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folNews February 2020

folNews February 2020

by fol CHURCH on February 01, 2020

Dear Friends,

A month ago I wrote about the importance and significance of vision in the life of the church. I asked everyone to spend a little time each week seeking God’s vision for us, the church, and for ourselves as individuals too. We should not be surprised that when we ask God to speak He honours our requests, and He has been speaking. The tarrying service on 5th January had some very distinct threads running through it that I’d like to share with you along with a succession of words that have also been passed on since that date.

Although a little discernment is needed reading through them there were 11 words of knowledge given that expressed something of God’s love for us, 7 words relating to perseverance, 2 that spoke of God’s light, several others that spoke about God’s direction, purposes and plans for us and even more that spoke of His strength, presence, revelation, courage, His many blessings for us and His desire to heal us. With regard to the Church

Planting and Revitalisation initiative currently underway there is a sense that God wants to revitalise the old and to build new simultaneously. Churches together, without boundaries or borders and a sense that deep humility is the key to moving the kingdom forward. There are probably a variety of different conclusions that we could draw from these but it seems to me that His boundless love for us and His desire that we persevere through the things that we’re wrestling with are the key areas He wants to highlight for now. Follow that

with a sense of direction and purpose being worked out and I find that I’m wonderfully encouraged for the things coming our way this year. I trust you are too and please don’t stop seeking God’s vision as we travel through the year.

In light of these things we continue to explore the possibilities of where and what God might be leading us into. I spoke recently about our increasingly pressing need to consider how we manage our growth so we continue to seek God’s will for the Fountain of Life. I believe the time for expansion is advancing upon us. As I mentioned in my talk on 12th January we have reached the point where the number of people on the church’s electoral register exceeds the number of seats we have by a factor of at least 3:2. I don’t mind squeezing up to make room but we do need to be practical about how we manage our ministries as well as our numbers.

I’d like to encourage everyone to think about the places where we live. Last month I asked you to seek God for vision so this month I’d like to ask that you pray for your corner of the universe. Pray for your neighbours and friends. Pray for your village or town. If the weather permits and you’re able to do it consider prayer walking the avenues and roadways around you. The exercise will be good no matter what the outcome is. When you go why not see if there are others who might want to join with you. I think we should persevere in this too.

When Joshua marched round the walls of Jericho he did it with purpose, in perseverance and humility knowing that he could achieve nothing without God’s presence (See Joshua 6). I think we should be doing the same. I want my family, my neighbours and friends to come to know the God who has expressed His love for us so clearly as I’m sure you do. I want them to know His healing power and to know that He is alive and is desperate to have a relationship with them, so let’s pray and persevere for the Kingdom.

Abundant Blessings,

Paul

 

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