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GOOD WORKS-3

Text : Matthew  5:16

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Without the shining of your light, your good works cannot be seen by men, and when you are not in light, you cannot do any good works. 

Jesus Christ  once said, "...I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:33). It is clear from this scripture that only the followers of Jesus Christ are in the light. And that's the reason He said we are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14).

In the true sense of it, no man can truly do any acceptable good works  without being in Christ Jesus and led by His Spirit.

The scriptures made it very clear in Acts chapter 10 that good works without Christ cannot save a man.

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.(Acts 10:1-2).

With all these good works demonstrated by Cornelius, God had to send Peter to him so as to do the needful. An angel of the Lord appeared unto Cornelius and told him in Acts 10:5 & 6 "Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter... *He will tell you what you must do."* 

Despite all of Cornelius' good works, there is still one important thing he *MUST DO.* So, the difference between the good works of Dorcas and Cornelius is the source of their good works- Jesus Christ.

Dorcas did good works because she has received God's good work of salvation but Cornelius did good work in order to gain acceptance before the Lord and not because of Christ.

 *Unless and until Jesus Christ has become the very source and core of your good works, such good works are  tantamount to waste or at best a memorial.* 

God knew that all the good works of Cornelius will not bring him into eternal life, hence He sent Peter to him to tell him the very good works he must hear and accept first, which is Christ the saviour.

Some years ago, my family has been making all efforts to bring a young man to the knowledge of Christ. Suddenly, I thought I could introduce another tangible help. In less than no time, the relationship moved away from preaching Christ, to rendering good help to him in the natural. 

One of the last help I gave to him was to help him borrow huge sum of money to do business. The business failed and in the course of running up and down in order not to disappoint me  I just heard that he has lost his soul. He died while running helter skelter to pay up the good works I had done to him.

I suddenly became a debtor overnight. I was owing God a soul that He gave to me to nurture for the real good work of preaching the gospel to him first of all, and I had to repay the person that gave this young man the loan, being that I was the middle man. 

You must be wise to always do good works that flow out of Christ and not from your flesh.. That's the only enduring good works that's  acceptable before the Lord.

Bible  Reading :* 

Acts 10: 1-48.

PRAYER FOCUS

1.) Father God, I receive the grace to be full of good works that my life may indeed bring pleasure to you and to man.

 *You can now listen to His voice on Spotify* 
https://open.spotify.com/show/72q4KLmKs0KBPdVs8bUDSE?si=BeadDR2MTSqBMvufTDEFMg

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