Rewards

Congrats!

God wants to reward you.

He says this in Revelation 2:2: “I know how many good things you are doing. I have watched your hard work. . . .” (The Living Bible)

He knows exactly how many good things you’ve done.

Think about it: Every good thing you do is seen by your heavenly Father. And He’s hugging you for it. He’s applauding you.

He’s affirming and encouraging you because of your good deeds.

It’s easy to think no one notices when we go out of our way.

We tend to think no one cares that we took food to a sick friend,

or used a fourth tank of gas to help someone run errands.

But all these things are extremely important to God.

Why are they important?

It’s certainly not good works that saves us.

We’re saved by His grace.

But works are important to God.

In fact, we’re told in James 2:14-17 that good works are an essential ingredient to our faith. “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (English Standard Version).

The apostle James goes on to say, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead” (2:26).

Works alone won’t save us. But pretty soon after we become a Christian, God starts talking to us about getting involved in good works. He wants to use us to help those in and outside of the church.

When my dad passed away Feb. 6, I was immensely encouraged by the good works from people in the Body of Christ. Meals, flowers, phone calls, e-mails, cards and thousands of prayers were given in my behalf—and I am STILL being strengthened by those good works.

Let’s commit to involving ourselves in good works so that Christ Himself can be glorified. And know that He will reward you eternally for those works.

Thoughts?

I’m speaking at the Dallas District Ladies retreat this Friday and Saturday—and at the Church of the Nazarene in McKinney, TX on Sunday morning. I’d love to know your prayers are behind me.