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Day 138 Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you 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 to think this of you, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are partakers with me of grace. How does it make you feel when you receive a letter, text, or e-mail from someone you know, and they tell you they think of you often with joy? I’m certain it makes you happy to know someone is thinking about you. In his letter to the church at Philippi, he told them it brought him joy because of the fellowship of the gospel from the first day they heard about Jesus until the present time whenever he thought about them. He told them he prayed for them often, knowing the work God began in them, He would complete. Paul wrote to them from prison to encourage them and let them know the joy he felt in their work for the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Christians, you hope the work you do for the gospel of Jesus Christ is effective in a small way, that you make a difference in someone’s life. When you receive a word of encouragement about the joy it gives others who hear about your work, it confirms the hope you have for the work you do. Don’t let the work you do cause you to lose hope. When people hear about the work you do, it brings untold joy to the hearer, who in turn praises God for the work you do and prays for your work to continue. Know this: Your work is not in vain. God works through you for His purpose to bring the gospel to as many as will hear and accept what Jesus did on the cross for their salvation. It is the most important work you can do. Do it with joy unspeakable and full of glory, praising God for the opportunity to present the gospel to every willing heart. Hear what God said to Isaiah. Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so will My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me void, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper in the thing for which I sent it. 12 For you will go out with joy and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills will break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn will come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier will come up the myrtle tree; and it will be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.” There will always be joy in the work you do for the Lord. Don’t forget it’s His work, not yours. He who began His work in you will complete it. Let’s pray: Father, thank you for blessing me in the work I do for you. Let it always fill me with joy, knowing it’s Your will, not mine, in the work I do for You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 1 December 2023 by Valerie Routhieaux The image belongs to me.