How much are Christians to do to receive a Reward?

[AdHoc]

3 hours ago, Marathoner said:

I understand where you're coming from, @AdHoc. 

I was clueless when the Lord snatched me from this world. In my nascent agnosticism I believed that God was incomprehensible, so it was impossible to know Him. Therefore, when the Spirit of the Lord called my name, declaring that I belong to Him and no other, I was stunned and terrified. Terrified, for the Lord reasoned with me saying, I set you aside for My purpose before you were born. 

(That is true of us all)

But I'm an ignorant and terrible man, Lord! Let no one say nothing is too great for our Lord Jesus Christ. He sent me to a fellowship of brothers and sisters who lived in the countryside where, the Spirit said, a man approved of God would teach me what I needed to know. When I arrived at their meeting place --- a creaky old farmhouse --- the most astonishing thing started to unfold before my eyes. I didn't understand it at the time, but this was a vision opened by His Spirit. 

I saw over 200 men, women, and their children gathered together inside...

And then I witnessed the inexpressible, for the world I knew faded away before my eyes. These men and women were stones --- stones that were alive! --- fitted together perfectly into a shining house without beginning or end. This shining house is a temple, and both the life and light of these stones is the Lord Himself; a temple raised without human hands. Behold, the temple of God raised without human hands! The Lord said to me, this is where you belong. There is a place for you in My house.

When I heard this, I started weeping. I ran away to the wood line behind the farmhouse. I had never witnessed anything so indescribably beautiful and holy in my life. Once the weeping passed, I returned to the gathering. I was speechless. The man whom the Lord said would teach me received me warmly and brought me to sit with his family. From that day forward, he and his wife regarded me as a new member of their family. I was given a spare bedroom in their house.

When my old friend taught me about Jesus Christ and Him crucified, I was baptized in water. Each day, we would sit together which was how he introduced me to the scriptures; when he taught me about living stones fitted together into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5), I saw how the scriptures faithfully reflect all that the Lord had revealed. I was floored by the revelation.

There was a time of astonishment and wonder, seeing and hearing things not of this world I had never witnessed before. Then, there was a time of deprivation and tribulation when I wandered this country without a home, and the Lord was silent for a very long time (decades). I believed that He had abandoned me, and so I fell into the deepest despair. I stumbled and fell. 

Then came that time when the beginning of that purpose which God preserved me for was revealed, and I suffered terribly until I was close to death. When this was done, and the Lord raised me up restoring everything I had lost during those years of despair, He said this to me:

Now you shall rest, and I will prosper you. I make the way straight.

All I have to do is listen for His voice, and I witness things unfold precisely as He declares it will. After the Lord healed and restored me, He sent me to this city. Before I arrived, the Lord said that I would come to this homeless shelter where I work and join myself to this organization. I will incline their hearts toward you, the Lord said, and they will favor you greatly. 

I struggled to hold on to that. How could this be? They don't know me, and I don't know them.

Ah, but that's precisely what happened. I did nothing but show up and volunteered to help; it wasn't long before donors came to meet me saying, "We've heard so many good things about you!" Eh? You have? Oh my.

It all came at once. First, a letter from the CEO was delivered to me, an offer to join the staff... then, members of staff brought me to an apartment saying it was my own... the organization provided all of the furnishings, covering my deposit... and then I became their first employee of the month. But I did nothing to warrant any of this! When I say that I'm no one special, I mean that with all sincerity. 

My reward is to serve our Lord Jesus Christ by looking after the needs of my neighbor. Serving is what I do best, and is that commandment I received from the Lord on that day when He lifted me up. Whatever I receive, the Lord gives according to His good pleasure. I'm just a servant.  

Like in the case of Moses, we have to have our wilderness experience. But then comes blessing. I think each of us has a story to tell, but yours is remarkable.

Take care and go well.

[Raven]

17 hours ago, JohnR7 said:

I am not much for ego. I got rid of it a long time ago. 

Only the ego has a need to claim itself missing to remain undetected.

[Vine Abider]

4 hours ago, Marathoner said:

I understand where you're coming from, @AdHoc. 

I was clueless when the Lord snatched me from this world. In my nascent agnosticism I believed that God was incomprehensible, so it was impossible to know Him. Therefore, when the Spirit of the Lord called my name, declaring that I belong to Him and no other, I was stunned and terrified. Terrified, for the Lord reasoned with me saying, I set you aside for My purpose before you were born. 

(That is true of us all)

But I'm an ignorant and terrible man, Lord! Let no one say nothing is too great for our Lord Jesus Christ. He sent me to a fellowship of brothers and sisters who lived in the countryside where, the Spirit said, a man approved of God would teach me what I needed to know. When I arrived at their meeting place --- a creaky old farmhouse --- the most astonishing thing started to unfold before my eyes. I didn't understand it at the time, but this was a vision opened by His Spirit. 

I saw over 200 men, women, and their children gathered together inside...

