INDESCRIBABLE GIFT

12/12—Jesus is INDESCRIBABLE GIFT

Praise:  2 Corinthians 9:15: Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 

Praise God for sending His only one precious Son, the indescribable gift, Jesus Christ, to the world by His wisdom, for displaying His righteousness, holiness and salvation. Praise Jesus Christ, who is powerful and compassionate; strong and gentle; righteous and merciful; wise and humble; faithful and patient with much more indescribable grace. No one in the heavens or on the earth is like Him or can be compared with Him.

Intercession from Romans 6:23: 

May God open your (or beloved ___’s) eyes of heart to know that the wages of sin is death; may God give you (or ___) the gift of eternal life hidden in Christ Jesus when you (or ___) receive Jesus Christ as your (his/her) Savior and surrender yourself (himself/herself) to Him as the Lord of your (his/her) life. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

12/12—主耶穌有說不盡的恩賜

讚美主:哥林多後書9:15: 「感謝神,因他有說不盡的恩賜!」

讚美上帝差遣祂的獨生愛子主耶穌基督作為世人的禮物。主耶穌以智慧彰顯天父的公義、聖潔和對罪人的救贖。讚美主耶穌大有權柄又能憐恤人;強壯又溫柔;正直又仁慈;有智慧又謙卑;誠實守信又有耐心等說不盡的恩典。天上地上沒有人能像祂,無人能與祂相比。

代禱:羅馬書6:23:「因為罪的工價乃是死;惟有神的恩賜,在我們的主基督耶穌裡,乃是永生。

願上帝開啟你(或___的)心靈的眼睛,使你(或___)知道罪的終局是永遠的死亡;願上帝把藏在主耶穌基督裡的永恆的生命,白白地賜給願意接受主耶穌為救主,並完全尊主為大的你(或___)。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

該不該打疫苗?專家這樣說

輝瑞藥廠(Pfizer)的新冠疫苗預計很快就會在全美開始施打,但也因此引起民眾諸多疑慮,芝加哥論壇報邀請專業醫學界人士提供了部分解答。

●藥物過敏者可施打新冠疫苗嗎? 范德堡大學醫學中心(Vanderbilt University Medical Center)教授薛福納(William Schaffner)說,輝瑞雖然臨床試驗沒有出現過敏現象,但是否造成過敏因人而異,他建議,如果平時對藥物、疫苗或食物有過敏症狀,最好等官方確認安全後再接種。

●新冠疫苗保護效果有多長?薛福納說,目前需要收集更多人的施打反應,才能較精準的數據分析。

●懷孕中、考慮受孕婦女要打嗎?臨床試驗者通常不包含懷孕婦女,因此新冠疫苗對懷孕婦女的影響,現階段不得而知。西北醫學院助理教授米勒(Emily Miller)說,疫苗本身不是零風險,但是與其確診危急生命,權衡之下建議還是應該接種疫苗。母胎醫藥協會(The society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine)也建議提供疫苗給懷孕的醫療工作人員,至於考慮懷孕者目前無直接證據顯示不應施打疫苗,她鼓勵這些婦女與醫生先行討論。

●曾染疫者還需要打疫苗嗎?薛福納表示,仍應接種疫苗,因為專家指出,比起感染後自身所產生的抗體,疫苗能提供更強的保護,他說,接種疫苗後的反應不會比新冠確診更嚴重。

●確診者會產生免疫抗體嗎?芝加哥醫學院(University of Chicago Medicine)傳染病專家Mai Tuyet Pho說,染疫康復後雖然會產生抗體,但不確定能持續多久,且的確有人二度感染,對此聯邦疾病防治中心CDC表示,首次確診後的三個月內,比較不容易二度感染,但過了三個月仍可能因暴露在病毒中而受到感染。

專家建議,年底假期將至,公眾盡量不要在室內群聚,且除非有必要,盡量避免搭乘飛機。

FAITHFUL AND TRUE

12/11—Jesus is FAITHFUL AND TRUE

Praise:  Rev. 19:11: I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.   

Praise God for sending Jesus Christ, who is faithful and always stays true to Father God’s righteousness, with which He judges each sinful acts in order to save people from sins, and fights against the evil lies that distorted the Truth. Praise God!

