For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10.
Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” John 6:28-29.
I glorified You on the earth, by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do. John 17:4.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
When you are IN CHRIST you are to live as He lived. He lived a life of faith and that faith manifested in good works. He spoke My Words and did the works I showed Him to do. John 14:10. And He glorified Me on earth by accomplishing the work I gave Him to do. John 17:4. My good pleasure, that is, My Will, prospered in His hand. Isaiah 53:10. Speaking My Words and doing the works I show you makes your way prosperous and gives you good success. Joshua 1:7-8. If My Word abides in you and you abide in My Word, you will bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:7-8.
And that is today’s life lesson in our study of how to live your life IN CHRIST, “A Fruitful Life of Good Deeds.” For you are My workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which I prepared beforehand so that you would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10.
What is your life of good works in Christ Jesus? It is primarily continuing the work He begun while on earth according to the flesh. He told you that you who believe in His Name would do the works He did and greater. John 14:12. I am at work until now and He was as well, He gave Me His dominion authority to act upon the earth through Him when He was with you in the flesh, and now you work with us as His body on earth giving Him the opportunity to continue to work upon the earth through you.
You are continuing the legacy that begun with Abraham of being part of My Salvation story by receiving the blessing to be a blessing to every person on earth. Enoch and Noah both walked with Me and started the legacy of the line of the Messiah through Noah’s son Shem, and I would have you note that in Hebrew the name “Shem” simply means “Name.” And this is fitting, for through his line, that is, through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David would come the One whose Name is above every other name. The Salvation story, for Jesus’ Name in Hebrew is “Yeshuah,” which simply means “Salvation.” Jesus was, is, and always will be your Salvation. There is no other name given among men by which you must be saved.
When doing My works among you in the flesh, Jesus told the amazed crowds who were marveling at His mighty works of healing and provision that He did nothing of Himself, He only did what He saw Me, the Father, doing; for whatever I did, these things He also did in like manner. And He tells you why, “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.” John 5:19-20. We had a relationship of love, deep pure love that comes from the oneness that we live in. He is My Word, generated in My innermost being, and this Word, by My Spirit, is breathed forth and manifests as My Son, who is the expression of who I am. In seeing Him, you see Me. And when you do the good works I have prepared for you in Christ Jesus the same is true of you. In your works people will see Me in action reaching out to a hurting world through you. And the more you walk in agreement with Me, that is, in obedience, the greater works I will show you to do—signs, wonders and miracles follow and confirm My Word. My goodness. My glory.
Jesus would not do anything that I had not shown Him. He humbled Himself in obedience, emptying Himself of His powers as God to be just like you in all things but sin, and thus the Holy Spirit could dwell in Him without measure. So the life of good deeds, works of power, you are to walk in must be done in the spirit of obedience. And this is a matter of your heart as it was for Him and as it is for Me.
To do My Will you must have a heart towards Me. And by that I mean you join your heart with Mine. You have a tenderness and inclination towards Me where our wills meet. You are not trying to discern My Will to do something for Me, like if I am imposing requirements on you that are adverse to you, no, that is not what I envision as My Will for your life. I am not standing by watching to see whether you will find and perform your assignment. No, doing My Will, is walking with Me as together we work out the good I am working in you. I tell you that Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, and many others “walked” with Me, that they were with Me and I was with them. And this was doing My Will for their lives. My Will becomes your will and your will becomes My Will as you walk with Me, for how can two walk together unless they agree? If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, you may ask what you will and I shall do it. John 15:7. Why? Because My desires have become your desires and your desires have become My desires. When you delight yourself in Me, I give you the desires of your heart, because your heart and My heart are one in love, goal, and purpose.
And what is My primary desire? You see it in why I gave you Jesus. It is My Will that none should perish but all would have eternal life. It is My desire that all people be saved and come to know the truth. And this ties into My desire that you prosper and be in good health even as your soul prospers, because this will only happen if you are walking in the truth. For if you continue in My Word you will be My disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
At the time I led My people out of the bondage of Egypt, I led them by My glory, a pillar of cloud by day and at night you could see the pillar of fire in the cloud over the tent of the meeting, My dwelling place among them on their journey. And I tell you that I put My Holy Spirit in the midst of them and caused My glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses. Isaiah 63:11-12. And I reminded the Israelites many years later through My prophet Haggai when I returned them from their captivity in Babylon to rebuild My temple in Jerusalem, “take courage and work; for I am with you. As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!” Haggai 2:4-5. I was leading them by My Spirit and the same is true today for your path of good works. Those who are My children are led by My Spirit. Romans 8:14. And how does He lead? By My Word and the inner witness. My Spirit speaks. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; Revelation 3:6, 13, 22. He speaks to each member of the Body of Christ, the Church, but He only speaks My Word for He breathed it and inspired the prophets to write it. All of My Word is Spirit-breathed. 2 Timothy 3:16. And the Holy Spirit witnesses with your spirit that you are My children and joint heirs with Christ and He testifies to you that your sins and offenses I remember no more. And He will teach you all things, guide you to all truth, remind you of all I say, and tell you of the things to come. He will bring scriptures to your mind just when you need them for direction, correction, revelation, and impartation.