And then I witnessed the inexpressible, for the world I knew faded away before my eyes. These men and women were stones --- stones that were alive! --- fitted together perfectly into a shining house without beginning or end. This shining house is a temple, and both the life and light of these stones is the Lord Himself; a temple raised without human hands. Behold, the temple of God raised without human hands! The Lord said to me, this is where you belong. There is a place for you in My house.

When I heard this, I started weeping. I ran away to the wood line behind the farmhouse. I had never witnessed anything so indescribably beautiful and holy in my life. Once the weeping passed, I returned to the gathering. I was speechless. The man whom the Lord said would teach me received me warmly and brought me to sit with his family. From that day forward, he and his wife regarded me as a new member of their family. I was given a spare bedroom in their house.

When my old friend taught me about Jesus Christ and Him crucified, I was baptized in water. Each day, we would sit together which was how he introduced me to the scriptures; when he taught me about living stones fitted together into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5), I saw how the scriptures faithfully reflect all that the Lord had revealed. I was floored by the revelation.

There was a time of astonishment and wonder, seeing and hearing things not of this world I had never witnessed before. Then, there was a time of deprivation and tribulation when I wandered this country without a home, and the Lord was silent for a very long time (decades). I believed that He had abandoned me, and so I fell into the deepest despair. I stumbled and fell. 

Then came that time when the beginning of that purpose which God preserved me for was revealed, and I suffered terribly until I was close to death. When this was done, and the Lord raised me up restoring everything I had lost during those years of despair, He said this to me:

Now you shall rest, and I will prosper you. I make the way straight.

All I have to do is listen for His voice, and I witness things unfold precisely as He declares it will. After the Lord healed and restored me, He sent me to this city. Before I arrived, the Lord said that I would come to this homeless shelter where I work and join myself to this organization. I will incline their hearts toward you, the Lord said, and they will favor you greatly. 

I struggled to hold on to that. How could this be? They don't know me, and I don't know them.

Ah, but that's precisely what happened. I did nothing but show up and volunteered to help; it wasn't long before donors came to meet me saying, "We've heard so many good things about you!" Eh? You have? Oh my.

It all came at once. First, a letter from the CEO was delivered to me, an offer to join the staff... then, members of staff brought me to an apartment saying it was my own... the organization provided all of the furnishings, covering my deposit... and then I became their first employee of the month. But I did nothing to warrant any of this! When I say that I'm no one special, I mean that with all sincerity. 

My reward is to serve our Lord Jesus Christ by looking after the needs of my neighbor. Serving is what I do best, and is that commandment I received from the Lord on that day when He lifted me up. Whatever I receive, the Lord gives according to His good pleasure. I'm just a servant.  

I agree - that was an amazing and wonderful testimony!  Him showing you the vision of His members as living stones, the dwelling place of God - that was off the charts!  The rest was wonderful too - you are right where He wants you.

Your experience makes me think of when I was quite young in the Lord (18), He took me a couple thousand miles away from home to live in a big brothers house, where there were dozens of us young brothers living.  One day, after I'd only been there a short time, I had a vision where I saw this incredible light in everyone's eyes at the same time.  These various brothers were all just going about their affairs - working in the kitchen or cleaning or sitting or fellowshipping or whatever, but all of them had this amazing, peaceful yet enlivening light coming through their eyes.  There was a depth and radiance to this light that was indescribable, and was a common connection with each brother.  I was ecstatic, but wasn't sure exactly what it meant at the time.  I now know I was catching a vision of Christ being in each of them.

[JohnR7]

29 minutes ago, Raven said:

Only the ego has a need to claim itself missing to remain undetected.

What does the Bible say about ego? If it is not a word in our Bible, then I do not see any need for it. The Bible is very clear not to add or take from it. 

The word omniscient is a good example. I do not see this word in our Bible, so it would be adding to the Bible to use this word. 

There are 613 laws. They add to the Bible. No one can add to what Jesus says and only Jesus can add to what we receive from Moses. So I always go back to look to see what Moses or Jesus tells us. 

[JohnR7]

28 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

(That is true of us all)

Psalm 139:16 tells us that God writes the book of our life at or before conception. We are given all of our gifts, talents and abilities. We need to do all we can to bring Him praise, honor and glory. There is nothing better than to worship and praise God. 

Science tells us that the total possible combination of alleles for the genes in humans is approximately 70,368,744,177,664. Right now there are 8,000,000,000. God knows the math and He knows every possible combination. 

[Raven]

17 hours ago, JohnR7 said:

What does the Bible say about ego? If it is not a word in our Bible, then I do not see any need for it. The Bible is very clear not to add or take from it. 

The word omniscient is a good example. I do not see this word in our Bible, so it would be adding to the Bible to use this word. 

There are 613 laws. They add to the Bible. No one can add to what Jesus says and only Jesus can add to what we receive from Moses. So I always go back to look to see what Moses or Jesus tells us. 

