Prayers About COVID-19

https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-liturgy-and-prayer-resources

Prayers about the outbreak

Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy
in this time of uncertainty and distress.
Sustain and support the anxious and fearful,
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may rejoice in your comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you taught us to love our neighbour,
and to care for those in need
as if we were caring for you.
In this time of anxiety, give us strength
to comfort the fearful, to tend the sick,
and to assure the isolated
of our love, and your love,
for your name’s sake.
Amen.

God of compassion,
be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation.
In their loneliness, be their consolation;
in their anxiety, be their hope;
in their darkness, be their light;
through him who suffered alone on the cross,
but reigns with you in glory,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

For those who are ill

Merciful God,
we entrust to your tender care
those who are ill or in pain,
knowing that whenever danger threatens
your everlasting arms are there to hold them safe.
Comfort and heal them,
and restore them to health and strength;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

For hospital staff and medical researchers

Gracious God,
give skill, sympathy and resilience
to all who are caring for the sick,
and your wisdom to those searching for a cure.
Strengthen them with your Spirit,
that through their work many will be restored to health;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

From one who is ill or isolated

O God,
help me to trust you,
help me to know that you are with me,
help me to believe that nothing can separate me 
from your love
revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

For the Christian community

We are not people of fear:
we are people of courage.
We are not people who protect our own safety:
we are people who protect our neighbours’ safety.
We are not people of greed:
we are people of generosity.
We are your people God,
giving and loving,
wherever we are,
whatever it costs
For as long as it takes
wherever you call us.

Barbara Glasson, President of the Methodist Conference

Intercessions

SET A

Let us pray to God,
who alone makes us dwell in safety:

For all who are affected by coronavirus,
through illness or isolation or anxiety,
that they may find relief and recovery:
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

For those who are guiding our nation at this time,
and shaping national policies,
that they may make wise decisions:
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

For doctors, nurses and medical researchers,
that through their skill and insights
many will be restored to health:
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

For the vulnerable and the fearful,
for the gravely ill and the dying,
that they may know your comfort and peace:
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

We commend ourselves, and all for whom we pray,
to the mercy and protection of God.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
 

SET B

Let us pray to the Lord,
who is our refuge and stronghold. 

For the health and well-being of our nation,
that all who are fearful and anxious
may be at peace and free from worry:
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

For the isolated and housebound,
that we may be alert to their needs,
and care for them in their vulnerability:
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

For our homes and families,
our schools and young people,
and all in any kind of need or distress:
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

For a blessing on our local community,
that our neighbourhoods may be places of trust and friendship,
where all are known and cared for:
Lord, hear us,
Lord, graciously hear us.

We commend ourselves, and all for whom we pray,
to the mercy and protection of God.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Prayer during Covid-19 Pandemic

Abba Father,

Because of COVID-19
You made the whole world stop spinning for awhile,
You silenced the noise that we all have created
You made us bend our knees again and ask for a miracle.
You closed Your churches so we will realize how dark our world without You in it.

You humiliate the proud and powerful.
The economy is crashing, businesses are closing.
We were very proud, we thought that everything we have, everything we possess was the result of our hardwork. We have forgotten that it was always Your grace and mercy that made us who we are.

We’re like running in circles looking for some cure to this disease but in fact it takes humility to ask for Your wisdom.

We’ve been living our lives like we will be here on earth forever, like there’s no heaven.
Maybe these trials are Your mercy in disguise.
Maybe this virus is actually Your way of purifying us, cleansing our soul, bringing us back to YOU.

