Acts 9:31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. (ESV)
We hear preached all the time subjects of building up, peace and being comforted but when was the last time someone spoke of a healthy fear of the Lord? This gives us the image of a set of scales nicely balanced. Equal amounts of Comfort and Fear (the healthy type). Is the reason we are not growing and sharing anymore like in the past because we no longer fear how we are going to be judged on how we have used our gift of grace (Eph 2:8-10, etc...)? Or is it that we no longer fear (really care) what will happen to those around us who go to judgment without hearing and accepting grace? Do yourself a favour and study what sort of fears you should shed from your life and what sort of fear you should foster. Balance it with fellowship and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Maybe you will grow some more, hopefully, we will multiply again as before.
When we come across people in our networks that do not want to share it may be for several reasons. If you have equipped them properly and given them the confidence to use their skills (MAWL) and they still do not share; perhaps the root cause of the problem is the fact that they do not have a healthy fear of the Lord. Help them with this too, in a loving and equipping way but not a manipulating or guilt-driven way.
What are your thoughts?
Macka
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