Money troubles? How can you be SURE of a good income in 1962? Do you possess the KEY to financial strength through the turbulent years ahead?
WE ARE living in a time of political and economic CHANGE. It is already affecting your pocketbook! Whether or not you make a particular study of world affairs, you have undoubtedly noticed that in the field of world trade America and Britain are losing out. You also may have noticed that in comparative political strength, we are plummeting down from our once virtually unchallenged position of world leadership. New nations are sprouting up in Africa and Asia. The Communist menace is constantly enlarging. And — most important of all — a UNITED STATES OF EUROPE is rising before our very eyes in the area of the old Holy Roman Empire. As a trading power, the European Common Market is right NOW giving America and Britain a bad time on the world trade markets. This situation is prophesied to become worse! There is SERIOUS economic trouble ahead for the English-speaking world! President Kennedy told his November 8 Press Conference: "We have to begin to realize how important the Common Market is going to be to the economy of the United States. One third of our trade generally is in Western Europe. "If the United States should be denied that market, we will either find a flight of capital from this country to construct factories within that wall, or we will find ourselves in serious economic trouble."
This is YOUR Problem
Speaking of the possible financial panic in the future, a respected financial expert recently stated: "No one is currently starting a run on the bank, yet the possibility exists. International speculators are not usually motivated by patriotism. The potential for speculation at the expense of the United States was never greater... the facts of international economics seem lost on the American public" (By Nate White, 'The Christian Science Monitor, July 28, 1961). Are these economic facts lost on YOU, too? It may seem like a theoretical debate in the field of high finance at first, but it is destined rapidly to become YOUR PROBLEM. As more and more foreign-made goods invade the. American markets, the jobs of American workers are going to become increasingly scarce. Our national gold supply is now at a dangerous level, and the very security and stability even of the dollars we do possess is indeed growing shaky? Within a decade, we are destined to experience the WORST DEPRESSION Within our national history! Do you know exactly when — why — what you can do to avoid suffering from this personally?
You Can KNOW What Lies Ahead
If you have had your eyes opened to see that The PLAIN TRUTH is, indeed, a "magazine of understanding," then you should quickly begin to realize that it is through God alone and through His true servants that you will find the real answers to these questions! In His written Word, the God of heaven states: "Surely the Eternal God will do nothing but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). God will ALWAYS reveal ahead of time His intervention in human affairs through His prophets, preachers or ministers, His true ministers will KNOW — not merely guess — what lies ahead. Perhaps you have noticed that in The PLAIN TRUTH magazine and over the W Tomorrow broadcast, we speak with AUTHORITY and we set forth in exact and specific detail what is going to take place in the major nations of this earth! It can be stated unequivocally that we are the ONLY religious organization that DARES to do this! And it is HAPPENING right on schedule! There is a REASON for this. In the New Testament, God says that He gives His Holy Spirit — imparting His mind, His understanding — "to them that OBEY Him" (Acts 5:32). In the book of Psalms, God inspired David to write: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they, that DO HIS COMMANDMENTS: His praise endureth forever" (Ps. 111:10). People can reason and argue until they are black in the face about whether or not it is necessary to obey their God and their Maker. But the FACT remains that people who refuse to obey God's laws do NOT have any real understanding of prophecy, of the DEFINITE events that are about to take place in our lifetimes, or of the purpose of God in human affairs and the real meaning of salvation itself! To receive God's spiritual and financial BLESSINGS, you can and must prove this to yourself and begin to ACT on this vital principle. If you prove yourself willing to OBEY the God of the Bible, then he absolutely WILL back up His written promises and BLESS you financially or in any other category where you obey His laws and ask according to His will.
Financial Blessings?
If you are seeking the only real financial security in the years that lie ahead — and it Is REAL — then you had better begin to take the words of your Bible literally in this respect. First of all, Jesus Christ said: "But seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33). He had just been speaking of the need for food, clothing and material things. He said if we put first the very RIGHTEOUSNESS of God and obedience to Him, we will have these things added. This is a BINDING statement. It is also a basic principle upon which to base your life. For in every phase of life, you should begin to obey the revealed laws of God — constantly seeking His will by earnest Bible study and prayer. You should ACT upon what you find revealed by God in His Word. Then He who controls ALL material things has promised to BLESS you with every material need. He has PROMISED! And God doesn't break His promises! This basic principle includes the whole field of your willingness to PROVE that this very work of God really IS God's work — acts as HIS representative proclaiming the advanced good news of the world tomorrow — and that the WAY OF LIFE it teaches should become YOUR way of life in obedience to God and His laws! If you are going to claim God's financial promises, then you are going to have to truly seek FIRST God's Kingdom — not just "kid" yourself that you are while you put it second, third or fourth in your time, interest and study. In the financial sphere specifically, God throws down a challenge to YOU. He asks: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In TITHES and OFFERINGS. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and PROVE me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Mal. 3:8-10). In actual fact, this prophecy is referring to the modern-day "sons of Jacob" (verse 6), that is, the American and British peoples primarily! It means YOU and me! Gods says our so-called Christian nations have ROBBED Him both in tithes and offerings! Many preachers and churches talk about tithing. But very few teach the binding authority of this LAW of Almighty God. For in all too many cases, they think all divine law is "done away." That is one reason why we are living in an increasingly LAWLESS age! But the God of the BIBLE challenges you to PROVE whether or not this is a LIVING LAW that He stands behind and backs up from His throne in heaven! He tells you to BRING the tithes and offerings to His storehouse — to be used in HIS WORK. And one important thing you need to prove is where HIS work is really being done! This law of tithing to which Malachi refers is that which was given to the nation of Israel in Numbers 18:20-26. But the principle of paying God the first tenth of one's income or increase was understood and OBEYED even by Abraham — "the father of the faithful" — long before the Old Covenant ever came into existence. In Genesis 14:20, we read how God sent Melchizedek as His priest to bless Abraham, and how, speaking of Abraham, "he gave him TITHES of all." In the New Testament, we find that Jesus Christ — the AUTHOR of true Christianity — did teach tithing. In condemning the Pharisees for their wrong evaluation of things and their self-righteousness, Jesus Christ stated: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay TITHE of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye. have done [these weightier matters], and NOT to leave the other [tithing!] undone" (Matt. 23:23). Yes, Jesus Christ said you should NOT omit the Obligation of paying the first tenth of your income to Almighty God who gave you EVERYTHING. THIS is Christianity — STRAIGHT FROM CHRIST! Is this kind of Christianity good enough for you? Will you OBEY what the God of the Bible and the Christ of the Bible state in plain language? Both spiritual and financial BLESSINGS are yours if you will!
