Be Rich
Justin Magness
This past Sunday, Pastor Matt completed his “Be Rich” series with a detailed breakdown of all the wonderful organizations in Texarkana that we get the privilege to contribute to thanks to our generous Church body.
Matt referenced Ephesians 2:10 which Paul states, “For we are HIS workmanship, created IN Christ Jesus for good works, which God PREPARED beforehand, that we should walk IN them.”
I love this verse because of how Paul tells of the work that was done in us by Christ Jesus. When we come into a relationship with him, we become a new creation by HIS workmanship, not our own. The good works that we are called to walk in were prepared for us by God, not our own. I personally struggled for a long time in my spiritual walk because I thought I was required to do certain works, such as giving, because of what Christ did for me. “Christ died for you, the least you could do is give” mentality that manipulates Christ-followers into action by guilt. This type of understanding leads us to give out of requirement and the hope to get something in return, instead of giving out of the desire for others to experience fully the gift of grace in Christ Jesus.
I want to encourage us all to dig deeper into the book of Ephesians where Paul clearly lays out the gift of grace that Christ bestows on us in salvation, grow in that understanding, and let that outflow be the driving force for why we give! It’s truly the greatest gift ever given and all the wonderful organizations that Pastor Matt partnered Heritage with can be the vehicle to get this message out.
This past Sunday, Pastor Matt completed his “Be Rich” series with a detailed breakdown of all the wonderful organizations in Texarkana that we get the privilege to contribute to thanks to our generous Church body.
Matt referenced Ephesians 2:10 which Paul states, “For we are HIS workmanship, created IN Christ Jesus for good works, which God PREPARED beforehand, that we should walk IN them.”
I love this verse because of how Paul tells of the work that was done in us by Christ Jesus. When we come into a relationship with him, we become a new creation by HIS workmanship, not our own. The good works that we are called to walk in were prepared for us by God, not our own. I personally struggled for a long time in my spiritual walk because I thought I was required to do certain works, such as giving, because of what Christ did for me. “Christ died for you, the least you could do is give” mentality that manipulates Christ-followers into action by guilt. This type of understanding leads us to give out of requirement and the hope to get something in return, instead of giving out of the desire for others to experience fully the gift of grace in Christ Jesus.
I want to encourage us all to dig deeper into the book of Ephesians where Paul clearly lays out the gift of grace that Christ bestows on us in salvation, grow in that understanding, and let that outflow be the driving force for why we give! It’s truly the greatest gift ever given and all the wonderful organizations that Pastor Matt partnered Heritage with can be the vehicle to get this message out.
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