Matthew 6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,”

Mankind has changed the meaning of reward. In order to simplify the complicated, I begin here in Matthew 6. There are but two rewards to consider and both are tied directly to righteousness.

The righteousness of Jesus Christ leads to a just reward from God the Father who knows how to give good things to His children.

Self-righteousness leads to worldly rewards that stem from being used to further the abuser of mankind. They might feel good for the moment but become  a great millstone fastened around the neck, drowning us in the depths of the sea of despair. Matthew 18:6

This idea came to me via e-mail. Rewards programs given from the world of users will reward you for choosing their business adventure. Earn more rewards by spending more money. “You too can become a Diamond Member when you earn 10,000 points today!” Then they send you a link to apply for their credit card. The lie is being told it is a reward when you are being fleeced by greedy businesses.

There is no such thing as easy credit in this world.

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

God made a covenant with Abram, a pagan from Ur of the Chaldeans. The promise of this great reward was realized  when Abraham became the father of faith to three religions, that they should follow in his example. Hear God, believe God and obey God.

Colossians 3:23-24 English Standard Version

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Only the children have part in the inheritance. Are you a child of God?

John 6:29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

This is as simple as it gets. This verse of the day supports what I have been thinking. My thoughts are not always right, I know that. When God confirms that my thoughts are aligned with His word it is reassuring to me that I am on the right path.

Proverbs 23:26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.

The most important part of that proverb is “my son”. When we are allowed to call the God of all creation “Abba Father” we have a relationship that comes before all other relationships.

Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Who else cried out Abba Father Mark 14:36 And he (Jesus) said, “Abba, Father”…

Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Epiphany allows us to cry out to the Father, Abba Father.

Epiphany is not a word listed in our Bible but if we enter that word in our search engine it will lead you to Matthew 2:1-12 The Visit of the Wise Men which is an example of its meaning.

Man creates words and dictionaries to express how we feel about events and those words can often make things even more confusing. The word alone may not express a correct understanding, the essence of epiphany means “The Manifestation of Christ.”

We define manifestation as an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something, especially a theory or an abstract idea.

Jesus is not a theory nor an abstract. He is the embodiment of the living God. Embody means to be an expression of or give a tangible or visible form.

Hebrews 1:3a He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. 

The exact imprint. See the Son, see the Father, “Abba Father”.