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God’s Prior Claims, October 22
And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand
hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy
God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.
Deuteronomy 8:17, 18
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Those who love God supremely will realize that they are rich beyond
computation in the wealth that God gives them.... Man possesses nothing
to which he has an exclusive right. He does not even own himself; for he
has been bought with a price, even the blood of the Son of God. Christ
has a claim on all the property in our world. He can set in operation a
train of circumstances which will sweep away the accumulated gain of
years. He can also call in needed help for His children....
It is God who gives man the breath of life. We cannot originate; we
can only collect that which God has originated. He is our guardian, our
counsellor; and more than this, from His liberal supply we derive all the
skill, tact, and ability that we possess.... All you possess is His gift, for
you had nothing with which to create or purchase it. It is given you, not
to become a wedge to separate you from Him, but to help you in doing
His service.
The moment a man loses sight of the fact that his capabilities and
possessions are the Lord’s, that moment he is embezzling his Lord’s
goods. He is acting the part of an unjust steward, provoking the Lord
to transfer His goods to more faithful hands. God calls upon those to
whom He has entrusted His goods to handle them faithfully, to show to
the world that they are laboring for the salvation of sinners. He calls upon
those who profess to be under His supervision not to misrepresent Him in
character.... He daily loadeth us with benefits.... Let us glorify Him by
imparting to others the abundance He has bestowed upon us.
O for love, sacred, holy, unselfish love! Let us, as the Lord’s repre-
sentatives, realize what a terrible thing it is to misrepresent the Saviour
by revealing selfishness. God calls upon His sons and daughters to show
to the world that He is not selfish, but full of liberal, unselfish plans. He
is waiting for channels through which to communicate the wealth of His
love.
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