Better Doing Right Than Wrong!

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites. Colossians 3:23-25 NLT

I remember hearing the phrase, "Willing Workers" many years ago since it was an auxiliary at the church we attended. Until this morning, it didn't dawn on me that the name was taken from this passage of scripture. The implication is that if we're going to do anything, we should be willing to do it and not do things out of a false sense of obligation or commitment.

Passion is driven by those who are willing to do what they do and the drive is intrinsic not extrinsic. If we pay attention to those people who are legitimately successful and do a world of good--it is because they are driven by innate passion to do what they do--not because others have pushed them into doing right.

With everything we undertake to do--whether in a church or on a job or in the community as a volunteer, we should be willing to do--whatever it is--and do it as unto The Lord, not people. For we can never please people who are fickle-minded and never know what they really want from others.  
Unfortunately, we live in a society that caters to the fickle-minded and we know this because of all the rapidly changing trends in just about everything, designed to cater to the whims of those who love change more than anything else.

But there is a reason why we should be mindful as to who matters in whatever it is we do. People may reward our efforts with a temporary reward, but the reward we earn from Christ is for all eternity. Jesus is watching everything we do. He knows when others have wronged us and He knows when we have not been as passionate about what we do as we could have been.

What motivates us to do what is right? I would pray that doing right for the sake of doing right would be enough for most, but I know that doesn't happen. Many of us do what we need to do and no more--seeking payment for the minimalism employed by us. However, I also know there are a number of people who go beyond what is asked and do whatever they can in order to do right and get things done.

If no one ever notices or acknowledges the things we do, we should not be concerned. Jesus is watching and nothing a mere human being could ever give us would compare to the reward awaiting us. We are indeed better off doing right than doing wrong because wrong also has its rewards and no matter what our status in life is--when we do wrong, we get compensated for the wrong-doing; a penalty that many cannot endure.

In order not to worry about being penalized for doing wrong, let's do what is right in God's sight and see how He rewards us on this side of heaven and beyond.

Enriched and Waiting!

For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.  Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. I Corinthians 1:5-7 NIV

What does it mean to be enriched in Him? When we are filled with Holy Spirit and He takes up permanent residence in us, we are enriched with knowledge and wisdom from on high and this is God's confirmation--His continual presence with us.

Since Holy Spirit directs our spirit (when we allow Him to do so), we have access to all spiritual gifts--gift of healing, miracles, tongues and interpretation, wisdom, knowledge, discernment, and prophecy, all working according to the dictates of Holy Spirit's directions.

When Paul wrote this letter to those at the church at Corinth, he acknowledged the gifts that worked within them and within the body of Christ, but he also admonished them for abusing and misusing their gifts--some for profit and others to make them superior to the masses. And while they had access to the gifts of the Spirit, they continued in sin, influenced by the idolatry that reigned and held them in bondage.

While some of us have been gifted to do great things for The Lord, can we say that we are using our gifts to His glory or our profit? This is not to say that some natural gifts--gifts that are honed by experience and practice cannot be used for profit--but the spiritual gifts are for the benefit of the Body and if we are misusing those gifts--and some are--we bring no honor and glory to God, but instead condemnation from others when truth is revealed.

The most misused gift--is the gift of prophecy--and we know because we have so many prophelying to the masses in an attempt to bring glory to themselves. How is this manifested? In the horoscopes, astrological chartings, the psychics and seers who lie to people all the time and many believe them. Then we have the "Christian Prophets" who are some of the worst liars on the planets. They don't speak as God speaks to them, but they speak in attempt to appease people and make themselves to be more than they are. They know who they are--and they perpetrate the lie by wearing the title "prophet." A "true prophet" speaks what God says and they have no need to bring attention to themselves. The false prophet exercises no discernment at all because they're too busy trying to make a name for themselves and what they say, seldom manifests.

Although there are those who move ahead of God, there are also those of us who simply wait--and while we wait--we seek God's direction for our lives--exercising the gifts He has given to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not ourselves. When Jesus returns and we are standing before the Judgment Throne, how will we defend ourselves and the use of the gifts He gave us to use?

I've often heard people say, they don't know what gifts they have. I would suggest that all Believers spend time in The Word, understanding how all the spiritual gifts operate and then seeking God for understanding of the gifts He has given to all. When we ask of Him, believing all that He is, He will respond and keep our focus on Him and not fame and fortune. Serving Him with sincerity is all He requires of us--having faith in Him alone. Knowing we shall reap the reward of our faith in Him, makes waiting for Him, worthwhile.

Faithful Servants!

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?" It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. Matthew 24:45-47 NIV

In this day and age most people would cringe at the thought of anyone thinking they are a servant since we have attached such negative connotations to the word.  But being a servant--a faithful servant--has a positive connotation and many should desire to attain to being one.

