CREATED, CALLED AND CULTIVATED FOR GOOD WORKS

CREATED, CALLED AND CULTIVATED FOR GOOD WORKS

I explore why work predates the fall, what “good works” means biblically, and how to align our works with God’s glory and people’s good. Purpose isn’t in a job title or to-do list; it’s in work that gives life, points to God, and serves people by solving problems. 

Chapter Markers
- 0:00 Created, Called, Cultivated For Good Works
- 2:32 Work’s Origin And God As Worker
- 5:28 Defining Good Works Biblically
- 9:20 Life-Giving Works Versus Destructive Works
- 14:50 Glory To God And Good For People
- 19:20 Visibility Without Vanity
- 23:19 Jesus’ Pattern Of Good Works
- 27:52 Character As Good Works
- 33:20 Contribution And Community Service
- 38:40 - Work Out Salvation, Not For It
- 42:36 Cultivated By Father, Son, Spirit

Chapters

• 0:00 Created, Called, Cultivated For Good Works
• 2:32 Work’s Origin And God As Worker
• 5:28 Defining Good Works Biblically
• 9:20 Life-Giving Works Versus Destructive Works
• 14:50 Glory To God And Good For People
• 19:20 Visibility Without Vanity
• 23:19 Jesus’ Pattern Of Good Works
• 27:52 Character As Good Works
• 33:20 Contribution And Community Service
• 38:40 Work Out Salvation, Not For It
• 42:36 Cultivated By Father, Son, Spirit

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Child of God, I'm here to remind you and I that we are created, called, and cultivated for good works. We are created called and cultivated for good works. I'm gonna read something that I wrote down and I think it's very beneficial for you guys to listen to this, pay close attention. We tend to identify ourselves based on our work. Somebody will ask you, Who are you? Oh, I am an accountant, I am a pastor, I am a musician. Humanly speaking, that's how we identify ourselves based on our work. There's nothing wrong about work, work pre-existed before the fall of man. When God created Adam, the first thing that God gave Adam was the establishment of work, even before family. Work came before family because we serve a God who is a worker. We serve a God who is what a worker. So, since you and I we tend to identify ourselves based on our work, work itself is not inherently evil. Because sometimes we think that work is evil. The work in the church or the work in your profession, it's not evil. However, the type of work can be classified as good or bad. That is why I said that you and I we are created, called, and cultivated for what type of work? Good works. Because not all works are good. If you are into selling drugs to our young people, you are not doing good works, you are doing what bad works. If you're in church and your goal is to divide, you are doing bad works. So the type of work that God has called you and I to uh to execute is good works. You see, the first book of the Bible introduces God, our creator, as the master craftsman, diligent and wise. Wow. So because you and I we are made in the image and likeness of God, there are certain attributes from God that we can possess. God is diligent, meaning that God is a hard worker, and God is wise, meaning that God is a smart worker. God wants you and I not just to exercise our human efforts, God wants you and I to exercise our mind. Because our mind can also work, not just our body. So God is a hard worker, God is a smart worker. As you enter into 2026, child of God, don't just work hard. Ask yourself, God, how can I work smart to achieve certain things in my life? How can I work smart in ministry? How can I work smart in my career? How can I work smart in my business? The Bible introduced God, our creator, as a worker. It says in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. So there's no way, child of God, that you you can be a lazy man or a lazy woman. You shouldn't be a lazy man or a lazy woman in your home, in this church, anywhere else. So work is an integral part of the human system. God established it before family. Work is perfect because Adam was working before Adam fell. Because when God made Adam, he said, I want you to cultivate and tend because God is a worker, God has already established everything. But God now wanted to rest. God didn't rest because God was lazy, God didn't rest because God was tired. God now handed over the responsibility of creation to Adam. And now Jesus Christ has done the salvation part on the cross. That is why he has handed over the salvation, the great commission to this church. That is part of lifting Jesus. He has done his part. You see, the entire Trinity, they are all working. If God the Father is working, God the Son is working, God the Spirit is working, who are you, a Christian, who claim to be a follower of God and you're lazy? Who are you a Christian who claim to be a child of God and you're lazy? God is our master worker, and we are God's fellow workers. That's how Paul described himself along with the rest of the apostles. That we are God's fellow workers. God is into work, child of God. The two greatest work from God, the two greatest work on humanity. Number one, the creation. That is one of the greatest work. Number two, the work of salvation. Those are the two greatest work on this earth. The creation work that God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit did, and also salvation. All the Godhead, they were all involved in creating this universe, and all the Godhead, they were also involved in your recreation. That is salvation. What do I mean? Or what does it mean to do good works in a biblical context? It means that which is pleasing to God. Good in a sense of that which is pleasing to God. Because there are references in the Bible. When you Bible students, when you study the word good works, defining the type of work, good works. It says any good works that you and I would do, number one, it should be pleasing to God, pleasing in his sight. