JESUS THE SAVIOUR

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24 | NIV | God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” Romans 2:6 | NIV | Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 | NIV | Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 | NIV | Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Proverbs 3:3-4 | NIV | His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been fa...

God has already given you the incredible opportunity of knowing the future so that you may be able to invest your life wisely in the light of it. The Scriptures tell us specifically about the things that Christ will reward. As you read, make it your prayer and ambition to go “all in” for these investment opportunities. Here are 10 things Christ promises to reward: 1. Prayer and Fasting But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.…But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:6, 17-18) The first guaranteed winner is prayer and fasting. God desires that his children seek him through faith-filled prayer   and fasting, and he promises to reward those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6). Prayer is one of...

The New Testament writings suggest it is not. For those who faithfully endure persecution, Jesus makes it clear, “Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven” ( Luke 6:23 ). Paul states it plainly, “But each will receive his own reward according to his own labor” ( 1 Corinthians 3:8 ). The author of Hebrews even reminds us that Moses was motivated by rewards, “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward” ( Hebrews 11:26 ). But if rewards are clearly presented as a motivation in the Christian life, why don’t we hear more about rewards in our modern pulpits? I am sure there are many answers to that question, but let me suggest one: we have been convinced that our obedience doesn’t matter . While we are rightly told that only Christ’s obedience can secure our justification and that he has kept the law perfectly for us, our own obedience receives...

America is in a massive rebuilding process. Old structures and systems are toppling, as God is establishing the new. Things can quickly get messy when old structures are being torn down; debris is scattered and what used to be standing is no more. Likewise, I believe the Bride of Christ is also in a season of rebuilding. As we deal with the issues that rise to the surface and allow the Lord to purify our hearts, we will become prepared and ready for the change that God is desiring to bring. Things will look worse in the beginning before they can get better, but the tearing down of the old is vital so that the new foundation can be established. As it has been said, the Lord has chosen Donald Trump to be His wrecking ball. God is going to use this next president to bulldoze a system that will no longer be efficient in this season. The Lord is raising up Trump in this specific hour; He has placed within this man a warrior's spirit that will refuse to fear and be inti...

my marriage was struggling and as a result, I became involved with another woman. The affair cost me five years of my marriage, five years of watching my children grow, and about five years of my life. Thankfully, my wife has chosen to forgive me and we are back together. But what I'd like to know is this: How can I rebuild the relationship with my wife and with my children to what it was before? I appreciate your vulnerability and willingness to share this very difficult issue. First of all, I need to commend your wife for the strength and courage she has demonstrated in forgiving you. Many spouses who have been cheated on are never able to forgive their husband or wife. From your e-mail, it sounds like you are truly repentant and have renewed your commitment to your wife. So you've already taken the first step toward healing. It's also important for you to understand that when a violation like an affair has occurred, it often takes a long time for trust...

Offenses always cause pain; our pride makes us deny it. Some take an attitude, "Who cares? You're insignificant in my life. You can't hurt me!" This insulates us from the acute pain of the moment, but it allows the infectious agent of resentment, like toxic bacteria, to enter our soul where it festers, creating a spiritual disease of bitterness. Such a condition gradually estranges us from others and even from God. Denying pain keeps us from starting on the path to forgiveness. But the degree of pain required in this exercise is bearable. Honestly experiencing it long enough to understand the exact nature of the offense is actually the beginning of healing  MIXED FEELINGS When an offense has occurred, we often need to clearly and carefully sort out responsibilities in a particular incident. As children, we believe the world revolves around us. Although this tendency is strongest in our formative years, it also persists somewhat into adulthood. When...

Let's suppose your marriage has experienced a breach of trust already. The hurt from that experience can cause you to withdraw your heart and decide never to trust again. But don't give up on your spouse. Give him or her a chance to earn your trust so that your marriage can be restored. But remember: There must be more than apologies. To earn your trust, your spouse needs to make some real changes. Maybe the offending spouse needs to join a support group or talk to a mentor. Maybe he or she needs to be more accountable to you and even accept consequences for bad behavior in the future. One couple I counseled experienced a crisis of trust that could have torn their marriage apart. The husband flirted with other women: waitresses, co-workers, even their mutual friends. He thought it was harmless until his wife told him how alone and scared it made her feel. He saw how it was affecting her, and he was a changed man. He told her, "If you see me being inappropria...

Forgiveness is not letting the offender off the hook . We can and should still hold others accountable for their actions or lack of actions. Forgiveness is returning to God the right to take care of justice . By refusing to transfer the right to exact punishment or revenge, we are telling God we don't trust him to take care of matters. Forgiveness is not letting the offense recur again and again . We don't have to tolerate, nor should we keep ourselves open to, lack of respect or any form of abuse. Forgiveness does not mean we have to revert to being the victim . Forgiving is not saying, "What you did was okay, so go ahead and walk all over me." Nor is it playing the martyr, enjoying the performance of forgiving people because it perpetuates our victim role. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciling . We can forgive someone even if we never can get along with him again. Forgiveness is a process, not an event . It might take some time to work through our e...

When you become a believer, a tremendous change in your relationship with God happens. • God adopts you as his child: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God”, 1 John 3:1. • You used to be darkness, but now you are light: “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord”, Ephesians 5:18. • You used to be spiritually dead, but God made you alive. “God… even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ”, Ephesians 2:4,5. • You have become a member of the church, which is the body of Christ: “Now you are the body of Christ”, 1 Corinthians 12:27. • You have received forgiveness for all your sins: “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name”, Acts 10:43. • You are God’s possession with a special position: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession”, 1 Peter 2:9. • You have an eternally secure p...

Forgiveness helps you achieve even your most practical and immediate goals. Perhaps you want a better job, to earn more money, have better relationships, or live in a nicer place. Forgiveness helps you achieve all of these. If you have not forgiven then a part of your inner life energy is trapped in resentment, anger, pain, or suffering of some kind. This trapped life energy will limit you. It it like trying to ride a bicycle with the brakes partly on all the time. It slows you down, frustrates you and makes it difficult to move forward. The choices you make and the things that you believe are possible will all be influenced by the ways you have not forgiven. As you learn to forgive the energy which was going into unhappy thoughts and feelings gets liberated and can flow into creating the life you want rather than limiting you, or creating more suffering. If you do not want to learn to forgive to benefit yourself; then learn to forgive so you can benefit others. As you...