How many of you look to the reward here on earth? Some look at buying lottery tickets to get a reward. Others choose a job that has great rewards. Some will play the stock market to get a great reward so they can retire. How many of you link to Jesus as your reward? “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.” Moses wasn’t the only one looking at the reward.
Another one who was looking at the reward was David. Samuel anointed David to be King over Israel. “Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.” Knowing that God had anointed him King, and he already had killed a lion and a bear, David saw Goliath as just another obstacle in the way of him being King. The reward for killing Goliath was marrying Saul’s daughter, placing them in line to be King. “So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.” Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” Many don’t realize this, but in 1 Samuel 17, David asks three times what will be done for the man who kills this Philistine. The Kingship for David wasn’t to rule over the people, but rather he would represent God to His people for God was with him. “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” God has always been looking at men’s hearts to see who will be loyal to Him. “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and SERVE HIM WITH A LOYAL HEART and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.” “And give my son Solomon A LOYAL HEART to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple for which I have made provision.” “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD RUN TO AND FRO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH, TO SHOW HIMSELF STRONG ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHOSE HEART IS LOYAL TO HIM. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”
I pray that the eyes of your understanding are enlightened and you have a loyal heart to My Father. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Be blessed, my friends