This Is How to Make Sure You Have God in Every Good Work

Scripture says that a man who will not work should not eat and that a man who will not work to provide for his family is worse than an infidel. Obviously, Scripture reveals that God has powerful feelings towards those who work and those who don't!

Paul, the source of much of Scripture’s comments about work, also provided this commentary, “May you walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in EVERY GOOD WORK and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:10)

Every good work, the phrase is used eight to ten times in the New Testament. And, if there is good work, then doesn’t that labeling also reveal there must be the possibility for bad work? So consider some things with me…

Have you ever thought about the fact that the installation of work took place before Man committed his first sin? Thus, work is not a byproduct of sin. Instead, God exemplifies His word being at work through His power of Creation. God made man in His image and assigned him to work. It was only on the other side of man’s failure that work became associated with toil, pain, and the agony of battling thorns and thistles.

It seems quite clear -- as one merges the Old Testament and New Testament’s contextual statements on the subject of work -- God expects us to be people who will work for His purposes through ministerial endeavors.

Don’t get anything confused with all of this discussion about work. We do not gain entry into Heaven or receive salvation from our sin due to our works. We can only be saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, lest any man could boast. Jesus’ death on the cross and His bloodshed remitted our sins! No amount of fleshly work can reconcile us to God. That miracle can only happen by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. However, we exemplify our faith by being people who work, not just in industry and secular society, but by working in our assignment in Christ’s plan for humanity’s salvation.

Here is what I believe GOD wants...

1. YOUR ZEAL CAN BE RESTORED.

Throughout the New Testament, Paul is a beautiful encourager of good works and what God wants, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that...we should live godly in the present age, looking for the ... glorious appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might… purify for Himself His own special people, ZEALOUS for good works.” (Titus 2:11-14 NKJV)

When there is a zeal inside of you to do good work, you are one of God’s special people. God deposits a zeal inside of us so that we may go out and do good works! And, Jesus taught us that when we do good works on earth, those works shine a light into the dark places that result in people beginning to glorify God. So, there is light associated with your good work!

The PROBLEM throughout human history’s timeline is that people tend to lean more towards being defiled, “...to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and DISQUALIFIED for every good work.” Titus 1:15-16 NKJV)

God wants to be in your good works! He wants to light up the world through your good works. BUT so many people disqualify themselves because they would instead do works of the flesh rather than works of the Spirit. Disqualification is a real issue!

The SOLUTION, according to Paul, you are qualified by God to do good works.

2. YOU ARE QUALIFIED.

Giving thanks to the Father who has QUALIFIED us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light… - Colossians 1:12 (NKJV)

The grace of Jesus Christ qualifies you! It doesn’t matter which sin may have disqualified you. Through Jesus, you are forgiven and able to be a part of good works on earth. Through shame, condemnation, guilt, and wrongful accusations, DO NOT let the enemy tell you that you are disqualified. This is a lie! You can be qualified to do good works through salvation!

Why would God QUALIFY us?

3. YOU CAN BE FRUITFUL.

Because He wants to use you! He is looking for laborers, and He wants to be in your good works, “That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being FRUITFUL in every good work…” (Colossians 1:10 NKJV)

There is a harvest of people just waiting to be reached and brought into a relationship with God, but Jesus is short on laborers. This reality is not a new issue. The Kingdom of Heaven has needed laborers for over 2,000 years… Consider the promise that the house of the Lord is filled when God’s laborers go and compel the lost to come in. God has chosen not to be responsible for all the work-- He wants us to help Him build the church! God provides the blueprints, and we do the laborer through the might of His strength released in us and through us.

We must live compelling lives! We are qualified through grace to be fruitful in every good work and please the Lord. God is pleased when people are productive. He wants to see us winning souls to Jesus Christ. He wants to see us loving Him and loving others! He wants to see us lighting up the world!

4. YOU CAN INCREASE IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

Look at this verse again, “That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being FRUITFUL in every good work and increasing in the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.” (Colossians 1:10 NKJV)

Are you increasing in the knowledge of God? This advancement is incredibly important if you desire to be fruitful in your life.

How can you increase in your KNOWLEDGE OF GOD so that your work for Him can be more FRUITFUL?

How can you make sure that you’ve God in it?

The answer might surprise you...

Take time to rest in God.

We have a philosophy that we work to rest, but that’s not how God created man. God modeled that man would rest in the work of Heaven in the book of Genesis, as God’s 7th day was Man’s first day. That means, the first day that Man was alive, he rested with God. Perhaps, they spent time restfully observing and enjoying the wonder of all the work God had done!

Understand that life is not just about work, work, work...but more about starting from a place of rest in a relationship with God and letting Him show you everything He can do, wants to do, and is capable of doing in your life. We all need time and space to see what God can do!

Structure your life, so you work from rest, not work to rest. Even Jesus modeled this example in His ministry by stating that any work He did on the Earth, He had first seen His Father reveal to Him during prayer times. Take time to rest and sync up with God so that God can be in your life. I like to think of it in this way, Get alone with God, get the download from Heaven’s Word for your life, and then update your life’s plans with God’s word. The result is that you will be a lot more effective in EVERY GOOD WORK!

