HEAVENLY RICHES; THE MOTIVATION FOR GOD’S WORK!! Greetings; I say to you all this beautiful Friday morning! May the blessings of the Almighty God richly dwell in us in Jesus’ name, (Amen). Today we are dwelling on Heavenly riches; the motivation for God’s work! Now, let’s start by asking a question, ‘who is rich?’ I have no doubt that the answer to this seemingly nonsensical but interesting question would come and be viewed from the perspective of money, houses, cars or any other form(s) of material possession, but the fact is that, true riches does not characterize the aforementioned. The world has so much dwell on these things considered riches that many are failing in their work with God. Is it wrong to be rich? The answer is no; but the love for it is evil! “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10 (NLT). In proverbs 11:4, it says “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” According to Mark 8:36, it says; “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeit his soul?” The love for money, material wealth and worldly riches has been our central focus and motivation activating our faiths and mostly preached on the pulpits. But even at that, how many freely bless others even when God keeps speaking to their minds to do so? “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.” 1 Timothy 6:17-18. Rather than celebrating riches, see what the word of God says “remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘who is the Lord?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God” proverbs 30:8-9. Rather than still celebrating riches, see how James 2:5-6 encourages the poor,“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich who oppress you and the ones who drag you into court?” The world of God says in proverbs 14:31 “whoever oppresses a poor man insults his maker, but he who is generous to the needy honours him.” Proverbs 28:27 says, “Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.” The love for riches and wealth generally can stray us away from God and leads us to hell when we make it our central focus! Like the world would say, money answereth all things: Yes! Money may have answers to all things in the world because it is the world’s currency but certainly not Heaven’s. Many of us boast about riches without recourse to knowing that God is the ultimate giver of riches and wealth. Can man receive anything without it being given from Heaven? Not at all! “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” John 3:27. Often times we attribute this glory to our personal efforts but the word of God says in the book of Romans, “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” Romans 9:16. Whether poor or rich the original and ultimate purpose of creation is to have fellowship with God by obedience to His commandments. It is in this obedience we find Heavenly riches which is eternal. Do you know that once you give your life to Christ and become “Born Again”, a plot is immediately allotted in your name in Heaven where your Heavenly riches will be abounding? Your house, and every other thing eternal in blessing: “It is an eternal house in Heaven that isn’t made by human hands” 2 Corinthians 5:1. Whatever it is you do, do with the consciousness of your Heavenly focus; when you seek earthly praise, honour and recognition from the world, be sure that your Heavenly blessings grind down. You, a brother in the church, do you work and worship God to seek church members’ recognition and the Pastor to praise you? What about you my sister? Are you sweeping the altar and cleaning the church toilets when you notice people are around to praise you? You who is the Pastor, you make publicity from one television house to another, on internet and with the aid of posters to broadcast yourself to the world for recognition and praise, please be remembered that the word of God says “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in Heaven.” Matthew 6:1. This was specifically talking about alms but applies to other areas of our lives of publicity as well. This is one of the reasons why many men of God who thought they have done well will be shock to find themselves in hell. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” Matthew 6:2. I know there are other different kind of human beings who will say, “I am not worried about rewards anyway (be it earthly or Heavenly). After all, what I am doing for God is out of love and not for personal gain.” Not only this kind of reasoning is unselfish, it is also unscriptural. As we have seen, the Scriptures admonish us over and over again to take seriously this whole matter of rewards. We dare not ignore such exhortations from God’s Word. God Has given them for us for a reason to motivate us to exchange our lives for things that will count for eternity, rather than for temporal things. If we fail to heed God’s instructions and warnings, we must bear the eternal consequences. All biblical truth is filled with HOPE (REWARD) or (PROFIT or GAIN) for each believer who obeys God’s Word. These benefits were actually given by God to encourage and motivate us through discipline to obey the God’s Commandments. This discipline or obedience produces both temporal and eternal rewards and unfortunately, many believers focus on the temporal with the believe that they will go to Heaven after all. As noted earlier, there is more to just being in Heaven. As we have both the poor and the rich in the world so is in Heaven. Those who richly serve God become rich in Heaven and vice versa irrespective of whether we are poor or rich on earth. Many are more concerned with the building of their kingdom and not the building of God’s Kingdom. Eternal rewards make sense, seek it. Let your values be such that see the importance of exchanging your life for the eternal things of God. Pastors must not only seek this but need to teach it! Let’s take two examples from the lives of people in the bible and what motivated them for the eternal! JESUS’ MOTIVATION: Jesus was motivated by the eternal rather than the temporal rewards. He forsook the immediate rewards for the ultimate ones. “Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterwards; and now He sits in the place of honour by the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2. Jesus became poor and died a retched death on the Cross. Jesus could have rescinded and decided to live for temporal benefit but He bore all that pains because of His Heavenly riches abounding in Heaven! We as the followers must also be motivated for the ultimate. MOSES’ MOTIVATION: Moses was also motivated by the eternal rewards. As the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he could have enjoyed “the good life” here on earth, but he realized that such pleasures were “fleeting”- only for a season. He was more concerned about the eternal rewards of God. “It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the grandson of the king but chose to share ill-treatment with God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought that it was better to suffer for the promised Christ than to own all the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking forward to the great reward that God would give him.” Hebrews 11:24-26. WHAT SHOULD MOTIVATE US? As Jesus and Moses were, we too must be motivated by the ultimate which is the eternal. Each of us will one day account for the stewardship of our lives. “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10. Next week we shall be looking at what exactly we are to do in our work with God that will provide the materials with which our Heavenly homes will be built…..oh! You don’t know it’s your work that will provide the materials? Then, if you care and want a beautiful home and abundance of Heavenly blessings, follow up with me next week. I pray that as you read, may your heart be consecrated for the services of God and may He open your eyes to see and your mind to know and be motivated for the eternal in Jesus’ name, (Amen). God bless you!
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 17:02:30 +0000
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