Philippians 1:6 NIV
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
INSIGHT
-Paul expresses confidence that the Philippian brethren will maintain fruitful activity until Christ returns. He bases his belief, not on their own faithfulness but God’s purpose, until Christ returns. Paul continues to say that it is by grace that we will stand given his chains and commitment to the gospel. Our belief should therefore be based upon Christ, the Rock upon which we stand and His enduring grace. Having been saved by grace through faith and not by our works, lest anyone should boast, this is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). We are then bond servants in Christ having been called to undertake the good work that Christ has began in us and have faith that He will bring it to completion for His glory.
PRAYER
We thank You Jehovah for enabling us to see day in peace. We thank You for this new week. We humbly ask You Lord to journey with us and to direct all our steps. Lord the steps of a righteous man are governed by You alone. Only You Lord know us, only You know our destiny, may You guide in all things. Lord You have promised in Your word that all things God works for the good of those who love You, who have been called according to Your purpose. We thank You Lord Jesus for the good work that You have began in us from everlasting to everlasting. You knew us before we were formed in our mothers wombs and have predestined us to do work for the glory of Your name. May You take us from one glory to the next for Your names sake. May You elevate us by Your grace to the next level according to Your promise. May You work in us and through us for Your glory. We love You Lord and bless Your name. We believe in You and trust in You. We pray this believing and trusting in Jesus Mighty name. Amen
Further reading: Galatians 2:20-21, 1 Peter 2:16
Ephesians 2:10 NIV
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
INSIGHT
-A classical example of God calling us to do good work prepared for us in advance is through one prophet Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 1:5 we read that, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” God in His Sovereignty created Jeremiah knowing the purpose for which He had called him. God already knew Jeremiah and made him an agent of choice. Jeremiah was set apart through consecration and appointment for the work of prophecy to the nations. Even though Jeremiah expressed inability by saying he was too young, and possibly inexperienced in speech and works, the Lord encouraged him to be bold and courageous. Moses also disclosed his inability to speak as he was a stammerer, but the Lord encouraged him and called Aaron to help him (Exodus 4:10-14). Samuel was also called and dedicated as a priest to God from a very young age (1 Samuel 1:24-26). Jesus at the age of twelve knew His position and calling to serve, and remained in the temple for three days during the Passover feast (Luke 2:41-50). God is calling us to do the good work for which He has called us, even if we feel inexperienced or inadequate, He will strengthen us and shower us with His grace. God calls us to be strong and courageous, and we will accomplish every good work for which He has created us to do.
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus we thank You for You are God and none can compare to You. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. You are the Ancient of Days, we exult Your in the highest praise. Lord You have called us to be strong and courageous, for You are our God. May You help us, strengthen us and uphold us with Your righteous right hand. May You forgive us all our trespasses and wash us with Your precious blood dear Jesus. May You remember with mercy the nations of Syria and Turkey who are faced by a disastrous earthquake, that You may deliver them and heal the hearts of those who have lost their loved ones. May You bless our nation and preserve us from any attempts to disrupt our peace. May You give us rest in every area of our lives, families, churches, nation and prosper our economy merciful Savior. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:6-7
Colossians 1:9-12 NIV
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”
INSIGHT
–After recounting his relationship to the Colossian church, a relationship based in the fact that they have responded to the gospel of Christ, Paul shifts gears and explains his desire for the Colossians, and states that he has been praying that this desire would be realized. The implicit purpose of these text is to tell the Colossians the general point of his letter, or what he hopes the letter will help to bring about in them. Paul’s general purpose in writing the letter, is that they would be “filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Paul hopes this knowledge of God will help them to live lives that are worthy of, and pleasing to, Christ. Specifically, the kind of life it will help them to live is one that is marked by good works and growing knowledge of God. This serves as a reminder that if we abide in Christ, we gain spiritual wisdom and bear much fruit as His disciples for without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5-8). As we abide in Him, we are able to do good works and at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
PRAYER
Jesus You are the Vine and we are the branches, may You help us to remain in You as You are in us so that we can bear much fruit. Lord God we are nothing without You and without You we can do nothing. Dear Lord You chose us and appointed us so that we may go and bear much fruit, may Your grace accompany us, and Your grace overshadow us so that whatever we ask for in Your name we may receive it more abundantly. May You help us to bear much fruit and be victorious in all spheres of our live for the glory and honor of Your name. May You heal all those who are sick and suffering among us and restore their health merciful Savior. May You bless all the street children back to their destinies dear Jesus. We humbly implore You to hear the prayers of all the widows, orphans and fatherless dear Master and respond to their hearts desires. We call on You to have mercy on those who are living in Turkey and Syria and deliver them from all their troubles. May Your peace that surpasses all human understanding dwell in our hearts, minds, homes, nation and the world dear Jesus. We worship You Lord and exult Your name now and forever. Amen
Further reading: Matthew 3:8, John 15:16
Ephesians 6:7-8 NIV
“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.”
