by Aksel Smith Colossians 1:3-8. This passage deals with bearing fruit, and grow­ing— an inward and an outward ministry and work. Jesus prayed for the church, which is the inward work. The same prayer that was in Jesus should also be in us. Verse 9. “Do not cease . . . .” Paul was faithful, for he received an inward reminder from the Father to pray. An earthly person fails quite often. It is vital for us to enter into this prayer, also with our under­standing. Why? Jesus prayed; Paul prayed the highest form of prayer—to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. Heb. 10:7. Jesus came to do God’s will. If God has given us souls so we can help them and pray for them, then it is His will that we shall not lose one of them. There­fore John exhorts us in his second epistle: “Be careful not to lose those things you have worked for [prayer, and the help we have been able to render]; but that you may receive a full reward.” 2 John 8. We must also pray that God’s will might be carried out in His children. God’s will is our sanctification. Read 1 Peter 1:15-16. “Be holy, for I am holy.” See what else is God’s will (1 Pet. 2:15): that by doing good we may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Our heart is a total void, but then the knowledge of God’s will comes and fills us. Acts 22:14-15. We have been chosen to know God’s will and to be witnesses to it. Paul was chosen by Jesus. How can I know God’s will? I hear what God wants to say with my inner ear. Eph. 1:17-18. Paul speaks about the eyes of our understanding, or our heart, being enlightened. How can we possibly do God’s will without knowing it? Colossians 4:12. Epaphras lab­ored fervently so that the church at Colosse might stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. Paul exhorts us in Romans 12:2 that we should not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind so that we can prove what is that good, accept­able, and perfect will of God. It is absolutely necessary to know God’s will. We must learn to know God’s will in all spiritual wisdom. It is not enough that we know God’s will in a carnal way without knowing it in our spirit. Otherwise we will receive neither light nor understanding. Knowing God’s will: Three peo­ple sit together and talk about God’s will. One of them presents a truth concerning God’s will, and the other person says: “Yes, that is how it is, and then this must also be like this and that.” If they are one in God, and if they are quiet in God, their testimonies will always be in agree­ment. This is how you can build up a truth so that it becomes perfect and understandable. But then someone else comes along with an opinion of his human understanding. That stone does not fit into the building; it is rejected by the others, so that they can build further. There are various expressions for God’s will. Jesus has a specific will with His bride—first in its entirety, and then with each mem­ber in particular. Many people strive to gain clarity in their own lives; but then there are souls who possess God. They can hear God’s will; they can then make it known how the bride is molded, and what God’s plans are on earth. Most Christians are like those in Hebrews 5:13. In James 3:17 it is written that wisdom is first pure. Wisdom can­not build where there is impurity. There is no peace without purity. God’s Spirit cannot be united with us unless we are pure. There is a corrupt peace—do­mestic peace. It is the result of not daring to speak the truth since our honor and comfort could suffer as a consequence. Under the guise of peace people will say, “We have to be careful, or we will disturb the domestic peace.” This is a corrupt peace. We should be thankful when someone speaks to us about a spot on our outward man, and we should be even more thankful when it concerns our inward man. It can be received badly if something is said about our inward man, since that is hidden; but whatever is pure is in the light. He who says it exposes himself to much. Paul said: I desire to be manifested before God and before men. Backbit­ing is evil; it does not bear the light. People backbite and then they say, “But don’t tell anyone that I said it!” Why is that? Because then a cloud would be over their lives. Aaron and Miriam spoke against Moses (Num. 12), and were severely punished. Moses was always faith­ful; he was always watchful; he was always ready when the Lord called him. “Here I am.” Abraham did likewise. It is rare to find such faith­fulness. Moses was meek. Num. 12:3; Deut. 34:10. You will always be lowly when you are face to face with the Lord, and this is why we become meek in our dealings with people. You will never be able to avoid hearing God’s voice when you are face to face with God. “The Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5) is one reason for our meekness to be known to all men. 2 Cor. 2:17. God can speak suddenly to us if we walk before His face. Then we have open ears and eyes. This results in us conducting ourselves in a man­ner that is worthy of the Lord (in all things), fully pleasing Him. Col. 1:10. Because Jesus walked worthily in all things, the Father could say: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt. 3:17. The Father can also say the same thing about us if we walk in obedience. When we are at a meeting, we must not just be satisfied ourselves, but God must also be satisfied with us. Here is an illustration: A mother says to her child, “Abide in my love!” How shall I do that? “By keeping my com­mandments.” 