Welcome to the August 2024 Prayer Vigil!

Someone somewhere had put up a sign saying “Heaven Has Strict Immigration Laws, Hell Has Open Borders” and a picture of it was circulated on social media. This brief description of heaven and hell was accompanied by the verses of the Bible in Matt. 7: 13 – 14 where Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  14  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The Bible tells us that the God who created the universe had laid down requirements for people to enter life in the kingdom of God or heaven, and not following these requirements or “strict immigration laws” will lead to destruction or hell. What is the narrow and small gate that Jesus was talking about? Does it mean that the “immigration laws” are so restrictive that only very few people qualify to have life in heaven with God? The word of God explains it very clearly if you care to look into it.

“Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.  8  All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.  9  I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” (John 10: 7 – 9)

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14: 6)

Jesus was and is the gate to life in heaven with God the Father, and he is the only one who can save us from destruction. He is the one sent by God his Father to save us from our sins and eternal condemnation (John 3: 16 – 18; Acts 4: 10 – 12). We are told in the Bible how we can enter through the narrow gate and into eternal life – “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  10  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Rom. 10: 9 – 10)

If we desire to be saved from our life of sin we cannot just pay lip service to Jesus but we need to believe that he died and rose again and receive him as lord of our lives. It means a change of heart with total surrender to Jesus and submission to his authority as sovereign over our lives. Jesus requires it and it can be difficult for people who want to be “free” to be in control and master of their own lives rather than to be free from sin – “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  25  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Matt. 16: 24 – 25)

Just as the condemned person who was carrying his cross to the place of execution was completely under the control of the Roman authorities, we are to completely hand over control of our lives to Jesus and focus on him and not on ourselves. Remember how Adam and Eve fell into sin by shifting their focus on God to themselves and desiring to be in control and be like God (Gen. 3: 5 – 6). It is difficult to find the small gate and narrow road because of the sinful nature that we inherited and because Satan, “the god of this age” works to keep people from seeing the truth –

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Cor. 4: 4)

We who belong to Christ have to constantly remind ourselves that we are in a spiritual war in enemy territory, a world under the control of Satan (1 John 5: 19) and we are to stand firm in the Lord, the object of our faith, praying “in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Eph. 6: 12 – 18).

Let us pray –

• Holy Father in heaven, Almighty God, we thank you for your love for us that even while we were still sinners Jesus willingly experienced suffering and death on the cross in our place so that we will not have to face the eternal condemnation and death that we deserve for our sins. We praise you for the grace that you have showered on us because of your love, mercy, patience, goodness and faithfulness all of which we have experienced through Jesus Christ, your word, and the Holy Spirit who now lives in us to transform our lives so that we can become the children of God that you meant for us to be;

• Father, I confess my sins to you now – any pride, lack of faith, self-centeredness, indifference, unforgiveness, envy, covetousness…. Please cleanse my heart and take away anything that is not pleasing to you so that my prayers can be heard (Is. 59: 2). You know our hearts Lord and our desire for loved ones, friends, colleagues and others to know you and your son Jesus Christ that they too may have salvation. I lift up the names below (name others whom the Lord may bring to your mind) and ask that they may experience your love, mercy and grace to receive eternal life through Jesus Christ – Frank’s brother Jan; Kenneth’s mother and siblings; Michelle Niem’s family members; Angela’s sister and brother-in-law in the U.S.; Pansy’s husband; Stephanie’s parents and sister; Frederick’s mother in Australia; Mona’s colleague and neighbour Lily; Ivy’s son and family; Maria Tanielu’s mother and family in Samoa; Charles’ brother William in Canada.

• Lord, please look with compassion upon those who are in need of physical, emotional or spiritual healing and may your response to our persistent prayers restore their wholeness. I lift them up to you Lord – Kevin Ip’s father (recovery from a fall); Kaushic (high blood sugar level); Kaushic’s mother Maya (painful dental infection); Michelle Niem and Quina’s friend Paula (treatment for cancer); Samuel’s friend Henry (lymphoma), Thomas Lam (eyesight); Iris’ two sisters – Winnie in Sydney and Teresa in Hong Kong – and Alice, sibling of Jackson’s sister-in-law (God’s grace to sustain them in their fight with cancer); Stephanie’s father (eyesight and hearing); Frank’s brother Jan (glaucoma); Anna Chen’s niece, MeiMei (terminal illness); Scott Sapp’s loved ones – mother and sister in U.S. (depression since Scott passed away); may you also grant your grace, care and strength for Beatrice, Y.M. Chen, Herald Lau and Alex’s father.

• Lord, I intercede also for those who have the difficult task of providing care to loved ones, the elderly or people with special needs. Please grant them strength and wisdom and may they be sustained and refreshed through the support of IBC’s community of believers;

• Lord, all of us at IBC praise and thank you for your marvelous and timely provisions. I thank you for allowing the visa for Pastor Rob Pengra to be approved by the Hong Kong authorities and I pray for Pastor Rob and his wife Lori’s protection and timely arrival in Hong Kong to shepherd IBC;

• My thanksgiving too for the ones you have called to serve in ministries at IBC – for Carlos and Heidi who will care for the youths; and I continue to pray for your guidance for Carlos as he seeks your direction for his future ministry; for Kerry Eskine as she familiarizes herself with the children’s ministry and pray that her work will bear much fruit among our children and their parents also; my thanksgiving also for Pastor Will and the deacons as they continue to help IBC through this time of transition, may your Spirit give them strength and guide their steps;

• I give thanks to you for the volunteers you have called to minister to the children and their parents in the upcoming VBS beginning August 5; I pray that they will be united by your Spirit in their mission to help the children know you and your son Jesus; may your love be evident throughout the time of the VBS and I also ask for your protection for all who participate, for health and safety; (please also pray following the VBS prayer card);

• Lord, I pray that there will be suitable volunteers to help the children at the Hong Chi Pine Hill School for children with intellectual disabilities so that the children will enjoy experiences like others do;

• Some of our children will be proceeding to tertiary education in Hong Kong and abroad and I ask for your protection and guidance for them;

• I lift up Kaushic and Dang and their children to you as they continue in their mission work in the Philippines; thank you for your protection and provisions for them during the recent severe flooding around their home; may the children learn through these difficulties to trust wholly in you;

• May all glory and honour be yours in all that we do as one body at IBC;

In the name of Jesus Christ’s our Lord and Saviour I pray. Amen!

[This prayer guide was prepared by Charles Ip]

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