THE GOOD GOD WORK WITHIN YOU

 Greetings and Salutations Oh Ye People in the Perfecting Process.

There is a bumper sticker that many use and excuse for their fallible being that states..."Be patient with me...God is not finished yet."  Oh how true this is...especially in my life. 

As with everything in our lives...no matter what it is...it BEGINS with God.  We did not initiate loving God...God love us first.

"We love, because He FIRST loved us." (I John 4:19)

God has STARTED a WORK in us.  Paul underscores this in his prison letter to the Philippians when he confidently states..."For I am confident of this very thing, that He (God) who BEGAN (started) a WORK IN YOU..will PERFECT it (the work) until the day of Christ Jesus (the return of Jesus)." (Philippians 1:6)  In this verse we see that God started it...God will finish it. The IT is the WORK.  Jesus is known as the AUTHOR (originator) and PERFECTER (finisher) of our FAITH. (Hebrews 12:2)

"In the BEGINNING...God CREATED the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)  God is a Creator and we are the created.  "Therefore if any man...wo-man...hu-man is IN CHRIST..he...she...they are NEW CREATIONS (created new by the Creator)...the OLD things passed away...behold NEW (created) THINGS are constantly coming." (II Corinthians 5:17).  This is the STARTING POINT of the WORK...the ERGON...the work, toil, act or deed IN US.

CREATED (ktidzo) means...proprietorship, the manufacturer, to fabricate/make.  God is the MANUFACTURER and the Bible...His Words...His thoughts...His will is the MANUFACTURER'S HANDBOOK.

You have seen the signs...MEN AT WORK...and then notice that there are 5 guys standing around as maybe one man is working.  Well I need a sign around me that says...GOD AT WORK.  Yes He started it...and He is AT WORK...and not just standing around.  "For it is God who is AT WORK IN YOU, both to will and TO WORK for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)  This is underscored by a passage in Ephesians..."Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power AT WORK WITHIN US, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." (Ephesians 3:20 NLT)

So now...we have God beginning the work that He will finish until Jesus returns.  What is happening in between this is THE WORK.  This WORK that He is doing...WITHIN US...ie from the word energeo which means to be active, efficient, mighty and showing forth self.  I like that description of His WORK IN ME.

Between the point of Him starting this WORK...and Him doing the WORK...there is another aspect of the WORK that involves me and you.

"So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed not as my presence only, but now much more in my absence...WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING." (Philippians 2:12)

WORK OUT (katergadzomchee) means...to work fully; accomplish, finish, fashion.

This does not mean that you have to draft a new salvation plan.  It is finished.  The D.B.R....nothing more, nothing less is all that is needed.

"For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf." (II Corinthians 5:14-15)

"For Christ also died for our sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit." (I Peter 3:18)

"Now I make known to you, brethren, the GOSPEL (D.B.R...nothing more...nothing less) which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
(I Corinthians 15:1-4)

No...we do not need another SALVATION PLAN...but as God BEGINS the work and FINISHES the work...the way that we WORK OUT OUR OWN SALVATION...is to die to ourselves daily, yield our will to Him and say yes Lord.

All of this WORK is not for OUR PLEASURE, but it is for HIS GOOD PLEASURE.
 (Philippians 2:13)

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for THY PLEASURE they are and were created." (Revelation 4:11)

As God is doing the WORK in us...and as we are WORKING OUT our own salvation that He started in us...we must have the PROPER ATTITUDE...as HE MAKES BEAUTIFUL THINGS OUT OF BROKEN PIECES.

"Do ALL THINGS...without GRUMBLING and COMPLAINING." (Philippians 2:14)

This grumbling and complaining includes holding grudges, murmurings, disputes, debates, doubt, imaginations.  In the context of THE GOOD GOD WORK it is against God Himself.

Remember..."GRUMBLING & COMPLAINING IS NOTHING BUT DEVIL PRAISE." (said by a nursing home patient...who had a right to grumble and complain).

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

God is not finished with you yet.  See the signs?  GOD AT WORK!

Love and Perfected Kisses
Rodney "IN CHRIST (yoke breaking, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Ghost" Boyd