Obedience and Rewards - A Revival Message by Edgar Reich

Devotional

Day 1: A Bible on the Desk: When Obedience Becomes God’s Sign

A reluctant businessman’s simple act of giving a Bible to a Japanese executive became a divine sign that shattered decades of spiritual resistance. What seemed like an awkward obedience opened a door for a man haunted by generations of martyred ancestors to encounter the living God. The Word on his desk marked the beginning of his journey from skepticism to faith. True obedience often feels inconvenient, yet carries eternal weight. God uses ordinary believers to answer desperate prayers whispered to ceiling tiles in corporate offices. [05:44]

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
(Mark 16:15, KJV)

Reflection: What “awkward obedience” have you avoided that might be someone else’s answer to prayer? How could carrying a Bible or speaking Christ’s name today become someone’s divine sign?

Day 2: Sunday Severance: Trusting God with Lost Paychecks

Choosing church over corporate demands cost a job but unlocked three years of ministry training funded by an inexplicable severance package. While coworkers scrambled to please executives, obedience turned a boardroom dismissal into a divine commissioning. The math of heaven multiplies what we surrender—trading Sunday shifts for Bible studies that reached 95 employees. God honors those who guard sacred time in a culture that worships productivity. [07:16]

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
(Exodus 20:8, KJV)

Reflection: What practical commitment (a weekly hour, a daily pause) could you guard as “holy time” despite worldly pressures? Where do you need to trust God’s provision over paycheck security?

Day 3: Cancer in the Sink: Miracles Follow Repentance

A festering facial cancer fell into the sink after ending an adulterous relationship—a visceral picture of sin’s roots loosening through repentance. Medical reports confirmed the miracle, but deeper healing came through choosing covenant over convenience. Obedience dismantles both physical and spiritual strongholds, proving God’s power exceeds biopsy results. The greatest miracles often follow the hardest choices to walk in purity. [09:40]

“But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”
(Matthew 5:32, KJV)

Reflection: What “festering” situation in your life requires radical obedience rather than covering up? How might repentance become the scalpel for your healing?

Day 4: Double Repayment: Closing Doors to Demonic Torment

Restoring stolen goods fourfold broke a tax evader’s demonic oppression, his oozing back wounds healing as checks cleared for Kenyan orphans. Like Zacchaeus, full restitution slams shut doors where tormentors entered. Hidden compromises with money or resources give hell legal ground—but radical honesty starves demons. The path to deliverance often runs through accounting ledgers and apology letters. [13:01]

“And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house.”
(Luke 19:8-9, KJV)

Reflection: What financial or relational debt have you rationalized keeping? How could restitution become your pathway to spiritual freedom?

Day 5: Coal on the Lips: Purged by Fire, Freed to Speak Truth

A businessman’s chronic lies ceased when he cried “Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips!”—echoing Isaiah’s altar encounter. The searing coal of repentance burned away deceit’s addiction, proving that purity precedes powerful speech. God’s fire on our tongues destroys falsehood’s roots, turning corporate spin doctors into gospel truth-tellers. Lasting integrity comes not from willpower but altar encounters. [20:17]

“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.”
(Isaiah 6:5-7, KJV)

Reflection: What “white lie” patterns keep you “undone” before God? How might inviting Christ’s refining fire on your speech habits liberate your witness?

Sermon Summary

Grace opens the door of life, and Jesus ties love to obedience. John 14:15 stands right beside Romans 6:23 and John 3:16, and Revelation 2–3 shows that the risen Lord still commands his churches, with promises to overcomers and penalties for unrepentance. Revelation 22:14 holds out the final blessing, that those who do his commandments have right to the tree of life and the gates of the city. The call is simple and searching: say no to sin and do his will, and God is pleased to bless.

The Great Commission speaks, and Jesus sends his servant to place a Bible in the hands of a Japanese executive who had lifted a hand to heaven and asked for a sign. The word itself becomes the sign, and obedience draws down joy. The Sabbath command speaks, and a refusal to work on Sunday costs employment yet opens unexpected provision and ministry. The marriage standard speaks, and the hard choice to end an adulterous union is met by the Lord’s healing hand.

“Thou shalt not steal” brings Zacchaeus into the room, and restitution becomes the path of freedom. Confession before God and man turns hidden theft into mercy for the poor, and the pattern unlocks deliverance for another soul who had feared he committed an unpardonable sin. “Thou shalt not bear false witness” lets Acts 5 put a holy fear into the heart, and Isaiah’s live coal shows that only God can purge unclean lips; repentance is met by divine intervention so that truth can be spoken.

