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Wednesday, July 27 “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” (Proverbs 25:2 ESV) Our wise God, your Word does not speak directly about schools and educational systems. Nevertheless, it teaches us that each generation must pass its knowledge to the next. It teaches us that it is good for human beings to seek understanding of the world you have made. It is right for each person to find his or her abilities and use them for the good of society. For this reason, Christians have always cared about education. They have founded schools and universities. They have promoted literacy. They have often been at the forefront of scientific discovery. We pray today for education in Taiwan. We face a decline in the number of school-age children. It is more important than ever that our educational system be well-organized and effective. We pray for wisdom for the Ministry of Education and for school administrators everywhere in Taiwan. We pray for teachers at all levels of instruction, from kindergarten to university. We pray that Taiwan may continue to produce well-educated men and women. We pray that the educational system may never hinder young people from finding Christ but may help them to do so. We continue lifting up our own prayers, especially for students filling out college preference lists this week: In Jesus’ name, amen. |
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Thursday, July 28 “And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 23:22 ESV) Our generous God, we praise you that you are a protector of the widow and a father to the fatherless. Throughout the Bible you have made it clear that you want us to have regard for the needs of the poor. You have told us to work hard that we may have something to share with those in need. You have taught us to avoid any actions that might cause economic harm to others, and to be steadfast in showing generosity. We pray today for all in our midst or around us who are struggling financially. There are students who must work long hours to earn their own university tuition. There are single parents trying to raise children on inadequate incomes. There are business owners whose livelihood has been devastated by the pandemic. And there are also people who, whether because of mental illness or other reasons, are not able to hold down jobs. We ask you to be gracious and to make us gracious. Let our government have wisdom to help those in great need. Help us as a church and as individuals to be willing to share what we have with others. In every case of financial distress, let us see an opportunity to imitate Christ. Though he was rich, he became poor for our sake, so that in him we might become rich. Let his generosity overflow in our own prayers and actions. We continue lifting up our own prayers, particularly for those we know to be facing financial hardship: In Jesus’ name, amen. |
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Friday, July 29 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Our gracious God, we thank you today for the people who brought the gospel to us. Some of us were led to Christ by parents, some by teachers or pastors, some by friends, some by authors. Thank you for all who contributed their efforts to help us believe and be saved. Thank you that you have also given to us the ministry of reconciliation, so that we too may call other people to repent and be saved. Lord, today we pray for our Tuesday-evening student outreach program, Studio Thrive. We thank you for our speakers, who bring lectures that are of great benefit to all students. We thank you for our small-group leaders, who lead the students in discussion. We thank you for our student-ministry team in the Chaplain’s Office. We ask that this coming school year may be a time when Studio Thrive attracts even more students than before. We ask also that many of these students may go on to give their lives to you. Lord, you are the vine, and we are the branches; apart from you we can do nothing. Use us to take your salvation to hundreds of Tunghai students. We continue to lift up our own prayers, especially for the small-group leaders and students who will participate in Studio Thrive in this coming school year. |
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Saturday, July 30 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:9–14 ESV) God of hosts, we praise you today for your perfect control of history. Your people experience times of peace and times of suffering. The gospel at times seems to prosper in the world, and at other times it languishes. Looking at the state of the world, it is easy for us to become discouraged. But we know that you have your own good plans, and that they most certainly will be fulfilled. In particular, we know that the gospel of the kingdom must be proclaimed everywhere and to all nations. Then and only then will Christ come to bring an end to this present age. Lord, we pray today for your church in Central and South America, and in Africa. In many countries, the number of Christians has exploded in recent decades. But in some cases, Christians are severely persecuted for their faith. In other cases, the church itself has been corrupted by the health-and-wealth gospel. We ask that your people in these countries may have a clear, solid faith. We pray that they may have great courage and boldness. We ask that through them, you will bring great changes to their societies. We ask that through their witness, we may see portions of your truth that we in other cultures have missed. Let the darkness be scattered; let your light shine; let Jesus be magnified! We continue to lift up our own prayers, especially for evangelism, discipleship, and church-growth in Central and South America and Africa. In Jesus’ name, amen. |
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Sunday, July 31 “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (1 Peter 5:1–5 ESV) Lord of the church, it is your good pleasure to build your kingdom through the efforts of faithful men and women. In the church you have appointed leaders, the most important of which are elders. You have ordained that elders should both teach and lead. You have specified what kind of people they must be and what sort of ministry they must carry out. This is your will, and we submit to it readily. Lord, we thank you for the ministry of our 治理小組 over these past few years. Thank you for their support for our senior pastor. Thank you for their care for the church. We also thank you that we are in the process of adopting new policies and procedures and will soon be able to transition to leadership by elders. Guide this process. Give us the right leaders, leaders who will be examples to the flock, people of humility and love. Let our whole church grow in maturity, stability, and effectiveness. We continue to lift up our own prayers, especially for our church leaders: In Jesus’ name, amen. |
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Monday, August 1 “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” (Hebrews 11:13–16 ESV) King of Heaven, we praise you for the wonderful eternity you have prepared for us. We look forward to a time when we will have no more temptation to sin. A time when there will be no more death, sadness, or tears. We look forward to a time when we will know you as you really are, without the distortions that come from our own sin. A time when we will rejoice to be with you and with all your saints forever. Lord, you have called us to be diligent in this life. You have given us gifts and expect us to use them. You want us to be active in pursuing your kingdom. But you also want us to be dissatisfied with this present life. You want us to “desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” Help us never to be so captivated by this world that we forget about heaven. We do not want you to be ashamed to be called our God. We continue lifting up our own prayers, especially for ourselves, that we may daily fix our eyes on heaven. In Jesus’ name, amen. |
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Tuesday, August 2 “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together, that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.” (Isaiah 41:17–20 ESV) Lord of all nations, we praise you today for your concern for all of the human race. You have compassion on the poor, the oppressed, the ones troubled by war or by famine. You desire that all people everywhere should repent and believe in Christ. You wish to give all the abundant life that comes only through him. Today we lift up to you the country of Haiti. This is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Two thirds of its people unemployed or underemployed. Over half are illiterate. Sex trafficking is rampant. Many are in bondage to voodoo. Have mercy on this country, Lord! We thank you for the Christians in Haiti and ask that you strengthen them and make them effective witnesses for Christ. We pray for the stability of the government. We ask for reforms that will make it possible for people to climb out of poverty and illiteracy. We pray that Taiwan may be a good friend to the Haitian people. We continue lifting up our own prayers, especially for Haiti. In Jesus’ name, amen. |