Prayer Request 5/3 – 5/49

Tuesday
Beginning May 1st thirteen non-violent economic crimes are being taken from the list of those punished by capital punishment, reducing the list from sixty-eight to fifty-five. Drunk driving, however, will face much harsher punishment than before. One's driver's license will be revoked for five years. It will also be forbidden to add bleach to whiten flour. Everyone knows that the death penalty has not significantly deterred corruption in China. Greedy merchants do unbelievable things to adulterate food stuff. We pray that Christians will stand up and be a great testimony in the way they live their lives above reproach and give glory to our Father in heaven.

Wednesday
Television programs based on time-travel have been very popular in China recently. One such program depicts a modern day girl going back in time to be the queen in Qing Dynasty. Official has called for a halt to all TV plots with "fantasy, time-travel, bizarre plots, absurd techniques...ambiguous moral lessons, and a lack of positive thinking." Many Christian parents struggle with their children addicted with fantasy games and not able to have a healthy parent-teen relationship. Let us pray for wisdom for them in maintaining a good relationship with their teenagers and continue to influence their child with Biblical values and examples.

Thursday
In recognition of her contributions to serving the needy, the founder of Taiwan's Buddhist relief organization was named as one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world. Her organization has the motto of “instructing the rich and saving the poor,” with four major missions — charity, medicine, education and culture. In China there are many faith-based charities and many Christians are involved in volunteer work in their communities. Let us pray that we do not become discouraged in doing good, having divine wisdom in bring people to Jesus with the limited resource, freeing them from the bondage of sin and be reminded that when we serve others we are serving God and give Him all of the glory.

Friday
Frankly, churches in China have had little experience with Muslim missions so there are no well-formed agencies or workers who have lived long term in Muslim countries. Therefore, more failures and mistakes are in the future as the churches in China learn to do Muslim missions. They need much language training and learning to settle down and thrive in Muslim culture before they can communicate and share the gospel proficiently. There are Chinese missionaries who serve in all parts of the world but most of them are from Singapore and Hong Kong. Let us remember the approximately 2500 Chinese missionaries who serve globally, many cross-culturally. We pray, too, for their supporting churches that the Lord will bless them with an abundant harvest.

Saturday
As they recruit and get ready for missionary efforts, the prevalent attitude of many churches in China is, "God will raise up churches and Christian businessmen to give toward misisons. Chinese can do mission work the Chinese way". Nationalistic pride and God's desire for missions often get mixed up in Chinese churches intent on sending out missionaries. May the Lord give each of us a humble heart, an urgency to do God's work, and a true passion for lost souls whether they are far away or our neighbors.

Sunday
Drinking and smoking are part of daily life in China. Giving and receiving cigarettes and liquor is considered almost a necessity in striking friendships and making connections. In order to really make an end to public smoking, China must break the "tobacco and alcohol" culture which will require a joint effort by society and the schools, starting with teaching children the hazards of smoking and how to refuse tobacco. Many Chirstian mothers struggle painfully when they see their child starting to smoke or drink, especially when other adults at home do it. We pray with all the mothers who are pleading with the Lord to save their teenager who is losing interest in going to church and is picking up bad habits.

Monday
It would be a tall order for Beijing to enforce the new "smoking ban" in all public places unless the whole nation buys into the benefit of such a ban and gives active cooperation and support. Officials and heads of companies must set an example by eliminating the "tobacco culture" themselves. We know that bad habits die hard and especially when it involves changing an entire nation to be able to effectively ban smoking. May the Lord give us mercy. Changes do not come overnight and some changes will require a generation but we pray in faith that God will work and change the heart of people in all the churches in China.


星期二
自今年5月1日起，13種非暴力經濟性犯罪將不會判處死刑，死刑罪名將由68個減至55個。另外，醉酒駕車將面臨空前嚴厲的處罰，5年內不得重新取得機動車駕駛證。此外也禁止在麵粉中添加「麵粉增白劑」。大家都知道貪官不怕死，死刑也不能顯著改善社會風氣，令人痛心的無良商人摻假食品更為猖獗。求神幫助祂的兒女能堅守自己的崗位，以無可指責的生命見證，榮耀祂的名。

星期三
中國最近流行時空穿梭電視劇，且越來越受歡迎。例如有一部電視劇講述一位現代女子回到清朝康熙年間，最後成為皇后。官方開始禁止電視劇涉及「虛無情節、時空穿梭、荒誕橋段...曖昧道德教訓，以及缺乏積極思想的內容。」 許多基督徒家庭中有孩子沉迷於虛幻遊戲，家長不知如何與青少年建立健康的親子關係。求主賜我們智慧，知道如何保持良好親子關係，遵照聖經的價值觀以身作則來教導孩子。

星期四
「慈濟」創辦人證嚴法師被美國時代雜誌選為2011年全球百大影響人物之一，讚揚她是超凡的精神領袖，也是行善效率驚人的非牟利組織領導人。該機構注重慈善、醫療、教育、文化「四大志業」。在中國，許多以基督信仰為基礎的慈善機構，是信徒接觸廣大人群的好平台。求主幫助參與的弟兄姊妹，能以主的愛去關懷有需要的人，宛如服事主一樣。更賜他們智慧把人帶到主面前，使人從罪的捆綁中被釋放出來，也將一切榮耀都歸主名。

星期五
中國教會少有回宣的經驗，也缺乏專門的回宣差會或在回教國家長期事奉的宣教士。對中國信徒而言，向回教徒傳福音還在起步階段，需要更多語言訓練及認識穆斯林文化，才能有效分享信仰。現時約有二千五百位華人宣教士，遍佈世界各地，大多數來自新加坡或香港。讓我們以禱告記念這些甘心放下穩定生活，回應神呼召的宣教士，其中不少參與跨文化事工的，更需要我們用禱告同工。我們也為差會和教會禱告，不論在前線或在後方守望的，都忠於主託，同得神豐厚的賞賜。

星期六
當中國教會開始積極參與差傳工作，又著手培訓宣教士時，信徒普遍持有一種態度：「以中國教會的人和中國教會的錢作宣教工作，神會興起更多中國教會及基督徒商人去承接差傳的棒子。」似乎中國教會談到普世宣教時，無意中總會混入民族的優越感，求神鑒察我們的心思，賜給我們謙卑的心，並迫切回應神的呼召，關懷無論在遠或近處，許多失喪靈魂的需要。

星期日
「煙酒文化」在中國十分盛行，凡事「煙酒煙酒」，煙酒儼然是交際應酬的必需品。中國政府若想實行公共場所禁煙，此文化必須先破除。打破抽煙風氣，則需社會、學校通力合作，從兒童、少年做起，讓人民深刻了解吸煙的害處，從而培養拒絕接觸的意識。無數的基督徒母親，因孩子沾染煙酒而痛心，尤其家中亦有大人也嗜煙酒。求主挽回這些沒興趣上教會，並染上惡習的孩子們，幫助他們脫離罪惡的捆綁。

星期一
中國想在公共場所「全面禁煙」並非易事，需要全社會積極配合與支持。首先，必須由行政部門、企事業單位帶頭，尤其是主要領導，率先消除「煙草文化」。雖然積習難改，叫所有國民全面戒除抽煙惡習並非一蹴即至。求主施恩，堅定我們除惡務盡的信念，也許花上一代至數代的年日才見端倪，我們用信心求神在中國每一個信徒心中動工，幫助他們在基督裡心意更新變化，成為神聖潔合用的器皿。