* People don’t do what you expect, they do what you inspect.
* The best managers have regular checkups with their employees.
* If you’re trying to lose weight, you step on the scale regularly.
* High achievers welcome these checkups - they want accountability in their life.
* Strong people want accountability. Weak people only want approval.
* Knowing you are going to be held accountable for your actions will help keep your actions in alignment with your goals and values.
* Having no accountability allows you to act in accordance with your impulses - and this always gets people in trouble.
* Key - we are accountable to God for everything we do!
* Vs 9-10 - Tony Evans - “One day every Christian will have to stand before Christ’s bēma to have his or her faithfulness (or lack thereof) evaluated and recompensed. Believers will be granted or denied rewards based on whether or not they have lived for Christ. There will be no hiding on that day. And there will be no actions in your Christian life that will be overlooked. Therefore, knowing that everything “good or evil” will be repaid, how do you want to spend the few days allotted to you?”
* In light of the great inspection, we seek to please Him with the work we do (vs 9).
* Revelation 21:4 shows us what life will be like in the new heaven and new earth.
* God will “wipe away every tear from our eye…”
* Why would we be crying?
* Because we will have already stood before the judgment seat, so we know we don’t deserve what we’re about to get!
* Practically, what do we do until that time?
* Vs 11a - we try to persuade others to make their peace with God.
* How?
* Live the three paradigms:
* You’re a minister - to minister is “to serve.”
* You’re on mission - to provide for others and promote God’s kingdom.
* Your work is worship - Avodah.