This morning, I believe the Holy Spirit wants to reach out to us as leaders and as believers. Helping us to understand the view of God. The Bible says no man knows God says the Spirit of God, So the Spirit of God gives us access to the knowledge and wisdom of God, the Spirit of God gives us access to understand the mysteries that surrounds the personality of God.
No man knows God says the Spirit of God. In other words, if a man will know God, a man must know the Spirit of God that knows God. So, if you don't know the Spirit of God that knows God, you don't have access to the knowledge of God, you don't have access to the wisdom of God, you don't have access to understand the mysteries that surround the personality of God. And I pray the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth because that is whom He is, and He will make us to understand all of Gods will concerning us and I pray that will be our experience as He leads us into this issues in Jesus name.
I want us to start by defining that word "works." Let us go to Colossians chapter 3 and we will read just verse 23. It says; "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men." This Colossians 3:23 will be our working definition of works this morning. The Bible says "whatever you do, so works is whatever you do." It is not farfetched, this words breaks down what works is; works is whatever you do. And that is the definition we will be using as we go on in this teaching. This works that we are looking at is so important that it did not start with a man, it started with God.
Work did not start with man it started with God. God was the first personality that worked. How did I know this? Let us go to Genesis 2:3 "Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." That is the first mention of work and it was tied to God. It said and He rested from all His work which God had created and made. So everything that God had been doing is called work. So for some people that have the idea that work is demonic or cursed. Some people say work a little and get an elephant reward, as much as it sounds nice, what is the will of God concerning work?
Who instituted work, and what is the perspective of God, what's the truth? Because there is so many perspective to work. What is the truth about work? Genesis 2:3 made us to understand that God rested from His work. So God was working, as God was creating and making, He was working. God was doing something, He created the heavens and the earth, and see all the things He did from day one to day six. The Bible called what He did in Genesis 2:6 as work. So God is the first one that instituted work. And that means work is Scriptural and spiritual.
The Bible says God is Spirit, so if God is Spirit and God did something, what God did is Spiritual. So work is Scriptural, spiritual and God designed. How do I know I know this? Genesis 2 that we read, let's go down to verse 15, see what God did. Remember in Genesis 1:26, God said let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. You will see that the man that God made, God made him in His image and likeness.
Meaning that whatever God is able to do, that man could do it. That man is not God, but he is the image of God. A reflection of God. So whatever God can do, that man can also do it. So if God could work, that man can also work. And how did I know this? Genesis 2:15, "Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it." There is a translation I came across, it says "and God put the man in the midst of the garden to work it and to keep it." So, God, haven worked, created an image and a likeness of Himself, that He also gave the responsibility of work to.
So everything that Adam was doing from that time, is called work. So as Adam was working in the midst of the garden, at a point after this Scripture we read in verse 15, God brought all the animals to Adam to see what he will call them. What was he doing at that time? Working! God did not say let Me save Adam of the stress, that's why the Bible says; But God works in us, did it say God works for us? No! Meaning that He will give us ability to do. Just like He gave Adam, but you will be the one to do. God works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. There is a good pleasure of God for Adam, that the garden of Eden to be tended and be kept. But God did not do the tending and the keeping, God gave the ability to Adam to do it. And Adam was tending and keeping the garden. God worked in Him both to will and to do of His good pleasure. That is the truth about work.
Work is not God moving for man, it is God moving in man to do. So the responsibility of work is for everyman, from Adam that's the truth about work. Whatever you do, is work. And God has designed it in such a way that it is His ability in you that produces the work. He will not do it for you, He will do it in you. The work and ability in you, then you will go ahead to do it. So for believers that have come to believe that being lazy is being Spiritual, it's not true! So you are waiting for the instruction of Lord to sweep your house in the morning, when God woke you up with able hands, able legs and you have the discernment to know that this thing is dirty fix it, that is God working in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. So the Truth about work is; it is God designed, God did not create man to be lazy from the beginning, God did not put Adam in the garden and say be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, just sit all morning, afternoon and evening and your food will land on your table.
What did say? God put the man Genesis 2:15 is very critical to our understanding of what true work is. It says "Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it." So, work is Scriptural, it is God designed. And it is spiritual. But that is not the crux of where we are going this morning. We defined work in Colossians 3:23 that work is whatever you do. So we are going back to that Scripture. How does God want us to work? Does God want us to work outside Him? Does God want us to work anyhow? I want us to read that verse 23 again, it says; "And whatever you do, do it heartily." I want you to work heartily, what does it mean to work heartily? To work in Joy. How do you work? You work in joy. As you are working, you are joyfully doing it.
