I Know Your Works

As we walk IN CHRIST, embracing the SPIRIT OF TRUTH embedded in the Scriptures, let our WORKS be open to the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

"for it is GOD WHO IS AT WORK IN YOU, both to desire and TO WORK for HIS GOOD PLEASURE." Philippians 2:13

The TRINITY knows our works, not as distant observers, but as THE ONE WHO CREATED US and keeps us, as they are intimately involved in every aspect of our creation and SALVATION, including our works. So, ASK the TRINITY to work in and through you, and they will. The TRINITY works through our humility and weaknesses as we surrender and yield all to the Father.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to THE POWER THAT WORKS WITHIN US," Ephesians 3:20

The TRINITY doesn't just know our works; THEY CREATED THEM. We are their works; we are the Greater Works of God. As such, the TRINITY inspires, sustains, and perfects us. It’s their job because WE ARE THE WORKS OF GOD. We are not required to do their work as their work, yet they do their work IN US and through us.

"Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that THE WORKS OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED IN HIM." John 9:3

Our daily acts of faith, hope, and love are not merely human endeavors but are divinely inspired and sustained by the TRINITY. God HIMSELF works HIS WORKS in us and through us.

"So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?" Galatians 3:5

As we live in God’s Grace, denying ourselves (flesh nature), taking up our cross daily, and following Jesus, it's with the profound assurance that God is IN US, WITH US, INSTRUCTING US, and working THROUGH US, all for His glory!

"There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons." 1 Corinthians 12:6

This intimate knowledge of our works by the Trinity transforms every aspect of our lives. It shifts our perspective from striving in our strength to resting in God's Grace. It's not about what we do for God but what God does in and through us. We didn’t create ourselves, and we cannot save ourselves. WE NEED A SAVIOR WHO KNOWS US and can SAVE US.

"For by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM." Ephesians 2:8-10

Our purpose and existence are a testament to God's LOVE, MERCY, and POWER. As we surrender all to Him, embracing our weaknesses, we become conduits of His Grace, love, and truth. In HIS DIVINE LOVE, our lives reflect the beauty of the Trinity's work within us, leading us toward a deeper, more profound love for God and one another.

"But he said to me, 'My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that CHRIST’S POWER may rest on me. That is why, for CHRIST’S SAKE, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

It strikes me profoundly how God truly knows our works in His infinite wisdom and boundless love. He's not just a distant observer; He's deeply invested in the nuances of our lives–HE’S WILLING TO BE IN EVERYTHING.

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," Matthew 28:19

The Trinity—God the Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit—work in perfect unity, not just overseeing but engaging with us, understanding our struggles, our joys, and the endeavors we undertake in Jesus’ name.

"So we have come TO KNOW AND TO BELIEVE THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS FOR US. GOD IS LOVE, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is LOVE IS PERFECTED WITH US, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because AS HE IS SO ALSO ARE WE in this world." 1 John 4:16-17

This understanding brings us to the heart of Grace. It's a reminder that ALL our efforts, while flawed, are seen and known by God. He doesn't expect us to navigate this journey alone; instead, He offers His strength, wisdom, and guidance through the Holy Spirit. It's a beautiful, divine partnership where our works become intertwined with His will, leading us by righteousness, not by our merit but by His Grace. This Grace is the cornerstone of our faith, the assurance that we're never alone and that our actions, rooted in love and faith, resonate with God's eternal plan.

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s Grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:10-11

And so, in this divine dialogue, we're reminded of the call to live a life that mirrors the love and Grace of Jesus Christ. Our works, whether acts of kindness, perseverance in faith, or the humble acknowledgment of our need for God's Grace, are all known to Him.

Needing Grace isn't a cause for fear but a reason for hope. It's a call to live authentically, to serve with humility, and to love deeply, knowing that our lives are a testament to the Grace we've received. God is with us in every challenge and triumph, instructing, loving, and using our lives to reflect His glory.

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find Grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16

God our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit (THE TRINITY) possess omniscience, which is the ability to know everything—past, present, and future—including all beings' thoughts, hearts, and actions.

"Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I get up; You understand my thought from far away. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, Lord, You know it all." Psalms 139:1-4

This divine attribute explains how the Trinity knows us better than we know ourselves and HOW JESUS KNOWS OUR WORKS AS IF THEY ARE HIS (and, fyi… we are His works). Nothing escapes the knowledge of the TRINITY.

"But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people, and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind." John 2:24-25

Jesus, being fully God and fully man, shares in the DIVINE NATURE of God the Father, which includes omniscience. Jesus has shared His full life with us and wants to work His works in and through us, including His full DIVINE NATURE. The Bible highlights Jesus' awareness of OUR thoughts, actions, and needs even before we express them.

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you." John 14:26

Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would teach and remind believers of everything He had said. The Spirit's work involves convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, which implies an intimate knowledge of human hearts and actions.

"And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment:" John 16:8

How God and the Holy Spirit Know Our Every Thought

The Psalms frequently acknowledge God's all-encompassing knowledge. Psalm 139:1-4 says, "O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar... Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether." This passage reflects God's infinite knowledge of our thoughts and actions.

"Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16

The Holy Spirit, being God, is also omniscient. He dwells within us and searches everything, even the depths of God. This indwelling presence means He intimately knows our thoughts and our heart's intentions.

"For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God." 1 Corinthians 2:10-11

As our Creator, God has an intimate knowledge of His creation. Jeremiah 1:5 illustrates this, where God says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..." This demonstrates God's intimate knowledge of us even before our birth.

"I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, To give to each person according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds." Jeremiah 17:10

Scripture tells us that God tests the heart and is acquainted with all our ways. He knows our motives, desires, and inclinations better than we do ourselves, often revealing truths about our own hearts that we may not be aware of or willing to admit.

"But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."
1 Corinthians 2:14

The natural person does not fully understand the things of the Spirit of God. Our self-knowledge is limited and flawed by sin, whereas God's knowledge is perfect and complete. He sees beyond our self-deceptions and justifications, understanding us in ways we cannot fully understand ourselves.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31 (ESV)

God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit's knowledge of us is comprehensive and all-encompassing. It encompasses every moment of our lives, every thought, every action, and the deepest recesses of our hearts. This divine omniscience is a testament to God's immeasurable love for us—He knows us entirely yet still loves us unconditionally. It calls for humility, trust, and openness in our relationship with Him, knowing that God fully knows and deeply loves us.

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you." Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 (ESV)

Jesus knows us, and He knows our works because we are HIS WORKS. With Jesus, nothing is missed. He knows our works; He knows everything. He knows our hearts and our minds. Jesus has PLANS TOO. Jesus plans to do the Father’s work of LOVE IN US.

"And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." Romans 8:27 (ESV)

Through LOVE, Jesus confronts all unbelief, doubt, and lack. Jesus is destroying the works of the devil through Grace. Jesus and His love are leading us all to repentance. His Holy Spirit leads us to humility, love, purity, life, obedience, and complete dependence upon God for everything.

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV)

Jesus knows our works, He knows our hearts, He knows our minds, and He is conforming us and transforming us into His image of Love. His love leads me to repentance. I repent for leaving my first love.

"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)

God knows everything about us, and I mean literally everything. The message conveyed by God to the church today is a comprehensive blueprint for faithful living and spiritual endurance that applies to all believers TODAY and FOREVER.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)

The empowered message to the church emphasizes the importance of remaining steadfast in the faith, maintaining purity of doctrine and practice, and persisting in the love of God and His GOOD WORKS. According to the Bible, all believers and all churches are called by God to allow His Spirit to work within them, which pleases God and brings glory to His name through the Son of God and His Bride, His Body and His Church on Earth.

“To the angel of THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: ‘I KNOW YOUR WORKS and your labor and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have put those who call themselves apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured on account of My name, and have not become weary. BUT I HAVE THIS AGAINST YOU, THAT YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and REPENT, and DO THE WORKS YOU DID AT FIRST; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—UNLESS YOU REPENT. But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’ " Revelation 2:1-7

We are ALL CALLED to Maintain our First Love, Jesus

We are called and equipped to prioritize our relationship with God above all, recalling the zeal and devotion of our early faith and asking for the daily Grace to maintain our first love, Jesus.

