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Rewards

Deeds

by TerryLema

A while back a home in our neighborhood caught fire. Our neighbor and his friend were driving by and saw the flames. They pounded on the door and could hear people inside, but no one would open the door. They finally kicked it in and found a teenager and three young children inside. They were able to get them and their little dog out safely.

The house sat there for quite some time afterwards. We thought they would tear it all down and start over, but apparently much of the house survived the fire. They began reconstruction by clearing out the rubble and determining what was still good and could be left for rebuilding.

In a way that reminds me of what Paul wrote to the Corinthians about our work to build God’s church.

“For no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on that foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become obvious, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward.” [1 Corinthians 3:11-14 HCSB]

The Church Corporate has one foundation, Christ Jesus our Lord. We are to build on that foundation. One day when we gather at the Throne, our works will be judged to determine their quality. Each one of us has a choice of building materials. Eternal ones are represented by gold, silver, costly stones. Temporal ones by wood, hay, straw. Some will stand the test; others will be consumed.

I am sure that our heart’s motivation will be a key component of quality, along with the actual work itself. Rewards will be received by all those whose work survives. We must always look for God’s direction to build His Church His way and for His glory.

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Inheritance

by TerryLema

I received an inheritance once when my aunt died. She and my uncle had no children of their own and were like second parents to my brother and me. It was a blessing for our family at the time. We knew she did it out of love for us.

Our LORD has also promised us what Paul calls “the reward of an inheritance.”

“Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord.” [Colossians 3:23 HCSB]

Paul reminded us that when we do something, we are to do it as if we were doing it for the LORD Himself. Whatever that is … it could be teaching a Sunday School class or doing the dishes. It could be digging a ditch or writing a play.  The keys are “whatever” and doing it “for the LORD and not for men.”

God, in His great mercy and love gives us a down payment on that inheritance now.

 “When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.  He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.” [Ephesians 1:13:15 HCSB]

The marvelous thing about the down payment of our inheritance (the Holy Spirit) is that it is the power of God’s Own Spirit that enables us to do all the “whatever’s … for the LORD and not for men” so that we might receive that “reward of an inheritance from the Lord.”

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Rewards

by TerryLema

My husband has worked outside most of his life. He talks about working on his grandfather’s farm when he was a boy. He joined the Marine Corps after high school (which is pretty much an outdoor activity). Then after the Marines, he went into underground construction. He loves being outside.

After a lifetime outdoors, he really hates being in the house. He constantly wants to get in the car and go … to the store, to a sporting shop, to check this out or check that out somewhere. With the price of gas, those activities are eating into our budget.

So, we made a pact, beginning with just two weekdays spent at home would get a reward of eating out at week’s end. (Eating out is one of his favorite things also, but with inflation … well, you get my drift.)

Recently he stayed home two full weekdays, so I let him pick the place. He had been hearing about a Chinese buffet in our area he wanted to try, so we headed there for our “reward.” It turned out to be the worst Chinese food we ever had. A very disappointing reward.

We will try a different reward-place this week, but that got me thinking about rewards we will receive as Christians.

The Scripture reminds us that there is a reward even just for seeking God.  “Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.” [Hebrews 11:6 HCSB]

We are not in this Christian walk solely for rewards, but just like we love giving gifts to those we love, God out of His great love for His own loves to gift His children with “rewards.”

(More tomorrow)

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“Thank you for … “

by TerryLema

A couple days ago (October 31), I wrote about how God invites us alongside Him to work for His will and His purpose. He does it all, calls us, empowers us, gives us His vision, and then when we accept His invitation to work through us, we get the rewards. God gave me a demonstration of that the other day.

I had a tooth suddenly become sensitive to cold and hot. I called my dentist. He was booked solid, but his associate had an opening. After testing the tooth for sensitivity and taking x-rays, it was determined that I needed a root canal. I started an antibiotic and went back one week later.

The root canal was not all that bad. The dentist is very good, hardly felt anything. I had a delightful dental assistant who tucked a blanket around me and was kind and considerate, funny, and very caring. When the dentist completed the root canal, he patted my shoulder and said, “Thank you for letting me help you!”

I was stunned. After 16 surgeries, numerous procedures, numerous root canals, office visits, infusions, and other such stuff, I have never had a provider thank me for letting him/her help me. I have gotten postcards thanking me for my ‘patronage,” but never thanking me for allowing them to relieve my pain.

In those few simple words, I saw my Savior and LORD. He moves into our lives when we are without hope, without help, without a future. He relieves our pain and gives us life. And in the end, when we stand before Him in glory, He thanks us.

There are rewards in glory, there are even crowns in glory waiting for us. Five of them are mentioned in the New Testament. (The imperishable crown, the crown of rejoicing, the crown of righteousness, the crown of glory, and the crown of life.)

Isn’t it amazing! Our LORD will one day say, “Thank you for letting me help you.”

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My Baby

by TerryLema

Last Sunday as I was praying and waiting to head over to church, I thought about leaving The Way at year’s end and how hard it was to “turn my baby over to someone else.”

As I prayed about what I was feeling, I distinctly heard God say, “It’s not your baby, it’s mine.”

Ah. Yes. It is “His baby.” The only reason there is a church in Middleton, Idaho, is because God ordained it and provided the wisdom and the power to give it life.

In the Book of Revelation, Chapter 4, we are given a peak into the Throne Room of God. John looked around and tried to describe what he was seeing. There were rainbows, fiery torches, thrones, gold crowns, a sea of glass and four beings he can only describe as “living creatures” which worship God day and night.

Whenever these living creature give glory to God the elders cast their crowns before the One seated on the throne.

“Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever,  the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say: “Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.” [4:9-11 HCSB]

Some scholars claim we, the church, are represented in those elders. Whether or not that is accurate, it reminded me that the only way we have any reward, any crowns at all, is because our God shared “His babies” with us. He allowed us to be part of His vision for His church. He provided the encouragement, the power, the wisdom, the desires to work alongside Him. And because we accepted His invitation and allowed Him to use us, we receive rewards and crowns.

Amazing, isn’t it! He does it all and we get crowns.

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