- LET a man so consider us, AS SERVANTS OF CHRIST AND STEWARDS OF THE MYSTERIES OF GOD.
- MOREOVER IT IS REQUIRED IN STEWARDS THAT ONE BE FOUND FAITHFUL.
- But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. IN FACT, I DO NOT EVEN JUDGE MYSELF.
- For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; BUT HE WHO JUDGES ME IS THE LORD.
- Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, WHO WILL BOTH BRING TO LIGHT THE HIDDEN THINGS OF DARKNESS AND REVEAL THE COUNSELS OF THE HEARTS. Then each one’s praise will come from God."
1 Corinthians 4:1–5 (NKJV)
• Be faithful in your dealings with God.
- In relating and working for God, you have to be faithful. If you had deceit in your heart, you would be undoing yourself (1 Corinthians 4:2).
- Whatever is going on in your heart is bare before God, everything is known to Him (1 Corinthians 4:5). Your thoughts are loud in the spirit realm!
- Know that God judges His people based on their thoughts, not on their actions mainly (Romans 2:11).
• Be faithful in your mind
- Be sincere in whatever you do for God. Be faithful in your assignment (1 Corinthians 4:2).
- Do your work, know that God is watching you: "FOR THERE IS NOTHING HIDDEN THAT WILL NOT BE REVEALED, AND NOTHING CONCEALED THAT WILL NOT BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT" (Mark 4:22 Christian Standard Bible).
READ: Matthew 10:26; 1 Corinthians 4:5 - You will be rewarded based on your faithfulness in the assignment given to you (1 Corinthians 3:13,14; 4:5).
- If the motivation of your heart is different from what you do outwardly, what you projected yourself As (Titus 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:5); you might not receive any reward from God:
13 EACH ONE'S WORK WILL BECOME CLEAR; for the Day will declare it, BECAUSE IT WILL BE REVEALED BY FIRE; AND THE FIRE WILL TEST EACH ONE'S WORK, of what sort it is. 14 IF ANYONE'S WORK WHICH HE [she] HAS BUILT ON IT ENDURES, HE [she] WILL RECEIVE A REWARD" (1 Corinthians 3:13,14). - Man who do not know the motives of your heart may praise you and commend you on what you are doing: "SO DON'T MAKE JUDGMENTS ABOUT ANYONE AHEAD OF TIME—before the Lord returns. FOR HE WILL BRING OUR DARKEST SECRETS TO LIGHT AND WILL REVEAL OUR PRIVATE MOTIVES. THEN GOD WILL GIVE TO EACH ONE WHATEVER PRAISE IS DUE" (1 Corinthians 4:5 NLT).
- The people may desire that you be blessed, albeit, It is only God who can bless and reward you:
6 WHO “WILL RENDER TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS [her] DEEDS”: 7 ETERNAL LIFE to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honour, and immortality" (Romans 2:6,7 NKJV). - Strive to please God, not man. Do not allow sentiment in whatever you do and in all you do (Galatians 1:10).
• Be straightforward
- Be truthful and plain before God and man.
- Craftiness will slow down your progress in the assignment of the Kingdom.
- God does not want insincerity and unfaithfulness in your dealings with Him.
- If you are fond of deception, you are not sincere and faithful in your relationship with other people (Ephesians 4:25); you also will receive the same from others, because you sow the seed (Galatians 6:7).
THE people who come your way would always deceive you, because like attracts like (Zechariah 8:16; Colossians 3:9). - Be sincere with God and fellow human beings. Be sincere in executing the work committed to your hands.
- Always check in your heart, whether the Holy Spirit approved whatever you wanted to do (Romans 8:14).
- If what you wanted to do is not approved by the Holy Spirit, It means God is not part of it, and proceeding further could be dangerous and calamitous (Proverbs 14:12).
- God knows the intent of your heart (1 Chronicles 28:9).
- What you think nobody knows about, is bare before God:
21 FOR GOD'S EYES ARE ON THE WAYS OF A MAN [a woman], AND HE SEES ALL HIS [her] STEPS. 22 “There is no darkness nor deep shadow WHERE THE EVILDOERS MAY HIDE THEMSELVES" ( Job 34:21,22 AMP).
READ: Proverbs 15:3
• If you are always conscious of Man, what would people feel or say, you will never acted right (Galatians 1:10).
- Always have it in your mind that you are dealing with God and not man in all your relationship: with spouse, friends, fellow believers, and the Ministers of God.
- Man can be deceived, but God CANNOT. In other words, you can succeed in deceiving Man but God cannot be deceived.
• Ask God about your thoughts and speeches (Psalm 19:14).
- Every negative thought that finds its way to your mind should be judged and cast down (2 Corinthians 10:5).
- Judge yourself on every matter of life. If you Judge ourselves you shall not be judged (1 Corinthians 11:31).
IF you, however, do not judge yourself, God will, and it might be severe (1 Corinthians 11:32).
• The heart of man is desperately wicked, only God knows it.
- If your heart is right and acceptable before God, you find fulfillment in Life and Ministry.
- A wrong and stinking heart cannot receive anything from God (Romans 1:28).
- Man may not know your heart but God knows. If your heart is bad, your services and offerings would not be accepted: "THE SACRIFICE OF THE WICKED [wrongdoers, sinners, or evil people] IS AN ABOMINATION; HOW MUCH MORE WHEN HE BRINGS IT WITH WICKED INTENT!" (Proverbs 21:27).
- If your heart is right, God will defend you even at the time of danger—when the enemy, the devil, comes to harass and devour (Proverbs 16:7).
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!