Keeping the Faith Without the Fulfillment

Avondale Church of God Service

Date: Wednesday Evening, February 19, 2025

Speaker: Brother Ward

Faith Before Fulfillment: Giving Even When the Return Isn’t Immediate

Brother Ward opened his sermon with a testimony of personal experience regarding giving—specifically tithing—and how that discipline has functioned in his walk with God. Though raised in the practice of tithing, he acknowledged the real tensions believers face when obligations press heavily and resources are tight. Yet he affirmed a resolute commitment: “We kept God at the top of the list.” Faithfulness in giving, he argued, is not merely about the act but the heart behind it—placing God first regardless of outcomes or ease.

Anticipation, Not Accounting: Trusting God in the Work of the Church

Transitioning from personal stewardship to communal effort, Brother Ward recounted the congregation’s early attempts at fundraising for building projects. He described a time when visual progress was minimal, and discouragement threatened to slow momentum. The congregation eventually removed the public fundraising thermometer—not out of defeat but as an act of surrender to God’s provision. Years later, they found themselves further along and better positioned than they had expected—proof that the Lord honors obedience over visible results.

Promises Without Sight: The Hebrews 11 Mandate

The core of the message focused on Hebrews 11:13, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises.” Brother Ward challenged listeners with a deeply reflective question: Is it still a promise if it is never fulfilled in your lifetime? Using Abraham as an example, he pointed out that the patriarch died without seeing the fullness of God’s promise—but he believed it nonetheless. Faith, in this light, is not contingent upon evidence or reward, but upon the nature and integrity of the One who promises.

Enduring Trials Without Bitterness: What Happens When It Doesn’t Work Out?

Brother Ward cautioned against allowing unmet expectations to erode faith. If believers only serve God when results are immediate, their foundation is fragile. He asked, “What’s going to happen when it doesn’t work out like we thought?” Faith that is tied to outcomes is easily shaken. But the kind of faith that anchors the soul sees past circumstances and holds to God’s goodness, even amid silence or suffering.

Testimonies of the Martyrs: Dying in Faith, Not in Bitterness

Drawing from the “Martyr’s Mirror” and Foxe’s “Book of Martyrs,” he reflected on the unwavering convictions of early saints. These men and women were tortured, imprisoned, and even killed—not because their prayers were answered with deliverance, but because they valued dying in the faith more than escaping suffering. Their stories, he noted, are not just historical footnotes but spiritual beacons reminding the Church today that the goal is not always comfort, but spiritual endurance and holiness.

A Sincere Faith in a Faithful God

Brother Ward closed the message by returning to a recurring refrain: “God help us to stay in the center of Your will—whatever that might be.” The essence of his sermon was not merely about doing, building, or receiving, but about being faithful. He urged the congregation to consider whether their allegiance to God would stand even if their prayers went unanswered, their promises unfulfilled, and their hopes unseen. For in the end, the greatest testimony is not what we receive, but how we remain.

Scripture Reference List

• Hebrews 11:13 – Central to the message, underscoring that true faith does not depend on visible outcomes but on trust in God’s Word.

• Luke 16:10 – “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much,” emphasized as a measure of spiritual character.

• Romans 4:20-21 – Abraham staggered not at the promise of God, though fulfillment was distant; illustrates unwavering belief.

• Psalm 37:5 – “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass,” reinforcing patient trust.

• Revelation 2:10 – “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life,” affirming the reward of enduring faith.