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I say now to you, dear Co-Workers--GOD HAS CALLED YOU, and
me, TO WARN THIS NATION, and to proclaim to the whole world the
GOOD NEWS (Gospel) of the WORLD TOMORROW (the Kingdom of GOD, to
rule the world and bring universal peace, freedom, prosperity, and
salvation!). I say to YOU, now, that your money--your home--every
material thing you have--will be taken from you SOON--probably in
12 to 13 years, certainly in 15 or less!
BUT--if you and I lay up TREASURE IN HEAVEN by putting our
SELVES, and our all into THE WORK OF GOD, now, while there is yet
time--God Himself promises--IF we are watching and praying always--
we shall be taken to a PLACE OF SAFETY and completely PROTECTED
from all the frightful things to come! Two thirds of all Americans
will die or be killed in the approaching famine, disease epidemic,
and nuclear WAR! THIS IS NO PIPE-DREAM! THIS IS stark reality!
Riding on the train this morning, I was reading in my
Bible. I was reading in Romans 15. Paul was writing that he was
going to Jerusalem to minister to the poor saints (Verse 25). They
were poor and in need of food. The brethren in Macedonia had made
a contribution to the physical NEED of their Jerusalem brethren.
Then Paul said that if these Gentile-born Christians in Macedonia
had been partakers of the SPIRITUAL truths and blessings and riches
of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, then they were actually IN
DEBT to now minister to the Jewish brethren in MATERIAL need, or
carnal things (Verses 26-28). So, Paul spoke of PERFORMING this
ministry--this PHYSICAL ministry of sending them FRUIT to eat
(Verse 28).
Then again, in I Cor. 16, Paul wrote of this same thing--
this same physical and material NEED of the poor saints at
Jerusalem--in his letter to the brethren at Corinth. Paul had
given ORDERS to the churches in Galatia to send fruit and material
supplies to the needy Christians at Jerusalem. And now, in the
same way, Paul is instructing--actually giving ORDERS--to the
saints at Corinth to do the same. NOTICE there is GOVERNMENT in
God's Church, and in the work of God. Christ had given Paul
AUTHORITY to carry out Christ's orders. Paul now ordered each
Gentile-born Christian at Corinth to LAY BY him--IN STORE--that is,
to lay by and store up, BY HIM--at his own farm or home--according
as God had prospered him in physical goods. This was a
"collection" for the poor and needy saints at Jerusalem (I Cor.
16:1). Each one was to LAY BY, and STORE UP, this fruit and food
and supplies for the needy saints, ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.
God's tithe, like the "FIRST FRUITS," is always the first
tenth, not the last. Likewise, this special GATHERING of fruit and
food from the field was to be gathered up and laid by IN STORE, at
the very BEGINNING of the week--the first work-day of the week, not
later on in the week. And why were they to STORE THIS UP? Notice
verse 2--"that there be no GATHERING when I come." Paul was NOT
talking about a collection-plate in church on Sunday morning. He
was talking about GATHERING (I Cor. 16:2) FRUIT (Rom. 15:28) and
food for the POOR saints (I Cor. 16:1 and Rom. 15:26), and LAYING
IT BY--STORING IT UP--each by himself, at home (I Cor. 16:2).
When Paul arrived at Corinth, he would send THEM (more