Our church has begun a small group study titled, 40 Days in the Word by Rick Warren. Below are the thoughts God has spoken to me from the first four days of this study. After today, I will try to post them individually.
Thursday, 9/11: I am God's masterpiece. I am not perfect in any way. I am flawed and in need of Him. He promises to complete me, however, and one day I will be perfect when Christ returns. Until then, I need to allow Him to mold me, shape me, and chisel away at those rough spots to make me into a beautiful masterpiece. Thank you, Father that You love me enough not to give up on me. Thank You for Your promise to continue to work in me to make me complete/whole/perfect.
Friday, 9/12: How often do I turn people away from Christ because of my actions, attitudes, and/or words or even the lack of them in certain situations? Phillipians 1:27 states that I am to "conduct myself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, no matter what happens." Conducting myself in a manner worthy of the Gospel at all times, in all circumstances is a difficult thing to do, and it's even more sobering to think that my actions, attitudes, and words could potentially turn someone away if my conduct isn't worthy of the Gospel of Christ.
Saturday, 9/13: Lots of thoughts came to mind in this morning's verse. Let's see if I can articulate them well enough. Today's verse is Phillipians 2:13 "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." This piggy backs on the verse a couple days ago that talks about how He, God, who began a good work in you will complete it. As Beth Moore would say "is working" is a PAP (present active participle) meaning He is continually working; he doesn't stop. He gives me the longing, strength and ability to do what He's called me to do. The Message version calls it "God's energy." I like how that's put...God's energy, not mine! However, as Paul would say in Romans 7, I don't always do what I know I should do because of the evil (fleshly desires) that wages war within me. I have a spiritual battle going on, and I have choices to make, whether to take hold of God's energy or my own. God supplies me with everything I need to be obedient to Him. I obey Him because of the desire and power He places within me, not because of my own self. I need to daily (even sometimes hourly or minute by minute) put on the armor of God to fight those fleshly desires so that I can take hold of the energy God puts in me to do His will. I have to be intentional about claiming and laying hold of this energy, this desire and power, that God places in me to obey Him.
Sunday, 9/14: The verse for today comes from the second half of Philippans 3:12. "...I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." When I go back and read the previous verses and the verses afterwards, it seems the "that" is referring to becoming like Christ/having Christ's righteousness which can only come from God through faith. (v 9) I can't give up, no matter how difficult the journey is; how difficult the battle becomes. I must persevere, with "God's energy," as I learned yesterday, to finish strong. Later in the chapter, Paul talks about keeping my eyes fixed on the goal. Christ gave His life for me so His blood could cover me and make me righteous in God's eyes. If He loved me enough to "grab hold of me and not let go" as The Voice version states, then the least I can do for Him is not give up and persevere on this journey until He calls me home. Stay strong!
Thursday, 9/11: I am God's masterpiece. I am not perfect in any way. I am flawed and in need of Him. He promises to complete me, however, and one day I will be perfect when Christ returns. Until then, I need to allow Him to mold me, shape me, and chisel away at those rough spots to make me into a beautiful masterpiece. Thank you, Father that You love me enough not to give up on me. Thank You for Your promise to continue to work in me to make me complete/whole/perfect.
Friday, 9/12: How often do I turn people away from Christ because of my actions, attitudes, and/or words or even the lack of them in certain situations? Phillipians 1:27 states that I am to "conduct myself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, no matter what happens." Conducting myself in a manner worthy of the Gospel at all times, in all circumstances is a difficult thing to do, and it's even more sobering to think that my actions, attitudes, and words could potentially turn someone away if my conduct isn't worthy of the Gospel of Christ.
Saturday, 9/13: Lots of thoughts came to mind in this morning's verse. Let's see if I can articulate them well enough. Today's verse is Phillipians 2:13 "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." This piggy backs on the verse a couple days ago that talks about how He, God, who began a good work in you will complete it. As Beth Moore would say "is working" is a PAP (present active participle) meaning He is continually working; he doesn't stop. He gives me the longing, strength and ability to do what He's called me to do. The Message version calls it "God's energy." I like how that's put...God's energy, not mine! However, as Paul would say in Romans 7, I don't always do what I know I should do because of the evil (fleshly desires) that wages war within me. I have a spiritual battle going on, and I have choices to make, whether to take hold of God's energy or my own. God supplies me with everything I need to be obedient to Him. I obey Him because of the desire and power He places within me, not because of my own self. I need to daily (even sometimes hourly or minute by minute) put on the armor of God to fight those fleshly desires so that I can take hold of the energy God puts in me to do His will. I have to be intentional about claiming and laying hold of this energy, this desire and power, that God places in me to obey Him.
Sunday, 9/14: The verse for today comes from the second half of Philippans 3:12. "...I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." When I go back and read the previous verses and the verses afterwards, it seems the "that" is referring to becoming like Christ/having Christ's righteousness which can only come from God through faith. (v 9) I can't give up, no matter how difficult the journey is; how difficult the battle becomes. I must persevere, with "God's energy," as I learned yesterday, to finish strong. Later in the chapter, Paul talks about keeping my eyes fixed on the goal. Christ gave His life for me so His blood could cover me and make me righteous in God's eyes. If He loved me enough to "grab hold of me and not let go" as The Voice version states, then the least I can do for Him is not give up and persevere on this journey until He calls me home. Stay strong!
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