Godsloveandlaw's Blog

In our post last week we talked about getting out of our me box. This week we’ll look at a related subject of being a self-sacrificing worker in God’s vineyard. Once we decide to get outside ourselves and start doing the things of God, we can also benefit greatly from learning how to “put our money where our mouth is”. In other words start “doing” instead of talking only.

“God is displeased with the lack of self-denial in some of his servants. They have not the burden of the work upon them. They seem to be in a death-like stupor. Angels of God stand amazed, and ashamed of this lack of self-denial and perseverance. While the Author of our salvation was laboring and suffering for us, he denied himself, and his whole life was one continued scene of toil and privation.” (Gospel Workers, p.55-56)

With our SDA probation fast closing upon us it is paramount that we get to our post of duty and that is most likely a sacrifice in time and money required of each of us. As we have posted many times our King makes clear in His word that we are not to “rob” Him (Mal. 3:8).

We all know about the required Tithes but what about the offerings? The extra that comes from our heart’s benevolent love of God and His cause. By way of example let me tell you of my own personal example of self-sacrificing.

In a corner of the house the Lord laid upon my heart to “set up shop” as it were. There is set up a smorgasbord of present truth material. Several times each month packages are sent out around the country and the world. Those hungry for the Lord’s final message to us are indeed feasting in the things of God.

But who is paying me to do this? No one. This all comes from what the Lord has placed upon my heart. I do not ask for any donation neither do I want such. Occasionally there has been offers to help on the cost and for that I am truly thankful , but for the most part it all comes from the private pocketbook.

Below is a picture of the shop and some material.

Often many of our receivers will send me a picture of the material received such as below

This truly is a joyful experience knowing that they are now in possession of the most valuable gift on the planet- God’s final word to us! But how could this all happen if yours truly was not self sacrificing? We all know nothing would get done.

You see brothers and sisters, there is a great reward for you if you will but -get going. Each day that goes by many are just content to “ride along” while those few self-sacrificing ones keep the wheels turning.

The reason, I believe that this personal work is able to be accomplished is by taking very seriously the Lord’s promise–

“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. 3:10)

Due to having our current business rated number one in our field in a large city (about 800,000) this work is able to provide the necessary funds to get packages sent. The Lord has returned His promise in full. All we have to do is our part- be a faithful servants and return what belongs to Him.

And that is not only returning the Tithes but giving some offerings.

“Every convert to the truth should be instructed in regard to the Lord’s requirement for tithes and offerings…Those who are truly converted are called to do a work that requires money and consecration. The obligation that binds us to place our names on the church roll holds us responsible to work for God to the utmost of our ability.”(Testimonies, vol. 6, p.447)

The Elijah message gives us the Lord’s final instructions on the offerings-

“Though the Lord commands, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” (Mal. 3: 10), He does not say to bring all the offerings. Thus, He shows that if we would engage in some personal charity or missionary activity, we should sustain it from offerings, not from the tithe.” (Answerer, vol. 4, p.45, Q-97)

So we see that we can use some of our offerings for our personal work in behalf of the Lord. The main thing is we are “doers” of the Word, not “hearers” only.

“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)

A few weeks back we told of a long time present truth believer who advocated that we should do as we feel is right with our Tithes and offerings, not necessarily what His word says.  This, we pointed out, is in direct violation of the Lord’s message as shown below.

IS IT MY DUTY TO SET RIGHT THE LORD’S TREASURY?

Question No. 98:

   Should we pay our tithe to the “storehouse” if we know that it is not used rightly?

Answer:

   Knowing that our tithe belongs to God’s storehouse, our greatest burden should be to see that it is faithfully paid there. Nowhere in the Bible do we find that the Lord has laid upon any tithe payer the policing of the channels through which these funds pass.

   The Lord’s treasury is under His control, and if He Himself should not see fit to correct an abuse in the handling of His money, certainly we could not correct it however hard we might try. If we guard carefully that part of His work which He entrusts to us, our only concern will be to find out where His “storehouse” is, and then faithfully to deposit His money there. He has not made us responsible for its use; that, He will personally take over–even as He is now “taking the reins in His own hands.”

   When the Promised Land was divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, the tribe of Levi received no land for an inheritance, as did the eleven tribes. Instead, the Lord decreed that the tithes of the other tribes were to go to the Levites. This was their inheritance. It was actually their own. And just as they, as the tithe receivers, had no right to dictate to the others, the tithe payers, what to do with their own increase after it had been tithed, so the tithe payers had no right to dictate to the tithe receivers what to do with the tithe. Each tribe was itself to be accountable to the Lord for that which He had entrusted to it. Thus it must be today. (ANSWERER, vol.4, p.46-47)

Believe me brethren the above snare is much more common than we think. Far too many of us mount the judgment seat and declare this shortcoming and that shortcoming from the few large organizations that our doing their best to provide present Truth “meat” to all those hungry for it. But as we point out in this post we don’t have to solely rely on the formal organizations  to send out and spread the Truth  today. A great tool is to obtain a church directory and send a few to get started.

To obtain free material  see this post for the “storehouses” and you can contact them.https://godsloveandlaw.com/2015/01/17/who-really-is-a-davidian-seventh-day-adventist/

“No need to depend on the sanction of any minister or any people to do God’s work, God will vindicate you.”(1888 Materials , p.1746)

We’ve heard the famous quote, “He marches to his own beat.” Well, that’s another way of saying we don’t have to be told what to do, we pick up the shovel, hammer, wheelbarrow (figuratively speaking) and get to work! All that is required for us to be active in spreading the sealing message today is to be–self sacrificing.

This entry was posted on May 21, 2016 at 5:00 am and is filed under Hard work, Tithes and Offerings, Witnessing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.