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GROW SANLO Capital Campaign
A Gospel Community of Growth for Every Generation
40 Days of Prayer Guide
Dear SANLO Church,
Prayer is the backbone of our church, San Lorenzo Japanese Christian Church. As we continue to grow together through the GROW SANLO campaign, prayer is a big part of God’s work and transformation in our lives.
We encourage you to join us to pray for the next 40 days, starting from Monday September 4th ending on Friday October 13th (our Anniversary day). It’s through prayer that God will grow us in Christ.
How to use this guide:
- Read the selected Bible passages for each day.
- Think about and meditate on each verse.
- Ask the question, what is God saying? Ask yourself, how each Bible passage might apply to your life, what is God saying to you?
- Ask God how might He being leading you to participate in the GROW SANLO campaign.
- Take time to journal about your feelings, thoughts, and dreams you are experiencing as you pray with the Lord.
Here are some ways to participate in the prayer campaign.
•Take this prayer guide and journey with the Lord. Pray for the next 40 days.
•Commit to pray for a specific day - sign up online at You can sign up for an individual or day or multiple days.
•Go to our church Facebook page - San Lorenzo Japanese Christian Church - like or comment on each day.
Enjoy the Lord,
The GROW SANLO Team
DAY 34 "praying that you’ll stand firm, mature and confident in everything Godwants you to do." (Col. 4:12) Lord, make us tireless in our prayers for each other, that we willstand firm in everything You want us to do.
DAY 35 "Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do." (Deut. 15.10) God,help me to give generously to You, and not so that You would bless me but so that You would bless others.
DAY 36“Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) God, today we pray for our future neighbors. May our future church homebe a place where they connect with You!
DAY 37“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” (Heb. 10:24) Lord thank you for how church happens more than just on Sundays in our small groups. Thank you for all the small group leaders and their sacrifice. May you fill more and more empty chairs with people hungry for His Word.
DAY 38 "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that youthrough His poverty might become rich." (2 Cor. 8:9) Thank you, Jesus, for giving up everything for me. Show me how I canuse what You've given me to do what You want me to do.
DAY 39“For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) Pray for all those who are disconnected from You, those who have never even heard of our church, whowill someday walk through the doors of our church building and find hope and grace in Jesus Christ.
DAY 40 Happy 88th Birthday San Lorenzo Japanese Christian Church!!! We praise God for the rich heritage and history of our church to reach people with the love of Christ. “Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary;praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;praise him for his surpassing greatness.” (Psalm 150:1-2) Praise God for what He has done and what He will do.
DAY 26“For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing…” (1 Tim. 3:13) Pray for our our deacons and leadership. Lord, help them to wisely lead, service, and guide our church.
DAY 27 “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve others…” (1 Peter 4:10) Pray for our church Finance Team as they seek to make godly and responsible decisions for the financial future ofour church. Help themto be good stewards of all You have given us.
DAY 28 "So don’t worry about...'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?'...your heavenly Father already knows allyour needs. Lord, help me not to worry. Forgive me when I do. Thank You for knowing me and taking care of all my needs.
DAY 29 "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests....'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they allalike began to make excuses." (Luke 14.16-18) Lord, when You invite us to take part in Your plan, and not to make excuses.
DAY 30“If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” (1 Tim. 3:1) Pray for our elderswhoare responsible for making plans for our future and church home. Lord, givethem Your wisdom and discernment to lead us in exactly what You desire.
DAY 31 "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any andevery situation…whether living in plenty or in want.." (Phil. 4:12-13) Lord, give me the strength to be content in everything.
DAY 32 "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done onearth as it is in heaven." (Matt. 6.9-10) Lord, You are great, and You have great plans for SANLO. Let Your will bedone.
DAY 33“…for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28) Pray for our Japanese congregation. Pray that the Lord might bring more and more people to Christ. Pray for growth and discipleship to take place. Pray for the Shimadas’ leadership.
Day 1"Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying...." (Nehemiah 1.6) God, humble me to what you have for me. Prepare me for what you are doing in my life and our church.
