The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Continuing"
Both Old Testament and New declare that what God starts, He finishes.
"I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him" (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).
No truth more motivates and empowers our determination to walk in faith and faithfulness. We may not feel ourselves able to "continue in the faith," which is certainly true apart from our Heavenly Father's ongoing work of grace in us (Colossians 1:23). We can only live for God by living from God. He must "work in" that which we "work out" (Philippians 2:12-13). Any notion to the contrary places us in the precipitous position whereby we seek to fulfill a Divine standard of life and being by human means. "Walk even as He walked" declared the Apostle John, referring of course to the Lord Jesus Christ (I John 2:6). One does not have to be a believer for long before realizing we have no feet for such a journey of love, devotion, obedience, and faithfulness. "Without Me, ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).
If, however, salvation imparts not only forgiveness and assurance of Heaven, but also the very life of Christ to the trusting heart, continuing in the faith becomes not only possible, but also more than accessible. Believers "live through Him" (I John 4:9). Any indication of possible wavering from faithfulness therefore presses us not to look within ourselves to find the means whereby we continue our journey with the Lord, but rather to "consider Him… lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Hebrews 12:3). We have no more inherent ability to continue in the faith than we had to begin in the faith. The One we trust, however, ever continues in faithfulness. He always finishes what He starts. He never removes His hand from the plow, even to wipe His brow. Or, as was said of the Lord Jesus and His determination to finish His Father's work, "He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51).
God's face is steadfastly set to complete the good work He began in us. Our role involves trust and submission to the persevering Savior who always finishes what He starts. As the Apostle Paul blessedly commanded, "Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (Ephesians 6:10). Only thereby can we continue in the faith, based on God's continuing of His faithfulness.
"Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus… Let us have grace, that we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear."
(II Timothy 2:1; Hebrews 12:28)
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."
(I Thessalonians 5:23-24).
Weekly Memory Verse
"Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; Him shalt thou serve, and to Him shalt thou cleave."
(Deuteronomy 10:20)
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