Prayers: July 25, 2021

Prayers

Pray in thanksgiving for God’s presence in our lives:

• Thank you, Lord, for being so good to me!
• Thank you, Lord, for the beautiful flowers left for me to enjoy even after you’ve provided some for the animals to eat.
• Thank you, Lord, for the Holy Spirit enabling me to do more than I can imagine.
• Thank you, Lord, for the people you have put in my path this week.
• Thank you, Lord, for being at work when I am not looking.

Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ:

• For those recovering from medical treatment, that they will be encouraged by their progress, even the baby steps.
• That the example we model of Jesus’ love may be received by God as an act of praise
• For protection against the negative effects of the coronavirus – the infection, the fear, the economic impact, the interruption in what we’d like to do
• For those mourning the loss of loved ones
• For patience when we interact with others who think differently that we do, remembering that they, too, are a masterpiece of God in the making
• For our children to be sheltered in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91

Pray for CCC:

• The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. Psalm 28:7
• To invest in God’s kingdom, leading souls in. We respond to God’s love for us by loving what He loves.
• To be steadfast in our planning to worship in the church building again, trusting in God’s care for us
• For the upcoming summer retreat, may we use the opportunity to draw closer to God
• That we may focus, not on the stumbling blocks in our path, but how God may lead us around them to accomplish His purposes
• For her small groups to be faithful in prayer, study, and fellowship
• To follow God’s command to pray and count on His response. Matthew 6:6

To Think About: We often have questions that can rock our faith such as ‘what is love’?  The parable of the Lost Sheep demonstrates the depth of God’s love.  A prudent shepherd would not risk the lives of 99 sheep to go after one who goes astray.  But Jesus reacts with his heart knowing God’s depth of love for us.  What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:4-7. Love will risk everything for that which is beloved.

禱告事項

感謝主每日同行：

• 感謝主您對我如此好！
• 謝謝主在把花兒留給動物做食物之後，留下美麗的花朵讓我觀賞。
• 感謝神賜下聖靈，使我能做超過我想象的事情。
• 為這個星期放在我生命中的人感謝神！
• 感謝主，在我沒有看見的時候，主您在作工。

為主內弟兄姊妹禱告：

• 為從治療中康復的弟兄姊妹禱告，願康復過程有一點起色可以鼓勵他們的信心。
• 願我們照著耶穌愛的榜樣行事爲人，而蒙神悅納。
• 求神保守我們脫離來自新冠病毒的負面影響——感染、恐懼、經濟影響、攔阻我們計劃的障礙。
• 為失去摯愛而哀傷的人禱告。
• 為我們有耐心與我們想法不同的人互動往來禱告，要記得他們也是上帝手中的特創。
• 為我們的孩子可以得全能者的庇護禱告。（詩篇91）

為教會的需要禱告：

• 耶和華是我的力量，是我的盾牌，我心里倚靠他，就得帮助。所以我心中歡樂，我必用诗歌颂讚他（詩篇28:7）。
• 要投資在神的國度中，引領靈魂進入其中。我們要回應神對我們的愛，去愛神愛的人。
• 讓我們堅守再次回到教會敬拜的計劃，要相信神看顧我們。
• 為暑期退修會禱告，讓我們利用這個機會更親近神。
• 願我們不要緊盯在我們摔倒的地方，而要關注神如何帶領我們繞開障礙，完成他的心意。
• 為細胞小組可以專心禱告、查經和肢體間的交通。
• 要遵照神對禱告的教導、等待神的回應。“你禱告的時候，要進你的內屋，關上門，禱告你在暗中的父，你父在暗中察看，必然報答你。（馬太福音6:6）”

思考：經常會有一些問題足以動搖我們的信仰，例如“什麼是愛”？在關於迷失的羊的比喻中表明了上帝深深的的愛。 一個聰明謹慎的牧羊人不會以九十九隻羊的生命為代價去追捕一隻走迷的羊。 但耶穌知道並回應神對我們的這份深愛。“你們中間誰有一百隻羊失去一隻，不把這九十九隻撇在曠野，去找那失去的羊，直到找著呢？找著了，就歡歡喜喜地扛在肩上，回到家裡，就請朋友鄰舍來，對他們說：”我失去的羊已經找著了，你們和我一同歡喜吧！”  我告訴你們：“一個罪人悔改，在天上也要這樣為他歡喜，較比為九十九個不用悔改的義人歡喜更大。”  愛願意為所愛的人和物付出代價。(路加福音 15:4-7)