“2. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3. That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2-3)
So many people knew my mom. She
never knew all of the lives she touched. She had such a gift of writing and
teaching that most will never attain.
I will never stop learning from my
mom. Her example of living a Christian life will always be remembered as a
personal witness for not only me, but also everyone who knew her.
She spent her final years
formatting the letters she originally wrote for my sister into a book. She had
taught the Bible Study to many ladies through the years. The greatest learning
times were in those classes where she actually taught the lessons (and she
lived out what she taught!). Nevertheless, the words that she put down in this
book will touch many lives if they will only implement the principles found
within – all from the Bible.
God sees all and knows all. He knows the thoughts of the heart. He hears the words spoken in secret. There is nothing hidden from God. This should be great words of encouragement to choose to do good. To choose to do right. To turn from evil. If we would remember and understand that God is ever present, ever watching – not to catch us doing something bad or wrong. He wants to find someone in whom He can show Himself strong (see 2 Chronicles 16:9a where it says, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”).Who wouldn’t want God to show Himself strong in their life? But in the rest of that verse, we find that God had wanted to do this for King Asa, but because he had relied upon the king of Syria instead of the Lord his God, he lost the battle. Not only that, but God told him, “Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars” (2 Chronicles 16:9b). How awful would it be to choose an earthly king to help you instead of God? But imagine having God, Himself, tell you that you had done foolishly! And that you would have wars from then on in your kingdom!
Now relate that to the average Christian’s life. Most Christians do not take into account that “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). They might occasionally remember that they are to choose to do good and not evil. But they don’t take into consideration that God wants Christians to choose to do good so that he can show Himself mighty in their life.
But we must remember something else very important. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). God already knows all and sees all, but one day we will stand before Him and give an accounting of all that we have done in this life “whether it be good or bad.”
Knowing these things, what do you choose?
Will you choose good allowing God to show Himself mighty in your life?
The only good work one can do in and of themselves is explained simply by Jesus, Himself, when He was asked by the people. “28. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29. Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28-29). So the only good work anyone can do is to believe on Jesus. And when someone believes on Jesus, their life is forever changed. A new life in Christ begins. One begins to learn what the Bible teaches and applies those things to their life. Titus chapters two and three are a great place to read to understand some of the ways a Christian is to live. And as we choose to life a life pleasing to Jesus, we are to watch for His coming. “11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-14). Notice that not only did Jesus come to redeem us, but we are to be zealous of good works. Remember what the only good work is that we can do? Believe upon Jesus, God’s Son. Any other good we do is because we have done that – for it is an outflow of appropriating our faith in Jesus into every aspect of our lives.
God sent Jesus into the world to
“seek and to save that which is lost” (see Luke 19:10). Who is lost? Anyone who
does not believe that Jesus is God come in the flesh to pay the penalty for
man’s sin with His death on the cross. Why is this so hard for people to
believe? “3. But if our gospel be hid,
it is hid to them that are lost: 4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded
the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians
4:3-4).
The grace of God that brings
salvation is available to anyone.
The invitation is simple. But it
must be received.
