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Co-Worker Letter – November 25, 1985

WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91123

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
PASTOR GENERAL

November 25, 1985

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ:

This has been the MOST SERIOUS year of the Work of God so far. Never before has God given us such a leap forward in television coverage and PLAIN TRUTH circulation as in these past six months.

GOD’S TIME HAS COME TO SPEED UP HIS WORK WITH DYNAMIC AND TREMENDOUS POWER! Time for completing the GREAT MISSION OF GOD in this dying world is fast running out on us!

This country – the U.S. – and the whole world is in ferment, confusion, serious social and economic trouble! Satan knows he now has but a short time – BUT DO WE KNOW IT? We have to sacrifice now as never before! We have to put the Work of God FIRST in our lives! First in our prayers! We now have to dedicate our lives to his service as never before!

In this time of world turmoil, Jesus Christ is blessing his Church and its work! We have been plunging forward in the Work. Spectacular new time availabilities will soon open up on some television stations that will cover virtually all Europe.

BUT WE SERIOUSLY AND URGENTLY NEED INCREASED INCOME to walk through these new doors! The Work must now plunge forward in greater power!

God’s time has come! These open doors cost more money. With the writing of the new book MYSTERY OF THE AGES God has helped me this year to do the best work of my 93 years of life! But now, for over three months, I have been suffering a serious illness which started from a flu bug in August. Since then I have been confined to my home, with a doctor, who seldom makes house calls, coming to see me every day – sometimes twice a day. I have been unable to rid myself of a fever that has left me with low blood levels and very little strength. Even so, I am working as energetically as possible from my home.

I now need you to work harder, more energetically and at greater sacrifice in prayers and extra financial offerings than ever before!

A few years ago I wrote you a warning that we must prepare to tighten our belts, and reduce our living standards! This whole nation is going to have to learn to do that!

I ask you, brethren, in Jesus’ name, to put whatever you are able into God’s Work in this crisis hour before the Great Tribulation that will cut off our work just prior to the soon- coming of Christ and the World Tomorrow.

Let’s now set our hearts and whole interest on the SOON- coming Kingdom of God, when we shall shine as the sun in brightness and find happiness forever! We – you backing me up – are preparing the way before Christ’s soon coming and his Kingdom! What else now counts in this world? I ask you to sacrifice – go without some things you might want – put all you can spare into this GREAT SURGE FORWARD IN GOD’S WORK!

Almost seven years ago, Satan struck what he thought would be the fatal blow to DESTROY God’s Church and Work. It only drew us closer together in unity and made his Work grow as never before! Just think how God has blessed us! THIS IS HIS WORK!

His Work must surge forward in tremendous power! I have to ask you to sacrifice and make possible these new television stations in Europe. And that will lead to increased circulation of The PLAIN TRUTH! I ask you to finance this now – and in due time this extra-pressure Gospel lunge will bring in new co-workers to help finance the Work!

The departments in Pasadena are doing their part in making economies to prepare for these new opportunities. We are pruning out our less effective stations on television, and will temporarily reduce the size of the 48-page PLAIN TRUTH magazine by one signature. These reductions will offset some of the costs of these new doors to get the Gospel to the world as a witness, but that alone is not enough. This retrenching will not bring results overnight. We still need your help. We know that God will bless our efforts, and perhaps send in enough money to allow us to restore some of these areas that are currently being reduced. We also pray that this will allow us to hire some much needed ministers, already trained and ready to be put to work for the harvest.

This will bring a NEW SURGE FORWARD in God’s Work. The Church and whole Work have been in good financial condition. But we must now LUNGE FORWARD in the FINAL LAP, coming in on the home stretch of the great Work God gave us to do.

This Work of God was built from nothing financially, ON FAITH! I go forward now IN FAITH IN CHRIST that he will inspire you dear Co-Workers TO MAKE THE EFFORT WITH ME! You will have to give up some things you might want. But we all shall GAIN eternal glory in God’s Kingdom – and SOON. I know you won’t let me – or Christ – down! God bless, help, prosper and inspire you.

PRAY as never before! Fast and pray!

In deep love, in Jesus’ name,

Herbert W. Armstrong