INSIGHT
-We are called to serve in our various capacities and through our diverse gifts by doing good work. 1 Peter 4:10 reminds us that, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” We are not to work with eye-service, when only the boss/superior is looking or as people-pleasers, but with good intentions. That is, with sincere hearts, good attitude, not complaining and as unto Christ and not to men. The statement, ‘as to Christ’ changes our entire perspective as workers in our diverse capacities, and we should work as we are working for Jesus because we truly are and we shall receive our reward, whether instantaneously and/or eternally.
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus we come to Your throne of grace with confidence that we may receive grace and mercy to help us during our time of need. We ask You to help us in our weakness and deliver us from all evil. We surrender our hearts unto You that You may create in us clean hearts and renew Your steadfast spirit within us. We ask You to form our hearts and mindsets in the image of Your Son Jesus Christ. May You give us broken spirits, broken and contrite hearts that You will never despise. May You teach us and help us to be diligent in our work, gifts and callings for which You have called us. May You help us to remain peaceful in our nation and prosperous in all spheres. We exult You Jehovah and enthrone You in our highest praise because only You deserve. Amen
Further reading: Romans 1:1, Colossians 3:23-24
John 10:31-36 NIV
“Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?”
INSIGHT
-Jesus made it clear to the Pharisees and Jewish onlookers that He is the Son of God. Since they could not comprehend these truths due to their legalistic mindsets, they sort to follow the law by stoning Him. Jesus takes heed to do good works from the Father and He does nothing on His own and speaks what is from the Father, to please Him (John 8:28-29). Further that, the Holy Spirit remains in Jesus, as He is one with Him. The text as ‘gods’ reminds us of our union with the Holy Spirit, by Whose grace we become more that conquerors in Christ Jesus and can do all things through Him who strengthens us. It is by these truths that we hold fast onto our faith in Jesus Christ, and therefore please God through obedience of the word of God which transforms us to become Christlike each day.
SUMMARY
God has a good plan and purpose for our lives. There is a reason for our existence. The best accomplishment in life is to know that purpose and accomplish it. God does good works through us and in us. We are then confident of the fact that God who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). God formed us in Christ Jesus as His handiwork to do good works which He created us do in advance (Ephesians 2:10). It is pertinent that we succeed in every good work according to His purpose. We know that all things God works for the good for those who love God, and have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). We are reminded to work at every assignment with diligence and wholeheartedness as if we are working for God and not people, because we are indeed working for God, and therefore we have our reward (Ephesians 6:7-8). To this end, let us continue to ask God to fill us with the knowledge of His will through His wisdom and understanding, so that we may please God in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened in all power, and giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to share in His inheritance (Colossians 1:9-12).
PRAYER
Lord God Almighty we thank You for Your sacrifice on the cross that caused our redemption and forgiveness of sin. We thank You for Your mercy and grace that led to our salvation. May You remove all trespasses from us and every accusation against us. May You graft us into Christ and help us to live in Union with Him as Your children Father, and co-heirs with Him. May Your grace be every present with us as we seek first Your face, Your kingdom and Your righteousness. We shall not die like mere men but we shall live to declare Your goodness oh Lord. We shall leave a lasting legacy here on earth filled with good works for the glory and honor of Your name Father. We declare that we shall accomplish the purpose for which You have called us Oh Lord, and bear much fruit. You have made us kings and priests to You Lord and we shall reign on earth. We thank You Lord for this far that You have brought us and for the far that You are taking us. Thank You for the plans that You have for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. We are more than conquerors in You Christ Jesus, we praise Your holy name. We shall always be strong and courageous, for when we are weak then we are strong, for You dwell abundantly in us precious Holy Spirit. May You bless us Lord and keep us. May You make Your face shine upon us and be gracious to us. May You lift up Your countenance towards us and give us peace. Amen
Further reading: Titus 2:11-14, Revelation 5:10