Welcome to the April 2025 Prayer Vigil!
While we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ during Christmas, Easter is an even more significant time of remembrance and celebration of the completion of Jesus’ mission on earth – a mission that was foretold by prophets as recorded in the Old Testament and which Jesus himself foretold while he was on earth. During this prayer time, let us meditate on some Bible verses which give us joy because they tell of the grace that we have received and remind us of the eternal life that we now have because of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross and his miraculous resurrection.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1: 3 – 9).
Pray – Thank you Father for what you have given to us, in your infinite mercy, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ - a new life filled with hope, and an imperishable inheritance kept for us in heaven. Thank you for the trials that we may have to endure. May we stand firm in genuine faith when we are tested in these trials, knowing that we are protected by your mighty power when we trust in you. We pray that our faith will remain strong till the end so that it will bring about praise, glory and honor for you. Thank you for your love and gift of faith which has allowed us to experience salvation and great joy.
“For what I (Paul) received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Cor. 15: 3 – 10).
Pray – Thank you Lord for the many witnesses who testified to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and for the gospel. May your grace work through each of us just as it did through the Apostle Paul, such that we will work untiringly for the gospel. We pray that many will receive salvation through our faithful witness and the working of the Holy Spirit.
“But I (Jesus) tell you the truth: it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt……But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” (John 16: 7 – 15).
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1: 13, 14).
Pray – Holy Father, what a joy it is to know that we are not alone but that each of us has been marked by the seal of your Spirit, the Counselor, who will guide us into all truth that is from you and empower us in many ways for your glory. Thank you that we who are in Christ belong to you and our eternal inheritance is guaranteed by your Spirit. May we be careful to listen to him in all things.
Jesus answered, “…...But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God." (Luke 22: 69).
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”(Heb. 4: 14 – 16).
“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.” (Heb. 7: 23 – 28).
Pray – Father, may our hearts be truly grateful that Jesus offered himself once for all as the perfect sacrifice for all our sins. And not only that, he is now our living and permanent high priest who intercedes for us, who empathizes with our weaknesses and knows all our needs, allowing us to approach you with confidence. May we be in continual prayer and communion with you to receive your mercy and grace.
Continue to Pray for –
- Give thanks for the care and abundant resources that God has provided so generously as revealed in the church’s Annual General Meeting on 23rd March.
- The Lord’s guidance through this period of transition for the church and for the unity of the Body at IBC.
- The Pastor Search Team and the whole Body of IBC; that we are praying together for the Lord to lead us to the one who will shepherd IBC in the future.
- Pastor Will, the deacons, ministry leaders and teams, the church staff, Life Group leaders and Small Community Group hosts, that they may be provided with strength, joy and wisdom as they continue in the work of the kingdom.
- The missionaries among us and our mission partners who are listed in the church Mission Budget; For opportunities for our witness for the gospel this Easter.
- The Father to provide wisdom, energy and joy for those who minister to our children, youths and young adults; for the Lord to call people to help in Wee Care and volunteers for the VBS in August.
- The young people who are studying or working abroad; for their protection and strengthening of their faith.
- Give thanks for our youths as they continue in their work of raising funds for children whose parents are in prison.
- Those who will be baptized in April; may their testimonies touch the hearts of those among us who are seeking.
- Those we know who need physical, emotional or spiritual healing and care: Kaushic’s mother (need knee surgery); Dave Kwok’s colleague Demi (recovery after stroke); Michelle Niem (treatment for cancer); Tony Mo (recovery after a stroke); Alice Tsui (prolonged bad eczema); Alice's brother in law, Edward (receiving stem cell treatment for rare illness); Thomas Lam (eyesight); Iris’ two sisters, Winnie and Teresa, and Alice, Jackson’s sister-in-law (God’s grace in their fight with cancer); Stephanie’s father (eyesight and hearing); Anna Chen’s niece, MeiMei (terminal illness); Frank’s brother Jan (glaucoma); for God’s grace, care and strength for Beatrice, Y.M. Chen, Herald Lau and Alex’s father.
- The Lord’s strength, wisdom and peace for caregivers for the elderly or those with health or special needs.
- Non-believing friends and loved ones to be drawn to Jesus – Frank’s brother Jan; Kenneth’s mother and siblings; Terry’s son Joseph; Michelle Niem’s family members; Angela’s sister and brother-in-law; Pansy’s husband; Stephanie’s parents and sister; Frederick’s mother; Mona’s colleague and neighbour Lily; Ivy’s son and family; Maria Tanielu’s mother and family in Samoa; Charles’ brother William in Canada.
In the wonderful name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!
[This prayer guide was prepared by Charles Ip with scripture verses from the NIV Bible]