Together # 30a
A Together that Strengthens
A Together that Strengthens
Spur One Another on to Love and Good Deeds
copyright by Dick Wulf, 2018
Motivate one another to do much good for Jesus Christ. Identify what needs to be done and get one another going
Matt 25:31-46; Gal 6:10; 1 Tim 6:17-19; Heb 10:24; James 4:17
“Spur on” is the main focus of this Together. It is the act of motivating people to put the desires of God before all else and be willing to do those things God wants, specifically love (one of the Togethers) and good deeds (most all of the other Togethers). In effect, we are to spur one another on to live the Great Commandment
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating.
Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him,
“Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this:
‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind
and with all your strength.’”
Mark 12:28-30
Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him,
“Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this:
‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind
and with all your strength.’”
Mark 12:28-30
There is no end to the good that God wants done in this sin-contaminated and hurtful world. Our self-centered wills need consistent pushing toward love and good deeds. Most all of us need a nudge once a while to step up and deny ourselves (the biblical definition of agape love) for someone else’s good. We can use one another’s help to make sure that we put God’s agenda before our own, which will result in loving good deeds when we have opportunity.
This Together to “Spur One Another On to Love and Good Deeds” gets those in our Christian Inner Circles ready to respond. We help them have the right attitude both with respect to love (selflessness) and good deeds (whatever needs done).
Unfortunately, we often love ourselves more than God and do not want to stick our necks out to motivate another Christian to do something for God that they may not want to do. And, we love other Christians more than we do God when we do not want to make them uncomfortable. Thus, we put God’s agenda in the world on the back burner and at the same time hinder the other Christian’s development into all that God wants him or her to be. The result for the person who could have been spurred on is that he or she will miss some quality of life for all eternity in heaven, especially in their relationship with God.
This task of prodding one another does not need to be done overnight. In fact, it is a process that requires personal attention and cannot be accomplished well through sermons. While “spurring on” can happen in small groups, the length of time required and the depth of committed relationship to overcome resistance requires this Together to be done by trusted friends and family. Patience will likely be necessary. But, once accomplished, the one spurred on will emerge like a butterfly from a cocoon and not likely change back. Spurring another Christian in our Christian Inner Circle on to love and good deeds can be quite rewarding. More importantly, it puts God in first place, both in our lives because we have taken the risk of prodding and in the other who begins to prioritize what God is doing.
Spurring on may need to begin by explaining God’s sovereign nature and what He is doing in our sinful world. Next might be to highlight the other Christian’s special talents and opportunities to be a part of that work of God. Follow that with the question whether or not he or she can see themselves taking part in that particular work of God. When there is finally desire to live for God in that way, you and other Christians in his or her life can implement other necessary Togethers such as encouragement (placing courage into) or preserving hope.
Note that we are to prod those in our Christian Inner Circles first to love. Not just duty, but love that produces joyful good deeds. Not loving deeds to get anything back, either. Instead, we are to spur one another on to love God out of thankfulness for what He has done for us in and through Jesus Christ. Any motivation to do good deeds to acquire salvation will fail because it is free and has already been accomplished for those who believe. And motivation to do something good should never be to get God to do something for us (bargaining and blackmail is not a good idea).
Only those in close relationship with a Christian will know if another Christian is doing good deeds out of duty or to gain something rather than love. That is why this biblical instruction was not given to pastors to accomplish through preaching. It is not a corporate duty so much as it is something for Christians to do at the very personal level.
People who are not doing much for the Lord in the way of love and good deeds will be noticed in their close friendships, family, or marriage. Unlike Bible studies, where a person can cover up non-involvement, people will become known in the closeness of their Christian Inner Circle. Those who see church as entertainment will become obvious. Friends and family who really care are the best ones to teach such people to be more thankful for Christ's death on the cross and then spur them on toward love and good deeds.
Prayer is important in this responsibility to get people into action. We want to ask the Holy Spirit to help those in our Christian Inner Circles grow spiritually, appreciate and love God sufficiently to do good deeds, and see how they can be of real help to others. Letting them know that they are being prayed for by the most important people in their lives will be taken much more seriously than a sermon.
We often need to use some loving force to get people into God’s action. While the good works needed include types of church service, that is just the tip of the iceberg of need and a small portion of which each Christian is capable. While we may not know what a person’s friends, family and spouse need in the way of good works, we do know that we are to help them develop a willing attitude of love that results in frequent needed good works for their friends and family.
Here might be a way of thinking about our responsibility to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Suppose we have a friend who has parents whose health prevents them from taking care of themselves and their property. You notice that your friend is not doing much to help. The task is to help that friend adopt an internal motivation to step up and shoulder some responsibility for his or her parents. Spurring that person on is the task of this Together. That is where you help your friend appreciate God’s sacrifice for him or her in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Until that happens, any action will be taken without thankfulness, perhaps just duty, hopefully not resentment. Next will be to help the friend develop biblical love, selfless concern for parents, probably at some considerable cost to himself or herself.
Once this is done, we can go on to suggest the other two Togethers of Meeting One Another’s Needs and Looking Out for One Another’s Good. This is when we mention actual needs of the ailing parents our friend should take care of. If we meet resistance, then we have to go back to this Together of spurring on to love and good deeds.
Perhaps our friend has Christian friends who discourage an attitude of ready service in loving good deeds. Maybe they subscribe to taking from God all they can and giving back only a little. In that case, we need to step on some toes and challenge such an ungenerous attitude toward God.
And, if our friend or spouse believes in doing for others as little as possible, spurring him or her on to love and good deeds will require conversations backed by prayer and empowered by the Holy Spirit. If we turn away from steadily and lovingly confronting such un-Christian values, we are not obeying our responsibility to spur one another on to love and good deeds.
Perhaps there are non-Christian friends who influence our friend to live more selfishly than Christians are called to do. In this case, we really need to help our friend or spouse see that he or she is too conformed to the pattern of this world and needs to be willing to be transformed into a new way of thinking that fits in with the present and future kingdom of God.
On the other hand, we, too, need other Christians to spur us on to love and good deeds. Except for the few of us who live a little too much for the needs of others, most of us are more ready to see something someone else ought to do rather than seeing when we are the ones who need to intervene. That is why Scripture instructs us to prod one another into action interdependently.
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
This Together to “Spur One Another On to Love and Good Deeds” gets those in our Christian Inner Circles ready to respond. We help them have the right attitude both with respect to love (selflessness) and good deeds (whatever needs done).
Unfortunately, we often love ourselves more than God and do not want to stick our necks out to motivate another Christian to do something for God that they may not want to do. And, we love other Christians more than we do God when we do not want to make them uncomfortable. Thus, we put God’s agenda in the world on the back burner and at the same time hinder the other Christian’s development into all that God wants him or her to be. The result for the person who could have been spurred on is that he or she will miss some quality of life for all eternity in heaven, especially in their relationship with God.
This task of prodding one another does not need to be done overnight. In fact, it is a process that requires personal attention and cannot be accomplished well through sermons. While “spurring on” can happen in small groups, the length of time required and the depth of committed relationship to overcome resistance requires this Together to be done by trusted friends and family. Patience will likely be necessary. But, once accomplished, the one spurred on will emerge like a butterfly from a cocoon and not likely change back. Spurring another Christian in our Christian Inner Circle on to love and good deeds can be quite rewarding. More importantly, it puts God in first place, both in our lives because we have taken the risk of prodding and in the other who begins to prioritize what God is doing.
Spurring on may need to begin by explaining God’s sovereign nature and what He is doing in our sinful world. Next might be to highlight the other Christian’s special talents and opportunities to be a part of that work of God. Follow that with the question whether or not he or she can see themselves taking part in that particular work of God. When there is finally desire to live for God in that way, you and other Christians in his or her life can implement other necessary Togethers such as encouragement (placing courage into) or preserving hope.
Note that we are to prod those in our Christian Inner Circles first to love. Not just duty, but love that produces joyful good deeds. Not loving deeds to get anything back, either. Instead, we are to spur one another on to love God out of thankfulness for what He has done for us in and through Jesus Christ. Any motivation to do good deeds to acquire salvation will fail because it is free and has already been accomplished for those who believe. And motivation to do something good should never be to get God to do something for us (bargaining and blackmail is not a good idea).
Only those in close relationship with a Christian will know if another Christian is doing good deeds out of duty or to gain something rather than love. That is why this biblical instruction was not given to pastors to accomplish through preaching. It is not a corporate duty so much as it is something for Christians to do at the very personal level.
People who are not doing much for the Lord in the way of love and good deeds will be noticed in their close friendships, family, or marriage. Unlike Bible studies, where a person can cover up non-involvement, people will become known in the closeness of their Christian Inner Circle. Those who see church as entertainment will become obvious. Friends and family who really care are the best ones to teach such people to be more thankful for Christ's death on the cross and then spur them on toward love and good deeds.
Prayer is important in this responsibility to get people into action. We want to ask the Holy Spirit to help those in our Christian Inner Circles grow spiritually, appreciate and love God sufficiently to do good deeds, and see how they can be of real help to others. Letting them know that they are being prayed for by the most important people in their lives will be taken much more seriously than a sermon.
We often need to use some loving force to get people into God’s action. While the good works needed include types of church service, that is just the tip of the iceberg of need and a small portion of which each Christian is capable. While we may not know what a person’s friends, family and spouse need in the way of good works, we do know that we are to help them develop a willing attitude of love that results in frequent needed good works for their friends and family.
Here might be a way of thinking about our responsibility to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Suppose we have a friend who has parents whose health prevents them from taking care of themselves and their property. You notice that your friend is not doing much to help. The task is to help that friend adopt an internal motivation to step up and shoulder some responsibility for his or her parents. Spurring that person on is the task of this Together. That is where you help your friend appreciate God’s sacrifice for him or her in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Until that happens, any action will be taken without thankfulness, perhaps just duty, hopefully not resentment. Next will be to help the friend develop biblical love, selfless concern for parents, probably at some considerable cost to himself or herself.
Once this is done, we can go on to suggest the other two Togethers of Meeting One Another’s Needs and Looking Out for One Another’s Good. This is when we mention actual needs of the ailing parents our friend should take care of. If we meet resistance, then we have to go back to this Together of spurring on to love and good deeds.
Perhaps our friend has Christian friends who discourage an attitude of ready service in loving good deeds. Maybe they subscribe to taking from God all they can and giving back only a little. In that case, we need to step on some toes and challenge such an ungenerous attitude toward God.
And, if our friend or spouse believes in doing for others as little as possible, spurring him or her on to love and good deeds will require conversations backed by prayer and empowered by the Holy Spirit. If we turn away from steadily and lovingly confronting such un-Christian values, we are not obeying our responsibility to spur one another on to love and good deeds.
Perhaps there are non-Christian friends who influence our friend to live more selfishly than Christians are called to do. In this case, we really need to help our friend or spouse see that he or she is too conformed to the pattern of this world and needs to be willing to be transformed into a new way of thinking that fits in with the present and future kingdom of God.
On the other hand, we, too, need other Christians to spur us on to love and good deeds. Except for the few of us who live a little too much for the needs of others, most of us are more ready to see something someone else ought to do rather than seeing when we are the ones who need to intervene. That is why Scripture instructs us to prod one another into action interdependently.
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
At the company picnic Gene and Leo each notice one of their fellow truck drivers being very harsh to his teenage son. They can see rebellion in the boy’s demeanor and know that Lucas is creating a problem in his family that is only going to get worse. One day at work they realize that they both saw the same destructive parenting and agree that something needs to be done to save Lucas from family disaster in the future.
