SALVATION AND REWARDS Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com A number of clear contrasts between the two appear in Scripture. Salvation is for the lost, Matt. 18:11, while rewards are for the saved, Prov. 13:13. The salvation offered to all who believe is the same for everyone, Acts 16:31; Heb. 10:39, while rewards will differ, Rev. 22:12. Salvation is a free gift, Isa. 55:1; Rom. 6:23, but rewards are earned, 1 Cor. 3:8. Salvation is received in the present, John 5:24; rewards are to be received in the future, Matt. 16:27. When the day for rewards has come, fire will test every man’s work. All that survives will be rewarded, and salvation will not be affected, 1 Cor. 3:11–15. Every man will have praise of God, 1 Cor. 4:5. Keeping the precepts of Scripture has always brought great reward, Psa. 19:11. Christ spoke of rewards as being in Heaven, Matt. 5:12. He will bring them with Him at His return, Rev. 22:12. A reward is to be given even for the offering of a cup of cold water, Matt. 10:42. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, Heb. 11:6. It is a worthy motive to serve Him with the promised rewards in view. Even Moses “had respect unto the recompense of the reward,” Heb. 11:26. All believers are encouraged to have full confidence in the fulfillment of everything God has promised, Heb. 10:35–37; Prov. 11:18. I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS QUICK REFRESHER TO BE A HELPFUL REMINDER. PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
GUARD YOUR WALK: James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Matthew 5:13-16 You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world–like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Ephesians 6:10-11 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from every form of evil. BEING A CHILD OF GOD COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITIES. THINK ABOUT IT. PayPal.me/donatetochurch Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
LET US FOCUS ON THIS GODLY WORD Ephesians 4:2 GW Be humble and gentle in every way. Be patient with each other and lovingly accept each other. DO NOT BE ARROGANT, DO NOT BE HARD OR ROUGH, DO NOT BE QUICK TEMPERED, STOP THE HATE, AND LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER. DEUTERONOMY 10:21 NIV He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT ALL THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU, NOW GIVE HIM SOME PRAISE!!! PRAISE HIM!!! GLORY!!! HALLELUJAH!!! LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AND LET US NOT FORGET WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US. OUR GOD IS WORTHY OF PRAISE. LET US GIVE GOD HIS PRAISE, GLOOORRRY!!! HALLELUJAH!!! Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
FOOD FOR THOUGHT 1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. WE MUST CONFESS OUR SINS TO GOD. WE MUST TURN AWAY FROM OUR SINS. GOD WILL FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS, AND CLEANSE US. DON’T ALLOW YOUR SINS TO BLOCK YOUR BLESSINGS. Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” GET RID OF THE ANGER, ENVY, AND HATRED. ALLOW THE PEACE OF GOD TO RULE IN YOUR HEART. STOP COMPLAINING, BE THANKFUL. THINK ABOUT IT. ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR: ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
COME TO GOD NOW Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 Since we are God’s coworkers, we urge you not to let God’s kindnessbe wasted on you. God says, “At the right time I heard you. On the day of salvation I helped you.” Listen, now is God’s acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation! MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION: the message demands a decision. Note three facts. a. Ministers are co-workers with God. They actually have the great privilege of working together with God. What is the work that they do with God? The minister who works with God does exactly what Scripture says: he “beseeches,” that is, urges, begs, and pleads with men to receive the wonderful grace of God. What is that grace? It is the glorious truth … • that God has provided salvation through Christ and proclaimed that salvation through Christ b. The message of redemption is not to be received in vain. A person must not hear the message with empty, deaf ears. Redemption and salvation are available. God has made it possible—He even begs and pleads with men—to be saved; but a person can receive the message with empty ears and heart. He can either do nothing about the message or deliberately reject it. In either case he refuses … • to let the grace of God take effect in his life • to let God’s grace work in his heart through regeneration • to let the death and righteousness of Christ be counted as his death and righteousness A person must not receive the grace of God in vain. God’s grace is much too wonderful—it is the only hope and way of redemption and salvation. c. The decision to be saved is to be made now. Now is the only reasonable time to be saved. There may be no tomorrow; in fact, there may not even be one hour left for any of us. Any person’s life can be snatched away any moment of any day by accident, disease, or heart attack. Verse two declares two significant facts (note that this is an Old Testament quotation and God Himself is the spokesman, Is. 49:8): 1) This is the acceptable time when God has heard the cries of men. This is the day of salvation when God has succoured men. 2) Paul, the minister, cries out: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Note the forceful implication: the day is coming when the day of salvation will no longer be present. “See, I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evil” (De. 30:15). “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (De. 