For the week of April 20, 2026

Core Church Los Angeles – 5-Day Devotional Guide
Title: God Always Finishes

Day 1: The Certainty of God’s Completion Reading
Scripture Reading: Philippians 1:3-6

Devotional:
God never leaves His work unfinished. When He began a good work in you at salvation, He committed to completing it until the day of Christ Jesus. Unlike our abandoned projects and broken resolutions, God’s purposes are certain. You may feel incomplete, struggling with sin or spiritual stagnation, but take confidence in this truth: the One who started your transformation is faithful to finish it. Your salvation wasn’t initiated by your strength but by His Spirit. He doesn’t grow weary or lose interest. Today, surrender the areas where you’re trying to complete God’s work in your own strength. Trust that He who began this good work will be faithful to complete it.


Reflection Question: 
What unfinished areas of your spiritual life do you need to surrender to God’s faithful completion?


Prayer:
Take time today to thank God that His work in us is not dependent on our performance but on His faithfulness

Day 2: Joy in the Midst of Chains Reading
Scripture Readings: Philippians 1:12-18; Acts 16:22-34

Devotional:
Paul wrote his most joyful letter from a Roman prison, chained and awaiting trial. His circumstances screamed misery, yet his heart sang with joy. How? Paul allowed his chains to become opportunities for service rather than reasons for complaint. When Paul and Silas sang hymns at midnight in the Philippian jail, their worship shook foundations and opened prison doors. Your difficult circumstances are not obstacles to God’s purposes but often the very platform for His greatest work. Joy is not the absence of hardship but the presence of Jesus in the midst of it.  Transform the chains stealing your joy  into opportunities to serve and glorify God.


Reflection Questions:
What chains are you allowing to steal your joy today? How can you worship God in your current difficult circumstances? 


Prayer:
Take time today to ask the Lord for confidence in His faithfulness to complete the good work that He has started.

Day 3: The Gift of Simple Faith Reading
Scripture Readings: Acts 16:25-34; Ephesians 2:8-9

Devotional:
When the Philippian jailer asked, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul’s answer was beautifully simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved.” Salvation requires no cleanup, no prerequisites, no earned merit. It is a free gift from God, received through simple faith. Many people complicate the gospel, adding requirements and conditions that God never intended. The earthquake that shook the prison foundations couldn’t save the jailer, but simple belief in Jesus could and did. Have you complicated your relationship with God, thinking you must earn His favor? Return to the simplicity of faith. Trust in Jesus alone. His grace is sufficient, His work is complete, and your faith connects you to His finished work on the cross.


Reflection Question:
Are you trusting in Jesus alone for salvation, or have you added unnecessary requirements?


Prayer:
Take time today to firstly meditate on the fact that it is by grace that we have been saved, through faith, and it is not from ourselves, but by the gift of God. And then take time to thank God for beginning His good work and His faithfulness to finish what He has started.

Day 4: Bond Servants by Choice Reading
Scripture Readings: Philippians 1:1-2; John 10:10

Devotional:
Paul called himself a “bond servant” of Jesus Christ—a voluntary slave who chose servitude out of love. In a world that prizes independence and self-determination, this concept seems foreign. Yet Paul discovered that true freedom comes through surrendering to Christ. The bond servant had their ear pierced, marking permanent commitment to a master they loved. When we fully commit ourselves to Christ’s service, we find the abundant life Jesus promised. We’re no longer slaves to sin, fear, or meaningless pursuits. We serve the One who truly set us free. Grace and peace flow from this relationship. Today, consider what it means to be Christ’s bond servant—not out of obligation, but from overflowing love for the One who gave everything for you.


Reflection Question:
What does it mean for you personally to be a bond servant of Jesus Christ?


Prayer:
Take time today to ask for God’s grace and the boldness to encourage others this week, whether brothers and sisters of God’s family, or those who don’t  know Jesus intimately yet.

Day 5: Staying Connected Through Encouragement Reading
Scripture Readings: Philippians 1:3-11; Proverbs 13:12

Devotional:
Paul stayed connected to the Philippian believers through letters of encouragement, thanksgiving, and instruction. He understood that faith grows in community, not isolation. In our digital age, we often substitute shallow interactions for meaningful connection. Paul’s example challenges us to reach out with words that bring grace, peace, and encouragement to fellow believers. Someone around you is struggling, facing circumstances that make their heart sick with deferred hope. Your word of encouragement might be the very thing God uses to minister life to them. Don’t underestimate the power of staying in contact with intentional, Spirit-led words. Who needs to hear about Jesus today? Reach out with genuine care, pointing them to the hope we have in Christ.


Reflection Question:
Who in your life needs an encouraging word today, and what will you do about it?


Prayer:
Take time today to pray for those who don’t yet know Jesus, and for opportunities that the Holy Spirit can use you to share Christ with others.




— Pastor Steve Wilburn