Good work

Holy Spirit guides me to this:

The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. -Titus 3:8

It is hard for me; for I am still grieving the loss of my loved one.

Despite that, I want to keep to obey the Lord.

Good works ! This is what we have heard:

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. -Ephesians 2:10

What can be considered good works !
Yes, it is love.

By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. -1 John 3:16

Our Lord laid down His life because He loves us.
How we ought to lay down our lives for others ?
Have we been careful to those whom we love ?
Have we been doing good works those whom the Lord calls us to love ?

Let us take time to understand the Lord’s love. Let us respond to others with His love.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. -Ephesians 2:10

It is of importance that we knew that God is working in us. Why He works in us ? Because He loves us.

This is what we have heard:
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. -Titus 3:3

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, -Titus 3:4

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, -Titus 3:5

whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, -Titus 3:6

So the goodness and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ saved us from foolishness, being disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

Let us remember that He saved us not on the ground of the righteous deeds that we have done but on the ground of His mercy.

So have kept in His mercy, is a grace to us

Let us remember how God demonstrated His love for us !
The Love of God through our Lord Jesus Christ !

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. -Romans 5:6

It is His grace that He revealed to us who were weak !

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person'though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die' -Romans 5:7

but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. -Romans 5:8

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. -Romans 5:9

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. -Romans 5:10

Now that we are reconciled to God through Christ Jesus, our Lord; His life and resurrection is very important and precious to us. Why ? Because His life is His love for us.
His resurrection brought us a living hope.

That is why it is important to be united with Christ. Being united with Christ, created this love in Christ Jesus.

As we have heard :
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. -Romans 13:8

Aren’t we told to be fruitful in good works ?

so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; -Colossians 1:10

How are we going to be fruitful in good works ? Be fruitful in love.

How ? This is what we have heard:
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. -Ephesians 5:1
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. -Ephesians 5:2

How do we walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us ?

Have we known how Christ loves us and gave Himself for us ?

We are called to understand about this love, then we can imitate God our Savior as His beloved children.

This is what we have heard:
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, -Titus 3:4
He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, -Titus 3:5

He saved us from what that we can consider that as the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior that appeared ?

He saved us .... from foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. -Titus 3:3

What did our Heavenly Father do ? This is what we have heard :

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, -Titus 3:5
whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, -Titus 3:6

We should be grateful to our Heavenly Father that He kept us in His mercy !
Our Heavenly Father poured us on richly through Christ Jesus our Savior — His Holy Spirit who is love.
Our Heavenly Father did the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit in our life through Christ Jesus our Savior.

Have we been washed in His love ?
Have we been washed by the truth of His love ? Have we been constantly renewed in His love ?

What Jesus would have said :
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. -John 15:10

This is also what we have heard:
But if someone keeps doing what He ( Jesus) says, then truly love for God has been brought to its goal in him. This is how we are sure that we are united with Him. -1 John 2:5 CJB

Let the love for God be brought to its goal in us ! Then we can be fruitful in good works.

Have we taken seriously what is life ?
A life of love ! A rich life in good works !

This is what we have heard:
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, -1 Timothy 6:18

Who are called ?
We are the ones called to to be rich in good works !

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" -Luke 10:36

He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise." -Luke 10:37

The one show mercy or the one who show compassion to the men who fell among the robbers.

Do you consider that person have done good works ? Yes
Does that person show compassion also show love ? Does that person do the Lord’s commandments to love one another? Yes

If you keep doing what Christ have said : You go, and do likewise.", you will abide in His love.

In this manner, we are called to be fruitful in good works. Be fruitful in love.

Let us show compassion to those who fell among robbers !

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. -John 15:8

When we bear fruit in love ! When we are fruitful in good works ! The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is glorified ! How wonderful is that ! That our works can bring Him glory.

Let rejoice in the hope of experiencing this glory.

Unqualified said:

Yeah! Yeah! OK what will you do, talk to people? I’m doing the only thing I can do. Talk a little, help feed the poor, love my wife,
Etc when I have opportunities, visit, water, clothe, encourage.
Your gift is to expound on the scriptures. Are you a preacher?
Can you witness in Indonesia? Do you have something else in mind?

It’s just questions I have for you. You have all the scriptures. What will you do in your life to love the brethren and the unsaved.
Given all the things that Jesus wants us to do. How does that work out in your life, from an Indonesian to an American. What’s available there.

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Dear brother,

I am just a person who owe too much love. Yes, I do share what I have come to learn from Holy Spirit.

