Now that our staff has settled in Charlotte, North Carolina, I find myself very impatient to “get things moving.” I hope and pray to see this Work growing faster and faster so we can have a real impact on this sin-sick world. And I know—as I am sure you do also—that this confused world desperately needs what we have to give.
Our entire Headquarters staff is working very hard. Our field ministers are truly “stretched” to keep up with the large number of congregations each one of them has to watch over. Most of you members—and faithful co-workers as well—are also praying, giving, serving and doing your level best to help proclaim Christ’s message more powerfully. Thank you for your support and your constant loyalty!
So why are we not growing even faster?
First of all, we need to be very grateful for the solid growth we are experiencing already—even in a time of recession and some of the highest jobless figures in recent years! In spite of all this, the Work’s income is growing at a rate close to 8 percent so far this year. This is much better than most religious organizations. And most commercial businesses would be delighted with this kind of growth in a recessionary environment. As we recently announced, we have just started airing the Tomorrow’s World program on three additional television stations. So more growth is certainly on the way. But really big growth is not happening just yet.
As I have thought and prayed about this in recent months, I have come to realize that several factors may be involved. First, as noted above, we are already being blessed with a fair amount of growth in the Work and in its income, the television responses and in many other ways. Second, we ought not to expect “explosive” growth, since we are the “remnant” of the Philadelphian Church living over into the Laodicean era. By specifically describing the “open door” for the Philadelphia era, Christ showed that it would be the Church era with the most “open doors,” and most growth. Yet as the Philadelphian remnant, Christ has still given us good growth in this Laodicean era, for which we are thankful.
As the years go by, dear brethren, it is very important that we all grow more and more in spiritual understanding. We are to have the “mind of Christ.” For, from Christ’s point of view, “one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). So, although we have many reasons to feel that Christ will return within this generation, we must not set exact dates and then become discouraged if Christ does not operate on our timetable!
God tells us: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9). The Eternal God is working His plan and His purpose in a way that we do not fully understand. In His infinite wisdom and mercy, He may wish to give our beloved peoples 15 to 25 more years to experiment with the carnal way of life, and suffer its evils before He intervenes to bring about the Great Tribulation. Then, they would not be able to say: “We were happy and prosperous and everything was just fine until God intervened and punished us!”
On the other hand, God may have had enough of our violence, lusts, sexual perversions, pornography, drunkenness, drug addiction, abortions and other vile practices. He may choose to intervene powerfully to chasten the British-descended and American people within the next five to seven years! If we are truly patient and humbly seeking His will, God will show us more clearly His timetable as world events unfold.
We will still be far ahead of the world in understanding what is coming! For we do understand the “Big Picture” in a way the world cannot. And prophecy certainly is moving ahead according to that scenario. But, since each year seems like a long time to some of us who have already been “waiting on God” for decades, we can become “antsy” and want God to send Jesus Christ back to earth very soon. God certainly understands this—for even the Apostle Paul apparently felt and hoped that Christ would return within his generation.
Yet, on the other hand, we must not become “weary with well doing” (Galatians 6:9), and lose our zeal for overcoming and for doing the Work of God. Over the centuries, God’s people must have despaired many times as they “waited” on God to intervene in terrible situations, or as they waited for Christ’s return. God knew in advance that this would occur, and gave us many instructions to show us how we ought to feel: “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!” (James 5:7–9).
David had to stay on the run and essentially “hide out” from Saul for about ten years, in caves and crannies all over Israel, before God finally delivered him and gave him the promised kingship! David must have thought, at times: “How long, O Lord?”
In Psalm 37:7–8, David tells us: “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm.” We must wait patiently, realizing that God has some higher purpose in seeming to “delay” answers to our prayers. Often, we will come to understand His purpose later on in life. The prophet Daniel underwent an experience like this. In Daniel 10:1–3, we find that Daniel was fasting and crying out to God for three full weeks. Yet apparently no answer came! Later, an angel was sent to encourage Daniel, and said to him: “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words” (Daniel 10:12). So God had already heard, and “help was on the way.” Yet Daniel did not realize that help was on the way until sometime later. So it is with us.
Our God instructs us through the Apostle Paul: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:11–12).
Turning again to Psalm 37, note how King David tells us to “wait on God.” David writes: “Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it” (v. 34). In closing this powerful Psalm, David states through God’s inspiration: “But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him” (vv. 39–40).