Intercession from: Psalm 33:4: For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

May God open your (or beloved ___’s) eyes of the heart to  know the word of the Lord is right and true and you (or ___) shall trust that He is faithful in all He does so that you can cast off all your anxiety or fret to Him. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

12/11—主耶穌是誠信和真實

讚美主:

啟示錄19:11: 「我觀看,見天開了。有一匹白馬,騎在馬上的稱為誠信真實,他審判、爭戰,都按著公義。」

讚美上帝差派主耶穌來到世界上,親自示範祂永遠忠誠地遵守上帝的公義,並顯出何謂上帝的公義:就是來審判世人的罪行以救他們脫離罪,並向說謊、扭曲真理的魔鬼宣戰。讚美主!

代禱:

詩篇33:4: 「因為耶和華的言語正直;凡他所做的盡都誠實。

願上帝開啟你(或所愛的___)心靈的眼睛,使你(或___)明白並信靠耶和華神的言語都是正直的,凡祂所做的盡都誠實且正確,所以你(或___)可以放心將一切的憂慮或不平都交託給上帝。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

庫克郡第二波紓困金開放申請 每人600元

由於新冠疫情傳播仍舊猖狂,造成許多家庭面臨染疫、失業困境,庫克郡長普瑞科溫可(Toni Preckwinkle)宣布,儘管10月已經發放第一次紓困金(COVID-19 Resident Cash Assistance Program),為緩解居民(芝加哥市民除外)經濟壓力,決定追加900萬紓困基金,開放給符合申請資格郡民申請,申請時間到11日截止,如獲核可,每人將可取得一次性600元的現金補助。

普瑞科溫可今年10月根據聯邦的「新型冠狀病毒援助、救濟和經濟安全法」紓困法案(CARES Act)所補貼的210萬元紓困金,補助了3000位的庫克郡居民,每人獲得600元現金。

協助發放基金的獨立家庭計畫(Family Independence Initiative)負責人史考特(Ebony Scott)說,郡民的貧窮真實存在,這些居民受到疫情衝擊,正面臨生活上嚴重的挑戰。

普瑞科溫可希望這些補貼金可以迅速送達居民手中,讓他們可以用來給付帳單、購買生活用品與負擔其他必要花費。

尚未申請第一次紓困金的民眾,即日起到11日為止可提出申請,如10月已經申請但未獲發放者,不需要再提交申請書即可列入發放可能名單。

居民可上網申請,網址:fund.uptogether.org/suburbancookcountyfund,申請時需提出所有以下的證明文件:

●居住在庫克郡的證明文件。

●政府核發的身分證件。

●2020年3月1日前的收入證明以及銀行匯款帳號。

●證明自己因新冠疫情被暫停工作且未得薪資、或正在照顧身體虛弱或染疫的親屬,或因公司或學校關閉而失去收入。

郡府目前與多個民間團體合作,協助商家、居民度過疫情,相關信息,可上網:www.cookcountyil.gov/recovery。

WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

12/10—Jesus is WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

Praise:  Isaiah 9:6: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Praise God for sending Jesus Christ, born in flesh, to govern the Kingdom of God. Praise Jesus Christ is the wonderful Counselor for guiding us into the truth; He is the mighty God, who has overcome the world; He is the everlasting Father, the Creator of all; and He is the Prince of Peace, reconciling the sinners with the God of righteousness. Praise God!

Intercession from Psalm 32:8: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;  I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Lord God, may You instruct and teach you (or beloved____) in the way you (or he/she) should go; counsel you (or____ ) with your loving eye on you (or him/her) for He is patient to discipline whom He loves. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

 

12/10—主耶穌是奇妙策士

讚美主:以賽亞書9:6: 「因有一嬰孩為我們而生;有一子賜給我們。政權必擔在他的肩頭上;他名稱為奇妙策士、全能的神、永在的父、和平的君。

讚美上帝賜下主耶穌基督,降生為嬰孩,使祂全權掌管屬靈國度,祂是帶領人認識真理與恩典的奇妙策士;祂是已經勝過世界的全能神;祂是永遠的創造者;祂是使罪人與父神和好的和平君王。讚美主!

代禱:詩篇32:8: 「我要教導你,指示你當行的路;我要定睛在你身 上勸誡你。

願上帝教導你(或所愛的___),指示你(或___)當行的路,願上帝定睛在你(或___)身上勸誡你(他/她),因祂要耐心管教祂所愛的。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

Joyful blessing is contagious

Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed. (Proverbs 11:11)

My prayer buddy from Moms in Prayer group, Kim, recently learned that my son got a concussion from a car accident and went to the same clinic where her son-in-law, Zack, works as a chiropractor too. I told her I also met Zack and he is a nice person. Then, her reply stunned me. She said, “Now I know you will become a blessing to my son-in-law.” 

