Tag: Work

Find Your Reward

Seek, seek, and keep seeking. Our reward will be found. We will receive that which we are due.

“27For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.” – Matthew 16:27 (ESV)

Here is the thing. I am sure everyone feels confident that we should be rewarded for the work we do. Well, we will. We will find our reward based on what we are due thanks to the actions we take. But, our reward may not be what we expect.

I first want to be sure and give the following disclaimer, we are not earning anything. We are judged and rewarded based on the work we do. But that work is not to earn our salvation, rather the work is because of our salvation.

“8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

We will be rewarded according to what we have done in this world based on the work that the LORD assigned to us before we were born again into the Family of God. He assigned us work that is revealed to us with our time and study of His word and our gaining of understanding. We don’t do the work to be rewarded, but rather we do the work because we are blessed to call Him LORD.

I would be remiss if I did not speak of the reward gained by not accepting the gift of salvation. Look back to verse 27 from Matthew chapter 16 above. Jesus says that repayment will be according to what is done. That repayment, for those who have not done the work assigned (as they will not know of it without salvation), will be judgment and casting into the lake of fire. Yes, we will all be judged, but those who have accepted salvation and turned to do the will of the LORD will be judged faithful and rewarded with a place in heaven. All others will be judged and cast out.

So, we will find our reward. We will be repaid according to our work that the LORD assigned to us and was revealed at our salvation and study of His Word.

What is your reward? Are you looking for payment of heaven based on the work your doing? What if you were to do the work assigned because of your reward of heaven thanks to the gift of salvation from the LORD?

Free From the Law

We are free from the law. Yes, I said it, we are free from the law.

Now, I am not speaking to the consequences of not obeying the law, I am speaking of freedom from being ruled by it. We are free from the law ruling our movement and actions. We are not paralyzed in work by the need to follow the law.

“3I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.” – Galatians 5:3-4 (ESV)

Yes, if you are adhering to the principle of circumcision then you must adhere to the whole law and are a slave to it. Of course, I am speaking of adhering to the principle for the purpose of adhering to the law and not just for medical or traditional reasoning. Yes, reasoning and the order of actions does matter.

You see, the order in which we do things matter in the display of our freedom. We are justified by faith, not by works. We accept the grace of Jesus Christ and the love of God and as such receive freedom from the law. As we are now free from the law, we do the work assigned by God to glorify Him and not to gain favor with Him. Now that we have been saved, we do through obedience and are not obedient to be saved, lest we are slaves to the law.

How are you slave to the law? Are you following the law as a means to gain freedom? What if you were to do so, not for freedom, but because of it?

Be at Home

Ever wonder where we are to set up shop. Where are we to be all that God would have us be. The answer is where we are. We are to be home working for the LORD.

“4and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” – Titus 2:4-5 (ESV)

This morning I read this passage and wonder what I am I to learn today. The passage is titled in my ESV Bible, “Teach Sound Doctrine” and Paul is writing to Titus to encourage him in his ministry. Paul is indicating here the role of men and women and how they raise Godly men and women. Where there is a lot to the passage, I was led to the “working at home” statement. We are to work at home where we are.

Yes, Paul is speaking to women and their role here, but I was struck by an extension of it to all of us as followers of Christ. Men are to leave their mother and father to become one with their wife. Wives are to follow their husbands and run the home. Husbands and wives are to be together at home working.

In Lori and my life together, we have not always been working at “home” together. I used to travel 2-3 weeks a month and even at one point lived away from the family for about 4 months until they could finish the school year and we could again be together. Those times were hard. We were not always on the same page in our family. It was only when we came back together at “home” that things seemed to settle in and become more consistent. Lori even worked as a teacher for a few years in the town about 20 minutes from us and it was not until she got a job where we lived that things settled in.

I say all of the above to show that in our family, we are best when we are together at “home” where we are. We are to be a family where we are and not separated. The wife should be close to “home” to care for things there. The husband should be “home” more than not. Together the husband and wife should use “home” as their base of operations and teach their children to do the same.

