Dear Brethren and Friends, The Living Jesus Christ, once again, has been sorting out His people. We hope this is the last “shake-up” before the major events of end-time prophecy begin to occur with increasing frequency! And as these events begin to develop momentum, many people will undoubtedly join our ranks—some being deeply converted, some simply to “save” their own hides.
Describing this soon-coming time, Daniel was inspired to write, “And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time” (Dan. 11:33-35). As God’s Work through us continues, there will be many people who will come among us for the right reasons. And perhaps others will come among us for the wrong reasons. But we should sincerely try to serve them all. We have nothing to hide. And we have much to give to every human being who is interested in the Truth.
Brethren, it is obvious that the vast majority in the Living Church of God truly desire to do a significant Work. We understand that our calling involves far more than just serving and “saving” ourselves. As we contemplate the GREAT TRIBULATION we must never forget this powerful instruction from our Creator, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this,’ does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” (Prov. 24:10-12).
Also, let us never forget the END-time admonishment of Daniel to God’s faithful people, “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever” (Dan. 12:3). To turn many people to righteousness certainly implies doing an END-time evangelistic Work. It involves going outside the Church—going to the world and being used as instruments in God’s hands to TURN many people to the ways of God!
Certainly we should all have a zeal for “feeding the flock.” For Jesus told Peter three times, “Feed My sheep” (John 21:15-17). Both in encouraging and strengthening our brethren, and in obeying Jesus’ command, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel” (Mark 16:15), we should follow the Apostle Paul’s example of sacrificial zeal. For Paul wrote, “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means SAVE some” (1 Cor. 9:19, 22).
Each of us can play a vital role in reaching out to the world and in helping, encouraging and building up one another in the Church. We can adapt our approaches and our personalities to help all of those whom God is calling at this time—primarily the “poor of this world to be rich in faith” (James 2:5). We can drive ourselves in Christ’s service to get out His Message. We can carefully use our time and our talents and our resources and put them to maximum use in helping others achieve the Kingdom of God. All of us can discipline ourselves in every way to be better “tools” in God’s hands that many, many others may be “saved.” Yes, it is GOD who does the calling and who does the “saving.” But He works through human instruments, “Just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved” (1 Cor. 10:33).
Anyone who tells you that there is not a great Work yet to be done is REALLY “out of touch” with the entire message of the New Testament! For from Matthew to Revelation, we are instructed, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). Then, “He who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations” (Rev. 2:26). And what are Jesus’ “works?” Notice carefully John 4:34-36, “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, “There are still four months and then comes the harvest”? Behold, I say to you, “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together”.’”
All of us who have a true “Philadelphia spirit” will realize that we MUST reach out to the world as much as we can. If we do this, we WILL receive “wages”—a magnificent ETERNAL REWARD in the Kingdom of God!
Some are saying that because we are in the Laodicean Era of the Church the “open door” to preach the Gospel is now CLOSED. But the scores of new people attending church and the dozens of people baptized as the result of the telecasts certainly prove otherwise! If we’re going to compare apples with apples, perhaps we should research how many “brand new” people were baptized after the first five-and-one-half years of Mr. Herbert Armstrong’s work. As I have related, when I graduated from Ambassador College in 1952—fully
18-1/2 years AFTER the Work began—we had fewer than 200 people attending church! So as Mr. Armstrong explained, “It takes TIME to build a listening or viewing audience.” It took years and sometimes decades for many people to respond to Mr. Armstrong’s messages—even though he was on seven nights a week at excellent times on many radio stations across the entire nation. But he was patient—as we should be—and God used him to do a very powerful work over a period of some 52 years.
Near the end of this age—and near the end of our work—I’m sure that things will speed up as people begin to realize the urgency of the times in which we are living. As rapidly occurring prophetic events impact one another, people will be moved to action. And if all of us try with all of our hearts to walk evermore closely with Christ, and if we PRAY FERVENTLY for the spiritual “gifts,” God may well grant us the immediate responses to our prayers for healing, for the discernment of spirits and for the casting out of unclean spirits that He did in Apostolic times.
But we do need to yield ourselves to God and to have the FAITH God requires for these miracles. We need to immerse ourselves more fully into the study of God’s Word and to build an atmosphere of absolute FAITH and TRUST in God and in His promises. And we need to realize that it is NOT “far fetched” that we should receive the spiritual gifts as I have described. For not only were the original 12 apostles given these gifts, but the “70 others” Jesus sent out were ALSO given these same gifts (Luke 10:1-17). Jesus gave 70 young men these powers at a time even before the Holy Spirit was given! What about us?
In speaking of the 12 apostles, Mark writes, “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying SIGNS” (Mark 16:20). With all the religious confusion in our modern society, it would seem even more necessary for God to grant His true servants the powerful “tools” of evangelism today—the “gifts” of His Spirit to do the Work and to let people know that GOD is behind His true servants even now.
So let us take heart. Let us realize that—building on the fine foundation the Living Christ laid through Herbert W. Armstrong—we can and we should go forward in the Work of God. Scripture after scripture tells us that this is our calling—our very PURPOSE in life. This calling helps all of us to be involved in “something greater than ourselves.” And by humbling ourselves and giving of ourselves, by cooperating and working together as a “team” within the framework of God’s Government in the Church, we can prepare ourselves to work together for all eternity in the Kingdom of God.
WHO says the “Work is over”?
Even as he was near death’s door, God’s Apostle, Herbert W. Armstrong, wrote the following:
Continue to sacrifice through 1986 to finish the commission God has given His Church. THE GREATEST WORK LIES YET AHEAD. Christ confirmed that in John 4:35 (KJV), “Say not ye, ‘There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest?’ Behold, I say unto you, ‘Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest’.” Never before in the history of the Church has it been possible to reap so great a harvest. It has only been made possible through modern technology, beginning with the printing press, radio, television, and rapid mass transit and mass communication. (Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong, Vol. 2, p. 644; Emphasis ours).
With the help and guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, we shall continue to go through the “doors” which the Living Christ opens. We shall preach the Gospel on radio and on television. We shall publish the Gospel by means of letters, articles, booklets and a Bible correspondence course. And we shall use the growing power of the Internet to get Christ’s Message to millions who might not otherwise receive it—in our western nations and even behind the “bamboo curtain” into China and to many other nations also who have not heretofore been able to hear the Truth.
Through God’s help and His guidance, we shall “do the Work until we drop.”
Then, in God’s time and through His mercy, we can truly look forward to Christ’s words, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matt. 25:21).
