RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-05-21	God's Promises With Reward
		God created us in such a way that we would be energized through incentives. That is, God uses incentives to help motivate us. As believers our real spiritual motivation is based on the realization that Christ first loved us (1Jn.4:19). 1Jn 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us. Paul in the context of reconciliation, tell us “the love of Christ compels us” to give out the Word of God (2Co.5:14). Jesus tells us how we live our lives now will affect our future. Specifically, He is referring to rewards (Mt.6:20). Mat 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Jesus tells us to seek God's kingdom and His righteousness and the spiritual blessing He describes will be added to you (Mt.6:33). So how we think and act now will impact our future. Allow me to share some promises of God that come with their own rewards. • PRAYING AND FASTING Mat 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Mat 6:17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, Mat 6:18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Prayer is one way we show our reliance on God. It also helps us to grow closer to the Lord. Though we pray secretly (from Man's view) God will “reward you openly”. • HAVING COMPASSION FOR THE VULNERABLE Mat 25:34 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: Mat 25:35 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; Mat 25:36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Mat 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? Mat 25:40 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.' God promises having compassion for those in need will bring blessing from the Father. • LOVING YOUR ENEMIES Luk 6:35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. We will receive a reward for loving the ones who insult us. When we love our enemies we emulate the kind of love God showed toward all us as rebellious unbelievers. God says our reward will be great if we learn to love our enemies. • HOSPITALITY THAT CANNOT BE REPAID Luk 14:12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. Luk 14:13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. Luk 14:14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just." If we focus on hospitality toward those we know will not be able to pay us back, God promises we will be blessed. Notice that the blessing is stated to be when Christ returns for us. So we do not do this and expect blessings now. Christ will remember our actions and will reward accordingly. Now the items above are things we can work toward including into our lives. There is one more, but this one we cannot control, but still results in rewards. • BEING INSULTED FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST Luk 6:22 Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. Luk 6:23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets. When we are persecuted or ridiculed for Christ's name, God promises our reward in heaven will be great. Again notice the reward will be when we are with Christ in heaven. So these are some of the things we can do where God has promised a reward. These may be connected to our relationship to others around us, but they certainly will help us grow in our relationship with the Lord. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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