Working out and Working in

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"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

- from Philippians 2:12-13

Yesterday, we reflected on "working out" our salvation. Notice that in the very next breath, Paul reminds his readers that God is "working in" them even as they "work out" their salvation.

God works in us by the power of his Spirit. He fills us with new life and new power to pursue love and justice. He helps us become more like Christ.

God is the primary actor inviting us to live into the story he's writing: redeeming all things and making all things new. Including you. And all of the important things that happen as you work out your salvation happen in the light of the larger work that God's doing in and around you.

CS Lewis said it this way: "If Shakespeare and Hamlet could ever meet, it must be Shakespeare's doing. Hamlet could initiate nothing." If we want to meet God and become more like Christ, we need God to act on our behalf.

The first question when our joy-meter is running low is "What is my primary story?" In this text, Paul is inviting us into joy by looking to God's work as the main thing happening in our lives.

Will you invite God to "work in" you as you "work out" whatever you're working out today?


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2 Comments

All day I have been talking and listening to God...and trying to prepare myself for a letter that will come in the mail. Today I have been praying that I will be able to deal with it trusting God to work things out. There are times that the truth hurts, but it is necessary.

Amen....when we make our life ALL about Him, we have the God-confidence of knowing that it's God, not us, who is in control....working within us in the person of the Holy Spirit; for His purpose and glory.

Christ-conditioning, that is, learning to behave and act like Jesus may take some time to achieve....but supernatural (agape) love and the fruit of the Spirit are given to us, along with the gift of eternal life, instantaneously, the moment we make Jesus Christ Lord of our life; equipping us to do the work He has set before us.

Let us today go forward in the power of the Holy Spirit, as we aim to keep our shoulder to the wheel, working out our salvation....showing the supernatural love of Jesus Christ and exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit as we go.

All praise and glory to the Lamb of God!!

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