A prophet's reward

[jazzypooh]

In Matthew 10:41, Jesus speaks of receiving a prophet's reward. What do you all think a prophet's reward is? I have some thoughts on it, but I believe there is more to it than what I have.

God has been talking to me about the subject of giving and the 3-fold cord (fasting, praying, giving). The main scriptures I've been studying are Matthew 10:41 and 1 Kings ch. 17 where God commands a widow to provide for Elijah. I believe these are all connected to what Jesus spoke of as a prophet's reward and what God is trying to show me about giving.

I'd appreciate any insight you can offer.

Love,
~jazzy

 

[toolite]

I believe when you do what God has asked you then he gives you what your heart desires. God also knows what will benefit you in the future. So when you listen he listens. When you act upon his wishes I believe he does the same. Any one God appoints he provides, protects and keeps.

All The Glory Belongs To God!

 

[UnderHisWings1979]

In Matthew 10:41, Jesus speaks of receiving a prophet's reward. What do you all think a prophet's reward is? I have some thoughts on it, but I believe there is more to it than what I have.

God has been talking to me about the subject of giving and the 3-fold cord (fasting, praying, giving). The main scriptures I've been studying are Matthew 10:41 and 1 Kings ch. 17 where God commands a widow to provide for Elijah. I believe these are all connected to what Jesus spoke of as a prophet's reward and what God is trying to show me about giving.

I'd appreciate any insight you can offer.

Love,
~jazzy

That's interesting. I have never heard the 3-fold cord analogy used in that way, but rather in the sense of marriage as a 3-fold cord. But it's a good visual.

As far as a prophet's reward is concerned, I tend to think that this verse is referring to heavenly rewards, simply stating that to receive a prophet as a prophet, in God's eyes, is as if you were a prophet yourself (in reward, not in gifting).

 

[UnderHisWings1979]

On further consideration, I think this may be referring to how we receive Christ (if we receive Him as He is, the Son of God, we will receive His reward, as children of God, rather than the reward we have merited ourselves).

 

[Mrs Butterworth]

I've never heard anyone use the prophets reward in any lesson on giving before. It is a new angle. While I agree with Toolite above ^^ But, may I add,there is a darker side to a prophets reward; That is that people like to kill prophets because they don't want to hear what they have to say. In other words a prophet can get killed for doing the very thing that God wanted them to do. In that case a prophets reward is in heaven (a place that, by doing the very thing that God asked of them, they may go to sooner then they anticipated).

Even if a prophet is not killed for saying and doing what God wanted them to do, they can be ignored, ridiculed and considered of little value. Sometimes I wonder if this a fate worse then death for them. Imagine burning with very words of God and delivering that message in the very way that God told them to only to have the recipients of this word give little more then a bronx cheer in response. Imagine seeing with such clarity the consequences of the sin that a person or a group of people are doing only to be called stupid, short sighted, worthless and of little consequence. What kind of reward is that?

In the same way don't be disapointed when the very people you care about and so dilligently fast and pray for do not want what you are doing for. In the same way don't expect the people who you are giving your time or money to to be appreciative of either. Time and time again I have given the best financial offering that I could afford to the church only to have it looked upon as an igsignifigant pittance, whilst others, who did not give anywhere near their best, were honored. Size matters, it's just that God has a different measuring stick. He measures by how much selfless generosity and humans measure by dollar ammount.

Depressed yet? Don't be. It's better to suffer the consequences of doing God's will then suffer the often unseen consquences of not doing God's will. I believe reward will come, but you may have to wait untill you get to heaven before you recieve it. Man that still sounds like a downer. I can really stink at being cheery. Sorry.

s

 

[jazzypooh]

I believe when you do what God has asked you then he gives you what your heart desires. God also knows what will benefit you in the future. So when you listen he listens. When you act upon his wishes I believe he does the same. Any one God appoints he provides, protects and keeps.

All The Glory Belongs To God!

thank you!

