Jeopardy: Losing Your Rewards, Part 4

Greetings, friends and new listeners and welcome to this program of the Archie Harding Ministries. I'm Sharon Otz, thanking you for joining us today because we know faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

The message we bring you today is timely and trustworthy. Jeopardy, losing your rewards. I hope you will hear with your heart and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you how you should respond to this inspired word, Jeopardy, losing your rewards. I told you that this week we were going to talk about seven specific things. This will be the criteria that I could find in the New Testament. I'm not saying it's all, but it's all that I came across. I'm sure I didn't exhaust everything there could be.

But I found that this would keep me pretty busy for the rest of my life. And if I didn't find any more, but these seven things, I know that as a Christian, if I want to take heed, like Jesus said, how I build on this foundation so that when I stand before him, all of my labor is not wood stubble and hay, then these are seven things I need to check up on. And turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew the 12th chapter. Now, out of these seven things, three of them are referred to as bringing great reward. These are all how we will receive rewards, seven things.

But out of the seven, there will be three that will be great. Now, I'm not going to tell you, here it comes. When you hear anything that's said or read tonight that's a great reward, I want you to jump up and say hallelujah. And that way I'll know whether or not you're listening. Okay.

Okay. Matthew the 12th chapter, verse 35. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shall be justified or be found righteous or in a right standing with God, and by thy words thou shall be condemned. Yikes, we just got started.

We're only on the first thing. And one of the things that we will be judged by, remember we're not talking to sinners, we're talking to Christians, is every, somebody say every, every idle word is going to be judged. Now, what does this mean every idle word? It simply means every useless word and every profitless word. I don't think that a person should take this to the extreme that they walk around and they're afraid to open their mouth lest they say an idle word and then turn into some kind of weird Christian zombie.

We're not talking about that. Sometimes you can say something funny and for that moment it's profitable because it might help someone. It might bless them.

It might pick them up. It might be a good word, a word in due season. And so if it's a word in due season and it's good and it's blessing, then it's not something that would be considered unprofitable. So we have to have a little bit of wisdom here lest we go overboard. You've got some people on this extreme, they say anything that comes in their mouth no matter how stupid it is.

I read the other day where that the speed of light travels faster than the speed of sound. So a person may appear to be bright until he opens up his mouth. Some of you will catch it later. But we're not just talking about every word you say that is not, you know, you can't walk around 24 hours a day quoting scriptures. Okay. We're not talking about being fanatical, but we're talking about words that are of no profit and obviously words that wound hurt, words that speak negative, words that tear down words that they're not profitable and we're going to be judged by them.

And I think if we will get a picture of ourselves standing for Jesus with a golden scepter and the fire coming out, if we every now and then would have that image in our mind, we would be more careful about the things that we say because by our words will be justified or by our words will be condemned. How many ever heard of the Miranda rights? I should see every hand go up because I know y'all watch television and I know you watch all those police shows and detective shows.

All right, let me bring it down. They arrest somebody. They say you have the right to remain silent. If you talk, if you don't, if you speak, any word you spoken speak can be held against you in a court of law.

How many know ever heard of that? That's called the Miranda rights. Okay. Because so they tell you that while they're putting the handcuffs on, they say you have a right to remain silent, but if you say anything, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. Why? You'll be judged by what you say and you could condemn your own self. So they're warning you.

Be careful what you say. Maybe you might want a lawyer. You have the right to a lawyer. If you can't afford one that we will appoint you one. Why? Because the lawyer will say, don't say that.

They'll hang you. I'm not giving you my opinion of that. I'm just saying that's how it is. It was for a good reason because it used to be that they used to abuse people and they would throw the book at them when they shouldn't. Now it's going the other way, but that's beside the point.

I'm trying to bring home to you an illustration of what it's going to be like. Your words will either justify you or condemn you. Somebody said silence can never be misquoted.

Amen. So if you don't know the right thing to say, the best thing to do is say nothing. Isn't that right? Because a lot of times the more people say, the more they hang themselves and the more that you, did you ever see them catch these people when you know the inner the reporter comes up and catches them coming out the door and they ask them something and then they answered and they realized that didn't come out right. So they, they try to fix it and then they got worse and they try to fix it for, they know it. They've got a whole this big thing blown up and they've got to lose. People have lost their jobs. People in high places have recently lost their jobs because of things they said. So we're going to be judged.

