Maintaining Good Works

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KJB Daily DevotionFollowing Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Thursday, March 15, 2018
Chapters: Deuteronomy 11-13
Message: Maintaining Good Works

Hello My Friend,

It is no doubt to the believer that our salvation is not based on our good works as we could never do enough good to earn our way to reach God and His Kingdom on our own. It is no doubt to the believer that Jesus Christ has bought our salvation for us by His perfect sacrifice. It is no doubt to the believer that it is only by our faith and trust in not only Christ’s death, but His burial and resurrection that we are saved for eternity. What many saved, born again Christ believers fail at is good works after they are saved. What I mean by that is, that many believe that as long as they are saved they can continue living the life they lived before they got saved and it would be well with God. The problem with this is that while maintaining good works has nothing to do with our salvation, it has everything to do with our prosperity until God takes us home. “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” – Titus 3:8.

Do you remember when Adam and Eve were first created, they had everything they every wanted or needed, there was no sickness, death, or suffering, they did not even have to work for the things they needed because God provided it all. Then it happened, they got tempted, desired the forbidden fruit, ate it, thus bringing the fall of man and all the evils that come along with it. Why did they fall into temptation when they had everything? They got bored and instead of keeping their eyes on God, they desired what they could not have and fell into the lust of their flesh. Well, the same thing happens to us when we desire what the world has, Israel was right there, all they had to do to reach the promised land was cross over the Jordan river. This was the gift that God had given them, not for their faithfulness, or their obedience, but for the promise He made. It was time to take possession of the land, but they must be careful not to start lusting over the evil that was there, this is the warning that Moses gave to them, and as long as their kept their eyes on God He would be with them.

Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it; And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey. For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs: But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.” – Deuteronomy 11:8-15.

is a land of hills and valleys,” We all would like our walk with Christ to be straight, with no hills and valleys to trek through, but the truth is, it is full of hills and valleys, and some quite big. Okay, so, Jesus did tell us that the path to life was straight and narrow, but He also warned us that we are going to be challenged. Whenever we choose Christ over the world we are going to be challenged, but as long as we stick close to Him He will give us the strength to overcome it. “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” – II Corinthians 12:8-10.

Each step we take toward the promised land is one more closer to receiving our inheritance, but we are not there yet. We must be careful not to take the world with us as we cross over our own Jordan and into the promised land. Moses warns Israel about doing the things they did in the wilderness over in their new land.

Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you. But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD: And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” – Deuteronomy 12:8-12,32.

For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance,There are way too many Christian based religions, most of which have changed the simplicity of the Gospel by adding works or even taking from it. To the world, their view on God is that all get to go to heaven when they die, but we know this to be untrue because we know the truth and follow that. Jesus will return, and by the looks of things, it could be any time now, and He will bring us into the promised land, which is why it is important that we stick to the basics, and not bring anything we learned from the world with us. “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” – II Corinthians 11:3-4,13-15.

A few weeks ago I was walking in a Walmart, I do work in Walmart’s, but I am not employed by them, a woman came up to me and told me that I had much more potential than working for Walmart. When I told her I did not work there she proceeded to tell me that I had this glow about me that I would be destined to do great things and would like to speak to me about it, she handed me her card, she was a tarot card reader. I told her I was not interested, was about to say that I use to read tarot cards myself, but kept silent. I started to walk away, but she said something that caught my attention, she mentioned that someone I am in a relationship with was going to do something to surprise me in a few weeks, and that our relationship was going to be tested, but to not let anyone come between us. I was intrigued for a second because I am in a relationship with someone and it has been a long and frustrating relationship. I declined her invitation, but I took the card and walked away. I did not keep the card, but that did not stop me from wondering what she had to say, and here it is three weeks later and I am wondering if he is going to do something that will surprise me. Through Moses, God warns us about these things, false prophets and wizards who appear true, but are out to deceive us.

If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.” – Deuteronomy 13:1-5.

for the LORD your God proveth you,” We are going to come across people, psychics, astrologers, and even believers of Christ, that will tell you of things that will amazingly happen, but what they lead to is separation from God. You see, God allows these things to see if we are going to trust Him or the false gods. While we can never lose our salvation once we are saved, we can become, in a sense, separated from Him if we go down that path of lies and deception. Jesus warns us that false Christs will come and even deceive the saved, therefore, we must always be on guard, never trusting anyone unless they are true believers. How can we tell the difference? By their fruit. “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” – Matthew 12:33-37.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.” – Deuteronomy 11:22-23.

Today’s Prayer: God, Thank you for the gift of salvation by grace, it is still amazing that all we have to do is believe in the Gospel and accept Christ as the payment made for our redemption to be saved from death and hell. And that is it, there is nothing else that we have to do to receive eternal life, but to live a prosperous and abundant life here until You come and take us in to the promised land we have to be careful to maintain good works. I admit that it is hard sometimes to do what is right in Your eyes as there are so many things that I use to enjoy in the world, but You make that easier when I am walking with You all day long and take You every place I go. You are my strength, for when I am weak You make me strong as long as I stick close to you. Thank You for Your love, mercy, grace, and helping me through every challenge, I know I mess up and fall a lot on this journey, but You are always there to pick me up and get me going again. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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