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Australia Base News
Every prayer really does count. Although I am passionate about prayer and there is nothing that I enjoy more than gathering together with men and women with similar hearts, I have found myself occasionally having thoughts like, "What difference does my prayer really make in the whole scheme of things, and is it really that important?" Have you ever found yourself having similar thoughts? Recently I felt the Lord encourage and remind me of the importance and criticalness of my prayer with the following situation.
As I write this month, we are around two weeks out from our federal elections on Saturday 21st August, and the media is full of every detail of the major parties' campaigning and indications that the opinion polls are seeing the government and the opposition running neck and neck. We are being reminded by all parties that each vote counts, particularly in the marginal seats where only a few votes in different electorates could determine which party forms the next government. By the time you receive this, we will know which party will lead Australia for the next term of government and implement the policies that will impact the economic, social, environmental, moral and spiritual climate of our nation, which will ultimately shape Australia's destiny and history. That's got to be important!
The Lord impressed upon me that just as I understand that each vote counts and could determine the direction of our nation, so too each one of my prayers is critical in determining the course of history of nations like China. Even though I cannot see my vote being counted, it will be, and it will make a difference! So if and when doubts come, be assured that each prayer that you pray privately or corporately is powerful and could determine the direction and implementation of God's Kingdom purposes on earth and in the lives of others. I guess that's why James reminded the Church so emphatically that, "The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16).
Only in eternity will we fully comprehend the power of our prayers for the nation of China. If your prayer life has waned, or if you find yourself questioning its impact, can I encourage you to consider joining with others to pray? We have fifteen groups that meet regularly across Australia and by joining with others I can guarantee that your prayer life will become invigorated.
We are delighted to announce that three of the students who commenced our School of Missions this month are from Australia. They along with several others from different nations have committed the next 12 months to prepare to serve in China. This is the largest representation from Australia that we have had in any one year, and I believe it is just the beginning of a greater missionary force that God is preparing to release from Australia into the nations. Maybe God has been speaking to you about taking some extended time off next year to prepare for longer-term service in China? If so, why don't you get further information on ASM or make contact with the Australian office. Better still, spend some time in prayer, asking God to make His plans clear for your life.
