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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4b
means to aid the cause of God. They make the excuse that they have a
duty to do their children. This may be right, but their first duty belongs
to God. Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God
the things that are God’s. Rob not God by withholding from him your
tithes and offerings. It is the first, sacred duty, to render to God a
suitable proportion. Let no one throw in their claims and lead you to
rob God. Let not your children steal your offering from God’s altar
for their own benefit.
I saw that anciently the covetousness of some led them to withhold
a suitable proportion. They made their offering stinted, which was
recorded in Heaven, and they were cursed in their harvest and their
flocks just as they withheld. Some were visited with affliction in their
families.
God would not accept a lame offering. It must be without blemish,
the best of their flocks, and the best fruits of their fields. And it must
be a free-will offering, if they would have the blessing of the Lord rest
upon their families and their possessions.
The case of Ananias and Sapphira was presented before me to
illustrate the course of those who put down their property below its
value. They pretended to make a free-will offering of their possessions
to the Lord. Said Peter, “Sold ye the land for so much?” The answer
was, “Yea, for so much.” Some in this evil age would not consider that
a lie, but the Lord regarded it thus. They had sold it for so much, and
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much more. Their consecration was professedly made to God. To him
they had dissembled, and their retribution lingered not.
I saw that in the arrangement of Systematic Benevolence hearts
will tested and proved. It is a constant, living test. It brings one to
understand his own heart, whether the truth or the love of the world
predominates. Here is a test for the naturally selfish and covetous.
They will put down their possessions at very low figures. Here they
dissemble. Said the angel, “Cursed be he that doeth the work of the
Lord deceitfully.” Angels are watching the development of character,
and the doings of such are carried to heaven by the heavenly messen-
gers. Some will be visited of God for these things, and their increase
will be brought down to their figures. “There is that scattereth and
yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but
it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that
watereth shall be watered also himself.”
Proverbs 11:24, 25
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