.. In the past you serenaded us with Hosea’s song:

“Come back to me with all your heart
Don't let fear keep us apart
Trees do bend though straight and tall
So must we to others' call
Long have I waited for
Your coming home to me
And living deeply our new lives”

You have been patiently waiting for us. We’re so sorry for ignoring Your voice and not seeking Your face. For our selfish ways as we only seeked what we need on earth for ourselves and family; status and wealth. We all deserve this, You are righteous in Your judgements. We have forgotten You dear Father. We have churches to gather as saints of Your's to worship You and have communion together but we can't gather now. We were only dependent on the Word we hear in Church but neglected to read Your Word on our own. 😔

.. We’ve forgotten that You’re God, Who is in command of all Your creation, Father, You only need to say a word and our souls shall be healed; and You will remove every pestilence that inflicts us. We ask for forgiveness for our ways and ignoring You in this time as we are lockdown in our homes with our family. We pray and seek Your face in this moment when we are cut off from this busy and noisy world; speak to us and show Yourself to us; bring back that life of intimacy with You. We pray in the most precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
Amen🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Give Thanks 2019

For the many challenges I faced this year

For all that I have been through

For the many health victory miestones I had this year

For all that has come to pass

For the jolly laughters I let out

For all the smiles that lingered on my face

For the sorrow and tears I cried out

For all the frowns I have had

God is good. God is great. 

All the time. All the way.

For the troubles that seem to stay longer
For the sadness that lasts forever
For the thousands sorry I need to confess
For this is what grieve my heart and soul

For the happiness that last just a while
For the joy that does not linger on
For the thousands of whys I do not understand
For after laughter comes the pain

I am human. I am sinful.
Lord, help me. Please save me.

Nonetheless, I praise Thee for You are a good good God.
Give Thanks for You are mighty to save
More than enough to save and conquer evil.
My life in You is counted and worthy

The Holy Alphabet

The Holy Alphabet... This is Beautiful...

Whoever came up with this one must have been filled with the Holy Spirit!

A lthough things are not perfect,
B ecause of trial or pain,
C ontinue in thanksgiving
D on't even think of whom to blame .
E ven when the times are hard,
F ierce winds are bound to blow,
G od is forever able
H old on to Jesus .
I magine life without His love,
J oy would cease to be,
K eep thanking Him for all the things
L ove imparts you to see.
M ove out of  Complaining ',
N o weapon that is known
O n earth can yield the power
P raise can do alone.
Q uit worrying about the future,
R edeem the time at hand,
S tart every day with prayer
T o 'thank' is God's command.
U ntil we see Him coming,
V ictorious in the sky,
W e'll run the race with gratitude,
X alting the Most High God.
Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Z ion awaits in glory...where no one is ever sad!

The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything..

Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.  🙏❤💗💓

Prayer for the Woes in our generation

I copied this from Whatsapp Group Chat and I think it is timley someone should speak up and address this issue from Christians' perspective. In this world, to be silent is deemed as support as you do not oppose it.

SAME SEX MARRIAGE...

This interesting prayer was given in Kansas, USA, at the opening session of their Senate. It
seems prayer still upsets some people.
When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says: "Woe to those who call evil good", but that is exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it Pluralism.
We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have embezzled public funds and called it essential expenses.
We have insitutionalised bribery and called it sweets of office.
We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh GOD, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest.
In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.
The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea.

With the LORD'S help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and WHOLE-HEARTEDLY become our desire so that we again can be called "ONE NATION UNDER GOD."


Proof : https://youtube/F-0exrd8D24                        ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Prayers for Friends

Prayer for Peace of Mind

A Prayer for Peace of Mind (by Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini) FORTIFY me with the grace of Your Holy Spirit and give Your peace to my soul that I may be free from all needless anxiety, solicitude and worry. Help me to desire always that which is pleasing and acceptable to You so that Your will may be my will. Support Catholic Online by Subscribing to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/catholiconl... More on A Prayer For Peace Of Mind: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/praye... More on Prayers: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/

Prayer for Faith

Lord, I believe: I wish to believe in Thee. Lord, let my faith be full and unreserved, and let it penetrate my thought, my way of judging Divine things and human things. Lord, let my faith be joyful and give peace and gladness to my spirit, and dispose it for prayer with God and conversation with men, so that the inner bliss of its fortunate possession may shine forth in sacred and secular conversation. Lord, let my faith be humble and not presume to be based on the experience of my thought and of my feeling; but let it surrender to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, and not have any better guarantee than in docility to Tradition and to the authority of the magisterium of the Holy Church. Amen. Support Catholic Online by Subscribing to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/catholiconl... More on Prayer For Faith: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/praye...

