Approved to Receive a Reward

Greetings in Christ!

Today's scripture comes from 1 Corinthians 3:3-4:21, but because that is such a long passage, I will highlight some verses from that and will hope that some of you can study the whole passage on your own, as it is a good read and timely message.
3:10-15) "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 4:5-6) Therefore, judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, 'Do not go beyond what is written.' Then you will not take pride in one man over against another."

I particularly liked Paul's example of building on a foundation. Firstly, we must be certain that Christ is our foundation; His Word, His commands, His love, His grace and salvation. But from there Paul points out that there is a wide variety of materials used by Christians in which they build their lives and service to Jesus Christ...and not all will receive the same reward, if at all. We can and do at times get caught up in needless activities, in fact, our comfort driven culture assures that. More than that, we often embrace mindsets, behaviors, mentalities and ideas that too, are the equivilant of building with straw! Oh, how our ideas sound so good to our ears and fleshly desires, but they will not stand at the day of the Lord. Worldly knowledge and human reasoning only seeks to "puff one up," or make one arrogant. But as Paul tells us, his service was trademarked by persecution and trials, power and truth, humility and endurance--not pomp and circumstance. If we are sure to build on Christ the Rock, careful to use only worthy materials, we will be approved by the Lord and receive our reward.

~May God richly bless you my beloveds.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Intercessors, Cast Down the Betrayal!

Greetings in the Lord~ Well, a lot has happened since I've written last, but today is not for re-hashing, but to give a word from 3 different scriptures that call us to still pray and fast for our newly re-elected President, Donald Trump. First, from Mark 6:14-28 we read that Herod had John the Baptist killed because his wife, Herodias, ultimately bore a grudge against John.  First, she had him arrested for speaking against their marriage, then later killed at one of Herod's parties, after she seized the opportunity when Herod promised his daughter anything because of her mesmerizing dancing.  Herod himself, actually respected John a great deal, but could not recant his promise in front of his party guests. The second passage is from John 21:18-19, when Jesus gives Simon Peter the prediction of his death.  "I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go.  But when you are old, you will s
Read more

Fill the Cup of Mercy

Greetings in the Lord! Today when the Lord led me to read Lamentations chapter 1, my heart sank. Oh, how hard it is to give a mournful message to a nation that knows neither humility or shame. Selah. I pause here to let the Holy Spirit bring tears to your eyes to weep over the Word of the Lord today, for surely "the Lord loves a contrite and broken heart." V. 6-9 "All the splendor has departed from the Daughter of Zion. Her princes are like deer that find no pasture; in weakness they have fled before the pursurer. In the days of her affliction and wandering Jerusalem remembers all the treasures that were hers in days of old. When her people fell into enemy hands, there was no one to help her. Her enemies looked at her and laughed at her destruction. Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean. All who honor her despise her, for they have seen her ness; she herself groans and turns away. Her filthiness clung to her skirts; she did not consider her future. Her f
Read more

Step Out and Signs Will Follow

Greetings in the Lord! Today's word comes from Mark 2:8-12 & Mark 16:19-20: "Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins..." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they parised God, saying "We have never seen anything like this!" "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." (Mk. 16:19-20.) ~
Read more

Mathematics on Serving Christ

Greetings in the Lord! Today's word comes from John 12:45-26~ "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who s his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." ~Much has been written this year already about the coming of revival to the nations of the earth, including our own, to be sure. Likewise, much has been preached about blessings and prosperity as well, especially in our nation. But once again, the Lord lays upon my heart a message of self-sacrifice and of a more balanced--and certianly less materialstic view--of blessings and prosperity. All week the Lord has been giving me scriptures and words in my private time with Him about the mystery of persecution. The Holy Spirit said, "You are blessed and highly favored when the Lord choses you to suffer for His namesake." Then today I was led to read from Philippian
Read more

Josiah Generation

Greetings in the Lord! Today's word comes from 2 Kings 23:8-25~ "Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the shrines at the gates...He desecrated Topheth, which was in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, so no one could use it to sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech. He removed from the entrance to the temple of the Lord the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun....He pulled down the altars the kings of Judah had erected on the roof near the upper room of Ahaz, and the altars Manasseh had built in the two courts of the temple of the Lord...The king also desecrated the high places that were...built for Ashtoreth the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the vile god of Moab, and for Molech the detestable god of the people of Ammon....The king asked, "What is that tombstone I see?" The men of the city said, "It m
Read more

Our Hope is in You

Greetings in the Lord! Today's word comes to us as a teaching; for if you've been discerning in your spirit that you ought to pray for your country, the word from the Lord today will guide you. It comes from Jeremiah 14:19-22: "Have You rejected Judah completely? Do You despise Zion? Why have You afflicted us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror. O Lord, we acknowledge our wickedness and the guilt of our fathers; we have indeed sinned against You. For the sake of Your Name do not despise us; do not dishonor Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us and do not break it. Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is You, O Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in You, for You are the One who does all this." ~Be blessed and be a blessing.
Read more