“Reflection will preserve you; understanding will keep you.” Prov. 2:11. (Norw. Tr.) Reflection is God’s light on our way when we, after a work has been completed, present ourselves before God’s face in quietness. Here, before God’s face, the soul lays down his works and lets God’s light shine on them. The light will tell the soul the truth. After a work has been com­pleted before God’s face, the soul is inclined to go to others to speak with them about what he has done. This is an area where we are very much inclined to receive some honor or a little recognition. Being aware that others know about it feels so good to our human nature. Jesus acted differently. After a finished work, He gave Himself to prayer; He went to the Father before whose face He had done His work. Jesus’ food was to do His Father’s will. The work He did served others for their good; to help them go forward was suffi­cient joy for Jesus. He answered the Father with thanksgiving. He did not desire anything from man. He did not want to receive anything so that He would not be indebted to the flesh. Therefore He could say, “I do not receive honor from man.” After Jesus had fed the five thousand, He went up on a mountain by Himself. Matt. 14:23. There He laid His work before the Father just as He, at the end of His work, laid everything before God, saying, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4. He glorified God by doing His will. And this is how all His followers do His will—by faith­fully doing the work He has given them to do. By reflecting on our work, God will show us whether we have been to His glorification alone, or if we have desired some glorification for ourselves besides. By presenting ourselves before God’s face after a completed work, we shall do as the children of Israel did in the old covenant, and as Jesus did in the new covenant. In Deuteronomy 26:12-14 we read the following: “When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, then you shall say before the Lord your God: ‘I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them. I have not eaten any of it when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it for an unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that You have com­manded me.” These things concerned the tithe of what God had given to Israel. In the new covenant we no longer give the tithe; we give everything. The children of Israel were to give the tithe to those who were in need, according to God’s command. We are to give everything according to God’s will. And we are to give ac­cording to what God shows us. To give in this context means to give of everything that God has given us of earthly as well as of spiritual goods. We are sanctified, and what we have received from God of earthly and eternal goods is also sanctified. Now we shall remove the holy tithe from the house, just as Israel did, for we are His house. Each truth, each light is a talent that God has given us, not to keep it just for ourselves, but to bring it out to the others who are in need. If we keep it for ourselves, we are burying it in the ground, but if we give it away, we are doing God’s will. We are to bring the holy tithe out of the house just as God has com­manded us. I have not eaten of it when in mourn­ing. In times of battle and tribulation, when we enter into sufferings, we must not just think of ourselves; we need to make sure that, in spite of ev­erything, the holy tithe is given to the needy for their benefit. Jesus gave His best in the midst of the greatest sufferings. You must not keep for your own mouth what is meant for the others’ spiritual food. You will discover joy in your grief by giving to souls in need. Nor have I removed any of it for an unclean use. A person’s self-life is his uncleanness. We must not at­tach the least amount of self-interest to our work done before God. We must not want to be something or to receive certain advantages in our conduct with others because we have brought out the holy tithe. Be pure when you testify, sing, or do a work before God. If your whole intention is to see the others make progress, you will not think about yourself when you are doing God’s work. If you think of yourself, then you are unclean. You defile the holy thing with your uncleanness. When you reflect on your work, you should be able to say: I have not removed any of it for an unclean use. I have not detracted from the truth, I have not exaggerated, I have not colored anything. I have not given any of it for the dead. We must treat the holy thing with reverence and not show it to someone who is dead (dead in tres­passes and sins). In Isaiah 39:2 we find that Hezekiah was pleased to receive the messengers of the king of Babylon “and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.” No one must show his treasures to others so they can admire them. Hezekiah showed all the treasures that are mentioned above; these correspond to spiritual treasures. Thus we find many people who display their spiritual treasures—often as a result of thoughtlessness, but also because of self-interest, which is noticeable under the sur­face, to be considered spiritual, wise, understanding, charitable, or merci­ful. Because Hezekiah showed his treasures, the prophet Isaiah went to him and declared to him that all his treasures would be carried away to Babylon. Then Hezekiah answered: “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good! . . . At least there will be peace and truth in my days.” V. 8. None of the holy things must be shown or given away except in a conscious ministry to further the glory of the Lord, other people’s lives or our own readiness to serve even more. By his answer Hezekiah revealed that he thought only of himself and the time he had left in this life; but God expects us to think of others—our spiritual children that come after us. We are to bring the holy things out of the house in holiness and lay them down in holy treasure chambers—hearts that have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ—poor souls that have a sincere longing for more of God. Everyone should have such treasure chambers; it is God’s will. It is as if you gave your money to the bankers. When Jesus comes again, these bankers are our hope. Matt. 25:27. Without them Jesus cannot receive back His own with interest. Paul exhorted Timothy with the fol­lowing words: “What you have heard from me, deliver to faithful men who are also able to teach others.” Paul’s desire was that his glorious treasures would be put out at inter­est. That was his hope. Timothy was his banker. The wise virgins took their vessels as well as their lamps. The vessels were the virgins’ hope at Jesus’ coming. The five wise slept in hope. The five foolish also had a hope, but not as the five wise. Matt. 25:1-13. When the sheep will be separated from the goats then “one of the least of these my brethren” will be my hope. Matt. 25:40. Only what we have given them is of any value before God. Paul loved in such a way that his thoughts were in his “hope” even in the midst of