This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis (TeresaS@ncal.verio.com)

Pastor My People
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Many of my people are unshepherded. Many are hurt and wounded and have no place to turn to for pastoring, for fathering, for being built up and raised up and healed and sent out.

There are more hurting people in my body than ever before. Children who have not yet learned my ways. Children who have not yet learned to trust in me. Children who have no one to bind up their wounds.

Many of my people are weak and hurting. They do not have a pastor to run to. They do not have someone to teach them to deny their feelings and embrace my healing. They do not have someone to turn to to deny their fears and embrace faith in my provision. They have not learned to trust me and they are too busy trying to vindicate themselves for wrongs done to them. They have not yet learned to forgive and to fully embrace my way of love. They have not learned to turn their focus from off of their own selves, from off of their own needs, and to put it into my perspective. They are young in their maturity, but they are my children. And I love them dearly.

It is my desire to see them trained up in the way they should go. It is my desire to heal their emotional hurts, to bind up their physical wounds, to meet their needs and to teach them that I am the Lord their God, their provider. It is my desire to see them rise above the mire. It is my desire to see their focus change from their own needs and fears and worries and concerns to the things of my spirit. I want them to learn to think with a kingdom mentality, to know my ways and to take on my priorities as their own priorities.

How can they learn these things if there is no one to pastor them and no one to train them in the way that they should go?

Do not point the finger at the professional pastors of the churches. Yes, there are some that are derelict in their jobs, and I am dealing with their hearts. There are some that have wrong motives and wrong priorities, and I will first give them opportunity to repent and embrace my priorities.. and if not, then I will remove them. But I say unto you, these are not the problems.

A spirit of rejection and hurt and alienation and condemnation had been loosed against the Church as never before. Many are in pain under it's "ministry". I have given my church victory over this, my authority, but they do not yet know how to use it. So they suffer at the enemy's hand. It is time to raise them up and teach them of my authority and of my victory and of my healing and of my great love for them and of my good plans for them.

Do not look to the full-time pastors alone for this. I never intended for them to bare the burden of this on their own. It has always been my plan for my mature sons and daughters to help and raise up the ones who are younger in the faith. Many of my churches have many people and just a few staff pastors. They cannot meet the needs of all the people ... I never intended for them to do that. It has always been my intention for the stronger ones to help the weaker ones. It has always been my intention for the mature ones to help the younger ones. Do you not see that in the natural family order that I have established, where older children help and assist their younger siblings? I also intend it to be that way in my Church.

My people, I desire that you help pastor my people. Care for their needs. In my power and in my authority, heal their wounds... raise them up as strong in me and teach them in the way that they should go.

Look around you. Do you see hurting ones in your midst? I am not calling you to be perfect before you start to minister. Are there ones who need guidance and pastoring and attention? Love on them with my love. Draw from my anointing -- I have already deposited it within you -- and give them what they need. The ones who are more mature in the faith must help their younger brothers and sisters grow up in me.

Work with me to shepherd my people. Care for those who I care for. Build them up. Cause them to grow and mature in me. Teach them my ways, that they in turn might teach others.