5. YOU CAN BE EQUIPPED.

We must be EQUIPPED through God’s Word! “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly EQUIPPED for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)

All Scripture is given by God so that you can become thoroughly equipped for every good work! Set aside time to be with the Lord, to partake of the Word of God. Celebrate your qualification to do His work. Allow God to place a zeal in you to do His good work and be fruitful and pleasing to God.

6. YOU CAN BE ESTABLISHED.

And, never forget the only reason that you can be EQUIPPED is that you have been ESTABLISHED through JESUS, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ...who has loved us and given us… good hope by grace… ESTABLISH you in every good work…” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NKJV)

God wants to give you a firm foundation to do good works, but you must first have a relationship with Jesus. It is through Jesus that you are qualified, equipped, and established. If you want God in it, you have to know Jesus!

→ ALL OF YOUR WORKS WILL BE JUDGED.

I leave you with one final verse from the wisest man to ever live outside of Jesus Christ Himself, Solomon. He stated this sobering truth, “For God will bring every work into JUDGMENT, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14 (NKJV)

Your works can not earn you salvation, but there are rewards in Heaven based on our good works. It is never too late to start storing up your treasures in Heaven...It is never too late to let God use you to spread light and compel the lost…Because of Grace, it is never too late to be who you might have been!

YOU can be used to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

There is so much more included in this message when engaged in its entirety, and I hope you will give it a listen. You can view this message here: https://youtu.be/jv1LNAAAjLo

Here are a few things to evaluate in your life:

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus and get your life back on the path God has called you to? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.

3. Are you giving enough attention to what God wants to do in you and through you? BEGIN may be the place for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin

4. Do you need your zeal for God’s good works restored in your life? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

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Four Things You Must Do If You Want God In It

We can all agree; we want God to be in all areas of our lives!

From our marriages and relationships to our businesses and careers, we want GOD IN IT. But how do we know if God is fully involved and engaged in our lives? Have you ever asked yourself specifically about a situation, struggle, or even an ambitious plan, Is God in it?

Here are a few points drawn from the Gospel’s biographical sketches of one of the key moments in Jesus’ life and ministry, the feeding of the 5,000. I believe what we glean can be applied to our lives to help us know with certainty of any area of our lives, it’s got GOD IN IT:

1. Don’t ignore the NEED or the PROBLEM. Every miracle starts with a problem. The first step to getting God involved is taking time to acknowledge and identify the need or problem you are facing. You have not because you ask not. God already knows your need and problem, but He is waiting for you to bring them before Him. Stop complaining about the problem and start giving it to God.

Then Jesus lifted up His eyes and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. -John 6:5-6 (NKJV)

2. ACCEPT help. More often than not, God will use other people as a part of any miracle in your life. Resisting help from others can abort your miracle in its infancy. Unfortunately, pride can frequently not only stand in our way of asking for help, but it can also stop us from accepting help when it is offered. Pride can be the sin standing in your way of seeing God move in your life. And, don’t forget, sometimes the help will show up in an unlikely package, like a boy holding a sack lunch. So... Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and always accept what God is making available.

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” -John 6:9 (John 6:9 (NKJV)

3. Be willing to start in LACK. Repeatedly in Scripture, we see that miracles start in lack, not abundance. You may not feel like you can do what God asks you to do, BUT God can work through our lack and make it abundant. Being willing to start in lack is a test of your faith, obedience, and trust in God. When God is in it, little is much.

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” -John 6:9 (John 6:9 (NKJV)

4. Get outside of YOUR CIRCLE. Because we enjoy comfort zones, it is very easy to get stuck in one circle or group. The crowd was broken into seated groups of 100’s and 50’s. No doubt, the rows of people turned into circles. It is likely, each group contained people that were familiar with each other. When the disciples started distributing handfuls of bread and fish, they were battling uncertainty of how the miracle would unfold. In such a situation, it is human nature to gravitate to a group with familiar people. Doing the math, we can calculate that each disciple would have been assigned to serve five to ten groups. But, the only way the miracle kept happening was if they kept moving, pollinating new circles with the miraculous! This example teaches us, don’t get stuck in a circle or comfort zone when you’re experiencing a miracle of ‘not-enough’ turned into ‘more-than-enough.’ Keep moving! God may be calling you outside of your comfort zone, outside of your immediate circle, so that He can use you to serve multiple people in many different circles. Don’t limit your reach. Don’t get stuck in a clique. Get outside of your ‘four and no more’ mentality and let God keep working through you.

Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, in hundreds and in fifties. -Mark 6:39-40 (NKJV)

There will be times in your relationship with God that He asks you questions for which He already knows the answers.

Jesus knew what He wanted to do before the disciples even brought Him the five loaves and two fish. He took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it back to the disciples. The bread most likely tasted the same, smelled the same, and even looked the same. But it was the PROCESS of the taking, breaking, blessing, and giving it back that changed everything.