Why did Kim say that? My first thought is that Kim is a very humble person who always thanks God for what she has received, including compliment. Meanwhile, Kim is so compassionate and loves to encourage others.

As a result, her word is like a driving force to motivate my heart to be thankful to God, who works through His saints to help my son recover. Therefore, I felt joyful to write down a prayer card with a little gift for the brothers and sisters working in this clinic as my appreciation.

The bible says: “Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted.” If one saint’s good word can influence and pass blessing to another person, then imagine that joyful blessing may be spread more powerfully than virus to the whole city. 

As a matter of fact, Jesus is the first one, who came to the world to bless with His good news of forgiveness and freedom, then the salvation comes to each individual. And one by one, the whole world has been catching His fire of blessing.

Don’t underestimate the power of your word from your mouth.  Let’s choose to speak blessing to lift up ourselves, family, friends and the whole city.

Prayer: May God sanctify our lips with His truth in love to speak blessing to exalt a city, where people shall come out of darkness to glorify Jesus Christ, who is the first one to come to bless the world in the power of Creator. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

喜樂的祝福帶有傳染性

城因正直人祝福便高舉,卻因邪惡人的口就傾覆。(箴言11:11)

Kim是我的禱告同伴,當她知道我兒子去看的整脊診所,當中有個診脊師是她的女婿,她便對我說:「我知道你將成為我女婿的祝福。」

我因她的話,心覺被鼓勵而向神感恩。最後一次去診所時,我寫下禱告祝福的卡片,附上一個小禮物,送給診所中的員工們。

如果一個人口中祝福的話語可以影響另一個人,因愛的感動把祝福接著傳遞出去,想像一下,我們的祝福是否可以透過一個人傳給下一個人,而傳遍整個城市呢?

事實上,主耶穌就是傳遞喜樂祝福的第一個人。祂來到世界上傳告天父神藉由主耶穌的赦罪救恩,使人得自由,能遵守神旨意而活出生命原有的光彩。這個救恩透過人的傳揚臨到另一個人,一個接一個,如同星星之火可以燎原,將喜樂的火燃燒至整個世界。

禱告:願上帝潔淨我們的口,立志說榮神、建造人得生命的真理,使城市因義人的口得到高舉,脫離黑暗,來歸榮耀給主耶穌,這位賜全世界祝福的神。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

12/9—Jesus is RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

Praise:  John 11:25-26a: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who  believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

Praise God for resurrecting Christ Jesus’ life to give all whom believe in Him the eternal life and they will not experience the second death when He comes back again. Praise God!

Intercession from Acts 4:33: With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all.

May God fill you (or beloved ___) with the Holy Spirit to testify with His great power to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and you (or ___) may live a life worthy of His name. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

12/9—主耶穌是復活和生命

讚美主:約翰福音11:25-26a: 耶穌對他說:復活在我,生命也在我。 信我的人雖然死了,也必復活,凡活著信我的人必永遠不死。

讚美上帝叫主耶穌死而復活,賜給凡信靠主耶穌的人永恆的生命;叫信主耶穌的人今生雖有一死,但當主耶穌再來時,就要復活不落入第二次的永死。感謝主賜下永活的生命!

代禱:使徒行傳4:33: 使徒大有能力,見證主耶穌復活;眾人也都蒙 大恩 。

願上帝以聖靈充滿你(或所愛的___),使你(或___)得力量見證主耶穌死而復活的奇妙神蹟,使你(或___)活出配得主耶穌的名的生命。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

 

1周近500死 伊長照中心疫情告急

伊利諾州第二波新冠疫情從秋季爆發以來,對州內養老院長照中心的耆老居民衝擊重大,根據統計,12月第一周居住在安養院、長照中心的居民,已經有480人死於新冠病毒,州長普立茲克表示,安養中心的居民面臨新冠疫情威脅嚴重,他重新禁止外來訪客探訪養老院和長照中心住戶,同時要求長照中心必須執行更多檢測。

目前在各長照中心確診患者約有4500個,現階段染疫人數還比春季第一波疫情的高峰確診數更多,除了州府監督的長照中心以外,還有許多私人經營的養老院裡也出現上百人染疫的情況,其中位於拉謝爾郡(Lasalle County)的一家養老院,就有超過50個人感染病毒喪生。

根據芝加哥論壇報,疫情爆發後前半年,累計多達2萬8000名長照中心居民感染新冠病毒,而染疫死亡人數則超過4000人。

當時死亡人數眾多,主要因為醫護對新冠疫情還不清楚,更未規定戴口罩,導致長照中心附近社區的疫情擴散時,中心住戶與工作人員也受到感染,此外,州府在疫情初期派遣到長照中心的檢測人力不足,也推升了無症狀帶原者將病毒傳染出去。

