Reward: March 2, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY MARCH 2, 2012.

REWARD

DEFINITION:

A prize for merit, accomplishment or good conduct, to compensate for good.

SCRIPTURE:

Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:4.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

It seems that here in America that everything we do somehow involves us getting rewards in return. You go to some stores and they either give you cash back or points that you can combine with points you already have to get something free.

When you fly on airlines today they ask if you are going to use points. This is because every time you fly with that airline or use their credit card you get points. All of these “gimmicks” are put in place to encourage business. These are all better known as reward programs.

God has a rewards program far better than offered to us here on earth, but most believers seem to show very little interest in His program. Jesus often spoke of His Father’s promise to reward us for loyally serving Him. For example, when we are persecuted for His sake, in other words for taking our stand for our Lord, Jesus tells us to rejoice for great is our reward in heaven (Matthew 5:12).

God wants us to give, pray and fast, not as the Pharisees’ did --- in public for all to see. He wants us to do these things in private, because “Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly in heaven” (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18). We are to do what we do from the heart unto the Lord and not for the praise of men.

We do not serve Jesus for the rewards that we may get for serving Him. When He died on the cross, He did far more for us than we deserve. Loyalty to Him and our service to Him are to be done as an act of worship that expresses our loving gratitude for His love toward us. In return, He delights to encourage us with the assurance that ultimately His rewards will outweigh whatever we have given up for Him.

We need to commit to live for Jesus every moment of every day regardless of the cost and not for the rewards that he will give to us in heaven. However, we are assured that what is done for Christ in this life will be rewarded in our life to come.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14:5-6.

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

PRAYER

Help me to work for You today without being concerned about the good words or rewards that may come my way from the world we live in. Give me the tasks that You want me to accomplish so that You can receive all the honor and glory. Give me a burden to pray for others, witness to others and to help others who are in need all to Your glory.