He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much… (Luke 16:10, NKJV)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2, NKJV)
Heaven is a place of reward. We talk about being saved and the Glory of the Kingdom… But Heaven is a place of reward for faithfulness in what we have been called to do! Jesus speaks about it very strongly. Yes, I’m an evangelist, God called me very specifically to those former communist countries – and I have served the Lord as faithfully as I could. As hard as I could. Even to the extent of going into prison. Four times they have tried to assassinate me… But I was serving the Lord with all my heart. But I will not get a bigger reward, simply because I did so much. My reward is on my faithfulness to the job I am called to do. You may think your job is small and is insignificant – yet your reward is not in the size of the job you do, but on your faithfulness to do what He has called you to do. Whether you are a teacher, a nurse, an employee – it is our faithfulness to the talents God has put in our hands. The one with ten talents doubled it, the one with five talents doubled it – but the servant with the one talent which he buried in the ground lost everything! Your reward is in your faithfulness in what God has given you to do.
Colossians 4:1 continues with the question of masters and slaves: “Masters, provide your servants, your slaves with what is right and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in Heaven.”
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:2-6, NIV)
In v2ff, Paul says, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” This theme runs right through Scripture, watching, praying – with thanksgiving – faithfulness in prayer! There is a big responsibility for us in this. Paul says here in v3, “Pray for us that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ for which I am in chains.” There must be constant prayer from me and from you – pray! Just like Paul, I need prayer that God will open doors.
There is a time when God opens a door. And closes it. Our lives are ordered by the Lord, everything in my life was planned before I was born – this is what Scripture says! Before sin came into the world, salvation came! Jesus Christ is the ‘Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world’, Revelation 13:8, ‘to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself’, Hebrews 9:26. Before the world was formed, God knew that sin would come, and He prepared a way of escape. So God DOES KNOW THE FUTURE!
But this is why Paul wrote in Colossians 4:3, “I’m in great difficulty – pray that God will open the doors!” I’m challenging you, pray that God will open the doors! Yes, God has opened the doors of Central Asia to me. Why? Because of the problems in the whole of that region that neighbours Russia, God has opened this whole mission field to me! In September 2022, I was in Kazakhstan with representatives from five Central Asian countries, calling to God for revival. And in November 2022, I was in a great crusade in Georgia, another country bordering Russia (and, like Ukraine, invaded by Russia in 2008). God opens doors. When one door closes, Scriptures says, God opens another. Revelation 3:7-8. That has always been my experience.
Paul continues his instructions to the believers in Colossae in v5ff: walk in wisdom towards those that are outside in the world, redeem the time, let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer everyone.
In v18, Paul concludes his letter very simply, “Remember my bonds.” He was in prison, and yet whilst in prison, he could still preach the Gospel! When I was in the communist prison, I was able to lead some of my fellow prisoners to Christ. You can, wherever you are. It’s a part of our faithfulness.
Be faithful! And remember, we are working for a reward, but not here, you may not get any of your reward down here. Our reward is in the Kingdom. There are some Christians – working – whose reward is only down here. Your Home in Heaven – is built with the materials you send up from down here. Be faithful!
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:9-15, NKJV)