Phil. 1: 6 -11; [AMP]

I greet you in the precious name of Jesus. My name is Jacques du Toit and here is a Word for today:

Let’s talk about acting and responding appropriately when interacting with other people. How can we be certain what is the right way and what is wrong? We go to the book of Philippians chapter 1, where Paul gives us the answer:

⁶ I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return]. 

The first thing Paul reminds us of is that we are each busy fulfilling our life plan predestined by God. He offers us encouragement to be confident in our responses for God Himself is with us every step of the way. He is faithful and will never leave us nor forsake us. He has proven this on the cross. Then we continue in verse 8 and 9:

⁸ For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus [whose great love fills me]. ⁹ And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more [displaying itself in greater depth] in real knowledge and in practical insight, 

The key to knowing how to act and respond is learning about how Christ Jesus has loved and still loves us. His great love teaches us how to love and should translate into real knowledge and practical insights into how to treat each other in our daily interactions.  And why is this necessary?

¹⁰ so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin]; ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God [so that His glory may be both revealed and recognized].

From verse 10 and 11 we find that knowing how to respond and then responding appropriately will produce two things:

1. Because we do things God’s way, we become pure and blameless because we are filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ and secondly and more importantly,
2. God is glorified and praised, which should be our sole mission in life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You, that You will perfect and complete Your good work in us. Like Paul, we are confident and convinced of this. Amen.