Prayer for our children

O God the Father of mankind, who hast given unto me these my children, and committed them to my charge to bring them up for Thee, and to prepare them for eternal life: help me with Thy heavenly grace, that I may be able to fulfil this most sacred duty and stewardship. Teach me both what to give and what to withhold; when to reprove and when to forbear; make me to be gentle, yet firm; considerate and watchful; and deliver me equally from the weakness of indulgence, and the excess of severity; and grant that, both by word and example, I may be careful to lead them in the ways of wisdom and true piety, so that at last I may, with them, be admitted to the unspeakable joys of our true home in heaven, in the company of the blessed Angels and Saints. Amen. O Heavenly Father, I commend my children to Thy care. Be Thou their God and Father; and mercifully supply whatever is lacking in me through frailty or negligence. Strengthen them to overcome the corruptions of the world, whether from within or without; and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy. Pour Thy grace into their hearts, and strengthen and multiply in them the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit, that they may daily grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and so, faithfully serving Thee here, may come to rejoice in Thy presence hereafter. Amen. Support Catholic Online by Subscribing to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/catholiconl...

Prayer : You Are Christ

Prayer You are Christ, my Holy Father, my Tender God, my Great King, my Good Shepherd, my Only Master, my Best Helper, my Most Beautiful and my Beloved, my Living Bread, my Priest Forever, my Leader to my Country, my True Light, my Holy Sweetness, my Straight Way, my Excellent Wisdom, my Pure Simplicity, my Peaceful Harmony, my Entire Protection, my Good Portion, my Everlasting Salvation. Christ Jesus, Sweet Lord, why have I ever loved, why in my whole life have I ever desired anything except You, Jesus my God? Where was I when I was not in spirit with You? Now, from this time forth, do you, all my desires, grow hot, and flow out upon the Lord Jesus: run... you have been tardy until now; hasten where you are going; seek Whom you are seeking. O, Jesus may he who loves You not be an anathema; may he who loves You not be filled with bitterness. O, Sweet Jesus, may every good feeling that is fitted for Your praise, love You, delight in You, adore You! God of my heart, and my Portion, Christ Jesus, may my heart faint away in spirit, and may You be my Life within me! May the live coal of Your Love grow hot within my spirit and break forth into a perfect fire; may it burn incessantly on the altar of my heart; may it glow in my innermost being; may it blaze in hidden recesses of my soul; and in the days of my consummation may I be found consummated with You! Amen.


http://www.catholic.org

I cannot say the Lord's prayer if I have these within me

The “Our Father”Prayer:

 Do I Really Mean What I Pray?

Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Praying the Our Father and living it will lead us toward saintliness. The Our Father contains everything: God, ourselves, our neighbors….”

Examine how well you live what you pray as you meditate on the following:

I cannot say OUR if I keep my faith only to myself and never share it with others.

I cannot say FATHER if I do not trust in His loving and complete concern for me, forgetting that He always answers prayers how and when He knows is best.

I cannot say WHO ART IN HEAVEN if I am so attached to the ways of this world that I neglect to seek God first in everything.

I cannot say HALLOWED BE THY NAME if I am unwilling to let His holiness penetrate my life and help me grow in my own holiness.

I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME if I am not using my life to bring His love into the world.

I cannot say THY WILL BE DONE if I live by my own ideas of morality or choose to follow the world’s standards.

I cannot say ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN if I am not devoting my life to serving Him here on earth.

I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD if I am not willing to be generous with whatever God gives me.

I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES if I don’t want to put forth enough effort to change.

