Prayers: February 20, 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 you, God, for going before, behind and with us, wherever we go.
• Thank you, God, for willing hands which make work seem like joyful fellowship.
• Thank you. God, for the colors brought to the sky by the rising and setting of the sun.
• Thank you, God, that you have heard our weeping and will answer our prayers for mercy and restoration.   Psalm 6
• Thank you, God, for fellow believers who encourage us.
• Pardon what we have been before becoming believers and forgive us when we slip into old ways.
• Enrich our lives with opportunities for service, a way to thank You for saving us.
• Help us to understand more fully that all we see with natural eyes is not all that You have planned.
• Pray for believers in other countries who are persecuted for confessing Jesus as their Savior.
• Remind us daily that we live to love God and our neighbor. Mark 12:30-31
• Pray for those who need hope from God – the sick, elderly, discouraged, and those looking to the world for joy rather than God.
• Pray that we act on the opportunity to share Jesus, by Word or deed, with whoever God puts in our path today.
• Even though we may have trouble submitting to the leaders and policies in the world, help us not to have trouble submitting to the Lord’s rule over our lives.
• Pray for our church to be faithful in sharing the Good News and making disciples of Jesus in whatever she plans.

To Think About

Pandemic, winter storms, economic uncertainty and family discord are among the stressors that may affect us at some time in our lives.  As Christians, we are not immune to experiencing trials, but we do not face them alone – we have the help of the Holy Spirit, the promises of God, and the hope found in Jesus’ death for our salvation to see us through.  Scriptures remind us to trust God through pain, to not despair over our difficult situation, and that our trial can be used for His glory to comfort others.  All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT. Our testimony is always to be hopeful and persistent in our faith; to be God’s instruments to demonstrate His care to those who need love, hope, and healing; and to care for one another, even in the midst of trial and suffering.

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，無論我們走到哪裡，你都在我們的前後、左右和與我們同行。
• 感謝主賜樂意侍奉的手，讓事工看起來像是蠻有喜樂的團契。
• 謝謝神以日出日落為天空帶來變化的色彩。
• 感謝神聽到了我們的哭泣，並以憐憫和恢復回應我們的的祈禱。（詩篇 6）
• 主，感謝你給我們同工互相鼓勵。
• 感謝主赦免我們未信主之前的過犯，也饒恕赦免我們一再的重蹈覆轍。
• 讓我們的服侍成爲豐盛生命的途徑之一，來感謝您給我們的救贖。
• 求主幫助我們更全面地了解，我們肉眼所見的並不是你所計劃的一切。
• 為其他國家因承認耶穌為救主而受迫害的基督徒禱告。
• 求主每天提醒我們，我們活著是為了愛神、愛人。（馬可福音 12:30-31） 
• 為需要從上帝那裡得到希望的人禱告——生病的、年老的、灰心的，以及那些尋求世界喜樂而不是尋求上帝的人。
• 祈求我們抓住機會，通過話語或行為與我們人生之旅中相遇的每一個人來分享耶穌。
• 儘管我們可能難以順服世界的領袖和政策，但求主幫助我們不要在順服主對我們生命的掌管時遇到困難。
• 祈求我們教會在神帶領下的每一個環節，都忠心地分享福音並且引領衆人成爲耶穌的門徒。

思想

        在人生的某個階段，流行病、冬季風暴、經濟不穩定和家庭不和都可能成為壓力的來源，影響我們的生活。身為基督徒的我們也不免於經歷試煉，但我們不會獨自面對它們——我們有聖靈的幫助、神的應許、和耶穌死而復活帶來的盼望，耶穌的救贖能夠幫助我們度過難關。聖經提醒我們要在痛苦中信靠上帝，不要對我們的困境感到絕望，並用我們的試煉來榮耀祂而且為他人帶來安慰。“願頌讚歸與我們的主耶穌基督的父 神，就是憐憫的父，慰藉的 神。  我們在一切患難中，他安慰了我們，叫我們能用 神所賜的安慰，去安慰那遭各樣患難的人。“（哥林多後書1：3-4 ）  我們在信仰中的見證永遠是充滿了盼望和忍耐，我們是神手中的器皿，向需要愛、希望和醫治的人展示祂的關懷，在試驗和痛苦中相互看顧、彼此關懷。