When it comes to our Christian life, we should be at “home” where we are. I have written to the idea of having a church home where you are and I do believe that. We should also do the work of Christ right here where we are first of all. Our church vision is, to see “A gospel movement that reaches every person of the Hill Country and is carried to the ends of the earth.” We start right here at home. In my home I am to be at “home” with my wife and family doing the work of the LORD right here at “home”.

In our world today, it is common and socially encouraged to look for opportunity in far exotic places. To make a splash somewhere out there in the world. But the Bible teaches us to start right here at home. We are to first get our own home in order and expand out from there. We are to “Teach Sound Doctrine” at “home” where we are now and then allow that to be carried from there. We start by teaching our children that doctrine in our home and allowing them to carry it out to their home. That is the expansion we are to be looking for. We are to be and work right here at “home” where we are.

Where are you looking to God’s work? Are you seeking to make a big splash somewhere in the world? What if you were to do the work of the LORD, at “home” right where you are as your starting point?

Aim to Please the LORD at Home

We have a couple of different homes to speak of, and I am not talking of our summer and winter homes. In each of these homes, our task is to please the LORD.

“1For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” – 2 Corinthians 5:1 (ESV)

We have a tent/home here in this world and we have a building/home in heaven. Each of these are of value to us. Here in this world, we have the tent/home that is provided by God for us to live in while we are here. And in heaven we have a building/home that is provided by God for us to live in when we arrive. I am not going to talk to or about the temporary and permanent representations that are a tent and a building, although they are worth looking at for sure.

“6So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,” — 2 Corinthians 5:6 (ESV)

While here in this world, we long for our heavenly home. We see ourselves as naked and away from the LORD. I find myself looking at where I am and knowing that I will be so much better off when I find myself at home with the LORD. I know that this world is temporary and that I have a home with the Father just waiting for me to arrive.

“9So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” – 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (ESV)

But, whether I am here in this world or with the Father in heaven, I am to work to please Him. I am obligated to work for the LORD, as He has provided a home for me. He has provided the tent here in this world and a building in heaven. I am the recipient of the gift and I am accountable to the work I do for Him.

So, whether we are in this world or in heaven, our goal is to please the LORD. It matters not where we are, as our home has been provided by the Him, whether our tent here or building there. We are to aim for pleasing the LORD.

What is your aim in your home? Are you looking out for and pleasing yourself here in this world? What if, knowing that your home is from the LORD, you would aim to please Him as you will be accountable to your work here just as in heaven?

Home with Joy and for Rest and Replenishment

Being out there in the world is hard. It is challenging and tiring and frankly a battle at every turn. We are going to expend ourselves fully in pursuit. We are to be pursuing the Father. We are to be out there doing the work that He has for us in this world. We are to give all that we have in the pursuit of doing His work.

“4Restore our fortunes, O LORD,

like streams in the Negeb!

5Those who sow in tears

shall reap with shouts of joy!

6He who goes out weeping,

bearing the seed for sowing,

shall come home with shouts of joy,

bringing his sheaves with him.”

— Psalm 126:4-6 (ESV)

And what after we have expended all that we are to sow the seeds of the LORD, we come home with joy in our hearts for the work is worth it. We will come home rejoicing at the work and with us we bring the satisfaction of knowing that we have sown the seeds of the LORD where He would have us sow. We come home with joy in our hearts even as we are weary from the work, knowing that the LORD will restore us fully so that we are able to go out the next day and do the same.

“7Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:7-9 (ESV)

It is in the sowing for the LORD that we find joy. We are rewarded with and thanks to that which we sow. If we are out there for ourselves, we will reap yes, but the reward will require more work, without rest or joy. But, when we are out there for the LORD, we have His Word to provide rest and replenishment. We find joy in the work and that joy leads to rest so that we can again make our way out for more work the next day.

Yes, we are to be out there doing the work of the LORD and yes, we will get tired from the work. When we return home after the long day of doing the work for the LORD we will find joy in the work and rest in the Word. When we return home we are to rejoice in the work we accomplished and then get back in the Word of the LORD to find rest and replenishment for the next day’s work for Him.

Our home is not just a place for us to anchor, but a place to find joy. We come home, whether our personal home or church home with joy in our heart and seeking rest and replenishment to go out and continue the work of the LORD and returning home again with joy and seeking rest and replenishment to go out and continue the work of the LORD again.

