Let Us Not Forget
To begin this article, I want to quote a couple of Scriptures that I definitely believe belongs to our day. They are found in Ecclesiastes the 10th chapter and the 18th and 19th verses, 'By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.' The next verse in this chapter definitely points out this to be a last days' product. For many years we have preached and rejoiced in the fulfillment of the 20th verse. I will endeavor to bring out in this article that we cannot afford to think that the program of God can be carried out without men and women becoming mighty workers and our auxiliaries raising money that the gospel of the Church may continue to grow.
The first verse of that Scripture shows the danger of a work ceasing. A local church can certainly fold up and no longer be a Lighthouse for Christ if members become idle and cease to work in the Church. Churches have been found to die spiritually and cease to function when members become careless and unconcerned about the welfare of the local church.
We read in the 12th chapter of I Corinthians where the Lord placed helps and governments in the body. This simply means that without our auxiliaries functioning, we cease to have helps and the Church becomes crippled and unable to carry out its mission. The sad part is that members cease to be spiritual and many of them loose their victory. Jesus said He gave every man his work and this means every member is a worker and a special work for everyone. Let us not become idle! What our hands find to do, let us do it with all our might.
Some will say, "All I can hear is money, money." It is true that material things are not to be first, but the Scriptures clearly point out that without money it is impossible to accomplish our church work. Let me call your attention to a few incidents in the New Testament. Why did the Early disciples sell their properties and belongings and lay them at the Apostles feet if it were possible to get by without money? They did this in two emergencies. Let me ask...Why did the Lord set-up a 10% tithing system, then in conjunction with this, required offerings to be brought into the House of God? The Bible points out in many places where special drives were carried out for money that the work of the Lord might continue. The Bible shows that God's people had special emergency funds. This is why the 19th verse of the 10th chapter of Ecclesiastes points out that whatever you do for God, money is the answer to the promotion of it.
...I am saying this as a warning and charge before God in the face of all of these Scriptures that I have used...for the Gospel cannot go without money. Once it was said by A. J. Tomlinson that God had provided the money system for His work and why did we think we could get along without it...I want to encourage our...workers in the local churches to outline methods and work that will bring in a greater support so that we may continue the advancement of spreading this great light that God has entrusted us with; the work on the missionary field definitely is great. If we had more funds, we could continue to establish churches everywhere and have mighty revivals. Church organizations are calling for us and funds will not permit us to reach them. More movements in foreign countries are desiring to be with us in this great light but funds are not available. ...but the Scriptures say that money answers all things. Yes, it is money, money. I cannot help it for this is God's plan and not mine. 'A feast is make for laughter; wine maketh merry.' This is speaking in regard to the House of God and the feast and good times that there are in the Lord, but money is a mans of support. I know these are pretty strong statements, but I think everyone will agree they are true. The Bible says in Galatians 6:2, 'Bear ye one another's burdens...' According to this Scripture, there is no member excused from the responsibility of the burden of the Church in getting the Gospel into all the world...Let us not forget God is holding us responsible to spread this Gospel of GREAT LIGHT.