You ask : What will you do in your life to love the brethren and the unsaved.
By step I believe Holy Spirit will guide me. At the moment, I believe that I am going to be thoughtful toward others. I have learned from mistakes debating on own righteousness or others does not promote love but just bring a wall of resistance, usually in the form of anger and non acceptance. Being toward thoughtful or being careful with those you love or calls to love is important. Because we are building memories of love and affection.

I consider many times when I don’t understand why God calls us to do good works. I don’t understand what He was saying in Ephesians 2:10

Till I realized that God calls us to do good works is for us to love one another.

As this is what we have heard:
whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies'in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. -1 Peter 4:11

Dear brother, I hope you are not offended by what I have said.

Remember God is working in us!
This is what we have heard:
And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. -Philippians 1:6

Why teach about good work ? when those whom we teach, not hear !
I was discouraged.

But I heard this:
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. -2 Corinthians 4:1

Likewise, I have heard:
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." -Matthew 28:20

Why I should teach I wonder ? It is because the Lord have told me to teach myself and others to observe all that Jesus have commanded us.

It took me time to realize to understand what is written in Ephesians 2:10 on what can be considered good works.

Yes, what can be considered good works is love.

For we heard:
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. -Ephesians 2:10

Unless we know how God is working in us, we are unable to understand how to do good works as God intended.
For we can do no good works apart from our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we are called to walk in love as we do good works that He calls us to do.

Only love begets love.
Only the love of Christ enables us to walk in this love and do good works.

So what is working in us, created in Christ Jesus is His love.
This is what we have heard:

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, -Ephesians 3:16
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith'that you, being rooted and grounded in love, -Ephesians 3:17

Likewise, we have heard:
and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. -Romans 5:5

So how God the Father is working in us ? He works through His Spirit in our inner being or our hearts!
What God the Spirit is working or doing in our hearts ?
God the Spirit gives us strength. What strength ? strength to be rooted and grounded in love of Christ.
How about Jesus ? Jesus dwell in our hearts.
when Jesus dwell in our hearts? Do He also work ? Yes, He works, as we have heard:

And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]] -Mark 16:20

That is why apostle have said this with certainty to the saints in Philippi :

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.- Philippians 1:6

We need to know how God works in us !
We need to know that we need to work with our Lord Jesus Christ to bear fruit in good work. The fruit of love !
We need to understand and grasp this love of
our Lord Jesus Christ more and more. Then we can be more effective in good works.

As we have heard:
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. -Ephesians 5:2

Have our lives be a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God ?

Unless we learn more and be found in Christ’s love ! What we offer can’t be fragrant enough! Our sacrifice to do good works lacks the love of Christ, that is acceptable to God.

Let us be immersed in His love. Be washed in His love. Then we have the strength to forgive those who wronged us.

Have we ever been mistreated? Yes. Wasn’t our Lord mistreated, too ? Yes, He is

But this is what He calls us to do ! He calls to do good works :
"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, -Luke 6:27
bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. -Luke 6:28

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. -Luke 6:35
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. -Luke 6:36

Our comfort of love in this afflictions of being hated by our enemies, of being cursed and abuse ; what we have heard is the great reward and that we will be the sons of the Most High. Yes, the sons of our Heavenly Father.

Unless we understand, accept and be found in the love of our Heavenly Father ! Many things we are called to do such love our enemies, bless those who curse and pray to those who abuse us or mistreat us can be a real challenge for us ! We don’t have the strength!
Where those strength comes from ? It is important that we know the love of God !
For it is the love of God that enables many prophets, apostles and faithful ministers of God. Likewise, we are !

As we have heard:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? -Romans 8:35

Only when we be found in the love of Christ ! We can bear the fruit of good works like the way God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Unqualified said:

Doing what God tells us, that is love. Do the works he tells us in his word, that is love. But don’t be angry or judge mental, that is love. I think easy to pray for enemy to be brought under power of Jesus Christ, to obey and recant and make restitution. That would be a blessing to. Pray for blessing you have in Christ and to submit and to convict and to he love others. You can do things like that as an act of will because you know it right, just like you can put a capital c on Christ or not. There are going to be a lot of 11th hour Christians. It doesn’t hurt to invade their minds and destroy their evil in prayer.

but I know you have persecution there, it hard to do good works. I can’t even suggest you do them because we can do them without reprisal, but often don’t. Study up on the great Chinese church who has persecution and imprisonment. They have house churches and are secret. Worship, gather, bless. Be like serpent and be shrewd and like harmless dove. Against such there is no law.

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Thank you for your encouragement, brother.

Yes, we have heard God is working in us !
Aren’t we delighted to know that.

