Exchanging Heavenly Reward for Earthly Gain

By F. Wayne Mac Leod

Who among us has not enjoyed the praise and recognition of those around us for a job well done? While it is nice to know that we have been appreciated, sometimes this praise and recognition is more important to us than it ought to be.

Our ministry can quickly become about us--about being recognized by people or about giving ourselves a sense of personal value. When this happens, God is pushed aside. We use His name but we no longer seek His glory.

This is a brief look as what Jesus teaches in Matthew 6 about practicing righteousness with the purpose of being seen by other.

• Language: English
• Publisher: F. Wayne Mac Leod
• Release date: Nov 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370345960

F. Wayne Mac Leod

F. Wayne Mac Leod was born in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada and received his education at Ontario Bible College, University of Waterloo and Ontario Theological Seminary. He was ordained at Hespeler Baptist Church, Cambridge, Ontario in 1991. He and his wife, Diane served as missionaries with the Africa Evangelical Fellowship (now merged with SIM) on the islands of Mauritius and Reunion in the Indian Ocean from 1985-1993 where he was involved in church development and leadership training. He is presently involved in a writing ministry and is a member of Action International Ministries.

Book preview

Exchanging Heavenly Reward for Earthly Gain

What Jesus Teaches in Matthew 6 about the Risk

of Losing Heavenly Reward by Practicing Faith for Earthly Gain

F. Wayne Mac Leod

Light To My Path Book Distribution

Sydney Mines, N.S. Canada

Exchanging Heavenly Reward for Earthly Gain

Copyright © 2016 by F. Wayne Mac Leod

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007

A Special thanks to Sue St. Amour for proof reading this text.

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1 - Rewards

Chapter 2 - Practicing Righteousness to Be Seen

Chapter 3 - They Have Received Their Reward

Chapter 4 - Righteousness Practiced in Secret

Chapter 5 - Where Your Treasure Is

Light To My Path Book Distribution

Preface

Who among us has not enjoyed the praise and recognition of those around us for a job well done? While it is nice to know we have been appreciated, sometimes this praise and recognition is more important to us than it ought to be.

Our ministry can quickly become about us—about being recognized by people or about giving ourselves a sense of personal value. When this happens, God is pushed aside. We use His name but we no longer seek His glory. We take for ourselves the glory due to Him alone.

Jesus warns us about this danger in Matthew 6. In this passage, He challenges us to take a moment to consider our motivation and focus in ministry. Not all ministries done in His name are for His glory.

This is a brief look at what Jesus teaches about practicing righteousness with the purpose of being seen by others. It is not an exhaustive study but a brief reminder of Jesus’ teaching on this important subject.

My desire is that this quick look of Matthew 6 will be an inspiration and challenge for the reader. I trust the Lord will use it to refocus our lives and ministries so that in all things He alone receives the glory.

- F. Wayne Mac Leod

Chapter 1 - Rewards

Matthew 6 is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Here in this sermon the Lord Jesus shares many powerful truths about the Christian life and what God expects of us as believers. The focus of this study, however, will be on Matthew 6:1-24. Of particular importance is the teaching of Jesus regarding rewards and the public practice of faith.

Before we look at the teaching of Jesus in this passage, it is important that we begin with