Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”
We need to appreciate the relationship between grace and good works.
It is very simple.
Good works are just grace abounding (2 Cor. 9:8).
And grace abounding is grace bulging.
Do you know what it is to bulge?
To bulge is to expand.
When grace bulges, it becomes good works.
Good works are the bulging, the expansion, of grace.
They are not something different from grace.
They are the coming out of grace.
Good works are the issue, the fruit, the result of grace.
They prove that the grace in us is genuine.
They are an extension of our enjoyment of grace.
So when we are enjoying God’s life and following that life, what comes out are good works.
Our experience of grace in a genuine and practical way is a testimony of the kingdom on this earth.
For example, Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Let your good works be seen.
But do not forget that our good works are just the outshining of this life that we are enjoying.
So when we are enjoying Christ as our light, the issue will be good works.
John 1:4 says, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
To let our light so shine before men is to let the inner life of Christ as our light come out of us.
It is not to hold a little candle out for men to see.
It is to let the shining from our inner enjoyment of Christ beam out of us in the form of good works.
Thus, good works are another form of grace.
Ephesians 5:8 tells us that we are now “light in the Lord.”
When I enjoy the light and stay in the light, I let it shine.
Then there is an outflowing.
That outflowing is called good works.
These are practical deeds and actions particularly in relation to others.
Good works are Christ applied in a specific way to meet the needs of others.
Until Tomorrow
With A Shepherd’s Love,
Pastor Jackson
WEDNESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Marlon Cook
Amy Garner
Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad
Andrew Halevi & Daughter
Ashely Burn’s Sisters
Brandon’s Dad
Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Dan Haines
Darlene Wiggins
David Burnette
David Harrison – Riverside
Deanna Fowler
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Easton Fielder
Ed Mays
Eric Ward
Freddie May’s Mom
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
James Garner’s Friend
Joanie/Jeanie Mom
Jodi Bateman
Joe Shelnutt
John Austin
June Cronan
June Cronan’s Sister
Kailey Bateman
Kathy Mabe
Kim McClain’s Mother
Krista Hilscher – Improving
Larry Barker
Lee Cronan
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Lonzo Christin
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Maureen Brown
Michael Stanley
Miles Bradshaw
Pastor & Mrs. Driskell
Pat Chupp
Ricky Gipson
Rose Fuller – Rehab
Roseleigh Osborn
Sandra Graham
Scott Lanier
Soso Nzolo – 17 Yr. Old South African Pastor’s Daughter
Susan & Alexis Tesone
Tom Witcher