Have you ever thought that God only smiles at us only when we “DO” it right? I am sure that everyone used to or in fact still strongly believes that is how our Father reacts to us… based on our good works. I am writing this because I honestly believe that God is always smiling at us, His beloved. This message that I am about to right perhaps will make some people angry especially if you believe that God will bless you or smile at you more when you “DO” it right. So here goes…

The truth is that God DOES NOT just reward those who are diligent because that is how the Law works. If you have done this right, therefore God will bless You (it is not so in the New Covenant – the Covenant of God’s Grace). Remember that the Law is not just 10 commandments. But the Law is a mentality that believes “By what we do, we will become” – and Adam fell for that. He things that by eating the fruit of “knowledge good and evil” He will become like God that His eyes will be open. He forgot one thing, that He was created in God’s image. He was already like God, if only he believed that.

Good Reward, in Genesis 15:1, it says”After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very GREAT REWARD.” Jesus is our reward. I do believe, God does not talk about Big mansions nor gold nor anything else, but about Jesus. Personally, I believe that this happened to King David, He knew that He will get a great price which is Christ Himself. Although David was under the Old Covenant, but He understood the heart of God which is the New Covenant of His Grace. Matthew 5:12, it says “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you).” Great is your reward. The reward here is NOT an “IT” it is a “PERSON” and His name is Jesus Christ. God does not say He is A Great Rewarder but He says He is THE Great Reward Himself.

It does not matter whether work in terms of Salvation or work in terms of Doing it for God. If we think that the more “diligent” or hard working we are, the more God is pleased with us. I would totally disagree with that believe because that is not Grace. Grace does not mean – You Shall and God Will. Grace means – unmerited favor. Grace is a free gift and when good works come in then it is not Grace anymore. The Bible says that God is the Author and the Finisher of our faith. It DOES NOT say that God is the Author and we are the finisher of our faith. God is pleased with us 100% because we are in Christ, even though based on “worldly eyes” we are not good enough. I am not saying to live a careless and lawless life. The Spirit of Christ is in us, what made us think that He is not gonna change us and do good works through us? After all, we are now a New Creation in Christ.

Also, I beg to differ when people say; “people that know Grace and Favour are lazy people.” I believe the more you understand Grace, the more you are in rest, the more Favour, the more God can do mighty work through and in You . Let’s take an example of the life of Paul. Let’s agree that Paul was “the best” amongst the disciple based on so-called “Doing it for God.” On His missions, His message is only about one thing which is Jesus and Him crucified. He never once said “alright boys, now that I have preached the Gospel to you and you have heard it, it’s your turn to get busy! So many lost people out there, so do good works because the Lord is more pleased if you do this!” Paul always, always remind people of Who they are In Christ (the new realities in Christ) and How much we are loved by Him. Is Paul a “Hard Worker” for God? based on religious views, YES HE IS. He has done more things compared to other disciples (if we want to talk about good works). But Paul, never never never once boasting His good works.

Please don’t get me wrong, we, the beloved, WILL spread the Gospel, we WILL do a good work, we WILL see the lost saved, all because of His Grace not because we have to work dilligently. Let’s read 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 and look at how Paul’s boasting his sufferings (the reason he did that because the other so called “super-apostles” are always boasting about their works for God). I believe, Paul did this to make a point that all his hard work is possible because of God’s Amazing Grace. God made it possible for him to do this.

The parable of the talent, alright, every time we read the Bible we must see Jesus in it, right? I hope we all agree with me on this one. When we see this parable, what first came up to your mind? Was it condemnation or What Jesus has done on our behalf? We can only fulfill God’s calling only when we are under Grace because even the best one of them (Moses – which represent the LAW) failed. Remember that Jesus was living under the Old Covenant and what Jesus said can and probably have condemned you. It is all because He wants everyone to end their Good Works and believe in His perfect Good Works instead. He is the ONLY one that FULFILLED the LAW perfectly. He was the only one that WORKED DILIGENTLY on our behalf. He was the one that took our place on the cross. He was the only one that could save us from our self righteousness.

Name me one person that could perform perfectly with their talents? I don’t think there is one person but Jesus Christ. Most of people believe that success comes when we work more productive or harder. The thought of God’s favour is stupidity according to the world. How can you be “financially rich” if you don’t spend 15 hours a day working and diligently making a 20-year plan? Is this not what the world believes, what makes us STOP thinking that the reason why we are blessed is because God’s Grace and His Favour are all over us, the beloved because we are in Christ?

Sure the world says that the more money you have the more “Successful” you are, but that is now How God define success. I hope you agree with me on this one as well? Let’s talk about Money Success. Let’s compare those people (Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, or Carlos Slim Helu) as the most successful people on the Planet. Let’s now compare them with King Solomon, in terms of money. After all King Solomon was the richest and is still the richest person ever lived!

I 100% do not believe that the reason why King Solomon is rich or “successful” because he worked diligently. I 100% do not agree that the reason why he was the WISEST person on the planet (well before Jesus Christ of course) is because he studied the knowledge of wisdom diligently for many years. The true reason is that because of God’s Grace made that possible for Him, God gave Him the wisdom, God gave him the richness of the world. Why? Not because He was diligent but because God had already promised and God did it for His Glory. The same scenario with Abraham, he was “rich”, why? Because of God’s Grace. Yes and a million Yes’s, you still work hard but not with the mentality that the more I work hard the more result I will get. John the Baptist was “rich” based not on finance but Jesus called him the BEST prophet Why did Jesus say that he was the best amongst the other prophets?

Let’s read LUKE 7:28, it says “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” He calls us believers, are greater than John the Baptist? Inst this amazing? Why is that so? The only thing John did was to point to Jesus and Jesus calls that “Great.” On the other hand, what have we done so that Jesus says that we are greater than John the Baptist? Nothing! Is it because of our “diligent” work? Absolutely Not!! It is simply because of whom we believe in (which is in Jesus Christ). If you are in Christ, Jesus lives in You and for that reason, you are greater than John the Baptist. Amen for this truth.

If every time we think that God is more pleased when we DO THIS or DON’T DO THIS or DO THAT or DON’T DO THAT, that is so cheapening God’s Grace and what Jesus has done on the cross.

Always believe that God is always SMILING at You just because you are His beloved in Christ.

Shalom :)

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