JOY OF KNOWING CHRIST

Philippians 1:6
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.

Do you sometimes feel as if you will never make progress in your life and spiritual life? Any work God starts or have started in your life, family or ministry He will definitely carry it on to completion. One of the things I have learnt and come to understand about God is; He is not man that He will lie and the Bible tells me in John 10:35 that, the scriptures cannot be broken either. God will help us grow in grace for as long as we are obedient to His instructions and abide by His every word with Faith without staggering. He will complete His work in our lives.

My sisters and I have experienced some tragic and trying moments in our lives in the last three years. It has been one death of a sister's husband after the other, my niece being admitted into a mental hospital, my younger sister living years apart from her husband who refuses to come home, she leaving her job without looking for a new one and me loosing every single penny I spent six years of building and running a business in the UK. I prayed and asked the Lord to please renew the joy of my family and restore my sisters stolen peace, joy and happiness in 2010. I told my sisters not to let their present condition steal or rob the joy of knowing Christ because they that wait upon the Lord shall renew strength.

The good news is, God did answer my prayers 2010 and brought nothing but pure joy. My younger sister got a new job in December and just three months after she left her old one considering the current economic climate, her husband finally returned back home after six years of been married and living apart on 31st December, 2010. For the first time she said to me Mama (that's my pet name), God has been very good to me. I have worked for 10 years and for all these years couldn't save, couldn't invest in anything or not even a home of my own. But this year, the year I worked the less with so much uncertainty is the year I have been able to achieve the most. Having an investment, savings in the bank, a place I can call home, a new job with a position I wasn't even qualified for and my husband is back home after six years of living apart. I burst out in tears of joy and thanksgiving to God and said "this is the joy of knowing Christ" thank you Jesus for answered prayer and for your faithfulness in our lives.  Then God placed this scripture in my heart and I said to her, this is our scripture sis! Philippians 1:6  "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

I want to encourage you today, when you feel incomplete, unfinished, discouraged or stressed by your present situation or shortcomings; remember God's promise and provision for your life. Don't let your present condition rob you of the JOY OF KNOWING CHRIST or KEEP YOU FROM GROWING SPIRITUALLY.

Reflections:
Look up to God the author and finisher of your faith and hold on to His promise. He will never forsake you nor leave you no matter what life might throw at you. Don't let your condition or circumstance overwhelm you and in turn clouding His unfailing love for you.

Power verses:
"Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."-- Hebrews 12:2

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -- Philippians 4:13

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"-- Romans 8:35

"But they that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."--- Isaiah 40:31


2011 By Enyonam Gbekle. All rights reserved.