Faithful servants are always concerned about doing what is best for all. They go out of their way to make sure the things that need to be done--are never left undone. They organize and plan strategies to make their effort more effective so that even if something unexpected occurs at the last minute, they are able to overcome the obstacle and thrive--maintaining their goal.

A servant is not just a person who is under any legal obligation or bondage to another. A true servant is one who has a heart to serve others--just for the sake of doing for others--not for recognition or reward. In this passage of recorded conversations with Jesus, we see that the one who serves from their heart is rewarded for their faithfulness and they never have to say anything to anyone about what they do. What they do--is evident--for all to see and that is how they obtain their reward.

Since not many understand the virtue of volunteerism in our society, volunteers are hard to find and even when some people volunteer their time--they do so with an agenda in mind. Not all agendas have negative connotations, but when a person does anything simply to receive recognition, they have an agenda that does not necessarily promote the purpose or goal of the entity to which they are volunteering.

We are to do all things, "as unto The Lord," without expecting a great deal of hoopla over what we do. God sees and knows all we do and more importantly, He knows our hearts and our intent.

When I look back at my life, I'd like to think that all I have done--without payment or recognition--is a demonstration of faithful servitude. In the end, on the other side of now, I'm looking for a crown--a crown that only be given by the One who inspires all to do great things. This crown will never wear out or rust or lose its value, but forever be a token of God's recognition for what we have done in the earth.

Lord, help us to seek You in all we do to become faithful servants--mindful that Your reward is truly the only reward we'll ever need. For when we have done what You desire us to do, You give us favor with mankind--here on earth--and not because we seek favor, but because of who You are.

Strengthened by Faithfulness In Our Obedience to God!

"He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the LORD will be broken. The Most High will thunder from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.” (I Samuel 2:9,10 NIV)

Those who are faithful--obedient out of reverence for The Lord--have no need to fear judgment at the end--for The Lord will judge them according to their faithfulness to Him.

At the same time, those who have not acknowledged God and not obeyed Him, will be silenced in the midst of their wickedness and at the end, they shall appear before God, trembling and shaking and rightfully so.

When children are obedient to their parents, they have nothing to fear from their parents, but can look forward to receiving the just reward of their behavior. Obedient children quickly respond to questions parents may have and own up to any mistakes made, accepting responsibility for anything they did that caused a problem.

On the other hand, disobedient children will deliberately do whatever they "feel" like doing, allowing their emotions to rule over them and then they will lie or blame everyone else for the negative things that happen in their lives. When they are caught in a lie, they become defiant, arrogant and unruly. When punishment is meted out, they become resentful and instead of owning up to their behavior, they blame others for the predicament they find themselves in.

Good parents--parents who are observant and know their children--always know which child did what in their absence. They even know that older, more mature children, will often take the blame for younger, immature children to keep them from suffering a punishment. Parents know who did what when they have paid attention to their children and know their personalities--who's mature and who's not. They know, but sometimes they don't say anything and judge according to the information presented to them.

Those older children who take the blame for the things the younger ones, only exacerbate the problem since the younger ones seldom learn to take responsibility for their actions. Then they go through life, never willing to own what they do, but always willing to blame others.

God knows His children--the good and the bad--and His judgment will be based on the works we do out of obedience and since those who are disobedient don't accomplish much (based upon His plans), they will get their just reward from Him.

Don't get weary doing what is right even though it appears that those who never do what's right seem to get ahead of you in life. They haven't gotten ahead and in the end, they'll discover just how are far behind you they really are. Do good and know your reward is secure because of His love for us and He is faithful to those who are obedient to Him.

How We Do It!

"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land."(Psalm 37:3-5, 7,9 NIV)

There are a number of people who have many questions about a Believer's faith and why or how we do what we do. The answer for those who truly have a relationship with God is in The Word. This particular Psalm is one of my favorites and I recite and meditate on it to remind me how I know my Father determines when I please Him.

First of all, I must trust Him to do all He says He will do. God is not a man that He should lie, so I can place my total confidence in Him, even when I don't understand everything He asks me to do. I just do it. Writing this blog every day is in part out of obedience to Him. I don't know why He wants me to do it, I just do.

Making a conscious decision to allow God to direct our paths is only possible when we trust Him. He created the universe and set all things in motion so I know He has a plan to get me where He wants me to be--I just have to follow Him.

With everything I do, I think about whether or not God will be pleased. Not that I'm perfect, but when I do things that line up with the Word, I can't go wrong. When He is pleased with what I do--by faith, I know He'll give me the desires of my heart because His Word is true. Without faith, it is impossible to please Him.

As impatient as some of us are, we must learn to rest in Him, knowing He never tires or sleeps, but is always keeping watch over us and His plans for us. We must learn to expect the fulfilled promises in His timing, not ours. We simply praise and worship Him, while patiently waiting and when we least expect it--He'll show up and show out! That's how my Daddy does it! Hallelujah!

