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Reward for Faithfulness, July 28
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be
overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life,
and so that day come upon you unawares.
Luke 21:34
.
Dear Christian friend, stop and think. You are trading with your Lord’s
money; and what use are you making of it? You may suffer your mind to
be engrossed with business transactions and the cares of this life; but you
cannot carry these things with you into the other world. There will be no use
for this kind of education there. Then why not use your talents to build up
Christ’s kingdom? Why not give to the service of God the tact, skill, and
energy that have made you successful in business? The works of this world
will be destroyed. Would it not be better to put some of your thinking powers
into the cause of God, and build where the work will be enduring, and you
will not suffer loss?
The constant burden of your hearts should be, What can I do to save souls
for whom Christ died? All around me are precious souls lying in wickedness,
that must perish unless someone shall work for their salvation. How can I
best reach these wandering ones, that I may bring them to the glorious city of
God, and present them before the throne, saying, Here am I and the children
whom the Lord hath given me?
Some may excuse themselves by saying, I have had no experience in this
kind of work; I have used my ability only in the things of this life. Well, it is
for you to say whether you will continue to devote your time and strength to
worldly interests, or will use them in the cause of God. None of us will be
forced into this service. If we choose to concentrate our powers upon worldly
matters, there will be nothing to hinder us. But why is it that we persist in
laying up treasure here instead of above? Suppose you should change the
order of things, and lay up some of your treasure in heaven, would you not
rejoice to receive it again by and by, imperishable? ...
Christ has appointed to every man his work. The second death will be the
portion of those who labor not, and the dreadful words will be heard, “Depart
from me, ye that work iniquity” (
Matthew 7:23
). But the faithful servants
will not lose their reward. They will gain eternal life, and the “Well done,
good and faithful servant” (
Chap. 25:23
), will fall as sweetest music on their
ears.—
The Signs of the Times, July 28, 1887
.
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