Prayer Request 4/16 - 4/22

TuesdayA 14 year old Chinese teen became the youngest competitor in the prestigious world golf tournament. Last month, a 12 year old Chinese boy became the first golfer to qualify in an European Tour event. China is putting lots of resources, energy and money into golf. It is very sad that there are very few teenagers in China churches. We need to pray for believer parents of teens. They need to encourage their children to live out their faith and churches must do everything possible to retain young people before they are lost.
Wednesday
China's new first lady has impressed and burnished China's image by accompanying her husband overseas. She is a popular sopranist famous for her soaring, glass-breaking voice as well as her patriotic folk songs, especially during the Chinese New Year's televised galas. Let us remember the wives of Chinese pastors in our prayers. They usually perform many duties for the churches with little recognition of their service. We ask for God's blessing for their families and an extra measure of strength to serve as a great helper and assistant to their husbands.
Thursday
Like the current Mrs. Peng, Madame Chiang (Soong Mei-ling) added a touch of beauty and grace to a regime sorely in need of both in those days. She made an impression on everyone who met her and Life magazine dubbed her "the most powerful woman in the world. The wives of Chinese pastors are the obvious choice for all the counseling in their churches. Since women are in a majority in churches in China, pastors' wives have great expectations laid on them. We pray for the spiritual and emotional support provided by the wives of the pastors and their ministry to women.
Friday
Like Peng Li-yuan, Jiang Qing, the wife of Mao Zedong rose to prominence first as a singer and actress. Unlike Mrs. Peng, Madame Mao was universally feared and reviled. Female preachers often play an important role in evangelism, church planting, and the training of new preachers. We ask the Lord for wisdom, physical and emotional strength, and endurance for each and every one of them.
Saturday
In contrast to Jiang Qing, the first ladies in China during the 1980's and 1990's kept a low public profile. As China looks for new ways to boost its soft power abroad, Peng Li-yuan could well follow in Madame Soong's footsteps. Many Chinese are happy to know that "We Chinese have a real first lady." Churches in China seem to run on the idea of "Buy one, get one free" as they demand that the wife of the pastors also serves full time. Let us pray for all the families of the pastors who are stressed out, discouraged, and even feel battered. We ask the Lord to comfort them, refresh and revive them, and that their churches will honor, cherish, and treasure them.
Sunday
The reluctance to give wives a prominent place in national politics has deep roots. Chinese history is littered with cautionary tales of women who were allowed to come too close to the center of power. Many house churches are led by an elder or a family. These are very dedicated people and they also assume the financial needs of the churches. We want to pray that the Lord will use these husband and wife teams who lead the churches as models of dedication, godly marriage, and serving together.
Monday
Many Chinese hope their new first lady will break from tradition and become a focus and inspiration for the nation. When the first lady is beautiful and personable, it makes people feel their government is humane rather than bureaucratic. We know how important the wives of the church leaders are so let us pray for their marriages and their commitment to their children. May the Lord protect their families from temptations, attacks of the evil one, and comfort them when they are discouraged.

星期二
近來一位14歲中國少年打破高爾夫球大師級公開賽最年輕參賽紀錄。上個月，另一個12歲的中國少年成為高爾夫歐巡賽最年輕的參賽選手。中國近年來在高爾夫球投入大量資源，精力和金錢。很可惜的是，中國教會裡的青少年寥寥無幾。我們當為有青少年的信徒家長們禱告，求主幫助他們鼓勵自己的孩子活出信仰，教會也要盡一切所能留住年輕人，不叫他們流失。
星期三
中國新任第一夫人彭麗媛陪同她的國家主席丈夫出訪國外，因表現優雅大方，大大提升中國的海外形象。彭麗媛女士是位女高音，以唱愛國民歌聞名，幾乎每年都亮相春晚節目。我們在此也要為傳道人的賢內助妻子感謝神，雖然沒有多少人注意，卻一直默默的擺上。願神記念、賞賜這些忠心的使女們, 恩待她們的家庭，加添她們力量，不單成為牧者的堅實同工，更是神家的福氣。
星期四
抗日戰爭期間，蔣介石的妻子宋美齡女士以「第一夫人」的身分在美國國會發表演說，用流利的英語和優雅的儀表，贏得美國政界一致的讚賞，登上《時代》雜誌的封面，被譽為當代「最具影響力的女人」。當教會的輔導需要越來越重，而信徒普遍是女多男少的情況下，師母參予輔導自是不二之選，信徒也會對師母有著非常高的期望。我們要為她們的教導與關懷事奉禱告，特別為婦女會的帶領，求神祝福。
星期五
彭麗媛女士並非首位能歌善舞的「第一夫人」。毛澤東的夫人江青，曾經是著名的電影演員。不過，在過去中國傳統中，戲劇演員被貶稱為「戲子」。江青亦一直被看成是依靠丈夫權力的鐵娘子。女傳道在神的工作裡一直扮演著重要的角色，如開荒佈道、建立教會、傳道人培訓等。我們特別要為女傳道及女宣教士禱告，求主加添她們智慧和身心靈的力量，在服事上因著專注對主的托負，忠心喜樂地擺上。
星期六
與毛妻江青不同，八十年代和九十年代的中國第一夫人都行事低調。中國分析家認為彭麗媛女士通過展示柔性外交，能提高中國形象。教會常要求牧師「買一送一」，讓師母也在教會全職參與事奉。許多牧者的家庭經歷極大的壓力，灰心甚至產生苦毒。我們求主安慰並復興他們；同時求主幫助教會能珍惜、善待牧者和師母，與他們同心建立教會，使神的家得著益處。
星期日
在中國歷史上，不乏婦女因太接近權力中心而奪得國家政治大權，故此今人都引以為鑑，不會讓妻子過份突出。許多家庭教會是由長老或一個家庭帶領，並承擔教會經濟上的需要。我們為這些愛主的夫妻團隊感恩，願神大大使用他們，成為信徒為主擺上、有聖潔婚姻及夫妻同心服事的好榜樣。
星期一
與前幾任的第一夫人相比，彭麗媛女士近來得到更多的關注，很多民眾亦希望她能打破陳規。讓人們看到習近平美麗的夫人，就會覺得政府更人性化。我們要為教會領袖的家庭禱告，教會領袖的妻子所扮演的角色非常重要，求主幫助她們能好好管理自己的家，以致也能照管好神的家。求主保守他們夫妻同心相愛，靠著主的恩典勝過惡者的攻擊，不落入誘惑，並在他們受傷時賜下安慰和能力穩行高處。