AN EARNEST SPIRIT

“He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Ps. 126:6.

Do your best and God will accept your efforts. Take up the duty lying nearest you, and perform it with fidelity, and your work will be wholly acceptable to the Master. Do not in your desire to do something great, overlook the smaller tasks awaiting you.

The coming of Christ is near, and hasteth greatly. The time in which to labor is short, and men and women are perishing. Said the angel, “Should not the men who have had great light co-operate with Him who sent His Son to the world to give light and salvation to men?” Shall men who have received the knowledge of the truth line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, show but little appreciation of Him who came to the earth that His divine power might be the heritage of every believing soul? It was thus that the divinity of Christ was to become effectual in the salvation of the race, and the intercession of our great High Priest avail before the throne of God. The plan was devised in heaven. Shall those who have been bought with such a price fail of appreciating the great salvation?

Missionaries should enter the field before they shall be compelled to cease labor. There are now open doors on every side; they cannot afford to wait to complete years of training; for the years before us are not many, and we need to work while the day lasts.  

A HEART ATTITUDE

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." Col. 3:23, 24.

Your service in the cause of God must be more hearty, full, and thorough. You cannot perfect a Christian character by serving God when you feel inclined to do so, and neglecting it when you please.

Those who go forth in the spirit of the Master, seeking to reach souls with the truth, will not find the work of drawing souls to Christ a dull, uninteresting drudgery. They are charged with a work as god’s husbandmen, and they will become more and more vitalized as they give themselves to the service of God. It is a joyous work to open the Scriptures to others.

Young men and women should be educated to become workers in their own neighborhoods and in other places. Let all set their hearts and minds to become intelligent in regard to the work for this tie, qualifying themselves to do that for which they are best adapted.

Many young men who have had the right kind of education at home are to be trained for service, and encouraged to lift the standard of truth in new places by well-planned and faithful work…As they unite their labors with those of the older workers, using their youthful energies to the very best account, they will have the companionship of heavenly angels; and as workers together with God, it is their privilege to sing and pray and believe, and work with courage and freedom.

We are to give ourselves to the service of God, and we should seek to make the offering as nearly perfect as possible.

A WILLING MIND

"For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to hat he hath not." 2 Cor. 8:12

Blessed will be the recompense of grace to those who have wrought for God in the simplicity of faith and love. The value of service to God is measured by the spirit in which it is rendered, rather than by the length of time spent in labour.

It is not the length of time we labour, but tour willingness and fidelity in the work, that makes it acceptable to God. in all our service a full surrender of self is demanded. The smallest duty done in sincerity and self-forgetfulness, is more pleasing to God than the greatest work when marred with self-seeking. he looks to see how much of the spirit of Christ we cherish, and how much of the likeness of Christ our work reveals. He regards more the love and faithfulness with which we work than the amount we do.

Only when selfishness is dead, when strife for the supremacy is banished, when gratitude fills the heart, and love makes fragrant the life, - it is only then that Christ is abiding in the soul, and we are recognized as labourers together with God.

The worker who manifests a lack of courtesy, who shows impatience at the ignorance or waywardness of others, who speak hastily or acts thoughtlessly, may close the door to hearts so that he can never reach them.

As the dew and the still showers fall upon the withering plants, so let words fall gently when seeking to win men from error. God's plan is first to reach the heart.

WE LABOUR WITH GOD

“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” 1 Cor. 3:9

He will use you and me and each human being who enters His service, if we will submit to His guidance. Each one is to stand in his watchtower, listening attentively to that which the Spirit has to say to him, remembering that his every word and act makes an impression, not only on his own character….

Each day God works with His building, stroke upon stroke, to perfect the structure that it may become a holy temple for Him. Man is to co-operate with God. Each worker is to become just what God designs him to be, building his life with pure, noble deeds, that in the end his character may be a symmetrical structure, a fair temple, honoured by God and man. There is to be no flaw in the building, for it is the Lord’s. Every stone must be perfectly laid, that it may endure the pressure placed upon it. One stone laid wrong will affect the whole building.  To you and to every other worker God gives the warning: “Take heed how you build, that your building may stand the test of storm and tempest, because it is founded on the eternal Rock.”

To every man is given “his work,” – the work for which his capabilities adapt him, - the work which will result in greatest good to himself and to his fellow-men, and in greatest honour to God.

Thus our business or calling is a part of God’s great plan, and, so long as it is conducted in accordance with his will, he Himself is responsible for the results.

CAST THY BREAD UPON THE WATERS

Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.” Eccl. 11:1

No one can live the law of God without ministering to others. But there are many who do not live out Christ’s merciful, unselfish life…They plan and study to please themselves. They act only in reference to self. Time is of value to them only as they can gather for themselves. In all the affairs of life this is their object. Not for others but for themselves do they minister. God created them to live in a world where unselfish service must be performed. He designed them to help their fellow-men in every possible way. But self is so large that they cannot see anything else. They are not in touch with humanity. Those who thus live for self are like the fig-tree, which made every pretension, but was fruitless….In the sentence pronounced on the fig-tree Christ demonstrates how fateful in his eyes is this vain pretence. He declares that the open sinner is less guilty than is he who professes to serve God, but who bears no fruit to His glory.

“I am debtor,” Paul declares, “both to the Greeks and to the barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise.” So also are we. By all that has blessed our life above others, we are placed under obligation to every human being whom we might benefit.

These truths are not for the closet more than for the counting-room. The goods that we handle are not our own, and never can this fact safely be lost sight of. We are but stewards, and on the discharge of our obligation to God and man depend both the welfare of our fellow-beings and our own destiny for this life and for the life to come.

GOD DIRECTS OUR SERVICE

“And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day.” Isa. 58.10

As we see the necessities of the poor, the ignorant, the afflicted, how often our hearts sink. We question, “What avail our feeble strength and slender resources to supply this terrible necessity? Shall we not wait for some one of greater ability to direct the work, or for some organization to undertake it?” Christ says, “Give ye them to eat.” Use the means, the time, the ability, you have. Bring your barley loaves to Jesus.

Though your resources may not be sufficient to feed thousands, they may suffice to feed one. In the hand of Christ they may feed many. Like the disciples, give what you have. Christ will multiply the gift. He will reward honest, simple reliance upon Him. That which seemed but a meager supply will prove to be a rich feast.

Our hearts are to be so filled with the love of Christ that our words of thanksgiving shall warm other hearts. This is service that all can perform and the Lord accepts it as offered to Himself. He makes it efficacious, imparting to the earnest worker the grace that reconciles man to God.

May the Lord help His people to realize that there is earnest work to be done. May He help them to remember that in the home, in the church, and in the world they are to work the works of Christ. They are not left to labor alone. The angels are their helpers. And Christ is their helper. Then let them labor faithfully and untiringly. In due season they will reap, if they faint not.

The Christian pilgrim does not yield to his desire to rest. He moves steadily forward, saying. “The night is far spent; the day is at hand.”

MESSENGERS OF GOD

“As though hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” John 17:18

But when we give ourselves wholly to God, and in our work follow His directions, He makes Himself responsible for its accomplishment. He would not have us conjecture as to the success of our honest endeavors. Not once should we even think of failure. We are to co-operate with one who knows no failure.

We should not talk of our own weakness and inability. This is a manifest distrust of God, a denial of His word. When we murmur because of our burdens, or refuse the responsibilities He calls upon us to bear, we are virtually saying that He is a hard master, that He requires what He has not given us power to do….God works by whom he will. He sometimes selects the humblest instrument to do the greatest work; for His power is revealed through the weakness of men. We have our standard, and by it we pronounce one thing great and another small; but God does not estimate according to our rule….It does not rest with us to pass judgment on our talents or to choose our work. We are to take up the burdens that God appoints, bearing them for His sake, and ever going to Him for rest. Whatever our work, God is honored by whole-hearted cheerful service. He is pleased when we take up our duties with gratitude, rejoicing that we are accounted worthy to be co-laborers with Him.

Christ accepts, oh, so gladly, every human agency that is surrendered to him. He brings the human into union with the divine, that he may communicate to the world the mysteries of incarnate love.