You are not murmuring or complaining, you are doing it with joy. And it says; as to the Lord and not to men. So whatever work you are doing, let it be as to the Lord not unto any man. As to the Lord and not to men. So the work that you are doing, it says whatever you do, do it with joy, and secondly as to the Lord. And we are going to pause a little bit on that. Do every work you are doing as unto the Lord. What does this mean? Does it mean all of us should just come and sit in church all day and praying and be singing? No! What God is saying here is that whatever you are doing, even if you are eating. Apostle Paul took it a bit further, he said if my eating meat will cause my brother to sin, I will not do that work.
Because it is not unto the Lord it is not pleasing to God you must do what is pleasing to God. Your work must be pleasing to God. That's why the Scripture says it is God that works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. That work must be Gods pleasure. It must please God. Whatever you are doing that is not pleasing God is not a work that is focused on the word, there are different kinds of work. In our evening Bible school we were taught about dead works, dead works are works that are not pleasing to God. And we are going to see some of them. We must understand that our work should be unto God and not to men. You must not become a man pleaser when you are working. Your focus should be God. And the reason is in verse 24 it says; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Whatever you are doing, are you serving the will of Christ? As a leader, as you are leading people, are you serving the will of Christ? Because you must know this, He will be the one that rewards you. For every work there is a reward. And I want us to see this in proverbs 12 . there is no work you do, that there is no reward for. Remember we said work is whatever you do. So when you are sleeping, you are working. When you are standing, you are working. It is not when you are doing something. Proverbs 12:11. He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread, is that not a work? He is doing something, He is tilling the land and what's the result of that work? He will be satisfied with bread.
So you said you are a believer, because this is where we miss it sometimes we tell ourselves God why are you looking at me like this? See unbelievers riding good cars, living in good houses, they have something to eat, me your child look at me, and you do that, go to the mountain for seven days, the Bible says here, He who tills the land, did you see a righteous man that tills the land? He! Meaning anyone, any believer that does this work, this will be His reward. He who tills the land will be satisfied with bread. So whether you are a believer or unbeliever the same word. The Bible says as long as the earth remains seed time and harvest will not cease. So when you till the land you will be satisfied with bread. I want us to see verse 11 of Proverbs 12. "He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread," and I love the emphasis "his land" not another man's land. There is so much about that. "But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding."
Fun, party, enjoying yourself, lying down and watching movie all day, is devoid of understanding. He doesn't understand, he lacks understanding. Verse 24 The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labour. I just want to point out that works have result. Whatever work you are doing, there is a result and a work for it. The hand of the diligent will rule, in the same proverbs it says see a man that is diligent in His work, he will stand before kings and not mere men. He will have a reward for His work. It says; But the lazy man will be put to forced labour.
The lazy man that refuses to work, He will be put to forced labour. So we must understand this balance that God has not called us to be lazy a little sleep a little slumber, a little folding of the hand to sleep that is how poverty and penury will pounce on such a person. God has not called us to be lazy. He has called us to work but there is a work that pleases God. Because your work is whatever you do whether you are sweeping, cleaning, watching, sitting, sleeping etc. whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord. So works are God designed. God did design any man to be lazy or idle.
God has designed us to work. And every work has a reward, there is a result of your work. But we are going to look at as a believer, what have you been called to? We now understand that for every labour there is profit, for every work that you do there is a reward, so God has not called us to be lazy to sit down and be praying. Jesus our mentor and our great model of perfection, the Bible says He will wake up while it is yet night, He will go and pray, and after He is done with that prayer, the Bible says Jesus will go around, go about, do we see Jesus sit down in a place? No He will go around doing good. Healing all those that are possessed and have infirmities in their body for God was with Him.
Listen to Podcast: Works: The Basis For Judgement
Not that is God that is doing it directly Jesus was doing it with the ability of God in Him. And the same way He has called us there is an ability of God in us and God has put the ability in us to work. Many of us want to see the amazing wonders of God but we sit in one place. Imagine if Jesus did not go around, doing all those miracles, would we have them documented today? No! That's why He said to the people that were following Him. He said foxes have holes, the birds have nests but the Son of Man doesn't have a place where He lays His head. What Jesus is saying indirectly is that I am not a lazy person.
And you can't always find me in a place, I move, I am always working. And this is why because as I see my Father do I do, as I hear Him say I say. My Father is always working, so I work. God is always working God is not interested in lazy people, how do I know this? When you read the parable of the talent, when the master gave out talents, He gave one five, He gave another one two and to another one. And went his way. When he came back, he asked them to settle accounts with him. And when he was settling the accounts what did the first one say master you gave me five I traded with it, I worked, and the talent multiplied, and now I have 10 to show for it. And he said well done good and faithful servant. God rewards work. And for one that has two, it was the same thing. I traded I have four to show for it, good and faithful servant.
But the one that had one did nothing. He buried it. And he said oh what a wicked servant you are. Even if you did not want to do anything at all, if you are so lazy, at least you would have taken what I gave you and put in the bank. When I come back I will have some interest to show for it. And he rebuked him. So God rebukes laziness. He doesn't associate with lazy people. God loves people that work. Because He Himself exemplifies the same. As believers we are not called to be lazy, that's why some people prefer to give their work to unbelievers because some believers are shut down in their minds, no creativity, no excellence, they don't put in effort to work. And they will now be praying for favour over nonsense. That's not what God has commanded us. God described Daniel. Daniel was so excellent an excellent spirit was upon him, whatever he touches, when he is speaking, when he is given a task he will do it excellently.
So much so that when it was time for a promotion, his work was favoured. And when he spoke to the king, He interpreted the dream, the king put him in charge, over the provinces. Do you think the king would have done that to a lazy person, and people would not have written petitions? After king Nebuchadnezzar had gone, Darius another king they wanted to bring down Daniel, I want us to see how God is not interested in lazy people, the Bible says they looked for faults in Daniel, and they found nothing except with his worship of God. He prays 3 times a day. Do you think those people would not have done a diligent search to find a loop hole in Daniel but they found none. No wonder God was closely associated with Daniel Excellence. And God defended him when he was thrown in the lion's den. So God designed work, and God is proud of us when we put His ability to work. He does not want us to sit down, if you are anointed, anointed for what? To sit down? No! There is something God wants you to do. He wants you to be productive at something not just sit down.
What is it about works that God is talking about, that He wants us to do? We are looking at how to work to please God. Proverbs 16:3 says "Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established." The first thing we must do is t to commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established. Commit this thing that you enjoy to do, commit your work unto the Lord and He will establish your thoughts. Meaning that God wants you to work. Meaning that God wants you to be productive, fruitful at something you are doing. But He has the right number one He is the one that can establish your thoughts. He said my thought towards you are of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
I have a good thought towards you, that thing you are doing I want to make it great. But commit it to me, as you are doing it, set me ahead of you. That's why the Scripture says seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and every other thing shall be added. In your work let the kingdom of God be a priority. Commit your works to the Lord, you are teaching commit it to the Lord. Lord I want this children that I am teaching to excel. I want them to become important figures in the kingdom, I want you to fill them with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, knowledge, I want them to come out bright shining.
Let God take the first place in your work in whatever you are doing. You are nursing a child, let God take the first place over that child. Let God take the first place, don't glory over your works, let God be glorified in it. You are doing something and you excel at it, let God be glorified in it, let God know that that work He is the one that owns it, it's for His pleasure. There are sometimes we do things and it's for ourselves we want glory in it. Your child took first in class you boast about the number of hours you used to teach her, do you know how much time I put into her, do you know my teaching dexterity and grace? That's not how God wants you to work. God wants you to teach her knowing that the ability to teach her comes from Him. And when she excels at what she's doing, you give glory back to Him.
