The Unwise Use of Money and the Spirit of Speculation

Chapter 5—The Message to Sell

Burrough Valley, Cal.,

July 7, 1888.

Dear Brethren and Sisters at_____,

Let not the enemy of God and man control your thoughts, your words and actions. The message from the lips of Christ is, “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not.” There will be many great failures in earthly banks, and in speculations, including mining and real estate. SpTB17a 7.1

How pleased Satan would be if in the very time when men should be selling their possessions to sustain the cause of God, he can so deceive them that all their available means shall be invested in land speculation and other worldly enterprises, thus taking away from the cause of God means which should flow into the treasury to advance His work in the earth. SpTB17a 7.2

When Jesus tells us to “sell,” He does not mean that our principal burden should be to buy possessions. If Satan can get us entangled in worldly possessions so that we have no means to put into the Lord's treasury, then he is leading us to do the very thing that Jesus has told us not to do. SpTB17a 7.3