48 lines
2.4 KiB
Plaintext
48 lines
2.4 KiB
Plaintext
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LESSONS of FAITH - 1
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It <20>was <20>in the bag. <20>He was clutching it like it <20>was <20>the
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last <20>thing he owned. <20>And it was. <20>The attendants had to pry <20>it
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from <20>his <20>hands. <20>When they opened it, <20>they <20>found <20>over <20>3000
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dollars, <20><>mostly small bills. <20>By some standards, <20>he might <20>be
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considered rich, but you see, he wasn't. He was poor, <20>wandering
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the <20>streets, <20>sleeping in alleys and doorways, <20>begging for food
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and <20>money. <20><>He <20>had found a good area where <20>the <20>people <20>were
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generous. <20>He asked and they gave. Yet, when they found him, dead
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from <20>the <20>cold and lack of good food, <20>his clothes were old <20>and
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dirty, <20>and his pockets were empty. <20>All he had was that bag <20>and
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3000 dollars. What happened?
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What <20>happened is that he failed to follow one of the <20>most
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important <20>teachings in the Bible. <20>God's principle of Use. <20>This
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same <20>principle is rarely applied in many of our own lives, <20><>and
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yet it is easily recognized as "missing" <20>in others. The man with
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the bag failed to apply the principle. <20>He was keeping all he had
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hid in a paper bag. He was saving for a rainy day. He was so busy
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saving <20>for an unsure future, <20>he failed to see the storm <20>around
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him, <20><>and he ended up dead on the sidewalk, <20>clutching his <20>only
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belonging. It was in the bag.
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That which he cared so much about is now useless to him. <20>He
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didn't use what he had. <20>He kept it hid in a bag, while he wasted
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away. He didn't spend a cent for food, clothing, or anything. <20>He
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kept saving, saving, saving! Now it's too late. He didn't use it.
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It was in the bag.
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Are <20>you holding on to all you have? <20>Are you afraid to <20>use
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it? Are you saving for a rainy day? Don't! Don't die holding the
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bag! <20><>God wants you to use your talents and your resources. <20><>He
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gave <20>them <20>to you, <20>not so you can hide them in a bag, <20><>but <20>to
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display <20>to <20>all <20>for His Glory! <20>Jesus, <20>in the parable <20>of <20>The
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Talents, <20><>was pleased at the servants that used what <20>they <20>were
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given <20>and <20>angry at the servant that buried his portion <20>in <20>the
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ground. <20>(See Matt. <20>25:14) <20>Jesus even instructs us not to <20>save
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treasures <20>on <20>earth where moth and dust <20>corrupt, <20><>and <20>thieves
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steal, <20>but to save treasures in heaven, <20>for where our treasures
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are, our heart will be also. (Matt. 6:19)
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Please, take it out of the bag!
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LRH 10/10/85
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