In Jesus' Name - Be Healed!

"God the Father disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed." (Hebrews 12:10-13)

I'm reading some materials I received in the mail today, materials that lay out a daring and positive vision for a ministry that has has suffered a more than 50 percent decline in the last 15 years.

There is no whitewashing of the facts. They admit that they have "failed to reach the new population for Christ and the church" and speak candidly of "difficult internal struggles which resulted in the departure of members."  For this ministry, however, the time of loss is over.  It's now time to GROW!

How inspirational is that!  Here are some visionary themes gleaned from the materials:

• Growth needs to be a major goal.
• The Lord used persecution as a positive means for spreading the gospel in the book of Acts.  Thus the Lord desires to use the challenges we face to propel all of us to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to each one in our community.   
• Every unsaved person within the broad area of our church and in our individual sphere of influence is our mission field.   
• The Lord Jesus says that the harvest is ready!  We cannot be satisfied until we have done everything possible to reach the lost for Christ, searching for the lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son and introducing them to Jesus!
• Let us together ask the Lord to give us a passion for the lost!  And lest us pray earnestly for the Lord to fill us with His Holy Spirit, propelling and sending us to witness to his power and his love.

Have you been wounded?  Has your church or ministry suffered?  Are you ready to let go of the past so you can be used by God?  Are you ready to pray for healing?  It's time to leave the past where it belongs and to launch out to what God has for us now!   

If your wounding is standing in the way, call for experienced and mature Christian friends to come and pray with you and for you.  

Let the tears flow, grieve the loss, receive healing from the Lord, and in Jesus' name, press on!  

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