I cannot say AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US if I still hold a grudge, if I’m still angry, or if I still insist that other people change.

I cannot say LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION if I deliberately or knowingly place myself in a position to be tempted.

I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if I’m not actively fighting against evil through deeds of love and service for everyone in my life, especially those who cause problems.

Courtesy: Ann, CSS-UM

Prayers for my country 2017

In every four to five years, my country, Malaysia will go through a process of pruning and selection, just like in agriculture farming, the farmers will choose what to be cut off and what to remain. It is exciting and hot topics in coffee shops and much prayers are said by believers of all faiths.

The coming months are living in suspend, we are to choose new leaders, new representatives for the people from all walks of life and deciding the fate of the nation.

A Prayer for Justice

Lord, may justice flow like a river
Reaching barren lands and sun scorched deserts 

Where people feel forgotten and hopeless 
Let your water of life 
Comfort them 
Where children lie abandoned or abused 
Let your water of life 
Protect them 
Where communities suffer at the hands of prejudice 
Let your water of life 
Shield them 

Lord, we ask for a mighty downpour from Heaven 
May your sons and daughters hear your voice
May we live as you lead us to live
Go as you bid us to go
Serve as you inspire us to serve
Give as you teach us to give
Until the earth is covered with the glory of God
As the waters cover the sea
Amen 

(an example of a modern prayer for justice from www.lords-prayer-words.com. This can be prayed with a nation or people group in mind)

Read more: http://www.lords-prayer-words.com/i_pray_you_will.html#ixzz4eYpNyU7D

A Prayer for the Poor and the Neglected

Almighty and most merciful God, 
we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: 
the homeless and the destitute, 
the old and the sick, 
and all who have none to care for them. 
Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, 
and to turn their sorrow into joy. 
Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 


(Source: 1979 Book of Common Prayer, Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA)

Read more: http://www.lords-prayer-words.com/i_pray_you_will.html#ixzz4eYokiHXg

Prayer for Peace
The prayer for peace is said daily across the world at twelve noon by people from many different religious beliefs and philosophical persuasions:-

Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust; 
Lead me from hate to love, from war to peace; 
Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe.

(This simple prayer comes from the Vancover Assembly of the World Council of Churches. It's origins a thought to be from England circa 1981. In the early eighties, Mother Teresa of Calcutta popularised this prayer, and it subsequently became adopted by the Assembly of World Religions meeting in Russia. This event was timed to coincide with the second United Nations Special Session on Disarmament. By the end of the decade, the Berlin Wall had crumbled and the "Cold War", if not completely over, was certainly no longer the dark shadow across the world that it once was. However, with the turn of the millenium, and "9/11", the world was to face new challanges and new wars. Hence this prayer is as relevant today as it was when it was first prayed almost thirty years ago).

Read more: http://www.lords-prayer-words.com/i_pray_you_will.html#ixzz4eYpVhsec

Psalm 27 Special Plead for life

Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation,

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the strength of my life, 

of whom shall I be afraid?

Though a multitude of demons rise up within me,

my heart shall not fear.

Though doubts and guilt do battle, 

yet shall I remain confident.

One thing have I asked of the Lord, 

that I shall ever seek: that I might dwell

in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, 

to behold the beauty of my Beloved, 

and to know the Lord’s plan.

For I shall hide in the Lord’s heart

In the day of trouble,

As in a tent in the desert,

Away from the noise of my fears.

And I shall rise above struggles, my pai,

shouting blessings of gratitude in the Lord’s heart, 

and singing melodies of praise to my Beloved.

Hear, O my Lord, when I cry aloud,

be gracious and answer me!

You have said, “Seek my face.”

My heart responds, “Your face, my Beloved, do I seek;

hide not your face from me.”

Do not turn from me,

You who have been my refuge.

Enfold me in your strong arms,

O Blessed One.

Though my father and mother may not understand me, 

You, my Beloved, know me and love me.

