Prayer Request 3/8 - 3/14

Tuesday
Since 1978, it is mandatory that Chinese male workers and Party members retire at age 60; female workers retire at age 50, but female Party members get to retire at 55. Government is considering changing such rigid requirement because of the inequality and huge waste of human potential. There are untold numbers of sisters who have retired early and have helped in all aspects of church ministry. The visitation, caring and teaching they perform make up for the shortage of pastors in their churches. We praise the Lord for all of their service and we pray that many will be blessed because of their dedication, both as Mary and Martha.
Wednesday
Although the tradition has been giving money to the groom to buy an apartment or a car, the new judicial rule regarding marital properties is that whoever buys the house before marriage gets to keep it. This gives confidence to many parents of daughters to buy a house for their daughter. All parents want the marriage of their children to be successful. We pray that Christian parents will have the wisdom to teach their children the fear of God and that to serve Him is to be blessed. We pray that above all they will continue to pray for the young family and always be a godly influence on the new couples.
Thursday
hat the groom buys the house and the bride pays for a car is a longstanding wedding tradition in Zhejiang Province. However, when the the cost of a house is figured in the millions and even tens of millions, it has become a touchy subject for young couples and their parents to decide who does own the house. Given the high divorce rate, even a Christian couple in China is at risk of breaking up. We lift up those who are Christians but are married to non-believers. May the Lord give them special grace and an extra measure of patience knowing that God loves their family.
Friday
The most recent judicial interpretation of China's "Marriage Law" states that when a married person lives with someone and that person seeks monetary compensation to quit living with that person, the court does NOT support it. There are many couples in the churches in China who have broken marriages and the spouse is living with someone else. We pray for those who are going through not merely rough patches but turbulent times in their marriages. May the Lord give them special grace knowing that He will not abandon them and through all of this may their faith in Jesus grow even more.
Saturday
There are many young female college graduates who cannot find a good job so have decided to find a Sugar Daddy and be a mistress.The new "Marriage Law" has put an end to the dream that young women have had that they could be compensated legally for being a mistress. Nearly everyone in China knows of someone who has a mistress or has had an affair. Unfortunately, even Christian men are not immune from such actions. We pray again for the guarding of hearts and that they will stay away from temptation and live with a renewed commitment to their families and those of all of the other brothers.
Sunday
The new interpretation of China's "Marriage Law" states that if a wife decides to have an abortion her husband has no right to stop her and cannot seek compensation. If a couple fights over the issue of conception and wants a divorce, the court will allow it. There are many Chinese believers who have no children and are unable to have them. We remember them in our prayers. May the Lord bless them with His joy. May they have spiritual maturity and be able to help others in the church and become a great blessing to them.
Monday
The Supreme Court of China's new judicial interpretation of the "Marriage Law"which says, "After marriage, the parents of one member of the couple must buy real estate and record it in their child's name as a gift to their child. It is not joint communal property of the couple." has caused a heated debate. We pray for believers who must help pay for the house of their soon-to-be-married child. It is indeed stressful financially and emotionally. We pray that Christian parents will not only give their child a piece of valuable property but also their faith that "Christ is the Head of our house".

星期二
自1978年起，男性幹部和工人是六十歲退休，女幹部五十五歲，女工人則是五十歲。此制度影響婦女權益，也是一種人力資源的浪費，近年政府考慮更改退休年齡之性別差異。中國教會裡，有無數退休卻仍事主不休的姐妹，參與教會各項事工，如關懷探訪會友、教導聖經等等，補上教會牧者同工不足的難題。我們為此感謝讚美主，求主記念使用她們有如馬大和馬利亞的服事般，成為多人的祝福。
星期三
中國式婚姻最糾結的是房產房子：「婚前誰買婚後歸誰」。現在很多父母認為，即便自己生了女兒，也要給她買房。與其在婚嫁時將錢貼給男方買車、裝修，還不如直接給女兒，保障最大。父母都希望子女的婚姻美滿幸福。我們為基督徒父母代禱，求主賜他們智慧，能教導守望，並成為他們學習敬虔的榜樣。
星期四
男主房、女主車，幾乎已成浙江人習以為常的婚嫁習慣。如今各地房價居高不下，房產價值動輒幾百萬，甚至上千萬。面對不斷上漲的離婚率，婚前房子的歸屬的確成了最敏感、觸及利益最大的一項。離婚的普遍性已滲入信徒間，求主教導我們以基督的愛彼此相待，將婚姻難處帶到神面前，讓祂來管理。也為有不信的配偶的弟兄姊妹禱告，求主賜下額外恩惠、忍耐，相信神的愛與自己同在。
星期五
中國最高法院《婚姻法》新的司法解釋提出，「有配偶者與他人同居，為解除同居關係約定了財產性補償，一方要求支付該補償或支付補償後反悔主張返還的，人民法院不予支持。」教會也有許多破碎的家庭，婚姻中存著第三者或婚外情。我們切切為婚姻不單遇到小風波，且正面臨狂風巨浪的信徒禱告，求主施恩憐憫，幫助祂的兒女經歷祂豐盛的恩典、永不撇棄的愛，也在這一切難處中，信心不斷成長。
星期六
中國有所謂的「小三」惡風，一些大學畢業的女孩，未能找到一份好工作，就不惜去做「小三」傍富人。她們盼望至少能得到一筆分手費，然而最新的《婚姻法》司法解釋已斷了這條美夢。 中年男人出軌在當下已成普遍現象，誰有情婦甚至是人所共知。讓人難過的是，教會當中亦不乏其人。求聖靈光照人心，叫人悔改離開不忠的罪。求主時刻管理我們的心，遠避私慾、試探，重新向主、向家庭委身，也對其他弟兄守望負責。
星期日
中國最高法院《婚姻法》新司法解釋提出，妻子墮胎丈夫無權問責。「夫以妻擅自中止妊娠侵犯其生育權為由請求損害賠償的，人民法院不予支持；夫妻雙方因生育問題發生糾紛，致使夫妻感情破裂，一方請求離婚經調解無效的，人民法院應准予離婚。」我們為無子女(或不能生育)的主內夫妻禱告，願他們以神自己為喜樂滿足。求主幫助這些弟兄姊妹，能專一服事教會，成為許多年輕信徒靈命成長的祝福。
星期一
中國最高法院對《婚姻法》的新司法解釋，一出爐即引來熱議。「婚後由一方父母出資購買的不動產，產權登記在出資人子女名下的，可視為對自己子女一方的贈與，應認定該不動產為夫妻一方的個人財產。」我們為這些父母禱告，有些父母必須幫助即將結婚的子女置業，這在經濟上和心理上都帶來壓力。求主提醒他們不僅為孩子預備房產，更能教導孩子學習對主耶穌的信心，以基督作「我家之主」。