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 21. That which is that which is for his good pleasure. Philippians 2 13. Not only pleasing to God, but also profitable for others, it produces life. So my good work has to be pleasing to God, my good work has to be profitable to the next person. It has to produce life. Remember, Jesus asked a question, a profound question in Luke 6 9 says. And Jesus said to them, I will ask you one thing. Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil or to save life or to destroy life? Because the so-called religious leaders at that time, they were all into their religion. They cannot they can see somebody is dying, they won't do anything about it. We can come to church and see a young man, a young woman, they are suffering and we do nothing about it. But that is not the attitude of Jesus Christ. He was asking a question. You claim to be of God on the Sabbath day. I'm asking you a question, church. Is it lawful to do good or to do evil? To save life or to destroy life? Look what Jesus said in John 10, verse 10. It says, The thief does not come except to steal, kill, and to destroy. That is the work of the devil. The devil does not do good works. God does good works. The devil, if you're gonna befriend the devil, he will steal from you, he will destroy you, he will kill you. Whereas Jesus says, I have come to give life and life abundantly. Since Jesus has come to give you life, we should also transfer life to one another. We should be life carriers, we should be life givers. When I come to you, Musumba, when I come to you, Anna, when I come to you, Grace, when I need counseling from you, I want you to speak words of life that will inspire me, that will motivate me to believe in myself so that I can, oh my god, I can maximize my potential. Because you are a child of the light. Facts about good works. Good works are saving works, they are solving problem works, they are serving works, they are significant, they are special, they are situational, they are spiritual, they are supernatural, and they're intending for your success. You're asking yourself, man of God, why should I engage in good works? Because it serves two important purposes while we are doing ministry. Number one, it is for God's glory. If God is gonna do anything in you and through you, it has to be for his glory. If he does not bring glory to God, it's not gonna happen. God won't allow you to do it because there's no benefit that God is gonna get from you, God is not gonna receive any glory because it's gonna be for your own self-glory. Child of God, at times we as ministers, you want to do something for God. Ask yourself, why am I preaching? Why am I ministering? Why am I standing here? Is it because of my own self-gratification, or is it because I want to glorify God? Observe yourself, child of God. Why are you standing here? Why are you in engaging in church activities? Why are you in ministry? Is it for the glory of God, or is it for the glory of yourself? Is it for God's glory? Look what it says in Philippians chapter 2, verse 13. For it is God who walks in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. It is for his good pleasure. Philippians chapter 1, verse 11, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. So there are references about whatever child of God that you're doing. Ask yourself, is it going to glorify God? Number two, is it for the goodness of humanity? Because you cannot say that I'm working for God, but you're treating the next person badly. That is not working for God. If you're saying that you're working for God and then you are killing other people, you're not working for God, you're working for the devil. Ask yourself, what am I doing? Is it for the goodness of this church? Is it for the goodness of my community? Is it for the goodness of my family? Because we can engage in certain works and they will benefit nobody, they will only benefit you, they will only benefit your own selfish agenda, but not the benefit of other people. So God is very clear, very specific how we go about 2026 if we're gonna engage in good works, because we have been created, called, and cultivated for good works. But our intention has to be number one, for the glory of God, number two, for the goodness of people. Our good works should be visible. The reason why Jesus said, Let your light shine that way men can see. It's not for your popularity. I'm