We need help.
As you know, we're moving to London to plant a church. This isn't as much our idea as something that we sense our loving Father leading and guiding us to do. As we say: We're excited and a little bit scared. We're already experiencing God getting us to the end of ourselves - our abilities, our comfort, our ideas, and the rest. Thankfully, things are relatively smooth for us at this point in the journey. Anticipating many highs and lows in the road ahead is one of the many things that has us reaching out to you. We're building a team of prayer warriors to help us do the work of planting this church in London.
The Posture of Prayer
We can't make the Spirit move. We can posture ourselves in such a way that appeals to the heart of God. We've been thinking about the time that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (see John 11 in your Bible). Jesus' friend Lazarus was dead. Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus to call Him to action.
They could have asked Jesus to move in their situation through a variety of different appeals. They could have appealed to the value that Lazarus was as a friend. They could have appealed to God to work on the basis of the many people that Lazarus served. They could have appealed to God to work in the situation for a hundred other reasons. It's interesting to consider their appeal to God. It's simple. Mary and Martha invited Jesus' help in seven simple words "Lord, he whom you love is ill" (John 11:3)
Notice their posture. They appeal to Jesus' love for Lazarus. Mary and Martha appeal to Jesus' love for Lazarus in order to move Jesus to action. Their posture is one of humility and submission. They know they can't make Jesus move in the situation on their own. So, they appeal to Jesus' love for Lazarus. If we offer our desperation to God in prayer then God will step in to help. Jesus responded. Not the way they thought He would but in the way that would bring God the most glory. This teaches us a lot about how prayer works. When you appeal to the heart of God you can expect to see the hand of God.
This should encourage us in our prayers as well. God is ready, able, and willing to get involved. God is moved by the humble posture of his people. Let's embrace our weakness and inadequacies and appeal to God's love for people and the world.
We're Building a Prayer Team
We're assembling a team of people to join us in praying for our family and ministry as we move towards London. We want you to join that team. As you join our prayer team, please know that we are desperate for the Spirit of God to move. We can't make God work in our lives. We can't force God's hand in our ministry. We can't make God do anything in the city of London. BUT, we can posture ourselves in humility and submission to him to work.
We're begging God to work in our lives and in the city of London. We're appealing to God's love for the world. Remember, "For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that whoever would believe in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). It's the love of God that motivated God to send Jesus into the world. It's the love of God that we appeal to in inviting God to work in the world.
Two Questions
1. Will you join our prayer team?
It's simple. If you click this link and provide a little information then we will send you our monthly prayer requests. These prayer requests are for our family, current ministry, and the city of London. We will update you regularly without overloading you with needs. Please, click the link to signup to join our prayer team.
2. Will you join us in appealing to Jesus' love for people?
There are many ways to pray. There are many ways to appeal to God to work in the world. We want to pray like Mary and Martha. We desire humility and submission in our lives that translates to desperate prayer to God.
Prayers should not be an expression of our feelings. Prayer should be an expression of our faith. We don't feel our way into praying. We don't feel our way into wondering what God should do in a situation. Instead, we believe our way into praying. We believe our way into different situations as we beg God to work. We want to have faith that is anchored in God's Word. We want prayer to affect our feelings.
God is eager to save. He sent his Son as a rescue to bring people back to Him (John 3:16). Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus people can now have their sins forgiven and experience a restored relationship with God. This news must be shared with the people of London (Romans 10:11-15). Will you pray for us as we go to share the good news of Jesus with the people of London?