Welcome!
Today: Living for good!
Passage: Eph 2, Prov 11
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph 2, NIV 84)-
God loved us: He showered His kindness and grace upon us
God likes to keep loving, than just love and forget. What God forgets is our sins
Love covers a multitude of sins; love does not keep a record of wrongs
Revenge could be a very dangerous thing.
If we keep “revenge” and jealousy in our heart, it will stay there as a poison
Rebellion and Jealousy are powerful like witchcraft; we know that
Many marriages break because people believe in “replacement” than “change”!
Instead of praying, “Lord, change her/him”, many conclude that they need a “replacement”. The “change” has to first happen in the person not the other
In work/church or family, many issues could be resolved, if we change our attitude. We must leave the matter to God and enjoy our lives
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood….” (Eph 6)
Knowing that Judas Iscariot was going to betray him and Peter was going to say “I don’t know him”, Jesus was able to truly love them from His heart
Judas chose “guilt” to take over him, while Peter chose repentance
God had a plan for our salvation. Jesus did not just come like that on a certain day. It took about 4000 years from the time Adam sinned
Jesus came down here with a mission that was well planned in Heaven. Jesus went to heaven victoriously, accomplishing that mission. Some say, there was a great celebration in heaven, after which the Holy Spirit came down to earth
We are created in Christ, and for a reason: to do good works
“Good works” involve destroying that which is bad and creating something new. It is about speaking the good news to others, praying for them and ministering to others-bringing them out of their emotional, spiritual and physical illness.
It is about bringing out those who are captives of satan and declaring freedom and liberty in Christ
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (1 John 3:8b, NIV 84)
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners (Isaiah 61, NIV 84)
May God bless us and help us start doing the “good works” for which we were created in Jesus
BG
Prayer: Father God, I thank you for loving me and giving me a chance through Jesus Christ, without which I could have been lost forever. Help me to continue do the good works for which I am created. In Jesus name, Amen
Proverbs 11 (NIV 84)
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them,
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.