Tom Zimmer – PhotoBubba – tomzimmer.wordpress.com

Many people go out into the world each day and do good works. They trust in their works to get them into heaven. After all, they have to be better than those people that don’t do good works, right? But Jesus was asked by the disciples what they needed to do to do the works of God, and He told them that their works were just to believe in Him.

John 6:28,29
Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

But you might say, what about all the things that need to be done to help the poor, the sick and the widows? Jesus tells us that He comes and lives in us, and nothing we do on our own is of any value. Only the works He does through us (through the Holy Spirit) are of value.

John 15:4,5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

So, when you get up each morning, pray to God that He will show you where to go, what to say, and what to do. Don’t just come up with a list of all the good works that need to be done and then go checking them off your list. You are not called to do everything, you are called to focus on (trust in) Christ throughout your day, listening to His still small voice and responding, so He can use you to Glorify Himself. And if someone praises you for all your good works, just say thank you and Praise God, remembering in Joy that He used you to accomplish some small part of His plan. Then keep going, looking for the next opportunity He will provide to use you again!

To sum up this thought, I’m not saying that you don’t do good works, I am saying that God is doing the good works through you and you are the tool He chose, when He chooses to use you.

Now go and bear fruit!