Category: Rewards of responders
Day 3–The Final Call–the Upper-taker!
Scripture reading for June 24: 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 “For this we declare to you by a Word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
Believers in the early church at Thessalonica were struggling to understand the return of Jesus Christ. Some teachers in the church were saying that Jesus had already come and others were not clear on how and when He would return as He promised in the clouds of heavenly glory. (Acts 1:11) Paul wrote this letter to bring understanding to all believers. Paul declared that this written Word was from the Lord, Himself. This was not Paul’s imagination or interpretation of some mystical message.
When the Lord Jesus descends from heaven, there will be a cry of an archangel and the sound of God’s trumpet announcing His appearance. Those believers who have already died and their bodies are in graves will rise up first in glorified new bodies. Next, those believers who are alive and left on earth will be caught up together with those resurrected from graves. As a great company we will meet the Lord Jesus in the air to join Him for eternal life in His glorious presence. This event is described as the ‘rapture’ or ‘catching up’ of the Church, Christ’s Bride.
Whether you are a first responder or not, God Himself wanted us all to understand the certainty of this final call from the archangel and the sounding of God’s trumpet. This can happen at any time so now is the time to make sure you are prepared by abiding in Christ as Lord and eagerly awaiting to respond to His call. We are to encourage one another with these words!
Prayer: Father God, thank You that You are a God of order and planning,, knowing all that will come. You give each person instruction and warning of coming events. We await with anticipation the fulfilment of Your promise to come for us. Amen.
Day 2–Paul’s Anticipated Reward
Scripture reading for June 23: 2 Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
For many responders, our reward is to see those we are called to help find the relief that they long for. There is daily reward of those who thank us for help and the reward of our salary if we are paid. But God has promised those who believe in Him and Jesus Christ, His Son, something greater and more lasting.
Paul, the servant and apostle of Jesus, was facing death by beheading when he wrote his last letter to believers revealing his understanding. This was written down by God for us to give us hope and inspiration. Paul rejoiced in his life of faith. It was a fight, from beginning to end to stay true to Jesus and complete his assignment to share Jesus Christ with the Gentiles. He had suffered beating, shipwrecks, riots, hostilities, and imprisonment for his faith. God had been faithful to him, using him in each difficult situation to win souls, raise up new leaders, and plant thriving churches.
God had revealed to Paul that he would receive the crown of righteousness as his reward on the Day of Christ’s return. This award will be given by God to all believers who live by faith in Jesus Christ. Christ gives us His righteousness when we come to Him in repentance. We will be crowned with a special crown on the Day of Christ as a further gift of God’s grace. That is why we will cast our crowns at Jesus’ feet in worship and adoration. (Revelation 4:10)
Are you living daily in Christ’s righteousness? Are you fighting a good fight of faith by studying and applying God’s Word and commands? Will you be able to say ‘I have finished the race’ at your life’s end?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for revealing this amazing reward promised to all who love Your appearing on that great Day. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and allow me to share this good news with all! Amen.
Week 26–Day 1–Reward for walking with God
Scripture reading for June 22: Genesis 5:21-24 “”When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” Hebrews 11:5-6 “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him. . .”
Have you ever wondered if your life was pleasing to God? Have you thought about the end of your life and where you might end up? Today, our life-span is seventy or eighty years if we are blessed to live that long. Some make it to 100 years but that is the exception. In the first book of the Bible, the ages of people listed there are much longer, giving them more time to reflect. Today we look at Enoch, a man who lived three hundred sixty five years and he walked with God after the birth of his son, Methuselah.
Enoch is mentioned in the Book of Genesis as the seventh generation from Adam, the first man. He walked with God after his son was born. Methuselah lived longer than any other person recorded in Scripture at 969 years. His name meant, “When he dies, judgment will come.” God revealed His plan to Enoch in this manner and by faith he chose to walk with God. After three hundred years, Scripture records that suddenly he was here no longer and that God took him away. Hebrews reveals that Enoch did not see death because God took him up. The reason he was taken was his faith walk. Jude records that Enoch prophesied to his generation about the coming judgment. In the year his son Methuselah died, the great flood came and God’s judgment fell.
I believe that Enoch is a picture of the reward of all who walk with God by faith. We are told as New Testament believers in Jesus to expect Jesus to come for His people and snatch them away to heaven. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Walking by faith pleases God our Father and He gives eternal life as reward.
Prayer: Father, I desire to walk with You through this life and am willing to share Your Good News that through Jesus Christ, whoever believes will have eternal life. Amen.
Day 5–Blameless in His Presence!
Scripture reading for June 19: Jude 24-25 “Now to Him Who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
I love to give blessings to those I minister to. These blessings are powerful revelations of God’s amazing love to His people. Faith works by love so that faith is increased as we receive these words of blessing from God’s heart as our Father. Blessings also give us vision through declaration and vision keeps us focused forward on God’s plans. So it is good to declare these blessings out loud over your own life and family. As our Father loves to bless His children, so pastors and fathers of children on earth should bless God’s children and declare God’s love and promises over them.
Jude’s blessing declares that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are able to keep us from stumbling and present us before God’s glorious presence as blameless and full of joy. This will be the highest blessing that we ever receive. We who have sinned and are worthy of judgment and eternal punishment in the fires of hell are granted deliverance from our earned fate. By grace through faith in the Lord Jesus, we are declared righteous and blameless in His sight. Our own works count for nothing. Christ’s righteousness is our covering and robe as we stand or kneel in His presence, overflowing with thanksgiving and joy. All glory and majesty and dominion and authority are given to Jesus Christ now and forever and ever. Amen! It is finished!
This blessing brings us great peace as faith-filled first responders. Even if we stumble in our personal lives or in service to others, our Lord will keep us moving towards the goal of eternal joy in God our Father’s presence. We can joyfully serve now and live a life that exalts our Lord and Savior, sharing His blessing everywhere we go.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for keeping me from stumbling and picking me up when I have been tripped up. Thank You for vision beyond the troubles and trials of this life to the glorious presence that You will present to us when our work here is done! Amen.