祷告

“唯有神能移山，唯有信心和祷告才能感动神。”

This quote from a song in one of our choir books here in California reminds us that there is great power in even a little faith when God is with us.  Let’s look at what Jesus said about faith.

马修 17:20

“20 耶稣对他们说，是因为你们的不信。我实在告诉你们，你们若有信心如同一粒芥菜种，就必对这座山说，从那里移开去；它应删除；对你来说没有什么是不可能的”

Faith is a belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.  We see in the scripture that Jesus said we only need faith as a grain of mustard seed to move mountains.  Mustard seeds are tiny little seeds.  Did you know that all we need is a tiny bit of faith for prayer to work?

希伯来书 11:1

“11 信就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据。”

Faith does the impossible because it moves God to undertake for us, and nothing is impossible with God.

马可福音 10:27

“27耶稣看着他们说，在人是不能，在神却不然，因为在神凡事都能。”

Faith produces and works in conjunction with prayer.  I firmly believe if we pray with faith and God answers our prayer, our prayer life and faith grow stronger.  As young people, we need to understand that a lack of faith is rooted in a poor prayer life.  In other words, if we are not praying to God, our faith will be small.  When was the last time you prayed to God and asked Him to help you?  When was the last time you prayed for a soul to receive Salvation?  When was the last time you spent more than a couple of minutes crying out to God to answer your prayer?  Has your prayer life become weak, and subsequently, your faith in God is also weak?  God wants to answer our prayers, but we must bring our petitions to God in prayer.  Praying is something we need to learn to do as young people.  When we are in a situation that we cannot control, we should have faith that we can reach out to God for help.

Think about Abraham and when he prayed for Lot to be saved out of Sodom and Gomorra.

创世记 18:23-33

“23 亚伯拉罕就上前来，说，你与恶人一同灭绝义人吗？

24 恐怕城里有五十个义人，你也要毁灭，不留那地方给城里的五十个义人吗？

25 远离你，以这种方式杀死义人和恶人；义人应该像远离你的恶人一样：全地的审判者难道不应该这样做吗？

26 耶和华说，我若在所多玛城中遇见五十个义人，我就为他们宽恕这一切地方。

27亚伯拉罕回答说，看啊，我已经承担起对主说话，这不过是尘土和灰烬：

28 恐怕五十个义人中必缺少五个；你要因缺少五个而毁灭全城吗？他说，如果我在那里找到四十五个，我不会摧毁它。

29他又一次对他说话，说，估计那里会有四十个。他说，为了四十，我不会这样做。

30他对他说，哦，不要让主发怒，我要说：也许那里会有三十个。他说，如果我在那里找到三十个，我就不会这样做。

31他说，看啊，我已经决定要对主说话：也许那里会有二十个。他说，我不会为了二十而毁掉它。

32他说，哦，主不要生气，我还要说一次：在那里可能会发现十个。他说，我不会为了十个缘故毁掉它。

33 耶和华与亚伯拉罕说完话就走了，亚伯拉罕就回去了。”

We find Lot, Abraham’s nephew put himself in a terrible situation.  Abraham had the faith to go to God and ask Him for big things.  I don’t think this was the first time Abraham talked to God in prayer.  I am convinced that God knew Abraham on a first name basis because we also find in the scriptures that God was listening to Abraham.  Abraham was a man of prayer.

What about Moses and his petitions to God to spare the Israelite people?  Moses was a man of prayer.  Whenever the Israelites disobeyed God, Moses fell on his face before God and started praying.

出埃及记 32：11-14

“11 摩西恳求耶和华他的神，说，主啊，为什么你向你用大能和大能的手从埃及地领出来的百姓发烈怒呢？

12 埃及人为什么要说，他把他们带出来，在山上杀了他们，从地上消灭了他们？转离你的烈怒，悔改对你百姓的恶行。

13 记念你的仆人亚伯拉罕、以撒和以色列，你亲自向他们起誓，对他们说，我要使你们的后裔繁衍如天上的星辰，我所说的这片土地，我都要赐给他们你的后裔，他们将永远承受它。

14 主后悔了，他想对他的子民做恶。”

What about Elijah on the mountain with the prophets of Baal?  Remember Baal’s prophets tried all day to get their God’s attention.  The prophets danced around and cut themselves, but their God did not respond.  On the other hand, Elijah had a connection to God through prayer.

1 列王纪 18:37-38

“37 听我说，主啊，听我说，好让这百姓知道你是主神，你又让他们的心转回了。

38 耶和华的火降下，烧尽了烧过的祭物、木头、石头和尘土，又把沟里的水舀尽。”

I am convinced that God knew Elijah’s voice when he prayed because Elijah prayed consistently to God.  So, when Elijah prayed, God heard and answered his Prayer.

