A Rewards Program That is Out of This World

   

 At this time of year, many businesses as well as credit card companies offer a reward system for buying things.  While it can be an incentive for a purchase, it also can lead to a free meal or movie when the points accumulate.  Choosing to spend our money with care using the rewards can make a lot of sense especially at Christmas.

     Did we ever consider that God also has a reward system?  Jesus spoke about this in "The Sermon on the Mount" when He discussed loyalty in serving Him.  In Matthew 5:12 he tells us "to rejoice...for great is your reward in heaven" when we suffer persecution for His sake.  At the time of our difficulty it does not seem to us to be pleasant, but God sees our heart.  For those who remain faithful, they will receive a reward in heaven.

     Contrast this type of attitude with that of the Pharisees.  They had a pious habit of giving, praying in public, fasting so all would know it and giving their alms that men may see them.  Their pride of life betrayed the fact that they were merely going through the motions.  Jesus called them whitewashed  sepulchers (graves) that looked good on the outside but were full of dead men's bones (Matthew 23:27).  These leaders ought to have know better since they studied the Word and tried to carefully observe the Law.  Yet, going through rituals, following laws, praying and doing your good deeds in public does not earn us salvation.  Only regeneration by the Holy Spirit can awaken our hearts and make us ready to hear truth.

     Jesus pointed out that we are to do our good works in private to be known by God.  He said, "your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly" (Matthew 6:4,6,18).  When we serve our Lord Jesus out of gratitude for what He did for us, we have a right heart motive.  We will find that faithfulness does not create any lack in our lives regardless of the cost to us.

     Keep in mind that we do not serve Jesus just for rewards.  Nor do our good deeds make us any more saved.  God has done it all for us.  Loyalty and good deeds, rather, are to be done as an act of worship that exemplifies our thankfulness for His sacrifice.  In return, Jesus delights to encourage us with the peace of knowing that His rewards will outweigh whatever we have given up for Him.

     This Christmas let us live for Jesus regardless of the cost to us.  As we give ourselves away to serve others in humility and love, we will find a joy like no other.  His rewards last forever but the things of earth will pass away.  Selah!

Oh the Pain of It!

   
     God has many ways to get our attention and today, I got the message loud and clear:  "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it" (I Corinthians 12:26).  My foot is the part that is suffering or so I discovered halfway through our walk today.  For almost two weeks now, my right heel has been sore, but today it is screaming for attention which it will get tomorrow as I go to the podiatrist.  It could be a heel spur or plantar's fasciitis.  No matter what is causing the pain, I can hardly walk and my entire right leg hurts as a result of the heel pain.  So here I sit.  All my plans for cleaning and activity are sidelined out of necessity.  I am reduced to doing what I can while seated.
     When Paul wrote that verse to the Corinthians (above), he was describing the Body of Christ and how each part of that Body has a different task like the human body.  He goes on to describe how the foot cannot exclude itself from the body just because it is not a hand.  Every part of the body needs all the other parts in order to work effectively.  No part of the body can say they have no need of another part.  In verse 24b, Paul writes:  "But God has composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, and that there may be no division in the body, but that all members may have the same care for one another."  To put it another way, no part of the human body can be successfully independent of the other parts.  No "Lone Ranger" body parts.  In Christ you cannot successfully go it alone!   Likewise the entire human body hurts when one part of it is hurting...trust me, I know today!
However, when one part of the body is honored, all the parts rejoice together!
     Paul's whole analogy was written to a church divided.  People fighting with one another over the gifts.  Some claiming to be more spiritual because they had a certain gift that someone else did not have.  We see the same thing in church fellowships today.  People asserting their importance over others either because they hold a position or have a certain gifting from the Lord that others do not enjoy.  Whatever may be the root cause, God desires, as Paul affirms, no division in the Body of Jesus Christ.  We are to esteem others as more important than ourselves.  If one person in our fellowship hurts, God calls us all to be concerned for that person, and if someone is honored, all should rejoice.  There are no favorites in God's economy.  None are more important than the others.
     In Chapter 13 of this Book, Paul tells us the more excellent way we should be treating one another.  He describes what Christian relationship should be when we apply Christ's love to all situations.  Verses 4-8 reads:  "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends.  As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away."  Paul makes it clear that some gifts will pass away, but love is the key to demonstrating God's glory in this lost world.  So why boast in gifts, talents, or position?  That is the world's way of doing things.    Instead, love others.  Defer to them.  Weep with them and rejoice with them.  We are all part of one body in Christ.
     Towards the end of Chapter 13, Paul writes a very significant verse (vs. 11):  "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I gave up childish ways."  Implied here is a call to grow up and think as mature believers when it comes to the fellowship of believers.  Now, in our present time, we do not have the luxury of being children in our speech, thoughts or reasoning.  We live in difficult days.  If we divide the Body because we are filled with pride, we are behaving as an immature believer.  Instead, God is calling us to work together that He may be exalted and lifted up before our hurting world.
     At the present time, my entire body is suffering due to the pain in my foot.  What a practical lesson for me to learn.  My foot is important.  I cannot ignore it or its ability to carry me where I want to go.  Therefore, I have to take care of it.  In the same way, if we have a Christian brother or sister who is hurting, we need to minister to that person.  We need to lift them up so that they may enjoy once again the love of the Lord.  My prayer is not only that my foot will improve and heal, but I am also praying for fellowships all over our world that the love of Christ will prevail in all relationships so that God will receive the glory and Christ will be evident in the Body.  Won't you join me in this prayer as we grow together in the love of Christ?   Selah!