Where have we heard ? :

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. -Ephesians 2:10

Even apostle Paul have said this :

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. -Philippians 1:6

How do God work in us ?
This is what we have heard:

"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. -Deuteronomy 29:29

What one of the things that are revealed to us ?
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. -2 Corinthians 4:6

How do this light shone in our hearts?
this is what we have heard:

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, -Proverbs 6:23

Whose teaching a light ?
This is what we have heard:
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”- John 8:13

Jesus have proclaimed Himself is the light of the world. As have been said:
The true light, which ENLIGHTENS everyone, was coming into the world.- John 1:9

When the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ is in our hearts, the true light has shone in our hearts.

As we too may have heard :
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. -Deuteronomy 6:4
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. -Deuteronomy 6:5
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. -Deuteronomy 6:6

That is the command that is a lamp that shone in our hearts, as written in Proverbs 6:23

But that is not all what is written in Proverbs 6:23

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, -Proverbs 6:23

What does it mean the reproofs of discipline are the way of life ? How does this relate to God is working in us ?

This is what we have heard:

For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives." -Hebrews 12:6

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? -Hebrews 12:7

Our Lord loves that is why He disciplines or chastises us !

That is the reality that we need to accept.
That discipline that comes require our endurance.
The Lord accepts us as His legitimate son through discipline! Why ?
The proverbs explain:
the reproofs of discipline are the way of life

or in other translations :
reproofs that discipline are the way to life.- Proverbs 7:23 CJB

As we have heard apostle Peter have said :
For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. -1 Peter 2:20
For to this you HAVE BEEN CALLED, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. -1 Peter 2:21

Yes, God is working us !
Let what God command stay in our hearts!
Let Christ’s teaching a light that has shone in our hearts!
Let us always with Christ to do good works and be willing to suffer it for Christ’s sake !
When we endure, God will look at us with favor !

This is the reason that we have heard why we have to do good works and suffer for it :

For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. -Hebrews 12:10

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. -Hebrews 12:11

because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, so that we might follow in His steps.

Let us follow Christ’s steps !
As our Lord have said to us of His love :

just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. -John 10:15
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. -John 10:16

If we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works ! How are we to be equipped for this good works !

For we have heard:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. -Ephesians 2:10

What do God have prepared for us beforehand?

This is what we have heard:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, -2 Timothy 3:16
that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. -2 Timothy
3:17

So what God has prepared beforehand for us is all scripture, as we have heard —-breathed out by God !

God has done that to equip us for good works!
God has prepared beforehand all scripture to equip us with good works !

Unless the command and the teaching of Christ are in our hearts, we can’t be enlightened!

As we have heard:
The UNFOLDING of YOUR WORDS GIVES LIGHT; it IMPARTS UNDERSTANDING to the simple.- Psalms 119:130

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. -2 Corinthians 4:6

So let all scriptures that is breathed out by God be in our hearts like a light that has shone in our hearts !
Then we are equipped in Christ to do good works that God has beforehand that we should walk in them !

Let us consider again whether these people have done good works. For we have heard:

On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,
and cast out demons in your name,
and do many mighty works in your name?' -Matthew 7:22

We have known the Lord’s reply ：
And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' -Matthew 7:23

Then what do the Lord consider good works?

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. -Matthew 7:21

What is the will of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ?

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." -John 6:40

Despite what many have said to the Lord :
Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name,
and do many mighty works in your name?' — the Lord consider these people as those who have not looked on the Son and believes in Him ! And the Lord declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

Yes, we have heard those who have asked this :

Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" -John 6:28

Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." -John 6:29

How could we say we believe in Christ whom the Father have sent but not believe what the Son have taught that is from the Father ?

What do the Lord teach us to be sons of our Father in Heaven?

This is what we have heard:
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, -Matthew 5:44

so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. -Matthew 5:45

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? -Matthew 5:46

And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? -Matthew 5:47

You therefore must be PERFECT, as your heavenly Father is PERFECT -Matthew 5:48

So, in this manner of children of God the Father, we must love and do good works as the Lord Jesus Christ have taught us !

This is what we have heard:

But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." -John 3:21

For our works to be clearly seen, the Lord has told us to come to the light.

Only by coming to the true light, then it can be evident that our works are carried out in God.

As we also have heard:
for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light -Ephesians 5:8
(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), -Ephesians 5:9
and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. -Ephesians 5:10

So those have come to the true light are the children of light.

So who does what is true is the children of light !

Evidently, the works of the children of light that have been carried out in God — for they have come to the true light.

So what will please the Lord is that we become the children of light.

As the Lord Himself have said :

While you HAVE the light, BELIEVE in the light, that you may BECOME sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.- John 12:36