Mat 16:24-27 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If
any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life
shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find
it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for
his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory
of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to
his works.
God is a rewarder! He
appreciates sincere efforts on behalf of those who seek Him. Your achievement
may not be something that men will applaud or be interested in emulating but if
by faith you are sincerely seeking His glory in your efforts He is well pleased
and will reward your faithful diligence. He told Abraham “I am thy exceeding
great reward"
Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision,
saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
The Word of God mentions
various reasons for God rewarding someone:
1. HE REWARDS THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM
1. HE REWARDS THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM
A plainer statement is
not found. The diligent seeker after God is rewarded. The favor of God is not
something to be treated lightly and despised
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him.
Isa 55:6-7 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he
is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man
his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon
him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Jer 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will
hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye
shall search for me with all your heart.
Deu 4:29
But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if
thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Psa 19:7-11 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the
testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The
statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the
LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is
clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous
altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than
much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover
by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
2. HE REWARDS THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED AND REVILED BECAUSE OF
THEIR DEVOTION AND DEDICATION TO HIM!
In situations where your personal
relationship to Messiah is odious to others and your declaration of His Great
Name is an offence to their sensibilities, your constancy and faithfulness to
Messiah results in great reward.
Mat 5:11-12 Blessed
are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and
shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my
sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for
great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets
which were before you.
Luk 6:22-23
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from
their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the
Son of man's sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy:
for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their
fathers unto the prophets.
3. HE REWARDS THOSE WHO PRACTICE AND EXEMPLIFY THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF MESSIAH!
It is very easy to love those close
to us and bestow favors on our loved ones. It takes the nature of Messiah to
forgive those who trespass against us, bless those who curse us and do good to
those who hate us. It is more than an outward show and display for public
witness. It should flow from a Christlike heart with the sincerity of Christ in
His pleading for the Father to forgive His tormentors. It is like Stephen who
witnessed a good compelling witness and praying that his murderers be not
charged with the sin of his murder. A witness that moved Saul towards
conversion after meeting with God, not in the Holy Temple at Jerusalem but on
the dusty road to Damascus!
Mat 5:43-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you,
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute
you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which
is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and
sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye
love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the
same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye
more than others? do not even the publicans
so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which
is in heaven is perfect.
Luk
6:31-38 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them
likewise. 32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have
ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if ye do
good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even
the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive,
what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much
again. 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping
for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children
of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not
be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it
shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and
running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye
mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
4. HE REWARDS THOSE WHO DO NOT MAKE A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF THEIR CHARITY OR SHOW OFF THEIR SPIRITUALITY!
Many in these modern
days continuously make a show of their charitable giving on
public media and "boast' of their good deeds. God is not pleased with all
this ostentatious display. It is odious to Him
Mat 6:1-7 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of
them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in
heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms,
do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and
in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They
have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not
thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That
thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall
reward thee openly. 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt
not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.
Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But
thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy
door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in
secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use
not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they
shall be heard for their much speaking.
5. HE REWARDS THOSE WHO ARE HOSPITABLE TOWARD THE TRUE SERVANT OF GOD AND WELCOME, ACCEPT AND RECEIVE THE PERSON AND HIS MESSAGE.
God's servants bearing His News and
Messages are ambassadors and representatives of God. Receiving them means you
are receiving God. Rejecting, ignoring and spurning them is tantamount to
rejecting ignoring and spurning Messiah. That is something we can ill
afford to do for we may well be found endangering our future and eternal
relationship with God!
Mat 10:40-42 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth
me receiveth him that sent me. 41 He that receiveth a
prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that
receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a
righteous man's reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to
drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the
name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Mar
9:41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name,
because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his
reward.
6. HE REWARDS THOSE WHO LABOR IN HIS NAME AND ON HIS BEHALF!
We have been commissioned to bear
witness unto Him and are called to be laborers together with Him. He leads we
follow! He commands we obey! We are here to glorify Him, to exalt His name not
to make a name for ourselves. Our efforts on His behalf should result in people
seeing Him and not us. We are like the curtain pullers on stage. People should
not see us just what we have displayed. Their attention should be drawn to the
Person of Messiah, to the Nature of God, to the Message and not the messenger.
According to our building so shall our reward be!
1Co 3:7-10 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that
watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth
and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward
according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with
God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 10 According to
the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid
the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how
he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:11-15
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus
Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be
made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by
fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a
reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:
but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 9:13-18
Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of
the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the
altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the
gospel should live of the gospel. 15 But I have used none of these
things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me:
for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying
void. 16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of:
for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the
gospel! 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but
if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may
make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the
gospel.
Col 3:23-25 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. 25 But he that
doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no
respect of persons.
1Ti 5:17-18
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they
who labour in the word and doctrine. 18 For the scripture saith,
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is
worthy of his reward.
Heb 10:35-39 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great
recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after
ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For
yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul
shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw
back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
2Jn 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have
wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
Isa 40:10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his
arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work
before him.
Rev 22:12-13
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Isa 62:10-11 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the
people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard
for the people. 11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of
the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh;
behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
1Co 2:9-10 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God
hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them
unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep
things of God.
If God did nothing else for us the
mere fact that He gave His Son is more than enough.
2Co 9:15
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
The Messiah came to earth…a complete
package from the Father…packed with all of heaven’s best and in Him we are
complete! But He gave more. The Holy Ghost came next and has remained with us
to this day empowering us with His dynamic divine enabling and bringing
spectacular gifts with Him!
And to crown it all we live in
anticipation of the day when we are gathered to Him and to eternal rewards. How
can we ever hope to out give God! Surely He deserves our all!
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