Jeremiah 5:22 says, “Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, o yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?”

Recently, our family took a trip down to Myrtle Beach. While we were there, I spent some time just standing and looking at the ocean. I watched as the tide came in, and as the tide went out. I watched as the storms came and the waves were rough- and at points I even felt some concern about the weather.

But even though the great power of the waves was there and it was a continual force on that beach, my mind continually went to this one passage that tells us how God put a bound on that ocean.

You see, God controls where the waves are and where they are not. He controls how powerful they are, and he controls what they are able to change.

Now in our own lives, we often face winds and waves as well. These kinds of things come in many forms. Maybe it is from the bills that are due. Maybe it is the lost job. Maybe it is the illness or even the loss kf a loved one. Now none of these things are pleasant for us to endure. None of these things are our favorite things to do- but they come to everyone.

Can I just offer some encouragement? God has put a limit on your storm too. The trial that you are facing is NOT more than you can bear (if you lean on Him) because he said in 1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Think about Job. Job had great trials – but God always limited the power of the trial! (Reference Job 1:12 and Job 2:6)

I challenge you- when you are in the trial, keep trusting in the Saviour! Trust in that limiting power that God has that He will help you through!

Think about Graduation.

Think about the work, the effort, the preparation… and yet it all comes down to the one great achievement day where those who completed their course are handed a diploma.

There is always excitement and joy!

In our church, there were three young men who graduated from High-school this year. As I sat and watched as they each entered and they wore their cap and gown, I watched as their name was called and then as they marched across the platform receiving their diploma, my mind traveled back through the years to the many graduation ceremonies that I have been a part of while working as college faculty. Then as I have been reflecting on the excitement of this graduation season, my mind traveled forward to the next great graduation ceremony – the one that we call in the study of prophecy as the “Judgment Seat of Christ”.

Now this judgment seat is an exciting time for the saved – you see, this is where those of us who are saved receive the rewards for those things done in our flesh.

Romans 14:10 tells us, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” It continues in verse 12 and says, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Friend, all of us will give an account of our works. But this is not necessarily a judgment of punishment – rather it is more like a reward ceremony.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 says:

“11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

“12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

“13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

“14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

“15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

These verses make it very plain that our works will each be individually tried or judged by fire. Those things that make it through the fire – they become our reward. Of course we will all have works that will not survive the fire – these will be burned up and we will suffer loss. It is important to note that this loss is not loss of our soul, rather it is just loss of our reward that we could have earned.

So the focus for you and for me today is that we live our lives focusing on that reward and working for the reward!

What kind of things can we do to earn the reward? Let me list a couple:

1. Spreading the Gospel! 1 Corinthians 3:4-8

2. Loving those that hate us! Luke 6:35

3. Giving to those in need so that Jesus gets the glory! Mark 9:41

4. Prayer and Fasting! Matthew 6:6 and 6:16

Let’s determine to work for the reward! Keep the Graduation in mind!

Jesus said in Revelation 22:12 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

Let’s think about the great reward day!