DIG for Thursday the 16th of June…..but there must be some work for me to do…..John 6 v 29

As you will hopefully know by now I preach that we are blessed as a gift of grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus.

Quite often as I preach and teach this truth I am asked the same question, “But surely we must have to do something?”

People ask this as in every other walk of life we are rewarded due to our performance.

This is not the case in the Christian life; we are rewarded due to the performance of Jesus.

And a similar question was asked of Jesus.

“What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” was the question we see in the Gospel of John.

Jesus did not say pray, help the poor or go to church; He said have faith and believe on Him (I paraphrase the actual words of Jesus) (John 6 v 29).

The Lord does not want our works, He wants our faith and belief.

Out of faith and belief ‘good works’ should flow, but these will be works of love and gratitude instead of works of self-righteousness.

I agree that there should be good works in our lives, but these come as a fruit and not as a root of our relationship with the Lord.

God loves us no matter what, His love is not dependent upon how good we are.

Were you good and full of good works before you became saved?

Of course not!

Works, in the sense of doing things to be loved and blessed by God is not required, just as they were not required for your initial salvation; He requires your faith and belief, that is the ‘work’ He wants you to do!

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that I am blessed as a gift of grace through faith in Jesus and His finished work”.

John 6 v 29…..Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent

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DIG for Wednesday the 15th June…..my buffet breakfast, just like grace…..John 1 v 17

Being away from home and staying in a hotel has a few advantages (not a lot but a few).

One is not having to make my own breakfast.

I’ve just enjoyed a lovely buffet style meal to start the day; I was told, “You can have all you eat, you just need to help yourself”.

Now, those of you who read my DIGs on a regular basis may have an inkling as to what will come next.

What the lady in the hotel said reminded me of the message of grace!

All the food had been prepared for me in advance and was sitting there, and I was allowed to take as much as I wanted.

The only part I played in this breakfast was to take it and eat it!

At its simplest this is also the message of grace, this is the good news of the Gospel.

Through the finished work of Jesus Christ all that we need for life and godliness has already been provided (2 Peter 1 v 3).

Jesus came to give us life in abundance (John 10 v 10).

Everything is there for us, already provided, we just need to believe this and then take it or receive it.

Healing has been provided, we need to take it; prosperity has been provided, we need to take it; joy and peace have been provided, we need to take it.

We can have a life of abundance because Jesus came to bring this and He has done His part through the cross.

Now we need to do our part and that is simply believing and receiving.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for the finished work of Jesus and thank you for all that this has already provided for me”.

John 1 v 17…..For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