4 December 2006

To: Prayer Partners

From: Pastor Lucenay

Sunday we began the Advent season, the season of preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. Many people in various parts of the world prepare for Christmas by decorating their homes. The church put up the decorations for Christmas a week earlier. Yet, the Advent season is not about decorations. It is about the getting our hearts ready for the birth of Jesus.

Charles Wesley wrote the Christmas carol “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.” We sing Come, Thou long expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us; Let us find our rest in Thee.

In our prayer time let us invite the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts for those things that are holding us captive and preventing us from the freedom God intended for us in Christ Jesus. So many Christians today are held captive by bitterness and an unwillingness to forgive. Something or someone in the past inflicted wrong on them and they are unable to enjoy today’s sunshine due to the damage of yesterday’s storm. If this is the case in your life, why not ask God to help you address this struggle in your preparation for Christmas? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could exit Christmas without this weight in your soul?

Prayer also allows us to put our fears in focus. Let’s take a moment to think about our fears today. We can name them in our prayers. As we consider the ways of God we know He would have us lay our anxieties on Him. Take apart every aspect of your fears and anxieties and lay each part in God’s hands. Give Him permission to handle your fears according to the way that will honor Jesus in your life and in the lives of others who could be affected. We can trust God with our fears.

Wesley sought release from sins. The way we are made means that the things that tempt us vary. And as we journey through life we discover that different things tempt us at different ages. The author to the Hebrews challenges us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles (Hebrews 12:2). Often during the early part of the Advent season churches are reminded of the words of Isaiah…prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him (Isaiah 40:3) as they consider the way John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry (Matthew 3). We clear the clutter in our hearts by taking time to address the rubbish that causes us to be less than God would have us be in Christ Jesus.

The second verse of Wesley’s carol speaks of Jesus as the one who is born to reign in us forever. In our preparation we do well to explore the ways we have sought to control our lives rather than allow the Lord to be the master over us. Thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions must be submitted to the One invited to rule in all our hearts alone.

Please pray for the many special Christmas services. We can bring tremendous meaning to the services as we allow God to work in our hearts preparing us for worship. One by one let us invite people to come to share in these services. Together let us ask the Holy Spirit to open our ears and eyes to the opportunities to share the gospel and to guide our words as we speak of God’s great gift of salvation. Pray for the people who will be attending the services, for those who will sing, for the leaders and for those to speak as well as those who hear God’s Word.

Please pray for the World Missions Offering. This last week another strong typhoon hit the Philippines (Let us pray for those going through loss in the Philippines and those who are seeking to minister there). At least three organizations we are supporting will be helping to some degree in the aftermath of this storm…Baptist World Aid, the International Mission Board, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Our participation in this offering helps us help those who are already at work.

Last weekend our youth had a great retreat. I visited with some of the youth before they left the church. On Saturday night I spent a little time with them and was thrilled to see their spirit of joy and excitement. Sunday night the service was marked by their enthusiasm. Pray for Maik and the youth ministry as they continue to grow in Christ.

The music ministry is taking great strides in preparation for the Cantata. The 11 o’clock choir will make final preparations in the next few days as will a Filipina Ladies Choir and the Hand Bell Choir. Pray for Angie as she leads.

Our prayer list this week includes:

*people who don’t know Jesus:

*the people who are ill

*families in grief

*families in crisis: couples seeking to handle marriage difficulties; parents/children working through the challenges of family life; search for jobs; employer/employee difficulties;

*KIBC: God’s strength and wisdom for the staff as they lead in this special time of year; God’s inspiration for the pastor in sermon preparation and presentation; outreach to the pre-believers in the special services; God’s guidance in finding a media specialist for the office (typing, computer skills, and web knowledge critical); and God’s guidance in addressing space issues

*our kindergarten: God’s guidance in finding a helper for the classes; health of the people involved in the kindergarten.

Thank you for your prayer support and sweet spirit. May God fill you with His peace and joy.