Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
God desires for His people to be about doing good works – works He has prepared in advance for us to walk in – making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Now if God has prepared works for us to walk in before the foundation of the earth wouldn’t it be wise of us to walk in them? Hell-o….There is purpose in our existence and that is to both to enjoy God and bring glory to Him in all that we say and do. We are not here to simply take up space and entertain ourselves to death. Therefore, we are to be careful to devote ourselves to those things which are both excellent and profitable – things that bring much glory to our Maker. This benefits both us and everyone else. The greatest place on earth to be is in the center of God’s will, mature and fully assured. Hands down.
We must begin with readying our own selves or we will have nothing of eternal value to give to others. What need have people for dross when pure gold is what they desire? Who fills their hungry belly with chaff when what is needed is wheat? We are to be able to correctly handle God’s Word so that we might have what is profitable and useful both for ourselves and others. Every true believer in Jesus has the deposit of the Holy Spirit in their hearts equipping and empowering the saint for every work and His word is to be in our hearts and mouths so that we will know how to answer everyone. It is a great mercy indeed that the tree of knowledge, God’s Word, is not forbidden to the believer in Christ Jesus. We would do well to take heed of this and be as Ezra who devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord and to teaching its decrees.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalms 1:1-3 (NIV)
This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 (NIV)