Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6.

It is not the will of God that His people should be weighed down with care. But our Lord does not deceive us. He does not say to us, “Do not fear; there are no dangers in your path.” He knows there are trials and dangers, and He deals with us plainly. He does not propose to take His people out of a world of sin and evil, but He points them to a never-failing refuge….

How can we remain in doubt, questioning whether Jesus loves us, sinful though we be and compassed with infirmities? He gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. He came to our world in the humble guise of a man, that He might become acquainted with the griefs and temptations that beset man’s pathway, and that He might know how to help the weary with His offer of rest and peace. But thousands upon thousands refuse His assistance and only cling more firmly to their burden of care. He comes to the afflicted, and offers to soothe their grief and heal their sorrow…. To the disappointed, the unbelieving, and the unhappy He offers contentment, while pointing to mansions that He is preparing for them…. Jesus, our precious Saviour, should be first in our thoughts and affections, and we should trust Him with entire confidence….

As each day comes we must in the strength of Jesus meet its trials and temptations. If we fail one day we add to the burdens of the next, and have less strength. We should not cloud the future by our carelessness in the present, but by thoughtful and careful performance of today’s duties be preparing to meet the emergencies of tomorrow.

We need to cultivate a spirit of cheerfulness…. Let us ever look on the bright side of life and be hopeful, full of love and good works, rejoicing in the Lord always. “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts,” and “be ye thankful” (Colossians 3:15).^{10The Review and Herald, February 3, 1885.}

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But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.

The children of God are called upon to be representatives of Christ, showing forth the goodness and mercy of the Lord. If they but revealed His goodness from day to day, barriers would be raised around their souls against the temptations of the evil one….

God knows our wants, and has provided for them. The Lord has a treasure house of supplies for His children, and can give them what they need under all circumstances. Then why do we not trust Him? He has made precious promises to His children on condition of faithful obedience to His precepts. There is not a burden but He can remove, no darkness but He can dispel, no weakness but He can change to power, no fears but He can calm, no worthy aspiration but He can guide and justify.

We are not to look at ourselves. The more we dwell upon our own imperfections, the less strength we shall have to overcome them. We are to render a cheerful service to God. It is the work of Satan to present the Lord as lacking in compassion and pity…. We fasten our minds upon the misrepresentations of Satan and dishonor God by mistrusting Him and by murmuring against Him. When we act like culprits under sentence of death we bear false witness against God. The Father gave His only begotten and well-beloved Son to die for us, and in so doing He placed great honor upon humanity, for in Christ the link that was broken through sin was reunited and man again connected with Heaven.

You who doubt the mercy of God, look at the Lamb of God, look at the Man of sorrows, who bore your grief and suffered for your sin. He is your friend. He died on the cross because He loved you. He is touched with the feeling of your infirmities and bears you up before the throne. In view of His unspeakable love should not hope, love, and gratitude be cherished in your heart? Should not gladness fill your service to God? ^{9The Review and Herald, January 14, 1890.}

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Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21.

Mark these words of the Great Teacher, who spake as never man spake. He sets before you the course to pursue if you would serve your best interests in this life, and lay up for yourselves an eternal treasure. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.” There is danger of losing all in the pursuit of worldly gain, for in the feverish eagerness for earthly treasure, higher interests are forgotten….

If your thoughts, your plans, your purposes, are all directed toward the accumulation of the things of earth, your anxiety, your study, your interests, will all be centered upon the world. The heavenly attractions will lose their beauty. The glories of the eternal world will cease to have the force of reality to you. Your heart will be with your treasure, and every faculty of your mind will be so concentrated on the work you have chosen that you will not heed the warnings and entreaties of the Word and Spirit of God. You will have no time to devote to the study of the Scriptures and to earnest prayer that you may escape the snares of Satan.^7Ibid.

This work of transferring your possessions to the world above is worthy of all your best energies. It is of the highest importance, and involves your eternal interests. That which you bestow in the cause of God is not lost. All that is given for the salvation of souls and the glory of God is invested in the most successful enterprise in this life and in the life to come. Your talents of gold and silver, if given to the exchangers, are gaining continually in value, which will be registered to your account in the kingdom of heaven. You are to be the recipients of the eternal wealth that has increased in the hands of the exchangers. In giving to the work of God, you are laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven. All that you lay up above is secure from disaster and loss and is increasing to an eternal, and enduring, substance.^8Ibid.

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But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 1 Timothy 6:9.

Satan has nets and snares, like the snares of the fowler, all prepared to entrap souls. It is his studied purpose that men shall employ their God-given powers for selfish ends rather than yield them to glorify God. God would have men engage in a work that will bring them peace and joy and will render them eternal profits, but Satan wants us to concentrate our efforts for that which profiteth not, for things that perish with the using….

The heart of man may be the abode of the Holy Spirit. The peace of Christ that passeth understanding may rest in your soul, and the transforming power of His grace may work in your life and fit you for the courts of glory. But if brain and nerve and muscle are all employed in the service of self, you are not making God and heaven the first consideration of your life. It is impossible to be weaving the graces of Christ into your character while you are putting all your energies on the side of the world. You may be successful in heaping up treasure on the earth for the glory of self, but “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). Eternal considerations will be made of secondary importance. You may take part in the outward forms of worship, but your service will be an abomination to the God of heaven….

If the eye is single, if it is directed heavenward, the light of heaven will fill the soul, and earthly things will appear insignificant and uninviting. The purpose of the heart will be changed, and the admonition of Jesus will be heeded. You will lay up your treasure in heaven. Your thoughts will be fixed upon the great reward of eternity. All your plans will be made in reference to the future, immortal life. You will be drawn toward your treasure. You will not study your worldly interest, but in all your pursuits the silent inquiry will be, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). Bible religion will be woven into your daily life.^{6The Review and Herald, January 24, 1888.}

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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, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10.

We are not to look upon the property we are handling as our own, with which we may do as we please. It is the Lord’s, to be administered in accordance with His prescribed plans.^{4The Review and Herald Supplement, June 21, 1898.}

God wants all His stewards to be exact in following divine arrangements. They are not to offset the Lord’s plans with some deed of charity, some gift, or some offering, done or given when and how they, the human agents, shall see fit. God has made His plan known, and all who cooperate with Him will carry out His plan instead of daring to attempt to improve on it by their own arrangements…. God will honor them and work in their behalf, for we have His pledged word that He will open the windows of heaven and pour us out a blessing such as there will not be room enough to receive.

It is a very poor policy for men to seek to improve on God’s plan and invent a makeshift, averaging up their good impulses in this and that instance and offsetting them against all that is required by God…. We are to strike true and faithful figures in tithing, and then say to the Lord, I have done as Thou hast commanded me. If Thou wilt honor me by trusting me with Thy goods to trade upon, I will, by Thy grace, be a faithful steward, doing all in my power to bring meat to Thy house….

Men who have large responsibilities are to be sure that they are not robbing God in any jots or tittles, when so much is involved, as is so plainly stated in Malachi. Here we are told that a blessing is given for a faithful disposition of the tithes, and a curse for the covetous retention of the money which should flow into the treasury. Then ought we not to be sure to work on the safe side, so dealing with God in handling the property lent us on trust that no shadow of reproach shall fall upon us? … I need not ask, Will not God bless those who are faithful? We have His pledged word.^5Ibid.

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