When you're dependent, you don't negotiate. And the truth is, you can't truly be thankful to God and you can't give him the kind of praise he's worthy of until you really recognize how dependent you are upon him.

The fact that you can't do anything without him and he's still good to you. The fact that you betray him and he still loves you. The fact that he's cleansed you with his loving kindness of your transgressions and you still bend toward sin. Only when you understand how faithful he is do you truly begin to offer him the praise that he's worthy of.

That's why David said, "My help comes from the Lord." That's why we read in the Psalms, "If it hadn't been for the Lord who was on my side, God is a faithful God." And he's dependable each and every day, which is why he is great and greatly to be praised.

I say this in closing, final part of today's verse, he who promised is faithful. He who promised is faithful. It would be one thing if somebody else promised and we were depending on God's faithfulness, but when the one who is faithful made the promise, then you can count on it.

Our God is faithful from generation to generation. Our God is faithful in the little things. He's faithful in the sunrise. He's so faithful with the sunrise, you'll set your clock by it. He's faithful in the big things, your transgressions and your sins. He's faithful to blot them out and put them under the blood to remember them never against you.

He's faithful with your salvation. Paul said, 'I know in whom I have believed, and I believe that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him even to the day of Christ Jesus. Not only is he faithful to get you saved, but he's faithful to keep you saved. >> I want you to know today, you have a God you can depend on.

So hold fast without wavering to his promise because he is faithful. Would you stand in the presence of the Lord? God, we thank you today for your faithfulness. God, we thank you today for your provision. God, we thank you today for your healing power that's in this place.

We thank you today that if we came in here expecting a move of God, we can receive it. We thank you that heaven hears our prayers when we pray. And today I ask that you would move mountains of impossibility. Today I ask that you would restore broken hearts and shattered lives.

Today I ask that tormented minds would have the peace that surpasses all understanding. Today I ask that families that have been under demonic attack would come out victorious as those powers and principalities are defeated in the mighty name of Jesus. Today I ask for business leaders to receive fresh ideas and be anointed with the opportunity to increase because you heavenly father have promised them that you would make them the head and not the tail above only and not beneath.

Today I ask heavenly father for individuals in search of a miracle to receive that miracle in the mighty name of Jesus because it is that name that is above every name and at his name every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the father.

So here in this sanctuary today we profess Jesus, we declare Jesus, we worship Jesus. WE MAGNIFY JESUS. WE exalt Jesus who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and worthy to be praised. Father, we thank you for this is the day that you have made. We thank you because you are mighty.

We thank you because you are faithful. We thank you because you are awesome. We thank you because you can do the impossible. We thank you because you and you alone are worthy to be praised. Give the Lord a hand clap in this house today. Jesus Christ told his disciples that they would be able to do greater things than they had seen him do.

How was he able to make this promise? Simply because the same power that was alive in him was available to them through his word. That power is available to you today if you put your faith and your hope in Jesus Christ. Thank you for joining us. We look forward to seeing you again very soon. >> In a world filled with noise, one message still brings peace.

At Hegy Ministries, our mission is clear. Proclaim the truth of God's word, equip believers, and reach the lost from the sanctuary of hope to feeding the hungry and caring for the sick. We go where God sends us. This mission is accomplished because of you, your heart for the kingdom.

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