Neither of them know Lucas very well and that they don’t have the deep friendship necessary to intervene effectively. However, they do know of another Christian in the company who seems to be a good friend of Lucas. They decide to introduce themselves to this friend, Isaac, and get to know him a little bit. Then they will talk to Isaac about him warning Lucas that he is being too harsh and get him to want to find better ways to deal with his son. Gene and Leo wonder if Isaac will welcome their asking him to care enough about Lucas to stick his head into Lucas’ business. Then they realize that Jesus was not concerned about whether people would accept his encouragement to do what is right. Therefore, they decided it was a privilege to be like Jesus and spur Christians on to love and good deeds, and worth the cost of rejection, if that were to come. |
We need little discussion that Jesus spurred others on to love and good deeds. While most of what Jesus talked about was the kingdom of heaven and its salvation, Scripture occasionally contains comments meant to go past saving us to putting us to work.
“You have heard that it was said,
‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’
But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.
If anyone slaps you on the right cheek,
turn to them the other cheek also.
And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt,
hand over your coat as well.
If anyone forces you to go one mile,
go with them two miles.
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away
from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
Matt 5:38-42
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those
who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father
in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?”
Matt 5:44-46
“So in everything, do to others
what you would have them do to you,
for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matt 7:12 (known as the Golden Rule)
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,
you also should wash one another’s feet.
I have set you an example that you should do
as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you,
no servant is greater than his master,
nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Now that you know these things,
you will be blessed if you do them.”
John 13:14-17
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them
without expecting to get anything back.
Then your reward will be great,
and you will be children of the Most High,
because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Luke 6:35-36
Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out
two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. . . .
They went out and preached that people should repent.
They drove out many demons
and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
Mark 6:7, 12-13
‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’
But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.
If anyone slaps you on the right cheek,
turn to them the other cheek also.
And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt,
hand over your coat as well.
If anyone forces you to go one mile,
go with them two miles.
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away
from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
Matt 5:38-42
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those
who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father
in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?”
Matt 5:44-46
“So in everything, do to others
what you would have them do to you,
for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matt 7:12 (known as the Golden Rule)
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,
you also should wash one another’s feet.
I have set you an example that you should do
as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you,
no servant is greater than his master,
nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Now that you know these things,
you will be blessed if you do them.”
John 13:14-17
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them
without expecting to get anything back.
Then your reward will be great,
and you will be children of the Most High,
because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Luke 6:35-36
Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out
two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. . . .
They went out and preached that people should repent.
They drove out many demons
and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
Mark 6:7, 12-13
Therefore, when we help others develop a love that translates into willing good deeds, we are very much like Jesus. Over the centuries many have been prodded to love and good works by His words. Therefore, the more people we spur on, the more we are like Jesus.
Opportunity to Worship God
Opportunity to Worship God
Zoe and her husband Riley have been married for 5 years and are youth leaders at their church. They realize that the teens they work with are watching the adults in the church to see what faith looks like. In the youth group they teach God’s ways, but they worry that the teens will stop going to church, like most do, as soon as they graduate from high school.
At all-church events Zoe and Riley see many of the adults acting superficial with one another and not bringing faith into their conversations and interactions. They know that the watching teens are not seeing relationships that differ from those of the families of their non-Christian friends. They worry that what they are teaching as a Christian world view and lifestyle has not been adopted by the majority of adult church members. Riley and Zoe, intimidated as they are with bringing the subject up, decided to ask to speak to the leaders of their church about the problem. They figured that after they expressed their observations and concerns that they would not be taken seriously at the least and at the worst told that they were wrong. So, they carefully went over what they were going to say with their closest Christian friends. They did not realize that they were actually obeying the Scriptural instruction to spur one another on to love and good deeds when Zoe and Riley met with the pastor and church leaders. They did not know the extent that God was glad for their help. The Holy Spirit had been trying unsuccessfully to get the attention of leadership to do something to help church members more fully adopt a Christian lifestyle around what was sometimes referred to as the Togethers of Scripture. When Zoe and Riley went to the pastors and elders, they were acting like the Holy Spirit and that was worship because it reflected back to God His own actions. |
God has given us power in community to spur one another on to love and good deeds. When we do so, we worship God by reflecting back to Him the Holy Spirit’s character to prod and exhort us to action.
God has created us to do good works. That is why we place God at high priority when we spur one another on to do them.
God has created us to do good works. That is why we place God at high priority when we spur one another on to do them.
For we are God’s handiwork,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Eph 2:10
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Eph 2:10
When those we spur on to love and good deeds actually do them, they bring glory to God. Their obedience places appropriate worth (from which the word “worship” comes) on God. He is worthy of our obedience to doing good works, for that is what He made us for. And, according to Ephesians 2:10, He has already prepared those situations for our helpful involvement. The more such action costs us in time, money, or personal risk of some other nature, the more worth we are ascribing to God.
There is more. The good deeds of those in our Christian Inner Circles bring glory to God in more than their obedience. It begins with their obedience, but there is additional glory that comes to our God. Then comes glory to God from those benefiting from the good deeds, and even from unbelievers.
There is more. The good deeds of those in our Christian Inner Circles bring glory to God in more than their obedience. It begins with their obedience, but there is additional glory that comes to our God. Then comes glory to God from those benefiting from the good deeds, and even from unbelievers.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matt 5:16
Live such good lives among the pagans that,
though they accuse you of doing wrong,
they may see your good deeds
and glorify God on the day he visits us.
1 Peter 2:12
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matt 5:16
Live such good lives among the pagans that,
though they accuse you of doing wrong,
they may see your good deeds
and glorify God on the day he visits us.
1 Peter 2:12
We worship God when we spur others on to love and good deeds. When we spur one another on to love and good deeds, we are performing one of the things the Holy Spirit does. It is certainly the Holy Spirit working through us, but it still is worship on our part that reflects back to God – Himself. How exciting is it to be used by God through the Holy Spirit’s guidance to guide one another into love and good deeds?
