Tremble at my word

Philippians 2:12-13
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Personalize it, Pray it Methods:

Jeff- Apart from your pastor or any mentor, wholly on your own, I call you to labor and focus on your sanctification.  With holy fear, with the highest respect, with the understanding that you are a sinful man in my holy and glorious presence, you are to humbly work at obedience to me- at absolute surrender of all that you are.  Don't you know that it is me, the great I am, who performs this work of sanctification in you?  You work out your sanctification in action but know that it is I who grant you both the desire and then also the ability to take action on that desire.  The entire process of your salvation and sanctification is orchestrated by me.  I do this work in you because it brings me great pleasure and satisfaction to see you progress in your journey of absolute surrender to me.  See what is written in Isaiah 66...

Isaiah 66:1-2
1 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? 2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord.  But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Jeff- There is no building or mountaintop or anything else under all of my creation where I desire to dwell more than in the heart of the believer who is humble and contrite before me and is fearfully captivated by my word.  The one who faces the depravity of his condition and is broken before me.  The one who digests my word as it were his sustenance.  The one who understands the gravity of my word and that it must cause action...my word is no novel written for your comfort or pleasure.  My word will destroy your preconceptions, my word will expose your sinful ways, my word will eradicate your errant thoughts and beliefs, my word will destroy strongholds in your life, my word is the most powerful thing you can ever experience.  Did you hear me Jeff?  My word is the most powerful force that may be experienced by anything that is or is not yet.  Did you hear me Jeff?  My word has all power and authority over everything in existence...and even over that which I have not yet created, as it is by my word that I choose to bring it into existence- solely and completely for my own good pleasure.  Jeff, if my word does not make you tremble, then you do not yet understand what it is that you are reading. Oh that you would surrender.  Why do you not hold my word in your heart as the most treasured thing you can possess? Jeff, what shall you read...with whom will you seek counsel...who among my creation can direct you or teach you as I can?

Application:
Today I am to fearfully labor at my surrender to the Lord.
Today I am to praise God for granting me the will and the ability to surrender
Today I am to hide His word in my heart as it is the most powerful thing I could ever experience
Today I am to value my study and application of His word over every other way I might seek Him

Prayer:
Lord God please forgive me for not recognizing what you have given me in your word.  May I never forget what power you have given over to me for my sanctification.  Forgive me for not memorizing your word and for not fearfully applying it in my life.  Please give me both the will and the ability to take action on surrendering my mind to you.  Please draw me into your word and cause me to value it for what it really is.

Lord please work in me today as I walk, work in me today as I work, work in me today as I lead my family, work in me today as I am a friend, work in me today as I serve, Lord please continue your sanctifying work in me today.  Let me not get in the way.

In Jesus name I pray, amen.