"Works In Progress"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

"Works In Progress"

   

     Born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are all works in progress, even as the Apostle Paul testified, "My brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).

    More importantly, a Worker in progress incessantly acts in accordance with His grace and truth to change us into the spiritual and moral image of Christ.  "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works" (Ephesians 2:10).  Apart from such Divine action upon and within us, we would have no hope for growth, any more than we had hope for spiritual birth apart from the Lord Jesus.  "Let us have grace, that we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear" (Hebrews 12:28).

    The twin rails of God's working and our response of trusting submission lie before us in this day, and throughout our earthly lifetime.  God works in us "both to will and to do of His good pleasure."  We "work out" that which He works in (Philippians 2:12-13).  We must have confidence in the former, and consecration to the latter.  Indeed, any notion of our performing even the tiniest act of faith and faithfulness apart from the indwelling Spirit of the Lord Jesus is folly: "Without Me, ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).  However, any notion that the Christian life does not involve our decisively active engagement also leads us into futility.  "Now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8).  Certainly we acknowledge our complete hopelessness apart from Christ.  However, we also decisively affirm that we are not apart from Christ!  "I will dwell in them and walk in them" He promised (II Corinthians 6:16).  We must believe and submit ourselves to our Heavenly Father in the aforementioned confidence and consecration that expects His involved presence, and engages our active participation.  "When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face, my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek" (Psalm 27:8).

   The Worker is present, engaged, and active in all His trusting children in Christ.  "The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 1:4).   Remembrance and affirmation of such grace encourages our response of faith and submission.  "I will love Thee, o Lord my strength!" (Psalm 18:1).   Thereby the Spirit of God leads and enables us to fulfill our role of trusting devotion to the glory and will of God.  The twin rails of God's working in and our working out lie before us in this day.  May we journey thereupon as works in progress of the Worker in progress

"He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

(Philippians 1:6)

"Exercise thyself rather unto godliness."

(I Timothy 4:7)

Weekly Memory Verse

    So He fed them according to the integrity of His heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of His hands."

 (Psalm 78:72).

  

5560