Yours together in His love for China,
James Goss
Pray that God would give each of our prayer supporters an increased understanding of the importance and the power of their prayers, and that He would increase our passion and priority for prayer.
Pray for each of our fifteen prayer group leaders across Australia. Pray for increased anointing and that they would see new people joining with them to pray.
Pray that God would speak to others across Australia that He is calling to start up a regular prayer group for China.
Pray for extra grace and strength for each of the students commencing Antioch School of Missions. Pray that they would quickly settle into their new culture, living conditions and studies.
中文(简体)
每一个祷告都有意义。虽然我热爱祷告，也最喜欢和有相同心志的弟兄姐妹聚集在一起，但是我发现自己有时候会有一些想法，例如：「我的祷告在大计画中到底有什麽作用，我的祷告真的这麽重要吗？」你是否曾经发现自己也有类似的想法？最近我觉得，神用以下的环境鼓励并提醒我，我的祷告十分重要，十分关键。
这个月，我在撰写代祷信时，距离八月廿一日礼拜六的联邦选举还有大约两週的时间，媒体充斥著主要党派的活动报导，并指出意见调查显示政府和反对党的竞争非常激烈，不相上下。所有党派都提醒我们，每一张选票都很重要，尤其是在最低席次方面，只要在不同选区中多出几张选票，就可能决定由哪一个政党组成下一届政府。当你收到这封信时，我们已经知道哪个政党会带领下一届政府，行使影响我国经济、社会、环境、道德与灵性氛围的政策，最终决定澳洲的命运和历史。这件事非常重要！
主让我看见，正如我明白每一张选票都很重要，可以决定我们国家的方向一样，我的每一次祷告也在决定中国这样的国家的历史走向上占有重要的地位。即使我看不到我的选票被列入计算，但它确实会被列入，而且它会发挥影响力！因此，如果你感到疑惑，你可以确信，你的每一个祷告，无论是私下或一起的祷告，都是有力量的，可以决定神国在地上和在他人生命中的旨意的方向和实现。我猜想这就是为何雅各如此热切地提醒教会：「义人祈祷所发的力量是大有功效的。」（雅各书5:16）
只有在永恒里，我们才能完全理解我们为中国的祷告具有何等大的力量。如果你的祷告生活很无力，或是你发现自己在怀疑祷告的影响力，我想鼓励你和其他人一起祷告。我们在澳洲各地有十五个小组，定期聚集（详细资料附在这封代祷信中）。透过和其他人一起祷告，我可以保證，你的祷告生活会得到鼓舞。
我们很高兴与你分享，这个月开始的安提阿宣教学校中，有叁位学生来自澳洲。他们和来自不同国家的其他人要用接下来的十二个月，预备自己在中国事奉。这是澳洲参加这个学校人数最多的一次，我相信这只是更大的宣教力量的开始，神正预备从澳洲将这个力量释放到万国。或许神已经在对你说话，要你在明年用比较长的时间到中国去长期事奉？若是如此，何不到我们的网站上，取得ASM的进一步资料，或是和澳洲办公室联络。更好的做法是，花一些时间祷告，求神显明祂对你生命的旨意。
在祂的爱中，与你一起爱中国 James Goss
求神帮助每位祷告支持者更加明白，他们的祷告有何等的重要性和力量。也求主提升我们对於祷告的热情和重视。
为澳洲各地十五个祷告小组的领袖祷告。求主给他们更多的恩膏，并且有更多新人和他们一起祷告。
求神对澳洲各地的其他蒙祂选召的人说话，让他们起来成立为中国祷告的定期祷告小组。
为每一位参加安提阿宣教学校的学生祈求格外的恩典和力量。求主使他们能够迅速适应新的文化、生活环境和学习。
中文(繁體)
每一個禱告都有意義。雖然我熱愛禱告，也最喜歡和有相同心志的弟兄姐妹聚集在一起，但是我發現自己有時候會有一些想法，例如：「我的禱告在大計畫中到底有什麼作用，我的禱告真的這麼重要嗎？」你是否曾經發現自己也有類似的想法？最近我覺得，神用以下的環境鼓勵並提醒我，我的禱告十分重要，十分關鍵。
這個月，我在撰寫代禱信時，距離八月廿一日禮拜六的聯邦選舉還有大約兩週的時間，媒體充斥著主要黨派的活動報導，並指出意見調查顯示政府和反對黨的競爭非常激烈，不相上下。所有黨派都提醒我們，每一張選票都很重要，尤其是在最低席次方面，只要在不同選區中多出幾張選票，就可能決定由哪一個政黨組成下一屆政府。當你收到這封信時，我們已經知道哪個政黨會帶領下一屆政府，行使影響我國經濟、社會、環境、道德與靈性氛圍的政策，最終決定澳洲的命運和歷史。這件事非常重要！
主讓我看見，正如我明白每一張選票都很重要，可以決定我們國家的方向一樣，我的每一次禱告也在決定中國這樣的國家的歷史走向上佔有重要的地位。即使我看不到我的選票被列入計算，但它確實會被列入，而且它會發揮影響力！因此，如果你感到疑惑，你可以確信，你的每一個禱告，無論是私下或一起的禱告，都是有力量的，可以決定神國在地上和在他人生命中的旨意的方向和實現。我猜想這就是為何雅各如此熱切地提醒教會：「義人祈禱所發的力量是大有功效的。」（雅各書5:16）
只有在永恆裡，我們才能完全理解我們為中國的禱告具有何等大的力量。如果你的禱告生活很無力，或是你發現自己在懷疑禱告的影響力，我想鼓勵你和其他人一起禱告。我們在澳洲各地有十五個小組，定期聚集（詳細資料附在這封代禱信中）。透過和其他人一起禱告，我可以保證，你的禱告生活會得到鼓舞。
我們很高興與你分享，這個月開始的安提阿宣教學校中，有三位學生來自澳洲。他們和來自不同國家的其他人要用接下來的十二個月，預備自己在中國事奉。這是澳洲參加這個學校人數最多的一次，我相信這只是更大的宣教力量的開始，神正預備從澳洲將這個力量釋放到萬國。或許神已經在對你說話，要你在明年用比較長的時間到中國去長期事奉？若是如此，何不到我們的網站上，取得ASM的進一步資料，或是和澳洲辦公室聯絡。更好的做法是，花一些時間禱告，求神顯明祂對你生命的旨意。
在祂的愛中，與你一起愛中國 James Goss
求神幫助每位禱告支持者更加明白，他們的禱告有何等的重要性和力量。也求主提升我們對於禱告的熱情和重視。
為澳洲各地十五個禱告小組的領袖禱告。求主給他們更多的恩膏，並且有更多新人和他們一起禱告。
求神對澳洲各地的其他蒙祂選召的人說話，讓他們起來成立為中國禱告的定期禱告小組。
為每一位參加安提阿宣教學校的學生祈求格外的恩典和力量。求主使他們能夠迅速適應新的文化、生活環境和學習。