Excerpts from the August 15 sermon when a call was made for monthly healing services - Dave

Joel 2:15-18

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly.

Israel was instructed to call a solemn assembly. We need to do the same. Let us blow the trumpet in our community, consecrate a fast, and call a sacred assembly to pray for healing in lives and revival in our city. In the past few months I have been impressed to begin a monthly healing service in September for those in our church and community who are hurting emotionally, mentally, and physically. But then as I began this study in Joel I thought God was telling us to call an assembly for revival in our city. It was at this point that God seemed to speak to my heart and helped me understand that what is revival from our view is healing from God’s view. Without genuine healing in our soul, we can never be renewed in our spirit. There is no revival without healing. And revival is simply sending out the healing message from our church, out to others in the community. As we are healed, we will see revival. As others are healed, they will be revived.

In order to begin this sacred assembly for healing and revival, we must begin by gathering the people. Notice that no one is excluded. Everyone is called upon to participate - the elders, the children, the newly married, even the infants. God wants us to gather and to sanctify ourselves. Too often we carry baggage from the past that hinders our witness or our joy. Past sins, guilt, feelings of worthlessness all tend to pull us down and render us ineffective. God wants us to let our past go. Whatever wrong things you have done, allow God to cleanse and heal you. So let us plan to gather together the third Sunday evening in September for healing, and for revival in our hearts.

If we are willing to do all these things, we have the promise that God will be zealous for his people, for his church, and for this land. God will hear our prayers and have pity on us. As we are approaching the end of the millennium, there are many people who are searching for spiritual answers. There are many people who are confused by the rampant violence and senseless disregard for life surrounding us. Many are hurting in ways that we can’t understand - emotional scars, mental anguish, spiritual darkness. As this year draws to a close, there may be some looking for a church to help them through their time of confusion. Can we be that church? Are we willing to spend time doing God’s work? Are we ready to share the wonderful gospel message? I would like to call upon the church to join with me and pray for revival, but not in the context of new members or bigger numbers. Rather let us pray for revival through healing. Commit with me to pray every day through the third Sunday of September and as long as it takes after that for God’s healing hand to reach down to broken lives in our family, in our church, and in our community. And then on the evening of the third Sunday of September, let us gather together for a sacred assembly for healing. We will come to worship by singing, we will come to hear a word from scripture, and we will come to pray for all those who need healing - especially healing of the mind and of the spirit, but also healing for our body and financial and material needs. In verse 12 God said, "turn to me with all your heart." Let us be willing to do that.?