“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

Written by Beth Andrews for “Deeper Roots”  @  https://dbethandrews.wordpress.com

Original post @ https://dbethandrews.wordpress.com/2024/11/15/from-start-to-finish/

From Start to Finish

Posted on November 15, 2024 by Beth Andrews

Back when I had more time and better eyesight, I used to enjoy craft projects of various kinds – cross-stitch, sewing, crocheting, and beadwork. I even tried my hand at quilting. Work and school and little girl have put my crafting way on the back burner. Most of my projects are in various stages of incompletion. I’m good at starting things, but not so good at finishing them. That is why I love 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.” God always finishes what He starts, and He finishes it well. The creation account in Genesis 1 is a great example. At the end of every day, the Scripture says: “God saw that it [His work] was good.” At the end of the week, “God saw that it was very good.”

Paul says that God “began a good work” in us. What was that good work? Salvation. The restoration of our relationship with Him. And with it the transformation of our lives, that is sanctification – working to make us more like Jesus, “to be conformed to the likeness of His Son” (Rom 8:29). God’s purpose is to make sinful creatures into holy sons and daughters. It is a life-long work that will only be completed in heaven. But here’s the important point to remember: it will be completed. It will be accomplished. God’s good work in you and me will be finished and it will be “very good.”

I hope that is as encouraging to you as it is to me. I have boxes full of unfinished projects to prove that I can’t pull this off by myself. And neither can you. But God has a cross and an empty tomb to prove that He can. He has the power and the vision to accomplish this good work. And He will prove Himself faithful. Paul said that it is God Himself who will sanctify us “through and through” It is He who will keep our “spirit, soul, and body blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (*). Beloved, You and I are not “unfinished projects.” We are divinely designed and destined by God to accomplish His “good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom 12:2) – to be like His Son. “The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it” (1 Thess 5:23-24*).

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

Photo credit: https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=c744cb070de47b7e&rlz=1C1UEAD_enUS1112US1112&q=image+phil+1:6&udm=2&fbs=AEQNm0Aa4sjWe7Rqy32pFwRj0UkWd8nbOJfsBGGB5IQQO6L3J7pRxUp2pI1mXV9fBsfh39JqJxzRlphkmT2MeVSzs3MQCUNkeUaVjRp3Bu8J5s0UhhW9p8XBQ4OgSxaZFuzMRIHm1YH1fcYQUvvrISxlCv9Km7C6ufW8zILU3_5Nhj-Vo4qKzb5wi7QUQvpxDIQTbaNzipXoYS-g5hS9YBSIbVVrGMsj-g&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwitt83JyPeJAxVWD1kFHctaMu0QtKgLegQIFBAB&biw=1328&bih=887&dpr=1#vhid=D1Gq11l3aXSUhM&vssid=mosaic