telling you, it's not for your popularity. Look what it says. This is my observation from that verse. Our good works should be visible for all to see, with the intention to draw attention to God. Our good works are visible to be seen with the intention to draw attention to who? God, not to us for the glory of God, because our the ultimate aim for good works is for God's glory, servant is goodness. But do you know that is where your greatness lies? You want to be great, but you're self-made. You want to be great, but you're walking on the shoulders of people, you're walking, you're climbing on people, and oh my god, you're using people at your own expense, as their own expense, lying, cheating. It's not gonna happen. But Jesus said, if you want to be great, do what? Serve, child of God. If we want to be great as a church, we have to serve because He served us. He didn't come to be served, He came to serve. There lies your greatness, young man, young woman. If you want to be great in life, ask yourself whatever I am doing, my career path is gonna glorify God, it's gonna be for the goodness of humanity. And then believe in me, child of God, when you're able to answer these two powerful questions, you will definitely be a great man, you will definitely be a great woman. Now, look at Jesus Christ as it as an example of all the good works that he did. Number one, healing that is a good work, healing. Look what it states um in John 10:31 through 32. Then the Jews took stones, the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, many good works I have shown you from my father. For which of those works do you want to stone me? These are so-called religious people who are in the church, they're not making any difference in the lives of people. In this church, we make a difference for people. This altar has benefited me. That is why I pity those who take this altar for granted. I pity those who are familiar with this altar. This altar has done so much good for me. Yes, we might not be large in numbers, but the Bible says, Greater is he that is in you. The Bible says, where two or three are gathered, he is in our midst. These are the promises. He says, Which one of these good works do you want to kill me for now? Okay, should I do bad works? He said, I have done so many good works, I have healed, I have delivered, I have taught, I have preached, I have fed, I have served, I have led, I have discipled, I have cared, I have done all these good works. Which one do you want to kill me now? Which one do you want to destroy me for? Look what it says in Luke chapter 9, verse 1 to 2. Then he called his 12 disciples together, wow, and gave them power and authority over all demons to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. The same good works that Jesus was doing is the same good works that has been assigned to you and I as ministers and also as a church. He says, Greater works you will do. Wow, greater works you will do. Child of God, I pray and I and I demand and I call heaven that this year 2026, as a church, we shall do greater works in the name of Jesus. You are qualified to deliver, you are qualified to heal, you are qualified to preach. You are qualified to preach. So when we talk about good works, there are two aspects. Good works in a sense of your character, your conduct. When we talk about good works, sometimes the biblical sense of good works is the fruit, the fruit of your labor, the fruit of your character. So, in essence, good works is in your character. Do you know that you being you can be can bless people? You being new can bless people. If you're a nice person, you are a blessing. If you're a good listener, you are a blessing. You don't just have to do certain things, certain good deeds, but you being you, if you're respectful, if you're kind, if you're caring, that is doing good works. That is doing good works. Look what it says in First Peter chapter 2, verse 12. Having your conduct honorable among the gentles. So Peter is saying that we as believers, let our conduct, our our our lifestyle, our work, our interactions, let it be honorable. Because we are vessels of honor among who? The gentles. Child of God, when you when you are in your workplace, youth, when you're going back to school, let your good works of character, let your good works of your morals, let it be shown. Let people see your kindness, let people see your grace, let people see your mercy, let people see your patience, let people see your long suffering, let people see your generosity. That is part of the good works in terms of your character. It says that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, they may, by your good works, which they observe, do what? Glorify God in the day of visitation. Do you know that your good works brings glory to God? How you live brings glory to God, and the unbelievers, they're observing it. Your character is an asset. Ah, oh, your character is an asset in the marketplace, especially in a world full of fraud and deceit and gone artists. CEOs, the government, management, they're looking for godly women of integrity, of honesty in the marketplace. I