YOU WORK FOR MAN, WHAT ABOUT GOD?

When people get a job from a company or from an individual, their expectation is that they will be rewarded for the period it lasts and at the end of the contract they have entered.

This contract is usually stated on a piece of paper spelling out the terms and obligations of each party (Employer and Employee). This piece of paper is called a Letter of Employment.

Usually, when the job is from a reputable organization, the expectations are high for the employee who will be greatly rewarded in terms of salary, promotion, paid vacation, profit sharing and all other such benefits and emoluments, including severance benefits at the end of the employment period.

There are however, some instances where the employer fails in their obligation to employees, usually when the company is not doing well in terms of revenue sales. There is a delay in paying staff, effecting promotion and other benefits.

What is interesting in these instances is that you still find loyal staff who continue to remain in the company's employment for months on end with the expectation that business would improve and their outstanding salaries and other benefits would be paid.

This also happens even in cases where the employer deliberately diverts company funds to other uses that clearly hurt the organization - employees or staff continue to work there and expect their reward to come.

There are some other employees who are not patient enough to wait for any reward or payment of outstanding benefits and they either resign from the organization or in some instances they defraud the company and abscond believing they rightly deserve to do so since there are outstanding obligations their employer is yet to fulfil.

Now, dear friend, this is an example of what happens when people work for man.

There is an example of another contract or covenant when people work for God. In this covenant, one thing is certain - the Employer, God Almighty, can NEVER default in His obligations.

This covenant is found in God's Word, the Holy Bible, where God clearly spells out His expectations and the rewards to anyone who takes up employment with Him. As long as the employee, a Christian, meets his obligations to God, the Employer, the reward is certain.

There is absolutely no circumstance anywhere that can change this contract - not wars, not sickness, not even satan, the father of evil. God's covenant remains constant and everlasting and it is sure to happen.

Unfortunately, very few people are interested in working for God to receive the reward He promises. Such people think the expectation from God is either too high or simply unattainable for them and so they prefer to work for man alone, sweating it out daily from morning till evening, Monday to even Sunday in some instances.

What are those expectations from God for which He promises a reward? The first and most important is that everyone should repent from sin and unrighteousness, believe and accept Jesus Christ the Messiah and Son of God as Lord of our lives.

Second, God says we should live a life free from sin and unrighteousness in obedience to His commands as clearly spelt out in His Book of Covenant, the Holy Bible or the Word of God.

God also expects us to do other important tasks as part of the covenant we enter into with Him - say our prayers daily and as often as possible during the day, fast, pay our tithes and offerings, share with others the Gospel message of Repentance and Salvation, attend Church to listen to His Word and pray with other believers and worship Him, God Almighty, ALONE.

These expectations are not difficult for anyone to meet. The difference between God and man is that what God says, He will do. Whatever God has decreed, must happen and nothing can change it.

Someone may ask, how am I sure of this? There are 2 ways to find out - first of all, simply obey and just do all God has commanded as I have outlined above and secondly, make a diligent study of God's Holy Word in the Bible, see what He has said and REVERENTLY remind Him of these covenant in prayer.

If you, dear friend, have done all these as I have stated in the preceding paragraph and God refuses to fulfil His own obligations, then you can believe that God does not exist.

Dear friend, one thing I am certain of, is that the God I serve, the ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD AND FATHER OF MY LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, CANNOT FAIL IN HIS OBLIGATIONS. IT SIMPLY CANNOT HAPPEN.

Since I was born, I am yet to see anyone, man or woman, who diligently played his or role and God did not play His own role.

God's Word clearly says in Deuteronomy 7:9 "Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments."

God's Word clearly says in Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent, Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make good?"

God's Word clearly states in Psalm 138:2b "For you have magnified Your Word above all Your Name."

God's Word clearly states in Psalm 119:89, 160 "Forever O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven. The entirety of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgements endures forever."

God Almighty states clearly in Isaiah 55:10-11 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

Dear friend, one thing should be clear to you from all these - God cannot fail. If man fails and people continue to work for man, then common sense should tell anyone that working for God will earn a sure reward.

The beauty of working for God is that there are two rewards, one here on earth and one when we depart this world.

The first reward is seen when our Lord Jesus Christ tells us in John 15:7 "If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

By this, My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

Jesus Christ makes it clear that whoever believes and obeys His Word will receive whatever he or she asks for in prayer, that the name of God be glorified in the process.

For the second reward, that one is eternal and ONLY God Almighty can give it and no one else. Jesus Christ says in John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

This means whoever knows the only true God and His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has eternal life. You cannot know God and Jesus Christ without believing and accepting the Gospel Message of Repentance and Salvation and you can get this message in Church where the Word of God is preached and in the ONLY AUTHORIZED AND ACCEPTABLE Word of God, the Holy Bible.

If you are one of those who believe there is no life after death, God's Word clearly states in Proverbs 23:17-18 "Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day; for surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off."

Whatever God has said is true, and if God says there is a hereafter, then be sure there is and that hope of the righteous who fears God always, that will not be cut off, is eternal life.

I therefore urge you, dear friend, to begin now to work God and work for eternal life and your expectations will not be cut off because God is not a man who can disappoint.

May God bless you as you heed His Word today, act on it and share with others in Jesus' Mighty Name, Amen.

Gabriel Ama.