Dear Brethren and Friends!
As we come close to the end of another year, according to man’s calendar, it’s time to reflect on where we are insofar as the world is concerned, as well as our own personal lives and our responsibilities in completing the Work which God has given us to do.
We are approaching a season of “joy to the world,” yet there is little joy in the world. We must never forget that this is Satan’s world, and he is the ruler of this world.
Christ said in John 16:7-11:
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”
At this time of year, people will spend lavishly to give gifts to each other, yet few will be thinking of what God really expects from them and the purpose for their existence.
The Western nations are in a current grip of fear because 2015 has seen the deadliest terrorist attacks since September 11, 2001, with some 525 killed so far, and we are not yet at the end of the year, and people are waiting in near anxiety for the next attack to occur.
All these senseless killings are a reflection of the mind of the god of this world who is both the ruler and also the deceiver of mankind. Revelation 12:9 says: “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Man’s futile attempts to improve this world will end in miserable failure, since the only real solution is the return of Christ to put an end to this madness.
Individually, we need to look at why Christ came into the world as a human being. The Bible describes many purposes or reasons for Christ’s First Coming, but in this letter, we want to focus specifically on one important aspect.
We read in John 4:34: “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.’”
One of Christ’s purposes here on earth was to finish the Work of God. This has tremendous meaning for us individually. Our calling is not just a matter of saving ourselves. We are called for a reason. Christ said in John 12:24-25:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
Our focus has to be on finishing the Work; that is, on being engaged in the Work. A car in neutral cannot move forward, no matter how big the engine might be. It has to be engaged, in gear, in order to move forward. We move forward if we are engaged in whatever seemingly small or “insignificant” capacity it might be. In some cases, our involvement might be “no more” than “just” praying for the Work. But we must never underestimate or belittle the importance of prayer. We might have heard the true saying: “The Work of God moves forward on its knees.”
To stand still and remain in neutral is not an option for us. Rather, it will lead to our demise.
This is what Christ said just prior to His death: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4).
We need to finish the Work which we have been given to do. We must not be distracted or derailed by what is going on in the world.
Things will get worse in 2016—that you can count on—but with God’s help and our determination not to compromise and to finish the job given to us, we will get our priceless reward.
Our pain, sorrows and trials will vanish. They are so insignificant in comparison with the reward of rulership as God beings in the Kingdom or Family of God.
Satan wants us to become distracted and lose our focus, since he would like us to fail in our calling. He will see to it that some will be killed, because martyrdom is prophesied for members in God’s Church, but the physical death of God’s people is not enough for him. His real victory would be achieved if we fall short of our calling and disqualify ourselves from being in the Kingdom of God.
Let’s not give him that pleasure and let us remain faithful and close to God and finish the race set before us. Those who drop out of the race will lose their reward.
“Well done, good and faithful servants,” is what we want to hear from Christ when He returns.
Christ’s role in wanting to complete the task of finishing the Work which God had given Him was not ambiguous. It was clear to Him, and He was focused on that job and completed it.
We in God’s Church have the obligation of finishing our responsibilities—of continuing, as it were, what Christ had started; that is, of bringing God’s message of hope and real joy to the world as a witness, proclaiming that Christ will return to set up the Kingdom of God on earth.
Only then can we say that we have finished the Work given to us. Make no mistake about it! Being fully engaged in the Work of God is the most important task on earth for the sake of all mankind! Because, if Christ was not to return and the coming days of unspeakable tribulation were not shortened, this world would be annihilated into oblivion, without any survivors!
Finally, let us be encouraged by the words of Christ:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
There is no question that we will face trials in the future, but this fact must not deter us from completing the Work given to us, just as Christ said He had completed the Work which God had given Him.
Our reward is out there, waiting for us. Will we reach for it and be engaged in completing the Work? We must!
In Christ service
Rene Messier
