And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Acts 6:7 KJV
It is very difficult to read the Word
of God and not see that God is a God of Mathematics. If we seek His Kingdom,
then all these things shall be added. He gives and takes
away (subtracts). And, we are called to rightfully divide His
Word.
In the above text, we note that multiplication is
squarely based in His will. Therefore, at the dictates of the Holy Spirit,
we are called to pray and believe the Lord to work this principle in
our
midst as it pleases Him. It is obvious in this passage that the early
Church went from a season of addition to a harvest of multiplication.
This is something that took place as God fulfilled His word to them [Acts7:
17]; secondly, as a testimony declared in the face of the enemy’s oppressions;
thirdly, as the church was continually built up in the faith [Acts 9:31];
and lastly as each member accepted his responsibility to “spread the Word!”
[Acts 12:24]
The Psalmist cried…
Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold.
Ps. 119: 127 NLT
Herein lies the secret. The church
has to so intensely love the Word of God, until it will find itself naturally
speaking this Word to those about them, and those about them experiencing
the love of the Word that exudes from the Word’s lover. In essence, a
consequence of loving God’s Word is the sharing of that Word with passion.
It is my undaunted belief that God wants us to enjoy the
harvest of the fall, but use it to harvest souls that are awaiting our
utmost attention. We should endeavor to bring one
soul per week for the
next three months (till the end of the year) to worship services. It
is my prayer that the spirit of influence will rest upon you mightily.
The unfortunate end to our summer came on September
11 when many lives were taken in our Country’s worst atrocity of terrorism.
In all of that hurt and tragedy lies a harvest of souls awaiting your
comfort; the comfort of eternal life; and a future of hope as promised
by our God.
So, don’t say, at this point, "I can’t do this,"
or "I’ve tried that before," or "witnessing is not my cup
of tea." If God has said it, then it’s time that you forget
any failure or disappointment of the past, and move out to evangelize
His [fresh] Word.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:7 NKJV
Your power should fuel your search for disciples. Remember,
there is no failure. Use love, as a catalyst in assuring that no soul
should perish into eternal damnation on your watch. Allow God to use your
sound and capable mind to explore all opportunities to witness on His
behalf.
Go into all the world
and make disciples!
is Jesus’ Great Commission. Where is your world? You
are only required to preach [share] the gospel in your world, not
in another’s or mine. You are accountable to God for effectively evangelizing
the world in which He has so graciously placed you.
Therefore, I urge you and encourage you to get busy
with affecting your world. You have more "power" [influence]
than you realize. Step out of your "boat" and use it.
Faith will go ahead of you paving the way. Remember, God believes in you!
Now, you must believe in yourself! After all, what do you have to lose?
Rev. Dr. Luther Blackwell is senior pastor
of Mega Church in Cleveland, Ohio. He is the author of two books, Power
to Get Wealth and The Heritage of the Black Believer. He has
served as one of the hosts of the Praise the Lord television program;
appeared on CBN’s 700 Club; and is a frequent guest on the Trinity Broadcast
Network. Dr. Blackwell founded Mega Church ten years ago. Since its inception,
Mega Church has been among the leaders in the area of racial reconciliation,
demonstrating the ability of God to bring His people of different races
and cultures together. He can be contacted at megachurch@aol.com
or visit the website at http://www.mega-church.org/.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and used by permission.