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Dear ..
Once more this year
the Leadership of the International Office invites the
Church of God of Prophecy family all around the world to
join us in a Fast for Awakening 2009 as we begin the New
Year. It has been a great strength infusion over the past
two years to begin the New Year with 21 days of fasting and
seeking God for His blessings over our efforts to answer His
call and carry His gospel forward in the world. This year I
cannot imagine beginning the year without such a season of
seeking and hunger for God.
The most
pronounced lesson that we have learned over the last two
years has been that Christ is the head of the church and we
can do nothing without Him. Amazingly the simplest lessons
seem to be the ones that keep returning as new revelations
along the journey. Just as our flesh bodies are the frail
temples for our soul and spirit to use, the church here on
earth is the frail vessel for Christ to fill and then work
through to accomplish His will in the world.
I know of no
better way to welcome and to empower Christ’s filling and
working in the church than through fasting and prayer. So
this January we are looking forward to another wonderful
season of setting aside our desire for food and lifting high
our desire for His will to be done and His presence to lead
our ministries fresh and new. Fasting has always been a
means of pressing our flesh cravings down, a form of
crucifixion, and seeking Christ’s presence and power. In a
real way we are joining Christ in Gethsemane saying, “Not my
will but thine be done.”
With this
understanding that we are the vessels and Christ is the
treasure that fills us and empowers us, we can all declare
that we need God in our areas of outreach and ministry. In
the broad scope let me point you to our three Core Values as
we consider fasting and seeking God for the first 21 days of
2009. Prayer, Harvest, and Leadership Development are the
three values God has laid on our hearts from the General
Presbyters’ table.
Prayer,
perhaps we could ask God to raise up a mighty prayer hunger
for God and His personal touch throughout out ministry area.
There are so many aspects of application for this great
value, revival, renewal, awakening, empowering, leading…
Harvest,
perhaps we could pray that God will work with us, in us, and
through us to see where He is opening ministry opportunities
and to carry us into those divinely prepared ministries.
Again, many harvest goals could be mentioned for prayer.
Leadership
Development, perhaps we could seek
God to raise up an army of harvesters and ministers to reap
in this glorious season of harvesting around us. The list
will span from developing new emerging leaders, to
fortifying our current consistent and strong leaders.
We are not alone in
this season of seeking. Many other ministries have felt the
tug of the Lord on their hearts to seek Him early for this
year of ministry. Let’s remember the promise of God from
Jeremiah as we join together for this Fast for Awakening
2009, “Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee
great and mighty things that you do not know.” As we seek
God together I am expecting great and mighty things to come
from God.
Praying For
His Awakening,
R. E. Howard
R. E. Howard
General
Overseer |
