Today marks the first “official” day in Main Street’s 40 Days in the Word experience. Some have already started, others will begin later this week, but the family here is beginning 2012 spending time with God day by day by allowing the truth of His ancient word to speak to our modern hearts. For the first seven days we are practicing the “Pronounce It” method of devotional study.
Today’s verse is Philippians 1.6, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
My personal application,
I must refuse to be stressed about accomplishing things for me. I must trust God has the ability and tenacity to see all things through.
I am by nature a long-range planner. I like to look sometimes years ahead and make choices today that should impact or direct me to my intended destination. I struggle with “being confident” in God to shepherd me to where He wants me to be at the time I am supposed to arrive. My struggle often results in impatience, or worse, in an attempt to assert control over my life’s direction.
How do you trust God to complete the good work that he started in you?
TheNarrowRoadPursued 
I too get impatient and have to learn things the hard way. I guess you’d have to say I’m in God’s learning disabled group. Sometimes He has to hit me in the head and say I got this covered Carol! I’m glad he’s patient with me and keeps me as his child with all my flaws and stupid mistakes. That’s my only assurance in my life.
I think we all are in the “disabled” group, howbeit some less than others. One of the impacts of sin (me being boss of me) is the inability to learn OR the ability to learn and then forget. I too am deeply grateful for God’s abundant grace!
I thought of God telling Abraham what his plans were for Sodom. God allowed Abraham to be in on His plans and to “work” with Him on what was going to happen.
I’m taking this passage as a challenge to be in good enough contact with the Father that He tells me where we’re headed and shows me how I can be working with Him instead of at cross-purposes against Him.
He doesn’t need to show me, and I’ll trust Him when he decides not to, but I’m praying today to be more of the “friend of God” that Abraham was.
Genesis 18:25 – “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
What a thoughtful insight, the Judge will indeed do right. My challenge is to stay away from the “cross-purposes ” category. I am pretty good at challenging rather than affirming God’s purposes.
SO excited about the daily study portion of this great series! I love the Pronounce It! method of study. As I spent time on Day 1 (yesterday was Day 1 as my small group started on Saturday), God’s word CAME ALIVE on the page. Breaking this verse down word by word gave amazing insights. My take on this passage: The change that Christ has made in me (He who began a good work) is only the beginning. Simply by having faith (being confident), I realize that His good (or proper / just) work is according to His plan, not mine. Looking forward to His plan for my life that gives glory to God, not me. If this is only the beginning, imagine the plans He has until completion, the day we get to see Christ face-to-face. The plans I would have for myself are so trivial and small. The work He has started in me can’t be fathomed if I only keep confidence (faith) that He will see it through to completion.
This is going to be an exciting 40 days, so looking forward to seeing God’s word come alive each day!
I agree, God’s plans are always bigger and better than mine. The real bonus is that God’s plans don’t fail.
Greg, your comment really rung true for me, as well. The Living Word is indeed seeming a little bit more lively these days — and it’s me that is changing, not the Word! What an amazing opportunity for us to all be studying the Scripture together and share this experience. I, too, am looking forward to each day’s study with renewed enthusiasm — mainly due to all the conversation, insight, and reflection that comes out of it.
That is my biggest insight so far: Bible study that is dead when done in isolation (not shared, not discussed) comes alive when done in community. That has been a missing ingredient in my personal quiet times for a long time, and, man, does it make a difference!
Our small group met Monday and not only did God’s word come alive but it was great to see how it was working in other’s lives. I can’t wait till next Monday.
Jeff, can I quote you?! And I am so jealous of your small groups and the fellowship in the Word of God you all are receiving. Anyone who isn’t in, and faithful to follow through and do this is really missing out. “Bible study that is dead…. when done in isolation comes alive when done in community.” Can we imagine what life on this earth would be like if we took what God says to us in that daily quiet time and actually walked in it all day–not as a matter of “doing” but as a matter of being. Rather like the disciples walking daily with the Living Word, Jesus Christ.