Thoughts for Life: In Progress or Completed?

Adam Holz- It's satisfying to finish a job. Each month, for instance, one of my job responsibilities gets moved from one category to another, from "In Progress" to "Completed."

I love clicking that "Completed" button. But last month when I clicked it, I thought, If only I could overcome rough spots in my faith so easily! It can seem like the Christian life is always in progress, never completed. (Google image, The mouse)

Then I remembered Hebrews 10:14. It describes how Christ's sacrifice redeems us totally. So in one important sense, that "completed button" has been pressed for us.

Jesus's death did for us what we couldn't do for ourselves: He made us acceptable in God's eyes when we place our faith in Him. It is finished, as Jesus Himself said (John 19:30).

Paradoxically, even though His sacrifice is complete and total, we spend the rest of our lives living into that spiritual reality — "being made holy," as Hebrews' author writes.

The fact that Jesus has finished something that's still being worked out in our lives is hard to understand. When I'm struggling spiritually, it's encouraging to remember that Jesus's sacrifice for me — and for you — is complete . . . even if our living it out in this life is still a work in progress.

Nothing can stop His intended end from being achieved eventually: being transformed into His likeness (See 2 Cor. 3:18).

Let's pray-

"Jesus, thank You for giving Your life for us. Help us trust You as we grow into followers whose lives look more and more like Yours, knowing that you are the one who makes us complete."

"God is at work to make us who He intends us to be."

Today's Bible verses-

John 19:30 (NKJV) "So when Jesus had received the
sour wine, He said, It is finished!"

2 Cor. 3:18 (NKJV) "But we all, with unveiled face,
beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are
being transformed into the same image from glory to
to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Hebrews 10:14, 23 (NKJV) "For by one offering He
has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
(v.23) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope
without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."

Today's quotes-

~ Billy Graham- "God's will is that we would be righteous in our living. God is holy, and the whole scheme of redemption has holiness for its goal. The apostle Peter declared that Christ is the one 'who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness' " (1 Peter 2:2).

~ Mark I. Bubeck- "Faith that rests on biblical fact doesn't back away when evidence and adversity says that what we're asking cannot happen. It digs in at such times and remains quietly confident and aggressively active. Peter spoke of this truth in these words:

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 6, 7).

THE SATANIC REVIVAL
Mark I. Bubeck
(p. 129)

~ Max Lucado- "The key to spiritual growth isn’t increased church attendance or involvement in spiritual activities. People don’t grow in Christ because they’re busy at church. They grow in Christ when they read and trust their Bibles."

List of recent sermons of CFC ministers. CFC Potsdam church has a live service at 10 am Sunday's for shut-ins. If for some reason you can't make it to the church you usually attend, click on the above link, and still get fed!

Upcoming posts-

#107 How to be Filled with the Spirit
11th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#108 Simple Steps to be Filled with the Spirit
13th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

Grace to Stand Alone
15th- Saturday's post by George Shaw

#109 Hunger and Thirst for the Spirit's Fullness
18th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel