August 20 - Ephesians 2:10

August 20
Ephesians 2:10

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Dear Christian friends,

We are continuing to look at the many spiritual blessings we have as Christians - all stored in heavenly places and available to us while we reside upon the earth.  All these blessings came to us because of what Christ has done for us.  We learned in our last devotion that we are saved by God's grace through our faith in Christ Jesus. There is nothing we can do to earn forgiveness of sins - there is nothing we can do to earn our eternal salvation. It is simply our belief in Christ and all He has done for us that determines WHERE we spend eternity.  Heaven, therefore is not earned, but freely given to us as the greatest blessing we could ever receive - and we owe it all to Christ Jesus and what He has done for us. Once we are saved, however, God desires to show us why He created us - in that we are created for good works to glorify God to others. Let's then look at blessing #13.

¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

As believers in Jesus, God knew and planned before you were born that you would be God's workmanship.  He has a plan and purpose for your life, giving you gifts and talents to be used for the Kingdom of God.

We must remember, regarding making it into heaven, we don't have to do anything outside of having faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins!  Our behavior does not affect God's love for us.  God loves us and always will.  Our behavior, however, determines HOW we spend eternity.  That is where "workmanship" comes into play.  How we spend eternity will be determined by our behavior in this life - and that is why righteous living becomes so important. 

• God saved you - He saved me - not only to save us from the wrath we rightly deserve, but also to make something beautiful in us.  That's why 1 Cor  5:17 tells us that we have become a new creation in Christ.  The old life is gone and the new life has come.
• Our old nature is gone, and God has this beautiful plan and purpose for your life.
• Your workmanship in you is good works that will glorify Christ Jesus.
  
  
  • Again, works have nothing to do with salvation, but once you come to Christ, your works - your right living - will then give glory to God.
  • And God wants us to walk in our workmanship so others can be saved and Jesus gets the glory.

Blessings,

Joyce