Many of us have never thought about our Lord as a “Businessman”. Yet in many respects this is what He is. He has and is keeping track of ever cent you and I have spent. We realize that this aspect is seldom looked at but after this post we hope that we can clearly see that we do have a Boss and that He is adding and subtracting our great account in the heaven. Let us look into this neglected aspect of our Lord’s accounting.
Have you ever envied the likes of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet or Carlos Slim? Their wealth is truly astronomical but yet it’s temporal and finite. The wealth we are going to talk about now, is –eternal wealth. How would you like to invest in a “stock” that could yield much more wealth than the above mentioned men and remain throughout eternity? You can! That stock is called–the Lord’s storehouse of —present truth.
I remember when I was younger, money became a great motivation factor in my life. Like the vast majority of people around the world, my life basically revolved around money. I awoke thinking how I was going to make some. Being self-employed most of my life, my goal was to become financially secure, and very rich if I could. I became a “buyer and seller” of different things. But as I grew older it was clear that although I was successful at being master of my own time and finances, I was far from rich and frankly I really didn’t have that all-consuming passion for wealth that I thought I had earlier in life. In other words it was as if something held me back and I instinctively knew money wouldn’t make me truly happy.
Looking back on my life I can only say that He allowed me to be a businessman most of my life for a reason. It taught me how to deal with people and to be observant. As I converted my life and accepted Him as my Lord and King, I grew to know how vastly more important is the “spiritual wealth” than the earthly wealth.
But throughout most of my life, I was just like the vast majority, handling and spending money for –self and our own specific interests. I had no idea that the Lord had a definite say and concern in the matter of money. In fact because money represents and is backed by –possessions, the Lord owns all of it, down to the very last cent. “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3)
As we have learned from our prior studies, the book of Malachi is the last sign off letter of the Old Testament to His people. Kind of like the last word of the most important points and issues He wishes us to know. Therefore, this small book (only 4 chapters) has some specific treasures that we must study and obey. In Chapter 3 we read, “Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?” (Mal. 3:7)
As we have learned of the Lord’s “last” prophet to our church (see our post “Has Elijah Come https://godsloveandlaw.com/2011/10/15/has-elijah-come-part-1-of-2/), let us now see His divine words, as spoken through the Elijah prophet, concerning these Malachi instructions.
In the “Jezreel Letters” a composition of 9 letters addressed to the leaders of the SDA church (ministers, elders, deacons, conference leaders, etc.) , brother Houteff deals directly with the prophetic meaning of much of Malachi. He minced no words in declaring the straight truth in the matter of our account with the Lord. Like the original type of the Elijah, who called out the religious leaders of his day to reform, brother Houteff as the anti-type did the same concerning our wayward ways.
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“Since His people still do not see wherein they have departed from His ordinances, He specifically points out and immediately pleads for action, ” “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse–even this whole nation–because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.”(Mal 3:8-10).
The phase, ‘even this whole nation’ robbing God is so because the old message, the ‘judgment for the Dead’, (for the proclamation of which the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination was specifically called forth), is now out of date as is the message of Noah’s flood, and as Denominational officials have already rejected the message of the Judgment for the Living but are still collecting tithes of the people, they as a nation (as a Denomination) are robbing God.”There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God but it is present Truth that the Flock needs now.(Early Writings, p.63)” (Jezreel Letter, no.9, p.3-4)
Note that not to the Levites, or to some other place or people but into God’s storehouse are the tithes and offerings to be brought. And for no other reason that His storehouse may have the means to dispense spiritual food, “meat in due season.” These words definitely and positively show that the only support which the message of the purification for the church has for caring on it’s work is the tithes and the offerings from His faithful people; that in no other way could the message be dispensed; that in no other way could the expenses be paid.
