SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/25/2014 9:00 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Paul talks
about Believer’s Rewards
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 1 Thess.
2:19-20
Message of the verses: As I began to read the two different
commentaries on this section, one from John MacArthur, and one from Warren
Wiersbe I decided to make two different Spiritual Diaries on these two verses. I will quote from Warren Wiersbe’s commentary
in this Spiritual Diary and then look at the verses through the eyes of John
MacArthur in our next Spiritual Diary. I
left for Cape Canaveral Florida on the last day of March and my wife flew down
the next day so that we could get away from the cold weather in Ohio for a
while. I intended to bring my commentary
on the book of Jeremiah with me but forgot it and that is one reason why I have
taken most of this month looking at 1 Thessalonians chapter two. Our month in the sun is almost over and so
when we get back to Ohio I will then, Lord willing, go back to looking at the
book of Jeremiah along with looking at the third chapter of 1
Thessalonians. I am glad for the break
of just looking at the Old Testament, as I have been studying it since December
30, 2005. I felt very strongly that God
wanted me to study 1 Thessalonians as a secondary study that I have been doing
since first looking at the book of Mark in December of 2011. After that my secondary book was the book of
Daniel, and now I am looking at 1 Thessalonians to be followed by 2
Thessalonians. Whether or not I get
through a chapter each month is very doubtful as this study is more intense
than that of Mark and Daniel. We will
see how it works out, but for now we will continue to look at the second
chapter and then move into the third chapter until I get home and then pick up
Jeremiah again.
“19
For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the
presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.”
Dr. Wiersbe points out that it is not a sure thing that
Paul is speaking about rewards from these two verses, but it is a good time to
look at the rewards that believers can obtain while in the body living on
planet earth. Perhaps the subject of
rewards comes from the games that were played in the different cities during
the life time of the Apostle Paul. He
uses this metaphor in several of his letters as he talks about crowns that fade
away as opposed to crowns that will last.
My view on crowns is that once a person becomes a believer they are
given different gifts to accomplish the things that God has called for them to
accomplish. Ephesians 2:10 says “For we
are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
My belief from the teaching of the Scriptures is that all believers are
to use the gifts that God has given them for the cause of Christ and if we
yield to the Holy Spirit to have Him work through us to accomplish these works
that the Father has given us to do then we will receive rewards for them and
one day after the Lord returns and all believers come to the Lambs Supper in
heaven we who have crowns will through them down at His feet because we realize
that if it were not for Christ we would not have been able to receive these
crowns. Now with this said I believe
that all believers are to be witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ telling
unbelievers that Christ died for their sins and that they must accept this gift
of salvation in order to be saved and to begin their eternal life and then go
to heaven to be with the Lord either at the Rapture of when the Lord calls you
home through death, or as Paul’s describe it as sleep.
Dr. Wiersbe in describing the soul winners crown writes
“There is a special joy and reward for the soul winner (Dan. 12:3),” “"Those who have insight will shine
brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the
many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.’”
He goes on to write:
“There is also a crown for the believer who subdues his body and keeps
it controlled for the glory of God (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Self-control s produced by the Spirit (Gal.
5:23). Since our bodies are God’s
temples, we must be careful not to defile them. The ultimate in giving the body to God is
dying for His sake; and for this there is a crown (Rev. 2:10). Those who lovingly look for Chris’s appearing
will receive the ‘crown of righteousness’ (2 Timothy 4:8). The faithful pastor can anticipate the ‘crown
of glory’ (1 Peter 5:4).”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: I can think of
nothing that can make me happier than to lead someone to a saving knowledge of
Jesus Christ. It is with great joy that
I tell others about the way of salvation.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I desire to have the opportunity to tell
someone about how they can spend eternal life with Jesus Christ today: A divine appointment.
Memory verse for the
week: Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with
Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Comfort one another with
these words.”
Today’s Bible question: “Who said ‘Suffer little children to come
unto me?’”
Answer in our next SD.
4/25/2014 10:17 AM
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