Let’s add to the worship that we give to God that of being like God the Holy Spirit and helping our friends, family members, and spouse glorify God more by growing in love and good deeds.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
Let’s add to the worship that we give to God that of being like God the Holy Spirit and helping our friends, family members, and spouse glorify God more by growing in love and good deeds.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
At their weekly family meetings, often around the dinner table, the Romeros talk about how evil is harming their neighbors. Living in an urban environment with so many people, it is hard to get to know people. But each person in the Romero family goes out of their way to greet people in their apartment building and on the sidewalks and stoops of their block. The kids also know many children from school.
And, so, at their family meetings the Romeros brainstorm ways each of them can love and do good with the people they know. As a result, you would be surprised to see the impact of the Romeros, each acting separately but empowered by one another’s prodding and encouragement. In their community, the Romeros are beginning to be seen as the stability of the neightborhood and others are wondering about their Christian faith, since Jesus comes up every once in a while in conversations. Satan most likely loves a lot about the contemporary Christian lifestyle. He has to be doing fiery cartwheels because so many Christians focus almost exclusively on their individual Christian faith, their own devotionals, disciplines, and spiritual growth. The devil thoroughly enjoys when Christians consider devotion to Jesus Christ in terms of church attendance and can’t see beyond that to the good deeds that need their attention. And then there are those Christians who have little time for more significant involvement with other Christians because they are “too busy” spending so many hours in front of the television or investigating things on their computers. From the evil one’s perspective, all this adds up to Christians not putting God in the honored and obeyed place He deserves by not doing very much for the good of one another or even mankind. That suits the devil just fine. Therefore, even 2,000 years ago when there was no electronics the writer to the Hebrews had to exhort the Christians to prod one another to love (have more concern for others than for themselves, i.e. agape love) and good deeds (help in so very many crucial ways). |
Satan most likely loves a lot about the contemporary Christian lifestyle. He has to be doing fiery cartwheels because so many Christians focus almost exclusively on their individual Christian faith, their own devotionals, disciplines, and spiritual growth. The devil thoroughly enjoys when Christians consider devotion to Jesus Christ in terms of church attendance and can’t see beyond that to the good deeds that need their attention. And then there are those Christians who have little time for more significant involvement with other Christians because they are “too busy” spending so many hours in front of the television or investigating things on their computers.
From the evil one’s perspective, all this adds up to Christians not putting God in the honored and obeyed place He deserves by not doing very much for the good of one another or even mankind. That suits the devil just fine.
Therefore, even 2,000 years ago when there was no electronics the writer to the Hebrews had to exhort the Christians to prod one another to love (have more concern for others than for themselves, i.e. agape love) and good deeds (help in so very many crucial ways).
From the evil one’s perspective, all this adds up to Christians not putting God in the honored and obeyed place He deserves by not doing very much for the good of one another or even mankind. That suits the devil just fine.
Therefore, even 2,000 years ago when there was no electronics the writer to the Hebrews had to exhort the Christians to prod one another to love (have more concern for others than for themselves, i.e. agape love) and good deeds (help in so very many crucial ways).
And let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds,
not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but encouraging one another—and all the more
as you see the Day approaching.
Heb 10:24-25
toward love and good deeds,
not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but encouraging one another—and all the more
as you see the Day approaching.
Heb 10:24-25
Keep in mind that there were no organizational churches as we have today when the writer to the Hebrews wrote his exhortation. They met in homes. They lived within walking distance from one another and probably saw each other daily. Yet, the instruction still needed to be given. We can only conclude that many, if not most, Christians do not get the big picture of what needs to be done. And, so, there mistakenly seems to be plenty of time for recreation of many kinds.
However, all of the Togethers are things that Christians either need to do together or need from one another. There is plenty to do to build one another up. And, with the right values we can help one another escape the cultural trap of not having time for others except when they are in dire need. There is a battle against evil to fight, and we must spur one another on to defeat the devil through love and good deeds.
The Together of Hospitality offers just one example. (Read about this in detail under the section for “Be Hospitable with One Another” at the website.) There are so many Christians who need an invite to another Christian’s home and so few inviting them. Christians need to decide to spur one another on to hospitality. We must help one another develop a willingness to love. If some need an invite to feel a part of the church or to develop relationships that build trust so that their faith can be helped, we must prod others to invite them into their homes.
It is not entertaining that we are called to do in hospitality. It is relating. Just being our best humble selves doing the Togethers without concern for having a spotless home is sufficient. We all need the good deed of companionship with honest sharing about our faith, our shortcomings, our triumphs, etc.
Addiction to comfort, pleasure and safety can make us unwilling to look for the good things God is trying to bring to our attention so that we will love and do some good deed. Who do we think is behind our avoidance of some discomfort for the good of others, our not limiting our pleasures so that we have time for others, and our dread of risk with the resulting insecurity? It has to be the devil. While we say truthfully that God wants us to enjoy life, it is not true that He wants us to enjoy all of life all of the time.
Avoidance of learning and doing the Togethers by seeing them as too much, unattainable, and overwhelming is not okay. The Togethers are commands of Scripture. Of course, they cannot all be done. At least, not all at one time. And God does not need us to do them all at once. But, He does need us to pay attention to Scripture so that when occasions arise, we will have a clue what needs to be done. If we have read Scripture, then we are hardly surprised at what the Togethers say to do. We may be ignorant about how they make us more like Jesus and are exceptional worship. We may not recognize how they prepare us for heaven and how essential they are to higher qualities of life in heaven for all eternity. But, we do know of them. And, we do not want to ignore them.
However, all of the Togethers are things that Christians either need to do together or need from one another. There is plenty to do to build one another up. And, with the right values we can help one another escape the cultural trap of not having time for others except when they are in dire need. There is a battle against evil to fight, and we must spur one another on to defeat the devil through love and good deeds.
The Together of Hospitality offers just one example. (Read about this in detail under the section for “Be Hospitable with One Another” at the website.) There are so many Christians who need an invite to another Christian’s home and so few inviting them. Christians need to decide to spur one another on to hospitality. We must help one another develop a willingness to love. If some need an invite to feel a part of the church or to develop relationships that build trust so that their faith can be helped, we must prod others to invite them into their homes.
