Prayer Letter - 17 October 2005

To: Prayer Partners
From: Pastor Lucenay

One of the encouraging comments people sometimes make to the pastor is “I am praying for you.” H.B. London heads up a ministry to pastors section of Focus on the Family, a large Christian organization in the U.S. Dr. London suggests several ways he prays for pastors:

• I pray that the demands on a pastor’s time will not threaten his intimacy with God.
• I pray that a pastor will give adequate attention to his own family as he seeks to guide those in his congregation.
• I pray that a pastor will find colleagues who are spiritual brothers and sisters who claim their communities for Christ.
• I pray that a pastor would preach and teach the Word with courage and boldness; that he would not be tepid or bashful about identifying sin or leading his fellow people to repentance.
• I pray that people will respond to the pastor’s leadership and passion, following his example with great enthusiasm.
• I pray that our world will wake up to the fact that the pastor is proclaiming a unique message of love, hope, salvation, transformation, and restoration that just cannot be ignored.
• I pray that the pastor will finish his ministry strong, that his life will be sustained by God’s strength, and that he will be an example to believers in speech, life, love, and purity.

Certainly, his list covers many of the needs of your pastor as well as pastors in many places. I know I ask God to:

• help me maintain a close walk with Jesus.
• help me see people through His eyes.
• have His heart for people.
• know when and where He is leading in His ministry with our church.
• guide me to hear and understand His voice when He speaks through the wise people around me.
• help me hear the subtle “cries for help” that can be almost hidden in regular conversation.
• pace my life, so priorities are in order and margins are maintained.
• help me to encourage my wife and support her ministry.
• be the dad my grown children need, even at a distance.
• find joy in the unique opportunities He unfolds for us each day.
• avoid temptations that could hurt my fellowship with the Lord and destroy my witness for Him.
• have courage to stand with the Lord in all circumstances.
• have a faith-filled vision, limited only by the possibilities of God.

As I think about it, our staff and church leaders have similar prayer needs. Certainly, responsibilities vary, but the challenge of living for Jesus as His leaders requires a clear commitment to Christ. Thank you for your prayers for your pastor and for our staff and church leaders.

During the past months we have seen great disasters in our world. Every day we hear of the difficulties of the most recent disaster in Pakistan and we know people haven’t finished the clean up work from the last hurricanes in China and the US. We recently took up an offering to address some of the disasters. In the last church conference we established special disaster relief account on the designated fund to help minister in these disasters. Daily we read of the concern regarding a pandemic of flu that could destroy lives and wreck economies. Take a few minutes to pray for the people who are hurting from the heavy hand of the recent disasters. Pray for those ministering to them and seeking to provide the basic necessities for them. Also pray for those who are seeking to find ways to keep us healthy if and when the flu disaster comes.

The other night as we prayed together with some of our people before the Church Conference, the request was made for prayer for family members who do not know the Lord. In most of the prayer groups in which I participate here in Hong Kong, there is at least one person, if not more, who is praying for relatives who do not know the Lord. Let us pray for the family members who do not know the Lord and for those who have fallen away from their commitment to Jesus Christ. May God’s Spirit get their attention, awaken their sensitivity, and bring them to a living relationship with Jesus. Sunday, WF prayed to receive Jesus right after the traditional worship service. We thank God for the answer to prayer in her life.

Our large group prayer request times almost always surface concerns for people who are ill. Some are ill in Hong Kong. Some are ill in the Philippines, some in the U.S. and some in various other countries. This week our ill include but are not limited to: G’s mom; B; A (ill & no faith); M; C (ill & no faith); N, M, N, and D. Word came to me on Sunday that our former minister of youth, Michelle K is in Vanderbilt Hospital after a motorcycle accident. She is in the intensive care unit with broken bone and other injuries. MC-surgery in LA, RW ill in Atlanta, CK's grandfather, very ill, Q. Some of our people are quite healthy and are heavy with child. I dare not try to list them all as I do not have their permission. However, do pray for the ladies who are expecting. Some families are suffering from relational difficulties, poor decisions, or other problems. And some of our people are having a difficult time finding work or difficulties at work. One missionary asked we pray for him/her as this person goes to Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand in the coming weeks. Please pray for these very personal issues.

Sunday morning we shared in the family dedication of J as his parents, B and T, brought him to the front of the church for prayer. B and T used this occasion to invite friends who are pre-believers to the event and then share their faith afterwards. Let us pray for J and his family as well as the friends of the family that the Lord will touch their lives and guide their steps.

The next three Sundays Jack Ridlehoover will be preaching in my place. Jack and Kenneth Coates worked together for many years in Abilene, Texas. He is well-respected as a pastor and a true gentleman. Nancy and I will be with family as we share in a special activity with Charles and enjoy the rest of the family as well. You are in our prayers and we look forward to our return to you. Thank you for this opportunity to participate in a significant moment. God bless.