He that is FAITHFUL in that which is LEAST is FAITHFUL also in MUCH...

" And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Galatians 6:9

I recently heard a song on the radio playing, and what a wonderful reminder it was to me. The Lord is so good to bring to remembrance the need to be faithful to Him. Yes... even in the smallest of things.  

Sometimes we are so caught up in wanting to see change, wanting to do "big things"... that we forget to be faithful in the smallest of things.

I am sure we all have our moments of discouragements, where we focus on our lack of  "making a difference". We find ourselves going about our daily work, and for some it may mean the "insignificant" daily "chores" of raising a family, or taking care of the home, or taking care of a loved one. We don't often equate this type of work as much... we may deem it a thing necessary, and required of us. And partly it is true. 

But to each one of us, God has given a work to be done "...as unto the Lord". 

However little or insignificant it may at times seem... Christ calls us to be faithful stewards of what He has given us. 

So, it may mean, that we... 

keep praying, 

keep loving, 

keep forgiving, 

keep serving, 

keep being faithful,

...even when it seems "too little". 

You know, some of us are here to plant the seed, some to water... but in all things, it is God who ultimately causes things to grow,... not us. 

God is the one who should be glorified and magnified forever in our lives. We are to be faithful.

" So neither the one who plants

 nor the one who waters is anything, 

but only God, 

who makes things grow." 

1 Corinthians 3:7

Nothing is too insignificant, when God is the Master... and we are His servants.

 " For we are labourers together with God.." 

1 Corinthians 3:9

" I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." 

Philippians 3:14

Oh, the privilege to be workers together with God... and manifest God's love in our lives to all. 

By this shall all men know that we are His disciples. 

Little Is Much When God Is In It

In the harvest field now ripened

There’s a work for all to do;

Hark! the voice of God is calling,

To the harvest calling you.

Refrain:

Little is much when God is in it!

Labor not for wealth or fame;

There’s a crown, and you can win it,

If you go in Jesus’ name.

In the mad rush of the broad way,

In the hurry and the strife,

Tell of Jesus’ love and mercy,

Give to them the Word of Life.

Does the place you’re called to labor

Seem so small and little known?

It is great if God is in it,

And He’ll not forget His own.

Are you laid aside from service,

Body worn from toil and care?

You can still be in the battle,

In the sacred place of prayer.

When the conflict here is ended

And our race on earth is run,

He will say, if we are faithful,

“Welcome home, My child—well done!”

Kittie L. Suffield 1924

Father, How thankful we are that you have called us to be co-workers in your kingdom, that we might magnify the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives. Help us to be faithful to you even in the smallest of things. Strengthen our faith when we falter. Keep us willing to serve you in humbleness and meekness of mind.  

May you be encouraged to show grace, love, kindness and humility in all that the Lord has placed before you today.

~Ellie

"... He LOVED them to the end."

" If I then, your LORD and MASTER have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. " John 13:14

As I have started reading through the gospel of John for my daily Bible reading, I have been tremendously blessed by  it ...

 ... precious and comforting are the words of the Saviour's love for us. 

"Greater love hath no man than this, 

that a man lay down his life for his friends." 

John 15:13

Such sacrificial love... 

These past few months I've worked on memorizing Romans chapter 8. And since finishing the verses, I have looked for another passage that would strengthen my walk with the Saviour. For some reason I was drawn to memorize John 17, a chapter I've loved since childhood. 

The Lord's prayer to the Father always makes me teary... it never fails to remind me of Jesus' love for His disciples... and for  those of us who would eventually come to know Him. 

Reading the Lord's prayer has always brought about a renewed adoration for my Saviour... knowing He prayed for me with such tenderness. It comforts me to no end! 

Do you ever get touched when someone shows kindness to you... when someone cares for you? You know, those special times... when someone takes what matters most to you and bears the load with you. It's when you become so important to them, that they go the extra mile... to have patience and listen to you... to understand your fears, partake of your joys or simply make an effort to understand the trial you may be going through. It's those moments when you feel so loved... simply because someone has thought of you and placed your needs above theirs. 

Such love is only a minute glimpse into understanding the love our Lord Jesus had for us...

As much as we may feel loved and cared for by others from time to time, there are moments when even those that love us here on this earth...  fall short. We've all experienced it.

But it was never so with the Lord Jesus Christ... our need was always before Him. It was evident in His prayer to the Father...

He desired that I would be PROTECTED from the evil of this world.

He desired that I would be SANCTIFIED through the TRUTH.

He desired that I would have HIS JOY fulfilled in me.

HE desired that I would be ONE with HIM.

HE desired that HIS GLORY would be on me.

Oh, such love and tenderness... poured out moments before the Lord Jesus Christ would give His life as a ransom for my sins... for your sins.

As the Lord Jesus nears the end of His prayer to the Father, He asks the Father  a precious request... 

... a most precious request,

" Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, 

be with me where I am..." 

John 17:24

I'm always humbled that my life was of such utter importance to the Lord Jesus, that He would die for me... and with joy... endured the cross that I might dwell with Him for eternity.

Yes, the Lord Jesus was the perfect example of LOVE... the ONE who cared for and loved us... to the end! 

And He left us an example,

" Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 

If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; 

ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 

For I have given you an example, 

that ye should do as I have done to you. " 

John 13:13-15

Lord, help us to serve you and live for you... with humbleness and meekness of mind.... esteeming those around us above ourselves. 

May you be encouraged to follow the Lord's example... and love those around you a with servant's heart... all for His glory.

~Ellie

Bear ye one another's burdens...

" For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 

"Love your neighbor as yourself." 

Galatians 5:14

Today I'm once again overwhelmed with God's goodness, love and faithfulness.

Have you ever had the privilege to carry another man's burden before the Lord? Have you ever been asked to share in the trials of someone who's hurting and in need?...

It takes a lot out of us to let go of self... to stop and listen... to encourage... and to love.

But, oh the joy, to come before the Father's throne to intercede for someone else.

Last night was a night without much sleep, a turning and tossing, a night of praying and interceding that God's mercy would be shown. The early morning hours brought peace to me... a peace that God gave in His goodness.

Trust in me. Cast all your cares upon me. 

Oh, Lord... you are the God of heaven and nothing is too difficult for Thee.

A peaceful sleep passed over me.  Not much after waking, did God answer. His outstretched arm intervened. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed... because God is so good! He answers in ways we never imagine.

Sharing each other's burdens... what a privilege!

It's easier for us to just sit back and not partake in someone else's hurt... we have troubles of our own. But little do we realize how often we forgo blessings and lose the opportunity to grow and exercise our own faith when we share the load. Our faith gets tried as well. Do we trust? Do we surrender our will to HIS?

Tribulations... are for our own good, even though they are difficult to go through.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: 

knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

And patience, experience; and experience, hope...

Romans 5:3,4.

The result... a perfect and complete work in us. 

But let patience have her perfect work, 

that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 

James 1:4

Let us consider it a joy... to carry one another's burdens... and so fulfill the law of Christ.

May God's love be poured forth in your heart today... for those hurting and in need.

~Ellie

Come unto ME all ye that LABOUR...

" The servant of the LORD must not strive; but be GENTLE unto all men..."  2 Timothy 2:24 

Lately I've been thinking about what it means to be like the Lord Jesus. And for some reason I ended up thinking about gentleness. 

Gentleness. A fruit of the Spirit. A trait that's often lacking in many of us. But how do we get gentleness?

A gentle person suffers long. I suppose a gentle person has to go through the "school of suffering "... because I think you have to learn to let go of self before you can ever be gentle. Gentleness requires crucifixion of all pride.

" I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." 

Galatians 2:20

It's quite humbling not to live for yourself. The flesh seeks glorification. But in order for God to have His perfect work in us, the "me" needs to be abased. 

