Dearly Beloved, YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN “Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, ‘Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.’ And in that place many believed in Jesus” (John 10:40-42, NIV). John the Baptist did his public ministry in the wilderness and where one can consider as remote places. He did not preach in towns and cities where he could easily gain cheap popularity. In spite of this, many people went to him in those remote places (see Matthew 3:1-13; Mark 1:4-9; Luke 3:1-19; John 3:23). He preached to and baptized many people, but there was no record that those people actually repented from their sins. In fact, he imprisoned and later beheaded because of his preaching (Matthew 14:3-12; Mark 6:17-29; Luke 3:19-20; John 3:23-24). However, he was faithful in his duty in preparing the way for Jesus Christ. He even said somewhere, “[Jesus Christ] must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30, NIV). One would have concluded that he did not have a successful ministry, but the record of John 10:40-42 shows that his ministry indeed prepared way for the ministry of Jesus Christ. The record has it that people testified about his ministry and believed in Jesus Christ because of his ministry. What has God committed into your hands? Where are you striving to do it? How faithful are in doing it? Are you facing difficulties in it? Is it successful as you want it to be? It does not matter where you are now and how successful you are. What matters is faithfulness. Who knows you may be preparing the way for the success of the works of God in the near future. Your labor of love is never in vain. Paul admonished the Corinthians, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV). In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). _________________________ Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). +234 805 515 9591 http://www.afolabayo.org/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualdigest2003/ "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN" (Philippians 1:20-21, NIV). _________________________________________________ FindLaw - Free Case Law, Jobs, Library, Community http://www.FindLaw.com Get your FREE @JUSTICE.COM email! http://mail.Justice.com