Day 3 - Forty Days in the Word

On this cold February morning I turn to Day Three in the “40 Days in the Word” workbook for the scripture that will be my meditation throughout the day. The instructions are to read the book of Philippians this week, without a suggested reading guide, other than the single verses for each day. So I choose to read chapter 2, verses 1-18 as I focus on verse 13.

Philippians 2:1-18, especially 2:13 “for God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

For God  - I must consciously remember everyday that the unseen God is a reality.

Is working in you  - In the unseen reality, there is the power and presence of God working in me, Bruce Baxter to accomplish His purposes in this brief, earthly life. God is working in me – wow!

Giving you the desire – God is giving to me the desire – the longing – the orientation. As one surrendered to Christ the desires that emerge within me are from God. David stated in Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” God will create in the heart of those who delight themselves in God the actual desires. As a Christ-follower, I pay attention to the inner leanings, recognizing that they very likely come from God, and discerning which inner desires come from the flesh, the “old man” the evil one.

And the power – God gives the power, the ability, the natural and supernatural force to accomplish the holy desires. David against Goliath, Moses at the parting of the sea, Jesus on the cross, Peter on Pentecost, and Bruce Baxter in 2014.

To do what pleases Him – The ultimate goal in my life – to do what pleases God. With every breath I take, every plan I make, every person I speak with, every sermon I preach, every activity – my desire is to please God.

 

It is so refreshing this morning to remember that God is working in me, giving me the desire and the power to do what pleases God! It is important for me to remember that God is the source of my desire to please Him, and the source of my power. On this 26^th day of February, 2014 work in me, Holy One, giving me the desire and the power to do what pleases You as I pastor the Wesley United Methodist Church in Springfield Missouri.