God's Commitment to Complete His Work in Us
Summary
### Summary
Today, we gathered to exalt and praise God, recognizing His ongoing work in our lives. As we read from Philippians 1:1-11, we were reminded of the Apostle Paul's confidence that God, who began a good work in us, will carry it to completion. This message underscores that God is a God of completion; He never starts something without finishing it. From the creation of the universe to the intricate details of our lives, God meticulously plans and executes His work, ensuring that nothing is left incomplete.
We often see unfinished projects around us, whether it's buildings or personal endeavors, and wonder why they were abandoned. Unlike human efforts, which can falter due to a lack of resources or commitment, God's work is never hindered. He has infinite resources and unwavering commitment to see His plans through. This is a powerful reminder that God will never abandon us or leave us to fend for ourselves. He is committed to our growth and transformation, much like a potter shaping clay.
We must trust the process and have a vision for our lives in Christ. Just as an architect draws up plans for a builder, we need to have a clear vision of what we want our spiritual lives to look like. God is the master builder who will bring that vision to fruition. However, we must be willing to let Him work in us, even through challenges and setbacks.
The stories of Moses and Peter illustrate that even the greatest among us face significant challenges and failures. Moses, who was destined for greatness, faced opposition from birth and went through many trials before God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Similarly, Peter, despite his close relationship with Jesus, denied Him three times. Yet, God was not finished with either of them. He continued to work in their lives, using their failures as part of His greater plan.
In conclusion, we are reminded that God is not finished with us. He is continually working in our lives, shaping us into the people He wants us to be. We must trust in His process, remain faithful, and keep our vision aligned with His purpose.
### Key Takeaways
1. God Completes What He Starts: God is a God of completion. He never begins a work without seeing it through to the end. This is evident from the creation story where He meticulously created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh, signifying completion. Trust that God will complete the good work He has started in you. [26:25]
2. Infinite Resources and Commitment: Unlike human efforts that can falter due to a lack of resources or commitment, God's work is never hindered. He has infinite resources and unwavering commitment to see His plans through. This means that no matter how challenging our circumstances, God will never abandon us. [30:00]
3. Vision and Trust in the Process: We must have a vision for our lives in Christ and trust the process. Just as an architect draws up plans for a builder, we need to have a clear vision of what we want our spiritual lives to look like. God, the master builder, will bring that vision to fruition if we trust Him and remain faithful. [33:39]
4. Learning from Biblical Figures: The stories of Moses and Peter show that even the greatest among us face significant challenges and failures. Moses faced opposition from birth and went through many trials before leading the Israelites. Peter denied Jesus three times but was still used mightily by God. These stories remind us that God is not finished with us, even when we fail. [37:03]
5. God's Unwavering Pursuit: God will not stop pursuing us until His work in us is complete. He will come after us, even if He has to show up in extraordinary ways, like the burning bush for Moses. We must pay attention to these divine interventions and trust that God is continually working in our lives, shaping us into the people He wants us to be. [38:56]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[23:23] - Introduction and Worship Team Recognition
[24:44] - Reading from Philippians 1:1-11
[26:25] - God Completes What He Starts
[28:24] - God's Creation Process
[30:00] - Infinite Resources and Commitment
[31:59] - Vision and Trust in the Process
[33:39] - Architect of Your Future
[35:16] - Facing Challenges
[37:03] - Learning from Moses
[38:56] - God's Unwavering Pursuit
[40:30] - Learning from Peter
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Philippians 1:1-11
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Philippians 1:6 say about the work God has begun in us? How does this verse assure us of God's commitment? [26:25]
2. According to the sermon, how does God's creation process in Genesis demonstrate His nature as a God of completion? [28:24]
3. What examples from the sermon illustrate human tendencies to start projects but not finish them? [30:00]
4. How did the stories of Moses and Peter highlight God's unwavering commitment to His plans for us? [37:03] and [40:30]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that God never starts something without finishing it, as mentioned in Philippians 1:6? How does this impact our trust in Him? [26:25]
2. How do the challenges faced by Moses and Peter serve as reminders of God's ongoing work in our lives, even through our failures? [37:03] and [40:30]
3. What does it mean to have a vision for our spiritual lives, and how can we align this vision with God's purpose? [33:39]
4. How can recognizing God's infinite resources and commitment change our perspective on the difficulties we face? [30:00]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like giving up on a personal project or goal. How can the assurance that God completes what He starts encourage you to persevere in your spiritual journey? [26:25]
2. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel God is still working. How can you trust the process and remain faithful, even through challenges and setbacks? [33:39]
3. Think about a recent failure or setback you experienced. How can the stories of Moses and Peter help you see this as part of God's greater plan for your growth and transformation? [37:03] and [40:30]
4. What vision do you have for your spiritual life? Write it down and share it with the group. How can you actively work with God, the master builder, to bring this vision to fruition? [33:39]
5. Consider a time when you felt abandoned or left to fend for yourself. How does the sermon’s message about God's unwavering commitment and infinite resources provide comfort and hope in such situations? [30:00]
6. How can you be more attentive to the "burning bushes" or divine interventions in your life? Share an example of a time when you recognized God's extraordinary presence in your circumstances. [38:56]
7. What steps can you take this week to align your daily actions with the vision you have for your spiritual life? How can the group support you in this endeavor? [33:39]
Devotional
Day 1: God Completes What He Starts
God is a God of completion. He never begins a work without seeing it through to the end. This is evident from the creation story where He meticulously created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh, signifying completion. Trust that God will complete the good work He has started in you. [26:25]
Philippians 1:6 (ESV): "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."
