ALL ABOUT GIVING, ALL ACCORDING TO 2 CORINTHIANS 8

PRAYING FOR LOST LOVED ONES

ALL ABOUT GIVING, ALL ACCORDING TO 2 CORINTHIANS 8

Our Father, thank You for the grace You've given Your church.

IN THE MIDST OF VERY SEVERE TRIALS/EXTREME POVERTY, Your church has overflowing joy to well up in rich generosity.

It is to Your glory to testify that the members of Your body give as much as able, even beyond ability.

Entirely on one's own, members of Your body urgently plead for the privilege of sharing in the service to the Lord's people, exceeding the expectation of Your ministers.

Father God, as members of Your body, we must first give ourselves to You,

and by Your will, also to Your ministers, for this is an act of grace.



BY YOUR GRACE, You have made Your church excel in everything:

in faith,

in speech,

in knowledge,

in complete earnestness,

in love kindled within,

and also excel in this grace of giving.



The ministers You appointed over Your flock do not command,

but each member of Your flock ought to test one's sincerity of love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.

For Your church knows the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

that though He was rich,

yet our our sake He became poor,

so that we through His poverty might become rich.



Judging what is best for Your church in this matter is that not only do Your children first give, but also have the desire to do so.

Father, it is You that works in Your children both to will and do of Your pleasure.

Your body's eager willingness will be matched by the completion of doing it, according to the means of each member.

There ought to be equality, and not that some be relieved while others are hard pressed,

but that as it is written:



“The one who gathered much did not have TOO MUCH,

and the one who gathered little did not have TOO LITTLE.”



LORD, may Your ministers have concern

with much enthusiasm,

initiative,

and eagerness to help Your people that need help with service to the gospel,
(as did the apostle Paul and Titus.)

May all this be done to honor You.

To avoid any criticism of the way these collections are administered,

take whatever pains are necessary to do it right,

not only in the eyes of You, LORD, but also in the eyes of man.



We pray for ministering partners and co-workers

who have often proved themselves

with a good testimony,

that are zealous,

and can have great confidence in the support of the congregation with proof of Your love,

with a testimony to be proud for the churches to see it.

All Your servants represent the churches and are to bring honor to Christ.

Father God, may Your church not lose sight that each member is now Your ambassador that You sent with the Gospel to save the lost, including our lost loved ones.

You are beseeching the lost to be reconciled to You through Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We want the lost and our loved ones to look up and behold the Lamb of God who takes away their sins.

We depend on Your Spirit to work through us to reveal Your truth to the unsaved, convince them, and save them.

We trust You will do it, for You sent Your Son not to condemn the world, but to save it.

Thank You LORD, for Your great love and mercy for us. In Christ Jesus name, amen.