A praying church一间有祷告的教会

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 3 我每逢想念你们，就感谢我的神； 4 每逢为你们众人祈求的时候，常是欢欢喜喜地祈求。 5 因为从头一天直到如今，你们是同心合意地兴旺福音。 6 我深信那在你们心里动了善工的必成全这工，直到耶稣基督的日子

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. 9 我所祷告的，就是要你们的爱心在知识和各样见识上多而又多， 10 使你们能分别是非 [a] ，做诚实无过的人，直到基督的日子； 11 并靠着耶稣基督结满了仁义的果子，叫荣耀称赞归于神。

The Philippians learnt from Paul to be prayerful.腓利比教会从保罗学到祷告的生活The importance of prayer祷告的重要性

Philippians 腓 1:19-2219 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[c] 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 19 因为我知道，这事借着你们的祈祷和耶稣基督之灵的帮助，终必叫我得救。 20 照着我所切慕、所盼望的，没有一事叫我羞愧，只要凡事放胆，无论是生是死，总叫基督在我身上照常显 .21 因我活着就是基督，我死了就有益处。

The church at Philippi is a model church腓立比的教会是一个模范教会Why do I say that?怎么说呢？

Last Sunday 上星期天The Philippian church was: 腓立比教会是一间• Mission-minded: they supported A. Paul’s mission

since the church was started. They sent Epaphroditus to take care of Paul when he was in prison. (4:18) 充满宣教使命的教会 : 因为他们教会被建立的时候，就开始支持使徒保罗在外邦地的宣教。他们派以巴弗提去到监狱里，去照顾保罗的需要。

• Generous: financially they met all Paul’s personal expenses in mission. (4:15-16) 慷慨的教会：因为他们在经济上支持保罗在宣教里的个人需要。

• Supporting a missionary is supporting mission.支持宣教士就等于支持宣教事工。• Supporting a full-time or a part-time Christian worker is

supporting mission. 支持一个全职或兼职在教会服侍的同工就等于支持宣教事工。• The church in Singapore supports me and Miu’s

training, they supports a missionary work in Australia.新加坡教会支持我和 Miu 的训练，他们是在支持澳洲宣教的工作。• You put your money in the church to support a full-

time staff, you are supporting mission in Bendigo.你将你的钱去支持教会的全职同工，你就是在支持本迪戈的宣教工作。

• The Philippian church was started in a prayer meeting by the river side outside the town of Philippi. (Acts 16:13-15) 腓立比教会是在腓立比这个地方，以祷告会开始教会的。

• The first convert was a Greek business woman, Lydia. She was a God fearer. She was in the prayer meeting. Upon hearing the word of Paul, she accepted Jesus. Immediately she invited Paul to her home to teach the word of God. Hence her home was the first church in town. 教会第一个信主的人是一名希腊的女商人，莉迪亚。她是一个敬畏神的人。她在祷告会里听到保罗的传讲神的话，她就接受了耶稣。她立刻邀请保罗到她家来教导神的话语。因此，她的家在镇上是第一间教会。

The church at Philippi is a model church腓立比的教会是一个模范教会Since the inception of the church, it became Paul’s prayer partners and great supporters.这间教会是从祷告会开始。从教会被建立起来开始，他们成了保罗的祷告伙伴和有力的支持者。

What did Paul say about their prayers?保罗是怎么说他们的祷告呢？19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 19 因为我知道，这事借着你们的祈祷和耶稣基督之灵的帮助，终必叫我得救。

• The Philippians prayed for Paul腓立比基督徒为保罗祷告。

• Paul prayed for the Philippians 保罗为门徒祈求感谢

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy. 3 我 每 逢 想 念 你 们 ， 就 感 谢 我 的 神 ； (V3)

How did Paul pray？保罗是如何祷告?

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. 9 我所祷告的，就是要你们的爱心在知识和各样见识上多而又多， 10 使你们能分别是非 [a

] ，做诚实无过的人，直到基督的日子； 11 并靠着耶稣基督结满了仁义的果子，叫荣耀称赞归于神。

Paul prayed that they might grow in:保罗祷告他们能够成长：• Love 在爱心上• The knowledge of Jesus 在对耶稣的知识上• Discernment 在分办对与错上• The fruit of righteousness 在结出属灵果子上• The commitment to the Lord Jesus 在对主耶稣的委身上

The church at Philippi is a model church 腓立比的教会是一个模范教会because it is 因为他们是 :• Mission-minded 充满宣教使命的教会• Generous 慷慨支持保罗在宣教• Prayerful 一间有祷告的教会

Why don’t we pray to God?我们为何不祷告？• I have no problems, hence no requests. 我没有问题，没有好求的？ If you don’t have any problems, others have. 你没有问题，他人有问题。• I am not in a life and death situation. 我不在生死关头 Others might be in a life and death situation 他人可能在生死关头

Why don’t we pray for the church?为何不为教会祷告？• The church is doing ok without my prayer. 教会过得去，不需要我的祷告。• I have no time to pray for the church. 我没时间为教会祷告• I am too caught up with my problems. 我本身已经有很多问题The church needs all your prayer support. 教会需要你的祷告

Do you know that Satan is using all means and ways to tear down the church?你们是否知撒旦想用一切的方法来破还教会？• First, he targets Pastors, leaders & their families. 先攻击牧师 , 传道 , 领袖们和他们的家庭成员• Then any weak brothers and sisters. 其次是为软弱的弟兄姐妹们祷告 .

We must pray for the church leaders & for one another, for missionaries.我们要为教会的牧师，传道，领袖和他们的家庭成员，宣教的弟兄姐妹祷告。

In whatever situation不论在什么情况下Philippians 腓 4:6-7Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.6 应当一无挂虑，只要凡事借着祷告、祈求和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神。 7 神所赐出人意外的平安，必在基督耶稣里保守你们的心怀意念