Observations:
I asked myself according to v.6 what is Paul confident about?
Being confident of this,
1. That He who began a GOOD WORK in you
2. Will carry it on to COMPLETION
3. Until the day of CHRIST JESUS!

Interpretation:
I asked myself what does 'confident' mean?
What came to my mind is an assurance without any doubt.

Interpretation:
I asked myself why is it significant that Paul is able to write, 'being confident of this'?
It becomes that much more significant to see Paul being confident in Jesus Christ even though he is under arrest and in chains. It shows that Paul being confident goes beyond what he is facing to trust and have assurance in Jesus Christ that He will also bless the Philippians with three wonderful promises revealed in words such as GOOD WORK, COMPLETION, and CHRIST JESUS. Paul believes that for himself too and not just for the Philippians.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. No matter how I feel about myself and where I have been, I can be assured that when Jesus Christ saved me, Jesus started the ball rolling by beginning a GOOD WORK in me. Since Jesus began a GOOD WORK in me, Jesus is One who will carry on to COMPLETION what He started until that day when it is completed and I see Jesus face to face. Until then I can be reassured everyday no matter what I am going through that my confidence can be in Jesus Christ for He is working in me through all the weaknesses, trials, and tribulations. Praise the Lord.

HOW THE GOSPEL GIVES ME TESTIMONY REGARDING CONFIDENT:
When I look back at where my life has been and where my life is now, I am amazed to see God's promise of HE WHO BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN YOU being experienced in my own life. When things were not going the way I wanted them to, I was not confident unlike Paul. Instead, I focused on the negativity and made my life into a negative aura. I let negativity rule me with an attitude of complaining, covetousness, rebellion, doubt, and critical attitude. I was really down on myself being very frustrated and wanted to escape it all with words such as QUIT, RESIGN, etc. Yet God in His wisdom and grace did not leave me to my own ways. He kept His promise of intending to CARRY TO COMPLETION, the GOOD WORK HE BEGAN IN ME.

It was a GOOD WORK, I cannot take any credit for because on my own, it would not have been possible at all. I remember Pastor Hugo telling me how GRACIOUS the Lord Jesus has been to me by helping me be established in what used to be POTTER'S CLAY small group. I found such a community there where brothers and sisters helped me in my weaknesses and also held me accountable in my life. Because God used, POTTER'S CLAY small group in my life is why I became more interested in being part of the wider church community at Oakland International Fellowship which is the English branch of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland. It is significant how the Lord Jesus used a small group of brothers and sisters in Potter's Clay to make me want to be involved in the church community. Jesus used this same small group which multiplied into Potter's Clay and Living Acts to still make an impact in my life.

My experience has usually been that people join large groups and then find a small group to plug in but for me it was the opposite where I joined a small group that motivated me to be part of OIF. I attribute that to God's GOOD WORK in me because GOD knew I was not having a church life and wanted me to have it.

But that was just the beginning because as trials and tribulations came my way, it was my small group and the relationships I built there and recently in a small group called Living Acts that helped me stay where I am at.

I have always been a runner from areas in my life that got too heated for me but Jesus did not let me run this time but held me steady. Thank you so much. It was mainly because of 4 special people in my life: My mommy, Edwin & Marie, and Pastor Hugo. When I was thinking about running away from church, in a gentle manner, the Lord Jesus used them by engaging me in a conversation to make a decision, I have not regretted as I have when I made decisions in the past. Their interaction with me did not make me feel CONDEMNED but instead CONVICTING to stay the course especially at this juncture in my life. I remember an encouraging word: God is not done with you yet!!!

That was because of Jesus Christ using His servants to treat a broken vessel like me, to mold me and make me as He wants me to be. I know it will be a process but I am so THANKFUL and PRAISE THE LORD for His PROMISE in Philippians 1:6 which is one of my favorite verses to claim especially since I have already seen its impact in my life.

Amidst the trials, tribulations, sins, etc, I know the Lord Jesus is not done with me yet in the GOOD WORK HE BEGAN but He will carry it on to COMPLETION until the day of CHRIST JESUS! Thank you Jesus.

As I look back, I am thankful to the vision that God gave my area director Paul H to have an IVCF chapter at Pitt and other places which focused on small groups before large groups. At the time I did not buy into that vision and left the group. That was a huge mistake. God's timing is so perfect even when we don't understand it. Years later, the Lord Jesus showed me by experience how right Paul was because I experienced that in my own life that starting with a loving small group community opens doors to be part of a larger loving community. Thank you Jesus. I am confident in Jesus that He will work in me through all the weaknesses to make me and place me where He wants me to be for His honor and glory! Praise the Lord.

