Payday Someday.

Perhaps you've heard this message preached or read it in a book.  Much of it was about the
law of sowing and reaping and what one receives at the end of his life for his
sinful actions down here on Earth.

I want to take this title a different direction as thru the years I've seen some
remarkable miracles take place in the lives of believers who willingly sacrificed and gave
without respect to ever receiving in return.  Yet they did receive a Payday Someday from
the Lord.  Jesus spoke about this when asked by the disciples, What will
we get, we left all...to follow thee.  Jesus said you shall receive in THIS life and in the life to
come...

I find it humbling to be counted with, "So great a cloud of witnesses", who daily
sacrifice so that one more soul may be saved.  From the new christian who picks up people
for church, to the Mother who invites over a bunch of people from the church to cook them
a hot meal and have some fellowship to the Pioneer Pastor who works during the day on a
secular job and then works late at night and on weekends in the Church so that some lost
soul might hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I don't want to embarass anyone nor reveal anyone's financial status, so I will not reveal
names but thru the years I've seen many people blessed beyond measure who as the Widow who
gave her last mite, they gave their last dollar or last ounce of strength to nail that last nail to further the
cause of Christ.  Permit me to go down memory lane.

A brother I went to Bible College with who had 3 kids went out to pioneer a church.  Many
were the stories of difficulties and great victories that were shared over coffee at a
conference fellowship.   One that stands out was that he began to work for a furniture
company that made very, very fine furniture for the wealthy.  God gave him favor with his
boss and there was many times that his boss said, Just take that sofa home (which retailed
for many thousands of dollars), or take that dining set home.  You've been a great
employee.  It got to the place where if you went to his apartment and walked in,
everything was new and quite expensive.  He said in his own words, I could have never
afforded furniture like that, in my wildest dreams.  But there is a Payday Someday to
those that are faithful.

I remember talking to a brother at a fellowship meeting who had labored for many, many
years in multiple churches and without complaint.  In fact, he told us about how in
Phoenix back in the 80's, his wife and a brother and himself worked so late night after
night on the parsonage that one night after working past midnite, they stopped to rest and
were talking.  It was already very  late, so they all just slept on the floor of the parsonage
with the tools all around them that night.  God has truly blessed our Phoenix church over the years
but their has been alot of sacrifice and multitudes of unselfish team players that have
worked behind the scenes.  Well this same brother, many years later in a different city,
was wanting to add a larger living room to his house.  He had always been quite handy and
thru the years had made a lot of friends, and by the time it was done, I believe all the
lumber was given to him by several different people.  I thought of how Jesus said, So shall men give
into your bosom, comes to mind.  He told us, the entire job would have easily cost over $20,000-$30,000
and it was virtually free.  I thought to myself, God takes care of his own.  God rewards
like no other.

And I could go on and on, of all the great victories and blessings the Lord has bestowed
upon those who have given their life for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I will tell one more.

A Brother and his Wife who have worked TIRELESSLY for Christ thru the years had a certain
situation arise where they will be blessed with approximately $75,000. As I look back,
I've seen them many times sacrifice so their church could go on.  Sometimes going without
that others may know Christ.  When I was told the news, I rejoiced as one more
time, I thought, There is truly a Payday Someday.

Around this same time I was pondering these and many other testimonies, I stopped by to
visit a fellow pastor down the street of another Pentecostal denomination.  We often talk
about church buildings that are coming on the market soon.  He told me how an Associate
Minister had been sent to his church and was working with him for a while.  Then the
Associate Pastor began to tell the Pastor, "Why don't you retire?"  It began to come out
that the Associate Pastor wanted the church since it was starting to prosper.  The Pastor
told him, Our denomination has quite a few open churches that are looking for Pastors.
Why don't you go to one of those?  The Associate replied, Their isn't enough people at
that church to support me full time.  If they won't pay me then I won't go!  The Pastor
told me he preached that next night, Where God guides, He provides.

I am so thankful that I know a multitude of people that are willing to go for the gospel,
even if we never receive our Payday in this life.  For ultimately our Treasure is in
Heaven, where moth does not corrupt, nor thieves cannot break in and steal.  I know not
one, but many who would willing say, Lord, Send Me, I'll go, I'll give, I'll live
and I'll die for the cause of Christ.  For when it's all said and done, it's really not
about what we had down here, but what we did for Him while we were here.  But at the same
time, don't think your labor is in vain as the word declares: