November 15, 1999
Related Sermon

Dearly Beloved:

MAY THE LORD SHINE ON YOU WITH GRACE AND LOVE.

With each message mailed to our readers, I always include a personal letter like this one. We call it the cover letter. I try to cover various concerns on my heart and inform those interested in this ministry about how and where the Holy Spirit is leading us. Today, while praying about what I should share, God's Spirit strongly impressed upon me to talk to you about his faithfulness.

"...His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness" (Lam. 3:22-23).

I want to speak personally to those who have failed the Lord. Perhaps you have slipped - you have become complacent in prayer and Bible reading. You may have broken a commandment, sinning against the Lord. You may be under the dominion of a besetting sin. You may be overwhelmed with fear, guilt, unbelief You know God has said he will judge all manner of sin, and it has become a burden of fear to you because you know God is faithful to his word.

BUT GOD IS ALSO FAITHFUL IN MERCY. In Psalm 89 you will find one of the most healing, encouraging words in all of scripture. Beginning in verse 20, God says, "I have found David my servant...with whom my hand shall be established...I will beat down his foes before his face. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him...I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth." This is referring to Christ. God covenants, "My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him" (v. 28).

THE SAME COVENANT GOD MADE WITH CHRIST IS MADE WITH ALL OF HIS CHILDREN.

"His seed (children) also will I make to endure for ever...If his children forsake my law...and keep
not my commandments ...I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth" (vs. 29-34).

Think of it - God has made a covenant never to take his lovingkindness from any of those who are in Christ. He will discipline us with the rod of correction, but even then he does it in mercy, love and compassion. Whom he loves he chastens. He will be faithful to you - enduing you with the power of the Holy Ghost. Christ will not give up on you. Here is his glorious promise to keep you for himself:

"His seed (children) shall endure for ever" (v. 36).

So give thanks to the Lord for his lovingkindness in the morning, and thank him for his faithfulness every night (see Psalm 92:1-2). By faith, receive this healing word.

I want to say very special thanks to all who remember to send support. God made me a promise that if I would simply minister to our readers and not push for finances, he would impress lovers of his word to help us. He has been absolutely faithful to keep that word to me.

I praise him - I thank you.

His bondservant,
David Wilkerson

DW:bbm: 11.15.99