What’s In It For Me?
What’s In It For Me?
By Dennis Huebshman
Watching all that’s going on in the world today, and especially in the United States, we’re seeing a very disturbing trend taking place. More and more, we are witnessing a culture that is turning toward wanting rewards for doing absolutely nothing to earn them. Illegal immigrants cross our borders and demand our government provide everything for them. Yet our own people are often ignored for the real needs they have, and for them the government should provide. One group in particular that is being treated with disrespect is our Veterans, and the government treatment of them is shameful. Because of executive orders issued by our last president, Muslim immigrants are receiving substantial subsidies just for coming here, and the working Americans are footing the bill.
There is a movement from the Left that is trying to do away with our Constitution and to become a total socialist country. Venezuela has done this and how is it working out for them? Where do people believe the government gets the funds to pay for everything that is being demanded?
Just one example that was given recently was the demand for free health care for everyone. Some people who are much more qualified than I put pencil to paper and estimated that the cost for just this one expense is about 22 Trillion Dollars. That’s above the total of our current National debt of approximately 21 Trillion Dollars. From here, we would have to add on all the other “Government should pay for this…” items such as free collage for everyone, free housing and a lot of numerous other things, and the question remains; where do the funds come from? When a liberal is confronted with the truth and facts about this, they switch to a different topic, because there is no real arguable point here. They believe if they yell loud enough or protest enough, the “government” will give in to their demands for unearned things they believe are owed to them.
In the past, I did a message about “Crowns and Judgments” that I’d like to give an overview of the Crowns as it relates to today. The Crowns are the rewards that will be given to true believers that end up with Jesus and not at the Great White Throne where most of the Judgments will be given.
Each Crown is earned in some way, and the Lord will determine who gets the rewards. Paul tells of three of the five Crowns available, and the first is for self-control in all things. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, He speaks of athletes of his time that would compete for a perishable crown that would not last more than a few days. Christians are to seek an imperishable crown for exercising self-control in this world while we wait our eternal Home. That reward lasts for all eternity.
Number two is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, which Paul calls a Crown of Boasting or Rejoicing. This is to celebrate discipleship and also the anticipated coming of our Lord to take us to our eternal Home with Him. Paul had made disciples in various places, and was boasting about their devotion to Jesus.
Number three follows this and is the Crown of Righteousness. (2 Timothy 4:8) The Lord will reward all who have loved His appearing, which is everyone who is eagerly looking for Him to Rapture His Church Home.
Before going further, I would like to state that if an actual “Crown” is not given, but the Lord says, “Thank you for waiting and watching for My coming”, I will feel totally honored with this, and I will in no way be disappointed. After all that He has done for me on this earth, I owe Him my servitude forever, much less to receive a reward for loving Him. My true reward will be to live with Him forever. This is worth many Crowns. If a real Crown is given, it would be my honor to lay it at His feet and tell Him I am humbled by this, but the praise and glory are all His.
Peter tells of the next reward as the Crown of Glory as given in 1 Peter 5:2-4. This is for the Shepherds of the Flock, preachers and teachers, that stood their ground and provided the True Word of the Lord. False prophets and “ear-tickling” ministers will not see this one. They will be judged harshly as given in James 3:1; and for adding to or taking away from God’s Word will fall under the Judgments of Revelation 22:18-19.
Jesus tells of the final crown in Revelation 2:10. This is the Crown of Life and is for those who have suffered persecution and martyrdom from the beginning of the Covenant of the Cross all the way through the Tribulation. These are for those who have gone through distress in their lives yet never waivered in their devotion to Jesus. These are the ones that will refuse to take the mark of the beast, even though it will cost them their lives. Stephen was the first recorded martyr for the Lord, and he saw Jesus stand up just before he died to receive His follower Home.
No one who is unworthy will receive rewards. We are saved by Grace and not works as given in Ephesians 2:8-10; however, reading verse 10 we are told we have “been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so that we may do them.” All who are saved because they accepted Jesus understand that these are things we desire to do to honor the Savior; not works to save us. To do works to impress God is a waste of time as they are as filthy rags as Isaiah wrote in chapter 64:6. We do good deeds to honor God’s Son without accolades for this, and that God will honor.
True Believers will be serving the Father, Son and Holy Spirit through all eternity. This will not be drudgery or forced labor as we will feel honored to serve the One who made it possible for us to be there. Anyone who thinks we will be sitting on clouds plunking on harps have a pleasant awakening waiting for them. I cannot describe what we will be doing as it’s beyond our human conception, but it will be more enjoyable and far outshine anything we can do on this earth.
To be eligible for this and not to end up in the Lake of Fire, there is a requirement that cannot be by-passed. We must accept Jesus as our Savior, confess to Him we know we are sinners and will be until we leave this earth; and to ask Him for forgiveness, and to be our Savior. We must believe His sacrifice paid for our pardon in full, and accept this free gift and know we can’t buy it or earn it in any other manner. That would be the largest insult we could ever make.
Jesus will forgive our sins, and the Father will remember them no more. God wants us with Him and right now is patiently waiting for those who are lost to call out for their Salvation. He will turn no one away, but He won’t force anyone to accept Jesus either. It’s totally our choice, and so is where we will spend eternity – Heaven or Hell. I have heard people joke about going to Hell to be with their friends, and I pray they will wake up before they actually have to go there It will not be a place where anyone will “party” with friends as each individual person will be in total darkness with images of how they could have avoided being there in their minds forever. They will be separated from the Father and have absolutely no hope for anything better.
To take your last breath here without Jesus is an automatic judgment to residency in the Lake of Fire. This is no joking matter. For those who have not accepted Jesus, today would not be too soon to call out to Him as we are not guaranteed one more day here. Eventually, the “day and hour” will arrive, and there will be many caught off guard. Please don’t be one of them. It could just be today that we hear the trumpet/shofar and the cry from the Archangel. Being ready for this is not a waste of time.