It is not entertaining that we are called to do in hospitality. It is relating. Just being our best humble selves doing the Togethers without concern for having a spotless home is sufficient. We all need the good deed of companionship with honest sharing about our faith, our shortcomings, our triumphs, etc.
Addiction to comfort, pleasure and safety can make us unwilling to look for the good things God is trying to bring to our attention so that we will love and do some good deed. Who do we think is behind our avoidance of some discomfort for the good of others, our not limiting our pleasures so that we have time for others, and our dread of risk with the resulting insecurity? It has to be the devil. While we say truthfully that God wants us to enjoy life, it is not true that He wants us to enjoy all of life all of the time.
Avoidance of learning and doing the Togethers by seeing them as too much, unattainable, and overwhelming is not okay. The Togethers are commands of Scripture. Of course, they cannot all be done. At least, not all at one time. And God does not need us to do them all at once. But, He does need us to pay attention to Scripture so that when occasions arise, we will have a clue what needs to be done. If we have read Scripture, then we are hardly surprised at what the Togethers say to do. We may be ignorant about how they make us more like Jesus and are exceptional worship. We may not recognize how they prepare us for heaven and how essential they are to higher qualities of life in heaven for all eternity. But, we do know of them. And, we do not want to ignore them.
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do
and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
James 4:17
and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
James 4:17
Let’s not sin by not doing the good that defeats Satan and keeps others from evil. With respect to this particular Together, let’s not shy away from prodding others on to love and good deeds. Let’s not play into the devil’s hands. Let’s get those in our Christian Inner Circles into the war against the evil one and get done what God has prepared for us to do.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
Ralph and Edith are a married couple in their 60's and active members in their church’s program for seniors. They are not called to leadership, but they are ones who think about what is good for their friends. They have begun to wonder if there is something more important for seniors to be doing together. They study the Bible, but most of the seniors in their church have been doing this for over 40 years. It is the social contacts that are important and Bible study is more like the setting for getting friendship needs met. And, they also understand the value of having fun social outings, but that again seems like treading water while death approaches.
Recently, Edith received a gift book about heaven and it got her wondering if just waiting for heaven was wise or should they and their friends be actively preparing for their eternal life? Ralph was inspired by Edith and did some searching on the Internet. He came across the web site of ChristiansTogether.org and noticed that there were things other than intellectual knowledge that God expected His people to do together. Reading on, he found that what was called the Togethers of Scripture each added some quality for the life to come in heaven. As a result, they began teaching seminars on preparing for heaven in the church program for seniors. In doing so, they are spurring people on to love and good works through obeying the Scriptures that make up the Togethers and which spell out how God wants Christians involved in one another’s lives. |
God has good things He wants done 365 days a year. Not just the simple things that come our way a few days of the year, but things He wants done that require effort on our part to discover them. This is what Christians who treasure Him will do.
So, what happens when we spur one another on to love and good deeds that will prepare us for heaven? And, what might we miss out on for all eternity if we do not prod one another now?
We all probably say we want what God wants, and by that we usually mean “if He hits us over the head” with His desires, or if He will do all the work. This Together of spurring one another to love and good deeds requires us to realize that our sinful natures resist looking for and responding to needs right in front of us. If we just do the good that comes to our minds naturally, we are not really desiring that God get what He wants. Because of the sacrifices doing some of the things God will ask of us and our friends and families, we tend to resist thinking about what more we can do for God and what more our Christian friends, our families and our marriages can do.
However, if we seek through thought and prayer what God wants done by ourselves and those in our Christian Inner Circles, we elevate God in our lives. We make God far more important because we care deeply about what He wants. We will then spur those in our Christian Inner Circles on to love and good deeds.
Let’s not think that we don’t have the right to prod someone else on toward love and good deeds until our performance is better. If those in our Christian Inner Circles obey this Together, they will be spurring us on to love and the good things we are resisting. No, we all need to be prodding one another to see that God is obeyed, honored and treasured.
First, what will be taken to heaven in those who truly desire God to get the good deeds from His people He has prepared for them to do? Caring more deeply about what God wants is irreplaceable investment in heavenly payoff.
So, what happens when we spur one another on to love and good deeds that will prepare us for heaven? And, what might we miss out on for all eternity if we do not prod one another now?
We all probably say we want what God wants, and by that we usually mean “if He hits us over the head” with His desires, or if He will do all the work. This Together of spurring one another to love and good deeds requires us to realize that our sinful natures resist looking for and responding to needs right in front of us. If we just do the good that comes to our minds naturally, we are not really desiring that God get what He wants. Because of the sacrifices doing some of the things God will ask of us and our friends and families, we tend to resist thinking about what more we can do for God and what more our Christian friends, our families and our marriages can do.
However, if we seek through thought and prayer what God wants done by ourselves and those in our Christian Inner Circles, we elevate God in our lives. We make God far more important because we care deeply about what He wants. We will then spur those in our Christian Inner Circles on to love and good deeds.
Let’s not think that we don’t have the right to prod someone else on toward love and good deeds until our performance is better. If those in our Christian Inner Circles obey this Together, they will be spurring us on to love and the good things we are resisting. No, we all need to be prodding one another to see that God is obeyed, honored and treasured.
First, what will be taken to heaven in those who truly desire God to get the good deeds from His people He has prepared for them to do? Caring more deeply about what God wants is irreplaceable investment in heavenly payoff.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, . . .
Matt 6:20
Matt 6:20
To spur one another on requires that we grow in our desire for God more than the other competing desires we have. It requires us to increase the percentage of our desire from what we want from God to what we want for God. What does He want from the other Christians in our lives? God wants us to motivate these other Christians to love and good deeds in their friendships, in their families and in their marriages.
We will grow in our love for God and concern for Him by prodding those in our Christian Inner Circles to love more deeply and do a higher percentage of the jobs God has for them. If we spur on one another out of increasing love for God and what He wants, we will go to heaven with a greater ability to find joy in God getting what He desires. It will be strong because it was developed within the competition of a sinful culture with different desires.
