It is not in vain

15th of April

I will continue to write about good deeds and I am especially writing to you who think that you are not doing enough or what you do has no importance.

I will in the beginning refer to 1.Cor.15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain.” I believe that many of you need to be reminded of the fact that whatever we do in Christ will never be in vain.

I do not know how you feel or how your situation is when the offering basket is passed around. Maybe your economy is very tight right now and you cannot give very much. You always give, but the sum is so little. You might think that this doesn’t amount to anything. You would have liked to give more and you feel ashamed. I really want to remind you of the widow from the Bible who gave the last coin she had. How did the Lord look upon that? He honored her and He repaid her in abundance. Maybe you have been a faithful giver for years and the Lord sees every penny that you have given. If you have a willing heart, God will bless every penny and He will be sure that your money will be blessed and multiplied. The Lord does not look for how much, but He looks into your heart and He searches for your motivation and your obedience. God makes sure that there will come a harvest from your money. (The teaching of tithing is another theme) Please, do not compare yourself with others. You should give what your conscience tells you and what is right for you. Do you remember the little boy who came with a few fishes and some loaves of bread to Jesus? Jesus received them and He blessed them and they multiplied and became enough for thousands of people. God blesses the little you give and He increases the amount to unthinkable measures. There are times when God speaks to you through the Holy Spirit and asks you to give more and then you should be obedient. Disobedience gives no blessings. God never asks you to do something for bad reasons. You will always be blessed by obeying Him.

Maybe you are a busy person with a family and you have no time to pray an hour a day. This causes you to have a bad conscience. Do you talk to God on the way to work? Do you pray with your children before they go to bed? “Yes, but this is so little,” is your answer. It is very important to pray with your children. I have heard many testimonies from people who prayed an evening prayer as children and when they grew older, they were reminded of these prayers and these prayers were a tool to bring them back to God. I was recently babysitting a few days for some children. I read a short Bible-story for them every evening and when the parents came home, this was the first thing that they told their parents. That was an inspiration for them to do the same. I thought that this was very insignificant, but the consequences were great.

I recently heard a testimony from a man who didn’t think that he read the Bible as much as he should, nor did he pray as much as he thought he should, but he prayed one prayer quite often and that was: “Come Holy Spirit!” That prayer was indeed answered and the Holy Spirit came. We know that where the Holy Spirit is there is freedom and signs and wonders can flow. The Holy Spirit can also bring people to a state of repentance and they can be saved. A small prayer with great effect.

Maybe you feel that you should talk more about Jesus to your neighbors and the devil helps you to give you a bad conscience. (I am not talking about the times when you have been disobedient)Maybe you have done other things like helping you neighbor to carry his or her groceries. Maybe you go there with some of your cakes and cookies. “Yes, but I was only myself. I didn’t preach the Gospel.” Jesus lives inside of you and He is also just Himself. He never introduced Himself by saying: “I am Jesus, I am the Son of God.” No, they discovered that He was different and they were drawn to Him. He helped people and if you are kind and helpful, people will be drawn to you to and soon you will have conversations about Him who lives in you. Remember what Jesus said in Matt.25:40? He said: “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of My brethren, you did it to Me.” He had earlier mentioned those who were hungry, sick, in prison and strangers. We are all supposed to do something for these.

Maybe you have watched great campaigns where people are saved and healed in thousands and you think: “I wish I was there,” but the fact is that you are here. You might start by smiling to someone to-day. I heard a story about a man who was ready to take his own life, but then he met a handicapped man in a wheelchair and this man smiled to him. That made him think that if this handicapped man can smile, I have no reason big enough to take my life. A smile saved his life. I got compliments for my outfit to-day. That made my day. Nothing is too small.

If a simple smile can save a person’s life, we can be sure of the fact that a simple prayer can do the same. I was woken by the Spirit many years ago. I was asked to pray for a certain politician. I was told by the Spirit that he was ready to end his life. I did so and then went back to sleep. This politician wrote later that he had planned to kill himself and the time was the same. If the Spirit says pray, PRAY! You might be busy with some other activities, but you can always pray in tongues. In Rom.8 we read that the Spirit intercedes for us with groaning. I remember one night many years ago. A neighbor had an accident and was rushed to the hospital. I was praying in tongues all night, but I was half asleep at the same time. In other words, I did not strive a lot. The neighbor came home healed. Sometimes people say: “Sorry, I can’t do anything else but to pray for you.” Don’t you know that James 5:16 says that the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Do not underestimate the effect of prayers!

Many people measure what they do in numbers and how much. God doesn’t have quite the same interest. I remember a story from the pastor of the largest congregation in the world. There was a simple woman who led him to the Lord, but in Heaven they will receive the same crown. She fulfilled her calling by leading him to the Lord. He was called to a million and fulfilled his calling. You must never compare yourself to others.

Some of you are complaining since you do not think that you see any results. What are you looking for? What kind of results do you want? We will not always know what our money is used for. Our neighbor might not be saved after a few times of helping him or her. Maybe you were only meant to sow. It is much more fun to reap than to sow, but I know that I have sown more than I have been reaping.

Maybe you have testified at a meeting and nobody started to cry, but you have no idea what they did when they came home or how the Holy Spirit used your testimony.

Maybe you have prayed for salvation for a relative and you cannot see any results. Is that relative dead? If they are alive, it is not too late. God listens to prayers and He answers them. Maybe you cannot see how the embryo is growing and how the Holy Spirit works with this person, but one day, the embryo will be ready to be born.

God calls you and me to do the easy things. He will do the difficult things. We lay our hands on the sick. He heals. Do not allow the devil to keep you from doing things, thinking that it is too difficult. His yoke is easy.

THE LORD IS BLESSING EVERYTHING YOU DO IN HIM, SMALL OR BIG!!!!!!!!!!!

Mother Else