Temporal Rewards for Those Who Serve God

That is part of what Paul meant when he wrote, that the life of Jesus “may also be revealed in our mortal body.” Frankly, I know of few more satisfying and encouraging rewards than the deep realization that our actions (and the motives behind them) are visible expressions of Christ to others.

God’s Promises Regarding His Faithfulness

Someone once counted all the promises in the Bible and came up with an amazing figure of almost 7500. Among that large number are some specific promises servants can claim today. Believe me, there are times the only hope to keep you going will be in something God has declared in His Word, promising that your work is not in vain.

Eternal Rewards for Those Who Serve God

“Improving our serve” begins with little things. It begins with thoughtful things—an understanding embrace of one who is hurting, a brief note to one who is lonely and feeling unappreciated and forgotten, a cup of cool water for one whose lips are parched from the hot blast of a barren desert when all seems futile and worthless.

Two Truths for Coping with Suffering

I have found great help from two truths God gave me at a time in my life when I was bombarded with a series of unexpected and unfair blows (from my perspective). In my darkest hours, these principles become my anchor of stability, my only means of survival. Afflicted, confused, persecuted, and rejected in that situation, I claimed these two truths and held on to them like wild waves, strong winds, and pounding rain grabbing hold of the mast of a ship at sea.

Par for the Servanthood Course

Paul was no criminal. The man was innocent of wrong . . . yet he was misunderstood, mistreated, hunted like a wounded deer, and hated by those who once respected him. In 2 Corinthians 4:9, Paul states we are “struck down.” And then to illustrate just how close he came to death itself, he mentions . . .

Dealing with Physical and Emotional Pain

It’s hard for me to read Paul’s words without wincing, “Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.” (2 Corinthians 11:24–25)

Paul Was Normal, Like Us

Funny, we seldom think that a great apostle like Paul ever suffered from insomnia, but he did. He couldn’t sleep sometimes because of acute deprivations, like hunger, cold, and exposure . . . and sometimes because of his concern for the many ministries to which he had given himself. “Daily pressure,” he calls it.

Illustrating the Consequences of Serving God

It is an inescapable fact. If you get serious about being shaped into Christ’s image, you’ll have to learn to cope with the consequences of being a servant of God. Those who serve will suffer.

Dealing with Rejection

If you enjoy watching and playing the game of football (I certainly do), you have observed a curious activity called a “spike.” It’s rather unusual. A team fights its way toward the goal line yard by yard. Minutes seem like hours as the offensive team plods along. Suddenly, it happens.

Our Common Struggles: Affliction, Confusion, Persecution

In yesterday’s post, we were introduced to four common struggles all servants of God deal with. Really, they’re consequences. In 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 we read them: afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down.