>>>

Philippians 1:6 - Jesus Can Do It! - Will You Let Him?

Philippians 1:6 (NLT) 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.

INTRODUCTION

God is intimately involved in our spiritual growth. The God who began a good work in us continues it throughout our lifetime and will finish it when we meet him face to face. God's work 'for' us began when Christ died on the cross in our place. His work 'in' us began when we first believed. Now the Holy Spirit lives in us, enabling us to be more like Christ every day. Paul is describing the process of Christian growth and maturity that began when we accepted Jesus and continues until Christ returns. [Life Application SB]

Spiritual progress is dependent upon God. God will keep working even when we are discouraged. Do you sometimes feel as though you aren't making progress in your spiritual life? When God starts a project, he completes it! As with the Philippians, God will help you grow in grace until he has completed his work in your life. When you are discouraged, remember that God won't give up on you. He promises to finish the work he has begun. When you feel incomplete, unfinished, or distressed by your shortcomings, remember God's promise and provision. Don't let your present condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ or keep you from growing closer to him. [Life Application SB]

COMMENTARY PEARL

There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John, "These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1 John 2:1. And do not forget the words of Christ, "The Father Himself loveth you." John 16:27. He desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity and holiness reflected in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance. SC64-5

COMMENTARY

A Complete Work
   Ed and Cyndi Rivers of Lakewood, Ohio, had been duped. Due to his broken leg and her hip replacement, they needed help clearing their driveway of snow. So they went on Facebook, found a couple who offered to do the job for , and made an online transaction. The couple showed up, shoveled for about 20 minutes, and then said they were going to go get coffee. They never returned. The local Scam Squad couldn't do much to help the victims - except remind them never to pay for work until it's completed.
   It happens all the time. People promise to complete a task, but it doesn't get done. How frustrating can it be when you have to finish a job you paid somebody else to do? But today's verse tells a different story when it comes to God's work of salvation. Paul assures the Philippian believers that the Lord is more than able to fully prepare them for Christ's return. This is a guarantee we can be "confident" of. No need to worry about being duped.
   This salvific work will be "complete," a word in Greek that means "to bring to an end" and "to perfect." God will not slip off the job early but will finish what He has started. And when the job is done, we'll be able "to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).
   But this work of salvation, according to Philippians 2:12, 13, requires that the human work in partnership with the divine. Will you be ready for Jesus' return? God promises to complete His work in you if you continue to cooperate with His saving grace.
   Dear Lord, I choose to cooperate with Your Spirit in living a life of service for You. [The Most Amazing Bible Promises by Amazing Facts]

A Surrendered Heart
   If you were involved in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, would you be tempted to brag about it a little? Mary easily could have gone to her friends and said, "Hey, have you checked out Isaiah 7:14 lately? You know, the part where it says, 'The virgin will conceive a child'? Well, you're looking at her!"
   Mary, however, didn't do anything of the kind. She was amazed, even flabbergasted, that God had chosen her to be the one to bear the Messiah.
   But then she had a question, which was a logical one considering the circumstances: "But how can this happen? I am a virgin" (Luke 1:34 NLT).
   Now, Mary was not doubting or questioning the angel Gabriel. This had more to do with methodology. And Gabriel answered her because it was a legitimate question. He said, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God" (verse 35 NLT).
   In the same way, sometimes we look at what God asks of us and wonder how we can possibly accomplish it. We think, "How can I live a godly life in this culture?" Or "How can I, as a single person, be sexually pure and wait for the right person that God will bring to me?" Or "How can I, as a married person, remain faithful to my spouse, honest in my work, and uncompromised in my principles?"
   The answer that Gabriel gave to Mary applies to us as well: "For with God nothing will be impossible" (verse 37 NKJV).
   God will complete the work He has begun in our lives.
   The angel promised that the Holy Spirit would come upon Mary, and the Holy Spirit comes upon us as well. God will give us the power to do what He has called us to do.
   Although Mary didn't fully understand, she was obedient to God's will for her life. In essence she said, "It's a done deal, Lord." She didn't ask for a detailed explanation. She simply said, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true" (verse 38 NLT).
   Often we want to know God's will before we submit to it. But if we want to know God's will for our lives, we first need to surrender ourselves to Him. As Alan Redpath said, "The condition of an enlightened mind is a surrendered heart."
   The apostle Paul wrote, "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him" (Romans 12:1 NLT).
   We want to know the perfect will of God. But God is saying, "Submit yourself to Me, and I will tell you. First, give yourself over to Me." Mary did that. She submitted her will to God.
   Have you surrendered your heart to Jesus Christ? [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com]

How to Be Patient with People's Progress
   When my kids were little, they would bring pictures to me that they had drawn and say, "What do you think of this, Daddy?" I would tell them, "That's perfect! It looks great." When I told them it was perfect, I didn't mean that it was a Picasso. I loved what they had created because it was perfect for that stage in their lives.
   God doesn't wait until you're mature for him to start loving you. He doesn't wait for you to clean up or straighten up to think you're good enough for his love.
   You shouldn't do that with others, either. You've got to love them, warts and all. You've got to be patient with their progress.
   The Apostle Paul is a great example in this: "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). He knew God was doing a good, long work in the lives of the people in the Philippian church, and he was patient with their progress.
   Why is that so important to your happiness? If you insist on perfection in people, you're going to be miserable the rest of your life. If you're always expecting perfection in people before you can enjoy them, then you're never going to be happy, because nobody's perfect - especially you.
   Here's a little happiness hint: If you want to have happier and healthier relationships, then celebrate how far people have come rather than judging them for how far they still have to go. You've got to be patient with people's progress.
   To be able to celebrate people instead of judging them for their imperfections, you'll have to be patient. And the key to patience is love.
   Paul says in the next verse, "It is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart" (Philippians 1:7 NLT).
   In my heart: This is the real key to happiness. When you love and celebrate people and focus on their steps forward, then you're going to build healthy, happy relationships. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]

ILLUSTRATION

   I share a love of gardening with my parents. When they called to let me know they'd be coming to Idaho this spring, I got really excited. I love visiting with my parents, but I also love how they help me in my yard.
   In the past three years, my backyard has gone from a rectangular patch of hard-packed soil to a lush lawn, four vegetable beds, three decorative trees, three fruit trees, and two flower beds that hug the back of the house. This is largely due to my parents. Mom is the visionary, and Dad is the muscle. Each time they've visited, we've worked together to add beauty to the space. And we're going to keep working. As my mom says, "There's always room for more flowers."
   Jesus has been working in the hard-packed soil of my life for a whole lot longer than three years. I have lots of hopes and dreams and tons of plans for my life. But Jesus is both the visionary and the muscle when it comes to changing my heart. He has begun good work in me. And He promises that He will finish what He started and make all spaces of my life more beautiful. There's always more room in my life for Jesus. Susanna Foth Aughtmon
   Faith Step: Think about what Jesus is doing in the soil of your life. Meditate on Philippians 1:4-6 and be confident knowing He will finish the work He has started in you. [Mornings With Jesus 2024 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]

CLOSING THOUGHT

The Divine Artist
   Some years ago my wife and I enjoyed a dinner in the Texas hill country home of Gerald Jones. You've possibly heard his professional name: G. Harvey. He was one of the finest artists in America.
   His house contained wall after wall of original paintings. Frame after frame of perfection.
   Behind the house was his studio, a workroom of unfinished paintings. Partially painted canvases. People with no heads. Mountains with no peaks. Now, I'm far from an art connoisseur, but even I knew better than to say, "Hey, Gerald, this tree is half-finished." Or "You forgot to paint legs on this horse."
   The artist wasn't finished yet.
   The Divine Artist isn't finished either. The earth is his studio. Every person on earth is one of his projects. Every event on earth is part of his great mural. He is not finished.
   This life contains many journeys between prayer offered and prayer answered. But Jesus promises a sure blessing at the end of the journey. Keep believing. God's not finished yet. [You Can Count On God by Max Lucado]

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY

Philippians 1:6 - Jesus Can Do It! - Will You Let Him?
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211110-0842.html

Philippians 3:13, 14 - JESUS - The Clear Objective!
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240120-0801.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/