Giving as We Receive, December 6

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3:10.TDG 349.1

The end is fast approaching and many in our churches are asleep. Let all now make it their chief business to serve the Lord. The Lord has entrusted to His people the talent of means, some more and some less than others. With many the possession of wealth has proved a snare. In their desire to follow the fashions of the world, they have lost their zeal for the truth, and they are in peril of losing eternal life. In proportion as God has prospered them, men should return to Him of the goods He has entrusted to their stewardship....TDG 349.2

Let all carefully examine their business relations with their Creator. Those who will not hesitate to deal treacherously with their Maker will certainly not hesitate to deal treacherously with their fellow men.TDG 349.3

I desire to impress upon all our people that God regards the withholding of tithes and offerings as robbery. We are merely stewards of God; we do not own the money which passes into our hands. In its disbursement we are to be colaborers with Jesus Christ.TDG 349.4

We should feel an intense interest in the advancement of the work of God. This work has already grown to large proportions, but it is to advance still more rapidly. We need many more laborers, and there must be with all a spirit of self-denial, in order to provide facilities for the carrying forward of the message into new fields. In many places the work has been greatly retarded because of a scarcity of means. The rebuke of God will rest upon those who do not come up to His help....TDG 349.5

In the great work of warning the world, those who have the truth in their heart and are sanctified through the truth, will act their assigned part. They will be faithful in the payment of tithes and offerings. Every church member is bound by covenant relation to God to deny himself of every extravagant outlay of means. Let not the want of economy in the home life render us unable to act our part in strengthening the work already established and in entering new territory.—Manuscript 103, December 6, 1906, “Gifts and Offerings.”TDG 349.6