Daniel 1:1-21

“1 犹大王约雅敬在位第三年，巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒上来围困耶路撒冷。

2 耶和华将犹大王约雅敬和神殿中器皿的一部分交在他手中。他将这些器皿带到示拿地，送到他神殿中；他把这些器皿带进了他神的宝库。

3国王对太监的主人亚施毗拿说，要带几个以色列人、王后裔和首领；

4 孩子没有瑕疵，但受人喜爱，通晓一切智慧，聪明伶俐，懂科学，有能力站在王宫里，可以教他们学问和学问。迦勒底人的舌头。

5 国王每天给他们提供国王的食物和他喝的酒：这样养活他们三年，这样他们就可以站在国王面前。

6 其中犹大的子孙有但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亚撒利雅：

7 太监的首领给他起名：因为他给但以理起名叫伯提沙撒；和沙得拉的哈拿尼雅；米煞的米沙耳；和亚伯尼歌的亚撒利雅。

8 但但以理心里定意，不要因王的那份食物和所喝的酒玷污自己，所以他请求太监的首领，不要玷污自己。

9 神使但以理与太监的王子相爱。

10 太监对但以理说，我怕我主我王，他为你指定了你的食物和饮料：他为什么看到你的脸比你的孩子更不喜欢呢？那时你们要使我在王面前危及我的头。

11 但以理对太监的首领所派的麦尔撒说，麦尔撒是达尼尔、哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亚撒利雅，

12 我恳求你，十天考验你的仆人；让他们给我们吃脉，给我们喝水。

13 那么，让我们在你面前看着我们的脸，和吃国王那份食物的孩子们的脸。照你所见，对待你的仆人。

14 于是他在这事上答应了他们，又用了十天的时间给他们试了试。

15 过了十天，他们的脸色就显得比所有吃过王肉的孩子都更白更肥了。

16 麦尔撒就这样拿走了他们的肉和他们应该喝的酒；并给他们脉搏。

17 至于这四个孩子，神在各样学问和智慧上赐给他们知识和技能；但以理在各样的异象和梦中都通达。

18 王吩咐带他们进来的日子完了，太监的首领就把他们带到尼布甲尼撒面前。

19 王与他们交谈；在他们中间，没有一个像但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亚撒利雅，所以他们站在王面前。

20王问他们智慧和悟性的一切问题，发现他们比他的领土上所有的术士和占星家都好十倍。

21 但以理一直延续到居鲁士王元年。”

Daniel was also a man of prayer.  Daniel was an exiled Jew in Babylon, taken there as a boy.  He belonged to a noble family and was exceptionally able and intelligent.  Daniel lived through two kings and then finally King Darius.  King Darius divided his kingdom into one hundred and twenty provinces and appointed a prince or ruler over each province.  Over the princes, King Darius appointed three presidents, and over the presidents, King Darius placed Daniel.  About this time, Daniel was in his eighties, and his position made him second to the throne.  The princes and presidents below him became jealous and wanted Daniel out of the way.  They looked high and low to find fault with Daniel but couldn’t find anything wrong with his character.  But they did notice is Daniel kept the laws of his God and continually prayed.  What a testimony!  Even his worst enemies couldn’t find any fault in Daniel’s life.  Character is worth more than money or anything in this world.  Daniel’s character was perfect.  Because of their wicked jealousy, the princes and presidents devised a plan to get Daniel out of the way.  They went to King Darius and persuaded him to make a proclamation that prayer to any other than the King himself would be punishable by death.  This proclamation meant anyone caught praying to anything other than King Darius would be thrown into the lion’s den.

但以理书 6:6.7

“6 这些元首和首领聚集到国王那里，对他说，大流士王，万岁。

7 王国的所有元首、总督、首领、谋士和元帅，都商议制定了一项王室法令，并制定了一项坚定的法令，凡向任何神或人祈求三十天，除非你，王，他将被扔进狮子坑。”

Daniel could have stopped praying.  He could have hidden, but Daniel was not a weak Christian!  He had moral stamina and courage!  Daniel was not ashamed to be caught on his knees praying to the true God.

但以理书 6:10-11

“10 但以理知道书上签了名，就进了自己的房子。他的房间朝耶路撒冷开着窗户，他每天三次跪下，像从前一样在他的上帝面前祈祷感谢。

11 这些人聚集，见但以理在他的神面前祷告恳求。”

Daniel loved God so much that he was not afraid to open his window and pray just as he had done in times past.  The princes immediately told King Darius what Daniel had done, and the King became sorrowful because he loved Daniel.  He didn’t want to throw Daniel into the lions’ den.  But Daniel was not afraid because he believed God would deliver him.  Daniel felt prayer to God was so important he was ready to give his life for it.

祷告是我们每天都需要做的事情。作为一个年轻人，我挑战你，确保你花时间在祷告中与上帝在一起。

腓立比书 4:6

“6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

RHT