Prayer Request 4/19 - 4/25

Tuesday
"Lazy women" is the latest buzz phrase for those Chinese ladies who know how to enjoy life by making the best use of appliances and technology. Actually they are not lazy but are smart and in contrast with traditional housewifes, they have fewer household chores. The vast majority of Christian ladies in China have jobs along with the responsibility of caring for elderly parents. Their most common complaint is, "I am so busy and I don't have time to rest." We know how precious and important godly mothers are so we remember their labor of love and pray the Lord will give them more faith and patience.
Wednesday
"Lazy women" are smart women who utilize the fastest and easiest way to do their household chores. They are able to enjoy being with family since they are not bogged down with housework. They know how to enjoy themselves and are truly able to live with leisure. Their secret is allowing themselves to be "lazy". The Chinese sisters must take care of their families first in order to have time to serve in the church. If their child is in school, it is nearly impossible for them to find time to do anything at church. We pray for God's strength for them along with support from their husbands and families. May the Lord bless them with spiritual growth and make them a great blessing to their families and churches.
Thursday
China has more than 300 million smokers which is nearly a third of the adult population and makes it the world's largest and most ideal market for cigarettes. Beijing recently issued a ban on indoor smoking in all public places to be effective on May first. This will certainly be a blow to the tobacco industry but few expect a real substantive change to happen. Nearly every Chinese believer has a family member or loved one who smokes and many of them have long ago given up any hope of quitting. Let us join them as they pray for divine strength to kick the habit. We pray for patience and a great witness as Christians share their love and concern with those who smoke.
Friday
China's big push to curb smoking is due to the terrible consequences it brings. Annually 1,200,000 Chinese die from smoking and it is estimated that by 2030 that number will rise to 3,500,000. Deaths related to smoking there outnumber the combined total of deaths from tuberculosis, traffic accidents, and suicides combined. It is diffucult to share God's love with those who have abused their bodies without showing a bit of condemnation. We pray for all believers as we share the gospel and reach out to those "sinners", not to judge their sins but learn to love them as Jesus always did.
Saturday
In China cigarettes and tobacco are relatively cheap. Last year there was a smoking ban at the Shanghai World Expo but it was totally ignored. Although the new law prohibits smoking in parks, hotels, theaters, museums, and restaurants, it still allows it in offices. The government still has not announced the fine or punishment for any violation. Many Christian parents are painfully aware that their child or the spouse of their child smokes. We join them in praying for God's deliverance from these harmful habits and that the Lord will open these hearts to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Sunday
In the next decade a paramount task for the churches in China is the building up of a theological education system. In the Three-self church, whether it is the Jinling Theological Seminary (the leading theological institution in China) or seminaries at municipal or provincial level, there is a severe shortage of qualified teachers who are both strongly spiritual and well-educated. The same is true in the house churches. We pray for everyone who is involved in theological training in China. May the Lord give them the powerful conviction that they are preparing workers for all of the churches in China, not turf building for denominations. We pray that their teaching and personal lives will inspire their students to serve. May the Lord give them an eternal reward for their diligent labor.
Monday
In recent years, churches in China have sent some young people to Muslim countries to study the Arabic language to prepare them to serve among the Muslim people. They are generally young and very few have a college education so they struggle with learning this difficult language. Many of them fail to adapt but they are the first batch of Chinese missionaries to the Muslim world. We pray for the salvation of Muslims in China. This is perhaps one of the most neglected groups there. To maintain ethnic harmony, Beijing enforces strictly and strongly discourages the conversion of Chinese Muslims. We pray too, that God will remove the superiority complex so many Han Chinese have when it comes to the Muslim minorities.

星期二
「懶女人黨」是指善於利用有利條件擺脫家務，會享受生活的女人。懶女人並不是真正的懶，只是相對傳統「動手型」賢妻良母而言，她們是更多地依賴家用電器和廚房用具而已。絕太多數的姐妹們要工作，有的還要照顧年長的親人。時間都不夠用了，哪有時間休息!」是普遍的反應。敬虔的母親在家中是多麼的寶貴、重要，讓我們記念她們的辛勞。求主賜給她們有更多信心、耐心合愛心。
星期三
「懶女人」其實是聰明的女人，懂得用最快、最省力的方法解決家務勞動。她們盡量擺脫清理家事的勞累，既讓家人享受到家庭的溫馨，又可讓自己擁有更多的空閒，她們的秘訣就是：讓自己「懶」一點。姐妹們通常要先把家庭安頓好，才能投入教會的事奉。若孩子還在學習階段，的確很難全力投入服事，求主加添她們力量，不但能得著丈夫、家人的支持與讚美，靈命也能增長更新，成為更多的人祝福。
星期四
中國的煙民超過3億人，將近1/3的成人人口，是全世界最大的香煙市場。北京最近頒發的室內公共場所禁止吸煙規定，將從5月1日起實施，對煙草工業打擊很大。然而煙民眾多，新規定不易很快奏效。幾乎每個中國信徒都會有抽煙的家人，許多更是老早就放棄勸戒的努力。讓我們與為家人戒煙向神求恩的信徒們同心禱告，求主加添更大的耐心和信心，讓抽煙者看到信徒身上從神而來源源不絕的愛與關懷。
星期五
中國因大眾深受主動吸煙和被動吸煙之害，政府決心加強管制吸煙，全國每年有120萬人死於香煙引發的疾病。據估計，到2030年死於煙害的人數會上升到每年350萬人，死亡率將超過肺結核、交通事故和自殺死亡的總和。要向經常戕害自己身體毫無悔意的人分享神的愛不容易。我們禱告基督徒傳赦罪悔改的福音時，能學習主耶穌去愛那些受罪轄制綑綁的「罪人」。
星期六
香煙和煙草在中國相當便宜。去年，上海世博會的禁止抽煙的規定，實際上沒人理會。中國人仍舊在餐館、賓館和會議廳吸煙。新的法律禁止在公園、賓館、劇場、博物館和餐館禁止吸煙，但是，辦公室卻不禁。至於違反禁止吸煙規定者受何處罰，當局迄今也還沒有說明。許多基督徒父母為子女或其配偶抽煙而痛心。讓我們同心求神幫助人們脫離惡習，更打開他們頑固的心靈，能早日接受耶穌基督為救主。
星期日
未來十年是中國教會神學教育建設的重要階段。在三自教會中，無論是金陵神學院(三自最高學府)，或其他省市級神學院，及家庭教會、城市和農村教會，最急需的就是一群有知識又有生命的優秀師資。我們為所有參與中國神學訓練的人禱告，求主賜他們清楚的異象，為中國教會預備神的工人，而不是為宗派立定地盤；所教導的不止願意服侍、更重視生命的傳承，求主記念他們的辛勞，都得著永恆的冠冕。
星期一
近幾年，中國教會送出一些年輕人到回教國家學習語言，預備在阿拉伯地區服事。他們大多來自基層，極少受過高校教育，有不少人無法適應。但他們是神自己選召的人，是近代中國在穆斯林地區第一批宣教者。讓我們特別為伊斯蘭教徒的救恩代禱。這是中國福音事工中最不易也常被忽視的群體，政府為了民族的和諧，更是強烈反對向回民傳福音。也求主挪去漢人常有的優越感，這分享福音的大障礙。