remember when I did something wrong, I wanted to hide it. But God was saying, Don't hide it. Even no, not all the time, people have to see you're good. They should also see, they should see your wrong, but as long as you're honest about your wrong, they'll respect you more. I admitted my wrong. I said, Yes, I am I'm wrong. I did not submit this on time. I am wrong. But I'm like, I was I was I'm like, God, if I if I tell them I'm wrong, they're gonna fire me. Yeah, I'm gonna get in trouble. No, no, be honest with yourself, let them know that you're wrong. Child of God, I did that, nothing happens. So, wow, Brian, you're you that honest? You actually snitch on yourself? I said, I do not snitch on myself. The Holy Spirit wanted me to do that. Amen. So, child of God, your good works in character. Another aspect of good works is good works in your contribution, in your contribution. What do I mean? Based on the skills, the spiritual gifts, the offices that God has positioned you in. Tell us your good works. For example, our pastor is in the office of a pastor, the five-four ministries, and that is what she's doing. The good works she's she's contributing in the lives of people with salvation, preaching of the word. Your good works in your contribution, serving the church, your good works in your contribution, serving the community. It's not just limited to the church. Sometimes when we talk about good works, we think it's just do your good works in the church. No, your good works, the Bible said, Let it be visible to all men in your home. Let your children see your good works in conduct and in contribution. Look what it states about serving your community or your country. It says that is Titus chapter 3, verse 1. Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities to obey and to be ready for every good work. Titus is saying that we should be subject to rulers, to authorities, our employers, our managers, our leaders, our president. We should be subject to them. Just because you're a believer, you don't want to listen to nobody. No, not like you should listen. Listen to your manager. I remember one day, sometimes your workplace actually trains your character. I'm telling you this to two places that train your character. The church does not. What the church does, it teaches you how to have good conduct. But the workplace where you have different personalities, and then your wife relationship where your wife is different, your husband is different. Oh my god, and then your children are different. You must learn character by fire by force. That is where you're coming to church. I'm patient, I'm patient. No, go to work, deal with an impatient client. Oh, you have an impatient wife. You must learn patience. Am I speaking? Amen. So, you know how we are created for good works. You might wonder, the Bible says. That work out your salvation. It didn't say work for your salvation. There's a difference between work, work out your salvation, and working for your salvation. Look what I wrote down. I said, since we didn't we didn't work for our salvation, it is by grace. However, we are not saved to sit, but to serve and to share Christ. What we are called to do is to work out our salvation, not work for our salvation. We work it out, meaning that we the word work in the Bible sense means your life, how you live your life, your conduct. So you live out your salvation. You don't work for your salvation. No, you don't. You live it out. Let people see the result of you being saved. And then Jesus gave us a promise that he says, most assured, that's John 14, 12. Most assured I say to you, He who believes in me, the works that I do, he will also do. So the good works that we are doing is because Jesus is doing them and he has done them. You see, God is not selfish. Child of God, if you if you if you know something in this church or you know something, share your transferable skills that will help the church. Share your transferable skills that will help because the church is an organization on this earth. If you know you're working as an accountant in your workplace, you know that the church needs help with accounting. Child of God, don't sit on your talent, don't sit on your skill, don't sit on your knowledge. Provide it for the church. That is part of your good works, contribution, child of God. If you know you know about media, you can sing, you can do hospitality, shit up with the church. Don't be a useless believer because we have so many useless believers. That is the fact. Jesus is so free. You can sit in the guys, you know what? If you believe in me, the work that I do, I will do it, you can do it too. Child of God, you have to take this faith. Jesus, I can deliver. Yeah, Abraham, you can deliver. Jesus, I can heal. Yeah, Muslim, you can heal. Jesus, I can save. Yeah. Anna, I can save. Jesus, I can feed millions of people. Yeah, Madam Jenny, you can. You can. That's what helped me to believe that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Because greater I see that is in me. Child of God, you don't just study the Bible just for acquire knowledge. God is expecting you to believe