Draw close to Me and I will draw close to you. It is that simple. In prayer, inquire, seek answers, but also read My Word for answers and you will find and know My Will each day. Never go off in your own direction, no matter how good the idea seems, if it is contrary to My Word. Things that are clear in My Word you should not be asking Me if I really meant that and be doing what you think is the “modernized” way. My Word does not change. It is the same yesterday, today and forever.
If you want to do My Will each day you must begin by casting all your cares on Me and trusting Me to show you how to skillfully solve whatever comes your way. Do not stress out over things at your work or in your home. DO WHAT I TELL YOU TO DO IN MY WORD AND YOU WILL MAKE YOUR WAY PROSPEROUS AND HAVE GOOD SUCCESS. And what do I tell you? “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.
And I mean this in everything. For example, let us say you have a project or a duty at work or home that you are working on but cannot quite seem to get it right and are missing a link somewhere and you fear you have made an error that could come back against you negatively. Instead of worrying about it and thinking you do not have the necessary understanding to do it, cast that care on Me and ask Me to get the answer for you and show you how to solve it, fix it, and bring it to a successful outcome. And be at peace about it and smile as you sing My praise and worship before you return to the project. I will respond immediately in one or many ways. I will let you know which person to ask for help and they will answer just what you need and that one answer will lead you in a path that solves it all. Or I will show you a book or other resource with the answer. Or I will just give you an enlightenment in your spirit of the way to solve it. But know that I will always answer if you just do it the way I tell you to—not screaming, crying, begging, and then ultimately quitting, but with no anxiety make known to Me what is causing you unrest or distress, or is just something you need, and thank Me immediately for hearing you and taking care of it with you. Your primary resource is Me. Every good thing given and perfect gift comes down from above, out of Me, your Father of lights. I enlighten every man. Call on Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you could not know. Start your inquiries and requests with Me and I will lead you and others to your answer. Do not start with the flesh—trying to solve it by yourself in your intellect and after that going to people and as a last resort to prayer. NO, start with the prayer and then move to what or who I show you or what or who I send to you. ALWAYS START EVERYTHING, CONTINUE THROUGH EVERYTHING, AND FINISH EVERYTHING WITH, IN, AND THROUGH ME. And that will take you on the path of the good works I have prepared for you in advance that you (we) might enjoy them. You know how much you enjoy doing things with your children when they are flowing with you and not against you, I am like that too. It is hard for you (and Me) when you kick against the goad.
The secret to a life of good deeds is in My Name, YHWH Osenu, which literally means “the LORD (יהוה) our Maker (עֹשֵֽׂנוּ).” You are all the work of My hands. You are My workmanship. I am always making things—good things, perfect gifts. You too should be making things. I prosper the work of your hands. You shall eat the fruit of your handiwork and share it with those in need. My apostle Paul was always telling the believers not to be idle busybodies but to be working with their hands. And I make things now through your hands too. Remember the plans I gave to Moses in great detail for the tabernacle and all its furnishings? And then I gave skill to the people to do the intricate work with their hands of constructing everything for My dwelling place among them. I also funded it by giving the people the riches of Egypt when I led them forth laden with silver and gold, precious gems and garments. I gave David the plans for the temple in Jerusalem and Solomon built it. I gave Joseph, Jacob’s son, the wisdom to run a country by storing up grain in the years of plenty, but he increased those years of plenty by directing waterways to rich harvest soil and building proper storage places for the grain gathered. David made musical instruments that were used many years after he had departed this life and introduced a whole new level of worship in My house. And Paul was a tentmaker, Lydia a dyer of purple goods, and Jesus worked with His hands as a carpenter until He began the mission He was born for of preaching, teaching, and healing. And then His hands reached out to heal, bless, and provide for those I sent to Him. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed of the devil. What beautiful hands, freeing, healing, loving hands.
What does it mean to you that I AM the LORD your Maker? It means you belong; it means you are known; it means you are planned, it means you are loved, it means you have purpose and place. But above all it means you are not alone and never will be. I will never leave you or forsake you. Will you join with Me in making beautiful things come to be by the work of your hands in Mine?
I love you. I want to make your life beautiful, the most beautiful life ever lived. But that can only happen if you will walk the path of the good works I prepared for you in advance in agreement with Me. And it begins with one step—receiving Jesus as your Lord—and it continues on from there. But without that initial step you will never enter into the path for your life. Being born again is really the main work you are to do. Remember the answer of Jesus when the crowd asked Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” John 6:28-29. Without that, none of your work means anything.
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. Proverbs 4:18.