Forgiveness speaks through Matthew 6, James 5, and Matthew 18. A letter of pardon closes the tormentor’s door and strangely comforts the offender far away. Freedom from shame becomes a testimony God uses to bring many hard young hearts to Christ. Luke 17:10 keeps the heart low, for all is of grace and any servant is unprofitable. The call to revival stands in 2 Chronicles 7:14 with four plain steps: humble, pray, seek, and turn. Romans 1 warns that judgment rests on a blind people, so the fear of God must return. The last word returns to the last chapter: “Blessed are they that do his commandments.”

Key Takeaways

1. Grace does not cancel obedience [01:36] Grace and commandment-keeping stand together in Scripture, not as rivals but as friends. Jesus links love to keeping his words, and Revelation shows the risen Lord still making moral demands of his churches. Final blessing in Revelation 22:14 is promised to doers, not hearers only. Love answers grace by walking in what he says. [01:36]
2. Saying no to sin invites reward [09:40] Obedience is not a transaction, but God delights to encourage those who turn from sin. Hard choices, like ending an adulterous union or refusing to treat holy days as common, often become places where God’s surprising provision and healing break in. Reward may be material, spiritual, or both, but it always deepens trust. The Father shows he sees in secret and knows what it cost. [09:40]
3. Restitution opens doors for mercy [16:10] Zacchaeus shows that grace runs downhill into acts that put wrongs right, especially toward the poor when direct repayment is blocked. Restitution closes legal loopholes the conscience keeps open and silences the accuser. It also channels stolen good into needed good, turning past harm into present mercy. Freedom often waits on the other side of concrete repayment. [16:10]
4. Truthfulness requires cleansing, not technique [20:17] White lies reveal a deeper problem than speech habits; they expose unclean lips. Acts 5 warns that God takes falsehood personally, and fear of the Lord sobers the tongue. Isaiah’s coal teaches that God himself must purge the mouth, and repentance invites that touch. Lasting truth-telling grows from a purified heart, not from clever rules. [20:17]
5. Forgiveness shuts tormentors’ doors [25:36] Unforgiveness keeps a legal opening for darkness to harass mind and body. Jesus ties the Father’s forgiveness to the forgiveness extended, and Matthew 18 speaks of tormentors when mercy is withheld. Forgiveness is not denial of evil; it is obedience that hands the case to God. When the release is real, torment loses its handle and healing often follows. [25:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:42] - Grace as God’s free gift
[01:36] - Jesus’ commands and Revelation warnings
[02:23] - Blessed are they that do
[03:11] - Rewards for overcoming sin
[04:57] - A Bible for a Japanese executive
[06:31] - Keeping Sunday holy under pressure
[08:56] - Ending adultery, a healing sign
[11:25] - Zacchaeus and making restitution
[13:46] - A tormented man set free
[17:51] - Ananias and Sapphira’s warning
[20:17] - A coal on unclean lips
[21:49] - Forgive to be forgiven
[24:04] - Confession, tormentors, and release
[27:50] - Violent offenders run to Christ
[32:03] - Four steps to revival
[32:49] - Commandment-keeping and present rewards
[33:40] - Prayer for repentance and change
[36:46] - Under judgment without repentance
[39:18] - Prepared for the Lamb’s return

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- John 14:15 (ESV): “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
- Revelation 22:14 (ESV): “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.”
- 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV): “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Observation questions

In John 14:15, how does Jesus connect love for Him with obedience?
What specific blessings are promised in Revelation 22:14 to those who follow God’s commands?
What four steps does 2 Chronicles 7:14 outline for revival, and how are they ordered?
How did Zacchaeus demonstrate repentance in Luke 19:8-9, and what immediate result followed? [11:25]

Interpretation questions

Why might Jesus tie love for Him so directly to obedience in John 14:15? How does this challenge common cultural ideas about “love”?
Revelation 22:14 mentions the “tree of life” and “gates of the city.” What do these symbols represent, and why are they linked to obedience?
How do the four steps in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (humbling, praying, seeking, turning) work together to address both personal and communal sin?
In the story of Zacchaeus, why did Jesus emphasize restitution as part of salvation? How does this contrast with a view of forgiveness that avoids practical action? [16:10]

Application questions

What is one area of your life where obedience feels difficult, and how could focusing on love for Jesus (rather than duty) reshape your perspective?
Is there a relationship, habit, or decision where you need to make restitution or “put right” a past wrong, as Zacchaeus did? What practical step could you take this week? [13:46]
Have you ever excused a “white lie” or half-truth as harmless? How might Isaiah 6:5-7’s emphasis on unclean lips challenge you to seek God’s cleansing in your speech?
Is there someone you struggle to forgive, and how might withholding forgiveness be giving the enemy a “legal opening” in your life? What would it look like to release that person to God today? [25:36]
Which of the four revival steps in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (humbling, praying, seeking, turning) feels most challenging to you? How could you intentionally practice that step this month?
When have you experienced unexpected joy or provision after choosing obedience in a hard situation (like refusing compromise at work or ending a sinful relationship)? How did it deepen your trust in God? [09:40]

