Prayer Request 1/18 - 1/24

Tuesday
Chinese New Year is a time to give gifts or red packets (often crudely disguised as a bribe). As the government clamps down on corruption, the “gift recycling” business is thriving because recipients can exchange their gifts (cigarettes and liquors) for cash. For many churches, Chinese New Year is the time when much of the church giving is done. People who work in the city return to their home church. We pray that this will be a great time for all of us to count our blessings and be thankful for what the Lord has done.
Wednesday
Most of the “gift-recycling” stores are near the government offices or communities where officials live. It is no secret that gifts (expensive cigarettes and alcohol) are meant as bribes. In order to secure favor or get a promotion, it is necessary to buy gifts for superiors in China. Many Chinese believers have the mentality of: “I’ll give if God will bless me.” Believers should always give thanks (Ephesians 5:20). We pray that all of us will give cheerfully to the Lord, not because we want to curry God’s favor.
Thursday
Historians have long debated when the slogan of "Long lives Chairman Mao!" really started being used. It was May Day (Labor Day) 1950 when the senior members of the party approved the slogan. This is in contrast to the belief that Mao himself demanded the "worship". Many older Chinese believers still remember those days of shouting the slogan. We praise God for their faithful devotion to Him all these years. May the Lord use them and their stories of trusting God in times of great persecution to inspire many young and new believers.
Friday
There is a huge disparity between the number of female and male believers ( 2 to 1 ratio) in the China churches today, often it could be 3-5 sisters to one brother. The ladies shoulder heavy responsibilities at home and at church as well. We know God has a beautiful plan and will accomplish great things for China churches. Therefore, we pray for spiritual revival among the female believers in China, may their husbands, their children be holy, please God because of their love for the Lord.
Saturday
Believers in China like to "show off their spirituality" by bragging about how they attend church every Sunday. Church attendance often mistakenly becomes an external measurement of their inward spirituality. For Chinese believers, spirituality must be measurable and they often use the wrong kind of measurement. May the Lord have mercy on all of us and help us to know that our own righteousness is totally insufficient and that the Holy Spirit convicts us all of mere external religiosity.
Sunday
Chinese believers love to study the Bible and they are very very good in reciting Scripture. Churches and fellowships also greatly encourage people to memorize the Bible. However, this often becomes a spiritual pitfall for many because they have the knowledge but are unable to follow the true meaning of the Word, especially when they face the challenges of life. May the Lord give each of us a craving for His Word which is sweet as honey and may we be like the deer that pants for the water. May we also have the determination to obey His commandments without excuses.
Monday
Chinese believers like to tell others that they have peace in spite of difficulties. It would be a "loss of face" if they admitted they were deeply troubled inside. To claim they have peace and pretend they are not shaken is considered to be a spiritual person. To pretend to be spiritual or be afraid to show one's vulnerability is really a weakness of the "Chinese brand" of spirituality. May the Spirit show us all that we are weak and fragile and it is only as He lives in us that we can boldly claim to be spiritual.

星期二
新年是中國人送禮、送紅包的大節日。在打擊腐敗的口號之下，送「紅包」在許多場合都被視為笨拙明顯的行賄，送禮人就以煙酒代替，也知道收禮人大多轉手把禮品在禮品回收店轉換成現金。對許多中國的教會而言，農曆新年是奉獻收入最多的時段，尤其是那些在外打工回到老家和自己教會的人都會奉獻。求主讓這段時間成為我們數算神的恩典與引領，也更增加感恩的心的時刻。
星期三
大多數禮品回收店都位於政府部門或官員住宅區附近。禮品回收（名貴的菸酒）與腐敗密切相連，已不是什麼秘密。一般而言，官員們為了保住自己的升遷和項目，都需要對有關人士表達一下敬意。許多信徒常有「如果上帝保佑祝福我，我就奉獻。」的心理。求主幫助我們「凡事要奉我們主耶穌基督的名，常常感謝父神。」（以弗所書5:2），帶著喜樂的心奉獻，而不是單單想從神那裡得著好處。
星期四
歷史學家們一直在爭論「毛主席萬歲」這句口號究竟是怎麽開始的。在1949年9月舉 行的全國政協會議上，不少代表呼喊「毛主席萬歲」的口號，在1950年《慶祝五一勞動節口號》中就有「毛主席萬歲」這個口號，這並非是毛澤東自己添加的。教會中很多老一輩的基督徒對於那段呼喊此口號的日子仍記憶猶新。我們真為他們經歷逼迫歲月卻能堅守愛主的心志和委身讚美主。求主繼續使用他們的親身經歷，來激勵更多的年輕基督徒。
星期五
今日中國教會中的男女信徒比例懸殊，往往是二女一男，甚至是3.5女比一男。女性信徒非但沒有減輕家務負擔，同時在教會中的服事負擔更繁重。我們相信神自有祂美好的計劃，要在中國教會中成就祂自己奇妙的善工。我們要為所有姐妹們禱告，願神興旺她們，賜下夠用的恩典與能力，因著她們愛主，她們的丈夫、子女也能成為聖潔、蒙主所喜悅的。
星期六
中國背景的基督徒，常會有愛標榜自己是「每週上教會」的靈命陷阱。每週去教會做禮拜，並不等同有真正敬虔的生活和生命的更新。固定去教會是新生命的表現，但不是源頭。華人基督徒喜愛衡量誰屬靈與否，然而所用的標準往往是錯誤的。求主憐憫，讓我們彼此警惕：我們的「義」在神眼中是多麼的汙穢，也求聖靈破碎我們外表的虔誠，追求內心靈命的成熟。
星期日
不少中國基督徒把聖經當教科書，仔細研讀、背誦（許多教會，團契也鼓勵弟兄姊妹背誦），但是當生活遇到挑戰時，卻沒有遵行的決心。這樣只有聖經知識，卻行不出來，是個靈命的陷阱。願我們真心渴慕神的話語，體會其甘甜如蜜時，也如鹿渴慕溪水一般，每天親近神，汲取靈糧活水。更要有決心，毫無藉口，願意降服順從祂的典章律例，活出信徒美好見証。
星期一
中國基督徒標榜自己在困難中有平靜，但這卻不代表內心有真實的平安。許多基督徒在受到不公平待遇，或經歷困境、不如意時，往往內心驚濤駭浪，只是習慣性地隱瞞、偽裝，害怕別人看出自己的軟弱無力。這是「中國品牌」靈命的真正弱點。求聖靈光照我們，讓我們深深體會自己的有限，承認自己的小信、容易跌倒，而能隨時隨地凡事倚靠主，不致驚恐，因信有神同在的應許像至寶放在我們這些瓦器裡，好彰顯祂豐盛的恩典與榮耀。