In your relationship with God, you will repeatedly have to submit to the same process.

Taken. Blessed. Broken. Given

Can you think of a time in your life when you have been taken, blessed, or broken? In this season, your life probably looked the same to the outside eye, with the exception that from a spiritual standpoint, you had been through the process: taken, blessed, broken, and given. The five loaves and two fish were not enough UNTIL they had been through the process. But out of this process, miracles happened, and blessings ran over.

Jesus Himself was taken from heaven, blessed with an incredible ministry, and His body broken on the cross. He went through this process so He could be given to us! He wanted to be in every area of your life!

He wanted to be God in it.

There is so much more included in this message when engaged in its entirety, and I hope you will give it a listen. You can view this message here: https://youtu.be/O9hd198smOQ

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Go The Extra Mile

One of the most controversial statements Jesus ever made in His preaching ministry may have been Matthew 5:41, “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” Why? Because Jesus was speaking directly to an issue the Jewish people had with the Roman Empire.

During the time of Jesus’ ministry, Israel was under the control of the Roman Empire, and as a part of Roman rule, Romans could order any Jewish person to carry their goods for up to one mile. Some Israeli tour guides teach during visits to the Holy Land that the disdain for this Roman practice led Jewish people to purposely mark off one mile in each direction of their homes so that they never had to carry the goods further than the required mile. And, yet, during his infamous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus dares to say to the Jews, if someone compels you to go one mile, don’t stop, go two!

Jesus was communicating with this statement that any follower of his ministry should be beyond helpful, friendly, and forgiving. Nothing has changed. Jesus’ statement is timeless. He still expects his followers to go above and beyond in our service to others. We are to leave a positive and lasting impression when serving others; especially, those who do not share our same beliefs. This Heavenly expectation is upon us even in situations that we feel are difficult or that we don’t necessarily want to be in, because according to Paul this is how we win the respect of non-believers, “(live) your daily life (in such a way that you) may win the respect of outsiders…” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV)

It doesn’t matter whether we are serving inside a church or going about our daily lives within our communities. As Christians, we must remember what Jesus commanded: Go the extra mile. Therefore, we are always to go above and beyond in service to others!

The second mile is more than a suggestion, it’s a command. Jesus wasn’t going to cut the Jewish people any slack on this command, and that goes for you and me as well.

The second mile is more than a good deed, it is an act of faith. Of course, it’s a good deed to go one mile, but faith is activated in the second mile. Never is this more true than when you're tired, exhausted, or already battling the enemy. It’s in the second mile we demonstrate our trust in God’s more excellent plan for our lives through our commitment to stay the course.

The second mile reveals who is really in control of your life. Are you in control of your life, or is God? What you do at the Mile Marker #1 will reveal a lot about your answer to this question!

Have you ever thought to yourself, I did this, so I deserve that? This thought process can lead to highly adverse outcomes and actions. This mindset is sinful, and it will cause you NEVER to reap the benefits of walking out the second mile. And, to speak bluntly, if we got what we deserved, we would all be thrown into Hell, the key tossed away, and we would be left to burn and die for all of eternity. Scripture teaches that the wages for sin are death, but the sacrifice of Jesus Christ saves you and me. God didn’t give us what we deserved! The Psalmist said it beautifully, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him. (Psalms 103:1-11 NKJV)

As recipients of God’s Grace, we now do not interact with people based on what we judge them to deserve. Since we didn’t deserve salvation, but because God loves us above and beyond, He showed us forgiveness. This truth now provokes us to go the second mile, so everyone we meet can experience this same forgiveness.

The second mile is about allowing our desire to be transformed.

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” - Luke 9:23 (NKJV)

Jesus doesn’t stop at mile marker number one. He just keeps coming for you. If you want your desires to be transformed, you have to want what God has for you. Deny the parts of yourself that want to quit when it becomes hard to be helpful, friendly, and forgiving. Your service can have a transformative effect on the world today, especially in a world where people have forgotten how to serve others. You may NEVER get the glory for going the second mile, but remember you are doing the work of the Lord because as a Christian, all the credit goes to God.

The second mile is more about your destiny than your convenience. Convenience quits at mile number one. Comfort leaves at the basics of helpfulness, friendliness, and forgiveness and never goes above and beyond. When you enter mile two, you are entering into the will of God for your life because you are walking out the Word of God in your life.

And, your story is just getting started at mile marker number two. So many people never go to the next level in their spiritual lives because they come up with all the excuses and things they think they deserve, then fall prey to self-entitlement and worldly conveniences. Then, they stop serving God before even getting to one mile, much less mile marker number two.

Choose to be someone who lives your life in a way that wins outsiders to the Lord by demonstrating the power within going the second mile. Don’t just choose to blend in, be beyond helpful, friendly, and forgiving!

Go THE SECOND MILE in everything you do!

There is so much more included in this message when engaged in its entirety, and I hope you will give it a listen. You can view the message in its entirety at this link:

You can view the message in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/d3eVOmc5Ypg

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE | MESSAGE NOTES