We are continuing in the study of the mandate for believer's prayer in the PPOG. . Phil 4:6; 1Thes 5:17;

At the moment we are considering Paul's prayer for the spiritual growth of believers that was recorded in Phil 1:9-11;

In verse 11 Paul is praying for believers to be filled with the "fruit of righteousness." which is the result of the believer's PMA of Bible Doctrine which is the mind of TLJC.

Phil 1:11; having been completely filled up (perfect tense passive voice )with the production of righteousness [which is the result of advance from the PMA of Bible Doctrine under the mentorship of God the Holy Spirit] which comes by means of Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God

This righteousness is produced in the believer by God when the believer is functioning in the spiritual life through the application of Bible Doctrine to experience under the mentorship of God the Holy Spirit.

We have seen that in the Phil 1:11; passage the production is viewed with regard to the quality of it’s character as the “fruit of righteousness,” and in Gal 5:22, the same production is viewed with regard to it’s source as the “fruit of the Spirit.” where details of it's characteristics are also described.

We are presently studying the seventh characteristic of this righteous production of
the Spirit in the believer who has the thinking of TLJC through metabolized Bible Doctrine as described by the Greek noun "pistis", which in this passage refers to the virtue of faithfulness which means to be trustworthy, reliable, and steadfast.

We are examining the faithfulness of God because God's faithfulness to the believer is the basis for the production of faithfulness by God the Holy Spirit in the believer .... the believer's faithfulness is established in the faithfulness of God.

Believers cannot be faithful apart from understanding and living in God's grace provision

The believers on the Babylonian death march who had been taught by Jeremiah understood this concept. Psa 119:65-68,; Psa 119:71-72, ;Psa 119:75, ;

God's faithful purpose in his discipline is for believers to recognize their failure and to reestablish priorities based on his mandates. Hos 5:15,;

When believers understand these principles of God's faithfulness in adversity their anxiety is reduced or eliminated and they can have a grace oriented relaxed mental attitude in the midst of the adversity. Isa 40:31; Jer 17:7-8

Understanding is absolutely necessary because without understanding believers become anxious, fearful, and they resent the adversity and become bitter which results in their destruction rather than their advance. Hosea 4:4-6; NET note 12 This passage speaks of the pastor's responsibility to teach this information to the local assembly so they are prepared to handle pressure.

God is faithful and immutable and therefore the same One who cares for the believer throughout the years is the same One who will not forsake them in old age. Psa 37:23-26;

The sooner believers learn to trust Him in all of their affairs, being fully persuaded and convinced of His love and faithfulness toward them, the sooner believers will find true happiness in life.

Throughout the Bible the faithfulness of God is demonstrated in spite of the believer's unfaithfulness all of which are written as examples for us 1Cor 10:11; and which become part of our frame of reference for God's faithfulness in adversity 1Cor 10:12;

We will now consider some examples of God's faithfulness in spite of man's unfaithfulness that are recorded in scripture as examples for us.

In Gen 12:13-19, Abraham willfully lied to deceive the pharaoh and protect his own life, and yet God was faithful to him.

In the same way, his son Isaac, feared of losing his life because of his wife's beauty also willfully lied and told the men of Gerah that Rebekah was not his wife but his sister; however, once again the Lord was faithful to him. Gen 26:6-11;