Continuing our theme of God’s ‘WHOEVER’ Promises, those that Jesus declared were for everyone.
God the Father is an INCLUSIVE God, WHOEVER WALKS WITH HIM HERE WILL LIVE WITH HIM THERE.
49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For WHOEVER does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’ Matthew 12
He is a God of ABUNDANCE and to those who have received, God Promises even MORE.
12 WHOEVER HAS WILL BE GIVEN MORE AND THEY WILL HAVE AN ABUNDANCE. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. Matthew 13:12, 25:29
In Matthew 10 the Lord called the twelve disciples to Him and commissioned them to go out and heal the sick, deliver the oppressed and preach the Good News of the Kingdom. At that time He gave them further instruction about things which would relate to everyone, more ‘WHOEVER’ statements.
32 WHOEVER acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10
We mustn’t think we can get away with being secret believers, we have to take a public stand for the Lord so that He in turn may acknowledge us. (In some countries the lives of believers may be in danger if known) I have read of Christians in the military who carried their Bibles openly as a sign of their faith in the Lord. They also said that the earlier they did it the easier it was!
37 ‘Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 WHOEVER does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and WHOEVER loses their life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10
There is a cost to following the Lord which isn’t mentioned much in the Western Church today. Jesus was more frank with His listeners, He told them, ‘there was a cross to carry’ (NB Before His Crucifixion) and ‘a life to give up’, (Living for ourselves) to be with Him in the Age to come.
40 ‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 WHOEVER WELCOMES a prophet as a prophet WILL RECEIVE a prophet’s reward, and WHOEVER WELCOMES a righteous person as a righteous person WILL RECEIVE a righteous person’s reward. Matthew 10
Jesus begins this section referring to a chain of relationships, those who welcomed His disciples welcomed Him and those who welcomed Him welcomed the Father. That’s why it’s so dangerous to touch or speak against a servant of the Lord in a wrong way, we are actually touching the One who sent them!
What a fantastic promise that by recognising and receiving the one God sends, we in turn WILL RECEIVE THEIR REWARD. The reward system for participating in the things of the Kingdom of God can be far better than anything in this life, Hallelujah.
God bless and keep you today. Immanuel, the Lord is with us.