Verse of the Day 12/3

Verse of the Day 12/3

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Holman Christian Standard Bible

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

I closed yesterday's post with the hymn, "Now I Belong to Jesus", which begins with "Jesus, my Lord will love me forever, from Him no power of evil can sever".  In reading today's verses in my devotions those words came back to me as I considered how Paul ended the verses, "He who is faithful, will also do it."  If God has effectually called you be will "sanctify" you.   He will mold you and change you, spirit, soul and body.  Think about that He will do His work in you "through and through", in our physical body in our spirit - working in our lives, and all the way down to the depths of our soul.

Similar things are written by the Apostle Paul throughout His writings.  What immediately came to mind was Philippians 1:6 which states, "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it."  He has started this project in us.  He won't abandon us and won't allow us to abandon Him.  He will do it.

There are no "easy buttons" in this.  We will face our trials and temptations but He will always be there to see us through.  As John Piper notes, "The call secures the doing. of the keeping".

If the struggle you're facing
Is slowly replacing
Your hope with despair
Or the process is long
And you're losing your song in the night
You can be sure that the Lord has His hand on you
Safe and secure, He will never abandon you
You are His treasure

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

And He finds His pleasure in you.         (Steve Green)

Blessings,

Mike

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

1 Thessalonians 5:16-27

Holman Christian Standard Bible

16 Rejoice always!

17 Pray constantly.
18 Give thanks in everything,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Don't stifle the Spirit.
20 Don't despise prophecies,
21 but test all things.
Hold on to what is good.
22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 25 Brothers, pray for us also. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers.