AN ENLARGED HEART

Pastor Rick Finley of Fellowship Baptist Church in Durham, NC recently met with our church staff and ministry leaders to bring a word of encouragement and challenge us as we continue to serve and minister to the people in our local community.

In II Cor. 6 the apostle Paul is writing to the Christians at Corinth about their rightful place in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. These people had grown from their earlier stages of carnality and immaturity, and now Paul is speaking to them about their responsibility as "...workers together with him..."

2 Cor. 6:11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. What does Paul mean about an enlarged heart? Enlarged means "to widen, to make broad, to make room." Paul is saying that he has grown in his love for these people, loving them even more than when he first began to work with them.

As we serve in our local church, it is my prayer to God for both me and for those who serve along with me that God would enlarge our hearts.

1. Pray that God would give you greater patience with people.
2. Pray that God would give you greater understanding of people's needs.
3. Pray that God would give you a greater vision for people.
4. Pray that God would give you greater accomodation of people.
5. Pray that God would give you a greater willingness to serve people.
6. Pray that God would give you greater expression of the the love you already have.
7. Pray that God would give you a greater desire to help people.
8. Pray that God would give you greater confidence in people.
9. Pray that God would give you greater influence in people's lives.
10. Pray that God would give you a greater love for people.