it and to speak it and to act it out. Believing you will see results. Oh, you want the pastors to lay hands on you to believe that you have power. My people are perished for lack of knowledge. Amen. Now we are created for good works. What we need to do, we need to be cultivated. We need to be cultivated for good works. Amen. So God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, all of them are gonna tell us how to cultivate certain attributes so that we are ready to contribute for good works. They're all gonna provide the same thing: their presence, provision, power to perform good works. Let's start with God the Father. Philippians chapter 2, verse 13. It says, For it is good, look, for it is God that is God the Father who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. There are two things here. It is God who works in you. It is God who works in you. Both two things, both to will and to do. The reason why you cannot do because you don't have the willingness to do. Sometimes we want people to do something. Pray for willingness. Sure of God, the Bible, the Bible is so specific, the Bible is so structural. There are structures when you're reading. It says, God has to, number one, give you the willingness to serve Him. You cannot serve God without willingness in your heart. One thing I've learned about the Bible, and I've learned about God. Anytime that even having a relationship with God, God is expecting you to be willing. Let it let it let it be a willing heart. That is why the Bible said, love God with all. Because God is not like, oh, I'm doing that, I'm I'm coming to church because I don't want to go to hell. You know what? I'm I'm I'm serving because I don't want Musumba to complain. You know, it's not gonna give God any glory because it's not coming from a willing heart. So God is saying that for you to serve me, I have to give you a willing heart. That's God the Father. It says, works in you both to will. You have to will, you have to desire. Like I thought about on Friday. About there are those who are called, but few are chosen. For you to be chosen, it takes commitment. And one to for you to show your commitment to Jesus, you have to desire. God is looking for desire because if you can capture the heart of a person, you can capture their life. If you can capture the heart of somebody, you can capture their life. So God is capable to make us willing. Not only to make us willing, now he will give us the power to be able to do it. Remember, remember that God is a workman, is a master worker, and you are you and our way of God's workmanship. Now, let's hear from God the Son. Look what it says in Hebrews chapter 13, verse 20 to 21. I'll read from 21. He says, I'll start from 20. Now, may the God that is God, God now, God the Father, God of peace. He's a child of God. Hey, that is why some of you do you really believe in the Trinity that God is three and one? Do you know that whatever God the Father does, God the Son is. Whatever God the Father is, God the Son is, Christ is the Prince of Peace. Now the Bible is saying that may the God of peace people get confused. Okay, but but I thought Christ is the Prince of Peace. Yes, he is. Whatever God is, the same is the Son. So now the Son is saying that whatever Jesus is, so are we. Whatever Jesus is, so are we. So the Bible is saying that may the God of all peace, may the God of all peace brought you up, brought you up our Lord Jesus from the dead. That is God the Father, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you what is pleasing, what is well pleasing in his sight through Christ Jesus. So our good works, we are created for good works in Christ, not outside of Christ. So you cannot really do good works outside of Christ because you need the endowment, the power of the Holy Spirit, and then God the Father will do the good works through Christ in you. That is why Jesus said, Abide in me, I abide in you. Without me, you can do nothing. I realize that most times when I want to do something for God, or I want to do something for my work, I want to do something for myself. It might not be spiritual, it can be non-spiritual, but when I don't acknowledge God, my work tends to be messy, my work tends not to flow. Because without him, we are nothing. Paul said, In him I walk, in him I eat, in him I talk. Everything you see, another thing about Bible students, learn this proposition in the Bible when you're reading. In through, by what the Bible is trying to emphasize is that everything that we do, child of God, it has to be in Christ to show our total dependency. You, before you give your life to Jesus, you were in you were independent. Now that you have given your life to Jesus, you are the uh you are dependent upon him. It's not on, it's not you anymore, it's about Christ working in you. I'm almost done. Look at what it says now in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10, it says, For we are his workmanship created again in Christ Jesus. But do you know that would have come to realize that you can believe in Jesus but not live in Jesus? There's a there's a two difference. You can believe