30:19). “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsover thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mk. 10:21). “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” (Jn. 6:66–67). “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Jos. 24:15). “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him” (1 K. 18:21). IT’S TIME TO STOP GOING BACK AND FORTH. IT’S TIME TO MAKE A DECISION, WHO ARE YOU GOING TO FOLLOW? MAKE YOUR DECISION TODAY, DON’T WAIT, TOMORROW IS NOT GUARANTEED. DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE STORM COME INTO YOUR LIFE TO FORM A RELATIONSHIIP WITH GOD, FORM YOUR RELATIONSHIP NOW. DON’T CAUSE GOD TO TELL YOU TO GO AWAY FROM ME I DON’T EVEN KNOW YOU!!! PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT GRACE Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Psalm 103:8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Ephesians 2:8-10 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— [9] not by works, so that no one can boast. [10] For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED AND RECEIVED FROM THIS QUICK REFRESHER. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
GOD USES HUMANS ACTS 19:11-12 AMP God was doing extraordinary and unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or face-towels or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out [of them]. YES, GOD CAN USE HUMANS TO PERFORM MIRACLES IF HE CHOOSE TO DO IT. THINK ABOUT IT. God is loyal to us. Deuteronomy 7:9 GW Keep in mind that the Lord your God is ⌊the only⌋ God. He is a faithful God, who keeps his promise and is merciful to thousands of generations of those who love him and obey his commands. WE MUST LOVE GOD, AND KEEP HIS COMMANDS. WE MUST BE LOYAL TO GOD. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR: ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Blessings of the Upright One said of a devoted Christian man in his business, “He commands my custom, for all his goods are Christian;” and of another, “He sells a Christian shovel.” When we are “upright in heart and life and business, we need no recommendation.” The upright man, and not the leaner, is ever the blessed one. If the Book of Proverbs is carefully studied, it will be found there are many blessings which come to the upright. 1. The upright “dwell in the land” of promised blessing—2:21. Proverbs 2:21 Decent people will live in the land. People of integrity will remain in it. 2. The upright have Jehovah as their strength—10:29. Proverbs 10:29 The way of the LORD is a fortress for an innocent person but a ruin to those who are troublemakers. 3. The integrity and righteousness of the upright bring guidance and deliverance—11:3, 6, 11. Proverbs 11:3 Integrity guides decent people, but hypocrisy leads treacherous people to ruin. Proverbs 11:6 Decent people are saved by their righteousness, but treacherous people are trapped by their own greed. Proverbs 11:11 With the blessing of decent people a city is raised up, but by the words of wicked people, it is torn down. 4. The upright are a joy to the Lord, and He delights to answer their prayer—11:20; 15:8. Proverbs 11:20 Devious people are disgusting to the LORD, but he is delighted with those whose ways are innocent. Proverbs 15:8 A sacrifice brought by wicked people is disgusting to the LORD, but the prayers of decent people please him. 5. The upright find that the Lord keeps them, causes them to flourish, and obtain definite direction—13:6; 14:11; 21:29. Proverbs 13:6 Righteousness protects the honest way of life, but wickedness ruins a sacrifice for sin. Proverbs 14:11 The houses of wicked people will be destroyed, but the tents of decent people will continue to expand. Proverbs 21:29 A wicked person puts up a bold front, but a decent person’s way of life is his own security. 6. They find “good things in possession” (28:10). “No good will Jehovah withhold from them who walk uprightly” (Psa. 84:11). Psalm 84:11 The LORD God is a sun and shield. The LORD grants favor and honor. He does not hold back any blessing from those who live innocently. I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS QUICK REFRESHER HELPFUL. LIVE AN UPRIGHT LIFE AND BE BLESSED BY GOD. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
The people of God are to imitate God Leviticus 11:44–45 “Here is the reason: I am the LORD your God. You must live holy lives. Be holy because I am holy. Never become unclean by touching anything that swarms or crawls on the ground. Here is the reason ⸤again⸥: I am the LORD. I brought you out of Egypt to be your God. Be holy because I am holy. Leviticus 20:26 Be my holy people because I, the LORD, am holy. I have separated you from other people to be my very own. 1 Peter 1:16 Scripture says, “Be holy, because I am holy.” Ephesians 5:1 Imitate God, since you are the children he loves. TOO MANY PEOPLE STRIVING TO BE LIKE THE WORLD. STOP IMITATING THE WORLD AND START IMITATING GOD. PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
REMEMBER GOD KNOWS: Psalm 69:5 O God, you know my stupidity, and the things of which I am guilty are not hidden from you. Jeremiah 2:22 Even if you wash with detergent and use a lot of soap, I would still see the stains from your wickedness,” declares the Almighty LORD. 1 Corinthians 4:4–5 I have a clear conscience, but that doesn’t mean I have God’s approval. It is the Lord who cross-examines me. Therefore, don’t judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will also bring to light what is hidden in the dark and reveal people’s motives. Then each person will receive praise from God. REMEMBER GOD KNOWS YOUR WICKEDNESS. REMEMBER GOD KNOWS YOUR GUILT. REMEMBER GOD KNOWS YOUR MOTIVE. THINK ABOUT IT. CHECK YOURSELF, HOW ARE YOU LIVING? PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
