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A 52-Week Personal Study · Scripture, Prayer & Meditation
Rewards of Heaven
What Jesus commanded us to do with our lives.
What Scripture promises awaits those who are faithful.
How to lay up treasure in a place where nothing can touch it.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven."
Matthew 6:19–20
Study Guide by
Gary W. Boyd, PhD
The Study
What This Study Is
Jesus Commanded It.
Scripture Lays It All Out.
Jesus did not merely suggest that we invest in eternity — He commanded it. "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven," He said, and then He told us exactly how. This 52-week study walks through the entire biblical theology of heavenly rewards: why God rewards at all, what specific actions lay up treasure, what the rewards actually are, how grace and reward coexist without contradiction, and how to live every day oriented toward what lasts.
"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
Hebrews 11:6
This is not a motivational study about feeling better about the future. It is a rigorous, Scripture-saturated walk through one of the most consistently misunderstood doctrines in the Christian faith — a doctrine Jesus taught constantly, Paul built his ministry around, and the entire New Testament returns to again and again.
The Structure
The Five-Part Structure
52 Weeks. One Complete Theology of Reward.
Section One · Weeks 1–8
The Foundation
Why Rewards Exist and How They Work
The Command · The Bema Seat · Gold vs. Stubble · He Is a Rewarder · Grace & Reward · Sowing & Reaping · Labor Not in Vain · The Beatitudes
Section Two · Weeks 9–22
The Actions
How We Lay Up Treasure — The Specific Ways
Secret Giving · Secret Prayer · Secret Fasting · Loving Enemies · Faithful Stewardship · Receiving God's Servants · Perseverance Under Trial · Generosity to the Poor · Winning Souls · Faithful Shepherding · Longing for His Return · Confession · Righteous Living · Spiritual Discipline
Section Three · Weeks 23–36
The Rewards
What Heaven Gives — The Specific Promises
Crown of Life · Crown of Righteousness · Crown of Glory · Crown of Rejoicing · Imperishable Crown · Divine Commendation · Reigning with Christ · Co-Heirship · Glorified Bodies · Shining Like Stars · Dwelling Places · The Secured Inheritance · Great Reward · God Himself
Section Four · Weeks 37–44
The Theology
Tensions, Depths, and Doctrinal Roots
Rewards & Grace · Degrees of Reward · Loss of Reward · Is It Mercenary? · Crowns Cast Before the Throne · Eternal Weight of Glory · Deeds Follow Us · Rewards Begin Now
Section Five · Weeks 45–52
The Life
Living Every Day Oriented Toward Heaven
Setting Your Mind Above · Citizenship in Heaven · The Rich Young Ruler · Zacchaeus · The Widow's Offering · Running with Endurance · My Reward Is with Me · Come, Lord Jesus
Each Week
Each Week's Structure
One Day to Study.
Six Days to Live the Question.
Each entry is designed to launch a full week of study on a single topic — not a daily checklist, but a deep immersion in one aspect of the biblical theology of reward.
1
Definition
A precise, 2–3 paragraph theological definition. No jargon. No fluff. Exactly what Scripture means.
2
Key Scripture
The primary anchor verse, with three supporting occurrences — all linked directly to BibleGateway.
3
Theological Reflection
What this means about God — objective truth about His character. And what it means for me — personal application to this week.
4
Prayer
A written prayer you can pray as your own — honest, specific, theologically grounded. Something to return to all week.
5
Three Meditation Prompts
Three questions to carry into your week — in quiet time, on the commute, at the dinner table. By the time you move to the next week, this one has had seven days to settle.
6
Reference Link
Every entry links directly to Blue Letter Bible — lexicons, commentaries, and the original language behind the text.
The Series
Part of a Three-Study Series
Who God Is. How He Acts.
What He Promises.
This study is the third panel of a triptych. Each guide stands alone — and together they form a complete foundation for knowing and following God.
Begin
Free. No Login.
Works on Any Device.
Open it on your phone right now. Mark your progress as you go. Navigate to any week. Return to where you left off. It is a single file — no app, no subscription, no account.
"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me,
to repay each one for what he has done." — Revelation 22:12