Faithful Service and Obedience to God’s Will
To be rewarded at the end, to be crowned at the end, to benefit from any service you render as a minister, believers or worker, your service must be rendered in conformity with scriptural principles and precepts. There cannot be permanent victory until the believer accepts the totality of God’s word as His will to be conformed to.
For obedience to God’s call to have its full reward, it must be prompt. Men of pure faith are men of absolute surrender to God’s will, willing to obey and completely yielded to God’s will. Your faith must be the right kind of faith and the scriptural kind of faith. Ministers, believers must not remain baby Christians with faith to get and not having faith to give. God is looking for mature Christians who do not only have the faith to come and receive but who also have faith to consecrate and give all
The Importance of Selfless Faith
‘I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35).
‘So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us’ (1Thessalonians 2:8).
‘Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?’ (1John 3:16-17).
‘Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father’ (John 10:17-18).
‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me’ (Galatians 2:20).
‘For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps’ (1Peter 2:21).
‘He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked’ (1John 2:6).
Faithfulness in Anticipation of Christ’s Return
To have faith in Christ is to put complete trust in Him in everything. To be secured in Christ, you must continue in following Him and obey His word. There is no security for the rebellious or the sinning believer. The foundation of security is the grace of God and the evidence of grace is continual victory over sin, over the flesh and the world
‘This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare’ (2 Corinthians 13:1).
‘And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book’ (Exodus 32:33).
‘Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels’ (Revelation 3:3-5).
By completely relying on God and closely following the word of God, the weakest believer can be victorious over all temptation. The purpose of heart to be true to the word and to be obedient to God at all cost will go a long way to prepare you for victory. The consciousness of God’s presence will help you to watch your actions wherever you are to be steadfast. We are to do everything with the mind that Christ can come or death can take place without announcement.
To avoid being taking unawares or unprepared for His coming, you are commanded to watch and be ready. In Christ’s letter to the church in Philadelphia, He told them to be patient, to establish their hearts because His coming will not be long. He counseled them to hold fast what they have, to use their little strength, their talents, gifts, and occupy until He come. He advised them to live holy, keep His commandments without spot and to remain spotless to the day of His appearing. He told them to abide in Him so that they will have confidence that when He comes, they will not be put to shame. Apart from His second coming and the rapture, death can come before the above. We must get ready, be holy on daily basis in case death comes anytime, we will be able to make it to heaven
‘Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door’ (James 5:8).
‘And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come’ (Luke 19:13).
‘That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1Timothy 6:14).
‘And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming’ (1 John 2:28).
‘In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thussaith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live’ (2 Kings 20:1).
‘Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh’ (Matthew 25:1-13).
‘Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God’ (Revelation 19:7-9). ‘And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come’ (Luke 19:13).