2 Cor. 12:10. Who can say that? Paul knew the Father’s will; he did the Father’s will; therefore he always took “pleasure in it.” God could say to him, “You are My son.” Paul’s outward life is described in 1 Corinthians 4:9-13. How long shall it be this way? Until the present time. In verse 16 he says, “Follow me.” Verse 17. The outer ways and the inner ways. The inner ways can be beautiful, and as such in great weakness. Walking worthy before the Lord. John 8:49-50. Seeing that the Father seeks my honor, how can I then possibly seek it? What is honor? Is it flattery? No, because then we have received our reward. When the Father honors us, that stands the test. The gospel values life so highly that we must not be idle in our spir­itual work. Phil. 1:21. The gospel of Christ—what glory! Life begins down here, and it continues up there. Paul and Peter describe this glory, saying: therefore walk . . . (1 Pet. 2:1; 1:13; Eph. 2:6, 13. Ephesians 2:6 and further in verse 11: “There­fore remember . . . .” Col. 1:10. We do not grow by helping out in all kinds of needs, but only by increas­ing in the knowledge of God. But the knowledge of God works good works in us. How shall we begin to work for God? Begin with what is closest in the home, in the family; put those who are closest to you on God’s heart. Many people speak about bearing sinners on their hearts, but we ought to put them on Jesus’ heart. If we begin with one, we will soon put two on God’s heart; then we will be constrained to put several, and eventually the entire house on God’s heart. And as time goes by, this area will increase. We have to give ourselves to prayer and not indulge in a feeling of well-being because we love and bear someone on our heart. When we get to know God’s will, we will receive love, and then we will also be able to take up the lowliest task. Bearing fruit and growing. The entire Godhead came to dwell in Je­sus bodily. We can grow through the knowledge of what dwells in Him. How did Jesus do it? He prayed for sinners. We shall do what we see Je­sus did in the Scriptures, and thus we will grow. How shall we do the work of God? Jesus lives His life in you in a very natural way. Jesus was in prayer all night long when He chose the apostles. How shall we do a work? First of all, let Jesus overcome an unbelieving heart. John 6. It is a good sign when we rest quietly in God, but not if we are restless. Look at how Jericho was conquered. Joshua, Chapter 5. Look at how G. Müller overcame his unbelief first, then he overcame in outward circumstances. What shall we do after we have done the work? Follow Jesus’ example in Matthew 14:23. Jesus fed the 5,000; then He withdrew to pray. We will never admire ourselves in any way if we not only before, but also afterwards, are in prayer. God shall have the glory; to Him belongs the fruit. An artist who views his finished piece of art will afterwards admire himself in his piece of art. If we pray after we have finished a work, we will always see our imperfections in the work in God’s presence and not view our own reflection in the radiance of the fruits. If we admire ourselves and our fruits, we will consume the fruits for which God shall have the glory. Abraham offered up his fruit, Isaac, which God had given him. We must also do that; then we will be preserved. A bride gives not only herself, but she gives everything she has to her bridegroom. See Song of Solomon 7:13. If the bride performs a work, then she shall give it to the Bridegroom. If we are in prayer before God, He will always point out our mis­takes in the work. Read Proverbs 2:11. Reflect on your work. God Himself will watch over you. Instead of admiring ourselves, we will be humbled because of the mistakes we have made. Reflection (just like Jesus), watching—these are excellent means for understanding God’s will. This is how we are purified to bear more fruit. If we offer up the fruits, we will receive them again—it was granted to the bride to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Rev. 19:8. We are weaving our garment for eternity now—in the present time. The more faithful we are in seeking God’s will—to know it and do it—the finer will be our gar­ment in eternity. It will be a beautiful garment in which we will meet Jesus. It is faithfully spun with gold. Satan knows how to pillage us of eternal treasures—by means of laziness. It is vital to watch over each second. After we have borne fruit we must have a place. In Ruth 3:7 we read that Boaz, after he had done God’s will, lied down at the end of the heap of grain. We shall not admire our fruits, but lie down beside them. In Ephesians 2:10 we read that we are a fruit of God. Then we will not become great in ourselves. He “gives grace to the humble” to walk in the works which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.