March 30 2026

Monday March 30

God Finishes What He Starts

Philippians 1:6

“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”

Welcome to Pastor’s Chat today. We are back in the book of Philippians, chapter 1. As we study through these verses, we are trusting that God will encourage you and help you learn how to have that joy that never goes away—that joy that Jesus said, “I give unto you.” His very joy that we can enjoy every day.

But there are some things we need to know and some things we need to practice before we can say Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Often, I have heard people quote that verse, and then when they face tough situations, they wonder why they can’t do all things through Christ. “I am struggling. I am ready to quit.” And some of them do throw in the towel. Why is that? It is because they do not practice Philippians chapters 1, 2, and 3. When you practice those three chapters, then you can also say with confidence, “My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

We are looking at some things we need to know and practice if we are going to have that life of joy and complete what God has begun in our hearts and lives. Today we are looking at verse 6. Verse 6 is my life’s verse. I heard Dr. Jerry Falwell say, in my very first weeks at Liberty University—back then Lynchburg Baptist College—that his life verse was Philippians 1:6. He used that verse, his life verse, whenever he signed his name in a Bible for someone. When he signed my Bible for me, he wrote Philippians 1:6 under it. I thought, “Goodness, that is good enough for him, that is good enough for me.” I am so glad I was encouraged to take that verse as a life verse. For these past 55 years this verse has given me encouragement to “keep on, keeping on”, despite my circumstances or challenges that might be greatly discouraging me and making me want to quit!

By the way, my life chapter is 2 Corinthians 4, just in case you are wondering. You can read that, and maybe we will look at it one day. But today, Philippians 1:6. Our thought is this: God finishes what He starts. This has to be one of the most encouraging verses in all of Scripture. Let us read it again: “Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” What a great promise.

Now Paul has just talked, in verses 3, 4, and 5, about praying for them and remembering them with great joy. He spoke of their fellowship—their partnership in the gospel—from the first day he met them until now. It was something continuous, something still ongoing. Then he says, “being confident”—not hoping, not wishing, but absolutely certain of this truth. And what is that truth? That God always finishes what He starts.

One of the verses I love to go back to in the Old Testament is Psalm 138:8. It says, “The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands”. God will perfect that which concerns me. Now think about how this applies personally. When you trusted Christ, God began a work in your life. It was not your idea—it was His. It was not your power—it was His grace. This is the good news. God does not abandon His work halfway through. We start projects and leave them unfinished. I am ashamed of how many times that has been true in my own life. We make commitments, and sometimes we follow through—but sometimes we do not.

But, my friend, God is not like us. The God who began a work in us will continue that work. Even when you do not feel like you are growing, even when you are struggling, even when you feel like you have taken five steps backward and are not getting anywhere in your Christian life—God is still at work. You see, my friend, your spiritual growth is not based on your perfection. It is based on God’s faithfulness. I once heard a great preacher this statement: “Don’t despair. But if you do despair, work on in despair.” Why? Not because you feel like it, but because God is faithful, and He always will be faithful.

We can also remember 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation or trial has taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful….”. God will always be there to help us through whatever we have to face. You can trust His faithfulness.

God bless and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!