If we are honest, most of us do not look out for God. Perhaps we delegate teaching what God wants to sermons and Bible studies. Teaching is not “spurring”. Spurring is prodding gently, lovingly over time until our friends, our family members, and our spouse love God more and respond to His call on their lives to do good deeds which He has set out before them.
We will grow in our love for God and concern for Him by prodding those in our Christian Inner Circles to love more deeply and do a higher percentage of the jobs God has for them. If we spur on one another out of increasing love for God and what He wants, we will go to heaven with a greater ability to find joy in God getting what He desires. It will be strong because it was developed within the competition of a sinful culture with different desires.
If we are honest, most of us do not look out for God. Perhaps we delegate teaching what God wants to sermons and Bible studies. Teaching is not “spurring”. Spurring is prodding gently, lovingly over time until our friends, our family members, and our spouse love God more and respond to His call on their lives to do good deeds which He has set out before them.
For we are God’s handiwork,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Eph 2:10
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Eph 2:10
If a Christian pays no attention to this instruction to spur one another on to love and good deeds, they will enter heaven without a heart that is most concerned for God. They will not be prepared to thrill for God throughout eternity. They will learn to do it more in heaven, but only achieve as much as can be developed in a sinless environment. It will never get to the level possible by wanting good things for God when our desire has to overcome sin. Strength comes out of adversity.
Without concern that God gets what He wants from those in our Christian Inner Circles, we are not watching out for Him. We need to ask, even demand, that those in our Christian Inner Circles seek from God what He wants from us. What does He want from each of us individually? And what does God want from each of our friendship groups, our families, and our marriages?
It is one thing to desire God and another to desire for God. If we are in love with our wife or husband, it is one thing to desire them and quite another for us to desire that they get their heart’s desires. If we love our children, it is one thing to desire to be with them and another to desire that their lives be fulfilled with the dreams God has for them.
Spurring one another on to great love and more good deeds as God desires means that we must care more and more for what God wants. He must become more important. It is wanting for the King what the King wants.
Imagine that someone’s birthday is coming and a gift will be given. What happens inside the person who spends deep thought about what gift the other would really like? What does not happen inside the person who just goes out and gets any gift that will do?
The thoughtful gift-giver has intense desire for the happiness of the one receiving the gift. To buy a gift that will communicate great worth to the birthday person, it will be necessary to understand who that other person is, what he or she values, and how the gift should be designed. To find these things out, questions will have to be asked, just as we would need to ask God what He wants.
The Christian who wants to see God get from a Christian friend or family member the good works for which he or she is designed, equipped, and for whom the tasks have been set aside is the one who will grow in valuing God Himself. To do this is like the thoughtful gift-giver. This Christian will have to develop more desire for God to be pleased.
The casual gift-giver gives an easy gift and might only care that he or she has done what is expected. Not really considering what another really wants, the casual gift-giver actually lessens the value of the other person by not taking him or her more seriously. This is like a Christian who gives the minimum to God. This person does not care that much if God gets the gifts for which He had designed His people to give Him. This Christian would not put much effort into spurring on other Christians to greater love for God culminating in good deeds with which God wants to bless others.
Imagine I know that my wife likes chocolate ripple ice cream best of all. If I am a casual gift-giver, that is what I buy for her birthday party. But, if I am the thoughtful gift-giver, I find out what is her favorite brand of ice cream. What if I get a brand she hates? Even though I have the right flavor, she is more disappointed than if I did not include ice cream.
So, when I see that a friend needs to build up the self-esteem of his wife, I want to put some deep thought into it. I first pray and ask God if He wants my friend to build his wife’s sense of worth. But, if the Bible makes it clear that God wants it, I don’t wait to hear something ethereal. (If the Bible says it, then God has already cared enough to write it down so that each and every thing does not have to be questioned.) Next, I pray to see clearly what God wants me to prod in my friend. How general or specific am I to be about how my friend should help his wife?
We should want to prepare to be more and more thrilled for God. We naturally think how thrilled we will be in heaven. But, here in the midst of sin we can grow in wanting God to be thrilled. If so, we will spur one another on to love God and others more and do good deeds just for God’s sake.
In heaven we want to be able to be thrilled for God!
How this Together Can Make It Really Good in Heaven
Without concern that God gets what He wants from those in our Christian Inner Circles, we are not watching out for Him. We need to ask, even demand, that those in our Christian Inner Circles seek from God what He wants from us. What does He want from each of us individually? And what does God want from each of our friendship groups, our families, and our marriages?
It is one thing to desire God and another to desire for God. If we are in love with our wife or husband, it is one thing to desire them and quite another for us to desire that they get their heart’s desires. If we love our children, it is one thing to desire to be with them and another to desire that their lives be fulfilled with the dreams God has for them.
Spurring one another on to great love and more good deeds as God desires means that we must care more and more for what God wants. He must become more important. It is wanting for the King what the King wants.
Imagine that someone’s birthday is coming and a gift will be given. What happens inside the person who spends deep thought about what gift the other would really like? What does not happen inside the person who just goes out and gets any gift that will do?
The thoughtful gift-giver has intense desire for the happiness of the one receiving the gift. To buy a gift that will communicate great worth to the birthday person, it will be necessary to understand who that other person is, what he or she values, and how the gift should be designed. To find these things out, questions will have to be asked, just as we would need to ask God what He wants.
The Christian who wants to see God get from a Christian friend or family member the good works for which he or she is designed, equipped, and for whom the tasks have been set aside is the one who will grow in valuing God Himself. To do this is like the thoughtful gift-giver. This Christian will have to develop more desire for God to be pleased.
The casual gift-giver gives an easy gift and might only care that he or she has done what is expected. Not really considering what another really wants, the casual gift-giver actually lessens the value of the other person by not taking him or her more seriously. This is like a Christian who gives the minimum to God. This person does not care that much if God gets the gifts for which He had designed His people to give Him. This Christian would not put much effort into spurring on other Christians to greater love for God culminating in good deeds with which God wants to bless others.
