What Do We Do?

     Did you know God had plans for you before you were even born? James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote that our faith without works is a dead faith. (James 2)

     This does NOT mean we work for our salvation. That is a free gift of God through Jesus. All we need to do is believe! When we receive the Holy Spirit, we have the strength and the power and the love to represent Jesus on earth in a great variety of ways. These verses that Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus explain this beautifully.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:8-10

     We are saved through our faith in order to do works. Many believe we need to perform those good works in order to be saved. Jesus works through us. It becomes His work in us, nothing of ourselves. Listen for His voice. Watch for the gifts He has given you to use. How do we know we are using our gifts? Jesus said others would recognize His disciples by their fruit. We may do different works, in different ways, with different styles and personalities, in different areas, in different settings around different people. But this fruit should be common in all of us.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23

     Yes, we are saved by faith, given works to do with the power of Christ as we share His love with the fruit of the Spirit. It is an astounding picture of how Christ feels about His creation. He does not want to lose even one. (2 Peter 3:9)

Jesus,

Teach us how to represent You as we rest in the power of the Holy Spirit within us. Do Your work through us as we live out these short lives on earth, waiting for our true home in heaven. We want to bring those we love with us.

Amen