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Do Good
Why
God expects good deeds from us, His children?
God himself is good
and He has done and still does only good works. In book of Gensis 1:10,
12, 18, 21, 25 after every step of creation "...God saw that it was good."
In
verse 27 we read "God
created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male
and female he created them." How often do you think about
yourself as the woman created by God in His image? This is amazing how
we have been created.
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Ewa Gutkowska
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Dear
sisters it means that you carry His image. Your heart has been created
and equipped in the biggest dignity as the image of God's heart. And I
think that therefore after all the creation God said: "it was very good" (v.31).
We can add it was not only good but also beautiful and
perfect.
What is the purpose of good deeds?
- Bringing
glory to God. "This is
to my Father's glory, that you bear much
fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (John
15:8)
- God likes it and He
is happy when people do good. "And
do not forget to do good
and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased"
(Hebrews 13:16.)
- This
is good and useful for everyone. In Titus 3:8 Apostol Paul said: "...And I want you to stress the
things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote
themselves to doing good
deeds. These things are excellent and profitable for
everyone."
- Good deeds may provide for daily needs and protect us against useless
lives, what means they help us to built our sense of value. "Our people must learn to devote
themselves to doing what
is good, in order that they may provide for daily
necessities and not live unproductive (unfruitful) lives." (Titus 3:14)
What kind of good deeds (fruit)
we can do or bring?
- INNER FRUIT. We bear
inner fruit when we allow God to create in us Christlike quality. In
Galatians 5,22 Apostol Paul says: "But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." In
this relation spiritual discipline is very important what means reading & study of the
Bible that to listen what God wants to tell us and to do
through us. The next one is the prayer when we can talk to God.
- OUTWARD FRUIT.We
bear outward fruit when we allow God to work through us to bring Him
glory. So the motivation why we do different good woks is very
important Jesus says: "...I
chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit –
fruit that will last..." (John 15:16).
Short
testimonies from my life
Even if you have in your hand only small widow's coin or just a needle
and thread. Even if you have just a small room or little food. Even if
you know only how to clean and how to wash dishes or to bake cake...
Whatever you have in your hands and whatever is your gift or talent
from God use it to do good deeds that bring glory to the Lord.
This
year in July, I was to Ghana (Africa). It was the Annual Gathering of
the BWA and WD of the BWA meeting. I
talked with one Nigerian sister about poverty in her country. She said
that many people are really hungry and even die because of famine, but
she added the Christians help one another, for example when they cook
rice they usually add one handful more just for those who are hungry.
Let me share with you our special situation in my personal life. It
happened years ago. My husband was elected the General Secretary Polish
Baptist Union. So we had to move to Warsaw as a family with three
children. This decision was not easy especially for me. It was not easy
to leave work at the University, to leave our nice flat and to start
life in a new place. First it was necessary to renovate our new small
apartament. One day I went to Warsaw and we were putting new wall paper
together with our children. It was necessary to take out the old one.
When in the evening I tried to arrange the sleeping on the floor for
the children in this renovated place, in my mind I had thoughts and
questions addressed to God. I did not want to move to this new place
and I closed myself in the bathroom and started to cry. Suddenly
somebody knocked at the door. I washed quickly my face with cold water
and opened the door. One sister from this Baptist Union building
brought fresh, nicely smelling cookies. It was small thing made by this
sister but for me it was great, because it was God's confirmation of
our decision. I heard His calm voice: "Do not worry, I will take care
for you. Your husband's and your ministry are very important. And from
this very moment I freed myself from fear and feelings of uncertainty
about the future.
Apostol Paul in Galatians 6,9–10 says: "So let us not become tired of doing good;
for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the
harvest. So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our family in the faith."
Ewa Gutkowska, president of EBWU
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