Teach me to love, as You are Love; 

lead me through each fear; 

hold my hand as I walk through valleys of doubt each day, 

that I may know Your peace.

I believe that I shall know the realm of Heaven, 

of Love, here on earth!

Wait for the Beloved,

be strong with courage of the heart;

Yes! Wait for the Beloved of your heart!

—Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill

A Father's Prayer by General MacArthur for his son

We parents are wonderful doing so much to labour and toil for our kids' studies and welfare. I am reminded by a great General 's prayer for his son that we need to be mindful of their excel in characters than exam results, their courage to face's life adversities than success in life, their compassion to standby the less fortunate than cruise along with the rich and famous. May this be a prayer for all our kids too. Here is goes:-

In the early days of that war and campaign, Gen. MacArthur acknowledged his dependence on a Heavenly Father when he composed “A Father’s Prayer”:

Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, brave enough to face himself when he is afraid, one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a son who will know Thee — and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge. 

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously.

Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, and the meekness of true strength.

Then, I, his father, will dare to whisper, ‘I have not lived in vain.'”

Amen.

Indeed, May the Lord helps our sons and daughters. Amen. 

Prayer for Baby Faith

Dear Lord,
Our Baby Faith needs you
Thank you for forming in her mother's womb
Protecting and surrounding her with your love and shield
Day by day You watch her grow
It has been a good 35 weeks and a day
The gestation period of her body

Her heart and lungs need to be strengthened
Her immune system needs to double up
Against all diseases surrounding us
Her tiny stomach and intestine
Need to learn to absorb all nutrients good
So she could nurse from her mother's bosom

Her tiny body needs to grow
Make her bones stronger every day
As she learns to feed well and sleep well
That her mind be filled with God's grace
She be Christ-like and not timid but bold
Bringing joy and love to her parents

Dear Lord, I pray that Faith will be

Forever be your precious one
Always cherished and loved
Incredibly witty and nice
Tall, cheerful and strong
Healthy bubbly and sweet

In Jesus' victorious Name, we pray. Amen.

Note :-

Baby Faith Liew was born 21 May 2015 after gestation of  35 weeks 1 Day. Her birth weight was 2.06kg, discharged weight 1.88kg. At the time I completed this, she weighs 4.5 Kg. This prayer poem was written during the first month after her birth, only completed in July 2015. But I dated it on her birthday. 

Religious extremists in our world

All my life, I have been spoiled by peace and harmony, brought up in a loving environment where children's welfare and education were viewed as family's top investment priority. I grew up believing that the sky is the limit and I can be what I aspire and dream to be. Having been born at a time that Malaysia did not experience any wars or social unrest, I view all mankind are good and kind. I believe there is goodness in everyone. I was taught to respect others religions and practices and keep my religious convictions and beliefs to myself and to practice among those who subscribe to it. After all, religions can never be forced upon anyone. Even within a family, the parent could instill and inculcate the love for their belief and religion but to make decision on behalf of the children is next to impossible. Such is the peace and harmony that I have come to know and claim to be my constitutional rights. Peace-loving, harmony-respectful, that is what we represent and we are. 

But it seems lately, all that we hear in the news media is the contradiction of our belief system, against what we have been taught and against what our constitution upholds. The world as a whole have seen more terrorism coming out from various extremist religious groups, there is one religion that stand out in all these extremists stories. They are causing suffering among other religions, they create fear among all who hear their name. It makes all religious teaching for love, forgiveness a mockery in the face. As to respect to the human race, none. As  to their worship of God, they are worst than those who do not believe in God.

How could things go so wrong ? Why is their so much hatred on others ? Why pick on one religion ? Where is God when these things are happening against His people ? Have we angered him and we left us to suffer under man? So many questions and no one is able to answer.

Where is justice when we need it ? Where is the world's self professed policeman ? Why do they not police all these violent and killings ? Where are all the super heroes? Even in social media, aside spreading the errie video footings of the killing, there have been very little comment by the keyboard warrior ?

