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I have sent you, before, a "statement of intention" card, for
additional, and SPECIAL offerings each month over and above regular
tithes and offerings -- for the special BUILDING FUND. I want to
THANK those of you who have filled them out and returned them, from
the bottom of my heart. BUT WE DO NOT YET HAVE ENOUGH!
Some might ask: "WHY do you need these statements of
intention?" Some might say: "Why isn't it just as good if I just
send in whatever I can, whenever I can?"
Let me answer that. Did you never read what Jesus said about
BUILDING A BUILDING? "For which of you, intending to build a
tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he
have sufficient to finish it? lest, haply, after he hath laid the
foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin
to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to
finish." (Luke 14:28-30).
Shall I be so FOOLISH, dear Co-Workers? Shall I do what Jesus
tells us is unwise and foolish, and have the world ridicule and
mock GOD'S Work, and bring it to shame?
WE HERE AT HEADQUARTERS MUST KNOW WHETHER WE SHALL BE ABLE TO
FINISH IT, BEFORE WE LAY THE FOUNDATION OF EACH BUILDING! THAT'S
WHY I have to ask for these cards. I have not called them "pledge"
cards. They certainly are not making a vow. IF, for any reason,
you find you are not able to keep up the indicated amount, YOU ARE
NOT BOUND -- though I would appreciate it, IF you find you cannot
continue it, if you would just write a note and let me know. If
that should happen, I'm sure God will cause somebody else to make
it up. Just write in this card the amount you feel you will be
able to send each month as an extra SPECIAL offering, IN ADDITIOn
to other offerings and tithes. Then if you can send MORE, do so.
Several are sending MORE than the estimated amount written on the
card.
But you see WE DO NEED THESE CARDS, so we may count the cost
and KNOW we shall be able to FINISH before STARTING a building.
THIS IS CHRIST'S WAY. You see, we must actually LIVE BY the Word
of God -- the Bible. That is what we do in GOD'S WORK.
I notice that this past month there was a great slacking off
in the loans. Many have some money ahead -- sums larger than they
feel able to give outright at this time -- which they put to be
WORKING in God's Work on a loan basis, until they find they need
it. Of course many of these loans -- or parts of them -- are later
converted into contributions, if and when the lender finds he is
able to GIVE it. But if not, we will return it as or when you need
it.
But if you can GIVE, as a straight contribution, larger sums
in amount of one or more thousands of dollars, IT HAS NEVER BEEN
MORE NEEDED! Not many can give such large sums. That is why they
count so very much! But it is the smaller amounts from the larger
NUMBER of faithful Co-Workers which must be the backbone of
supplying the need of GOD'S WORK!