TRUSTING GOD for MY REWARD

 

Rewards are compensations people normally expect for work or services they’ve performed. Employees rightfully expect their salaries; sometimes, even people who have done favors expect some type of reward or recognition.

God often followed His commandments with promises of a reward. For instance, He promised the Israelites victory over their enemies, time and time again, if they would obey Him. And He always kept His Word!

God promises to reward faithfulness in all kinds of situations. He does not have to, but He chooses to bless.

●     First and foremost, He promises to reward those who sincerely seek Him (see Hebrews 11:6) and He has.  That reward is the salvation of our souls (see 1 Peter 1:9).

●     He promises to reward us for meeting the needs of our enemies (see Proverbs 25:21-22). Can you identify any need your “enemy” has that you could meet? Then get to work in Jesus’ name!

●     When we fast privately and don’t seek human praise, He promises to reward us (see Matthew 6:18). When you fast or serve God in any way unless there’s a good reason for another person to know, keep it between you and God. “Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3).

●     He will also reward us for being ready for the Lord’s return (see Luke 12:37). Are you looking forward to His return or are you busy chasing worldly things? (see 1 John 2:15-16). When He returns, may He find us diligently working, and eagerly waiting, for Him!

●     There is a reward for serving those who cannot afford to pay us back (see Luke 14:14). Do you remember why you invited couple A but didn't invite couple B, to that get-together? Whatever you do for others, make sure it’s not because they’ll be able to reciprocate the favor. Let’s do for those who cannot do back.

●     There’s a reward for being faithful in whatever we’ve been assigned to do in God’s vineyard—whether we sow, water, or lead a person in prayer for salvation (see 1 Corinthians 3:8). There’s no need to compete in the vineyard; instead, let’s support and encourage each other to fulfill our assignments with joy. How diligent have you been? Are you wishing you had another person’s assignment? Please don’t; your assignment is what God has equipped you for.

●     Christians who are slaves are encouraged to serve their earthly masters with fear, respect, sincerity, and enthusiasm, as serving the Lord. “The Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free” (Ephesians 6:8). How diligent are you on your job? Are you a hard worker only when your boss is around? Work as for God and in addition to your salary, He will reward you.

●     Are you going through persecution—are you being mocked and lied about? Jesus says, “Be happy about it! For a great reward awaits you in heaven” (Matthew 5:12). Heaven is worth a whole lot more than this world can throw at us. So, let’s not fear those who can do nothing else after destroying us; let’s fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell.

●     Do you ever feel your work for God is of no value because you don’t see any fruit? Take heart! The prophet Isaiah had a similar experience; he felt his work was useless, and he had spent up his strength for nothing and to no purpose. However, he comforted himself in the Lord: “I leave it all in the LORD’s hand; I will trust God for my reward” (Isaiah 49:4). God is more interested in our obedience than the results. After all, He makes things happen through our efforts. Our reward will be based more on our obedience and diligence than the results. As the hymn writer says, “Go labor on, spend and be spent, thy joy to do the Master’s will, it is the way the Master went. Should not the servant tread it still? Toil on faint not keep watch and pray, for toil comes rest, for exile home, soon shall thou hear the Master’s voice, the midnight cry—Behold, I come!” 

When the Lord finally assumes His throne and begins to reign, “It will be time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name” (Revelation 11:18). Are you ready for that day? I am looking forward to it; may it be soon!

Being God’s servants, we owe Him allegiance and service without compensation. In fact, He teaches us, “When you obey me you should say, 'We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty'” (Luke 17:10 NLT).

Since out of His love and abundance, He has promised to reward us, we can and should expect the reward with eagerness. God never goes back on His word, so we should never fear that we might be disappointed in the end.

Christian, what promises are you looking forward to seeing fulfilled? What are the associated conditions? Are you being faithful in keeping your end of the agreement? Remember that He fulfills His promises only when we have been faithful.

Being faithful has very little to do with the results or outcomes. God gives the increase in every situation. For instance, our role in soul-winning is not to convict or save souls; that is the work of the Holy Spirit. Our role is to faithfully share the gospel every chance we get, pray for our contacts, encourage them, and leave the results with God. Let’s be diligent, trusting God for our reward. He is faithful!

 

 

GOD HATES PRIDE

 

Pride is defined as inordinate self-esteem or conceit; disdainful behavior or treatment of others. So, pride has at least two facets--being absorbed with self and making sure others know it, and putting others down as to their worth or abilities. We all know someone we could label as proud. How about others labeling you or me that way? The truth is, nobody appreciates proud people; they’re annoying! The proud mostly talk about themselves and their achievements, giving credit to no one else; it’s all about them.

The truth is we have nothing to be proud of, there is no accomplishment or success without God!