I am guilty as charged. I have been silent on this killing and protesting. I have been avoiding the topic and refuse to comment on the postings that I see everyday. 

In far away land, christian brothers and sisters were killed in mass, they are suffering on a daily basis. They did no wrong but treated as criminals. Closer to home, we have been restricted in calling God as "Allah" in Peninsular Malaysia, but we could God "Allah" in Sabah and Sarawak. This has sparkled some many jokes about our Bahasa Malaysia Alkitab obtained from Sarawak, brought over to Peninsular Malaysia for personal usage, so is that legal ? Questions that are too stupid to even answer them. 

I am really torn apart by the suffering, it grieved me to see suffering, part of me is so angry and furious, how could this be allowed to happen again and again ? Part of me is very helpless, is there something that I could do to soothe the pain of those who suffer or stop all these brutality ? What are we to make sense of these madness ? I even want to question God, "Where are you Lord ?" I know You are right there among their midst, you are suffering among them. I wish the flesh-eating disease will spread among them fast and wipe them out, I wish thunder will strike them all dead, I wish to see the wrath of God come upon them as in the Old Testament days when the Lord God was mocked and insulted. I wish. But I am such evil person myself to have harbored such evil thoughts. 

How can I make sense of the sufferings that are happening to God's children in other places ? What can I do to the constantly endangered brothers and sisters in Christ ? Could I do nothing ? Without emphathy or turn a blind eye to all these cruelty ? What is the Christian's right response to all these ?

God is not blind nor is He deaf

Of the sufferings of His Children in His Name
Hope will prevail among His Children that He is still on the throne

The following remarks come from Coptic Christian Bishop Antonios, speaking on behalf of the
Ethiopian Church regarding this latest butchery of Christians who refuse to accept Islam:

[W]e continue to look at these events with the eyes of faith. The chain of martyrs has not finished, and will accompany the whole history until the end. Christians do not seek martyrdom, they want to live in peace and joy. But if martyrdom comes, it is comforting to see that it can be accepted with the same peace which was accepted by the Copts who pronounced the name of Christ and they relied on Him as they were being slaughtered. The Church has never complained of martyrdom, but has always celebrated martyrs as those in whom, while they are being killed, the great and consoling victory of Christ shines.

 http://www.raymondibrahim.com/muslim-persecution-of-christians/christians-accept-execution-rather-than-islam/

When prayers not answered

Someone said, "After we have prayed, our job is done. It is no longer our responsibility no matter what is the outcome." Perhaps, we will have less strife if we think like this before the Lord. Alas, most of us will lament to God for His seemingly inactivity or turn-a-deaf-ear to our legitimate cries for His Kingdom and His will to be done in our lives and on this earth. What happened ? How could a loving God who sees His children obey and submit in prayers to Him, the very precious things that He is concerned and care about and  yet He seems to choose to let the evil side wins and not doing anything to vindicate His own name ? What happened to prayers not answered ?

Does it mean we pray wrongly or we did not pray within His will ? Does it mean we have sins in our lives, un-repented and un-confessed sins ? There are always questions and we will always ask.

Here is a look at some reasons why our prayers not answered.

It was a prayer with a selfish mindset. False humility, false sincerity. We could be sincerely wrong, just like terrorists who think they are fighting for justice. They are in the wrong. God will not honour such requests. Perhaps we are in sin and need repentance.

We do not comprehend the greater will of God for mankind and us. His ways are higher, His timing is reverse mathematics (a thousands year is a day, a day is a thousand years, and you do not quite know when He will reverse this mathematics). By not answering our prayers straightaway and by delaying answering prayers, He could be moulding, building and equipping us  up. He could be preparing us for a greater tasks ahead.

God's scale and timing of things are not the same as ours. Mankind are limited beings confined in the 3 dimension world moving in a fixed time. If God were to sign all our petitions before Him and simply granted them to us, He might just end up giving away His Glory ! Quoted from a speaker.

