Prepared to work!

Here we go, talking about works again...

Still reading in Ephesians, in chapter 4 today. One of the things I love about Scripture is that the Holy Spirit points out something new each time we read it. I've read through this passage more times than I can count, but I got something out of it today that I haven't before. In verses 11-12, I've always focused on the fact that we each have unique spiritual gifts, and each have our own individual focus. Today, though, the phrase "to prepare God's people for works of service" is what hit me like a ton of bricks.

This goes back to my post from Thursday, on Ephesians 2:10. We each have a job to do! Just like we each have our own unique set of spiritual gifts, and our own unique purpose, we also each have our own unique "works of service" that we are intended by God to do. That's part of WHY He gives us those spiritual gifts in the first place! Of course, ultimately, our purpose is to bring Him glory, but one of the ways we are to do this is by serving others. Those works that I mentioned a few days ago, that we are supposed to do after we are saved, include works of service. What that service work looks like depends on you. Pray about it. Ask God where He wants you to serve. That won't be enough, though, because here comes the hard part...

Once you know what that service is, you have to go do it. Some times it will come easily, out of joy, and it will be a pure act of love and not feel like work at all. Other times, though, it will be scary, and you will face opposition and persecution. That, my friend, is the devil, trying to stop you from serving. Remember the words of Jesus in John 15:18, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." Where do you think that hatred comes from? It comes from the evil one, who wants everyone else he can get to burn with him for the rest of eternity. Stay strong! Remember something else Jesus said: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12)

Saved for works

Many of us are familiar with the passage in Ephesians that says "For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift - not from works, so that no one can boast." (Eph 2:8-9) And it's so true. There is nothing we can *do* to earn salvation. Nothing we do could ever be enough to pay the death penalty for our sins.

Don't miss the next verse, though... "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do." (Eph 2:10) In other words, once we're saved, that's not the end of our time or mission here on earth. We still have work to do!

Remember that we aren't saved by our works. Rather, we work because of our salvation. Find that work that you are called to do. Do every bit of it for God's glory. "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31)

Birth Pains?

In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus is talking with His disciples about the end times...

"Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming "I am the Christ," and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.'" (v. 4-8)

It struck me as interesting this morning that He would compare it to birth pains, so I pondered on it some. I'm not bringing any of this up to start a discussion on "end times doctrine" or anything like that. Regardless of which school of thought you ascribe to, there are points that we agree on: A) we live in a fallen world right now, full of sin, pain, & suffering. B) It's going to get worse (see above verses and the rest of Matthew 24 for example).

According to Jesus, though, it's like birth pains. My first child's birth is the only one I truly experienced, as the rest ended up as c-sections. (I am NOT opening up a birth debate right now! This is only mentioned for comparison points with the given example of "birth pains." Regardless of whether the birth is surgical, natural, or anywhere in between, it is still a precious thing!) The "beginning of birth pains" is no joke! Your body is squeezing down on the baby, and it's not a pleasant time for either of you. It keeps getting more intense, too, as you go into transition and finally push the baby out. There is nothing in the world quite like it, and the end result, cradling that precious new life in your arms, is also beyond comparison.

Considering that, reading Christ's description of the end times as "the beginning of birth pains" is on one hand unsettling, because that tells me that things will definitely be getting worse in this world before we see true improvement. There will be ebb and flow, and we will have little pockets of relief and short-lived improvement, but overall it will continue to get worse. On the other hand, when we are finally done with the pushing and the squeezing and everything else that is to come, we will be released, only our release will not be into the sinful, pain-filled world that our babies are born into. No, it will be into the glorious presence of God Himself. "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people and God himself will be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'" (Revelation 21:3-4)

Created for His Glory

A book I was reading a while back posed the question, "Why is it that when people pursue fulfillment in money and things, fulfillment is elusive?"  My response was "Because it's not true fulfillment for us.  We were made in the image of God, so it stands to reason that HE is where we are designed to find our fulfillment!"

Genesis 1:27 (NIV) says "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."  This doesn't mean that we have the same facial features, the same hair color, et cetera, but rather that we have an eternal soul.  There is more to it than that, but at this point it's something intangible, something that will be revealed when we are finally in Heaven with Him.  "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (I Corinthians 13:12, NIV)  Bottom line: God made us.  "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Psalm 139:13-14, NIV)  When He created us, it was more than just our physical bodies.  He gave us souls, emotion, drive and purpose.  His purpose.  "For in him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28a, NIV)

That is how we are created in His image!  We have been created for His purpose, for His glory!  Without Him in our daily life, we are empty.  We try to fill that emptiness with things around us that look pleasing, but it's like trying to fill a strainer with water.  The strainer was not designed to hold water, just like we were not designed to be fulfilled by worldly pursuits.