Unless We Use Our Money To Provide For The Necessities Of Life, Bless Others And Advance The Cause Of Christ It Is Worth Nothing And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. (Luke 10:34, 35) If I Can Help Somebody - https://youtube/watch?v=-pCRdNc11NM What a powerful way to end the lesson. The writer of the lesson reminds us that unless we use the financial resources God has given to us to bless the lives of others the money we have is useless. Think about it for a moment. Whose money is it? Is it really ours? Or does it belong to God? Some of us believe that the money we have in our bank account belongs to us. So we feel that we can use it in any way we please. Some of us have taken the resources God gave to us to manage and we have used it to purchase items of clothing that are still hanging in our closet. Some of us have so many pieces of garments that it would take us more than one year to wear all of them one day at a time. And you know what is really interesting.. Even though we cannot wear all of them, we refuse to given them to someone else that is in need. And yet we come into the sanctuary every Sabbath to lift up our hands to praise the Lord. Do we believe that God is really please at our actions. Just like the man with the one talent, we have taken the resources of the Lord and hidden it in our own bank account. We have not taken it and multiplied it. You see my friend, when we use the resources of the Lord to spread the everlasting gospel we are partnering with God to win souls to the Kingdom. When these souls come into the Kingdom, they will now contribute to the spreading of the gospel. So through the use of our talents we would have increased the number of persons available to contribute to the spreading of the everlasting gospel. This is how God intends to increase the financial resources available to the church for Evangelism. The writer of the lesson shared a quote from Ellen White which blew my mind. She said, “Money has great value, because it can do great good. In the hands of Gods children it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, and clothing for the naked. It is a defense for the oppressed, and a means of help to the sick. But money is of no more value than sand, only as it is put to use in providing for the necessities of life, in blessing others, and advancing the cause of Christ. Hoarded wealth is not merely useless, it is a curse. In this life it is a snare to the soul, drawing the affections away from the heavenly treasure. He who realizes that his money is a talent from God will use it economically, and will feel it a duty to save that he may give.” I pray that we will continue to allow God to help us to utilize our financial resources in accordance with His will. The talents which the Lord gives to His servants are varied, but all are to blend in a perfect whole. God desires us to regard money as His gift, and to use it accordingly. To abuse any of His gifts is a betrayal of sacred trust. And in misusing his Lords entrusted capital the steward does harm to his own soul and blocks the way so that truth cannot do its appointed work. Hear the words of the Lord: This is the state of the world today. Men are grasping at all they can possibly obtain, paying their laborers the lowest prices, while they exact the highest prices themselves. Selfishness, avariciousness, and covetousness, which is idolatry, are cherished. Thousands of dollars are locked up where they are of no use to anyone. Those who own this money live in a state of continual worry lest they will lose their treasure. Thus the Lords entrusted capital fails to bring an increase to Him. God says, Put it out to usury. Use it to benefit and bless someone who in his turn will benefit someone else. By the blessing of God money put into circulation to help others steadily increases, multiplying itself. Money is to be used to the best advantage. There are those who are not as discreet as they might be in dealing with their Lords goods, while others make money go as far as it will. The Lord desires the managers in our institutions to be economical, for no one can tell what work may open which would advance the cause if there was money in the treasury to use at the proper moment. We should act discreetly for the simple reason that we are trading on the Lords goods. Our money is not our own. Watch unto prayer, and then study how the Lords money may be best used to advance His cause and raise memorials to Him in fields which have never yet been entered. (Manuscript Releases, pg. 352, 353 – Ellen G. White)
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 10:54:24 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015