Isn't that right? And did you know that every human being has their own distinct voice? We not only have our own distinct fingerprints, we have our own distinct irises in our eyes and our own distinct voice. A really, I guess, high tech computer could listen to voices and pick up who it is. Now even humanly we get so we know people's voices. I mean you hear somebody on the phone and you know immediately who it is. Every person has their own voice. That's why the government can listen in and they say, Oh, we heard Osama bin Laden. He's still walking around cause they heard his voice.

And so if man can take science and technology and computers and can zero in on every person's voice, I think God has some system up there that he's keeping pretty accurate records. We're not going to say, I didn't say that. That was so and so that said that. You know how you had this discussion and later on it comes up, I didn't say that. She said that. No, you said that.

No, he said that. Well, God's going to know who said what. So one of the seven things that we're going to be judged by are our words. Do you know your words is one of the few things you can send to heaven ahead of you? When you get there, they'll be waiting for you.

Yes, they will. So when you think about that, every time you say something, remember it's going to wait for you. You're going to hear it again, meet it again when you get to heaven because the wise man said in Proverbs 18 21 death and life were in the power of the tongue and they that love it will eat the fruit thereof in the authority of the bring life where did the authority to bring death is all in my tongue. I had that much power in my tongue and whatever I say, I'm going to eat the fruit of right now and then it's going to be waiting for me when I get to heaven. But a good man will be satisfied with the good fruit of his mouth. And now I'm reading Proverbs.

It's going to refer to it. Proverbs 12 14 by the fruit of his mouth and the recompense recompense of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him. That brings us to the second thing that we're going to be judged on and that's the works of our hands, that every man's works shall be tried by the fire. Let's turn to second Corinthians 5 10 for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that which he had done, whether it be good or bad.

I want to point out a couple of things. First of all, we're all going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ, not the great white throne judgment of the sinner. This is of the Christian. But then he brings it down to individual responsibility because he says every man. He doesn't say and you all will be tried.

He says every man. So we always have to see then he's putting the burden is on me for myself and you likewise. And he says your works are going to be tried whether they be good or whether they be bad. Now in a way, it seems like a paradox. How can a Christian have bad works and go to heaven?

It doesn't seem to make sense. But you have to understand as we go on that in the light of what is behind a lot of our works will determine whether they're good or bad. Anything that turns into what's double hang gets burnt up is bad.

It's bad news for the person who who stood there and saw that happen to them. So in that sense, it's bad. And sometimes it's not acts of commission, we commit something bad. Sometimes it's acts of omission. We fail to do things that are good. The Bible says to him that knows to do good and does it not to him it's sin. There are things that God has dealt with us about doing and we have failed to do them. Well, when we stand before the Lord, we're going to also give an account for what we didn't do as much as what we did do.

Remember when Jesus talked about how that in Matthew 25, how he's going to judge the nations that are left at the end of the age, and he's going to turn to some of them and he's going to say, Come now blessed of my Father, enter into the joys of the Lord prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Because when I was hungry, you fed me. And when I was thirsty, you gave me to drink. And when I was sick, you visited me.

And when I was in prison, you came to see me. And they're going to say we did. When did we do that, Lord? And he's going to say as much as you did it to the least of one of these, you did it under me. Then he's going to turn to others and say, when you didn't feed me, you didn't give me to drink, you didn't visit me. Now if God is going to judge the nations now, the natural nations that are left at the end of the age, if he's going to bring that kind of judgment down on them, what do you think he's going to do to the church?

Amen. I believe we're also going to be judged as to what we fail to do. But if we do the smallest of thing, if it's to feed the hungry and clothe the naked and give water to the thirsty, we are going to receive a reward. So much so that I'll just refer you to Mark 9 41, Jesus said, for whosoever shall give a cup of water.

See this? Whosoever shall give a cup of water to drink in my name shall not lose his reward. Imagine that. Imagine something as simple as giving a cup of water to get a reward for that. Now that was especially important to them over there in the Middle East because they have a great problem with water. They don't have enough water to go around. And a lot of their troubles, I believe wars are going to be fought yet over the water over there.

Because if the people in the North dam up the Jordan River and don't let it go down, Israel won't have water. So over there, remember I had preached a few, maybe a month or so ago about how that Jacob had to get those wells dug or he would have lost all his blessings. So you see, water is very important.