Imagine I know that my wife likes chocolate ripple ice cream best of all. If I am a casual gift-giver, that is what I buy for her birthday party. But, if I am the thoughtful gift-giver, I find out what is her favorite brand of ice cream. What if I get a brand she hates? Even though I have the right flavor, she is more disappointed than if I did not include ice cream.
So, when I see that a friend needs to build up the self-esteem of his wife, I want to put some deep thought into it. I first pray and ask God if He wants my friend to build his wife’s sense of worth. But, if the Bible makes it clear that God wants it, I don’t wait to hear something ethereal. (If the Bible says it, then God has already cared enough to write it down so that each and every thing does not have to be questioned.) Next, I pray to see clearly what God wants me to prod in my friend. How general or specific am I to be about how my friend should help his wife?
We should want to prepare to be more and more thrilled for God. We naturally think how thrilled we will be in heaven. But, here in the midst of sin we can grow in wanting God to be thrilled. If so, we will spur one another on to love God and others more and do good deeds just for God’s sake.
In heaven we want to be able to be thrilled for God!
How this Together Can Make It Really Good in Heaven
A new bridge over a wide, clear, and wonderful river has been built in heaven. Some of us are thrilled that they can more easily cross the river. Others of us focus excitement on the beauty of the bridge. But a few of us who cared in such a way before death are overwhelmed with joy that God got the bridge He wanted. Ease of travel and appreciation of beauty is exciting to us, but God’s pleasure is our greatest pleasure. We explain this to the others and they have intellectual assent, but they don’t quite feel joy in God’s being pleased like we do. It seems that such a sense of joy for God could only be developed to a fine degree in the sin that existed before our deaths.
|
In heaven it will be all about God. No one will be concerned for themselves more than for “him who sits on the throne and the Lamb”.
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth
and under the earth and on the sea,
and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
Rev 5:13
and under the earth and on the sea,
and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
Rev 5:13
We will enter heaven with a heart that delights in what pleases God on a continuum of “sort of” to “greatly”. True, we will be delighted with what delights us, but some of us will have increased capacity for joy with God being delighted.
We hopefully have had this experience when we have given a child a Christmas present that they truly enjoyed. Our joy was in their joy, not in our joy of giving. All we wanted was for the child to be excited and extremely happy. But, in some Christmas gift exchanges there are people locked out from such joy by some emotional damage the devil has done them. They look on, but it is clear that inside they are not getting the same joy in seeing the joy in a child who is bright-eyed with excitement. In fact, we would notice a continuum of empathy with the child’s joy across the spectrum of adults present. Similarly, in heaven we will have different capacities to enjoy God enjoying. This is what we might call different sized hearts for God.
I have recently grown in one small example of enjoying more the enjoyment of another over my own comfort. Earlier this year my wife Jean asked me to grow out my hair for a daughter’s wedding. For years I liked my hair one-half-inch long. That way I did not have the bother of remembering to comb it. For the wedding, however, I grew it out. And I noticed how much my wife enjoyed the longer hair. Since she had to look at me all day long and I only needed to do so in front of the mirror, I decided to make her joy more important than my annoyance. What a sacrifice, to comb my hair for 15 seconds perhaps four times a day! (Note the sarcasm.) This is a small example of the steps we can take to enjoy God’s joy more than our own comfort or joy.
Let’s grow our hearts for God’s joy now. Let’s care more for what God wants and then spur Christians on to give Him what His heart desires. Let’s grasp how more wonderful it will be in heaven if we can focus more on God’s pleasure than our own.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Empathy
We hopefully have had this experience when we have given a child a Christmas present that they truly enjoyed. Our joy was in their joy, not in our joy of giving. All we wanted was for the child to be excited and extremely happy. But, in some Christmas gift exchanges there are people locked out from such joy by some emotional damage the devil has done them. They look on, but it is clear that inside they are not getting the same joy in seeing the joy in a child who is bright-eyed with excitement. In fact, we would notice a continuum of empathy with the child’s joy across the spectrum of adults present. Similarly, in heaven we will have different capacities to enjoy God enjoying. This is what we might call different sized hearts for God.
I have recently grown in one small example of enjoying more the enjoyment of another over my own comfort. Earlier this year my wife Jean asked me to grow out my hair for a daughter’s wedding. For years I liked my hair one-half-inch long. That way I did not have the bother of remembering to comb it. For the wedding, however, I grew it out. And I noticed how much my wife enjoyed the longer hair. Since she had to look at me all day long and I only needed to do so in front of the mirror, I decided to make her joy more important than my annoyance. What a sacrifice, to comb my hair for 15 seconds perhaps four times a day! (Note the sarcasm.) This is a small example of the steps we can take to enjoy God’s joy more than our own comfort or joy.
Let’s grow our hearts for God’s joy now. Let’s care more for what God wants and then spur Christians on to give Him what His heart desires. Let’s grasp how more wonderful it will be in heaven if we can focus more on God’s pleasure than our own.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Empathy
In heaven I feel close to God in the way that I learned before death to be more aware of my spouse’s joy than of my own. Or how most enjoyable it was when children played with toys they really liked. I remember that knowing they were enjoying themselves helped me go about my less-than-enjoyable duties.
It is such a wonderful feeling inside each day of eternity to be thrilled for God. I don’t now have any unenjoyable duties, but even so, it is still much more fulfilling to be so aware that God is enjoying all that goes on in heaven. I don’t actually get a lot of face-time with Jesus, but He and I are very close with our joy-connection. Feeling His joy is better than anything I have ever felt before. |
How much do we appreciate someone who is joyful for us when we get what we want? Don’t we like most to be around those who want us to succeed, who are not resentful of our accomplishments, who are not competitive and get in the way of what we want?
Why would God be any different?
God in heaven will be closer to those who discovered what He was doing in the world of sin and desired to see Him get what He wanted. God will have a special place in His heart for those who for this reason got others “on board with His program” through spurring them on to love and good deeds.
