Prayers: December 5, 2021

Prayers

Always be joyful. Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

• Thank God that when we have a heart to know Him, He will claim us as His people and be our God. Jeremiah 24:7
• Thank God that in a world of darkness, He lights our way.
• Thank God that He has a good plan for us. Jeremiah 29:11
• Thank God that when we are afraid, we can put our trust in Him. Psalm 56:3-4
• Pray for folks with longstanding or terminal illness or those in frail condition.
• Pray for God’s power to overcome the new Covid variant.
• Pray for those who have recently put their trust in God and removed idols from their lives.
• Pray that we may have compassion for others as Jesus did for us when he paid the price to restore us to God’s kingdom.
• Pray that we may celebrate Thanksgiving every day because our blessings continue to abound.
• Pray for people who do not have enough heat or power in their homes.
• Pray for safety in worship for our Christian brothers and sisters in China and other parts of the world where believers are persecuted.
• Pray that our priority this Advent season is focusing on baby Jesus in the manger. May we prepare our hearts to receive Him, our most precious gift from God.
• Pray for those who hunger to know God more deeply.
• Pray that we will recognize opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
• Pray for families in distress.
• Pray for confidence and joy for those being led by God on new paths and they leave what’s comfortable and known.

To Think about: Second Sunday of Advent

During the church season of Advent, we focus on the birth of Jesus and the four things which God gives us through his Son’s birth: hope, peace, love and joy.  We light candles signifying that God has found a way to bring us out of the darkness which we deserve as sinful people.

Peace is not just the absence of conflict.  It is the restoration of a broken situation to wholeness.  It comes from trusting relationship with God, such as in the example of Abraham.  The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.  I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.  I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3  Abraham had obstacles and trials along his journey, but by obeying God he had no anxiousness in his heart.

The baby Jesus brings us peace, even in the midst of trial and suffering, we believers can have peace because we know God is in control even if it feels like no one on earth is.

禱告事項

要常常喜樂，不住地禱告，凡事謝恩，因為這是神在基督耶穌裡向你們所定的旨意。

帖撒羅尼迦前書 5:16-18

• 感謝神，當我們有心認識祂時，祂就會稱我們為祂的子民，他成為我們的神。耶利米書 24:7
• 感謝神，在黑暗的世界裡照亮了我們的道路。
• 感謝神為我們制定了一個美好的計劃。耶利米書 29:11
• 感謝神，當我們驚恐害怕時，他成爲我們的信靠。詩篇 56:3-4
• 為有長期病痛身體虛弱和罹患重症甚至生命垂危的人禱告。
• 為上帝勝過新冠病毒的變種禱告。
• 為最近決志信靠上帝並從生活中去除偶像的人禱告。
• 願我們能有主耶穌的憐憫心腸關愛他人，就像他那樣付上自己的生命為我們的贖價，恢復我們與神的關係，得以回到神的國度。
• 願我們可以每天慶祝感恩節，因為神賜給我們的祝福持久滿溢。
• 為家中沒有足夠暖氣或電力的人禱告。
• 為中國和世界其他地方受迫害的基督徒弟兄姊妹的敬拜安全禱告。
• 願我們在將臨節期的首要任務是定睛於馬槽裡的嬰孩耶穌，使我們的心準備好迎接他的到來，這份從神而來的最寶貴的禮物。
• 為渴望更深地認識上帝的人禱告。
• 祈求我們能把握機會分享耶穌基督的好消息。
• 為身處難處的家庭禱告。
• 為接受了耶穌基督的帶領而離棄舒適和舊有環境走上新路的人禱告，求神賜給他們 信心和喜樂。

思考：將臨期的第二個星期日

在教會的將臨期期間，我們專注於耶穌的誕生以及神通過他兒子的誕生賜給我們的四樣事物：希望、和平、愛和喜樂。我們點燃蠟燭，象徵神已經找到了方法將我們帶出我們罪人原本應當落在的黑暗。

和平不僅僅只是沒有衝突，它是使破碎的情況恢復完整。 它源自對神的信任關係，正如在亞伯拉罕的例子看到的情況。“耶和華對亞伯拉罕說：‘你要離開本地、本族、父家，往我所要指示你的地去。我必叫你成為大國，我必賜福給你，叫你的名為大，你也要叫別人得福。為你祝福的，我必賜福於他；那咒詛你的，我必咒詛他。地上的萬族都要因你得福。’”（創世記 12:1-3） 儘管亞伯拉罕在旅途上有障礙和試煉，但他順服神，心裡沒有憂慮。

嬰孩耶穌給我們帶來和平，即使在試煉和苦難中，即使覺得世上無人能掌管，我們作爲基督的信徒也能擁有平安，因為我們知道神在掌管世界。