A friend of mine posted the words to this song on Facebook today.
“God’s gonna’ finish just what He started Even though the water’s got to be parted Lift up your hands, don’t be broken hearted God’s gonna’ finish what He started in you.”
I’ve been singing those words in my head all day. The question is: “do I believe them?”
The answer is:
“YES, I DO! “
One of my favorite scripture passages is Philippians 1:6. I most always prefer reading the King James bible. It says, “being confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” But as I looked at this scripture in many other versions I particularly liked the Amplified. “I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” Paul said, “I am convinced!”
Look at Romans 4. In verses 18-25 Paul is talking about Abraham. He says, “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
When there was absolutely NO hope of Abraham and Sarah ever being able to conceive, Abraham chose not to let that move him. He chose to believe God and his promise. Simply put, Abraham might have said, “God said. I believe it. That settles it.” He gave no room whatsoever for doubt. He trusted and believed his God. And because of this God counted Abraham among the righteous.
But it didn’t stop there! Paul went on to tell us in verses 23-25 that it wasn’t just for Abraham’s sake, but for our sakes also! AND that if we believe God, He will consider us righteous as well! I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to get up and dance. Knowing my short-comings, my sinful nature, my flesh and all its’ imperfections; my inability to save myself, I not only have a Savior who said he could do it for me, he promised he would!
James 1:22 says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Anyone can say something with their mouth, but actually “doing it” is another story altogether. Have you ever asked your child if he cleaned his/her room and had them tell you they did, and then visit their bedroom to find they really hadn’t? They just said they did. How about if you are promised something by a spouse or a friend, or a boss, and then they never deliver, they never follow through with their promise. How does that leave you feeling? Yes, like you can’t trust or rely on their word. Unlike God, we are all imperfect.
But when God promises something, he delivers!
There are many many scriptures that show us he does, beginning in Genesis and continuing all through until the end of Revelation. God has proven himself to be a promise keeper!
I urge you today, if you are feeling discouraged or hopeless, to dig into God’s word. If you don’t own a bible you can read it online. Find out what Christ has promised you regarding your perfection and salvation. Of course you are hopeless and discouraged if you’re looking at yourself to complete the work. You can’t! Let go and let God. Place your faith and hope in him.
Paul knew this. In Romans 7:18-20 he said, “For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not. For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want to do, I am no longer the one doing it [that is, it is not me that acts], but the sin [nature] which lives in me.” But glory to God, Paul goes on to say in Romans 8:1, “Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior].
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless] in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude vs 24-25)