WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MAY 10, 2022 Â
TOPIC: BE A FINISHER
BY T. O. BANSO
“I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4 King James Version).
Genesis 2:1 says, “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished” (King James Version). God is a starter and a finisher. He started the work of creation and finished it. If you’re a child of God, you should resemble your Father, God, and be a starter and finisher.
From the Genesis account, the work of creation took God six consecutive days. He kept working each day until He completed the work and rested on the seventh day.
Some people are starters but not finishers. Therefore, they have different abandoned projects in their lives, including uncompleted academic programmes, aborted skills acquisition programmes, and abandoned book writing. To start a project and finish it will cost you time, hard work, and much sacrifice. It may, sometimes, also cost you money.
There are times you will be discouraged and want to give up but if you must finish a particular project or assignment, you must not give up. You must have faith and patience even when you’re not meeting your targets. Don’t quit. The end of a thing is better than the beginning thereof (Ecclesiastes 7:8).
As you labour to finish the good work you have started, identify what you require to finish it. It could be more time, more money, more workers, materials, equipment, or skills and knowledge. Or it could be more commitment, prayer, sacrifice, or expertise.
Pray and think about how to get what you need to finish your project and achieve your goal. If you are led to discuss with certain people, do so. They may be helpful. Try to get what you need, and it doesn’t have to be all at once, and get the work done little by little. It is not always easy but it is doable. Endure to the end (Matthew 10:22b; 24:13; Mark 13:13b).
To finish what He came to the earth to do, Jesus worked. He performed miracles but His ministry was not fulfilled by a miracle! He walked several kilometres. He didn’t fold his arms and say He would finish His assignment on earth just because He was the Son of God. He said in John 5:17, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working” (New King James Version). In verse 19, He said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner” (verse 19 New King James Version). Jesus worked so that He could finish His assignment on earth. He didn’t abandon His mission. You, too, must work.
Also in John 9:4, Jesus said He must work the works of Him who sent Him while it was the day. He said the night was coming when no one could work (New King James Version). Jesus knew that He didn’t have all the time in the world to do what He came to the earth to do. Therefore, He didn’t waste time so that He could finish His assignment on earth. Acts 10:38 says God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Jesus was committed to finishing His work on earth. He said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34, New King James Version). In John 5:36, He also talked about “the works which the Father has given Me to finish” (New King James Version). His last word on the cross was, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Hebrews 12:2 refers to Him as the author and finisher of our faith.
The apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7 that He had fought the good fight and finished the race. Emulate God; be a finisher. Emulate Jesus; be a finisher. What is that project that you started but you’ve abandoned? If God didn’t stop you or ask you to abandon it, return to the project, programme, or assignment. Go back to it. Gradually, you will finish it as you pray, plan, work, execute, sacrifice, and execute. With prayer, planning, commitment, sacrifice, wisdom, and God’s help, you’ll finish it.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
 PRAYER POINTS: I shall finish the work You have given Me to do in Jesus’ name. No power shall hinder me. Nothing shall terminate my life in Jesus’ name. Father, help Your children to be well focused and committed to the work you have assigned to each of us to do.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
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