Because this is the problem, when you don't commit your work to God you can't glorify God in your work. And remember, God is jealous over those works. And He will not share His glory not even with you. So glorify God in whatever you are doing that's the first way and we will see the reason why all these is important. Commit your work to the Lord and He will establish the thoughts of your heart. When you commit your works to the Lord, Go will increase your work. When you glorify God over those children, God will increase those children, when you glorify that business God will increase that business. How do we work and please God? James 3:13 says: Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
Who is wise and understanding among you? That means what I want to say now is for those that are wise and have understanding. Let him show that he is wise, let him show that he has understanding, by the good conduct, that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. Whatever work you are doing, do it in the meekness of wisdom. Wisdom is the principal thing, in all your getting get understanding. There are something you will do by the time people look at it they may say you tried but you didn't show wisdom. The Bible emphasized it, not in the pride of wisdom but in the meekness of wisdom. Whatever work you are doing do it in the meekness of wisdom. Show that your works are done in the meekness of wisdom. That is how to work. Let us see how judgement is based on works.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." So whatever work you are doing, God has scripted it. That's why our number one point is important. Commit your works to the Lord. Because before you were born God has prepared that you will work in those things, so He has scripted them. So you are just living them. When you have a script written by a script writer, and an actor is called to act it out they say put life to the script, put life to the role. You start to walk in the reality of what has been written. So we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. We are created for good works so our works must be good. Whatever you are doing don't do bad things, do good things. And this is the reason, the things you must do are the things God has prepared before hand and He has commanded you to work in them. So we are called to good works.
I want us to read Ecclesiastics 9. I came across that Scripture and I found it to be very instructive. Ecclesiastes 9:10. It says: Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. Whatever your hands find to do. Does it not talk about work? Do it with your might for there is no work. You see it again? for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. When you are dead you cannot work. That is why Jesus said, I will work the work of my Father while it is day for the night is coming when no man can work. Does that not still emphasize that work is God designed? It says I will work the work of Him that sent me, while it is yet day, for the night is coming when no man can work.
When you have the strength, when you have the vigour, when you have this time, because the difference between the living and the dead is time. You are still existing in time. So while you still have time, work. Because a time is coming you wish to work and you won't be able to. Remember the rich man and Lazarus when he was in the pit of hell, he wishes he could go back to work and warn his household not to come here, the place is real. Like some people will say; how are you even sure that hell is real? If you want to know how real hell is, boil water in a kettle and put your finger in the steam that that is coming out. That's how real it is. So the work of salvation, while you have time do it. The Bible says workout your salvation with fear and trembling. That means as you are saved there something you will start doing, work is whatever you are doing. So when you are working out your salvation, you are doing something to guard and to protect that salvation.
So there are certain things you used to do them before you can't do them again. If you are going to protect your salvation. There are certain places you use to go to you don't go there anymore because your salvation is precious you are protecting it. Tend and keep your salvation. It is a gift that God has given to you on a platter of gold but keep it. For you will tend and keep it jealously, it is your land. So we are called to work good works. Titus 2:7 says "in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works"
God wants us to be a model of works, the Scripture is the chronicle of the works of the prophets, apostles, of the founding fathers. And they are now patterns for us. And God is now enjoining us. It says in all things, it didn't say some things, all things even in your marriage, in your finances, in your health in all things showing yourselves, so you have the responsibility, showing yourselves to be a pattern of good works in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
I will also read verse Titus 2:14 "who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." I don't want to use the word but it's like you are drunk of good works. You are consumed with good works. That's how to become a pattern. That's how to become a model, that's how to become a life He wants us to live, He wants us to become a pattern of good works. So you are not just doing good works now, you are also becoming a model an example, a pattern of good works. In your speech, in your action, in your reaction, how you parent your children, how you talk with your wife, how you associate with people, how you spend your money become a pattern of good works. Whatever you do becomes a pattern, a model and this is the reason in Revelation 22:3. It says "and you have persevered and have patience, and have laboured for My name's sake and have not become weary."
Jesus was talking to the loveless church, now He is talking about their works, He said you have persevered, you have endured a lot of things, for my name sake. What you have done I have seen it, I acknowledge it. So, God acknowledges everything we are doing, and Revelations 22:12 says "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work." This is Jesus speaking, I Am coming with my reward, you have been living your life for 70, 60, 40, 30, 100 years but I Am coming with my reward to give to everyone according to His work, no one will be missing, no one will be exempted, everyone according to his work.
"According" meaning that in alignment with your work you have your reward, so if you have been lazy doing nothing there is a reward for it. If you have worked hard in profiting the kingdom there is a reward for it, I Am coming with my reward. So our works, what we do is a basis for judgement. Jesus is coming to judge our works. He said I Am coming and my reward is with me, I Am coming to reward every of your work, whatever you have been doing in the secret or in the open, whatever you have been doing in the presence of people, outside the people, whatever you have been doing secretly will be announced at the roof tops. Whatever you have been doing, I Am coming to reward you according to your works. All that you have been doing, there is a reward for it.
I believe you have been blessed!