Now the young man is not here tonight, but that's all right because he's going to get his reward in heaven. But there's Ronnie's young son, Kevin, that boy is faithful to get water for me because my mouth gets real dry and I have to drink water constantly. And he's faithful. He comes in there and he brings that water for me all the time.

He's very polite. He does it faithfully. He does it, you know, he does it like he's really doing something really great for the Lord. And he is, and he's going to have a reward in heaven waiting for him. I mean, I thank him and I appreciate it, but it may seem like a small thing, but what he's doing, there's rewards that are piling up in the name of Kevin Page because of what he's, that he's obeyed this command. So that brings us to the third thing we're going to be judged by and that is our giving.

Somebody said, we haven't even read anything yet. Let's turn to Matthew the sixth chapter. If we give a cup of water, we're going to receive a reward. So that lets me know that if a cup of water is going to get a reward, there are many rewards to be gained in the, in the matter of giving. And Matthew six and one, here's those very strong words again, take heed that you do not your alms or your giving.

That's all alms means giving donations before men to be seen of them. Otherwise you have no reward of your father, which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms or thy giving, do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. So we find out that our giving is going to bring a reward if we did it for the right reason.

I mean you can give everything you have, but if you do it for the glory of men or to be seen or to be important or to impress somebody, the pastor or, or the usher board or whomever, guess what? When you impress them, you got your reward. When they, the Pharisees went out in the towns, uh, the marketplace and they said, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo. And everybody looked to see because the trumpet men, something's about to happen. And when everybody was looking, they gave their offering to the poor and they felt so good because everybody said, Oh, did you see that?

Oh, did you see what they gave? And they felt good about it. And Jesus said, well, I hope they enjoyed it cause that's their reward. But they're not getting any in heaven. They done lost the one in heaven. I tell you, I I'll take the one in heaven. How many say, man, I want the one in heaven. And I truly believe that this is going to be one of the greatest shockers on that judgment day that we're talking about.

I think we're going to get some of the biggest because I think people are going to be shocked because either they thought they were getting rewards they're not going to get that. I gave a lot of money to church. I gave a lot of money to God. And there's going to be other people that were going to go, Oh, cause that little widow and that one who gave out of their monthly pension and that one who sacrificed and that one that maybe said, well, I won't get this so that I can give to the work of God and that one who paid their tithes even when they had made such a little bit of money and they could have said, you know, I really need this tithe, but they're the ones that are going to have great rewards when we stand before God. How many say him in Jesus said in Luke six 35, but love your enemies and do good and land hoping for nothing again. Another words, when you give to someone who's in need, don't hope to receive anything back. Now I'm not talking about if you have some sort of a contract or financial agreement with someone, you know, and you're, let's not go be fanatic again. We're going to stay in balance here. Okay.

We're all on the same page, right? But we're talking about when, when you know you give and do something for someone because you see they have a need and you don't shut up your bowels of compassion, but you give to that person and they might say to you, Oh, I appreciate this and when I get on my feet or when I, when I get some money, I'm going to, I'm going to pay you back and you feel a letter of the Lord to say, no, it's a gift. You don't have to pay me back. Now, if you have an agreement to pay somebody back, then you should pay them back or you've broken a vow and it's better not to vow a vow. If they say don't pay me back, that's one thing. But he said, lend, he said, lend hoping to receive nothing again and your reward shall be great. Lend hoping nothing to receive again and your reward shall be great. Okay.

That was the first one. So now we're not only talking about getting rewards, we're talking about getting great rewards. You want great rewards? Go around and start giving. So start getting your pockets open.

Start opening up your pocket. Some people say, sister Sharon, I'm still working on the regular rewards. I'm just telling you what the Bible says. Jesus said, if you do that, your reward will be great.

I may be sorry I told you to do that before the night's over. Proverbs 19 17 says, he that hath pity on the poor, lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given will he or God repay him again. Now I want you to see that if you lend to the poor, God's going to, not the poor or not the rich, but God.

And you know what? God is not stingy. He is not stingy. You say, well, I gave $5. He's not going to say one, two.

No, God's not that way. He keeps it up. He presses it down. He shakes it together. He runs it over and gives it back into your bosom. And I like the bosom thing. Cause remember I told you a while back, if you give it back in your hands, if you give me some oranges or fruit, I can only maybe hold one.

