Pt Three: Your Destiny–Your Reward!

Fresh Manna 2009© by Pastor Tim Burt

I was terrorized! I was nine years old, standing outside the principal’s office and waiting to be called in to be disciplined. It was the most scared I had ever been in my life up to that point and time. The principal was not a nice person. She gave a lot of mean stares and always looked mad. She had disciplined me a few weeks earlier for something I did not do. My teacher told her she had disciplined the wrong guy. She didn’t even apologize. Her words were, “He probably deserved it anyway.” To get pulled in for judgment before someone like this felt terrorizing.

Some, maybe a lot of people, are afraid that this is what it is going to be like when they stand before God one day. Their conscience is filled with what they know wouldn’t be pleasing to God and they would rather push the reality of God out of their mind renaming Him a concept, a crutch for weak people, or nonexistent, than think about and feel terrorized in their heart over the thought of one day standing before God for their life’s actions.

God is not like my less-than-wonderful school principal. God is God. He is merciful, patient, kind, just, Holy, all knowing, all seeing, and a thousand wonderful things more. People can deny His existence mentally and can push Him away and try to bury Him in their heart, but, He is still God and He is still there. He is not evil. He is good. He has a plan for every person to stand before Him without fear. That plan is Jesus.

Jesus paid the price for our sins through His death. He paid the price for us enabling us to stand before Him washed and cleansed from sin; this out of His great love for us, not out of a desire to punish us. The book of Revelation shows a time where all of Heaven is singing about this great love and what Jesus did for all mankind; for all who would believe. Rev. 5:9 “And they sang a new song with these words: …For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” God is not someone to be afraid of.

Terrorists hate and take lives; not love and give up their lives out of their love of others. God is not someone to be afraid of. An understanding of our destiny in Him is something to be desired. When we stand before God as believers, it will be to receive the rewards for being obedient to do the things He had planned within our destiny. That’s something you want to know about. Every little thing you do for God from a pure heart carries a reward. Your prayers will be rewarded, your attitude and integrity rewarded, your actions rewarded, and so much more. That is why you want to know Jesus and understand how to walk out His destiny for your life. Standing before God one day is not a day to be afraid of or terrorized by. As a believer, it’s a day about encountering the God who loves you, and about a life to be rewarded! That is why Jesus said, “When that happens, rejoice! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven…” Luke 6:23.

Lift your head today and ask God in prayer to teach you more about the destiny He has for you. It is your daily thoughts, attitudes and actions that lead to His destiny and bring great reward! Pray that He’ll teach you more! I’ll try and help. More tomorrow…

Luke 6:35 (NLT) “Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don’t be concerned that they might not repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim