Prayer Request 11/03 - 11/09

Tuesday
In Shanghai, the first question people ask about a suitor often is, "How many square meters are in his apartment?" In a country where young men outnumber young women by a large majority, a bachelor needs to have a car and an apartment before a woman will even look at him. We can see why church workers, whether male or female have difficulty finding mates to serve with them. Often even then their families do not approve of the marriage. We pray for all unmarried believers that the Lord will give them the conviction that God's choice and timing is the best.

Wednesday
One reason Chinese people are able to save money so well is that they have to pay for things such as education and health care which the government provides in other countries. Parents must save for their children' education and medical expenses as well as their own retirement. Perhaps it is fair to say that Chinese believers have a very hard time trusting God to provide for their needs. Let us pray for real faith in God's provision and His faithfulness in taking care of us. The more we give, the more God will bless us.

Thursday
Quite a number of church workers in China have had to take up a secular job on the side in order to make ends meet and support their families. Many have even left the ministry because their churches did not give them sufficient money to live on and some suspect there is a loss of pastors every year because of this. We want to pray for the issue of finances for believers in China. We pray for faith in God to provide them everything they need and for the churches to be generous to their shepherds. Above all we ask that their hearts will be guarded against greed.

Friday
One reason why the churches in China are considered poor is that believers are reluctant to give and this reflects their spiritual immaturity as well as their ignorance of the truth that "giving is the key to receiving God's blessing." Many feel that one doesn't need to tithe and tithing is not commonly taught in the churches. With the economy on the downturn, many believers have held off in giving to churches. We pray for spiritual maturity and great faith in the lives of all believers in China to believe the great things God can do for them and their churches as they obey Him.

Saturday
There are always leaders who claim that they have apocalyptic vision or know when Jesus will return. Their followers will abandon their normal lifestyle and gather to worship daily. Such groups often receive pressure from the local police which they interpret as persecution. This then reinforces their belief that these are the last days. Churches in China are seeing more than their share of these kinds of false prophets. Many people are badly hurt and even stop attending church services. Let us pray for the churches that are in this kind of spiritual turmoil and pray, too, that the Lord will help the sheep who have strayed away to return to the fold.

Sunday
Corruption is rampant and the government is trying hard to discipline members of the Communist Party who have been caught in bribery and graft. Corruption happens not only among prominent people but also in those who have power or regulate functions at mid-or lower-level positions. All people are sinners and unfortunately even churches are not exempt from financial misconduct since there is little financial accountability or transparency. Money can corrupt even the best of us. Let us pray for the integrity of all believers including those who handle money for the churches.

Monday
China has one of the highest rates of saving money in the world. But this then reduces consumer spending which in turn gives banks too much money which they have to invest and also raises the specter of high inflation in the country. Believers also worry about their finances, their savings, their investments, and whether or not to buy another house as an investment or for their child. It is easy to be overwhelmed by all of these worries and lose one's faith in God. Let us pray for both good stewardship and a simple faith that God will provide for our every need and that churches will preach about this more often.


星期二
在上海，人們問追求者的第一個問題往往是「他的房子有多少平方米？」。 中國年輕男性數目遠比年輕女性數目多得多，要女士看得上眼，未婚男性要有車子和房子。我們可以瞭解爲何教會的同工，無論是男或女，都很難找到可以一起事奉的伴侶。即使是有，對方家長大都不贊成他們的婚事。我們要爲所有未婚的基督徒禱告，求主給他們信心，相信神的揀選和時間是最好的。

星期三
中國人很懂得儲蓄的原因之一，是他們要自行支付教育和醫療等開銷，而這些支出在很多國家是由政府承擔的。父母必須好好儲蓄，預備子女教育和醫療開支並爲自己退休作打算。要華人信徒依靠神供應他們的需要，確實是十分困難。讓我們禱告真心相信神會供應，並信實地看顧我們。我們樂於多付出，神會賜下更多祝福。

星期四
中國許多傳道人仍須兼職以養家糊口。每年因教會的供應不足而離開事工崗位者亦為數不少。我們要為中國信徒能改變對錢財的觀念來禱告，求神幫助他們對神的供應有信心，不要一味為己積攢地上暫時的財富，而要思念天上永恆的積業，慷慨供應他們的牧者。我們更求主保守信徒們能勝過貪婪的試探。

星期五
教會資金缺乏原因之一是信徒在金錢奉獻上踟躕不前，反映出他們屬靈生命仍是稚嫩，不明白「奉獻」實是蒙福之道。加上教會一般都少對「什一奉獻」教導，奉獻十分之一對許多信徒而言，更是難行的大挑戰。而今經濟持續衰退，許多信徒對教會的奉獻更是銳減。求主在這非常時期，操練中國信徒有非常的信心，使他們靈命成長成熟，能夠信靠神的帶領和供應。

星期六
總有一些領袖自稱擁有「特殊啟示」，能預知耶穌何時再來。他們的門徒常因此變賣一切，恆常聚集敬拜。當受到當地警察的壓力時，常會說成是受到逼迫，進一步強化他們所謂的「末日」信仰。這類「假先知」在中國教會中屢見不鮮，很多教友深受其害，甚至完全停止教會聚會。讓我們為面對屬靈爭戰的教會祈求，願神引導那些迷途羔羊返回祂的羊圈。

星期日
貪污腐敗在中國肆虐，政府已大力肅貪，處分有行賄及貪污等罪證的共產黨員。貪腐的痕跡，不單在某些赫赫有名的大人物身上找到，也沾染了許多可以動用職務上權勢的中、低職位人員的衣襟。世人都有罪性，教會亦然。在缺乏財務監管和透明度的情況下，教會也很難避免財務違規。金錢使人腐敗，甚至連最有誠信的人也難倖免。讓我們為所有信徒，包括教會裡掌管財務者的誠信禱告。

星期一
中國的儲蓄率高居世界之冠。居高不下的儲蓄率削弱了國民消費力，連帶影響到銀行貨幣過多，須得加大投資和信貸力度；政府為達到經濟增長目標，也必須增加公共開支，國家將面臨高通脹風險等等。中國信徒也憂心經濟、儲蓄、投資狀況，以及是否再購買房子作投資還是留給孩子？求神幫助我們成為祂的好管家，以單純的信心仰望祂信實的供應。我們也為教會能提供更多這方面的教導信息來禱告。