HEAVENLY REWARDS

1. Introduction

a) Do you know that our Heavenly Father rewards those whose acts are done in secret?

2. Three (3) areas which Jesus taught how we can get our reward from our Heavenly Father when he sees our acts are done in secret.

a) Giving to the needy

i) 1"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4 NIV)

b) Prayer

i) 5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

ii) 9"This, then, is how you should pray:

"'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'

iii) 14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:5-15 NIV)

(For answer to prayer, settle offences first)

iv) 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' (idiot) is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, 'You fool!' (curse) will be in danger of the fire of hell. 23"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:22-24 NIV)

(Jesus gave a practical solution to settle matters quickly with your adversary in respect of prayer. Otherwise, your prayer may not be answered.)

v) 25"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. (Matthew 5:25, 26 NIV)

c) Fasting

i) 16"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18 NIV)

3. Prayer focus

a) Pray that when we do our acts of righteousness, we do it to please the Lord and God will reward us.