Answer to Prayer
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pledge that which belongs to another—their heavenly Father—and
Satan stands ready to aid his children to wrench it out of their hands.
I saw that Sabbath-keepers should not be in partnership with un-
believers. God’s people trust too much to the words of strangers, ask
their advice and counsel, when they should not. The enemy makes
them his agents, and works through them to perplex and take from
God’s people.
I was shown that some have no tact at wise management of worldly
matters. They lack the qualifications, and Satan takes advantage of
them. When this is the case, such should not remain in ignorance
of their lack. They should be humble enough to counsel with their
brethren, whose judgment they can have confidence in, before they
carry out plans. I was directed to this text, “Bear ye one another’s
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burdens.” Some are not humble enough to let those who have judgment,
calculate for them, until they have followed their own plans, and they
involved themselves in difficulties. Then they see the necessity of
having the counsel and judgments of their brethren; but how much
heavier the burden then, than at the first. Brethren should not go to law,
if it can be possibly avoided; for they give the enemy great advantage
to entangle and perplex them. It would be better to make a settlement
at some loss.
I saw that some of God’s children have made a mistake in regard
to oath-taking, and Satan has taken advantage of this to oppress them,
and take from them their Lord’s money. I saw that the words of our
Lord, “Swear not at all,” do not touch the judicial oath. “Let your
communication be yea, yea; and nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than
these, cometh of evil.” This refers to common conversation. Some
exaggerate in their language. Some swear by their own life. Others
swear by their head. As sure as they live—as sure as they have a
head—some take Heaven and earth to witness that such things are so.
Some hope that God will strike them out of existence if what they are
saying is not true. It is this kind of common swearing that Jesus warns
his disciples against.
I was shown that we have men placed over us for rulers, and laws
to govern the people. Were it not for these laws, the world would be
in a worse condition than it is now. Some of these laws are good, and
some bad. The bad have been increasing, and we are yet to be brought
into straight places. But God will sustain his people in being firm, and