We were unavailable when God replied us. In a world of connectivity, we are always connected to social network, to our families chat groups, but yet God finds us unavailable ! We are simply too busy for God to move in our lives. WE could miss an answered prayer when we shut God off with our busyness (just like Martha did to Jesus).

We show no diligence to getting prayers answered. God does not help one who does not help himself. He will have no idle beggars at his door, asking for free food while He has granted them perfect health to work themselves into an answered prayers environment. Every often, this is true, it sounds like we trust 100% to God to do miracles for us, to change our life to better, to break a bad habit, to achieve a breakthrough, but very often, we are too lazy to start the change within us. We just sit and wait for God to drop a miracle to save us.

About 527 Words

What is prayer to me

Prayers is talking to God, telling Him all our daily chores and needs, boring and fresh ones, God gets to hear them all, all the time from us babbling them out at Him. Prayer is a little bit selfish as it is like lamenting to God what we do not like and wish for changes to happen and then we sit and wait for God to speak to us. Some times, we utter out thankful words of praise to Him especially during meal time. 

Now, we could even say our prayer to thank for the food using the camera to take photos of the food we about to part-take. Once, I made up this prayer of Grace which is the ritual of taking photos of food using camera prior to eating them, I called it the latest religious ritual :-

Thank you Lord for the food I about to part-take

Look at it Lord, isn't it cute on my camera.

May it be a prefect health for me after I eat it. Amen !

Picture first, eat later.

So pretty, don't eat first. Take picture for memory and comments on the
Food Blog that we have been thinking of starting (which never happen).

However, Prayer should be sincere and not like placing an order although at times, our list is so long, it looks like a shopping list. Prayer should be from the heart, things that bother or concern us at our core beings, some days, we get a prompting so strong, the only logical reason is to pray and wait for God's next instructions. 

We must align our prayers to the will of God. It is Him first and me second. He must increases and me decrease, that should be our attitude in prayers. We would not dare to demand that God to listen to way we suggest Him to answer. So learn to pray within the will of God. Seek first His kingdom and all these things will be given unto you. God is no man's debtor, He will honour our wishes.

We must expect Him to speak to us as we pray. Praying is like two ways traffic, there is uplink and downlink, just like the internet, one speed may be faster than the other. Perhaps, we are quick to send Arrows Prayers to heaven but slow to listen when He takes time to answer us ? Listening to Him is also part of prayer.

We have a responsibility to pray but we are not responsible over the results. This is an important perspective and understanding of prayers. Very often, we hold ourselves and God accountable for unanswered prayers. We try to think who is to be blamed. That responsibility belongs to God alone ! Our job is just to submit and pray and be the instrument of change ! Basically, our job to pray, God's job to decide the outcome. 

We trust a God who is omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotent. He knows all, He is everywhere, He is all powerful. Before we speak, He knows. But He choose to move with our engagement and involvements, to God, we are the world to Him. In delaying answering our prayers, God has His reasons and timing. We do not see the full picture. We do not know our actual destiny. He does. So in prayer, we learn to submit to His Lordship over our life; over the universe, and over our future destiny in heaven. 

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Encountering God Moments

Do I have encountering-God moments in my life ? I am not sure. I may have special moments that I felt touched by God; I had his voices calling my childhood name (only known to my parents); circumstances beautifully orchestrated by the Almighty; promptings guided by the Holy Spirit but encountering God as a decisive moment that changed me ? I need to have a hard think on this. 

Growing up, God was a concept of holiness, perfect, all loving, all forgiving. The all-forgiving character of God was very important to me for I lived an angry life, fighting with my brother with real hatred and all-strength.

But certainly, God was an Answered-my-prayers God, yes, he has been, for my younger days. For most prayers anyway, the younger, the more naive, the innocent prayers of mine, they were, interestingly, all answered by God in miracles and unthinkable manners.But there were not answered immediately,some took a decade to realise. But I realised that God has been faithful and I have not been.

