October 20 – Called According To Purpose

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 (ESV)

 Our selected verse today is a kind of summary of the promises in Romans 8:1-27. We can fully understand if we view it in light of these verses.

•  For all who are in Christ Jesus there is now no condemnation (verses 1–8).
• All are indwelt by that Spirit who will even raise their bodies (verses 9–11).
• They are assured that they are God’s children, and his heirs (verses 14–16).
• Present suffering for Christ promises one day they will share his glory (verse 18).
• The new heaven and earth are promised and with groaning are looked forward to (verses 19–22).
• They also groan as they eagerly await their promised adoption (verses 23–25).
• In all their weaknesses the Holy Spirit helps them always interceding for them in harmony with God’s will, (verses 26, 27).

 This is in the providence of God which is his purposeful sovereignty by which He will successfully achieve his ultimate goal for the universe. God’s providence puts his plans into action, guides all toward his definitive goal. God sovereignly superintends every event in a believer’s life—even suffering, temptation, and sin—to accomplish our temporal and eternal benefit.

 

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March 26 – Be Courageous – And Work

“But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the Lord of hosts. ” Haggai 2:4 (NASB)

The people of Israel had been held captive in Babylon. After 70 years they were allowed to return to the land and to Jerusalem. One of their foremost jobs was to rebuild Jerusalem which included the walls, and the temple. It was not an easy task and they meet resistance. Led by Nehemiah, the walls were restored but the temple remained in ruins. These words were from God through His prophet Haggai. These are words of encouragement that can encourage us today as well. The had begun the rebuilding of the temple according to instructions from God. The work was hard, and it wasn’t long, about a month, they needed encouragement to press on keeping on. We too find ourselves needing encouragement to continue the work God has given to us. To the people then and to us today, God says, “Be strong...and work. I am with you.” “Take courage” is another way of saying “Be strong.” We can count on this promise God is with us. With a world that is increasingly hostile to God and those who believe in Him, we can be encouraged to know that God is with us. 

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December 30 – A Matter of Priorities

“ Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. ” – John 4:34 (ESV)

It was a common for the priorities of Jesus to be very different than the concerns of his disciples. Jesus, hearing how his activity in Judea was stirring up interest, he heads out of the region to avoid conflict with the powers in Jerusalem. He makes his way from to Galilee using the road through Samaria. An unusual route for a Jew but not for Jesus. He did so to be at Jacob’s well at just the right time of day. Jesus had an appointment with divine destiny in meeting the Samaritan woman, to whom He would reveal His messiahship. While waiting, the disciples go into a nearby town for food. They return just as Jesus’ conversation with the woman is finished. Having brought Him food, they offer it and encourage him to eat. But Jesus speaks of “food” differently than what the disciples did for him. For Jesus, fulfilling the will of His Father was more important to him than taking care of a passing physical need. That is what He lived for. He wanted his disciples and He wants us to recognize that God’s purposes and works have s a higher priority than satisfying even important physical needs. 

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February 23 – Absolute Trust in Absolute Truth

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” - Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

Of what truth do you have such confidence that nothing and no one is able to dissuade you from your belief? A common crisis for many is the struggle to believe the promises of God. Especially that His care for them and their lives are untouchable by the enemy. The good work, the good and blessed outcome promised by God will happen according to His promise in today’s verse. It’s a process. It takes time. In fact, it will take the rest of our earthly lives before God completes the good work He has begun in each of us. We can absolutely trust that absolute truth. 

Warren Wiersbe writes about the battle for God’s truth “God works in this world through the truth of His Word, and (our evil enemy) Satan opposes this truth by substituting his lies. Human nature is prone to believe a lie and resist the truth. Satan accomplishes his best work through people in so-called Christian institutions (churches, schools, etc.) who do not believe God’s truth.”*  Each time the truth of God is spoken, heard, read, and studied, the enemy uses lies to steal it away from us by tempting us to doubt God’s truth. 

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*Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 2:201.

January 12 – Power From God To Do Good Things

“By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.  1 Corinthians 15:10  (ESV)

Grace is not only God’s unmerited favor to do good for us when we don’t deserve it. It is also enabling power, an actual power from God that acts and makes good things happen in us and for us. God’s grace is God acting in us to make us work hard, to make us keep our commitments and resolutions (if they are appropriate).  Apostle Paul says he worked hard: “By the grace of God…I worked harder than any of them.” Paul says, “Work out your own salvation,” and adds, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13). Grace is power from God to do good things in us and for us. This grace is promised to us. It was applied in our past and it will be applied in our future. If you have ever watched water go over a water fall and wondered why it seems endless – think Niagara Falls – that is what grace is like. It’s ever flowing over the waterfall of the present, from an inexhaustible river of grace from the future, into the ever-increasing reservoir of grace in the past.

