God The Rewarder (Part 2)

Ministering: Pastor I.S James

Topic: God The Rewarder (Part 2)

Text: Ex. 5:22 – 6:3, Heb. 11:6

God as a rewarder means He’s the one Who remunerates you, while God as a reward means that God Himself is the reward that we receive in return for our service

When He says He is our exceedingly great reward, it means that He will reward us in a quantity that’s beyond our wildest expectations.

What God is trying to say to us is if we seek Him consistent to His nature, we get the reward that we cannot quantify.

As a rewarder, there are 3 characteristics that are necessary:

• A rewarder has to be fair – the reward has to be commensurate to the service.
• He is meant to be righteous
• He is meant to be consistent

Every ACT – Good or Bad must be rewarded!

1.     Rev.22:12 -“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

• Reward (Greek translation – Misthos) – Pay for Services Rendered good or bad (punishment).

·      We see this with Judas “Re: Wages of Iniquity” – Acts 1:18

2.     2 Chron. 24:22 – “Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, “The LORD look on it, and repay!“

• Here we see Joash doing something evil and Zechariah demanding that God reward him for his deeds.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT GOD REWARDS?

Gen.15:1 – “After these things…”

• What exactly are these things?

o   Actions

o   Decisions

o   Lifestyle Adjustments that pleased god & call for godly rewards!

• God is more concerned with your character than He is with your prosperity. That’s why your actions, decisions and lifestyle adjustments to align yourself with Him pleases Him and makes Him reward you.

1. Abram’s Return to the Land of Promise – Canaan (Gen.12:1-3, 10)

• ·Abram had gone down to Egypt when he encountered & experienced famine in the land. He exhibited the crookedness in his character in Egypt and it wasn’t until he returned to his place of primary assignment – Canaan that he realigned himself with God & was promised God as an exceeding great reward.

Different calls, different destinies. Sometimes, our reward is tied to our obedience – it might be a place we are meant to be at a certain time & certain people we are meant to relate with!

Where’s your “Canaan” (your own place of personal assignment)? – Is it church, Business or your personal ministry?

2. Abram’s strife-free lifestyle (Gen. 13:7-12).

There was strife between Abram’s and Lot’s herdsmen, but Abram was the one who took the initiative to end the issues at a personal cost to himself.

You need to ask yourself, which “Lot” in your life is keeping you from God’s presence (and hence His reward)?

The proof of his strife-free life was exhibited (and shown how much he meant it) by going back to secure his release (Gen.14:14).

• Eph.4:3 – “endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
• Endeavouring means to use speed; make effort promptly; be diligent (to be forward). Col.3:12-13.
• Rom.12:17-18 – When in a dispute with someone, how much am I willing to sacrifice for the sake of peace even when it is obvious that I am right?