Ephesians 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called,

As members of the Body of Christ (the church) we should rejoice. God has established spiritual and doctrinal truths about who we are in Jesus. We can remind ourselves of those truths with a quick reading of Ephesians 1, 2, and 3. Now Christians are being called to live according to those truths. The word here says to live according to our calling. And our calling is simply this: to be separated from the world and joined together with God through Jesus. God seems to be saying through Paul, “You are my Children. Start acting like it.

God is to be glorified in the church. Our Lives, both as individuals and corporately as a church, are testimonies of our God and Savior to the rest of the world. According to verse 2, “all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” is what the world is supposed to see.

I want to do this more. I want to do this better. I want to be a better Christian in the workplace, in the mission field, in church. I want to have a better prayer life. I want to react to my struggles better. I want people to see God working in and through my life. I want people to see the same things in my church. I want the world to see the hope of our calling in a way that they will want it too.

That’s how God is glorified in the church.

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For the longest time I’ve been focused so squarely on what a rough year 2020 has been. Volcanos, COVID-19, catastrophic weather, political strife, personal problems, the list seems endless. This is the first full year since 2015 I’ve spent away from The Philippines. This is also the first full year I’ve been out of full time ministry and in secular employment. I can’t say I have withstood the changes and the storms of life very well this year. To be perfectly honest, I don’t much like the person I see in the mirror nowadays.

My most recent studies and messages have come from Ephesians, and the last passages of Chapter 3, leading into chapters 4 and 5 are about being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ so that we are able to know and understand the riches we have in Christ in a higher, ever increasing way. Having this knowledge and understanding should compel us to actually live as children of light in a higher, ever increasing way.

I’ve failed miserably at that this year, because I’ve been focused on my problems and frustrations instead of on “Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think”. Does any of this sound familiar, or am I the only one?

BUT while I’ve been busy complaining, feeling sorry for myself, and letting my frustrations affect others around me (especially at work), God has been working out His plan. My employment here has equipped me to be a better giver and supporter of the mission. God has encouraged other individuals and churches to continue in their faithful support too. The result is that we’ve been there to help in the calamities associated with volcanos, typhoons and COVID through the ministries we’re connected to in the Philippines over the past year. Those ministries – 5 churches spread over 4 provinces – have remained faithful to their calling of spreading the gospel in spite of their troubles. It’s amazing to me that, even in the face of all these things, more than 40 have been saved this year, and almost half as many have been baptized. Here in the US, we’ve been blessed to lead 2 weekly bible studies. We’re teaching in 2 different churches, and we’ve managed to help several individuals and families through their own personal and financial struggles along the way.

On top of all that, I am blessed in so many ways. My blessings are far greater than my problems because God is greater than my problems.

So my personal commitment is to end 2020 in thanksgiving and praising my God and Savior for His faithfulness, His mercy, and His grace. I want to move into 2021 with a better prayer life. I want to understand the breadth, length, depth, and height, and to better know the love of Christ, and more effectively experience the fullness of God. I want to walk worthy of my calling. Ephesians chapter 5 says we are light. Jesus said we are the light of the world. I want to live like it, not for myself, but for Him because He saved me and He uses me according to His purpose – even when I can’t see it.

Thanks and blessings to everyone who prays for and supports this mission.

Once again, it’s been way too long since I posted an update. I thought it would be nice to use the notes from one of Mona’s recent studies. She sent this to me a couple of days ago.

Summary: According to scripture, we cannot do good works in order to become God’s children in Christ. It’s not how salvation operates. We’re saved by Grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Instead, we do good works (because) we are God’s children. Faith is belief with obedience. Works are the evidence or proof of our faith. We will become discouraged – it’s a fact. But we should never quit because, according to scripture, Our labor is not in vain. Here’s how Mona says it:

Ephesians 2:8-10 Read 
We can see 3 things * we can’t saved by good worksIt is clear in (v-9 ) it is not by good works why we were saved…  many people calling themselves Christians bcoz they are good people, and they’re doing good works, so they will become children of God – Titus 3:5-6 read
* we are saved by grace thru faith in Jesus alone, the salvation and eternal life is the GIFT of God,, so there is nothing we can do for ourself to be saved..its clear it’s a GIFT from God, no one is good apart from his grace 
* God has a reason for us that’s why He saved us, not only He saved us because He loves us also he has planned for us, so we can do the good works thru Jesus Christ.  Now A.We can understand that, we don’t do good works to be save or to accept us to become a children of God. We do good works bcoz we are saved already and we are his children already ,thru in Christ. 
B. Our good works are the fruit of our salvation in Christ and proof of our FAITH in Him.. James 2:18-20
***The true saved person should have a proof,through Faith with Works which is call the FRUIT Faith = Belief with obedience
……if you will read the whole chapter of this James about faith, you can see the faith with works and faith without works. 
There’s so much list of good works in the Bible But let’ us read the Colossians 3:5-6–after read then make explanation.
As we live in Christ now lets keep our mind and heart on things that are in heaven …and not on these things according in Colossians also
Now… Let’s back to our previous lesson according in Ephesians.
God did not saved us only because he loves us, also he created us thru Christ so we can do the good works which he has planned for us to do.. Individually should be fruit ,By sharing the gospel , making Bible study ,making disciples,and church services means to tell the good news about salvation. This is the command of Jesus.
Which is a proof and fruit of the good works of being saved in Christ and faith in Him.. These are also a purpose and planned by our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Remember last time we been talked about Faith from the letter of Paul..as long as your faith in God is continued ,you always saved no matter what.. 
But sometimes life is so hard and rough. There’s always struggle everydays pass as we walk in him.
Most of the time we want to quit.. Especially when there’s no results or fruit in our works to God ..It gets frustrated, and tired..yes we are saved and fruitful from the salvation ..but one of the proof of the good works is to share his gospel to others.. 
But ..most of the time this how we feel..because it seems no fruit… 
**Sometimes we don’t see people continued, since from the time they were get saved. 
**sometimes we cnt see other believers, especially the youth are learning from the teaching or Bible studies..
**sometimes the attendance is low or small no matter how we work 
Sometimes the PTr is not strong to support you or encourage you. 
Or seems useless to live your life in in a good way. 
Read the 1 Corinthians 15:58 YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD. 
So don’t quit,, yes we all want to see our fruits but the fruit is for God to give in his own time. 
Just keep planting the seeds of the gospel to the Lost ones.. Keep sharing and make disciples. If someone doesn’t respond or not pay attention to your teaching it’s not our responsibility to force them.. Let God work in them.
By Sharing and teaching are the fruits of the good works in Christ and his purpose for us to do, why he created us.
Last read— 1Peter 1:3-9
 these how the salvation working in us which is the purpose of our FAITH in God.. 
No matter how hard  life here on earth, as we waiting for the Lord,, through the trials and sufferings or any circumstances ,
remember ,these are the fruits of our salvation we have received in Christ because of our faith in him.. So keep serving because 
Our Labour is not in vain in the Lord.