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June 23 – Will to Obey

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.  – Philippians 2:12-13  (NASB)

Today, we have a promise that gives us hope and encouragement.  Our will of our new nature agrees with God, but in our flesh, there is still a natural disposition which renders us powerless to do what we know we ought to do.  To know that our will is in agreement with God we look to Jesus and to His word to rouse our will which agrees with God. Paul instructs the Philippians, not to work our salvation but to work out that which our salvation has created in us.  We do it with fear and trembling – this does not mean fearful and scared but full of reverence and awe because it is God who is the source of our will.  It is God who makes it possible for us to work out His will to His glory.  That is our promise today.  As we believe that Almighty God is the source of our will, we find that God not only expects us to do His will but He is in us to do it.  God’s will for us is to believe His word and not redefine His word to fit what “makes sense” to us.

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May 18 – Whom Do We Serve

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”  -  Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)

In the time when the Apostle Paul wrote his letters to the churches while in prison chained to a guard, it was common for some to serve masters as slaves or indentured slaves.  Some of these slaves came to believe in Jesus and their lives were changed.  Paul is speaking directly to slaves in these verses and he encourages all to rethink their purpose.  All work and all actions of a Christ follower, a true believer is viewed in the light of their confession.  As slaves, they were in a situation they could not escape from but Paul knew that they could serve their masters in a way that would honor their God.  We today have this same promise and call to work for our employers as if we are working for our Lord.  We have an inheritance promised as a reward.  Paul affirms that all our actions should be acts of service to the Lord Christ – He is whom we serve.  There is also a warning promise.  Those who do wrong receive not the inheritance but the consequences of doing wrong. That, we do not want so we strive to serve all as if we are serving Christ. 

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December 31 – The End, Pressing On

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”  -Philippians 2:12-13   (ESV)

The year is a little long in the tooth.  The days of this year have been spent one way or another.  As most of us can admit, there have been great times of victory and joy and times of sorrow and defeat. We have made some progress but we have also experienced set-backs.  How did we spend the year?  Perhaps it is better for us to not spend too much time considering this question and instead, consider the testimony of the Apostle Paul, also in Philippians 3:9. “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on…”  And as we press on into the new year and as we forget what lies behind us, if that's what we plan to do, we find in today's letter an encouraging promise.  We are to commit ourselves to obedience of God’s word and in doing so, we are working out God’s purpose for us with a healthy fear because we have respect and awe of God and do not want to risk offending Him with our disobedience.  The promise is this, as we work, God is the one who works in us to produce the good works by grace for His good pleasure and for His name’s sake. 

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October 6 – All Things Indeed

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  -  Romans 8:28  (NASB)

Our selected verse is often used to comfort ourselves and others when we have experienced some crisis.  Health, accident, career upheaval, marital conflict, death, or whatever we would rather avoid experiencing if we could.  It is a good truth for times like these,  but it is more than just for crisis times.  It is a promise that we can take to heart every day as we go forth.  God knows all things and the outcome of all things before all things even happen to us.  He loves us and we have come to love God.  We believe He has a purpose for us in all we think, say, and do.  God is weaving the events of our lives into His plan.  Yes indeed, His plan is good and glorious and He can take our efforts and all the things we do and encounter and experience, and weave them into that good plan He has determined for us.  After all we are His because He has called us.  His call is according to what He has determined for us and it is His purpose.

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August 9 – Who Is At Work In You?

“...for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”   Philippians 2:13 -   (NASB)

We referenced this verse yesterday and today we have is as our verse of promise from God.  Just as we looked at yesterday's verse, written by the Apostle John, and read that God is at work in us making us more like Himself, our promise today, written by the Apostle Paul, says much the same thing.  It is God. God is at work in us.  He is at work both according to His will and for His good pleasure.  If we realize that God is at work in us, we trust that He will accomplish it and we want Him to do so and to be pleased by it.  We want to work with Him in this project.  Like the architect of a building who is involved directly with those building it, both want a pleasing result.  God is the architect of our lives and He is involved and working to the goal of us pleasing Him by allowing Him to do His Will.   

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June 16 – Ready and Willing to Please

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”    Philippians 2:13 (NASB)

An important lesson we should always keep in our minds is that we do not live our Christian lives by ourselves or in our own ability.  When we become Children of God by accepting Jesus as our Savior we do open ourselves for God to work in us.  It is so good to realize that God does have wonderful plans for us for the time we live here on earth and also for eternity.  God is working in each of our lives today and the promise in our verse is a confirmation and reminder that He wants us to desire to follow His plan.  He wants us to be willing and available to be used by Him for the work He has for us.  This work brings God pleasure and it brings us joy and peace also.  Yes, God wants to use us for His glory and for the good that He brings to us.  This is the purpose He had in creating human kind.  Today, let's be open to allowing God do His will and good work through us.  