Ego is a word invented by Sigmund Freud in 1923, but it describes our false-self, a self that we found for ourself to live by.

Matthew 10:39 "Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it".

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

If a person only discerns the scriptures at face value, then they may never understand the depths of the Christ's parables. Their thinking will get in the way of true consciousness of what is True.

Edited November 16, 2022 by Raven
spelling

[other one]

How much are Christians to do to receive a Reward?

 

Whatever the Holy Spirit leads you to do.

[Your closest friendnt]

2 hours ago, other one said:

How much are Christians to do to receive a Reward?

 

Whatever the Holy Spirit leads you to do.

Then we are rewarded through out are Life...

In this Life we need to hear, that we have done what the Holy Spirit was asking us to do.  

[Vine Abider]

20 hours ago, Your closest friendnt said:

Then we are rewarded through out are Life...

In this Life we need to hear, that we have done what the Holy Spirit was asking us to do.  

Exactly!  As in the parable of the faithful/unfaithful servants, it is what the Lord gives us that we must be faithful in.

I mentioned that I was lead to write up what I saw regarding being "faithful in a FEW things" and thought I would copy the part here regarding what the few things are the Lord has given me to be faithful in.  Here 'tis . . .

Quote

A Personal Testimony of My Few Things

He has communicated to me certain things He wants me to be faithful in on an ongoing basis, and the Anointing has reinforced these in my life many times. They aren’t what I personally consider really big things . . . yet they are! One thing He has impressed me with, over and over, is for me to just stay and be content with where He has put me. (This is important as I’ve had a history of “jumping ship” throughout much of my life.) That means to stay with my wife; stay with the Christians He’s put me with; stay with others He’s surrounded me with, stay with my job, house, etc., as this is my yoke, which He has given me. (Matt.11:29) Unless He clearly directs otherwise, this is His environment and portion specifically given to and for me. (1 Cor. 12:18)

 A second thing is to seek Him faithfully each morning when I arise - by talking to Him, taking everything to Him in prayer, giving all my anxieties to Him, getting into His word and declaring His word out loud, thanking and praising Him, and singing. A third thing is getting with other believers several times a week to enjoy Christ with one another.  As Hebrews 10:25 says, “Don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together, as is the practice of some, and so much the more as you see the day drawing near.”  I know this also means to make myself available for saints who are in need of my assistance, fellowship and encouragement (Rom. 12:3-8). A fourth thing He’s impressed on me is simply to keep turning to Him throughout my day, in a simple way as I remember Him – calling His name and talking to Him about anything and everything, and being thankful for all He’s doing. The bottom-line is this: It’s really all about just having an ongoing, open and honest relationship of love with Him and with fellow believers – others whom He dwells in! (1 John 4:21).

 And what are these things really?  They are all ways to pursue Him and to abide in the True Vine.  And what is the evidence that I’m abiding in Him? I have love for the saints and others!

 These are my “few things” I know He’s told me to be consistently faithful in. I know that if I wasn’t at least reasonably faithful in these things that I would have zero excuse in that day before Him at the Bema. He has confirmed these to me repeatedly through His indwelling anointing, through His word, and through fellowship. If nothing else happens in my life, I need to make sure I apply some diligence to see that at least these few things are happening regularly. 

 Being faithful in the few things He gives us pleases Him and is our entrance into glory!

 “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14 

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”  1 John 4:18

 “You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still,

and see the salvation of the LORD.” 2 Chronicles 20:17

 

[Your closest friendnt]

16 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

Exactly!  As in the parable of the faithful/unfaithful servants, it is what the Lord gives us that we must be faithful in.

I mentioned that I was lead to write up what I saw regarding being "faithful in a FEW things" and thought I would copy the part here regarding what the few things are the Lord has given me to be faithful in.  Here 'tis . . .

 

I am impressed but not speechless. 

I need something to discuss with you, when my phone is available..thank you for posting. You do not need anyone to tell you "God bless ", and this is wonderful.  

When the will of Jesus is known to you, but is not known to others what Jesus is preparing for you, for our life is hidden with him.. 

Even Paul said: it was the time when I was the apostle of the churches and they sent me hear and there. But the time came when Jesus did what he had promised to me on the road to Damascus..

And he took me unto himself and now he said: I am the apostle of Jesus, I follow him to what he is asking from me. 

The same thing happened with Philip when he sent him in the desert to meet the Ethiopian man...without his consent or the consent of the church...he sent him to the Samaritans, he broke new ground. 

And the same with Peter he suddenly isolated him from anyone and he asked him to follow him to Cornelius family without the interference of anyone without the blessing and prayers of the church, these things were done one on one. In all those examples they followed the Holy Spirit by faith without knowing what is going to happen next...and Jesus used these situations to teach them something the did not understand before and the other disciples could not teach them because they did not have it...they had to hear from them..

That's why Jesus had called Peter the stone upon he will built his church because his church was including the Gentiles as in the Cornelius family in that way, the way Jesus showed him.