OUR DAILY BREAD : INCOMPLETE

[cimi]

March 12
Thursday


INCOMPLETE

READ:
Philippians 1:3-11
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He who has begun a
good work in you will
complete it until the
day of Jesus Christ.
__Philippinians 1:6
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When I was a little girl, my parents bought their first house. One afternoon, the family hopped into the car and drove to see where we soon would be living.

I couldn't believe it. The house had no windows or doors, and there was a strange odor. The basement was clearly visible through big gaps in the floor and we had to climb a ladder to get down there.

That night when I asked my mother why they wanted to live in a house like that, she explained that the builder wasn't finished with it yet, "Just wait and see," she said. "I think you'll like it when it's done."

Soon we began to see changes. The house got windows, then doors. The "funny smell" of new lumber faded. The holes in the floor were covered and a staircase was added. Walls were painted. Mom put curtains at the windows and pictures on the walls. The incomplete house had been transformed. It had taken some time but finally it was finished.

As Christians, we need "finishing" too. although the groundwork is laid at our conversion, the growing process continues throughout our life. As we obediently follow Jesus, "the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:2), one day we too will be complete. __Cindy Hess Kasper
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````````````````````God sees in us a masterpiece````````````````
`````````````````````That one day will be done;``````````````````
``````````````````His Spirit works throughout our lives`````````````
``````````````````To make us like His Son. __Sper```````````````
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Please be patient. God isn't finished with me yet!

*************Today's Bible Reading __ Philippians 1:3-11***********

3 I thank my God upon
every remembrance of you,

4 always in every prayer of
mine making request for
you all with joy, 5 for your
fellowship in the gospel
from the first day until now,

6 being confident of this
very thing, that He who has
begun a good work in you
will complete it until the
day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as
it is right for me t think
this of you all, because I
have you in my heart,
inasmuch as both in my
chains and in the defense
and confirmation of the
gospel, you all are partakers
with me of grace. 8 For God
is my witness, how greatly I
long for you all with the
affection of Jesus Christ.

9 And this I pray, that your
love may abound still more
and more in knowledge and
all discernment, 10 that you
may approve the things that
are excellent, that you may
be sincere and without
offense till the day of
Christ, 11 being filled with
thr fruits of righteousness
which are by Jesus Christ,
to the glorty and praise of
God.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

It must have brought great joy to the church at Philipi to read how
the apostle often thanked God for them (Phil. 1:3). Paul wrote this
letter of commendation while in Roman chains some 800 miles away.
About 10 years had passed since Paul had first worked among them.
But the passing of time had not diminished his love or his interest in
them. Similarly, distance of time and space need not diminish our
concern and prayers for other believers. __Dennis Fisher

[realtmg]

Amen!