Prayers: January 9, 2022

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 He looks at us, His loved ones, He sees us as heirs to His kingdom, not our past failures, faults or sins.
• Thank God for Jesus born on that ‘Holy Night” long ago for which “the weary world rejoices” back then and now.
• Thank God that everything does no revolve around us. Forgive us for the times we try to be self-sufficient, for not taking time to rest and allow God to work out His plan.
• Thank God for snow – for its beauty and reminder of God’s creativity and majesty.
• Pray for those affected by COVID, whether infected, worn out from caring for others, suffering economically, or anxious, that we rest our hope in our loving Father who is in control and has a good plan for this situation. Pray that our responses always bring Him glory because He is walking with us!
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to invade and direct our lives, giving us the power to keep new year resolutions.
• Pray that we will make time to rest in God; it is the only time that whatever healing we need can take place. Matthew 11:28, Psalm 23:2-3

Pray that God equips us to be the ones who notice the lonely and the hurting. Help us to slow down, to take time, to point others to you.

• Pray for our missionaries – for their safety and success in ministry.
• Pray for our church to be bold and faithful in spreading the gospel.
• Pray for those whose joy has been hidden under the blanket of health concerns, joblessness, family troubles, or natural disasters. Pray that in turning over their cares to the Lord, they may uncover His joy.
• Pray for wisdom and unity of spirit for our pastors and church leaders as they plan God’s work for 2022.

To Think About

Although a new year has started, we cannot forget the struggles of 2021 and our sense of loss in so many ways.  When Jesus lost his good friend, Lazarus, He thanked God for hearing him (John 11:41).  Gratitude builds resilience and allows us to see that no matter how bad our circumstance, God is with us through the experience.  Although we would like Jesus to step in before we face grief or pain, we must acknowledge with gratitude that God is with us in the middle of our pain and is rewriting an ending better than we can imagine that is full of hope and opportunity to grow.

禱告事項

“要常常喜樂， 不住的禱告， 凡事謝恩。因為這是 神在基督耶穌裏向你們所定的旨意。”

帖撒羅尼迦前書 五章 十六至十八節

• 感謝神當祂看到我們的時候，祂見到的是祂愛的民，祂國度的承繼人，不是我們過去的失敗，缺點或罪。
• 感謝神基督耶穌在很久以前的聖善夜降生，使當時和現在疲倦的人得到了喜樂。
• 感謝神沒有將所有的事情環繞著我們而設。請神寬恕我們自以爲是，沒有安靜等候讓神的計劃去成就事情。
• 感謝神我們有漂亮的雪，提醒我們神的創造和榮耀。
• 為感染疫情的人，在前綫服侍人的人，精神疲憊的人，受經濟困擾的人禱告。願我們安息在慈愛的父神的掌權中，知道祂按照祂美善的計劃在疫情中作工。願我們對祂的回應能榮耀祂，因神與我們同在。
• 願神的霛侵入我們的生命和引導我們，給我們力量去完成我們新年的決意許願。
• 願我們學習在神裏面安息，我們的醫治都能在這時間裏成就。馬太福音 11：28； 詩篇 23：2-3
• 願神裝備我們，對孤單和受創傷的人有敏感；幫助我們去減緩，用時間和帶人到您的面前。
• 為宣教士們的平安和他們事工的成果禱告。願我們教會忠心和有膽色地傳楊福音。
• 為有疾病，事業，家庭問題或受天災影響而憂慮和失去喜樂的人禱告，願他們轉向神的時候，會找到神的喜樂。
• 願賜智慧和合一的靈，在我們教會牧者和董事們籌劃2022年方向時，與他們同在。

“和一“ to ”合一“

思想

雖然進入了新年，我們不要忘記2021年帶來的挑戰和在很多事情上感覺上的迷茫。當耶穌失去拉撒路的時候，祂感謝神聼祂的禱告 （約 11：41）。學會感恩能建立對事情的彈性，使我們無論遇到怎樣的惡劣環境，知道神會與我們一同度過。雖然我們更想耶穌在我們受痛苦前能介入，但在苦痛中我們要學會用感恩來答謝神，會帶來我們想像中更美好的效果，滿有盼望和成長的機會。