We acknowledge the evil in the land, know how to identify the spirit behind it, and know how not to be influenced by it, by submitting to God and watching the devil flee. We should never be concerned about the success of those who are duped by Satan, for their success will not last and we'll be standing by watching their fall. We can pray for God's mercy to embrace them and for them to repent, but what they get out of life--is completely up to them. We can either do things God's Way or our way--influenced by an enemy who hates us and God.

I've learned that there is nothing like pleasing God and reaping the rewards for being obedient. That's how we do it--by learning to trust and please Him!

Not Like Man!

"God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" (Numbers 23:19 NLT)

If God is not a man, why do we--human beings--attempt to give Him the attributes of mankind instead of understanding Him as a Spirit being--not needing us or anything He created? He is a Sovereign Being--self-sustaining--was here before anything else was and will be after everything is gone. He is the creator of all things and without Him, nothing, absolutely nothing was ever created.

Whether we believe this or not is irrelevant--especially since theorists are still trying to prove their theories--but here we are and at some point in time--we must simply realize that there are things that are beyond our understanding and defy our limited logic in attempts to explain them.

Having said all of that--God has no need to lie.  Why would He? Think about why people lie. They lie to gain confidence over others or to undermine others, to gain control over others or to escape punishment from those in authority over them. Who has any authority over Him? He is The Authority whether we accept Him as authority over our lives or not!

God is not human, but He understands His human creation well and has created us in His image--fully capable of love, but many are influenced by the evil one and their hearts have rejected Love and are full of hate.

God does not change His mind! What He has established remains true, but we have often misinterpreted His intent to fulfill our own desires and lusts. Once we understand His intent for mankind, we have a better understanding of His written Word and The Revealed Word that comes with relationship with Him. Like the human kings who seal "their decrees" with a ring and wax, God seals His decrees in our hearts with Holy Spirit.

If we look closely at the history of mankind and all of the current events, we can see that God keeps His promises--no matter what those promise are--they do come pass and we either reap the reward or the consequence clearly stated in His Word.

God will not tolerate people mocking His Word forever. As He has done in the past, He will do again--all those things He promises for either our obedience or disobedience. We only have to look at the state the world is in today to know--that He is not playing with us. So, why are we flagrantly disobedient to Him? Do we think we know more or can do more than He can? How foolish are we to think we can openly and rebelliously defy God and not suffer the consequences of our actions?

Woe unto us who know to do better, but choose to succumb to the dictates of man, rather than obey God!

Father, in the name of Jesus, help us to understand Alpha and Omega and cut away anything in our hearts, not like You so we may glorify You in everything we do and say. Spiritually, deafen our ears and blind our eyes to those thing that are not of You and keep our tongues from saying anything that is rebellious towards You. Amen!

Just In Case You Forgot!

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever." (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 NLT)

We all feel a certain sadness at the loss of a loved one; especially when they have died at the hands of the unbelieving for no particular reason--other than hatred. Remember this--they are not lost to us forever. When Jesus returns (and He will), those believers who have gone before His return shall rise from their graves and we who still believe, shall rise with them in the air and remain with The Lord forever! Hallelujah!  Glory to our God! Man may stop our blood from flowing earth in the earth realm for a season, but our God, who never lies and is faithful to His Word, shall give us a glorified body, filled with His living Spirit and we shall live and reign with Him for all eternity!

No, all is not lost! God will repay all those who have rejected Him, scorned His Word, and killed the body of those who profess their belief in Him.  No, there is no reward in heaven for those who are bloodthirsty, lawless, and full of hate. There is a consequence for those who defy God and it is not a consequence anyone will be able to bear.  God has promised that "all" will receive the appropriate consequence for everything they have done--every act committed--and for many--it will be too late for them to change their minds.

Hell awaits those who will join the devil--the evil one--in the lake of fire which will burn for all eternity. Nothing, by any means shall deter our God from keeping His promises and we who know--can comfort and encourage the hearts of other believers to not be dismayed with current events, but rather look forward to His return.

So, just in case you forgot--remember these words--He will return and all believers will be with Him, forever!

What Will You Get?

"Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites." (Colossians 3:24,25 NLT)

If we would just remember that there is a consequence--good or bad, positive or negative--for everything we do, many of us would make better decisions and be prepared for what we get in life--good or bad.

We cannot expect "rewards" for doing things that will generate negative or bad results any  more than a child should expect a reward for bad disobedience or negative behavior. But some do--they think--they can do whatever their flesh dictates and still receive blessings from God. They have forgotten (if they ever knew) what God expects from us and or even that there is a "reaction for every action" and the reaction is not always pleasant.

