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And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
History is strewn with unfinished projects. Dreams people have had that were never accomplished. Books that were started and never finished. Songs no one has heard. Inventions that have never seen a store shelf. Relationships that have never experienced the joy of togetherness.
There are many reasons for people failing to accomplish their dreams. Some ran out of time or money. Others experienced life changes that kept them from achieving their goal. Some just lost interest when the project didn’t take shape the way they’d hoped it would. There are also those that failed because of a failure to plan.
The Apostle Paul tells us we are each an unfinished project. But we are not likely to be cast aside any time soon! Before time itself we were a project in God’s eye. Psalm 139 says that each of our days was carefully planned out with every detail in place.
When God starts a project He has the ability to complete it, the desire to see it succeed and the passion to do it well. He is well aware of our shortcomings and the momentary setbacks. He understands how our feelings and the circumstances of our lives can keep us from staying on course. That doesn’t deter Him from continuing to work in our lives. He is never discouraged or disappointed in what He sees. Nothing we do surprises Him.
Every day of our lives is a step closer to becoming all God has planned for us. He will not abandon you. He will not tire of your shortcomings or lose interest in you and go on to some other, more promising project. You are His number one. You are His masterpiece.
Be patient though. Masterpieces take time. There will be set backs along the way and things won’t go as you’d like. In the midst of the struggle don’t forget who you are, a child of the King. Remember that you aren’t doing the work. God is working in you and through you to make you the finished product.
PRAYER: Dear Father. Thank you for the work you are doing I my life today. I don’t understand all the things that are happening right now. I’m trying so hard to change things in my life and they aren’t working. I praise you for that fact that you have all things in control and that you can use everything that happens in my life for good. Help me to live as the masterpiece I am. Amen.
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33
It isn’t good for us to be alone. Even at creation God saw that all was good except for the fact that man was alone. He needed a companion that he could share the good and the bad with. So God created woman to stand at his side as his equal partner in life.
Today the one thing each of us still craves is relationship. We want to belong to something, to someone. We seek a cause that we can believe in and pursue because it makes us feel important. Our self worth gives us identity. It could be through a church, a relationship, a job anything that makes us feel worthy.
Jesus tells us we are to be the salt of the earth. For salt to be useful it must be in contact with the item to be salted. It intermingles, adds flavor and preserves. But salt is always salt. It doesn’t take on the quality of the item salted but enhances the positive aspects of the item salted.
Jesus also warns that salt can lose its ‘saltiness’ and become useless. It breaks down and loses its identity. Rather than maintaining its saltiness it takes on the attributes of the substance surrounding it. The salt no longer enhances the flavor or preserves as it once did.
As Christ-followers we need to be careful when we are in the world. It is too easy to get drawn into the negative attitudes about other people or those who are different than us. In an effort to reach out to those struggling with sin it seems right to downplay the sin in an effort to win the sinner.
Paul tells us in Galatians 6:1 that when we catch someone in sin we are to restore them gently, but the second part of that verse is a warning. We ourselves are in danger of sinning when we put ourselves in situations where temptations to judge, have a critical spirit or allowing pride to overtake us.
When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church he warned them that constant affiliation with those who were negative, judgmental or lax in their spiritual drive could pull us down. Are we to avoid such people? NO! We need to temper the negative with a strong drive to draw close to Jesus through our personal Bible Study and Prayer and by building a wall of positive influence around us made up of small group and corporate worship and prayer.
When we allow negative thoughts and negative attitudes to influence the way we act or think it robs us of our self esteem, our self identity and the dreams we have. Jesus’ ways are built on love and compassion not on critical spirits and verbal and emotional attacks. As a Christ-follower we are called to built up not tear down, to encourage not berate, to seek the positive in every situation and not dwell on the negative.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. I get so frustrated by seeing the way in which people abuse each other and seem to take advantage of your love and Forgiveness. To make matters worse I have found my own attitude has become negative and angry with people I disagree with. As a result I am guilty of the very thing that I detest. Forgive me for my judgmental attitude, my critical spirit and my hatred. Empower me with your Spirit to love unconditionally and forgive freely. Help to continue to build a close relationship with you and other believers so that I can live in the freedom you have given me and accomplish all you have in store for my life. Amen.
He did this that he might clearly demonstrate though the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His fee grace (His unmerited favor) in (His) kindness and goodness of heat toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:7 (Amplified)
Grace is more than forgiveness of Sin. The Bible tells us that not only are we forgiven but the Father showers us with a multitude of blessings. Unlimited favor! How would life be different for us as followers of Jesus Christ if we could completely grasp this one truth?
God the Father, the creator of the universe wants nothing but the best for us as His children. We are like only children to Him. We are the sole heir, the only one He has to shower His goodness on. It’s not a competition thing with the believer across the church aisle. We don’t lack because ‘he got my blessing’.
To live fully in God’s grace and to enjoy the blessings He has for us doesn’t involve a change in circumstance or location. It demands a change of vision. Some of God’s most amazing blessings come out of adversity and hardship but too often we feel so surrounded by the wilderness we miss the oasis’ along the way.
YOU are God’s chosen child. He has placed you where you are for a reason. He’s gifted you for His glory. Don’t let the circumstances you are surrounded by cause you to miss the blessings hidden in the sand of the wilderness.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father. Thank you for the many riches you have given me. Forgive me for the times I have dwelt on my circumstances and not on my position in Christ. Encourage me and strengthen me for today. Help me in the midst of my pain to feel your comfort. Empower me to live according to your unlimited blessings. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 