Support required...

God has done amazing things since 2005, when He called me in the first mission trip outside US, to India.  In these 3 years He has re-shaped my desires, enforcing in my heart His call to serve Him in His mission around the world. 

 

I understand that Houston is my primary field for the next years, as He has opened amazing doors for me to come back and serve with Mission Houston (www.missionhouston.org).  I’m also permanently reminded in my heart of His call to go to other nations, as He has also allowed me to travel to India for 2 times, China, and even Ecuador this last fall, in a very peculiar 3 months trip to serve in a Church located in the same city where I grew up.  I don’t know yet how these two ‘fields’ (Houston and foreign) will be reconciled in the future, but I’m sure they are linked closely together in God’s purposes for my life… in both God has been amazingly faithful, many times through your very support, both spiritually, and financially.

 

This time the direction for the foreign action, points towards Damascus, Syria.  We will be there with a team of Second Baptist Church of Houston from Sept. 25^th to Oct the 4^th, 2008. We will share Christ and provide medical attention, food and clothing for Iraqi war refugees temporarily housed in Damascus.  We will continue to work under the direction of the local church, as did the team that was there last year for first time.

 

I need your help to go with the team.  Please, consider in prayer supporting me: committed prayer, and funds are required.  Syria is a ‘10/40 window’ country where the Gospel is not fully free yet. The cost of the trip will be around $2,700.00, including airfare, ground transportation, food, lodging, and insurance.

 

If you want to help, please pray for:

• Leadership of teams in Houston, and Syria: wisdom & discernment as they plan the trip led by the Spirit of God
• Members of the Houston's team: obedience, godliness, protection, and spiritual preparation.  A fresh burden for the souls of people in Syria
• People in Syria we will interact with: preparation of the hearts to receive and know God's love
• Resources needed for the trip

For financial support, you can make a check payable to Second Baptist Church of Houston, include a note with my name and the words “Syria mission trip 2008” and mail it to:

 

Second Baptist Church

Att. Stephanie Trevino / Missions Coordinator

6400 Woodway Houston TX, 77057

 

All your donations are 100% tax deductible.  Send me also a note with your postal address so I can properly thank you.  

 

Thanks for your friendship and permanent service to the Kingdom.

 

In Him,

marcos 

do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus...

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col 3:17)

 

Today, I was reminded how deep is the connection between prayer and reconciliation.  That kind of reconciliation I need every day to reconcile everything I do with the purpose and glory of God.  I was reminded of how reconciliation happens just with the help of the Holy Spirit in the deep secret of prayer.  Prayer is nothing but the mystery of human beings allowed in the presence of God because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

 

Prayer is what releases that power of redemption we have in Christ.  Releases freedom.  Prayer releases reconciliation between all that was created, to come back to the service of God.  We were saved and sealed because of Christ, through faith… in the context of a prayer.

 

We can do exactly the same thing, with the same effort, the same passion, but very different spiritual impact.  Impact happens just if prayer has been the context of what we do, from the beginning, through the effort, to the end in thanksgiving.  We can do everything, we can fill our lives with busy-ness, we can use powerful resources to support our actions, we can have a multitude of followers, we can have legitimate motives… if we lack prayer, all those are nothing else but poor human efforts absent of real power.

 

A pastor reminded me once ‘praying without doing is nothing but hypocrisy; but doing without praying is nothing less than pride.’  Truthful words.

 

Praying is a call to humble and surrender our souls, our desires, and our plans before God; is a call to ask and listen; a call to renew our minds with the real perspective of life, and circumstances.  Praying is allowing a space for God in our busy agendas, and our private lives.  When surrendered, when repented, when thirsty of God, when allowed in His presence, prayer releases guidance from above… clarity, instructions; we are enabled to hear.  Prayer also releases revelation, and we are enabled to understand… finally, prayer splashes us with God’s presence and glory releasing healing, strength, courage, faith… and we are enable to obey.

 

We stand up of our knees different… transformed for this day, reconciled for this day.