It Really WORKS!
In recent years we. have had literally hundreds of letters coming to our offices from people writing in to say how they had been BLESSED after they began obeying God in the matter of tithing. Many of them found, very frankly, that they could not afford to do anything BUT tithe to God's work! Perhaps some of their letters, reprinted word for word, will encourage you in this matter of obedience to the financial LAW of the Creator. A man from Morristown, Tennessee, recently wrote in: "I was expecting a new arrival in my family. I knew expenses would be heavy so I said to myself, "I'll just skip my tithe for a few weeks, God will understand! From the day I started tithing until that day, I had not known the financial worry that I have experienced these few weeks. Today, I am not sure that I can afford to send this money, but then again I don't think I can afford not to send it." You see, God holds you ACCOUNTABLE once you understand this precious knowledge! This man found that he was far worse off when he tried to "save" the tithe money and keep it himself! A man from Western Australia recently wrote in: "I took your advice on the commencement of paying tithes to stop my financial troubles and fully admit I was very much down financially when I did start. That was roughly six or seven weeks back. Since that period, and at the height of the credit squeeze, work and money have been coming to me and I am now considerably better off than seven weeks ago." You see, tithing "WORKS" whether or not the nation is in the midst of a financial crisis or credit squeeze! A couple from Toledo, Ohio, write in: "Enclosed please find our tithes and offerings of $100. God has blessed us this summer many ways. My husband has been working steady, sometimes on two jobs. We have saved enough money for a down payment on a house of our own. My husband has always wanted to buy a house but we never could seem to save any. Since my husband started giving God all of his tithe without any pushing on my part, we have prospered and become more thrifty." Notice that God doesn't rain the money down from heaven! He expects you to do your part. Yet, through His blessing you will be enabled to carry out plans for your family that you May have had to put off for years before you began to obey God's law of tithing.
How to Experience the Blessings God Offers You
Many people have assumed that God wants people to be poor, downtrodden ignorant. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus Christ stated: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might, have it more ABUNDANTLY" (John 10:10). If you would experience the blessings everyone really wants, then carry out literally the suggestions contained in this article. Begin to seek God's will and His way FIRST. Take time to really STUDY the Bible and PROVE what God's will really is. Spend time in prayer and meditation. Since you are already reading The PLAIN TRUTH magazine, take time — with an open mind — to PROVE whether or not this is God's work through which He is speaking to the nations of the world and to you. Then, as you prove God's will in ever greater detail, act on and OBEY each point as you prove it. Remember, God will not continue to pour out blessings on you or open up spiritual knowledge to you unless you OBEY the points of truth which have already been revealed. When you have proved where God is working, then put your whole HEART into God's work — into preparing for His coming Kingdom and government on this earth. Jesus said: "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your HEART be also" (Matt. 6:20-21). Give of your time, your treasure, your prayers and energies to carrying out the true work of God on this earth! In this age when we are threatened with human annihilation, NOTHING is more important! Learn to base your life on the TRUE scale of values! Then, in relation to financial blessings, do your part. God expects you to work hard. at your job. If you have a purpose in mind, and the Spirit of God to help you, you certainly WILL be able to do this. Your Creator says: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy MIGHT; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest" (Eccl. 9:10). In addition to working hard at your job, learn to use your head. Ask God for wisdom which He promises to give all of us (Jas. 1:5). In relationship to your job problems and other problems, learn to seek good advice and ACT upon it. God says: "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety' (Prov. 11:14). Instead of blundering from job to job — or failing to look ahead into the changes in your own field of work or your own plant or office — learn to seek wisdom from God and intelligent counsel from others In all these things.
Exercise FAITH
Then, after truly putting God's Kingdom FIRST, and after doing your part with zeal, claim God's promises in FAITH. KNOW that the God of heaven means exactly what He says in His Word! Realize that He will back up His promises, and bless you financially and physically for tithing and obeying the other laws concerned with blessings in this area of life. One word of caution, however. Don't give up too soon! Don't begin to tithe for a few days or weeks "just waiting" for God to fail so you can turn sour and bitter. This is NOT faith. This is more like frustration! Remember that God speaks of "the TRIAL of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes" (I Pet. 1:7). So do your part with zeal and faith, and quietly and confidently EXPECT the answer to come. It WILL come in God's time and God's way. He may cause you to be promoted or blessed in the job you now hold. He may bless you with a new and better job. He may bless you through a gift, an inheritance, or simply — in an unusual way — opening up circumstances in your own way of life where you are able to save more on certain things than you ever dreamed you could and thereby come out way ahead financially. But God always KEEPS His promises! In the turbulent years that lie ahead, you need to come to KNOW the true God, to understand what is prophesied to happen so you will be better able to plan your life, and to OBEY His spiritual and financial laws so that you may have the only real source of SECURITY there is in this age.