Black Friday Mentality or a Servant's Heart?

     Watching a YouTube video of various scenes around the country where people were waiting for stores to open on "Black Friday" deeply concerned me.  The mobs trampled one another, pushed, shoved and fought over items.  One woman was injured fighting over a toaster.  A toaster mind you!!!!  These people seemed more like ravenous wolves than like shoppers.  What happened to kindness, consideration, common courtesy?  I wish I could say that this only happens one day a year, but our newspapers and the internet are full of tales like this where greed is stirred up and man's sin nature demonstrates itself clearly.
     Unfortunately, this happens in the church as well.  Any time we put our needs ahead of a brother or sister, we can fall into sin.  Scripture teaches us:  "For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned" (Romans 12:3).  Paul is instructing us as believers to have a servant's heart towards those in our fellowship.  Pride is the killer of unity and the destroyer of relationships.  Matthew Henry's commentary on this verse says:  "Pride is a sin in us by nature; we need to be cautioned and armed against it."  He goes on to write:  "Whatever our gifts or situations may be, let us try to employ ourselves humbly, diligently, cheerfully, and in simplicity; not seeking our own credit or profit, but the good of many, for this world and that which is to come." (www.biblehub.com/romans/12-3.htm)
     In fact, the entire chapter 12 of the book of Romans continues to outline our behavior as believers in contrast with that of the world.  At the beginning of this chapter Paul writes:  "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect."  We are to be different and people should notice this in the way in which we treat one another.  In verses
9-18, Paul delineates the marks of a true Christian:  1) Let love be genuine  2) Abhor what is evil and hold on to what is good  3) Love one another with brotherly affection  4) Outdo one another in showing honor  5) Don't be slothful in zeal but be fervent in the spirit, serve the Lord  6) Rejoice in hope  7) Be patient in tribulation  8) Be constant in prayer  9)Contribute to the needs of the saints and show hospitality  10)Bless those who persecute you (and do not curse them)  11) Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep  12) Live in harmony with one another  13) Do not be haughty  14)  Never be wise in your own sight  15) Live peaceably with all so far as it depends on you.  Then, Paul goes on to warn us to not take revenge for any wrong we have received but to allow God to deal with it.  When we avenge ourselves, we only drop to the level of the person who hurt us.  There is no gain in this.  However, God will repay as the Word tells us.
     Now if we read through that list I believe we will see a tremendous difference in how the world deals with relationships and how we as Christians are to deal with one another.  In the world, it is "dog eat dog", "survival of the fittest", "the one with the most toys when he dies wins", but as believers, we are to be different both in our church relationships and in our businesses.
     As we enter into this season of Advent, let us consider how we can think of others more highly than ourselves putting their concerns ahead of ours.  This does not mean that we ignore our concerns, but rather that we take on the character of Christ who came to serve and not be served.  May we look for opportunities to be a blessing thus demonstrating that our talk and walk match when we proclaim that we are a Christian.  In so doing, God will be glorified and those around us will be blessed.  Selah!