October 09 2025

Thursday October 09

God Is Working In Us

Ephesians 2:10

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Welcome to Pastor's Chat. Today we're looking at Ephesians chapter 2. In verses 1-3, we see how sin works against us and brings us death and destruction and despair. Then we see in verses 4-9 how God works for us. Both these are past tense in the sense that what God does for us has already been accomplished in Christ Jesus. We're seated in the heavenly places. We are now to the praise of His glory. We've been redeemed by His blood. By His grace, we have been saved. That's all been accomplished because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Now, in verse 10, we're talking about what God is present tense doing in us. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (v. 10). We are His workmanship. God is working in us. The Greek word translated workmanship is poiema, from which we derive our English word poem. It means that which is made, a manufactured product. We are God's—someone said it this way—masterpiece. Just as all of creation is God's poem singing His glory and His praise, we are His creation as new creatures in Christ Jesus. We are to the glory and the praise of God the Father. We're His masterpiece. We are His poem. How wonderful is that?

God’s plan and His purpose for us is to be conformed to the image of His son Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). We know that wonderful verse in 2 Corinthians 5:17. “For if any man be in Christ, he's a new creation…”. Oh my friend, that's the position we have in Christ. “God is working in us even now to do His will and His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

God does this great and wonderful work through the ministry and power of His Holy Spirit. Christ finished the work of redemption on the cross. But He rose from the dead, and He returned to heaven. There in heaven He carries on His unfinished work of perfecting His church. You can read about this in Ephesians 4:7-16 and  also in Hebrews 13:20-21. “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” You can't say it better than that.

Christ is equipping us for our walk and for our work here on earth. To do this, He has three special tools. First, we have the Word of God. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, we read these great verses. Paul said, "For this reason, we also thank God without ceasing, because when you receive the word of God, which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God which also effectively works in you who believe." Now, how awesome is that? God uses His Word. When we read it and understand it and meditate on it and feed on it, the Word goes to work in our lives to cleanse us, to nourish us, to lead us, and to guide us in so many ways.

Secondly, as we pray, God uses prayer to connect us to Himself and His great power. Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” As we pray, God's Spirit works in us to release His mighty power and grace.

Finally, God uses suffering. 1 Peter 4:12-14 says it this way: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.” God says this suffering is for the purpose of us being made more like Jesus. It draws us back to the Lord God Himself. Suffering makes us look up to Jesus and makes us depend totally and absolutely upon Him.

Yes, sin might be working against us, but God is working for us and in us today! We are His poem, His masterpiece. I love the way Peter closed his first epistle: “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:10-11).

God bless!