in Jesus but not live in Jesus. The reason why we as believers, some of us we are miserable, is because even though we believe in Jesus and because we're not living in Jesus, the secret of holiness, the secret of peace, the secret of everything, you have to live in Jesus because Jesus is those things that you that you want. Ha! You want righteousness, but you want to live outside of righteousness. You want peace, but you don't want peace to live in you. So you can indeed believe in Jesus, but you can also not live in Jesus. Wow, those who believe in Jesus. Jesus said, I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him bears much fruit. Without me, you can do nothing. That is the fact. You can believe in Jesus, that's one thing. But Jesus is saying that let me live in you, and you live in me. Let's live in the same house. So wherever you're going, Jesus is coming along. Ah, you don't want to take. I remember when I used to be stupid and dumb. When I would go when I would plan to sin, I said, Jesus, you're not coming. I'm about to go sin. Yeah, um boy, just chill. Jesus, you're not coming. I was so far from like Jesus, I don't want you to see what I'm doing. You know what I because I've taken Jesus, I even I believe in Jesus, I don't want Jesus to live in me because I don't want him to see the darkness I'm about to get myself into. We live as such as believers. But Jesus is saying that don't just believe in me, let me live in you and you live in me. Amen. Now, from the from God the Holy Spirit, look what it says now. Acts chapter 10, verse 38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good. How was Jesus able to do all this good work? He was anointed, he had power. What of Lance is the child of God? The priest, the kings, the prophets, they were anointed and they had authority. And the Bible says, You and I we are priests, we are kings and queens, we are prophets, meaning that we have anointing and we also have authority. But many of us as believers wouldn't even believe that we are anointed, we don't even believe that we have authority when you have bad dreams in your dream, which is an wizard of pursuing you, child of God, wake up and command that which allies, you're not gonna come into my dream. Take your authority in Christ Jesus, and because that same Holy Spirit is in Jesus, is that is in Jesus also in you, amen. So, finally, how can we be prepared, equipped, and complete for every good work? For you to be complete for every good work, you must be prepared and you must be equipped. Number one, through the scripture. Look what it says in 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 16 to 17. All scripture, meaning that the entire Bible, old and the new testament, it is given by inspiration and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man or woman of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good works. So God the Father will make us complete through his son. The scripture, when you read the scripture, child of God, you know what it does, it makes you complete, meaning that it furnishes your mind, it renews your thinking, it renews your mindset. Because there's no way you can do good works, you don't even know how to define what good works is. So you need the scripture to tell you to classify what is good and what is evil, and you focus on the good works. Number two, sanctification, sanctification, sanctification. Look what it says in 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 21. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself, cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and useful for the master, prepared for every good work. There are protocols when it comes to being a woman or a man of good works. Number one, you have to be a friend of the scripture, you have to hold on to the scripture because it is profitable to train you, to teach you, to equip you. Number two, your lifestyle, sanctification. You have to be purified. God has to work in you before he can use you. Some of us we want God to use us, but God has not worked in us. It doesn't work like that. It doesn't work like that. Look what it says in Titus chapter 2, verse 14. It says, 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. So God wants to purify you and I. In order for you and I to do good works, the Bible states the scripture and sanctification will perfect you and I by preparing and purifying us for any for all good works. Amen. To conclude, what happens when you engage yourself in good works? Number one, faithfulness in our good works, faithfulness in our good works. We need to be ready for every good work. When God is calling you, are you ready, child of God, to execute that good works? It says in Titus chapter 3, verse 1 remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities and to obey, to be ready for every good work. Sometimes somebody will be sick in front of you, a family member or you're at work, God will interrupt your flow because you are God's workmanship for good works. Because God knows you have the anointing and authority to heal somebody, so God wants you to act immediately. So you have to be ready. That