God Will Finish What He Started in You

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He was at work in Varamen when security guards walked in and took him away. The date was June 12, 2024. His name is Martaza, but his friends call him Calvin. He's a Christian convert in a place where that choice is costly. Months followed in Tehran's Ebon prison.

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Advocates later reported he was tortured during pretrial detention. The Pretty vague and heavy. Deviant educational and proselytizing activities.

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Propaganda and even insulting the supreme leader. What happens to your faith when the verdict finally comes down?

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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm Bart Leger, and for the next few minutes, we're going to talk about something that every believer wrestles with. I know it's something I have to keep reminding myself to do, and that is trusting that God is still at work, even when we can't see the progress. Maybe life feels stuck, or your faith feels like it's hanging on by a thread. Maybe you've been waiting for years, praying for change that hasn't come. Maybe you're praying for healing or for loved one's salvation. I know it may not seem like it, but there's good news. God never starts something He doesn't intend to finish. Philippians 1.6 says, And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it's finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

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God doesn't give up halfway through the process. Whatever He begins, He finishes. God is faithfully orchestrating things behind the scenes, even through the pain and pressure you might be enduring. Here's what happened to Morteza. A revolutionary court gave Calvin 8 years and 11 months. The lead count is tied to proselytizing with contacts abroad, plus additional months for propaganda and insulting the leadership. In mid-September, the appeals court upheld the sentences. And in early November, He was taken back to heaven to begin serving them. Now, that's the twist, but that's not the end of the story.

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The same Jesus who began a good work in Calvin is not finished with Him, even behind those walls. The potter doesn't drop the clay. He keeps shaping it patiently and purposefully until the image of Christ comes through. And maybe you need that reminder too. Maybe your prison isn't a cell. It could be a season of disappointment or loss or unanswered questions. You thought God would have wrapped things up by now, but the story still feels unfinished. Well, that's okay. You're still on the wheel. The potter's hands haven't left you. What looks like a delay is actually part of the process. What feels like pressure is just His shaping you.

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Philippians 1.6 says, He will finish what He started. Not might, not could, but will. You know, sometimes we want progress.

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We can see. God wants transformation that lasts.

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obedience and hardship is not wasted. Every hidden act of trust is part of the masterpiece He's making. You know, you may not understand the how, but I'm confident that you can trust the who. Because the same hands that molded galaxies are forming the image of Christ in you right now.

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Here's today's challenge. Take one area of your life that feels unfinished. Something you've been praying about for a long time. Now, instead of asking, God, when will you fix this?

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Pray, God, thank you that you're still working in this. And then, write Philippians 1.6 somewhere you'll see it this week. Let it remind you that God is not done with you yet. As a matter of fact, Philippians 1.6 is my life's verse. It's what I cling to each and every day. And if you'd like to pray for someone like Calvin and lift up believers around the world who are suffering for their faith, well, pray that they would remember this same truth. God will finish what He starts. A good place to begin is with the Voice of the Martyrs. This ministry serves persecuted Christians in the world's most dangerous places to follow Christ. I'll leave a link in the show notes. Father, thank you that you never stopped working in us. Even when I can't see the outcome, you're still shaping my life with your love and with your purpose. And strengthen the faith of those who are suffering today, especially brothers and sisters like Calvin. And remind them and remind us that you will finish the good work you began.

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In Jesus' name, amen. Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives.

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Remember, God never leaves His work unfinished. He is still shaping you and still refining you, and His hands haven't let go. Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth. Until then, God bless and have a great day.