m2c 2011 prayer initiative

2011 Prayer Support for Mission V. 2; N. 02

Lifebridge, Houston

LifeBridge started in the Fall of 2008 with a group of believers in Cypress who desired to create a different kind of church. At the heart and core of LifeBridge is a belief that the church should look very different from our consumer-driven culture. (For more go to The Website)

Invocation

Father who creates, sustains, and calls, prepare my heart, prepare my mind, prepare my soul to serve you in all I say and do, even as you prepared Zechariah to witness to his own family, the love You have for all people to Your glory and for the sake of Your holy name. Amen.

Reading Luke 1:5-25; Psalm 65

Reflection: A Life of Active Preparation

What a rare opportunity Zechariah had to serve the Lord in His temple, probably far less than a one percent chance. The lot fell to Zechariah and he served his tour of duty as the priest to burn incense in the temple as a multitude of folks gathered outside to pray during the hour of incense. Our hope is always that our prayers will rise as pleasing incense before the Lord. While Zechariah was a priest he was not immune to expressing his own prayers before the Lord either. Zechariah's prayer was on behalf of his wife, Elizabeth, and their bareness as a couple.

I believe it to be true that the very best plans of the Lord begin, develop, and unroll during prayer time. This is true for Zechariah whose prayer God hears, answers, and begins to unroll, leaving Zechariah in a state of unbelief, which ushered in for him a season of speechlessness. The promised son is born and Zechariah's mouth is unstopped with a hymn of praise to the Lord who always moves on behalf of His people.

The promised son, John, is given a life of preparation. He is preparing for the Savior Jesus and his life will be a ministry of reconciliation and sharing the wisdom of God to a disobedient people. We too live a life of preparation. We are entering into relationships to prepare people to receive the good news of their Savior. We are preparing to share our hope whenever the moment arises. Preparation is an active life lived out among people of all ages, colors, and creeds who need to meet the Savior. This is by no means an easy task. The task can be perilous in many environments.

Are you going to live sowing seeds of the Savior or will you become speechless and doubtful about what the Lord can accomplish in your midst? Maybe the time has come for you to start praying and seeing what will begin, develop, and unroll for you, a fellow agent connecting people to the Savior.

--Rev Tim Radkey, Lead Pastor, Hope, Lubbock, member BMA, Texas District, LCMS

Pray

(As you pray include . . . people who don't know Christ; people who will plant & witness; people who pray. )

Benediction
Go now, in confidence, knowing that He who leads you also sustains you in faith. Amen.

Pray for Missionaries and their Families -----

For the Preparation of new Church Planters who are ready to enter into this challenging and difficult ministry in Texas and throughout the nation

For the Center for Us Mission CPAC. Pray that men and their families are raised up for vital church planting in our church body.

For the unseen workers in neighborhoods and communities in Texas and around the world.

For Mr Luciano Vega-Ayala, LINC Houston, Centro de Fe y Esperanza

For Rev. Oscar Benavides, LINC North Texas Executive Director

For your own pastor

For Irfan Mahomoud, Sabir Bashir, and Gian Din

For church planter coaches and those being coached

Pray for New Missions -----

For the Holy Spirit to guide the formation of Abiding Word Lutheran Church in Gonzales, Texas

For Hope Lutheran, Marble Falls, planted in connection with Genesis, Buchanan Dam

For Grace Community Church (Pakistani / Indian)

For Mission Marble Falls as it launches worship.

For Redeemer, Austin to strategize and implement childcare outreach.

For St. Paul, McAllen as they investigate a new start with SMP Vicar Mr. Andrew Perry

For the development of mission in Decatur and Candelaria

For St. John Cypress as they look for their next mission start.

For Epiphany, Pearland as they continue to develop their multi-site ministry.

For Mission Liberty Hill

Pray for Continuing and Key Events -----

For congregations to make bringing Christ to communities their top priority

For strong fellowship development among like minded witnesses

For Missional Worker Training in Area C

For the search for Director for LINC San Antonio

For Hope, Lubbock as they discern their next mission step

For Grace, Midland as they continue to work with immigrant groups in their area

For the Ten new church starts in Area B

For continued support for LINC

For POBLO and a new Ethnic Mission Plant in partnership with Our Savior, Rockwall.

St Paul, Ft Worth / The Summit at Aledo as they search for direction concerning their next Multi-Site Mission location

For 10% of the Baptized members of TxDistLCMS to pray for mission

For workers as they gather together that the Mission of God be foremost in their discussions and that such resides in the hearts and mind's of each participant.

For Jan 17-19 Circuit Counselors Retreat

For Jan 27-29 Early Childhood Educators Conference

For Congregations to grow in their discipleship response to the Gospel including their financial support for kingdom work.

Message to Partners -----

Thank you for your prayers. They are vital to the health and movement of the God's people. Of course God's kingdom comes on its own but in these petitions we pray that they come also to the heart of every man, woman, and child with whom we have contact. Don't be shy about inviting fellow disciples to be a partner in prayer!

To read more about the Texas District Prayer Initiative click here.

Blessings,

Rev. Steven Misch
Texas District LCMS
806-433-4536