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Relieving the World’s Misery, September 9
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven ...: for where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:20, 21
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Where their treasure is, there will their heart be also. Those who have the
Lord’s talents of means are placed under a heavy responsibility. They are not to
invest money merely for the gratification of selfish desires, for whatever is spent
in this way is just that much kept from the Lord’s treasury. Through the sovereign
goodness of God, the Holy Spirit works through the human agent, and causes him
to make smaller or larger investments in the cause of God, to make them redound
to the glory of God.
Whenever you think of using the Lord’s money for your own selfish gratifica-
tion, remember that there are many who are in deep poverty who cannot purchase
either food or clothing, and they are God’s heritage. We are to do good to all
men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. If those who have
abundant means are God’s agents in dealing in truth, they will use their treasures
wisely, so that none of the household of faith need to go hungry or naked.
The reason there is such accumulated misery in our world is because those
who have been entrusted with money expend it to gratify unsanctified desires,
in purchasing needless ornaments of gold and precious stones, and in procuring
fancy articles for adornment’s sake. But at the same time those who have been
purchased by the blood of Christ are starving for food, and their cry entereth into
the ears of the God of Sabaoth....In every place where the truth is to go, those who
are to be colaborers with God have a work to do....
Earnest work must be done, not only by a few ministers, but by the whole
membership of the church. The Lord God of heaven calls upon men to put away
their idols, to cut off every extravagant desire, to indulge in nothing that is simply
for display and parade, and to study economy in purchasing garments and furniture.
Do not expend one dollar of God’s money in purchasing needless articles. Your
money means the salvation of souls. Then let it not be spent for gems, for gold, or
precious stones.
Souls for whom Christ died are perishing in their sins, and we are continually
bound about because of want of means wherewith to advance the cause of God.
Would you not rather have gems in the crown which Jesus shall place upon your
head than expend your money for precious stones to please the fancy here in this
world?... Every pound is needed, every shilling can be put to use, and invested in
such a way as to bring you imperishable treasure.—
Letter 90, 1895
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