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To Glorify God—Our Great Motive, December 18
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name.
Psalm 29:2
.
We are all living on probation. Those who have passed into their graves have
been tested and tried, to see if they would realize their responsibility to serve God. A
desire to glorify God should be to us the most powerful of all motives. It should lead
us to make every exertion to improve the privileges and opportunities provided for
us, to use wisely the Lord’s goods. It should lead us to keep brain, bone, and muscle
in the most healthful condition, that our physical strength and mental clearness may
help us to be faithful stewards. Selfish interest must ever be held subordinate; for if
given room to act, it contracts the intellect, hardens the heart, and weakens moral
power....
Daniel was regarded by the Lord as
a man
, because he was a steward who traded
faithfully on his Lord’s goods. He did not forget God, but placed himself in the
channel of light, where he could commune with God in prayer. And we read that
God gave Daniel and his fellows knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom....
In every place let those around you see that you give God the glory. Let man
be put in the shade; let God appear as the only hope of the human race. Every man
must rivet his character-building to the eternal Rock, Christ Jesus; then it will stand
amid storm and tempest.
God will prepare the mind to recognize Him who alone can help the striving,
struggling soul. All who stand under His banner He will educate to be faithful
stewards of His grace. God has given man immortal principles, to which every
human power must one day bow. He has given us truth in trust. The precious beams
of this light are not to be hidden under a bushel, but are to give light to all that are
in the house. Truth, imperishable truth, is to be made prominent. Show those with
whom you come in contact that the truth is of consequence to you. It means much
to you to stand by the principles that will live through the eternal ages.
God has given every man talents, that His name may be exalted, not that man
may be lauded and praised, honored and glorified, while the Giver is forgotten. All
have been entrusted with God’s gifts, from the lowest and most poverty stricken to
the highest and wealthiest.... Let none waste their God-given time in regrets that
they have only one talent. Spend every moment in using the talents that you have.
They are the Lord’s, to be returned to Him. It is not your own property you are
handling, but the Lord’s. One day He will come to receive His own with usury.
Faithfully fulfill your appointed stewardship, that you may meet Him in peace (
The
Review and Herald, September 12, 1899
).
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