Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11
Testimony
God has revealed many times in my life where past hurts have caused behaviours and patterns, which have been detrimental to me. He has put on my heart to draw close to Him and bring others to Him also. .... Read More...

Seeds of the Kingdom

Completion Day

by Dean Gardner

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6, ESV

Some of the Seeds I’ve written recently have reflected the current situation of my wife Gemma and myself. We’re in the process of moving home. At the time of writing this Seed, we’re nearing the stage where contracts for the sale of our home and for the purchase of our new home will take place.

In England the sale of a home requires that the seller and buyer each sign a contract for their part in the deal, and then, on an appointed day, the solicitors representing them exchange each party’s signed contract, making things legal and binding. Usually at that point, a deposit is paid by the buyer. Once that is done, a ‘completion day’ is agreed, when the full price of the purchase is paid by the buyer and the seller moves out, hopefully, as in our case, to relocate to a new home!

This process, which, at times, has been very stressful, has so spoken to me of how our lives have been bought by Jesus as He died in our place on the cross. When we believe in His finished work of taking the full punishment we deserved for our sin, we ‘exchange’ our sinfulness and unrighteousness for His perfect righteousness. What an exchange!

As we’re born again, adopted as a son or daughter, raised up through the power of His resurrection, we receive the deposit, or down payment, of His Holy Spirit, making us alive in our human spirit and enabling us to begin to live godly and holy lives. That in itself is so amazing, but, even more, we each have a day in the future when the good work of the Holy Spirit in changing us to be more and more like Jesus will be completed. That’s the day when our life and work in this world is finished and we’re called to be with Jesus through death or His return, and we finally see Him face to face, our faith turned to sight.

Gemma and I are beginning to get excited and relieved that ‘completion day’ for our house move is getting nearer, and we’re working at being fully prepared for that event. None of us know the day or the time of that far greater ‘completion day’ when we relocate, not to an earthly dwelling but a heavenly one, but I sense that God wants to give us His people a renewed excitement and desire to be ready for that great event.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the amazing exchange You offer – my sinfulness and shame for Your forgiveness and righteousness. Thank You for Your promise that You will continue to change me into Your likeness, by Your Holy Spirit, until that Day when I stand faultless and with great joy before You. Please use me to tell others that You want them to be there in heaven with You as well. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Dean Gardner worked part time in the Ellel Grange Ministry Office for four and a half years until October 2018 and is now part of the Associate teaching and ministry team. He now lives in Norfolk with his wife Gemma. In 1988 he experienced God`s amazing grace at a carol service and began a journey of restoration and healing with Jesus. He longs to continue that journey allowing God`s truth to change his own life but also to share that truth with others that they too might know Jesus for themselves.

 

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