我希望我們的教會是以愛、祈禱和傳福音而聞名。因此，讓我們堅持不懈地祈禱，正如耶穌在路加福音 11:5-13 的比喻中所描述的那位堅持不懈的朋友。在這個比喻中，它描述了我們可以「不以為恥地堅持」祈禱（8 節）。在9-10 節中說，「我又告訴你們，你們祈求，就給你們；尋找，就尋見；叩門，就給你們開門。因為，凡祈求的，就得著；尋找的，就尋見 ；叩門的，就給他開門。」
我要感謝三藩市浸信會、TheAvenues.Church 和其他每一個人，感謝他們一直為我的父親鍾卓權牧師祈禱。我們一家感激不盡。我知道有些人在過去兩個星期天都能在教會見到他，但其他人可能沒有。手術之後，他身體康復得很好。如果你還未知道，醫生已確認癌細胞沒有擴散，因此他正在完全康復過程中。此外要從手術傷口中恢復過來，他仍然需要保持健康的飲食，以防止癌症復發。所以你們務要溫柔地提醒他這一點。😊
當我想到這一切時，我也想提醒所有人，在我們度過一生的過程中，我們被訓示要一起活出生命。當困難出現時，不用活在羞恥中，我們其實是生活在自由中，因為知道耶穌拯救了我們每一個人。我們在遇到困難時應互相幫助，為彼此互相尋求最美好的生命。然後，當祈禱得到回應時，我們可以禱告將榮耀歸給上帝。當禱告沒有得到回應時，我們仍需更多一起祈禱。如果癌症擴散，情況可能會大不相同。我們感謝並肯定祈禱是我們生活中的巨大力量。在羅馬書 12:12 中，它說：「在指望中要喜樂，在患難中要忍耐，禱告要恆切。」除了讓其他禱告勇士也一起結伴禱告之外，還有什麼更好的方法可以讓我們不斷禱告呢？然後不僅要一起祈禱，還要互相感謝，當我們看到上帝的工作在我們的生活中展現時，我們會有更多更多的歡喜快樂！帖撒羅尼迦後書 1:3說：「弟兄們，我們該為你們常常感謝神，這本是合宜的；因你們的信心格外增長，並且你們眾人彼此相愛的心也都充足。」確實地，謝謝各位弟兄姊妹的祈禱！
Original Text:
Thank You! ~Pastor Benjamin Chung
It is my desire that our church is known for our love, prayers, and evangelism. Let us therefore be persistent in our prayers as Jesus described in the parable of the persistent friend of Luke 11:5-13. In this parable, it describes that we can pray with “shameless persistence” (v.8). In verses 9-10 it says, “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
I want to thank everyone at SFCBC, TheAvenues.Church and beyond for keeping my father, Pastor Bernie, in their prayers. The entire Chung family is truly thankful. I know that some were able to see him the last 2 Sundays, but others may not have. He’s doing well, post-surgery. If you don’t already know, the doctors did confirm that the cancer did not spread and so he is on the road to full recovery. His body is still on the mend from the incisions, and he still needs to be on a healthy diet, so as to not encourage any return of cancer. So make sure you gently remind him of this. 😊
As I think of all this, I also want to remind us all that as we go through life, we are instructed to live out life together. We don’t live in shame when troubles arise, we live in freedom knowing that Jesus saved each and every one of us. We come to each other’s aid when there is trouble, seeking the best for each other’s well-being. Then we can both pray and give glory to God when our prayers are answered. And when they still aren’t answered, we pray some more together. The situation could have been very different, had the cancer spread. We give thanks and affirm the great power prayer has in our lives. In Romans 12:12 (NLT), it says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” What better way to be in constant prayer but to have other prayer warriors also praying in tandem? And then to not only pray together but thank one another and rejoice more and more when we see the work of God being displayed in our lives! 2 Thessalonians 1:3 (ESV) says, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” Indeed, thank you brothers and sisters!