It just makes sense that God in some way fellowships more with those who are concerned with His concerns. And, if we are so concerned, then we want to get others to be concerned and might need to spur them on to love and good deeds.
When I was Program Director of a large community mental health center running 26 offices in three counties, I knew that I wanted most to be around those who were similarly concerned that we provide the best possible mental health care for clients. In fact, I asked for the resignation or fired any who were not so focused on the mission of our agency.
Similarly, God is all about bringing people to Himself through the grace of Christ’s death on the cross and undoing the works of the devil. Then, He is about undoing the evil created by Satan, the archenemy of God and heaven. Certainly, He fellowships more with those who align with His purposes through more than mere intellectual agreement. And, it is likely that He fellowships even more with those who prod others to live for God’s pleasure and purposes.
Just imagine how this might work out in heaven. All of us will be close to God, and He to us. But wouldn’t we want Him to be more intensely present with us because we so much wanted Him to get what He wanted, so much so that we often spurred others on to more love and more good deeds?
Praise and Prayer Regarding this Together
Dear Lord Who stands against all evil and directs Your people to good works, Help me to spur on all those in my Christian Inner Circle to get into the business of spurring on to greater love and good works those Christians in their own Christian Inner Circles. May this go on and on like a great waterfall delivering moisture to those you love and defeat Satan’s drought. May this become like a snowball rolling downhill until an avalanche of good in the name of the One and Only God transforms the world.
I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Help us to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit for all of us to give You more glory in the way we motivate one another to identify what needs to be done for Jesus and God’s glory and actually do those things.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus and push one another to do good things out of love. Jesus did not seem to mince words, so empower us to be bold in spurring one another on to love and good deeds.
May our lives worship You by being more faithful to Your design of us in creating us in Christ Jesus to be your handiwork to do good works, which You prepared in advance for us to do. Let us convict those in our Christian Inner Circles to do good works You have assigned them, and reflect back to You, God the Holy Spirit, Your more perfect ministry of directing Christians to do what pleases God the Father and God the Son.
Since there is no end to the good God wants done in this sin-contaminated and hurtful world, make us strong in Your power to do those things that need to be done to unravel the devil’s evil. Point us to some problems and help us work together to lovingly get involved to solve and change Satan’s evil into good.
By doing good works now to counteract evil that dishonors You, help us all to prepare to be thrilled for You in heaven where You are first priority and there is nothing evil that needs good works. Also, to be ready to do good works in heaven that are not in response to sin, push us to push one another to do the more difficult good works now where evil has penetrated so many places and hurt so many people. Then, in heaven, we will be able to more naturally spur one another on to love and good works.
Why would God be any different?
God in heaven will be closer to those who discovered what He was doing in the world of sin and desired to see Him get what He wanted. God will have a special place in His heart for those who for this reason got others “on board with His program” through spurring them on to love and good deeds.
It just makes sense that God in some way fellowships more with those who are concerned with His concerns. And, if we are so concerned, then we want to get others to be concerned and might need to spur them on to love and good deeds.
When I was Program Director of a large community mental health center running 26 offices in three counties, I knew that I wanted most to be around those who were similarly concerned that we provide the best possible mental health care for clients. In fact, I asked for the resignation or fired any who were not so focused on the mission of our agency.
Similarly, God is all about bringing people to Himself through the grace of Christ’s death on the cross and undoing the works of the devil. Then, He is about undoing the evil created by Satan, the archenemy of God and heaven. Certainly, He fellowships more with those who align with His purposes through more than mere intellectual agreement. And, it is likely that He fellowships even more with those who prod others to live for God’s pleasure and purposes.
Just imagine how this might work out in heaven. All of us will be close to God, and He to us. But wouldn’t we want Him to be more intensely present with us because we so much wanted Him to get what He wanted, so much so that we often spurred others on to more love and more good deeds?
Praise and Prayer Regarding this Together
Dear Lord Who stands against all evil and directs Your people to good works, Help me to spur on all those in my Christian Inner Circle to get into the business of spurring on to greater love and good works those Christians in their own Christian Inner Circles. May this go on and on like a great waterfall delivering moisture to those you love and defeat Satan’s drought. May this become like a snowball rolling downhill until an avalanche of good in the name of the One and Only God transforms the world.
I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Help us to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit for all of us to give You more glory in the way we motivate one another to identify what needs to be done for Jesus and God’s glory and actually do those things.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus and push one another to do good things out of love. Jesus did not seem to mince words, so empower us to be bold in spurring one another on to love and good deeds.
May our lives worship You by being more faithful to Your design of us in creating us in Christ Jesus to be your handiwork to do good works, which You prepared in advance for us to do. Let us convict those in our Christian Inner Circles to do good works You have assigned them, and reflect back to You, God the Holy Spirit, Your more perfect ministry of directing Christians to do what pleases God the Father and God the Son.
Since there is no end to the good God wants done in this sin-contaminated and hurtful world, make us strong in Your power to do those things that need to be done to unravel the devil’s evil. Point us to some problems and help us work together to lovingly get involved to solve and change Satan’s evil into good.
By doing good works now to counteract evil that dishonors You, help us all to prepare to be thrilled for You in heaven where You are first priority and there is nothing evil that needs good works. Also, to be ready to do good works in heaven that are not in response to sin, push us to push one another to do the more difficult good works now where evil has penetrated so many places and hurt so many people. Then, in heaven, we will be able to more naturally spur one another on to love and good works.
Ever increasing practice of the Togethers of Scripture will (1) create in you the loving essence of Jesus, (2) give Jesus the kind of love He requested, (3) provide you with the most significant spiritual lifestyle which is attainable only through Christian community, (4) offer significant worship to God by reflecting his own character back to him through your behavior, and (5) bring God’s kingdom to earth as asked for in the Lord’s Prayer. And for heaven, such growing obedience to Scripture now will later (6) qualify you for a more responsible place of service as reward in heaven, and, (7) most important of all, give you greater empathy with God for a closer relationship with Him for all of eternity.