In Me!

In Me!

And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. Philippians 1:6 AMPC

Context and Charge:

Paul writes to the church in Philippi, encouraging them to trust in God. The pressures of the Christian walk are such that we need to focus on the source of strength at all times. You cannot start in Christ and then seek to continue in the flesh or by sheer force of self-will. There are many demands that will be placed on a true follower of Christ, but the one thing Paul focuses on here is the confidence that God is able to perfect whatever work He starts in us. God does not do half-measures, and He does not do abandoned projects. He will not bring me to the place of purpose and not supply the grace, wisdom and strength required to succeed in that which He has commissioned. I must trust Him, and then walk with Him on a daily basis. 

It is God who begins any work that will last. Whatever else a man starts, or commissions, may persist for a while, but there is no guarantee that that work will reverberate in eternity. That work is IN me, not outside of me. The work must first impact my inner man, before it can make any sense on the outside. The world we live in today lays so much emphasis on net worth, bank account balance and material possessions, but with God, none of these things matter. God may use them if He desires, but He does not need them to impact lives. Jesus' greatest works were about the impact of the Kingdom of God in the hearts of men, not their pockets. The focus has to always be on that which is hidden away from the eyes of men, if I will be all that God wants me to be.

Conviction and Conclusion:

Check out the process too: Develop, Perfect and bring to FULL COMPLETION. None of these processes is easy or convenient. Each takes time to conclude, before it can move on to the next level and into eternity. This is the ultimate: everything God does has eternal implications. The day of Jesus Christ is coming; all men will encounter that day. It is a day of both terror and triumph: what it means for you will depend on that which you have given the power to take root in you, and which you have allowed to work in and out of you. Let God work in you; it is the only way I can be sure of eternal rest with Jesus. He will not stop working; His work cannot be stopped or thwarted by the machinations of men, or the schemes of the devil. That is power, made real in me. I am the platform on which God will be glorified. God's time of favour is here.