Hi Brian!


The word for this week is "reward". The Greek word for the Scriptures we'll be looking at is "misthos". Strong's Exhaustive Concordance says: pay for services, good or bad; hire, reward, wages. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: dues paid for work; wager, hire (in both senses - rewards and punishments). We see this in Matthew 6:2-4 concerning our giving:


2 Thus, whenever you give to the poor, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites in the synagogues and in the streets like to do, that they may be recognized and honored and praised by men. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full already. 3 But when you give to charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 So that your deeds of charity may be in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you openly.


Matthew 6:6 is speaking about our praying:


6 But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open.


Matthew 5:11-12 is speaking of times when we endure persecution for our faith:


11 Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous - with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of your outward conditions) are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely on My account. 17 Be glad and supremely joyful, for your reward in heaven is great (strong and intense), for in this way people persecuted the prophets who were before you.


And then Luke 6:35 speaks about walking  in love:


35 But love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and hoping for nothing in return but considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant) and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked


Our salvation from sin is a free gift, and not a reward or a wage for anything we have ever done! But, everything that we DO once we are born again WILL reap a reward, whether for good or evil, depending on the choices we have made! I KNOW you'll continue making the right ones, and have a great reward for it; in this life AND the next! Here is a song that is new to me! Aaron Keyes singing "Psalm 62 Song":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!