Philippians 2:12-13
...work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
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David, a man after God's own heart, wrote one of the best known passages of Scripture in the bible, one even so many unsaved people are familiar with: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.’ {Ps.23:1-3}
 
Did you get that part about leading us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Certainly the apostle Paul must have understood that when he wrote today’s verse in his letter to the believers in Philippi that God is at work in us for His good pleasure! Well anything that the Lord does in our lives or allows to happen in our lives He is doing or allowing for His purpose and His pleasure, and which will without any doubt be pleasing to us who believe and love Him—at least by the end of the day(s).
 
We have that blessed assurance because the Word of God, unchangeable and unbreakable, says that we know that He causes all things (underline and highlight that part my brother or sister} ‘all things’ to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose! {Rom.8:28} We have been told what that purpose is—that He would be glorified {Heb.13:21} and that we would be conformed into the image of Jesus. {Rom.8:29} The Scriptures make clear that it is the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony that will overcome the enemy, the accuser of the brethren! {Rev.12:10-11}
 
Never lose sight of the fact that it always comes down to love! We know that He loves us—Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the absolute proof of that {Rom.5:8} and our keeping His Word demonstrates our love for Him. {Jn.14:15} The Word, ever true, lets us know that while we are here on this planet which has been corrupted by mankind's sins, we will have many afflictions and ‘fiery ordeals’ that will come upon us as Peter wrote. {1Pt.4:12} He also wrote that we are to keep on rejoicing as we share in His sufferings! So, through it all keep in mind:
 
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)
 
THE GOAL OF OUR INSTRUCTION IS LOVE