The purpose of today's devotional is to know that our confidence in life can always be based on Christ's work in us.

I ask you now dear friend, where are you confident in?
Dear friend, I don't know where you are confident in. You maybe confident in your parents, your accomplishments, your degrees, your awards, your training, and the list can go on and on but all these things and even people will fail us except ONE. Yes, you maybe reading this and thinking, I don't know what's he talking about because look at my life, I have things together. That's the problem friend when you think you have things together.

What happens when things are not together in your life?

Will you crumble and fall to the wayside or will you stand firm?

I don't know about you but this I know that Paul did not put his confidence in himself with all his training, degrees, accomplishments, etc. He did not even put his confidence in the good he thought he did but IN CHRIST ALONE THE HOPE OF GLORY.

It is this confidence in Christ that helped him through years of prison, through shipwrecks, and persecutions. His confidence in Christ is what gave Him the strength to get through because He knew who was going to take care of Him no matter what happens.

Do you friend?

As I put my confidence in so many things other than Christ many times, I have seen only shortcomings and failures because of allowing sin to take control of my life.

Jesus does not want that for you and me and that is why Jesus paid a steep price that no one could ever pay. Jesus paid the ransom with His own blood to cleanse us from all unrighteousness so we can be set free and have a personal relationship with Him.

No one is good, not one, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God!

Yet, we read that He who began a GOOD WORK IN YOU will carry it on to COMPLETION until the day of JESUS CHRIST.

By what Jesus did on the cross of Calvary, the GOOD WORK began. It is not anything we can take credit for but all the credit goes to Jesus Christ! Praise the Lord for His intervention and help! Amen!

Jesus did His part and now it is up to us to accept the FREE GIFT OF GRACE, He chose to give us and called us to be His very own, calling us by Name for we are precious and special in His sight! Thank you Jesus.

Friend, Jesus calls you by name and you are precious and special in His sight. No matter where you are or have been, you are never out of His love and never out of His reach. You can come as you are to the Fountain of Blessing and find hope in time of need. Praise the Lord!

NO ONE IS LIKE OUR GOD!!! Only our confidence in GOD should be the ultimate confidence we should have. Because God promised a wonderful promise for not just the Philippians whom Paul could write with assurance but this promise is for you and me too:

There is NO ONE LIKE OUR GOD! Our God in whom we put our confidence in will never fail us. I am talking about Jesus Christ who is God-incarnate who came to save you and me from the bondage of sin and death.

So, only in Christ should be where we are confident in and no one else. Yes, friend no one else. It is Christ the hope of glory 'Being confident of this, that He who began a GOOD WORK in you will carry it on to COMPLETION until the day of Jesus Christ!' (Philippians 1:6, NIV)

May you experience your confidence in Christ alone the hope of glory knowing Christ offers now forever imparting diligently everyday nurturing Truth!

"Christ Offers Now Forever Imparting Diligently Everyday Nurturing Truth! (C.O.N.F.I.D.E.N.T)/"Where are you C.O.N.F.I.D.E.N.T in?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for loving me so much and dying for my sin.  Thank you for the confidence you gave Paul to rest in you and be assured that you will take care of the Philippians with the good work you began. Thank you Jesus that Paul's confidence was based in you though he were in jail. Wow! I want to be confident in you always Jesus. Please help me Jesus for I am really weak in a lot of areas but I thank you so much for your promise of He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. I praise you Lord and my heart wells up with joy. Thank you Jesus so much that you also promise, 'My grace is sufficient for you and in my weaknesses, in you I will find strength. Thanks Jesus so much. I pray right now for those who are confident in so many things other than you. Forgive them Oh Lord and bring them to you. Forgive us and help us by taking our fears and we thank you that we can rest in you knowing you offer now forever imparting diligently everyday nurturing truth! Amen! Thank you for hearing us and answering our prayer. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

May you experience the POWER OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION this day, and give Him the LOCKED areas of your life too so you can experience His PEACE as you become an ACTOR in the film called LIFE being directed by your DIRECTOR, JESUS CHRIST who comes to give JOY and PEACE.

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to live out your actions.

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo SHARED this example one Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is alive and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and live with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and RESTORE us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

^"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (Colossians 5:17-21, NIV)

^"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

Come to Jesus as you are and pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. He will transform your life around! Praise the Lord! You don't have to have all the answers! You can come as you are!