" He must increase, but I must decrease." 

John 3:30

Only then is the character of the LORD JESUS CHRIST in full glory. 

I thought about the 2 disciples following the LORD when John the Baptist points them to the LAMB of GOD. The Lord Jesus turns and asks them,

" What seek ye..." 

John 1:38 

They wanted to see where HE dwelt. 

And the LORD tells them, 

"Come and see." 

John 1:39

They saw where He was living and they abode with HIM that day.

I thought of the spiritual application and how the LORD desires us to seek Him, to come unto Him... to abide with Him all day.  

A gentle person walks daily with the MASTER... and learns from HIM.

" Come unto me , all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and gentle in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." 

Matthew 11:28-30  

Lord, make me a servant that's gentle. May my calmness and peace be dependent on the ONE who walks beside me.   

May you seek the LORD and desire to abide with Him all day.

~Ellie    

Above ALL things have FERVENT CHARITY among yourselves...

" As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the WORD, that ye may grow thereby." 1 Peter 2:2

This week I've been able to finish memorizing chapter 13 of first Corinthians. It's been quite a few weeks, but what a blessing it has been to me! 

When I first started memorizing the well known love chapter I honestly didn't know what the LORD had in plan for me. What would HE reveal to me? It was my desire to be fully acquainted with GOD'S LOVE for me... and in turn gain a deeper understanding of how HIS love could work through me.   

The LORD, in HIS love and faithfulness,... made something quite clear to me. It was almost towards the end of the chapter...

But until coming to the end of the chapter, I realized a few things about LOVE. 

Love puts away all form of selfishness.  I suppose I knew that. But it's something else to apply it.... to let go of self. 

Can we truly love without having God's love in us? We might fool ourselves, but I don't think we'll go very far. Since GOD is LOVE, we need His Holy Spirit to abide in us.

"... because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Romans 5:5

Isn't it beautiful to know that LOVE comes from GOD? And nothing we do can substitute for the love of GOD. 

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags..." 

Isaiah 64:6

And so, as I was nearing the end of the chapter, one of the verses made me stop a bit. 

" When I was a child, I spake as a child I understood as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." 1 Corinthians 13:11

Am I like a child most days? 

I suddenly realized that, yes, I'm often childish when I don't show God's love in my life. I'm just like a child who wants things her own way... by not suffering long, by being unkind, by seeking my own, by envying, by being proud, by thinking evil... or even being provoked when I think I'm right.

Does that mean that when I'm tired of "bearing it all" and fall short of applying love in my life... that I'm being childish? Why do I feel hurt? Why do I keep record of wrongs? Why do I give up showing kindness?

Have I not grown in the LORD? Have I not put away childish things?

And so I came to the understanding that desiring and having GOD'S WORD in my heart will make me to grow and bear fruit. We are to live outside of our fleshly desires... or childishness. We are to grow. 

    

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. "

Romans 8:5

I remember a verse I had memorized not too long ago... how much strength it gives me to put away childish things:

" But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? "

Galatians 4:9

Lord, help me to turn away from self... be my strength from day to day.

The chapter does not end there. Yes, we may know what love is... in part. The LORD reminds us not to be weary in well-doing. Yes, we struggle. Yes, we fall. We have the flesh that is enmity to GOD. 

But God's gentleness is quite evident in the last verses, reminding us that one day, 

" ... that which is perfect will come, and that which is in part shall be done away." 

1 Corinthians 13:10

Our life here on earth is for a moment.... sometimes we don't understand... we see darkly through a glass.  We may know in part. But one day, we shall soon know... even as we are known! What a wonderful promise.

LOVE. It is the greatest gift. Given to us freely from above in the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

HE was the perfect example. And He desires that we should walk in HIS ways.  

"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love." 

John 15:9

May you be encouraged to exercise God's love in your life... by desiring HIS Word, so that you may grow thereby.  

~Ellie