What are you finding at home? Are you finding more of the same, work to keep up? What if you were to do the work of the LORD in the world and come home with joy in your heart and seeking rest and replenishment from the Word to go out again the following day?

The LORD Consoles the Worry

I have a number of worries in my heart right now. I am having a hard time with some things and I need all the help I can get to deal with them and get through them.

“19When the cares of my heart are many,

your consolations cheer my soul.”

— Psalm 94:19 (ESV)

But, even as I have those worries, I know that the LORD will help me through them. The thing is that I am not aware of when His “consolations will cheer my soul”. God does not let us in on the timeline to His work. Only He knows all of that. I have only to trust that He will take care of things.

It is hard knowing that relief is in the cards, yet not knowing when that relief will come. I can only continue to follow Christ and do that which He has for me in this world. I have to put those “cares” aside to ensure that I am moving forward with the work of the LORD. I am not called to understand all, I am called to go and do and then the LORD will take care of the results that are to be in His plan for things.

When we are working for the LORD, our cares are put aside, being dealt with by the LORD on our behalf. As I sit here this morning studying and writing, I am not thinking of those worries. The LORD is working to guard me against them and keep me focused on Him. The “cares” are still there, they are just minimized in the moment and the longer I stick with the work of God, longer they stay at bay to the point that their hold on my slips away.

And there it is. God’s consolation comes in time as we place ourselves in His hands, doing His work. When I am focused on Him, all else goes away and the relief comes.

What is your approach when worry gets hold of you? Are you paralyzed by the worry and allow it to take you over? What if you were to dig into the work of the LORD and allow Him to console your soul over time by showing you that the worry is just not worth the time and effort you are spending?

All Service From the Heart

How often is it that we take on tasks and just work to complete them without a clear motivation or purpose? I believe this is the case a good amount of the time. The thing is this is not the proper way to approach things according to God’s Word.

“5Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.” – Ephesians 6:5-9 (ESV)

In the above passage we find Paul’s instruction to the church at Ephesus as relates to those serving others and those they are serving. We find that regardless of the position we are in, whether bondservant or master, we are to approach the work from the heart as we would in our service of the LORD.

I have studied this passage a number of times and each time the learning for me is about the service itself and that we are picked for the service where we are and that work is God centered. But this morning I see the work is to be both of those things and yet it comes from the heart. I am to commit to the work for the my LORD and savior as well as my earthly master in the same way, from the heart and fully devout to that work. Even as the earthly master, we are to commit the work from the heart and for the glory of the LORD and not for our own reward.

I think that too often we look at “work” in the world as that thing that is to be done, and not really enjoyed, when according to the Word of God, we are to do the work from the heart with the same intensity that we do work for the LORD. We are to devote to the work from our heart regardless of who that work is for in the moment.

I know that when I am focused of doing work, I find that time moves quickly and when I reach the end, there is a sense of satisfaction with the work. All to say that when I am concerned with who assigned the work or what is in it for others and carry animosity for the work, it seems that time stands still and the work never ends.

The approach we should have is one of doing the work from our heart to ultimately bring glory to God. Yes, we do have to engage in actions that positively impact others and less so for ourselves. But, those actions, when conducted from the heart are a gift to others and will be rewarded in heaven as we are recognized as good and faithful servants of the LORD.

Where does your attitude for work come from? Are you doing the work with animosity and anger as others seem to benefit from it? What if you approached the work with love from the heart knowing that your reward is coming in our forever home, heaven?

Judged, It is About the Heart

“5Thus says the LORD:

‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man

and makes flesh his strength,

whose heart turns away from the LORD.’”

“7Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

whose trust is the LORD.”

“10I the LORD search the heart

and test the mind,

to give every man according to his ways,

according to the fruit of his deeds.”

— Jeremiah 17:5, 7, & 10 (ESV)

Whether we are blessed or cursed, it is the LORD who makes that judgment and it comes from His examination of our heart.

I believe that in this world, we want to be judged by the actions that others see. And where actions speak louder than words, it is the condition of the heart that the LORD is looking to. Where are the actions coming from that is judged by the LORD, not the actions results or the idea that the actions are even being done. The LORD is looking to the heart as to where we were and are as relates to those actions.

