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PASTOR'S REPORT, July 11, 1979
Page 6
Fellows, I hope all of us can join God's apostle in this effort with
all of our united strength! We all need to preach more sermons to help
the Church to grow in every way "unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ." We need to emphasize this total yielding to God in
every phase and facet of life.
For too many years, we have had large sections of brethren and even
our ministry who were not really CONQUERED by God! Those individuals often
believe most of the truth, and seem to "go along with us" when things are
pleasant and stable. But one "key" to their attitude is that they will
"bristle" when they are corrected. They will generally NOT accept strong
correction or any type of demotion without a ''figh�' or even their resig
nation from the ministry and/or the Church.
In a word, they are SELF-willed!
Now, the Living Christ is allowing all kinds o� trials to come on us
in order to see if these people truly are converted--CONQUERED by God.
Perhaps Christ i�even using some of the difficulties we are passing through
to see if you and I are willing to look beyond the immediate human eleMent
in ANY situation and recognize that CHRIST really is alive and in charge,
over all of the Church and Work most of us have been a part of for many
years.
Yes, He does allow us to make mistakes--and I have certainly made my
share--but he guides and orchestrates the MAJOR direction of everything in
the Church and He is the active HEAD!
This fact is of supreme importance to us, fellows, and I
.1
;pe all of
you will deeply study the Bible as outlined last week, and PRAY constantly
and fervently to keep in personal touch with our God and cur living Head
and Savior at His right hand.
Mr. Armstrong has, in fact, stated that he wants all of us ministers
to join him in doi;-i.g _"
0
1st this! Personally, I know that when i don't pray
to God on my knees for at least 30 minutes a day--I don't grow spiritually.
True, Imaynot "fall away" or retrogress too far, -but God----rs-r.ot as REAL
to me if I don't study the Bible regularly and pray daily and ferventTy-:-
Fellows, I know that all of you have probably preached entire sermons
on this subject of prayer. But, as Mr. Armstrong has said:
":_ � :nust be
a praying ministry!"
And in many cases, even though we know about prayer, we obviously have
NOT been as close to God as we should h�been as God's own ministers.
Otherwise, the heavy drinking, gambling, cursing, dirty jokes Jnd illicit
sex, broken marriages and "broken" attitudes would NEVER have occurred
among us.
So let's all respond! Let's all use Mr. Ar:r1strong's admonition as a
trumpet call t()��ttle ourselves and sincerely draw close to God. �et's
"pray... lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting"
(I
Tim. 2: 8) .
Let us pour out our hearts--sometimes with sincere TEARS in
011::::-
eyr>s as
our Savior did (Heb.5:7T:"" And, let us, like Epaphras be "a:,w :qs 1..abc,Ein�
FERVENTLY for (one another) in prayers that ye may �tand perfect �� s:c�'
2-
plete in all the wil
1
of God ( Col. 4:
12) .
This total co;-nmunion w t., ) , ,:-