the resurrection. In 1 Thessalonians 2:19 he says, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” Paul had brought the holy things out of the house; he had to give an account for those who were entrusted to him. His hope was the Thessalonians, Philippians, Ephesians, etc. Who is your hope? The vessels—the bankers—the “least of my brethren” are our hope. If not, then we will have to say to the Lord as the lazy servant did: “Look, there you have what is yours,” as he took his talent out of the ground. Read from Matthew 24:44 and all of Chapter 25. May God teach you to reflect on each deed you do. Then you will not want to know what people’s thoughts are after you have done a deed. Ask God what His thoughts are. Instead of feeling great, you will perhaps feel crushed and insignificant because God has told you the truth. He will tell you that you were somewhat hasty, somewhat slow, not gentle enough, or that you displayed some carnal zeal. Such sighs will quite likely come from you as you pray before God’s face. Suddenly you will receive clear light over the work you have done; often it seems that you pray against yourself. This is that fervent prayer of the High Priest that echoes in your soul when He comes before the Father’s face on your be­half with your life. He watches over you. Be awake and watch together with Him, or it will not profit you. Jesus exhorts us to “watch and pray.” Then the Lord will cleanse you so that you, being pure, can bring the holy things out of the house. By reflecting on your works you will increase in understanding, and your understanding will keep you. After Jesus had given everything that was His, He received everything from God. John 17:10. But He brought all the glory He had received out of the house, and by reflecting on what God had given Him, He says in verse 22, “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” Reflect on the little things in your life. Then you will be able to bring the holy things with a constantly increasing purity and perfection to souls who are in need so that they can be one with you as you are with Jesus. They will be your joy and your hope at His coming.Aksel Smith

Just as I find rest in God, so I must also find rest in the works He has prepared for me, for they are works of faith that God reveals to my inner life as a light, God meeting us with them as a reality. If it were possible, God would open the entire kingdom of heaven as a field of work for us in Him, but we are to be molded in the small things so that we can be set over greater things. Just as we belong to the kingdom of heaven, so each of the works that is worked by Him belongs to the same kingdom. We have entered into rest from all our works, for we are in God, and God rests from His works. The fruit of faith grows out of peace and rest. God disciplines us to forsake everything, and the end of forsaking everything is to lose ourselves and become one with God. Just like Jesus is, so are also His thoughts and deeds, for they contain the divine spark of life that develops in beautiful harmony with the Creator’s own heart. Therefore the capabilities of a person’s mind and thoughts need to rest in God’s hand, so that He can be the deepest root in each situation or work. The source is to cast its radiance over the work just as the work is to cast its radiance over the source of all things, which is God, for He is the Father of all things. All good things have their source in Him. His works are holy, and they return thanks to the depths of God’s faithful heart. To Him be all glory forever and ever! Amen.Aksel Smith

The mustard seed is smaller than all other seeds; this is always how everything begins in the kingdom of heaven. Therefore Satan hates these small mustard seeds that have such great inherent strength, and he exerts the greatest effort to get God’s chil­dren to overlook them. Each truth that faces us is like a small mustard seed. It is so simple, almost unnotice­able, and yet so important. It is a step further on the way. When God puts this small truth before us, it appears to be so utterly natural and simple to our eyes because it follows in the very steps of the previously acquired truths. One could almost believe that it was not a new truth that God has sent our way and by which we can make further progress. Thus this small mustard seed is overlooked; it was far too insignificant to be no­ticed. When God gives it to us, Satan is always present and opposes it with unbelief in the heart. It is so insignifi­cant; it is not esteemed; it is nothing great with which you can shine; it comes clothed in life’s everyday work clothes; it is only a little glimpse of light by which your ministry can be improved. Satan knows the art of putting a greater thing beside the mustard seed—something that is more to your advantage; something that seemingly will give you greater results; something that can tickle people’s fancy for greatness which they have inherited from Satan, for he can follow only his own course. Satan cannot follow the course of the mustard seed because it is too insig­nificant; he always has to enlarge it. Taking up insignificant matters is a great cross, because then man’s greatness has to yield. Yet it is pre­cisely for the purpose of crushing those things which are great that God lets the kingdom of heaven be like something that is small—a mustard seed, a lump of leaven, a strait gate, and a narrow way. If we are obedi­ent to the truth that is before us at the moment as it makes progress, we will see that for each step we take there is a new truth ahead of it. By being faithful to the seemingly insignificant truth that is hidden in the moment, lying before our feet, the truth will increase just as quickly as time passes. Wisdom calls out to us wherever we are. The truth is always near. It invites us to look correctly at that which is lowly. The Spirit is to lead us to the truth; its revelation is given for the common good. What is better than receiving light in the moment by which we can take steps without wavering on the narrow way of righteousness on which there is only room for our feet, whereas ev­erything on both sides glitters with Satan’s false, glowing colors. Many people would call this being trivial, but it is never trivial to take a firm step forward in the moment in which we are now liv­ing. Satan would rather let the soul dream about great things than let him take care of small things. The cross is in the truth that is before us, for it strikes the very thing in the soul that does not want to follow it—foolishness that wants to go its own way. By being faithful to the truth, we will go against all falsehood, and we will discover that the seemingly insignificant truth is mighty to destroy man’s own fanci­ful ideas. A little truth is mighty to set us free from utter foolishness. But when that happens, we will no longer call a little truth insignificant; we will see that it comes, clothed in a simple garment, but it is glorious on the inside and brings with it God’s power for salvation.Aksel Smith