Sermon Clips

Beloved, we are praying for revival. It starts with each one of us how we will deal with sin. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." So there are four steps. A is humbling ourselves. It starts with confession and repentance and doing what the Bible says. The Lord Jesus preached repentance. The apostles preached repentance. Repentance. And John the Baptist preached repentance. [00:31:52]

when I refused to work on a Sunday in a major company, I told them that I had scheduled to go to church and uh I would do the work on Monday, but uh they terminated my employment, but it was a great great blessing, beloved. I was entitled to eight months seventh pay. They gave me 3.5 years severance instead. And God did that and I could study for the ministry for three years. [00:07:24]

A biopsy confirmed that it was cancer and that it was malignant. When I was obedient and stopped the adulterous relationship, the Lord granted me a miracle. The next day and when washing my face, the cancer fell off my face and into the sink. The hospital said, "We have the biopsy to confirm a malignant cancer." They even fell off. we must operate because there will be roots in your face uh cancerous roots they must be removed. [00:09:25]

I asked him, "Did you repay the government?" He answered, "The government says, I do not owe money, but they are wrong. They won't take my money. I have stolen and I cannot be forgiven, and I can never be saved." I shared about the great forgiveness from the Lord. He said he could not apply this to himself. I asked him, "Do you believe the Bible?" He said he did. I asked him whether we could read a story together and he agreed. [00:14:25]

The six example is forgiving those that hurt me. I read my Bible again in Matthew chapter 6 14- 15. And it says, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will for also forgive you. But if you forgive not man their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses." I had been misused as a child at the age of 10 years. It cost me 50 years of my life. It affected me and I could never admit admit this nor share this with others. [00:21:42]

Uh but I have found now that uh very few Christians keep the Sunday holy. It's a catchup day for most Christians. They work hard and uh I did not have to work on Sundays. Um, and I wanted to keep a day of rest and I wanted to follow the Bible since I was just saved. But I was in a large corporation where people were expected to work whenever the chairman said, "You work." [00:06:54]

After I became a Christian, I wondered what does it mean to live based on the Bible. I saw many other Christians who said they were Christians, but they were not doing what the Bible said. But when I prayed, I said, "Lord, I love you so much. Thank you for saving me from hell." And the answer came back, if you love me, keep my commandments. [00:04:14]

scripture says, "Examine yourself." I found when I examined myself for my business practices and I had run a big corporation, I always spoke in a way to get what I wanted. Often that included white lies. Now God does not stand even for little white lies and he took Ananas and Safirus life as related to us in Acts five. [00:19:01]

Now, I had just gotten saved and I was divorced. I was living common law with a woman that I had promised to marry. Now, with the Lord's help, I told that woman that I had become a Christian and that I could not proceed with that marriage because it was sin. I listened to seven hours of pain. [00:08:56]

Now I was a new Christian and I had taken things from the company in Europe because I was in the top position and I thought I owned everything. Uh but it is called stealing by God. Also some goods were sent to me from Germany from my mother hidden in toys to avoid taxes. So what should I do Lord? I have taken things from companies and stole them and stole from the government. What should I do? [00:11:39]

Tonight we would like to share again how pleased God is when we say no to sin and do his will. Not only that, God also wants to bless and reward us when we say no to sin and do his will. The Lord Jesus highlighted uh also in Revelation 2 and three when he spoke to the seven churches. [00:02:48]

He spoke to seven churches there and uh if those commands were not kept uh which he gave us uh and if they're not repented of there would be serious eternal penalties. So when we keep the Lord's commandments we please him. We grow in the Lord and we experience great blessings. [00:01:03]

do? The Lord answered, "If you love me, keep my commandments." I repented of these things and wrote the government about the things my mother had sent me. The government wrote back and said, "These things are considered heirlooms, and you do not have to pay taxes on them." So that was a great blessing. [00:12:09]

of the message tonight, I would like to emphasize again that we Christians are saved by grace and it is a gift from God as per Romans chap chapter 6 verse 23 which says for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. [00:00:08]

Such teachings by the apostle Paul, excuse me, do not overrule what the Lord Jesus had said in John 14 verse1 15. If you love me, keep my commandments. And then Jesus proved to us uh that uh his commands are to be kept. [00:01:01]

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