What have you accomplished on your own? First and foremost, God put you here and provides for you. You might think you got a good education, a good job, money, a nice family, and on and on. Who do you think enabled you to understand your courses and remember the materials on the examinations? Yes, you put in the effort and the time to study, but without God enabling you, you’d be a failure. Who was behind you getting a job, good health to accomplish all the things for which you take credit? God!

For this reason, pride should be classified as theft--stealing God’s glory!

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was a great king in his day; he was feared by all people. He killed or pardoned, honored or disgraced whomever he wanted (see Daniel 5:19). One day, standing on the flat roof of his palace, he deceived himself, saying, “Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor” (Daniel 4:30). By his OWN power? Think again!

Those deceptive words were still on his lips when judgment was pronounced on him: “You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society … until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses” (Daniel 4:31-32). That judgment was fulfilled that same hour; Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society.

I wonder what would have happened, if, instead of boasting, he had said something like, “Thank You, God, for this beautiful Babylon You have put me in charge of. Help me rule with love, kindness, and respect for the people.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s punishment lasted until he learned that God plays a significant role in man’s accomplishments and successes. God makes all things possible; let’s never forget! At the end of that ordeal, Nebuchadnezzar had learned his lesson and was able to testify: “Now I Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud” (Daniel 4:37).

Nebuchadnezzar’s successor, Belshazzar seemingly learned nothing from his predecessor’s experience (see Daniel 5:22). He arrogantly allowed himself, his guests, wives, and concubines to drink wine from the golden cups the Babylonians had seized from the Temple in Jerusalem. God judged him severely through a message written on the plaster wall of the palace by human fingers, as Belshazzar and his guests watched. Filled with fear, the king sought an interpreter; Daniel was brought in, and he rebuked the king for proudly defying God. The meaning of the message was straightforward—his days were numbered, he had been weighed and did not measure up, and his kingdom would be divided between the Medes and Persians. He was killed that night and the kingdom went to Darius. (see Daniel 5:23-30).

Regarding pride, God says: “I will not endure conceit and pride” (Psalm 101:5); “All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech” (Proverbs 8:13). Let’s be careful. Pride in our achievements and possessions are of the world, and not of the Father (see 1 John 2:16).

Pride comes with great pain and losses, even in today’s world. People don’t always understand the reasons for what happens to them.

We should not gain wisdom from our own experiences alone; we can and should learn from the experiences of others. Let’s learn from these kings; nothing can happen in our lives outside of God’s will. Let’s acknowledge Him for our existence and in all our achievements! 

BY THEIR FRUIT YOU WILL KNOW THEM

 

How would you respond if I told you my tomato plant had some peppers growing on it? You will probably think I’d lost my mind. Your reason for thinking that is simple: every tree or plant is naturally supposed to bear fruit like the original plant. In other words, the fruit you see tells you the kind of plant you’re looking at. In addition, if you see a tree and are not sure what kind it is, give it time; once it starts to bear fruit, you’ll have your answer.

By the same token, one should be able to identify a Christian by their characteristics—the fruit they bear. No one would expect to find fruit where there’s no tree or plant. So, a person has to claim to be a Christian before we should look for Christian characteristics in their life. On the other hand, if we know what Christian characteristics are, we can often tell whether someone is a Christian.

But who is a Christian, and how does one become one, and what fruit is he or she supposed to bear? The answers to all these questions are important because there are many false claims out there; many people claim to be Christians based on something totally different from what the Bible teaches. Below is a list of some of the unbiblical reasons people give. They think they are Christians because:

● They were born Christians.

● They’ve always attended church.

● They sing in the choir.

● A family member is a pastor.

● They are good people.

● They obey the ten commandments.

You have probably heard some of these claims. But sadly, the Bible does not teach that any of these things makes one a Christian. What it teaches is below:

● Each person has to agree with God that they are a sinner: “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standards” (Romans 3:23). Disagreeing with what God says about you won’t change anything; it won’t excuse you from the clearly stated consequence: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6: 23).

● Each person has to repent of (be sorry for) their sins, and ask God for forgiveness through Jesus Christ: “God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood” (Romans 3:25).

● God sends the Holy Spirit into our hearts when we believe as evidence of our oneness with Him (see Ephesians 1:13). When we repent, He adopts us as His children: “God sent him {Jesus} to buy our freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Galatians 4:5-6).

When you accept God’s salvation through Jesus, God calls you a new creation: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). According to the apostle Paul, what counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation (see Galatians 6:15). And because of the transformation that takes place during conversion, the Holy Spirit directs our lives through the Word of God. Our allegiance, interests, and way of life begin to change, and we become more Christ-like, which is the goal: “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ” (Ephesians 5:1).

Becoming Christ-like is where fruit bearing becomes necessary; we should be doing and responding to situations like Jesus would. The way we can succeed in fruit-bearing is to “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind… Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37). If you love God the way you should, you’ll obey Him and that will also result in loving others.