Something happened in the middle-age me, God seems to have stop answering my prayers (not all anyway) and I stop feeling close to God. Some called it the big fat rat race of the living, the life trap, the cycle of living, it has been a roller coaster ride of wild trips. I have been too absorbed into making a living, a self-made man (Woman), one that has too much pride and ego to ask for help. Too much of anything is certainly no good. A bit of pride, a bit of ego, a bit of self-made game plans. I always thought life should be prepared with Plan A, B, C and even D ! Just in case, there is always a second plan to make up for the losses in the first Plan. But, is this where God wants me to be ? Or am I experiencing the outcome of my own pride and failures ?

Have I lost my faith, bit by bit ? Have I forgotten how to ask in childlike faith ? Was I being selfish and having second motives in my prayer requests ? Perhaps, I have not been praying in the will of God ! That's it ! The nugget truth, the will of God, big word for small faith folks like me ! How about this one - His ways are higher than my ways (all my ways combined ?) His timing is also out of my infinite world of limitations. He is timeless and limitless, silence could  mean golden, a thousand years is like a day to Him. Oh dear, I do not have that long to wait ! 

Growing up, I often heard this explanation on prayers, God always answers all our prayers and His answers could be any of the three according to His omniscience wisdom. He always reply as :-

1) Yes - you can have it as you have prayed as it is my will too !

2) No - you cannot have it as it is not my will for you !

3) Wait - my timing and my will is to bless you, trust me, not this time, not yet !

O Lord, forgive me for missing your answers to my prayer requests, for ignoring your discipline, for overlooking your loving answers to my unanswered prayers. Amen.

Note :- About 561 Words.

  

I thought I heard Him calling my name

Hearing God is an important of Christian journey because it is the ultimate voice of God, from heaven, from the Creator and the Source of life ! Blessed are those who hear Him, is there such verse in the Bible ? Well, that is only partially true. 

At least, the first part of Luke 11:28 sounds like it, "Blessed are those who hear the word of God ...", hear the word here of course is referred to the Bible, His Word and Instructions to us. However, the word God utters in our life matters too, that is His voice, some say its audible, loud and clear; some say it comes in a dream, a clear voice in the background or God speaking in a dream; some just simply do not hear or dream about it. 

Nonetheless, Christians often shares about hearing the voice of God in their lives, guiding, helping and the very presence of help at times of difficulties. 

I never really thought about hearing voice of God until I heard a sharing on how God called him in the middle of the night while he lay on the top side of double-dicker bed by his family nickname, only known to his closest family members. I started thinking would I hear Him call my name ?

One day after a hectic day of conference and being heavily pregnant and my car was seemingly pushed by someone to the middle of the road, at the end of that day as I sat on the floor of my living room, folding clothes for my family of four, I was nearly in tears, telling God that I think he does not love me. Then, I heard it in my heart, "Ah Tyng, you still say I don't love you ?" A load of memories of God  has helped me flashed through my mind. I was touched and broke down with tears. 

In a moment, I was assured of His love; in a flash, His peace fills my inner core; In a twinkling of an eye, I was touched by Him. The most shocking part it was not only He called my childhood family nickname, only called by my closest ones. The most shocking part was that it was in my native tongue of Hakka. A language I used when I am talking to my inner self. God speaks my language ! Cool !

I was ecstatic after I realised what has happened that night. I was speechless for a while, failing to defend my utterly little faith. I was very touched and assured. 

God is Always Near Me
Hymn Lyrics

God is always near me,
Hearing what I say;
Knowing all my thoughts and deeds,
All my work and play.

God is always near me,
In the darkest night,
He can see me just the same
As by midday light.

God is always near me,
Though so young and small;
Not a look, or word, or thought,
But God knows it all.

Note :- Exactly 500 Words !