Page Four: “Rewards” 7/28/13
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You see, true obedience grows into a pure motivation. God always observes our hearts. He knows both what we do and why we do what we do.
And He cannot let you and I off the hook, so-to-speak. He must judge all that we do with truthfulness. He will judge us righteously. He’ll just us with perfect knowledge of what we did and why we did it. Folks, He knows you. He knows me. And He can only judge us truly by our motivations; by our pure motivations. When you serve others, either in the Church or at home or in business or at school or in your own business; do you even imagine that LORD will “overlook” your impure motives? Folks, God must perfectly judge what we do. So, when it comes to rewards, please do whatever you do for whomever you do it with “singleness of heart.” And singleness of heart means your desire above everything else is to please Him first and foremost. So, rewards? Yes. “We will receive rewards. And our rewards will be based not merely on what we’ve done as much as on “how” we did what we did and “why” we did what we did.” God, as you know, is a God of transparency. You and I are as transparent to the heart and mind of the LORD as clean water in a clean glass. First, the basis and the basics of rewards is found in your obedience. Second, true obedience grows into a pure motivation. Third, whatever you do, do it with a heart of joy. (23) “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; (24) Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” |
You might be one who suffers. But, do you suffer joyfully? You might be one who is being persecuted. But, do you accept the persecution joyfully? You might be the one who has had a hard life and many obstacles to overcome.
Do you think you deserve a break from God for all you’ve have to endure? Forget it. God not only calls you and me to a life a service to others, to a life of suffering, but also to a life of “joy-filled” hearty ministry. Let me say it this way. You are I are saved to serve people. And there are plenty of people who are not easy to serve. Do you suppose that the LORD wants you to only serve those who appreciate and like you? One man puts it this way. “To suffer joylessly is to suffer needlessly. But to suffer with a joyful heart; that is truly blessed suffering. And it is honorable to your LORD.” Here are Paul’s words to the Christians at Colosse when he began this epistle. Colossians 1:9 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (10) That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (11) Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; (12) Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:…” We’ve got far too many Christians who think they need a “break” and far too many who think that don’t have to suffer joyfully when the Bible reminds us of this over and over. |