Jesus used the tree and fruit illustration when He warned His disciples about false prophets: “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act… A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit” (Matthew 7:16-18). So, those who claim to be Christians must bear Christ-like fruit by following the Spirit’s leading in all areas of our lives. Likewise, without announcing your faith, people should still be able to notice the difference in your behavior and way of life as compared to the general population.

Do you claim to be a Christian? How are you living? How do people see you? Has anybody ever made a comment about you to this effect, “I thought he or she was a Christian!” This comment is an indication your life is not consistent with what the Bible says. According to the Bible, the kind of fruit the Spirit produces in our lives is “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22). However, we can’t bear fruit on our own: we need to constantly depend on the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Some people claim to be Christians but do not put much effort into being Spirit-led; they continue to live in sin day after day. No matter what claims you make, if there is no evidence of change in your life, there is a problem. Please start all over! The Scriptures make it clear: “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because they are children of God” (1 John 3:9). Also, if sinning does not bother you, there’s a problem, and it means you have not been born into God’s family. Reassess your claim, and remember Jesus told His disciples, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21).

In conclusion, if you do not have a Father/child relationship with God through Jesus, you are not a Christian. If you claim to be a Christian but are not living in obedience to the Word of God, your claim is questionable. But take heart, as long as you are reading this, you still have time to call on Jesus for forgiveness. Please do it soon, preferably today. Time is running out; don’t postpone getting into a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, His Son. And then, let the whole world know Whose you are! 

FEAR NOT-- YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

 

How do you respond when you are overwhelmed, afraid, or uncertain about a situation? Do you panic, cry, pray, call family and friends, or do you do none of the above? I wish, as Christians, we were never afraid, but the truth is we are not immune from fear and worry. If we were, God wouldn’t have to remind us as often as He does not to fear. In addition, He tells us why we shouldn’t fear: “I am with you.” If we were never afraid, we could be tempted to think we have such wisdom, discernment, and resources that we could accomplish every task we set out to accomplish. In short, we could think we were self-sufficient, and therefore, didn’t need God -- or anybody else for that matter. That’s the devil’s strategy: how he succeeded in misleading the first couple, Adam and Eve. He told them they’ll be like God, implying they wouldn’t need God any longer. Problems beyond our abilities are good reminders that we can do nothing without God (see John 15:5).

Let’s look at instances where people of faith could have been afraid but weren’t, or chose to not be. When they wouldn’t bow down to his statue, King Nebuchadnezzar threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into a furnace so hot that even the guys who threw them in, despite being outside it, died from the heat. These three Hebrew guys had decided from the onset they were not going to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, no matter what. They knew God was able to deliver them, but would He? Maybe yes or maybe no. Either way, they were never going to serve or worship the golden statue (see Daniel 3:16-18).

And He did deliver them! In that overly-heated furnace, they did not sustain any injuries, their clothes did not catch on fire, they walked in the fire unbound, and on top of all that, they had company - God was the fourth man in the furnace! (See Daniel 3:24). God reminds us: “When you go through deep waters, I’ll be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God” (Isaiah 43:2-3 NLT).

Fear not, you are not alone!

 

Later in this Old Testament book, Daniel’s contemporaries, out of envy, manipulated King Darius into signing a document that put Daniel’s life in danger. Daniel broke the law that prohibited the people from praying to anyone else except the king (see Daniel 6:4-16). Needless to say, Daniel continued his prayer routine, which was three times a day. His accusers verified it and immediately went to report the incident to the king. The punishment was being thrown into the den of lions. Their hope was that the lions would devour Daniel, getting him out of the way. But that’s not what happened. According to Daniel’s own account, “My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty” (Daniel 6:22 NLT).  

Again, God came to the rescue! Daniel was safe with the lions, and was lifted from the den, alive: “Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted his God” (Daniel 6:23). God further demonstrated that Daniel was not hurt, not because the lions were not hungry, but because He prevented them from hurting him because the same lions, in the same den, had a feast when these wicked men and their families were thrown in at the king’s orders (see Daniel 6:24). 

Fear not, you are not alone!

Once, Jesus was with His disciples in a boat on a lake. He was asleep in the back of the boat when a fierce storm suddenly came up and the boat started filling with water. Naturally, the disciples were afraid; they woke Him up and asked Him, “Don’t you care that we are going to drown?” (Mark 4:38 NLT). Jesus was in the boat! Were they really going to drown? Of course not. Jesus’ response after rebuking the storm was to question the disciples: “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith” (Mark 4:39 NLT)?

Do not fear, you are not alone!

What are your fears and concerns today as you read this? You are not alone; God knows where you are and what’s going on. Turn over your needs to Him. Let’s remind ourselves that God is watching over us 24/7; He wants us to call on Him and to trust Him. 

Fear not, you are not alone!