is part of being faithful, faithful for every good work. Number two, we have to be zealous. We have to, oh my god, when you when you're serving God, put the same energy, put the same passion, put the same interest. Some of us were so interested in soccer, like me. I'm a soccer fan. When my when my team might drew they are playing, I am so excited. But my God, I want the same excitement when I'm in church. I want the same excitement when I'm when I'm in your word. God is looking for that zeal. Amen. We need to be established, meaning that we need to be strengthened in every good word or in good work by God the Father and the Son. It says in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, 17, it says, Comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work, in every good word and work. So we need to be strengthened. At times you might be tired. That God, all I do, I just come to church every day, pray for people, and Musumba, God, I'm tired. So God wants to strengthen you for every good work. Amen. We need to encourage one another to stir up love and good works. If you know that your brother, your sister in Christ, they're not doing anything for God, and they're just sitting down in church, encourage them. Say, see, bro, we need help as a church. Can you help with the camera? Can you help with the lights? Oh, can you help the choir being a backup singer? That's what the Bible states that we need to stir up one another, encourage one another to serve God because you are going to be rewarded. And then when we we are to maintain good works, because sometimes when you're serving God in church, something will come and distract you, something will come and take you away. Child of God, you have to sustain your good works, you have to maintain your good works. Amen. Look what it says in Titus chapter 3, verse 8. This is a this is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. So if God has given you a responsibility, child of God, God is saying, be careful to sustain, to maintain your responsibilities of good work. If it's preaching, maintain it. If it's teaching, maintain it. If it's worshiping, maintain it. Amen. And then fruitfulness in every good works. So there's faithfulness that God demands, but God also wants you to be fruitful in every good works. Look what it says in Colossians chapter 1, verse 10. It says that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work. So you're not just doing good work for the sake of just doing something, you expand. Wow, your good works expand. Your good works does what? Expands. God wants you to be fruitful. We are to be rich in good works. We are to be rich in good works. Look what it says in 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 18. Let them do good that they may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share. These are all acts of good works, giving, sharing. But God is, I want you to be rich. When people come to you, they should eat from your fruit. Some of us people don't come to because we have nothing to offer. Because there's no good works in us. When somebody comes to me for advice, I want to I want to give them advice that will change your lives. If I can't pray for them, I want to I want to give them contact or networks. That is part of being the light of the world. Child of God, God wants you to be rich. And look what it says. And God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that you always having all sufficiency in all things may have an abundance for every good work. What you see, God is gonna bless us as a church. That is why He wants us to hear this message. Because when He blesses us, what we're gonna be doing to lift Jesus, to give Him the glory, we'll also be doing good works. Because people are gonna come here who are sick, people are gonna come here who are addicted, people are gonna come here who are depressed, people are gonna come here who are refugees, people are gonna come here with different needs, and God wants to prepare us as a church to meet their needs, amen. And then lastly, fulfillment from our good works. So, number one, it was faithfulness in your good works, number two, fruitfulness in your good works. Now, number three, fulfillment from our good works. This is you and I receiving positive feedback from God when we are done achieving our good works. You and I will be standing before God, and God is gonna say, Well done, my faithful servant. Look what it says in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 18. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. So there will be rewards for our work. So we're not serving God in vain. You might think Muslimba is wasting time coming to church. It's a lie. When you reach to heaven, you see the amount of blessings this woman has. We shall be rewarded when we get to heaven. You shall not you'll only be rewarded when you get to when you'll be actually be rewarded here on earth because Peter asked Jesus, Jesus, I've left everything. What am I gonna get from you? I've left my mom, I've left my wife, I've left my house. Just following you, Jesus. I'm not getting it. And Jesus said, No, you're gonna you're gonna you're gonna be blessed here on this earth, you're gonna be blessed in heaven as well. Amen. And then we shall also receive rest for our good works. Rest, reward, and rest. Look what it says in Revelation chapter 14, verse 13. