GET TOGETHER – Don’t Miss the Celebration
1Co 3:8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 1Co 3:13,14 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
This past Sunday I had the great blessing of attending the Induction Ceremony for The Walker County Sports Hall of Fame. There were four individuals that the Lord had allowed me to be connected with either by playing, or coaching with being inducted. It was also a blessing to see some old friends that I have not seen in years. Some were people that I had played against and some were people that I had gone to school with. It was also a great blessing to hear of some of the achievements and accomplishments of some of those who have exceled in athletics since we moved from Walker County in 1996 that were being inducted this past Sunday.
As I sat there during the ceremony I couldn’t help, but think about another day that is coming when awards will be handed out. We can never do enough to earn our way to get to the celebration that I am talking about. Jesus paid the price for us to get there with his death on the cross and by His rising from the dead. We who have put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ to save us from our sins can be assured of that. We are told that in Eph 2:8,9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
But on the other hand, there will be awards given out on that day. We will see faithful Christians who have been martyred for the faith throughout history receive their rewards. We will see grandmothers who had prayer lives that effected third and fourth generations receive their rewards. We will see people like Billy Graham, John Wesley, and others that God has used to snatch souls from Hell and to advance the Kingdom of God upon the earth receive their rewards. We will see people that the majority of us have never heard of come forward and receive their rewards because of their response to the words of our Lord Jesus in Mt 25:34-40 :
“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
As wonderful as earthly rewards can be sometimes, they don’t compare to the eternal rewards that the Lord has in store for those who serve Him faithfully. Jesus spoke about these awards in Mt 6:19,20 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” As believers and followers of Christ no matter what our occupation, or place in life we are called to be a people that lay up treasure in Heaven. This is not for our glory, but for the Glory of God.
It was a real blessing to hear of some of the achievements of those who were being inducted. A couple of times I came close to tears when those that I had a close relationship with accomplishments were read aloud and they stepped forward to the podium to make their acceptance speeches. And then again, I thought about what a glorious day that will be when we see our loved ones again. What a blessing it will be to hear the Lord say to my grandmother you are being rewarded for not giving up on praying for your family when it didn’t look like they would serve Me, when it didn’t smell like they would serve Me, or when it didn’t feel like they would serve Me. What a day that will be!
Let us all examine our hearts in this very crucial time in the Kingdom. Where are you laying up treasure? When your name, or my name is called out will our works have been built on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, or were they for self-promotion, or some other reason? One day our names will be called out there. I pray that like the Apostle Paul that our motives are pure and right. I pray that we keep moving forward in that direction that Paul talked about in Php 3:14” I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
If we do we can look forward to that glorious day when the Master of the greatest celebration of all time and the Giver of eternal rewards will call our name and say as we see in Mt 25:23 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” With that said I leave you with these words that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth 1Co 15:58 ¶ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (NKJV) I hope to see you there.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus we thank You that we do not have to work our way into Heaven. But Lord we also know that there is work to be done here on this earth. Today by the Holy Spirit empower us and impress upon us to do the work that we can see so clearly in the Scriptures that you desire for your servants to be about. Lord we are so looking forward to seeing you and being able to receive the rewards that you have for your children at that great celebration that You have planned for your saints.
In Jesus Name
Amen
On this Veterans Day we are so thank for the Veterans that have served our country. Let us honor them by praying for a Holy Spirit Revival for this nation so that none of their sacrifice will ever be in vain.
Your Friend /Kinfolk
Preston
Real Party Ministry 