## The Rewards Of Salvation

## Psalm 91:1-16

Lost people worry about what they will have to give up if they are to get saved. They don't take time to think about all that they have to look forward to once they accept Christ as their Saviour. As Christians we know that the benefits of Salvation far outweigh the lifestyle of the lost. This passage of Scripture shows us a few of those benefits.

I. God Will Doubly Deliver Us. vs 14-15

A. He will deliver us in living.

(2 TIM 4:18) "AND THE LORD SHALL DELIVER ME FROM EVERY EVIL WORK, AND WILL PRESERVE ME UNTO HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM: TO WHOM BE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN."

1. Out of the darkness into the light.

(JOHN 8:12) "THEN SPAKE JESUS AGAIN UNTO THEM, SAYING, I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD: HE THAT FOLLOWETH ME SHALL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT SHALL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE."

(1 JOHN 2:8) "AGAIN, A NEW COMMANDMENT I WRITE UNTO YOU, WHICH THING IS TRUE IN HIM AND IN YOU: BECAUSE THE DARKNESS IS PAST, AND THE TRUE LIGHT NOW SHINETH."

2. As believers we know where we have been, what our purpose in life is, and where we are going to spend eternity.

3. Walking in the light is walking in the confidence and assurance of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

B. He will deliver us in dying.

(JOHN 5:24) "VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, HE THAT HEARETH MY WORD, AND BELIEVETH ON HIM THAT SENT ME, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE, AND SHALL NOT COME INTO CONDEMNATION; BUT IS PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE."

1. From Hell.

(REV 20:6) "BLESSED AND HOLY IS HE THAT HATH PART IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION: ON SUCH THE SECOND DEATH HATH NO POWER, BUT THEY SHALL BE PRIESTS OF GOD AND OF CHRIST, AND SHALL REIGN WITH HIM A THOUSAND YEARS."

2. The lost don't have this assurance.

3. As a matter of fact, they have the assurance of hell.

II. God Will Be With Us In Trouble vs 15

(PSA 46:1) "...GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE."

A. God does not always want to change our circumstances.

1. We would want our circumstances to change first.

2. However, God often uses difficult times to bring about His will.

3. Consider the situation of Joseph.

B. Sometimes God wants to mold our character.

1. He shapes us and makes us into what He wants us to be as we yield to His skillful hands.

2. Illustration of the potter and the clay.

3. Illustration of the husbandman and the vine. cf Jn. 15:1-2

C. Psalm 23 is often used for funerals, but it is for us living folks as well.

1. Job said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him"

2. Paul learned that all he needed was the grace of God. "My grace is sufficient..."

3. Paul said, "God, I could do more without this infirmity, but I'll glady glory in this infirmity if that's what it takes to be close to you."

III. God Will Answer Our Prayers vs 15

A. By promise.

(JER 33:3) "CALL UNTO ME, AND I WILL ANSWER THEE, AND SHOW THEE GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, WHICH THOU KNOWEST NOT."

(JAMES 1:5) "IF ANY OF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, THAT GIVETH TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT; AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN HIM."

B. By Providence (Because He is God)

(HEB 13:5) "LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE WITHOUT COVETOUSNESS; AND BE CONTENT WITH SUCH THINGS AS YE HAVE: FOR HE HATH SAID, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE."

C. By Grace.

1. He answers our first prayer by grace.

2. Then He sustains us by His grace throughout our lives for Him.

(JOHN 1:16) "AND OF HIS FULNESS HAVE ALL WE RECEIVED, AND GRACE FOR GRACE."

IV. God Will Exalt Us or Lift Us Up --vs 14

(ISA 33:15-16) "HE THAT WALKETH RIGHTEOUSLY, AND SPEAKETH UPRIGHTLY; HE THAT DESPISETH THE GAIN OF OPPRESSIONS, THAT SHAKETH HIS HANDS FROM HOLDING OF BRIBES, THAT STOPPETH HIS EARS FROM HEARING OF BLOOD, AND SHUTTETH HIS EYES FROM SEEING EVIL; {16} HE SHALL DWELL ON HIGH: HIS PLACE OF DEFENCE SHALL BE THE MUNITIONS OF ROCKS: BREAD SHALL BE GIVEN HIM; HIS WATERS SHALL BE SURE."

A. Out of troubles reach.

(PROV 1:33) "BUT WHOSO HEARKENETH UNTO ME SHALL DWELL SAFELY, AND SHALL BE QUIET FROM FEAR OF EVIL."

B. On a sure foundation. cf Ps. 40:1-3

1. Not to look down on the lost, but to look how far God has brought us since salvation.

2. To be closer to Heaven.

a. Our homes, when in God's order, should be a little taste of Heaven.

b. We should want to go there after work/school, not dread getting there.

V. God Will Give Us Long Life. vs 16

A. How long is long?

1. Long enough to do His work.

(PHIL 1:21) "FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST, AND TO DIE IS GAIN."

2. Who would want to live longer than that?

3. We will be satisfied with life.

B. So many are living and finding no satisfaction in the lives they live.

1. That is because satisfaction of life does not come from recognition, accumulation, or recreation.

2. Satisfaction comes from God and God alone.

3. There is no satisfaction for those who do not know God.

VI. God Will Give Us Eternal Life In Another World vs. 16b

A. God will show us salvation.

1. Our faith will become sight.

2. We will see Christ

3. We will see Heaven

4. We will see those things clearly that we see now through a glass darkly

B. All of this and more.

1. These are the rewards of salvation.

2. Did you get what you wanted for Christmas?

3. A little disappointed?

4. We will never be disappointed with what God has in store for us.

(1 COR 2:9) "BUT AS IT IS WRITTEN, EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN, THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM."