2013 Week 49

⁷During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  ⁸Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered ⁹and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ¹⁰and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.  Hebrews 5:7-10 (NIV)

¹⁰God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.  ¹¹We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized.  ¹²We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.  Hebrews 6:10-12 (NIV)

1. As we approach Christmas, may we all be reminded of the true reason for Jesus' coming on earth. May we be grateful for His salvation and offer our lives as a living sacrifice as a result of what He has done for us. Thank you, God, for your wonderful salvation. Make us willing and bold to share this Good News to others who have yet to hear or respond to Him and His grace.

 2. Pray that as we meet with other family members, friends, colleagues, we will indeed be able to share of His love and the hope that we have because of Him.  Pray for individuals or families who might be experiencing tough times or loneliness or grief during this Christmas season. May the God of comfort and grace be with them. May the Lord give us opportunity to be a source of encouragement as we come alongside them and uplift them in our prayers.

3. Please continue to pray for our Building project as it nears completion. The permit for occupancy for floors 1 to3, and the parking levels (the church floors) was granted on December 13.  Please pray for very speedy approval of occupancy permit for floors 4 and 5 (the tenant floors).  There are tenants who want to move in right away!  Please pray for good and suitable tenants and the remaining spaces to be leased on the 4th and 5th floor. Please pray for the completion of all the lease formalities and renovation procedures – this is very trying and difficult work for our Leasing Team. Pray for a break even on financial accounts on project completion. Pray also for the all the "after occupancy" administrative and financial details to be looked after.  “Tools need to be sharpened before work may be carried out properly.”

4. Pray for the pastoral staff, deacons, ESC Pastoral Team (i.e., Core Leaders) as we face many challenges for the upcoming year. Continue to pray for unity of vision and purpose as well as the ability to speak the truth in love. Pray for a servant attitude as they seek out to minister in His name. Pray for mutual understanding of each other and ability to use the gifts that He has entrusted to us for the furtherance of His kingdom.

5. Pray for ML (current class Sunday School Teacher) and the remaining classes on the study of the Book of Revelation. Pray that as we read and explore this challenging book, we will get a better understanding about God and his message to both the Church and the individual Christian as well as how to respond to present and future circumstances and live our lives accordingly.

6. Pray for the various relief agencies who are helping and coordinating all the efforts to reach out to those who have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Pray for all the families and individuals impacted by this tragic disaster as they mourn the loss of loved ones and/or seek to rebuild their lives. Pray for churches and other organizations ministering in His name, that they will indeed be able to reach out in love and help out in practical ways.

7. Pray for our missionaries as they seek to reach out and share about Christ during this Christmas season. Pray for creative ways to explain the meaning of the season and opportunities to share the salvation message to those who have yet to hear of the Gospel. Pray also for the speakers and all those attending the upcoming Cross missions conference in Louisville Dec 27-30th. Pray for the Holy Spirit to be at work to empower a new generation of believers to fulfil the Great Commission and fully dedicate their lives for His service.

8. Pray for our own personal spiritual growth as we reflect and ponder on what He has taught or shown us this past year. Pray for willingness to learn even from the mistakes that we might have made. Pray that as we prepare or set goals for the upcoming New Year, we will be in tune with His promptings and His guidance. Pray for those amongst us who are feeling weary or burnt out that we will find rest in Him and draw strength and seek encouragement from Him and His people.