… 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁; 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. 𝗜𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀, 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱. 𝗜𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽, 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀. (𝟭 𝗖𝗼𝗿. 𝟯:𝟭𝟯-𝟭𝟱)

We recently witnessed the aftermath of a storm that completely submerged houses and left victims empty-handed. Several months back, raging wildfires consumed houses and mighty earthquakes reduced buildings into rubles. What else could be more disheartening than to watch everything you’ve worked hard for vanish and turn to nothing?

The Scripture is clear that God will test the quality of the work we render to Him. It will be subjected to the fire and if burned up, we will suffer loss. After our toil night and day, after all the sacrifices, heartache and pain, 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙥 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙂𝙤𝙙’𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙮.

God’s way is through Jesus. To meet His perfect standard, man’s work should be built upon the sure, solid and lasting foundation in Him. (1Cor. 3:11) 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙪𝙣𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚. Faith in any other person or principle is faulty and erroneous and leads to sure destruction and complete loss.

We begin with Jesus. We continue and remain in Him. Apart from this abiding faith, we will be serving in our own strength. Independent of Him, we will be trusting and sowing in the flesh and before we know it, produce all kinds of corruption–evil motives, jealousy, envy and the like. (Gal. 6:8) Our work will never be acceptable and pleasing to the Father because in His fiery eyes, they are wood, hay and straw that will be burned down easily and not withstand the blazing flames. So, let us be careful and watch ourselves so that we may receive a full reward. (2 Jn8) 

Let us always abide in Jesus, immerse in God’s Word and submit willingly to His instruction to walk by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.

𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:
1. Is your service to God and others grounded in Jesus alone?
2. In what way is your service to God unacceptable and displeasing to Him?

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿:
O my Lord, forgive me for serving thee in sinful ways – by glorying in my own strength, by forcing myself to minister through necessity, by accepting the applause of others…by having another foundation to stand upon beside thee; for thus I make flesh my arm. Help me to see that it is faith stirred by grace that does the deed…If I have not such faith I am nothing…Keep me in a faith that works by love, and serves by grace. -Excerpt from the Valley of Vision, Vain Service