Seeking Jesus First - Feb. 4, 2023

God is a finisher. He determines the end from the beginning. When God saves us, he has a completion in mind. When God gave Canaan to Israel, He completed His promises to them and they had taken control of it and divided it between the twelve tribes during the lifetime of Joshua.

The author of Hebrews finishes chapter 13 the way he started chapter 12.

“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.” (Hebrews 13:20–22, NKJV)

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1–2, NKJV)

I believe that God wants to complete you during your lifetime as well.

• “Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”
• Lay down the things that keep you from receiving your full inheritance.
• “May the God of Peace (YHVH Shalom) make you complete in every way to do His will.”
• “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NKJV)
• Bear with “the difficult parts of” this word of exhortation.
• “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4, NKJV)
• “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13, NKJV)
• “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;” (Philippians 1:6, NKJV)

When we submit to God, we are submitting to the one who is making us completely fulfilled in every way. He has created us for amazing kingdom purpose in the earth. Kingdom purpose does not include sickness and poverty. Kingdom purpose includes every good thing.

“that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” (Philemon 6, NKJV)

Paul told Philemon that because Philemon had been a man of faith and love (See verse 5), that the fellowship or oneness of his faith would become more effective as he acknowledged every good thing that was in him in Christ Jesus.

We are given the assurance that God is doing what He can all the time to grow and complete us. If we do what we can all the time to grow and be completed in Christ, then we are in agreement with God.

What can we do to grow and be completed? Lay aside extra weights of the flesh that hold us back and submit to God as He shapes and forms us in the very image of Christ Jesus. We simply “bear with the difficult parts of the exhortation” and keep looking unto Jesus.

• When bad things happen, look unto Jesus.
• When good things happen, look unto Jesus.
• When nothing happens, look unto Jesus.
• Stop trying to create your own process or doctrine and stay in relationship with Jesus.
• Stop trying to figure out why this or that happened and stay I relationship with Jesus.
• Stop trying to explain away the word of God and keep looking unto Jesus.
• Keep believing the promise and keep obeying the word and keep looking unto Jesus.

“Our Father, we know that You have given us a helper, a comforter and a teacher when You gave us Your Holy Spirit. We set aside every weight that so easily besets us and keep our eyes on Jesus. And we thank You that Holy Spirit is with us and in us helping, comforting and teaching us all of the time. We are able to do Your will because You are always at work in us according to Your good pleasure.”