This is God’s reason for no plate passing now in our gatherings, for no money raising in any form, and for scattering our literature everywhere as the leaves of autumn without money and without price to the people. In other words, the literature, the ministers, and the Bible workers– those who bring the message of the hour to your door, are to be paid by the tithes and offerings that come to the Lord’s storehouse. God, therefore, asks His faithful people to gladly respond to His call and sufficiently to supply the need. He asks this not only for the prosperity of His storehouse, but for His people’s prosperity as well.” (Jezreel Letter, no. 9, p.9-10)
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What we see from the above is that with our money (tithes) we are today supporting a cause that is outdated (spreading the Judgment for the Dead message) instead of supporting the real present truth today– the Judgment for the Living message. Thus those who are neglecting this duty are complicit in robbing God.
The above really packs much divine instruction for us. We see that it is very important to know that we must send our tithes to His storehouse, which is identified as dispensing spiritual food–meat in due season. What is that? It is present Truth. It is our Lord’s last word to us. Can we honestly say that we are being “fed” with present truth by our church today? When the last time we heard the speakers go up on the Sabbath and rebuke or admonish the people for some sins in the midst? We only hear “peace and safety”.
Ellen White warns the leaders that unless they quit proclaiming “peace and safety” they will fall in the judgment. She says, “…’Peace and safety’ is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God’s people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p.211)
Once we know what His storehouse(s) are and what they do, we can help lead some who aren’t sure where the locations are that are actively dispensing spiritual food–meat in due season. Before we do, we want to touch on another brother Houteff quote. “And how thankful we ought to be that everyone is given the privilege and the opportunity in one way or another to share the , “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” (Jezreel Letter, no. 9, p.6)
In brother Houteff’s words “one way or another”, the most beautiful thing to us who would want to join in this great work of proclaiming the last message of the Lord- The Elijah message, is that you can –faithfully pay your tithes into His storehouse each week and thus be counted as being active in the work! For various reasons, such as family, work load, or whatever, some can’t get to work like they would like but nevertheless by supporting the workers they can help “foot the bill” towards His work. They can become a partner and a real chance to receive that “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” and its great rewards! Their work becomes your work.
As many of you are aware we are very active in the work of the Elijah message and therefore we are quite familiar with the organizations and people dispensing present truth. Because this work is so important for our church, we know that the Lord has more than one storehouse dispensing meat in due season. One important point before we list. There are some involved in the Elijah message who teach that there should be only one storehouse. Because the time is so short and more than one organization doing a competent job in spreading the message, it makes sense that the Lord wants the message out as far as possible today, in reaching our brethren in these last hours of probation of our SDA church.
The following are storehouses that we can recommend and a short description of their work. Not in particular order.
1) General Association of Davidian Seventh Day Adventists (Mt. Carmel center)
Based out of New York, and located in Mountaindale, this group is very active in sending tracts, literature, Cd’s, DVD’s around the world. They also send Bible workers around the world to work one on one for new converts. Recently heard that they had helped convert 16 families in Mexico to the present truth message. They accept check, money orders and pay pal. Keep in mind you’ll need the email to send a Paypal donation.
Address- P.O. Box 119, Mountaindale, N.Y 12763
Website –http://www.shepherds-rod-message.org/charts/
Email– gadsda@shepherds-rod-message.org
2) General Assoc. of Davidian Seventh Day Adventists
Based in Waco Texas, this organization is very active much as the others. (CD’s, DVD.s tracts, literature) Also has some very good youtube videos.
Address – 2500 Mt. Carmel Dr., Waco, Texas 76710
Website – http://shepherdsroddavidian.org/
Email — dsdacommunication@gmail.com
In closing , we cannot stress enough that our Lord is watching us and how we handle “His” money. If we are careless and give His money to fruitless efforts and stale messages of truth, we take the real chance of being found supporting the wrong storehouse. “The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.” (Ezek. 22:25)
Once we decide to return His money to His current present truth storehouse, we can rest assured we are standing on solid ground and providing “meat in My house”. Our investments will pay the great dividends–we’ll be considered doing good “business” with the Businessman.
“Every soul, in going out and coming in, in all business transactions, at all times and in all places, should act with the consciousness that he is moving under the inspection of God and heavenly angels, and that the Being
who will judge every man’s work for eternity accompanies him at every step, observing all his actions and scrutinizing all his motives.”(Test. for the Church, vol. 5, p.628)
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