Prayer Letter - 6th March 2006

To: Prayer Partners

From: Pastor Lucenay

How do our weaknesses enter our prayer life? Jesus said, If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell (Matthew 5:29-30).

Did Jesus really want to identify His followers as the one-eyed, left handed army of the Lord? I don't think so. David knew the problem of a wandering eye and addressed it with the vow I will set before my eyes no vile thing (Psalm 101:3). And Zophar admonished Job to put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent (Job 11:14). 

But these words are far from the drastic measures suggested by Jesus... or are they?

Rather than mutilation, Jesus is strongly addressing our need to confront the root problem behind our weaknesses. If we don't address the cause, the problem will occur repeatedly. If a man has a problem with profanity, he not only must work on disciplining his tongue, but also must avoid surroundings where profanity is abundant. If the problem is gossip, one must avoid people who encourage and enjoy gossip. With overspending, wandering through markets and malls, and, with some, the internet must be stopped. If the problem is pornography, magazines, internet, or whatever other sources one has to feed this lust must be avoided.

But what is behind our problem? What is the root cause? Some have repeatedly prayed Psalm 32 or Psalm 51 in efforts to confess their sins. Who has not identified with David's words, When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer (Psalm 32:3, 4) I know there have been moments when I prayed Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions (rebellions). 
Wash away all my iniquity (crookedness; warped, twisted ways) and cleanse me from my sin (missing the mark of God's way). For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me (Psalm 51:1-3).

However, one's personal slavery to that sin doesn't seem to go away. Paul felt this and used Romans 7 to speak of his frustration with his own sin. Feelings of defeat own us. Maybe it is time to invite God to help explore the insecurities that feed our peculiar sin issues. I believe that rather than asking for self-mutilation, Jesus was using a hyperbole to tell us to cut out those things in our lives that feed our weaknesses.

The season of Lent is a season the church uses to think about life. Our prayer journey allows us to answer the questions, "What are the areas of weakness in our lives?" "What would God have us to do, to avoid the situations that stimulate our sin?" Maybe we can pray through our weaknesses..."Father, help me to be honest with myself, seeing my weaknesses, ugliness, and sinfulness. Teach me to face those unpleasant parts of my life; the ones I like to pretend don't exist. Show me how You can help me address my root issues in a Christ-honoring way. As I depend on You to change me within, please help me to accept my responsibility for avoiding the things that so easily make me stumble even as I pray, Lead me not into temptation (Matthew 6:13).

O God, help me avoid the things that tempt me to be less than I can be in Christ. Help me focus on living in Your will. I pray in Jesus' name."

Perhaps this is a good time to read Romans 8 and ask God to make the truth of who you are in Christ Jesus to become real to you at the depth of your being.

Sunday I began a series of sermons on Colossians. This book holds great truths for us. However, understanding these truths is not always easy. Join with me in the prayer that the Holy Spirit will prepare our hearts to hear these truths. Notice, I asked you to join me in the prayer that we will hear these truths with the heart. Life is transformed, not when words make their way into our ears, but when truths settle in our hearts. Ask God to make our worship a holy time, a divine encounter free of the distractions common to us.

Our Praise and Worship teams are preparing a special late service for Good Friday. We will have the regular Tenebrae Service (Service of Shadows) at 7:30pm on Good Friday. Then, at 9:00pm we will have a Praise and Worship service focusing on the Crucifixion. The aim is to share the power of this event with our pre-believing friends. Pray for the preparation going into both of these special times. Pray for God's guidance as our people invite friends and family to the service that most nearly fits their schedule and interests.

This week our people are praying for the following:

For Salvation: J, T, A, A, W, T, S, C, A, A, H, Mrs. M

For Health: (N L's mom); J B (recovering from broken leg); M K (recovering from accident);

For Personal Needs: Marriage, Children, Parents, Students away at school, Students applying for school; Debts, Personal Business; Family in another country; Safety in travel

For our Church: our staff (we have a new caretaker, Mr. W); our music ministry; our bible study teachers; our deacons, our members; our guests; our ministries; our stewardship; our space needs, the Spirit of God in our fellowship; help in avoiding distractions in worship; P and I B as they prepare to come to Hong Kong where he will be our minister of education; for our quest for a minister of youth and our visit with a candidate.

For our city: our leaders, avoidance of avian flu, solution to smog, economy