Good, But Not Enough

Ephesians 2:4-10

Message No. 0605 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca

I do not know of any serious person who does not think that work is good. I am yet to see anyone starting a movement for, or association for the lazy, because not a few people will sharply criticize and work to bring such a movement down. For reasons that we all know, work does not seem to be an option for any serious-minded person. Even the most respected royal families of this world all work – they have official businesses to attend to and sometimes these could be far more tiring than your average 9 to 5 job.

First off, the body was created to move. All our joints and ankles and necks and other moving parts of our bodies were not created to be static. So, for physical well-being, the body is expected to keep moving, else it gradually becomes stiff and non-functional. Even God, our Maker, worked for six days, so who would you resemble if you do not want to work!

Work is very rewarding. In Proverbs 22:29, the Bible says:

Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.

Notice that the Bible says ‘a man’? It doesn’t say a believer, any man. This means that there’s great reward for those who work, but some people elevate their work far above grace. They elevate it above God’s mercy and above God. They think that all they are and all of the money they have made is all because of their hard work. They are all boastful and full of themselves and never giving glory to God. They tell you very clearly that they do not need God.

In the Kingdom of God, work is preached and always encouraged, but work is never elevated above God, and it does not matter what a man has achieved, he is nothing without God’s support. In 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7, the Bible says:

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Even the achievements coming from the work of God should never make a man to boast. This is one thing that Paul worked very hard to ensure, that the many achievements of his Christian work do not get to his head. In Philippians 3:1-11, Paul tells the church to beware of those he called dogs, evil workers and the mutilation. According to him, these are people who put their confidence in the flesh. They are so full of their achievements, how many souls they have won, how many churches they have planted, how many people they have prayed for, how many scriptures they have memorized (which are all laudable and excellent in promoting the Kingdom of God) but they forget the place of God in it all. It’s the case of the employee thinking that he is superior to the boss.

In the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:13-21), the Bible says that the ground of a certain rich man yielded and abundant harvest and instead of giving the glory to God, he started planning how he will store his wealth and how he will sit back, cross his legs and enjoy it alone, for many years to come. His plan did not include God, so God showed him who He is. In verse 20, the man heard the voice of God telling him ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

It is good to work and make it and be rich, but this is not enough. We must always acknowledge where the idea came from, where the wisdom came from, where the strength to do the work came from and where the money came from. Many are rich in this life but are heading to life eternal with the devil and his angels, and many in the church are very rich here but will be poor in heaven if they refuse to acknowledge God and use their riches to help the work of God and to affect other people positively. No child of God should fall into the temptation of thinking that he or she is all self-sufficient. Remove God from your equation and you are down to negative. In 1 Corinthians 9:27, Paul said he disciplined his body and brought it into subjection, lest, when he had preached to others, he himself should become disqualified. Please acknowledge God in all you do. You will not be disqualified in the end, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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 If you are yet to give your life to Christ, you do not have a covenant with God and His promises do not apply to you. To come under these promises, please surrender your life to Christ today, by praying this prayer:
 Lord I know that I am a sinner and I am unable to save myself. I am sorry for my sins and I pray that you please forgive me. I am aware that Your Son Jesus died for my sins and I accept Him as my Lord and savior. I surrender my life unto you from this moment. Please take control of my entire being and help me to be obedient to your Word, going forward. Thank you, Lord, for hearing me. I have prayed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 If you prayed the foregoing prayer, you have just been born again. Please find a Bible believing church in your area and ask to see the pastor. Let him or her know that you have just given your life to Christ and s/he will guide you on next steps in your journey as a child of God. The Lord bless you!