"And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" Matthew 22:37-39

We are called to ask the Holy Spirit to lead us into daily acts of love and service that reflect Jesus’ love for God and His children.

“And to the angel of THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:‘I KNOW YOUR TRIBULATIONS AND YOUR POVERTY (but you are rich), and the slander by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. DO NOT FEAR what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that YOU WILL BE TESTED, and YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION FOR TEN DAYS. BE FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH, and I will give you the crown of life. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes WILL NOT BE HURT BY THE SECOND DEATH.’ " Revelation 2:8-11

We are ALL CALLED to REPENT. We receive the calling so that God can TRANSFORM US from the inside out by HIS POWER working through us. We are instructed to regularly examine our actions and beliefs, asking God to, by Grace, reveal and remove all errors, false teachings, and sinful behaviors–DEEP SCRUB.

"Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5

Ask God to give you His heart of Grace to repent and align your life more closely with God's will. Let God do His work in you and through you, by Grace.

“And to the angel of THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: ‘I KNOW WHERE YOU DWELL, where Satan’s throne is; and YOU HOLD FIRMLY TO MY NAME, AND DID NOT DENY MY FAITH EVEN IN THE DAYS OF ANTIPAS, MY WITNESS, MY FAITHFUL ONE, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. BUT I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST YOU, because you have some there WHO HOLD THE TEACHING OF BALAAM, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. So you too, have some who in the same way HOLD TO THE TEACHING OF THE NICOLAITANS. THEREFORE REPENT; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will wage war against them with the sword of My mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. TO THE ONE WHO OVERCOMES, I WILL GIVE some of the HIDDEN MANNA, and I WILL GIVE HIM A WHITE STONE, and A NEW NAME WRITTEN ON THE STONE which no one knows except the one WHO RECEIVES IT’ " Revelation 2:11-17

We are CALLED and EQUIPPED to endure all trials and tribulations FAITHFULLY. Grace empowers us to face persecutions, trials, and tribulations with courage, knowing that they test and strengthen HIS FAITH IN US.

"But the fruit of THE SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

Ask God to grant you His strength and power to remain faithful unto death, fully assured that the second death will not harm you.

“And to the angel of THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and feet like burnished bronze, says this: ‘I KNOW YOUR WORKS, and your love and faith, and service and perseverance, and that YOUR WORKS OF LATE ARE GREATER THAN AT FIRST. BUT I HAVE THIS AGAINST YOU, THAT YOU TOLERATE THE WOMAN JEZEBEL, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I GAVE HER time to REPENT, and she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, UNLESS THEY REPENT OF HER DEEDS. And I will kill her children with plague, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; I WILL GIVE TO EACH ONE OF YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR WORKS. But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, WHO DO NOT HOLD THIS TEACHING, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. Nevertheless WHAT YOU HAVE, HOLD FIRMLY UNTIL I COME. THE ONE WHO OVERCOMES, AND THE ONE WHO KEEPS MY WORKS UNTIL THE END, I WILL GIVE HIM AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are shattered, AS I ALSO HAVE RECEIVED authority from My Father; and I WILL GIVE HIM THE MORNING STAR. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ " Revelations 2:18-29

We are CALLED and EQUIPPED to REJECT ALL FALSE TEACHINGS. Grace gives us the strength and power to stand firm against deceptive doctrines and practices that might compromise our faith. We have been given the Grace to recognize and reject the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans and not tolerate immoral influences within the church.

“To the angel of THE CHURCH IN SARDIS write: He who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I KNOW YOUR WORKS, that you have a name that you are alive, and YET YOU ARE DEAD. Be constantly alert, and STRENGTHEN THE THINGS THAT REMAIN, which were ABOUT TO DIE; FOR I HAVE NOT FOUND YOUR WORKS COMPLETE IN THE SIGHT OF MY GOD. So remember what you HAVE RECEIVED AND HEARD; and keep it, AND REPENT. Then if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they WILL WALK WITH ME IN WHITE, FOR THEY ARE WORTHY. The one WHO OVERCOMES will be clothed the same way, IN WHITE GARMENTS; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I WILL CONFESS HIS NAME BEFORE MY FATHER AND HIS ANGELS. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ " Revelations 3:1-6

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