Proclaim to the World the GOOD NEWS OF THE WORLD TOMORROW
Box 111, Pasadena, Calif. 91109
Publishing: The PLAIN TRUTH a Magazine of UNDERSTANDING
December 9, 1969
Dear Co-Worker with Christ:
As one of our inner family in the end-time Work of God — as one who has VOLUNTARILY accepted the living Christ's draft to be a Co-Worker with Him in this most serious mission in the world today — I must take you into my confidence and RUSH this short but URGENT letter to you immediately.
There remains only three-and-a-half weeks of this crucial, difficult year of readjustment. And we are starting out this critical final month IN A FRIGHTENING, SHOCKING SLUMP!
I have explained before how December is always our biggest PROBLEM-month! The Christmas-shopping melee is in full swing. And it seems that so many of our Co-Workers are spending all their money buying gifts — that is, TRADING gifts back and forth with relatives and friends — FORGETTING the gifts for the living CHRIST so vital for THE WORK OF GOD! They suppose they are buying birthday presents for CHRIST'S BIRTHDAY — but they are NOT GIVING THEIR GIFTS TO CHRIST — they are NEGLECTING HIM — ignoring HIM — forsaking HIM and God's Work in which He has drafted you and me as His Co-Workers.
Brethren in Christ, you and I have VOLUNTARILY accepted His draft. When we did, we accepted a solemn, serious RESPONSIBILITY! We need to realize that Jesus Christ IS NOT DEAD — He ROSE from the dead — He is right now the living Christ, the HEAD of this great Work — actively GUIDING and BLESSING this Work as the most important activity on earth! And right now is the season when HE NEEDS our gifts for HIS WORK, more than at any other time!
Actually, I'm sure WE understand the truth — that Jesus was NOT born December 25th or anywhere NEAR that date — no one knows the date of His birth. And the Bible reveals that celebrating birthdays is a Pagan custom which God forbids! Not I — I didn't do the forbidding — God did it long before I was born.
The wise men gave their gifts to the CHRIST-child — but THEY WERE NOT BIRTHDAY GIFTS — it was many days AFTER His birth! It has always been — still is — custom when visiting a King or Ruler, to present him with a gift. A certain king — a real king — had seen an Ambassador College publication, with pictures of all our students. When he saw what clean-cut, fine looking young men and women they are, he expressed a desire to meet the man who founded and directs such a college. When I visit him, I shall take along a gift. It is one I have had specially made by a sculptor who has done work for the college. It is not expensive, but it is original, there is none other like it, it is in good taste and of good quality.
If you do not understand all the plain truth about Christmas, why not write in for our special free booklet on it?
Brethren, each of us did, OF OUR OWN ACCORD, voluntarily accept Christ's DRAFT as a Co-Worker with Him. That puts on us a SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY — and confers on us one of the greatest BLESSINGS of our lives! WHAT A PRIVILEGE to be CHRIST'S Co-Worker!
But I have to tell you I am terribly DISTRESSED and sick at heart, to realize SO MANY of Christ's Co-Workers are FORGETTING HIM, or neglecting Him, at this critical time! If YOU are one who is doing that, in love I have to WARN you, you may not be on the way into God's Kingdom, but into a lake of fire!
THINK of how ASHAMED the living Jesus Christ must be with some of His Co-Workers! He has been BLESSING His Work! Through it He has converted more precious lives this year than ever before — literally THOUSANDS, now headed toward eternal life in His Kingdom! Twice as many are being reached now, as the year before! TREMENDOUS new doors are being opened for His Work!
He has made US — you and me — the LIGHT of the world! If we let our light die out WHAT A DARK WORLD IT WOULD BE! Right now the Work needs the LARGEST SUMS YOU ARE ABLE TO GIVE! I realize fully that many are not able to give but very little. Every widow's mite HELPS far more than you would realize. But BECAUSE so many are not able to give much, those who ARE able have the greater responsibility to BE VERY GENEROUS WITH GOD!
And further, IF EVER we needed large sums — into five figures and more — as loans, if you are not free to give such sums — it is right now! I ask you to make all such loans on a 5-year basis, legally subject to repayment of not more than 20% in any one year — but at the same time I give you my word that should you NEED repayment in larger amounts sooner, we will accommodate your needs just the same as if it were a demand loan.
But please do not send as a loan what you are able to GIVE. Loans do put funds at our disposal — but loans are NOT INCOME!
I know by results that MANY of our Co-Workers are LETTING DOWN IN PRAYER and Bible study! When you slack off in prayer and Bible study, you are turning away from your Creator and your God. Please, dear Co-Workers, GET TO YOUR KNEES, and PRAY as never before for the most important Work on earth. And KEEP IT UP!
THANK YOU, and remember God IS blessing you!
With sincere love, in Jesus' name, Herbert W. Armstrong
P.S. Because the mails are clogged — because the situation is UNPRECEDENTED — serious as NEVER BEFORE — I am sending you this RETURN ENVELOPE with an AIRMAIL STAMP ON IT, to AIR-SPEED YOUR REPLY!
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