How do we know? People choose to settle differences of opinions with guns instead of discussion. People choose to engage in drug and alcohol addictions instead of dealing with the issues they face--hoping to hide from them. People engage in dangerous and unhealthy sexual activity that leads to increases in sexually transmitted diseases and death. People choose to do all those things that are ungodly and yet expect positive results.

When we look at our society, what do we really see? A generation of people who just want what they want and never consider the consequences of their actions--for themselves or others. We have lawmakers who create laws that lead to more foolishness because they're more concerned with gaining the support of voters rather than creating laws that protect all citizens. Legalizing the use of marijuana will only lead to more problems as we have already seen--just the beginning--not the end of the tragedies that will result. Legalizing the sale of fireworks better left in the hands of experts lead to tragic results every year and yet--lawmakers are more concerned with the tax dollars paid on the sale rather than the lives that are endangered. What will their end be?

God is not mocked and He knows the heart and motive of every decision made my lawmakers that contradict His Word--laws made under the influence of the evil one--who hates God and all God has created. The lawmakers have been blinded by "political correctness, popular opinion, and greed" and the laws they legislate are not for the good of all people, but only a handful--of special interest groups. Those same groups--will lead nations straight to the pits of hell with their desire to appease flesh and not God.

If we obey God in all things--loving one another and therefore rendering ourselves incapable of committing acts of sin against one another--we have an inheritance that we can expect as our reward.

If we do not obey God and continue to do whatever we want or whatever our flesh craves--we will also receive that reward--for disobedience and we will have only ourselves to blame--because we chose to ignore God.

What will you get?

What Will Your Reward Be?

"For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done" (Matthew 16:27 NIV).

Most people like getting rewarded for doing good things, accomplishing goals, or just for being recognized for any achievement--Olympians, Athletes, Actors, Singers, Dancers, everyone.

Children like getting rewards for good behavior; students like getting rewards for good grades, attendance, and other accomplishments--especially extra curricular activities. Employees like getting rewards for a job well done. Businesses like getting rewards for providing great products and services. Consumers even like getting rewards where they frequently patronize a business. I love my rewards cards. Rewards--are a great thing to get--for doing the right thing.

But when we look at this passage of scripture, we see that "each person" will be rewarded according to what they have done. This reward will not be for those who did good or the right thing, but each person--based upon what they did. Does that mean that a reward can have a negative connotation? It would appear so, since we know that not everyone has reached a place where they have acknowledged Jesus Christ as Savior and they surely have not all lived according to God's Word.

In light of this thought (in line with The Word), think about what your reward might be. Some will receive a variety of crowns for living according to God's Word and doing His will instead of their own thing. Some will receive their mansions. Some will hear, "Well done!" and others--well, only God knows what their reward will be since He has the final say on that day of judgment.

I'm not waiting until then to hope for a reward for living right--I'm living right, now--and thereby assuring my rewards--according to all God has said. This does not mean that I have reached perfection, but it does mean I actually think about what I do before I do and usually, I do what is expected of me. Sometimes, it takes a little longer for me to do it, but eventually, I get it done.

What about you? Are you sure you know what your reward will be? If not, you can be sure by getting into The Word and living a life that's pleasing to God! The rewards on earth and in heaven are worth it! Try it--you'll see! Great is the faithfulness of The Lord to fulfill His promises to all who love and obey Him! Hallelujah!

Needs Supplied!

"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

In this letter to the Church at Philippi, Paul addresses the people, thanking the them for contributing to his well-being.  He lets them know how grateful he is and that their attention to his needs would not go unrewarded by God. In verse 13, he tells them that he has learned to be content in whatever situation he has found himself in--whether full or hungry, having everything he needs or not.  This verse is a great lesson for all of us to learn to be content with what we have and not be "greedy or envious" of others. 

But Paul didn't stop there. There may have been some concern on the part of those who gave who didn't really have the resources to give and now wondered how they would survive. He assures them that every one of their needs would be met by God--no matter how little or how big.  Notice that in this verse--he proclaims all need supplied, not necessarily all wants. There is a distinct difference in having our needs met versus having everything we want.  God never promises that we'll have everything we want because some of the things we want will keep our focus on the things and not Him.  Even when it comes to people--not everyone was meant to be in our lives.  This may be why that person you thought was for you, wasn't. God knows what is best for us and He brings people into our lives that will encourage us to keep our focus on Him, not on things or people.

If you have a need today, know that God is able to supply everything you need because there is no lack in Him. However, remember that God works through people (just as Paul revealed) and sometimes we miss getting needs met because we did not appreciate who God was using to meet the need. Be careful how you treat people; they may be the answer to your prayer.

Father, thank You for supplying our every need. Help us to appreciate the vehicle used in bringing it all to pass no matter who it is or what it is.  Thank You for giving us power to get wealth through the many gifts You have given us. Now help us to use them to Your glory. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen!