Written by: John Sernaque
Stewardship
CS - Counsels on Stewardship (1940) Chapter 5—Beneficence Where Christ Abides
When the perfect love of God is in the heart, wonderful things will be done. Christ will be in the heart of the believer as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. But those who manifest indifference to the suffering ones of humanity will be charged with indifference to Jesus Christ in the person of His suffering saints. Nothing saps spirituality from the soul more quickly than to enclose it in selfishness and self-caring. {CS 27.1}
Those who indulge self and neglect to care for the souls and bodies of those for whom Christ has given His life, are not eating of the bread of life, nor drinking of the water of the well of salvation. They are dry and sapless, like a tree that bears no fruit. They are spiritual dwarfs, who consume their means on self; but “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” {CS 27.2}
Christian principles will always be made visible. In a thousand ways the inward principles will be made manifest. Christ abiding in the soul is as a well that never runs dry.—The Review and Herald, January 15, 1895. {CS 27.3}
God is everywhere. But, if He is not in your heart, you will be indifferent to Him, as well as His suffering saints. It is this indifference that leads one to selfishness. Selfishness will not allow you to take care of those Jesus died for because you will only care for yourself. You will miss out on eating the bread of life and drinking from the well of salvation, for “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Invite Christ Jesus into your life that He may water your soul. Read the Bible to learn of His principles, that they may be made manifest in your life. Let the love of Christ enter into your heart for wonderful things to happen. Pray that your well never runs dry.
Our loving Father,
We come to the foot of Your throne in thanksgiving and prayer. We pray for a double portion of Your Holy Spirit to abide and dwell within us, that we may manifest Your principles of selflessness and beneficence. We are sorry and repent of the times that we have been selfish and neglected those souls You gave Your life for. We pray for forgiveness. We pray that You will water our souls with living water from Your well of salvation. We pray that we can do wonderful things out of love for others so that what we sow, we shall reap. We pray that You continue to shower us with Your blessings to help those who You died for. These things we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