I might be able to get two, three. I might be able to get four, but if I start putting it in my bosom like this, I can get a whole lot. Amen.

You can carry a whole lot doing that. And so that's how, when you lend to the poor, that's how God's going to give back to you right now in the sweet now and now. And when you get to heaven, you will have great rewards. All right, let's turn to Mark the 10th chapter verse 17. And when he had gone forth into the way, there came one running and kneeled to him and asked him, good master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good?

There is none good but one, and that is God. Now thou knowest the commandments. Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, defraud not, honor thy mother and father. And he answered and said unto him, master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him, loved him. I like that.

I think that's so important that Mark inserted that. And said unto him, one thing thou lackest, go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor. And thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come take up the cross and follow me.

And he was sad at that saying. And he went away grieved for he had great possessions. Now think that Jesus offered him treasure in heaven. Wow, what an exchange. Jesus said you have done all these you've kept, but Jesus knew the one he hadn't kept.

Remember it's not only what you do, it's what you fail to do that you're going to be judged by. And Jesus said, yes, you've kept all these things, but one thing, go sell what you have and give to the poor and you shall have reward or treasure in heaven. But that young man, he made a choice. He decided to forfeit the treasures in heaven for what he had here on earth.

Wow, what a ripoff. What a ripoff that he would forfeit the treasures in heaven. Now why did Jesus tell him to do that?

Jesus didn't tell everybody that came to him to do that, but Jesus knew that this young man had a problem with this. And giving proves that you've got the victory over greed. You see, it proves you've got the victory over that. And this young man did not have the victory over that. He might've had the victory and I don't steal and I don't kill and I don't commit adultery, but he didn't have the victory over greed and covetousness. And in order for him to show that he had the victory, he had to give and he wasn't willing to do that.

And the sad thing is, is he went away still rich, still had all his possessions, still had his bank account, still had his real estate, still had his stocks and bonds, but he had no reward in heaven. Now you have to decide what you would rather have. That's your choice. Amen. Jesus said, lay up not for yourself treasures on the earth because the fact is the thief and the robber comes in and steals.

And even if the thief doesn't get in, the moth will get in, rust will get in, the law of entropy sooner or later, it will all turn into a rust bucket. Amen. So no matter what you amass, if your treasure is here, it's only temporary at best when you could have the eternal rewards of heaven.

Amen. What an eye opening, heart transforming word of the Lord, jeopardy, losing your rewards. Saints, I must tell you truthfully when God revealed to my spirit how much everything I do and how I do it and why I do it for his kingdom will determine what eternal rewards I will receive or forfeit. It revolutionized my Christian walk. My whole life, all my life has been serving God, but I didn't always do it with the best attitudes.

I had tendencies to pride and self-righteousness and even pouting that I did not see his problems. And we're not talking about one salvation or going to heaven. We're talking about our works being tried once we're in heaven. Paul said that every man's work shall be made manifest and revealed by fire to see what sort, not what size, what quality, not what quantity it is. Paul said that we all individually will stand before the beam of the judgment seat of Christ to give an account for the deeds done in our bodies, whether good or bad.

He referred to Christians, not sinners. And he said that if our works survive the fire, we shall receive a reward. They will come forth as gold, silver and precious stones. But if they do not survive the fire, they will be burned as wood, stubble and hay, and he shall suffer the loss of his rewards.

For me, this is a sobering reality. I don't only want to go to heaven. I want all the rewards I'm eligible to receive.

And I believe you do too. Find out seven things the scriptures say that will be tried from our words to our works, our giving, how we act and endure in trials, our motivations. You know, there's even a reward for those who love and look for the Lord's coming in the rapture.

I call it the Maranatha reward. Today's message, Jeopardy! Losing Your Rewards is available as a two CD set for your love gift of $15 or more for the radio ministry. Text SK104, mail to Archie Hardy Ministries, P.O. Box 1744, Baltimore, Maryland, 21203. Or go online to ArchieHardy.org, that's ArchieHardy.org, where you may also order on MP3. But to order Jeopardy! Losing Your Rewards by mail, offer SK104, send your minimum love gift of $15 to P.O. Box 1744, Baltimore, Maryland, 21203. Until next time, this is Sharon Knott singing Maranatha. You you you you you you