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Write, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labor and their works following them, that they may rest. So the um the fulfillment of good works is reward and rest. Reward and rest. That's what we want to do in heaven. Oh, heaven, we're just gonna receive rewards and just and just rest, rest in worship, rest in adoration of God. That's all. That's all. That's all. And another reason why we need to do good work is followership because of our good works. Look what it says in Titus chapter 2, 6 to 7. Minded in all things, showing yourself to be a pattern of good works. You see, when I see our pastor doing good works, healing, teaching, preaching, I want to follow her pattern. I told her that you're a woman of faith. I said, I want to tap into that gift of faith. And I did. I remember when she preached a message about gifts and gates. The only spirit was like, Oh, you have to tap, you have to tap into faith, you need faith. No, you see, we have faith, but sometimes you need certain faith. I said, God, I want to tap into that faith. Because she has been a pattern, a role model for me to follow because of what? Of her good works. But if she was doing bad works, I will not follow. If you see me do bad works, don't follow me. Don't follow me. If you see me do good works, follow me. If I see Lucky doing good works, I'll follow him. Young people, listen to this. When you're in school, among your friends, they tell you, let's go smoke weed. Tell them it's not going to work. I will not smoke weed. They will tell you it's cool. It's gonna make you feel good, like vaping. It's a lie. This vaping thing in Canada is gonna destroy your mind. I work close to um UFT. There's a vaping store. Every day when I when I go to take my lunch, I see the young student, black Indian, I'm like, ah, why are you endangering your mind with vaping? You in college university because the government has legalized a child of God. Don't follow their patterns, our young people. Don't follow their patterns. And then finally, I know I've said a lot. Since we are God's workmanship, created in Christ and through Christ, only God can give us the willingness. I've said a lot in terms of, oh, go about doing good works. But you're asking yourself, God, do I have the willingness to do it? I don't have the willingness to serve. The reason why you don't have the willingness is because you're crowded, your mind is crowded, your activities are crowded. There's no space for God. God is saying this year 2026, make space for me. I am knocking at your door, I'm knocking at the door of your heart. I want you not just not just to be in church, I want you to participate, I want you to share. I have I've commissioned you to be part of this great harvest. The harvest is plenty, but my laborers are few. Not because the laborers cannot be many, because there are few. It takes commitment to say, Noah God, I will make time for you. I have five days for myself, I have five days for my employer, but at least let me give you one Sunday. And I'll come here, I'll look for something that I can do to contribute. And I pray that God will give us that willingness. It takes willingness in your heart to fully surrender to God. I'm not surprised when people don't want to serve God. I don't blame them. It's because they have not prayed for the willingness of heart. Because I have been there. Where I'll just do things in church because my pastor said I should do it, or I'm afraid to go to hell. But when I stop saying that, you know what? God, if you want me to go to hell, I will not do it. I changed my attitude. My pastor said, Do it. I said, No, I won't do it because my heart, I don't want to do it. I'm tired. I changed my mind. I'm like, God, give me a willing heart. Open my eyes to see ministry from a different point of view. Amen. So God has to give us the willingness in our hearts for us to carry out his work so that we can contribute in the lives of people. So our good works gives us a sense of worth. The reason why you feel worthless, you feel useless. I know some of you might oh, I have a good job, but believe in me, that good job is not gonna last. That good job stresses you. When you work for God, it gives you a sense of meaning. I we might not get money. For me, I can only speak for myself. Me working for God, I work, I have a full-time job too, and have a business. But guess what gives me the greatest joy, the greatest meaning, the greatest happiness? Working for who? God. I find fulfillment, I find satisfaction, I find peace. Do you know that when I when I whenever you serve God, God will also help you to do your other work? But whenever you do your other work before God, you will see the burden. You it will be too much. Our good works gives us a sense of worth because we are God's workmanship created in Christ to work in them. Amen.