Through the Bible - Isaiah 27-30 , Philippians 1-2,
Good morning,
Yesterday we considered what it means to "grow in grace and knowledge" of the Lord.
This morning I read the following in Psalm 27.
Psalm 27:14 (Amplified Bible) Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.
In our culture and in our language we speak of "expectant moms". The pregnant mom to be knows that a child is growing in her and displays these feelings and attitudes of waiting and hoping and expecting. What will this child be like, who will he/she look like, who will they grow up to be?
In today's New Testament reading speaks of Christ being formed in us in much the same way.
Philippians 1:6 (Amplified Bible) 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.
As Christians, God is doing this work in us, causing us go grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord. It is not a passive thing, like a growing child, growth will be impacted by the amount and quality of the nourishment received. Our growth will be related to what take in and how we exercise our faith. But we can be assured that He will complete it.
For this weekend's verse we'll skip down a few verses in Philippians 1 where Paul shares this prayer for the church and for us.
Phil 1:9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
NIV
NIV
Read a few lines from Steve Green's "He Who Began a Good Work in You".
You can be sure
That the Lord has His hand on you
Safe and secure
He will never abandon you
You are His treasure
And He finds His pleasure in you
Chorus
He who began a good work in you
He who began a good work in you
Will be faithful to complete it
He'll be faithful to complete it
He who started the work
Will be faithful to complete it in you
So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God. (from THE MESSAGE)
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