That's interesting. I have never heard the 3-fold cord analogy used in that way, but rather in the sense of marriage as a 3-fold cord. But it's a good visual.

i'm still studying this myself. i haven't got it 'down pact' or anything. i'm just learning as the Lord leads.

i remember my pastor teaching on it a while ago. i wish i still had the tape. i had to wipe out my hard drive recently and i lost EVERYTHING....... smart little me, right?

all i really remember is that a 3-fold cord is not easily broken. some people only pray and never fast or give. while others may pray and give but never fast. but there's power when you combine all 3 together

As far as a prophet's reward is concerned, I tend to think that this verse is referring to heavenly rewards, simply stating that to receive a prophet as a prophet, in God's eyes, is as if you were a prophet yourself (in reward, not in gifting).

i believe God has some things reserved specifically for this side of glory. there will be some rewards that we receive in heaven (that we probably cannot even imagine), but i believe that God wants to bless us on this side as well

I've never heard anyone use the prophets reward in any lesson on giving before. It is a new angle.

i believe it can definitely be applied to giving. the Scripture says if you so much as GIVE a prophet a cup of water, you will receive a prophet's reward. water is symbolic of a blessing. so its saying if you GIVE a blessing to a prophet, you will be receive a prophet's reward or a prophet's compensation for your act of giving. i know this Scripture refers to some eternal rewards, but it seems like there are also some immediate rewards.

when the widow in 1 Kings 17 gave Elijah, the prophet of God, a cup of water, she received some IMMEDIATE rewards. she received a word from the Lord concerning her situation. she received supernatural provision (God said that her barrel of meat would never be empty, and her cruise of oil would never run dry). and she received a miracle from God (God revived her son from the dead). so i believe God wants to do some things immediately in our lives for being a blessing to His kingdom.

In the same way don't be disapointed when the very people you care about and so dilligently fast and pray for do not want what you are doing for.

God is soooo dealing with me in this area! i'm learning not everyone will agree with the vision God has given you. not everyone is supposed to. God told me if everyone agreed to what He showed me, then i wouldn't have any need for FAITH. everyone would believe for me. but God sometimes wants to know will we believe HIM when everyone else doesn't believe. that's when REAL faith is needed... when no one is in agreement with the vision

In the same way don't expect the people who you are giving your time or money to to be appreciative of either. Time and time again I have given the best financial offering that I could afford to the church only to have it looked upon as an igsignifigant pittance, whilst others, who did not give anywhere near their best, were honored. Size matters, it's just that God has a different measuring stick. He measures by how much selfless generosity and humans measure by dollar ammount.

yes, i have been studying the widow's mite along with this Scripture. God always requires a SACRIFICE in anything that we offer up to Him. that's why He admonished us to be a LIVING sacrifice, because that's the only thing that's acceptable to Him... the same thing goes for our giving. i believe God will honor anything (or any amount) we give as long as it's a sacrifice and an act of faith

i think if we're even looking for man to appreciate what we've given, then we've already given with the wrong spirit. we shouldn't give to get praises from man or even recognition from man. that's a form of pride - to always want to be recognized for what you've done. all that we do, we should do it heartily as UNTO THE LORD, not unto man. when we do that, then we can be sure that God will recognize us and bless us for it

Love,
~jazzy

 

[Zotar]

I've never heard anyone use the prophets reward in any lesson on giving before. It is a new angle. While I agree with Toolite above ^^ But, may I add,there is a darker side to a prophets reward; That is that people like to kill prophets because they don't want to hear what they have to say. In other words a prophet can get killed for doing the very thing that God wanted them to do. In that case a prophets reward is in heaven (a place that, by doing the very thing that God asked of them, they may go to sooner then they anticipated).

Even if a prophet is not killed for saying and doing what God wanted them to do, they can be ignored, ridiculed and considered of little value. Sometimes I wonder if this a fate worse then death for them. Imagine burning with very words of God and delivering that message in the very way that God told them to only to have the recipients of this word give little more then a bronx cheer in response. Imagine seeing with such clarity the consequences of the sin that a person or a group of people are doing only to be called stupid, short sighted, worthless and of little consequence. What kind of reward is that?