Action is needed, yes, and we should be taking action to impact the world that is in need. But, that action should be a result of the heart’s condition and not to make a splash for the world to see. Yes, the world may look at you to say you have done a great thing, and we should not discount the impact made on the world. It is the condition of the heart that the LORD is looking to, not the results of the actions you are taking. We may not solve all the problems of the world with our actions from the heart, but we will do the work God has for us to complete and on this we should looked to be judged by Him.

What are you being judged for? Are you looking to do actions that garner attention from the world in hopes that you are looked on favorably? What if you looked more inward at the heart and allowed your heart to drive your actions knowing that the LORD is judging you based on the condition of your heart?

Keep the LORD on Your Heart

When in the work, it is easier to keep the work in focus and we will remain on task. But, when the work is “done” we will find ourselves drifting away from the work and onto/into things that are not of a productive nature.

“4And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” – Joshua 22:4-5 (ESV)

Joshua is advising those that have come to be with and help out their fellow Israelite people that their work is done and they are free to return to their homes and live out their lives. Joshua is indeed thanking the people for their help and advising them that they have done that which God had asked of them. Now they can return home and get back to their own, caring for themselves.

But, Joshua also charges them to keep the LORD on their heart. They are to return home and get back to life, and they are not to forget what they have done and how they have done it. The LORD had given them victory as they had obeyed Him and now they should remain in the LORD and continue to receive victory.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, it is easy to remain on task while doing the work, but when the work slows, we tend to wander off task. Joshua is warning the people of this as he sends them home. He wants them to know that they are free to return home, only not to forget the LORD who provided for them and the victory they achieved.

I have to remember to keep the LORD on my heart at all time. I have to not give in to the distractions of the world. I have to love and serve the LORD, “with all your heart and with all your soul”. It is okay and encouraged to get back to the life that I have been given by the LORD, only I have to remember that He gave it to me. I have to remember Him in all that I am and do.

Where is the LORD in your life? Once you have completed the work, have you drifted off, away from the LORD? What if you were to stay on task with the LORD, remembering Him on your heart as you traverse this life in this world regardless of where you are?

Compassion Even When Worn Out

I want to believe that everyone has compassion for others. Yet, what about when we are worn out and in need of some rest. Well, there is never a time where compassion takes a back seat.

It is natural to want to have some time to rest. In today’s world everything is so fast paced that we all look for that time to relax and not be bothered so that we can just kick our feet up. But, Jesus tells us that rest comes to those who come to Him.

“28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28 (ESV)

Even as we will have rest when we come to Jesus, that does not mean that we will not be tasked with continuing the work. We will be worn out, yet we are to continue the work that He has for us and find rest in the work as it is in the name of Jesus and not just work.

“30The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.” – Mark 6:30-32 (ESV)

In the above verses, there is reference to the work that the apostles had been doing. They had been sent out by Jesus to spread the gospel and they had just returned to Jesus. They were excited and telling of all that they had done. They had worked and worked and worked and had no chance to rest and kick their feet up. Jesus knew this and recognized it and decided to give them a chance to catch their breath. He went with them to a place to do just that, away from the hustle and bustle to recharge the batteries a bit. But, that was not what happened. As they went away, the people followed and went ahead of them to the place they were going to rest.

“33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.” – Mark 6:33-34 (ESV)

Here we find that the rest was not going to come. The apostles were not going to kick their feet up. They were not going to have a chance to breath. Jesus provided the example we all should follow. When there is a need, we are to work to fill that need. In this case, the need was for the gospel and the need was immediate. Even in the face of being worn completely out, Jesus showed the apostles that serving was more important than rest.

We will all have times when we are completely worn out, yet there is no time to shy away from continuing the work of the LORD, spreading the gospel, and serving others. Whenever and wherever we might be we are to have compassion for those in need and know that we will have rest when the work is done. Be the example that Jesus demonstrated for us here, show compassion for others even when we are worn out.

What is your view of when to show compassion? Are you all in when you have the energy and the time? What if you were to follow the example of Jesus and show compassion to others even when you are worn out?