Romans 6:23 English Standard Version (ESV) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Wages are not rewards and neither are gifts. The term reward is used 43 times in the Old Testament and 37 times in the New Testament (KJV count).

Psalm 28:4 English Standard Version (ESV) Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward.

This verse highlights the context of this discussion. It should be a discussion because there will be some who see things differently.

Life owes us nothing but death. There is no reward for surviving. If we take God at His Word, then Psalm 28 implies there are rewards to be had in life for what we do, both good and bad. We have been given this life in Christ and as such our focuses is on our rewards based on this relationship.

Yet we live in the world and this realm belongs to the Prince of the Power of the Air, Satan. As such he grants us rewards for our behavior which aligns itself with his influences upon us. What are the rewards for bad behavior?

The first reward for sin is an appetite for more. Sin may please us for a moment but those pleasures are fleeting and need to be experienced again and again.

The second reward of sin is dissatisfaction. Enough is not enough, we want more because our appetites cannot be satisfied.

The third reward of sin is judgement. If we cannot be satisfied in all our efforts to gorge ourselves on sin, then it has to be someone’s fault for withholding what we want.

The forth reward of sin is theft. If we cannot earn what we want, we will steal it.

Does this pass the smell test?

Psalm 37:4 English Standard Version (ESV) Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Is it right to get what we want? An improper understanding of scripture will sometimes lead one to think they can have what they want if they believe in God. Key to a proper understanding of this scripture is in delighting ourselves in the Lord.

The Hebrew phrase “delight yourself in the Lord” has a definition which calls for a softening or pliability. Soft and pliable is related to being shaped, as clay in the hands of our maker.

Jeremiah 18:4 English Standard Version (ESV) And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

The desires of our hearts are granted to those whose hearts have been changed to love what our creator loves.

Given that we have been changed and accepted His Lordship and His Word as gospel, can we expect now that the desires of our hearts be granted? Then perhaps we should look to God’s word and see what He loves that we should desire ourselves.

I want an end to war. His word says that there will always be wars and rumors of wars. We cannot be granted the desires of our heart that are counter to God’s Word. We cannot make God a liar.

I want an end to poverty. His word says we will always have the poor among us. We cannot make God a liar.

I want an end to bigotry and racism. God gave man free will and we cannot undo what God has done.

I want the Lord to come and collect His bride. Now that is something we can all bring about by doing the will of the Lord. He will not come and collect His bride until the last soul that comprises His bride has accepted Him. Witness to the lost.