Philippians 2:13 - PROVIDENCE.
Philippians 2:13 (NKJV) for it is God who
works in you both to will and to do for His good
pleasure.
Philippians 2:13 (AMP) [Not in your own
strength] for it is God Who is all the while
effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in
you the power and desire], both to will and to
work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and
delight.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Vessels Of the Greatest Gift
God offers you the same gift he gave
Mary, mother of Jesus - the indwelling Christ.
Christ grew in her until the miracle of gestation
became the moment of delivery. Likewise, Christ
will grow in you until he comes out in your
speech, your actions, your decisions.
God promised, "I will give you a new
heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take
the heart of stone out of your flesh and give
you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV). Who
does the work? Who removes the heart of stone?
God.
We do not work; we trust the finished
work of Christ. Like a growing child, we learn to
walk... with God. We learn to talk... with God. We
nourish ourselves on his bread and trust in his
Word. Temper tantrums diminish. Prayer time
increases. We seek our will less and God's will more,
and he changes us from the inside out. And, in
time, the most wonderful thing occurs ... we
become vessels for the greatest gift of all - Jesus
Christ. [You Can Count On God by Max Lucado]
COMMENTARY
Providence
Whoever reads the writings of Christians
from earlier centuries is struck with the
frequent references to God's providence. Why don't we
hear more about it today? What imp sneaked in and
stole this good word from our twenty-first-century
vocabulary? The spirit of naturalism that views all
events in nature as ruled by independent natural
forces has left its mark on our generation. Too
bad. We would do well to reintroduce this grand
word to our tongues as well as to our young.
While Paul was addressing those
sophisticated eggheads on Mars Hill, he spoke of
providence when he stated "in Him we live and move and
exist" (Acts 17:28). Our God not only struck the
spark that gave you and me life, He continues to
prompt each heartbeat in every chest every second
of every minute. And what He does for us as
individuals He does for the vast universe about us.
Furthermore, what God creates, God sustains. Not only
does He number the hairs on our heads, He
determines the days of our lives. In doing so, He
weaves everything together into His design.
Ultimately, the tapestry of His handiwork will be
something to behold!
Let me urge you to remove three words
from your vocabulary as you add providence. They
are chance, fate, and luck. Those shallow terms
suggest that there are blind, impersonal, and
spontaneous forces at work in the ranks of humanity.
Not! Only One is at work, as the apostle has
written:
Dear friends, you always followed my
instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away,
it is even more important. Work hard to show
the results of your salvation, obeying God with
deep reverence and fear. For God is working in
you, giving you the desire and the power to do
what pleases him. Philippians 2:12-13
So, take heart. God is in full control.
Nothing is happening on earth that brings a surprise
to heaven. Nothing touches us that has not
first passed through the fingers of His hands.
Nothing is outside the scope of His divine radar
screen, as He guides us safely home. [Chuck Swindoll
www.insight.org.]
ILLUSTRATION
I love flowers. During the dark winter
months, my husband, Dave, sometimes brings home
bouquets. Nothing fancy, just a mixed batch to
brighten my day. My husband knows those blooms give
me hope for the future. So does Jesus.
One day, my mood was anything but cheery.
A dream for which I'd been saving money for
years had fallen through, and I couldn't stop
crying. Unsettled thoughts left me shaken, wishing
for a sign - for some way to know Jesus was
watching and listening. As afternoon turned to
evening, I busied myself with preparing dinner while
awaiting Dave's return home from his work at a nearby
store.
He entered the kitchen, two dozen
long-stemmed roses overflowing in his arms. I paused
before accepting them. How could we justify buying
expensive flowers, especially now? Dave sensed my
hesitation and explained the flowers had been about to
be discarded. They'd cost nothing.
I held the delicate buds close. These
were much more than simple castoffs. Yes, my
caring husband had spotted the roses and rescued
them from the trash, acting on Jesus's
prompting.
But Jesus had picked them out for me.
He'd heard my cry and stepped in to wipe away the
tears, as He does for all of us. Some days He sends
a friend to visit. Other mornings we might
suspect the words of a devotion were written
specifically for our needs. And sometimes He shares a
loved one's heart and hands to present us with two
dozen roses. Heidi Gaul
Faith Step: Find ways to be the hands of
Jesus for others. A call, a card, or even a smile
can be enough to share His much-needed love with
others. [Mornings With Jesus 2022 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
CLOSING THOUGHT
Our bodies tend to regress if we do not
exercise on a regular basis. The same can be said for
growing spiritually healthy. A spiritual workout is
not just beneficial but a necessity. As a
believer, God is your workout partner encouraging you
to be persistent in working through the
problems and trials and difficulties presented in
ordinary daily Life. Just as we benefit from a
healthy body during our time on earth, staying
spiritually fit offers benefits both now and for
eternity. [The Practice of the Presence of God: 40 Day
Devotional by Brother Lawrence/Alan Vermilye]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
Philippians 2:12, 13 - Cooperating with
Divinity.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210125-1103.html
Philippians 1:6 - Its His Work, Not Ours.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211128-0955.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
