Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – October 13, 2015
Guest Writer: Meet my friend Shana Schutte. We are blessed to have her as our guest writer.
This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6
One thing I love about God’s Word is that it’s filled with treasures. A while back, I found a jewel. As I read Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 1:11, the following phrase grabbed me, “. . . and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by faith.”
I immediately thought about my purpose: sharing Jesus through written and spoken communication. I began this calling in faith but later allowed fear and pride to take over. So I tightened my hands on the reigns of my life, and I tried to control outcomes. Instead of trusting God as I worked, I trusted in myself. I forgot that it was my job to act “by faith” but God’s job to fulfill those actions by “His power.” Indeed, we fulfill all of our “good purposes” by His power, and every act prompted by our faith is fulfilled by God. We take the first step(s) but the fulfillment and completion of those steps belong to Him. The good works assigned to us originated with Him and they will be completed by Him.
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
We get into trouble when we start our purpose or some other good work in faith but we try to “finish” our God-given assignment in the flesh. We push. We press. We demand. We leave God out and try to act independently of Him. All of this leads to panic, but the fruit of the Spirit is peace (Galatians 5:22-23).
During the season I describe, if I could have had a conversation with God, perhaps He would have said the following words to me: “Am I not the One who started the work in you? Haven’t I caused amazing things to happen to bring you to this place in which you now stand? Why is it that you now feel you must compete this work in your own strength? You must continue to abide in Me. I will give you the resources and the strength you need to complete the works I have prepared for you to finish (2 Peter 1:3; Ephesians 2:10). Your job is to obey Me, to keep your heart free from unbelief and hardening, and to depend on Me. I will do this. It’s My work.”
“We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)
Prayer: Lord, it’s such a refreshing reminder that I can trust you to complete the works you have given me to do. Please help me to fully embrace this truth so it will change how I live.
Related Readings: 2 Corinthians 3:5; John 15:5; Psalm 115:3; Proverbs 16:9
Post/Tweet this today: You started your good works with Christ and they will be completed by Christ. #WisdomHunters #LetGodFinishtheWork
Worship Resource: 5 minute video- Fernando Ortega: Lord of Eternity
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