For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10.
Both large sums and small sums are to be looked upon by you as God’s entrusted treasure. When you are thinking of expending means, pray over the matter, in order that you may use the Lord’s goods in a way that shall please Him. The Lord would have all who claim to be His followers imitate His example. We are a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. Unbelievers are watching those who profess to be the children of God to see if they are in reality that which they profess to be. Is it consistent for us to talk of Christ’s self-denial, of His self-sacrifice, and yet walk and work contrary to His example? The treasures of the world are the Lord’s. They are all His both by creation and by redemption.
Why is it that riches are called “unrighteous mammon”? It is because through riches men are made subject to temptation, to deal unjustly, to use them as they shall please in gratifying their desires, and in fulfilling that which their imagination calls for. Those who are in possession of money are in danger of putting the Lord’s goods to a wrong use, and by this means they are led to forget God…. The rich young ruler thought that he loved God until Jesus revealed his idol to him, and showed him that he was making a God of his possessions. He had come to Christ asking, “What lack I yet?” The answer was, “Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me” (Luke 18:22)….
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 gratification, remember that there are many who are in deep poverty who cannot purchase either food or clothing, and [that] 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.—Letter 90, January 15, 1895, to a Seventh-day Adventist woman of considerable means.
The Upward Look p. 29
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Prayer Requests
—-Brian has applied for a better job where he works. Please pray that he gets it unless God sees a reason why he shouldn’t. Rose
—-Please pray for our landlord and friend -Nitro has not helped and he and wife are at the Emergency room. Sylvia
—-Our neighbour, G, is into witchcraft (obeah). When he came asking us about spiritual warfare and wanting Scriptures, we thought he was getting converted, but it seems that he only wanted to find out why his devilry isn’t working as it “should.” He keeps on sneaking into our yard to do weird things, and isn’t stopping. Please plead Jesus’ blood against all satanic forces for us, and for the deliverance of all like him who want deliverance, and against all like him who do not want deliverance, but want to remain under demonic control. Antonnette
—-Prayers for my church Bro. Charles who’s in the Hospital , he had gangrene in his leg and did an operation. Pray for total healing. Arlene
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Dear Friends,
Until a few weeks before my tenth birthday, I lived with my grandparents. Although they went to church each week, there was nothing religious about that home other than they’d have me pray a prayer I learned in public school before meals—“God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food.” When my mother got married again, it was even worse. She married an alcoholic again who was a mean and immoral man. Life became unbearable for both of us. Thankfully, he left three years later. After that, my mother worked long hours to provide us with the bare necessities of life. She was exhausted all of the time. Having no connection with Jesus, she only had herself to rely upon. Not recognizing God’s rules to guide her own life, she gave me no direction in life. I should have helped make her life easier, but I didn’t. She let me do what I wanted, when I wanted and that’s exactly what I did. Rarely did she protest. I needed rules. I longed for stability. I had neither. God, in His great mercy, kept me out of serious trouble during that time, although I certainly got myself into some situations that had the potential for disaster.
How important to our security and happiness are God’s commandments. They are the foundation to build our life upon. David sang, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Ps 119:105 How true! God’s Holy Word lightens the way through this dark and evil world. How vital that we teach our children these right principles when they are young. Solomon advises, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov 22:6 Our greatest mission field is our children who must be taught beliefs and values based upon the Scriptures, that they have anchor for their life. Childhood is the impressionable, pliable time. Without proper instruction, they are as a wave of the sea, tossed to and fro, drifting to nowhere. Worse still, without God’s Word hidden within their heart, the evil one gains a foothold that only Jesus can break.
Our Great Creator promises, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Ps 32:8 He desires for us to do the same for our children. He commands, “Lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deut 11:18,19
Children are so important to our Dear Saviour. When He was on this earth, He always took the time to take little children upon His lap and bless them. One day, “Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” “Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 18:2-7;19:13,14
May we teach our children the truths of God’s Holy Word, to love and reverence our Great Creator, and to serve Him in truth with all their heart. May our Loving Redeemer say of us as He did of Abraham of old, “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment.” Gen 18:19
Rose