DAY 2 "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." (Phil. 2.13) Today we pray for Your will andpurposes to be done in SANLO as we prepare to understand your will for a new facility.
DAY 3 "God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4.19) Father, I pray that You would helpme to trust You to meet all of my needs. Thank You for the richness of knowing Jesus.
DAY 4 “I will give you shepherds after my own heart.” (Jer. 3:15) Today we pray for our pastors (Rod, Brian, Scott, Sunao, and Eric). God, thank You for our pastors and their families. Watch over them, encourage them, and blesstheir marriages and their children!
DAY 5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1.5) Lord, today we pray for Your wisdom. Help us to know what You want in this campaign.
DAY 6“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.” (Phil. 1:3) Today we pray for all the volunteers who make two services possible each week. We pray for more volunteers who will help serve our growing kids ministry and Sunday worship ministry.
DAY 7 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God…” (Romans 13:1) Pray for our nation and our country. Pray for our president, congress, and leadership to lead wisely. Pray for racial reconciliation with our country.
DAY 8 "You ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" (James 4.15) Lord, we want what You want for SANLO. Help us to understand Your will for our church and help me know Your will for my life.
DAY 9“Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Romans 12:13) Today we pray for those who are in need especially in our community, the East Bay. Lord, make our future church home a place to serve and to care for others!
DAY 10 "Go therefore and make disciples." (Matt. 28.19) God, today we thank You that SANLO is changing many lives, baptizing people, and making many disciples. Help us to continue to fulfill the Great Commission to make more disciples of Christ.
DAY 11 "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3.10) Today we pray that you would speak to us, Lord. Help me to listenfor Your voice and to do what You ask.
DAY 12 "Regarding the relief offering for poor Christians...each of you make an offering and put it in safekeeping. Be as generous asyou can." (I Cor. 16.1-2) God, thank you for being so generous help me to be the same.
DAY 13“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria” (Acts 1:8) Today we pray for our neighborhoods and communities. God, bring people to Christ inthe East Bay.
DAY 14 "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" (John 6.9) Lord, inthe way only You can, multiply our efforts to make a difference for You than we could ever imagine on our own!
DAY 15 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth...but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven....For where your treasureis, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6.19-21) Lord, help me to want to store up treasures in heaven, not on earth.
DAY 16“Always be prepared to give a defense to anyone who asks you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:!5) We pray for our outreach ministries this Fall like Love East Bay, Harvest Festival, and 3 on 3 tourney. Make Him known!
DAY 17 ”Create in me a clean heart O God.” (Psalm 51:10) God, clean out my heart and prepare me for all that is coming my way. I want tobe where You want me to be. I want to do what You want me to do. In Jesus' name, Amen.
DAY 18 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, butbe transformed by the renewing of your mind…" (Rom. 12.1) Lord, transform my life and my priorities to be shape by You and not by this world.
DAY 19 "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others....For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she,poor as she is, has given everything she had." (Mark 12.43-44) Lord, you can use any gift, no matter how big or small.
DAY 20“I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10) We pray for Japan especially our missionaries there like the Fongs, Ikegamis, Moris, Julie Nitao, and Tomas. Pray that the gospel might shine through the darkness and bring people into the light.
DAY 21 "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." (John 15:7) God, we knowYou are with us. Help me to remain close to You. Help us to come to You often.
DAY 22“I urge you by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God.” (Rom. 12:1) We pray for all our church staff. We thank You for Kathy, Stan, Atsuko, and Tomoko and all they do. Give them your strength and blessing as they serve You and us at SANLO.
DAY 23 "I'm not going to offer God, my God, sacrifices that are no sacrifice." (2 Sam. 24.24) Lord, we don't want to give You thingsthat cost us little. Help us to honor and worship You in sacrifice.
DAY 24 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” (2 Cor. 9.6) Let me be a person whosows generously!
DAY 25 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,to Him be glory in the church…” (Eph. 3:20-21) God, wepray that You would do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine at SANLO — to Your glory not ours!