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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
as your guest. How does He look upon His people when they have
every convenience that heart could wish, but are willing to meet for His
worship in a barn, some miserable, out-of-the-way building, or some
cheap, forsaken apartment? You work for your friends, you expend
means to make everything around them as attractive as possible; but
Jesus, the One who gave everything for you, even His precious life,—
He who is the Majesty of heaven, the King of kings and Lord of
lords,—is favored with a place on earth but little better than the stable
which was His first home. Shall we not look at these things as God
looks at them? Shall we not test our motives and see what kind of faith
we possess?
“God loveth a cheerful giver,” and those who love Him will give
freely and cheerfully when by so doing they can advance His cause
and promote His glory. The Lord never requires His people to offer
more than they are able, but according to their ability He is pleased
to accept and bless their thank offerings. Let willing obedience and
pure love bind upon the altar every offering that is made to God; for
with such sacrifices He is well pleased, while those that are offered
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grudgingly are an offense to Him. When churches or individuals have
no heart in their offerings, but would limit the cost of carrying forward
the work of God, and gauge it by their own narrow views, they show
decidedly that they have no living connection with God. They are at
variance with His plan and manner of working, and He will not bless
them.
We are builders for God, and we must build upon the foundation
which He has prepared for us. No man is to build upon his own
foundation, independent of the plan which God has devised. There
are men whom God has raised up as counselors, men whom He has
taught, and whose heart and soul and life are in the work. These men
are to be highly esteemed for their work’s sake. There are some who
will wish to follow their own crude notions; but they must learn to
receive advice and to work in harmony with their brethren, or they
will sow doubt and discord that they will not care to harvest. It is the
will of God that those who engage in His work shall be subject to one
another. His worship must be conducted with consistency, unity, and
sound judgment. God is our only sufficient helper. The laws which
govern His people, their principles of thought and action, are received
from Him through His word and Spirit. When His word is loved and