Reflection: Think of a project or goal in your life that feels unfinished. How can you trust God to bring it to completion, and what steps can you take today to align with His work in this area?
Day 2: Infinite Resources and Commitment
Unlike human efforts that can falter due to a lack of resources or commitment, God's work is never hindered. He has infinite resources and unwavering commitment to see His plans through. This means that no matter how challenging our circumstances, God will never abandon us. [30:00]
Isaiah 40:28-29 (ESV): "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength."
Reflection: Identify a challenging situation you are currently facing. How can you rely on God's infinite resources and commitment to help you through it?
Day 3: Vision and Trust in the Process
We must have a vision for our lives in Christ and trust the process. Just as an architect draws up plans for a builder, we need to have a clear vision of what we want our spiritual lives to look like. God, the master builder, will bring that vision to fruition if we trust Him and remain faithful. [33:39]
Proverbs 16:3 (ESV): "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."
Reflection: What is your vision for your spiritual life? Write down specific goals and commit them to God, asking Him to guide you in the process.
Day 4: Learning from Biblical Figures
The stories of Moses and Peter show that even the greatest among us face significant challenges and failures. Moses faced opposition from birth and went through many trials before leading the Israelites. Peter denied Jesus three times but was still used mightily by God. These stories remind us that God is not finished with us, even when we fail. [37:03]
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent failure or challenge. How can you see God's grace and power at work in your weakness?
Day 5: God's Unwavering Pursuit
God will not stop pursuing us until His work in us is complete. He will come after us, even if He has to show up in extraordinary ways, like the burning bush for Moses. We must pay attention to these divine interventions and trust that God is continually working in our lives, shaping us into the people He wants us to be. [38:56]
Psalm 139:7-10 (ESV): "Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me."
Reflection: Think of a time when you felt God's presence in an extraordinary way. How can you remain open to His divine interventions in your daily life?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "God is a God of completion. He never starts something and then leaves it alone. He starts something and he sees it all the way to its completion. He has a beginning and he has a end. Everything that God puts his hands on or is involved in he starts it he works out the details and then he finished." [26:25] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Our God does never run out of resources. We tend to think that God starts something and then somehow he abandons us and and leaves us to finish it all ourselves and and God don't do that. God's committed. See we've been in relationships we've been around people we've been in projects where we've had a whole team of guys working on something and all of a sudden everybody that you had at the beginning you can't find them no more." [30:00] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Trust the process in what God's doing for you. Trust it. Trust that God is working, and that he's not going to leave you alone. Stop. He's not going to give up, and he's not going to quit. He's never going to do that. That's how our God works. We got to have a vision of what we want our life to look like, because if we don't share our vision of God and what we want from him, how can he do what we want him to do?" [33:39] (31 seconds)
4. "The truth is, God's ready to work today. Look, we're going to face challenges. You are going to face challenges. You are going to come in front of things that are going to make you fall. They're going to make you stumble. They're going to make you say the wrong things. They're going to make you do the wrong things. They're going to make you attack people. They're going to make you think wrong. All these things are natural. These things are going to happen in your life." [35:16] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Once God has a mission for you, he's not going to see it until it's complete. He is not going to stop pursuing you until it's done. He will come after you even if he has to show up in fire. And I guarantee you, there's some times that God has showed up in your life, and you'd be like, where is this from? And if you don't recognize the burning bush in your life, you might just miss your opportunity that God is trying to bring you to." [38:56] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "God gave me something for y'all today and if y'all give me just a few moments today I would like to share that with you and I'm really believing that before you leave here today that you will look at things a little bit different and maybe even understand God and maybe just a little bit different way because you know sometimes we tend to have our own conceived ideas of who God is what he is how he works and what he wants to do in our life." [23:23] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Do you have a picture of what you want your life in Jesus do you want your life in Jesus do you ever think about what you want yourself to better yourself where you come into this God thing let the Lord us fool you be or who you would like to be in your walk with God, and what do you want that to look like? See, because once God puts his hands on you, he begins to work and mold you, much like a potter does with clay." [31:59] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Even the greatest go through some challenges. Even the ones that are great in the Bible that we all admire and love and cherish, they have problems. They deal with anger. They deal with anxiety and frustration. All the human emotions day in and day out. But it was not until Moses was 80 years old that God said, I'm not finished with you, Moses. Think about it. Going from the highest high to the lowest low, and now you're a shepherd in the yard, and you're eating from the feast of the table to probably what they ate there in the field with the sheep, and God still looks at you and looks at Moses and says, I'm not done." [37:03] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Imagine being Peter, and you gave a promise to God, and you broke that promise. How would you feel? And I'm here to tell you that we've made promises to God, but God's not finished. He gives him a shame. He's just so disappointed in himself for what he just did. And he's like, it's all over. It's done. I done messed up. The worst ultimate mess up. I had the Christ right here. I told him I wasn't going to do this, and I did it. I did exactly what I told him I wasn't going to do." [40:30] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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