Philippians 1:6 (NRSV) I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.

When we watch suspense movies we try to figure out the end of the story, based on what we see at the beginning.  Yet what we see in the beginning of the movie and even in the middle is not necessarily a clear picture of what will happen at the end.  Most of the time there is a change of events that we did not think would happen.

Perhaps you are reviewing the events that have happened in your life, and you have determined by your current state that you are not where you should be in your journey of faith.  God has the power to complete whatever he has started in you, and it’s not over. God knows the beginning, middle, and the end of the story of our life.  When you made the decision to receive the gift of salvation, you started on the journey of faith to be what God has intended.  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters (Romans 8:29  NIV).

Regardless of the season that you are in, it is not over until God says that it is over.  The good work will be accomplished.  It will not be on your time, but on God’s time table.

It’s not over!

Matthew 22:34-40 (NIV) ³⁴ Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. ³⁵ One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

God is love and when we embrace the love of God:  we receive the gift of salvation, peace in the midst of confusion, and power to sustain us in every situation.

Our response to God’s love has everything to do with our relationship with God and our neighbors.  It is impossible to love God without loving our neighbor.   Our neighbors are those who agree with our values and those who do not.  Our neighbors are those whose ethnicity and culture are different from ours.

When we follow the commandment to love, we have harmony with God and one another.  This growth helps us to understand that love has everything to do with it!

Romans 12:1-8 (NIV) ¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

When we sacrifice ourselves intentionally, it should not be viewed  as a chore, but a joy.  This sacrifice that I am referring to is not the giving up of food, electronics, or social media.   It is when we surrender ourselves, as members of the body of Christ.

We all have gifts as members of the body Christ.  Each gift may be different, but they all are important. When we demonstrate the character of an Intentional Living Sacrifice we will be vessels ready to be used for God.

Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT  Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. ² Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

As a child growing up, I remember a game called, “follow the leader”.  There was one leader and the followers would follow whatever action that the leader did.  As a follower we did not question what the leader was doing, but we paid close attention so that we could mimic everything that the leader did.

In Paul’s letter to the believers at Ephesus, he encouraged them to follow the example that Jesus taught on love.  The love that Jesus taught was unconditional.  Jesus loved us so much that he sacrificed his life on the cross for our sins.  In Romans 5:8 it says that:  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (NLT).

As followers of Christ our actions and ways should mimic Christ, and we should strive to love others unconditional.  This love should be a part of our daily life and demonstrated regardless of whether we feel others deserve it or not.  God loves us and we should love others.

Follow the Leader!

Matthew 5:9 NLT God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

We all have either said it or thought the way we have been treated is “not fair”.  When this happens our response is usually to allow our emotions to guide us and lash out at the offender.  In responding this way, we   can cause additional conflict, especially when our words are negative.  It does not seem fair when you are the one who is right, and not defending yourself ourselves.

In Jesus sermon on the mountain is where we find the benefits of being the peace maker. The peace maker is the one who brings the peace (calmness), not the confusion.   The peace maker is the one who reconciles or negotiates when there is conflict.

The benefits of being a peace maker are that we are blessed (favored), and identified as being God’s children.  Today we should consider being, “peace makers” instead of the “peace breakers”.

Jeremiah 18:1-4 NIV This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. ⁴ But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

When clay is placed in the hands of a potter, there are several stages that it must go through in order to have the intended results of the potter.  Recently I saw a video of a potter making a tea pot.   He started out with just a lump of clay.  After putting it on the wheel, applying water, shaping it with his hands, and putting it in a kiln (oven), painting it, and putting it back in the kiln. This was necessary so that the clay will become durable and receive the desire results.  The process was long, but eventually there was beautiful tea pot.

As I read the message in Jeremiah, I thought about how we are clay and God is the potter.   God patiently works with us to get the results that he wants for us.   We too must endure the fire of trials and tribulations that we can be strong and mature.

In the bible it says: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4 NIV).

Stay in the Potter’s Hands!

1Corinthians 9:24-25 NIV ²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever 1Corinthians 9:24-25 NIV.

In an Olympic race athletes must meet certain qualifications to compete in the race.  Those who see the runner in the race may not be aware of all they had to endure daily to prepare them for race.  At the end of the race only one person will receive the highest prize which is the gold medal.

In the Spiritual race the qualification is to receive salvation or be born again. The Spiritual race has also daily training which includes: prayer, praise, and studying God’s word. In the spiritual race there is not just one person who will receive the prize.  Everyone who has been qualified will receive the prize of eternal life.  As you are running in your own pace, stay in the race.

Jonah 1:1-3 NIV The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”³ But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.

Disobedience is not doing what God has told you.  Some may think they can just ignore the voice of God, relocate or change their careers.   God is all knowing and all powerful.  God will do whatever is necessary to get your attention, so that his will may be done.

In the bible is a story about Jonah who disobeyed God, and thought he would go in a different direction then God told him.  Jonah was in the belly of a large fish for three days and three nights.  It was in the belly of the fish that Jonah communed with God, and decided to obey God.

Change your direction, if you are not going in the direction that God has told you to go.

1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) God has given each of you a gift. Use it to help each other. This will show God’s loving-favor.

God has given each of us a gift or gifts.  There is something that you are passionate about, and it is easy for you to operate in it.  Many have advanced with their employers because others have recognized their gift.   Others   have started a business, or invented things because of their passion.  Seek God’s will for your life, and everything will become clear.  Psalm 145:18 says:   “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth” (NIV).   Do not allow fear to hinder you from walking in the gift that he has ordained for you.  God knows what he has purposed for your life, and your gift can be utilized to advance the Kingdom.  Think outside the box and recognize your gift.

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40)”.

Those who have been marginalized by society are often over looked, from the ones who should show kindness. These individuals or groups maybe: homeless, mentally ill, incarcerated, cannot afford the necessary necessities. We should remember them and have genuine compassion for their needs. In the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), is a story of those who remembered the least and those who did not. The sheep showed compassion on the least and the goats did not. Neither knew that their response was judged by the King (Jesus).

We should examine how we treat the least. If we love God, we should love others and demonstrate this love.