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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4b
people, to prove them and develop character. In some instances the
Lord will suffer men to go on, and meet with an entire failure. His
hand is against them to disappoint their hopes and scatter what they
possess. Individuals who have really felt an interest in the cause of
God, and have been willing to venture something for its advancement,
will find it a sure and safe investment. Some will have a hundred-fold
in this life, and in the world to come life everlasting. But all will
not receive their hundred-fold in this life, because they cannot bear it.
They would, if entrusted with much, become unwise stewards. The
Lord withholds it for their good; but their treasure in Heaven will be
secure. How much better is such an investment as this! The desire that
some of our brethren possess, to earn means fast, leads them to engage
in a new enterprise and invest means, and their expectations of making
money are not realized. They sink that which they could have spent
in God’s cause. There is an infatuation in these new enterprises. And
notwithstanding these things have been acted over so many times, and
the example of others is before them, who have made investments and
have met with an utter failure, yet they are slow to learn. Satan allures
them on, and makes them drunk with anticipated hopes. When these
hopes are blasted, they suffer many discouragements in consequence
of their unwise adventures. If means are lost, the person looks upon
it as a misfortune to himself—as his loss. But he must remember
that it is the means of another that he is handling, that he is only a
steward, and God is displeased with the unwise management of that
means which could have been used to advance the cause of present
truth. The unfaithful steward must give an account of his stewardship
at the reckoning day.
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