It Is God Who Works It Out – EP27
Philippians 2:13
...for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Hello, and welcome back to the One Thing podcast! Today we're reading from the book of Philippians, chapter 2, beginning verses 14 and 15. It says,
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”
We think of these words for a moment and it reminds me of the words of Jesus when Jesus was speaking to the people and He said, “You wicked and unbelieving generation,” and those two things go together: wickedness and unbelief.
Wickedness and unbelief. Why is it that those are put together? Why is it that Paul says here not to grumble or argue so that we can be pure people in a crooked and warped generation? There’s so much unbelief all around us. There are so many that don't believe in God. There are so many that may even be in churches that don't truly stand upon his Word, and what do we make of that? What does God call it? He calls it a “wicked and warped generation.”
Wicked because simply when we don't believe in God, it means we don't trust Him. It means we don't trust in His Word, but we trust rather in ourselves, maybe in something in the world, or just everything but the Lord, and that is what wickedness is.
“We’re going to step with you, Lord. We’re going to believe in Your Word.”When we think of grumbling and arguing, it reminds me of the Israelites, where every time the enemy had in some way attacked them or threatened them, a lot of times rather than trusting in The Lord and beginning to praise Him, beginning to stand on his Word, the Bible shows especially with Moses they began to grumble and complain. God was not pleased with their unbelief, with their lack of faith.
But if we step up just one verse prior to verse 14 and 15, it says in 13,
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”
What a wonderful verse, meaning it is the Lord, it is God Almighty, who from the beginning of time, before we were even born, had destined each one, each one of us who trust in His mighty name, who decide, “We’re going to step with you, Lord. We’re going to believe in Your Word,” that He does a mighty work in our life. He works out his purpose and his plan— we are in His hands, and there's nothing that occurs without Him knowing, good or bad. He is the almighty God that protects us.
You see, when we stand on this— when we truly believe that God works it all out for the good of those who love Him, that He works in those to will and to act to fulfill His good purpose— what great faith! What great belief.
So, what is the antidote to that? What is the key to keeping us from grumbling? What is the key to remaining pure and not falling into the category of a wicked and warped generation? It is knowing that it is God who works it out. It is knowing that it is God that is in control.
“You know what, God, you delivered me once before and You shall deliver me again!"And whenever the enemy may try to step in, when he tries to discourage us, when he tries to threaten us, when our own flesh seems to be fighting against us, when we find ourselves in a position going, “Man, this again! How is this going to turn out? What’s going to happen?” We immediately can stop and say, “You know what, God, you delivered me once before and You shall deliver me again. Father, I've struggled at one point in life but You brought me through and I know you'll do it again. Father, it is You who is the one who saves. You are the one that I can truly trust in, and once again I wait upon your mighty power. Once again, I wait upon your mighty Word.”
May we today stand on His truth without grumbling, without arguing, without complaining, and may we be blameless and pure children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. And I love this last part, “Then, you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” Will we shine today as one, Church? Will we shine with the Lord as we allow His word to shine in us?