Genesis 30:1, 24
While others may be satisfied to limit themselves and remain static and become dried up and anemic, the church remains driven by His powerful, unalterable command “… Be fruitful and multiply …” (Genesis 1:28). To His infant church, Jesus unequivocally said, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them…” (Matthew 28:19). Knowing that we should be successful, Jesus said, “… baptizing them” (v28). Therefore, by His grace and by His inerrant word we, His people, subscribe to a “vision of more.” It remains His divine intent and will for His church to grow and incessantly multiply. Luke in his careful documentation of the development of the progress of the Early Church attests to this truth when he declares “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). Constantly as they prayed, they saw increase, multiplication, and great advancement of the work.
Today, I pray that as COVID-19 continues to rage uncontrollably that the evangelistic endeavors of the church shall neither be diminished nor stymied in any way. May the Almighty God continue to bless His work and advance His great cause among us despite all the crises and setbacks that this generation presently faces. Our consistent prayer remains like He taught us, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). As so many loved ones all around us are being ushered into eternity, may we pray more intently and work even more diligently for the eternal salvation of souls. May our earnest desire be always to depopulate hell and enlarge the citizenry of heaven. We pray the more for growth and increase. May it truly be said of us, like it was said of the Jerusalem church, that the number of disciples multiplied in the Northeast Region greatly and multitudes became obedient to the faith.
I am hereby simply proclaiming that the Church of God in the Northeast needs more disciples, more children, more born-again people, more converts, more churches. It is not that we are not grateful for what we have, but like the Early Church, we remain convinced that there is so much more that needs to be done. We are thankful for the mercy drops, but we now pray for showers of blessings!
In Genesis 30:1, Rachel desperately cried out, “Give me children, or else I die”. It became her mantra until it finally happened for her. Rachel so wanted to be blessed, not just with one child, but with a progeny of children. She wanted to be blessed and to be blessed again. She desired to be abundantly blessed. When she was eventually blessed with a son, whom she called Joseph, she immediately used the occasion to prophesy upon herself another blessing. With rapt attention, we read, “And she called his name Joseph; and said, the Lord shall add to me another son” (Genesis 30:24). The blessing emboldened her to speak even more positively and authoritatively over her own life. She undoubtedly rejoiced over Joseph, but immediately she laid claim to more. No longer barren, she prophesied increase and addition over her circumstances.
We keep in mind that the same God that blessed us once, can bless us twice and can extravagantly bless us again and again. Like Rachel, we cry out and implore, “Give me (us) children, or I’ll (we’ll) die” (Genesis 30:1 NIV). When the blessing finally comes, we see ourselves transformed from petitioners to prophets as we declare “… The Lord shall add to me (us) another son” (Genesis 30:24). I prophesy great growth and increase upon all our lives and churches here in the Northeast Region and beyond. Blessings multiplied!
Leroy V. Greenaway
Presiding Bishop – Northeast Region
