"We Will Reap A Harvest"

Monday, November 19, 2001

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).

Like many I am reading about the Islam religion and seeking discernment from God on this matter that I believe will have increasing significance in the coming days. One little book* that I have found helpful was written by a missionary named William Miller who served in Iran for over 40 years from 1919-1962. That was one tough assignment as he saw very little fruit numerically throughout his many years of service.

At the end of the book he tells several testimonies of Muslims who had come to Christ and one touches me especially. He had heard that a man in Seistan, which is on the border of Afghanistan and one of the most resistant areas in the world, had become a Christian. He marveled, as he had ministered briefly in this area many years earlier and experienced a time of bitter discouragement, the most difficult he had ever known. Siestan was over 600 very inaccessible miles away from where he was stationed, but he looked forward to meeting the man and eventually he was able to travel to the region.

With great difficulty he did find him and was most interested in how he had become a Christian. He replied that he had been a Christian for twenty years but that no one had told him about Christ. He had become a Christian from reading the Bible. The missionary asked him "Where did you get a Bible?" The man smiled and said, "I got it from you". Indeed twenty years earlier he had picked one up as an inquiring 16-year-old and upon reading it had placed his faith in Christ!

This is a remarkable story about the unseen effects of our ministry. I believe there are many aspects of fruitfulness in each of our ministries that we do not see for many years or in some cases will not see till we get to heaven. Read carefully and perhaps memorize the Apostle Paul’s word to the Galatian believers. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). Sunday School teacher, prison worker, missionary, pastor and all others that serve the Lord today. Be encouraged at this promise: "we will reap a harvest". Stay faithful, don’t give up!

Be encouraged today,

Stephen C. Weber

* "A Christian’s Response to Islam" William M. Miller ã 1976 Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co. It is still available from several sources, including Trinity Book Service out of NJ. It is listed @ $5.99 TBS price $3.75 ISBN 0875523358 Published January 1980 Paperback

http://store.yahoo.com/trinitybookservice/23358/html

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