Prayer Request 5/19 - 5/25

Tuesday
"City of Life and Death" a movie about the Japanese massacre of Nanjing in 1937 has become a blockbuster in China. This Chinese-produced movie was filmed from the viewpoint of a Japanese officer. Although it was shot in black and white and does not shy away from scenes of violence and rape it has drawn both acclaim and criticism in Japan as well as China. For Chinese people, the anti-Japanese sentiment is barely hidden below the surface. The painful shame and national wounds seem to resist healing even after seventy years. May the Lord have mercy on all Chinese. We remember especially the believers who struggle to put their painful past behind and try to allow God's love and forgiveness to heal their personal emotional wounds.

Wednesday
Lang Lang was named by Time Magazine as one of the "100 most influential people in the world". At the age of two or three he started to play the piano, he has received numerous awards and now he has begun his own foundation to support young pianists around the world. In the majority of churches in China to have a musical accompanist for the worship service would be like a dream come true. We pray for this need and their desire to worship God using a musical instrument. We remember, too, all those who play the musical instruments or lead worship for church services. May the Lord use them mightily and inspire the congregations to sing joyfully giving God the glory.

Thursday
Last year，Chinese Christians quickly responded to the Sichuan earthquake, not only helping out the victims but also actively inviting the victims to believe in Jesus. Such open evangelism in the time of crisis had created some backlashes because nonbelievers resented their over-zealous acts of "religious opportunism". This has also stirred up debate among Chinese believers as well. Christians share the Gospel out of love and concern for the lost souls. We want to avoid being labeled as "insensitive fanatics" or doing community caring casually as some sort of "mission tourism". May the Lord remind all of us to have more love as we care genuinely about our community and the society.

Friday
Divorce is the most important problem facing mainland families today. Some people are even prepared to get a divorce even before marriage. Often, we see Christian couples splurge and devote so much on their children but fail to cultivate their marital relationships. Unfortunately, many church leaders feel impotent or unimportant to talk about family issues. Let us pray for a revival of Christian families in China.

Saturday
Among the key issues facing believers’ families in China are extra-marital affair and believers’ marriage to a non-believer. Quarrels over finance also strain many families. Many churches know the importance of marriages with Biblical foundation, but unable to provide anything substantive. We pray for guarding of heart of all believers against extra-marital affair. We too pray for families wreck by such sin. May the Lord grant mercy, grace and patience for those whose spouses are unbelievers.

Sunday
Many Chinese feel utterly important to pass on their family lineage. Under the one-child only policy, women from wealthy families look for men who are willing to marry into their families so that their children could take up the mother’s surname. Christian families feel ambivalent about why God has not given them a son. Let us pray for those with daughters, may the Lord give the parents with assurance of their daughter is truly the gift of God, a great blessing to their family, now and the future.

Monday
China government is literally sitting on a mountain pile of foreign reserve to buy as many foreign companies as she wishes. Recently, China has purchased foreign natural resources companies and some businessmen are considering buying foreign automobiles manufacturers. Chinese are flushed with a sense of accomplishment and pride. We thank the Lord for such new found confidence. May the Lord keep China churches humble, His servants and believers alike. Lord, teach us all to seek Your Kingdom first!


星期二
中國製電影《南京！南京！》最近在大陸公映，是以日本軍官的角度拍攝發生在1937年的南京大屠殺，全片以黑白影像拍攝，對暴力與強姦毫不避諱。該影片在大陸，被指過分美化日本人；在日本，媒體稱此電影難得客觀，但網民卻狠批日本演員是「日本人的恥辱」。雖然南京大屠殺已逾70年，但那國恥與仇恨卻仍深埋在中國人心底，無法癒合。願主施恩憐憫所有華人，尤其記念屬神的人，能靠主放下傷痛，讓神的愛與寬恕解開那心靈上的鬰結。

星期三
最近美國《時代》周刊公佈2009年全球百大最有影響力名人榜，年僅26歲的中國鋼琴巨星郎朗首度上榜。郎朗自三歲開始學習鋼琴，至今獲獎無數，藝術造詣備受國際推崇。郎朗亦成立國際音樂基金會，致力幫助及培育世界各地愛好古典音樂的年輕一代。期盼大多數中國教會的聚會崇拜能有音樂伴奏的夢想，至今仍有待成真。讓我們為教會的音樂事工禱告，尤其為那些用音樂服侍神及帶領崇拜的弟兄姊妹禱告。願主大大使用他們，喚起神的兒女一同獻上頌讚，為神的榮耀而歡呼。

星期四
去年四川地震，中國各地的基督徒迅速參與救災，除了提供物資幫助外，也積極向災民傳播福音，勸人信主。此物質與心靈兼顧的傳福音行為，往往被誤解的非基督徒批評成沒有向災區人民提供實質幫助，不顧災區人民感受而強行“傳教”云云。因此也影響部份基督徒對救災作法的異議。求主提醒教會，在關切社會需要時，能出於真誠的愛心，更多長期深耕我們所處社區鄰里在物質與靈魂上的需求，尤其要避免「過度傳教 」和不能持續的一陣風式「福音旅遊」。

星期五
「離婚」成為現今中國家庭最大的困擾，一些人婚前就開始為離婚做打算。很多時候，基督徒夫婦花在子女身上的精力，往往比投資經營本身的夫婦關係更多。而很多教會領袖也不太重視家庭問題或對要講論這類題目感到力不從心。讓我們為中國家庭禱告，求主提醒並賜下能力給祂的教會，重視建造良好的家人關係，使中國基督徒的家庭能大得復興，承繼神要賜的福樂，也成為匡正社會時弊的清流。

星期六
婚外情及與不信者結婚是中國信徒面對的兩大主要家庭問題，而金錢糾紛也使家庭關係常常出現張力。很多教會雖深諳美滿婚姻植根於聖經原則的重要，卻無法提供實質培訓。讓我們為所有信徒祈求，願神保守他們免陷入婚外情的試探，保守家庭不涉入罪惡。 願神賜智慧和愛心給有未信主的丈夫或妻子的信徒，在與家人相處時有更多從神而來的憐憫，恩典和忍耐。

星期日
很多中國人認為傳宗接代是件大事。一子政策下，來自富裕家庭的女孩常有招贅的現象，為的是讓兒子能以母姓命名。許多誕生女兒的基督徒家庭，對上帝沒有賜予兒子也是憂喜參半。讓我們為這些家庭禱告，願上帝幫助父母肯定女兒是上帝所賜的珍貴禮物，無論現在或將來，都是家庭上好的祝福。

星期一
中國政府己坐擁山高般的巨額外匯儲備，可以輕易的購買外資公司。最近中國購下多間外國自然資源公司,有些商人亦開始採購外國汽車廠。這些突如其來的名成利就，為中國人增添不少自豪。我們為這份新崛起的自信感恩，也求上帝教導我們随時随處都先尋求祂的國和義，無論是教會領袖同工或信徒們都能存心謙卑，以行公義好憐憫的心態與神同行。