334
Testimonies for the Church Volume 6
the work which He designed to have done. God was not honored by
the use made of His entrusted goods. Therefore He let the curse fall
upon them, permitting the spoiler to destroy their fruits and to bring
calamities upon them.
“They that Feared the Lord”
In
Malachi 3:16
an opposite class is brought to view, a class that
meet together, not to find fault with God, but to speak of His glory and
tell of His mercies. These have been faithful in their duty. They have
given to the Lord His own. Testimonies are borne by them that make
the heavenly angels sing and rejoice. These have no complaints to
make against God. Those who walk in the light, who are faithful and
true in doing their duty, are not heard complaining and finding fault.
They speak words of courage, hope, and faith. It is those who serve
themselves, who do not give God His own, that complain.
“They that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the
Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written
before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His
name. And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day
when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his
own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between
the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him
that serveth Him not.”
Verses 16-18
.
* * * * *
The reward of whole-souled liberality is the leading of mind and
heart to a closer fellowship with the Spirit.
[391]
The man who has been unfortunate, and finds himself in debt,
should not take the Lord’s portion to cancel his debts to his fellow
men. He should consider that in these transactions he is being tested,
and that in reserving the Lord’s portion for his own use he is robbing
the Giver. He is debtor to God for all that he has, but he becomes a
double debtor when he uses the Lord’s reserved fund in paying debts
to human beings. “Unfaithfulness to God” is written against his name
in the books of heaven. He has an account to settle with God for
appropriating the Lord’s means for his own convenience. And the