養老院的老人與長照中心居民原本就行動不便,加上疫情讓家人無法造訪,增添了其精神壓力,伊州樂齡會(AARP)主管蓋洛(Bob Gallo)說,過去九個月以來,養老院和長照中心的保護措施不足,才會造成新一波的感染。

長照機構Infinity Healthcare旗下員工,近日才因抗議院方防疫措施不夠而持續罷工12天,根據州府資料,Niles Nursing & Rehabilitation Center在疫情爆發初期有54人死於新冠,高居全州長照中心之冠,最近該中心又傳出12人確診。

FREEDOM

12/8—Jesus is FREEDOM

Praise:  John 8:36: So if the Son sets you free,  you will be free indeed.  

Praise God for sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and the Lord. Praise God for having the law of the Spirit of life setting the sinners free by grace from the law of sin and death. Praise God for setting the saints free forever.

Intercession from 2 Corinthians 3:17

May you (or beloved ___) walk in the Spirit, for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

12/7—主耶穌是自由

讚美主:

約翰福音8:36: 所以天父的兒子若叫你們自由,你們就真自由了 。

讚美上帝賜下聖靈住在那些相信主耶穌基督為救主與人生的主的人心中。讚美上帝讓聖徒脫離罪和死亡的轄制,進入聖靈生命的律,活在主恩典國度裡。讚美主耶穌以真理釋放聖徒永遠得自由。感謝主!

代禱:

哥林多後書3:17: 主就是那靈;主的靈在那裡 ,那裡就得以自由。

願你(或所愛的___)以信心宣告你(或___)要住在主耶穌裡,定意與聖靈同行,因為主的靈在你(他/她)裡面,你(他/她)就不再被罪與黑暗轄制,得以自由地永遠活在主恩典的國度裡。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

LION OF JUDAH

12/7—Jesus is LION OF JUDAH

Praise:  Rev. 5:5: Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of  David, has triumphed.  

Praise God for sending Jesus Christ to destroy the devil’s work. Praise Jesus Christ, who has triumphed over the darkness of sins and death, has overcome the world and commanded the victory to the saints. Praise the powerful Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ!

Intercession from Hosea 5:14-15, 6:1-3: For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a great lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them. Then I will return to my lair until they have borne their guilt and seek my face– in their misery they will earnestly seek me. Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lordlet us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.

May Lord Jesus enlighten your (or beloved ___’s) eyes of heart to know He is as a lion, a great lion to tear your (or his/her) sinful bondage to pieces for drawing you (him/her) to seek Him. May you (or ___) seek Jesus Christ and acknowledge Him as Savior and the Lord, and He shall revive you (or ___) through His precious blood and restore you (or ___) through His resurrection. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

Song: Lion of Judah and lamb

12/7—主耶穌是猶大的獅子

讚美主:

啟示錄5:5: 可是長老中有一位對我說:「不要哭了!看哪,那出於猶大支派的獅子、大衛的根已經得勝,可以打開那書卷和它的七個封印。」

讚美上帝差派主耶穌來除滅魔鬼的作為。讚美主已經勝過罪惡的黑暗與死亡,已經戰勝世界,命定聖徒得勝。讚美大能的猶大的獅子,主耶穌基督!

代禱:何西阿書5:14-15, 6:1-3 :

「我必向以法蓮如獅子,向猶大家如少壯獅子。我必撕裂而去,我要奪去,無人搭救。我要回到原處,等他們自覺有罪(或譯 :承認己罪),尋求我面;他們在急難的時候必切切尋求我」。來罷,我們歸耶和華!他撕裂我們,也必醫治;他打傷我們,也必纏裹 。過 兩天他必使我們甦醒,第三天他必使我們興起 ,我們就在他面前得 以存活。我們務要認識耶和華,竭力追求認識他。他出現確如晨光 ,他必臨到我們像甘雨,像滋潤田地的春雨。

願上帝照亮你(或所愛的___)心靈的眼睛,看見主耶穌是猶大的獅子,有大能撕裂你的(或他/她的)一切罪惡綑綁,為要吸引你(或___)來尋求上帝。願你(或___)切切尋求主耶穌,並接受祂為救主和一生的主,祂就以祂的寶血使你的靈命甦醒,因祂的復活使你復興並得勝有餘。奉主耶穌基督的名求。阿門。

歌曲: 猶大的獅子

歌曲:神羔羊配得