by God's Little Boy
© MakeshiftDarkroom.com 2011
Posted 9/8/11
"I know thy works", says Jesus to his own. This is a great comfort and encouragement to those who patiently continue in his word. There is a peace in knowing that Jesus knows. From an attitude of love, to a cup of cold water, to the deepest involvement in Christian ministry he clearly and intimately knows every good work that we have done by the power of his Spirit. He knows our works because he is vitally connected to and personally involved with every one of them; for without him we can do nothing. (John 15:5) The one who sees in secret shall reward openly. (Matthew 6:3-6) As the years go by we may loose sight of and forget the many works that the grace of God has called and enabled us to do, but God has not forgotten. Nothing done in Christ shall ever be lost or forgotten.
The idea of source and motive is involved in the word "works." The Amplified Bible translates the phrase, "I know thy works" as, "I know thy record" (Revelation 3:1) This means I know what you are doing and what you are all about. God knows the true motive behind our deeds and he knows the true source from which they proceed.
"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth," (2 Chronicles 16:9a)
The Almighty sees all. This is why Jesus can say, "I know." What he knows, he knows perfectly. None can escape the penetrating gaze of divine omniscience. He sees through us like glass. Every work is known by God; the hidden motives and true nature of our life is plainly evident before him. When we come to stand before God our work (it's source and motive) will be tested; the fire shall reveal it for what sort it is. The dead works produced by the adamic life shall be burned up and lost, but that which is done in and through Christ shall abide the test of fire and shall be approved by God and rewarded. God desires the fruit of divine production in our lives. He cannot receive anything that has it's origin in and proceeds out from fallen man, but only that which is sourced in himself. There is great glory and reward in the Spirit filled life - the life that has the Spirit of God as it's source.
"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:3)
This verse reveals to us that it is possible that a man may do many remarkable works that are superficially rooted in self, and therefore have no value to God. Works that have their source in man are not according to truth and are often directly contrary to the truth. A man may do many things that are "good" and at the same time dishonor truth. This may be true even of things done in the name of God. The "good" he does is from the good part of the forbidden tree - the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The fruit of that tree gave the man and the woman sufficient knowledge to be "good" without God. There are many who choose to be good apart from truth - good in themselves without God. They may impress many people, but not God. Both parts of the tree were forbidden; the good as well as the evil. It is God's desire that man would abide in his life and not in the independence of his own goodness or anything he can produce in and of himself. This is something that the world does not understand. Herein lies the mystery of godliness and ungodliness.
The fruit of the Spirit is divine love. (Galatians 5:22a) The only way that a man or woman can have this kind of love is to possess and be filled with the Spirit of God. Having "charity," therefore, is synonymous with living in the Spirit and the love and life he gives - a love that is according to the truth. This is what produces works that are acceptable to God.
Christian, love your God, delight in him, and walk and abide in him. Let everything be done through the life of the Holy Spirit. Do only what you can do in the life of perfect liberty. Abide in the vine that you may, through that vital communion, bear the fruit of divine production. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10) He will perform in us, and on our behalf, concerning everything that he specifically calls us to do. He who has begun his good work in us will also perform it up until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6) "For it is God which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)
The one who knows us loves us; even knowing our deficiencies which are many. He is good to us in spite of our deficit. There is something else that Jesus knows. He knows the thoughts that he thinks toward us, they are thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give us en expected end - a hope in our latter end. (Jeremiah 29:11) We are led and loved by The Good Shepherd. There is none like Jesus; there are none who shepherd in such a caring and goodly manner. There are none who care as deeply for our greatest good. The Good Shepherd loves each of his sheep with a perfect love and he is for them. Any rebuke he gives is a loving correction given for our spiritual advancement. When he tests or tries his own he does it for edification; in order to build. We are tested by his hand in order that we might be approved. As any good father, he wants his children to win; and because of the character of his love, he rejoices when we do. There would be no profit in our undoing and our demise would add nothing to him. 
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