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A Perspective That Is Eternal

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
Luke 6:23

Jesus said, "Blessed are you when men hate you, exclude you, and reject your name as evil. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy" (Luke 6:22-23). Now, Jesus didn’t mean, "If you’re persecuted on My behalf you’ll be so happy you’ll dance an Irish jig." No, read on: "Your reward is great in heaven." Those six words reveal why you can rejoice in the worst of circumstances. You see, there’s a direct connection between something you do for God on earth, and something "great" He’s going to do for you in heaven. Jesus isn’t asking you to enjoy misery on His behalf. That’s masochism. He’s saying that your rewards in heaven for certain actions on earth will be so wonderful that simply knowing they’re coming can transform how you live now. Yes, even create spontaneous outbursts of joy! Listen to these three verses: "He shall reward every man according to his works" (Matthew 16:27). "you will have treasure in heaven" (Matthew 19:21). "you will be repaid at the resurrection" (Luke 14:14). Wow! God’s keeping track of what you do for Him every day. You have more to gain by serving the Lord than you ever imagined. Yes, He’ll bless and reward you in this life, but nothing by comparison to what awaits you in eternity. Simple decisions such as how you spend your time, your money and your energy, suddenly become opportunities of great promise. Once you understand this, you begin to live with an unshakable certainty that everything you do today - matters forever. And that truth can change your life for the better!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me always keep my eye upon the eternal and not upon immediate gratification. In Jesus’ Name, Amen