Everything today matters forever

Year's ago my nephew Danny bought me this book, A Life God Rewards: Why Everything You Do Today Matters Forever. All through the book is the reminder that it's not what we do, it's who we are. Being in a relationship with God, abiding in Christ, guided by the Spirit - Being a child of God. 

Evaluate whether the work you do for God will endure:

1. Relationship Test. A life God rewards is not about performance apart from a relationship with Jesus. In fact, the opposite is true. Apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5).

2. Test of Motive. Don't show off charity - good deeds should bring glory to God and come from our new nature. Compare Matthew 6:1 to John 1:12, John 13:35 with Matthew 25:38-40.

3. Test of Love. "Love enemies, do good and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil (Luke 6:35)."

 - you can give without loving, but you can't love without giving (1 Cor 13:3).