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March 8 – Way Beyond Imagination

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”   Ephesians 3:20-21  (NIV)

These words of praise to God were written by the Apostle Paul in closing a prayer which he was offering for his friends in Ephesus.  Like us, the Christians meeting together in that city needed to be reminded of God great power.  The first century believers confronted the power and authority of Rome and the government along with the culture of the area which was hostile to the Gospel Paul was preaching.  But Paul wanted them to know that God was more than capable with authority and power and there really was no way for any to really comprehend how great a God we have.  God is able to do so much more than what we could conjure up in our imaginations.  And we can't measure how much more He can do.  We are reminded that our great God is at work within us.  When we believe in Jesus as our Savior, God sends His Holy Spirit to live as a part of our lives.  We need to realize this and trust in His presence because He does come with power to do more than we can imagine.  

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January 1 – The Good Work of God In Us

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”  Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

[As we begin together the fourth year of 90 Seconds with God's Promises, we continue to pray that you will be blessed by what is shared here.]

Have you opened and hung up your new calendar for this year?  If not, we're sure you will soon and we want to wish not just a Happy, but a Blessed New Year.  Our selected verse and promise is a good one for the beginning of a new year as we look back on our life's past activities.  We know that the Apostle Paul was not thinking of New Years Day when he wrote these words of promise for the believers in the city of Philippi.  We believe that by the Holy Spirit Paul wrote them for us as well.  This promise reminds us how much God is involved in our lives.  It is God who initiated the good work in our lives if we have believed in Him and have chosen to walk in His Way.  God not only initiated the good work but He continues it each day as we give Him the chance through faith and our obedience to what He teaches us and calls us to.  It is God who will bring this work in our lives to completion according to His will when He wraps all things up for His own.  Let's live in the promise that God initiated, continues, and completes His work in us.  Trust Him today and every day. 

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September 3 – Labor, Worthy or Worthless

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”  1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)

Even though the day we call Labor Day in the United States is considered a holiday for people to not work, we can think of it as a reminder of the part of life that we call 'Labor'.  You have likely heard the verse that we have selected for today and you perhaps know that it comes at the end of a chapter about the resurrection.  So the promise of our verse is about the day when our work on earth will be over.  Yes, there will be a day when we are in heaven with God our Father.  God will reward His people for what they have done for Him here on earth.  Let's not forget friends that God knows what we do for His sake and He has promised to reward us accordingly.  Is our work today going to be worthy of a reward?  This is the question the apostle Paul was asking and encouraging us to be always abounding in the work of the Lord so that our labor will not be worthy and not worthless when that day come. 

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August 15 – Desire and Do

“...for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13 (NASB)

Each day that we wake up we have the opportunity to remember what a wonderful God we have.  He loves us and cares for us and wants the very best for us.  He does have plans for each of us.  There are certain things that are expected of us and we need to know how we are going to meet those expectations.  The answer to that question is given to us in today's verse.  God Himself is the one who is at work in each of us.  He it is who is helping us to be willing and to work for His good pleasure.  This is a good thing from our good and perfect God.  You can understand that God is working in us to make us want to please Him.  He gives us the desires to do what He expects of us – what He has created us to do.  Then, God works in us to help us do what He wants.  We do not have to do this on our own and on our own, we never could.  We need and have God enabling us to desire and do what pleases Him and we can trust Him for this promise today, right now, this very moment.   

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February 3 – Be Strong - Work

“Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” Haggai 2:4b (NIV)

These words were from God to His people through the prophet Haggai. These are words of encouragement that can encourage us today as well. After 70 years in exile in Babylon the people have come back to Jerusalem. God had instructed them to rebuild the temple, a task they had started. The work was hard, and after about a month, they needed encouragement to press on with the job. We too find ourselves needing encouragement to continue the work God has given to us. To the people with Haggai and to us today, God says, “Be strong...and work. I am with you.” That is a promise we can count on. With a world that is increasingly hostile to God and toward those who believe in Him, we can be encouraged to know that God is with us. We can remember that He is watching over and is involved with us. Let's believe that promise and it will give us strength today.

July 10

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”  Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

In Bible times slavery was being practiced and some instructions in the Bible are given to slaves. These words were addressed to slaves. But I believe the principles stated here can be applied to us today. Whether we are employed by an employer or helping others on a voluntary basis, we need to remember that as children of God we are serving Him. Just the activities of living can be considered as being done for his glory. And He is faithful in rewarding those who live for His glory.