Stop Now and Make a List

I am not by nature a list maker.
But I have started a list. And I am vowing to use it often, to add to it, to pray through it.
I should have had this list forever ago.
And so should you.

If you follow the blogs here at all you may have noticed a rekindled flame in me to see our city (and beyond) changed by the gospel. It has been a big topic of conversation with our staff and elders as well as others in leadership and the flame seems to be spreading!  It's exciting.  We are dreaming of what it would look like to maximize our building, staff, volunteers and other resources - to be good stewards of all that we have been given. And we are praying for that.  We are praying that over the next year we fill our 2 services, our children's space and all of our MCs. We're praying for 625 people. 

"I want to be a part of that," one of our people recently said. "What can I do?"
What a great question!  
Here are some simple things that we can all do.

Start with Prayer for Our City. 
The Bible tells us that God wants people to be forgiven of sin, set free from sin's curse and restored to Him. That's why Jesus came! So we pray His will - Father, redeem the people of our city!  Father, grow Your Kingdom here.
If you missed the sermon last week in Macon, that's what I talked about, from the Lord's Prayer - take a listen - Lord, Teach Us to Pray.

Stop Now and Make a List
I made mine this morning.  Make a list of friends, neighbors, co-workers or family who may not know Jesus or aren't walking with Him. Begin to pray for those names daily.  Father, redeem this city - redeem these people. Call out their name and plead with Him. Jesus says that we should ask and keep asking, knock and keep knocking. So do that.

As you pray for them, pray also for an opportunity to share with them what Jesus means to you, how He has changed your life - to simply share your story. Father, help me to see and take the opportunity to tell ____________ my story, to share with him/her how Jesus has changed my life.

Pray, Pray More and Wait on Him
Pray daily over your list. Add to it. Pray some more. And wait for the opportunity that you have prayed for.  Don't wait passively!  Wait actively, prayerfully, faithfully - looking for the opportunity!  It will come.
And if you have prayed expectantly, when the opportunity comes, you will be ready.

So what can you do, now?
Make your list.
Pray for those names.
Pray for our city.

#625