In the same way don't be disapointed when the very people you care about and so dilligently fast and pray for do not want what you are doing for. In the same way don't expect the people who you are giving your time or money to to be appreciative of either. Time and time again I have given the best financial offering that I could afford to the church only to have it looked upon as an igsignifigant pittance, whilst others, who did not give anywhere near their best, were honored. Size matters, it's just that God has a different measuring stick. He measures by how much selfless generosity and humans measure by dollar ammount.

Depressed yet? Don't be. It's better to suffer the consequences of doing God's will then suffer the often unseen consquences of not doing God's will. I believe reward will come, but you may have to wait untill you get to heaven before you recieve it. Man that still sounds like a downer. I can really stink at being cheery. Sorry.

s

I'm sorry too... but i've got to say something. i believe that when one strives for true selflessness, one has to keep rewards for self out of the equasion.

Its foolish I know, but I envy athiests that don't believe in Heaven or Hell.... because they don't have to worry about where they may end up.

 

[Mrs Butterworth]

^^ Amen Z., It's just that too many preachers put way too much emphasis on rewards in the here and now. They never mention that you could get killed for doing the right thing.

 

[jazzypooh]

Its foolish I know, but I envy athiests that don't believe in Heaven or Hell.... because they don't have to worry about where they may end up.

i believe the opposite is true. if they're not worried they indeed should be, because they're moving closer to a devil's eternity everyday.

BELIEVERS are the ones who don't have to worry about where they'll end up because they know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Love,
~jazzy

 

[jesrein9]

i believe the opposite is true. if they're not worried they indeed should be, because they're moving closer to a devil's eternity everyday.

BELIEVERS are the ones who don't have to worry about where they'll end up because they know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Love,
~jazzy

i believe what zotar was trying to say was not that they don't have to worry about where they will end up, but rather that they don't worry where theyll end up... and you're right.. as christians we shouldn't worry either.. worry is evidence of lack of faith.. and it is by faith that we recieve the Kingdom of God. worry is a tool of the devil to steal our faith in God..

as for the prophets reward i think the immediate reward that we should be seeing for our giving to others (even service for the Lord to others) should simply be the presence of God. Look at elijah, who carried a great mantle of power and authority because of his calling in God. he was known and feared by all because of the mighty presence of God that manifest when he spoke God's words. Perhaps part of that prophets reward was simply to know God more intimately, to hear His voice plainly and to be endued with faith, and boldness to use that faith, or even power to perform miracles in God's name.

~martha

 

[jazzypooh]

i believe what zotar was trying to say was not that they don't have to worry about where they will end up, but rather that they don't worry where theyll end up... and you're right.. as christians we shouldn't worry either.. worry is evidence of lack of faith.. and it is by faith that we recieve the Kingdom of God. worry is a tool of the devil to steal our faith in God..

as for the prophets reward i think the immediate reward that we should be seeing for our giving to others (even service for the Lord to others) should simply be the presence of God. Look at elijah, who carried a great mantle of power and authority because of his calling in God. he was known and feared by all because of the mighty presence of God that manifest when he spoke God's words. Perhaps part of that prophets reward was simply to know God more intimately, to hear His voice plainly and to be endued with faith, and boldness to use that faith, or even power to perform miracles in God's name.

~martha

that's enough for me. i believe that's a great reward to look forward to. thanks for the input

Love,
~jazzy

 

[fleethefire]

It is important to consider the context of this verse:
Matthew 10:40-42
40"He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. 42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."

Jesus is speaking about those who would accept a prophet's teaching without understanding where the message of the prophet came from. He is also saying that we need to believe in Him.

If we believe in prophets, and in being righteous but do not believe in Jesus that we will perish, and not receive what God has promised us.

 

[Psalms34]

(fasting, praying, giving)

Is that what a 3 fold cord is? I'd say study, prayer and service. Fasting and giving is an additional benefit. But as with any prophet or prophets reward, it's not a focus on what one would get, but to give to others by what God wishes to reveal. I suppose a prophets reward would be edification from God or whatever the prophet would give thus receive from their ministry to God for others by God. To minister to others is to minister to God himself. Giving is actually another gift of the spirit, many have that gift and it's a good gift to practice. I think all gifts result in edification from God, ultimately. It's part of the spirit filled life. As we minister to others, God ministers to us, gets us off self issues etc..