God is Calling You to Partner with Him

There are two great privileges that God has given to man. The first is salvation, which is the privilege to enter into an intimate and eternal relationship with God, to be unified with Him in love. The second greatest privilege is to serve God with good works, which He performs through us as we allow Him to do so. Both of these privileges are a result of God’s grace.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

(Genesis 2:15) Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

(Exodus 23:25) “So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.

(Deuteronomy 10:12-13) “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, {13} “and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?

(Psalms 2:11) Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling.

(Psalms 40:8) I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”

(Isaiah 58:6-11) “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? {7} Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? {8} Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. {9} Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, {10} If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. {11} The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

(Matthew 5:14-16) “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. {15} “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. {16} “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

(Matthew 10:38-42) “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. {39} “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. {40} “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. {41} “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. {42} “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

(Matthew 16:24-27) Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. {25} “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. {26} “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? {27} “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

(Matthew 20:26-28) “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. {27} “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave; {28} “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

(Matthew 25:21) “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

(Matthew 25:31-40) “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. {32} “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. {33} “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. {34} “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: {35} ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; {36} ‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ {37} “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? {38} ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? {39} ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ {40} “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

(John 4:35-36) “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! {36} “And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

(John 5:17) But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

(John 5:36) “But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish; the very works that I do; bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.

(John 6:27-29) “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” {28} Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” {29} Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

(John 9:2-4) And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” {3} Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. {4} “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

(John 10:32) Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

(John 10:37-38) “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; {38} “but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”

(John 14:10-17) “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. {11} “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. {12} “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. {13} “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. {14} “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. {15} “If you love Me, keep My commandments. {16} “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; {17} “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

(1 Corinthians 3:11-15) For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. {12} Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, {13} each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. {14} If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. {15} If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

(1 Corinthians 15:57-58) But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. {58} Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

(2 Corinthians 9:7-9) So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. {8} And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. {9} As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

(Ephesians 2:8-10) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, {9} not of works, lest anyone should boast. {10} For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

(Ephesians 6:7-8) with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, {8} knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

(Colossians 1:9-12) For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; {10} that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; {11} strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; {12} giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

(1 Timothy 3:1) This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.

(1 Timothy 6:17-19) Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. {18} Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, {19} storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

(2 Timothy 2:19-21) Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” {20} But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. {21} Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

(2 Timothy 3:16-17) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, {17} that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

(Titus 1:16) They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

(Titus 2:6-8) Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded, {7} in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, {8} sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.

(Titus 2:11-14) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, {12} teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, {13} looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, {14} who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

(Titus 3:4-8) But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, {5} not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, {6} whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, {7} that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. {8} This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

(Titus 3:14) And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

(Hebrews 10:23-25) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. {24} And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, {25} not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

(Hebrews 12:28) Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

(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, {21} 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.

(James 2:14-24) What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? {15} If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, {16} and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? {17} Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. {18} But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. {19} You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe; and tremble! {20} But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? {21} Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? {22} Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? {23} And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. {24} You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

(James 2:26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

(1 Peter 2:9-12) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; {10} who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. {11} Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, {12} having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

(Revelation 14:12-13) Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. {13} Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

(Revelation 22:12-14) “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. {13} “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” {14} Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.