Prayer Request 12/10 - 12/16

TuesdayNorthern China is known for its heavy air pollution because they burn coal there in the winter. However, recently haze and calm weather have created very bad pollution in the Eastern region of China forcing schools to close in Shanghai and Nanjing. Churches in China face spiritual pollution as prosperity and ever declining sexual mores corrode their faith. Believers are often powerless to resist temptation and even sin. May the Lord quicken each one to be vigilant using His full armor to fend off the attack of the evil one.
Wednesday
In many cities in China, churches have started holding retreats for men or women as well as marriage retreats during the holidays. These retreats give busy Christians rest and special blessings. We pray that these meetings will bring renewal to marriages and that couples will learn healthy Biblical communication skills and habits, and those who struggle with brokenness, abuse, and hurt will find healing.
Thursday
City churches in China are drawing more and more young professional couples and families to their services. Many of these very busy people are concerned about nothing more than their families and children. Because of this need, many city churches are putting an emphasis on caring for married couples. Many new Christian couples must deal with issues of past sin and continuing problems with their in-laws. We pray they can live out the sacrificial love of Jesus (wives submitting and husbands being considerate) because this is the hardest lesson for them to learn.
Friday
In China, the following cities have the highest divorce rate: Beijing leads with thirty-nine percent followed by Shanghai with thirty-eight percent and then Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Taipei, Hong Kong, Dalian, Hangzhou, and Harbin. We pray that believers will not be influenced by the corrupted attitude about marriage that they see all around them but will be wise in rejecting the wrong idea that divorce solves marital problems. May the Lord guard the pledge we made at our wedding before Him as well as our thoughts and minds.
Saturday
It is said that eighty percent of the divorces of in China are due to extramarital affairs and at least sixty percent of them admit to varying degrees of sexual or mental infidelity. The process of filing for a divorce in China is very simple and the fee is a mere ten yuan ($1.50 US). The majority of people in China see divorce as the natural end to an unhappy marriage with no moral or psychological consequences. Let us pray for Christians who are considering divorce that the Lord will prepare a mature Christian believer who can counsel them and then they will have faith to seek and do what God wants them to do.
Sunday
When they were asked how their extramarital affair began, more than half of the people in China said, “I don’t know.” Although they expressed regret for their foolish act, they said the affair gave them unprecedented excitement. We pray for the serious problem in the churches in China of a lack of resources and ability to handle the vast need for marital counseling. May the Lord raise up more trained therapists, training programs, and pastors who see the importance of marital counseling.
Monday
According to marriage counselors, those who have been involved in affairs usually say they are not sure whether they will repeat the same mistake again or not. Nearly all who have had affairs admit they will never be able to return to their original loving relationship in marriage. We pray for the many divorced people in churches and ask for God’s healing for their brokenness knowing that God’s forgiveness is total and complete. We pray, too, that churches will accept them and have wisdom in their relationships with the families.

星期二
入冬之後，中國北方的空氣一向都是因燒煤造成了嚴重空氣污染。但是長江三角區域受到霧霾及靜穩天氣影響，加上市民開始燃煤取暖，華東地區嚴重大氣污染，迫使上海、南京的學校停課。追逐金錢及性道德的敗壞，也嚴重地造成屬靈的污染。許多信徒沒有力量抵擋誘惑和罪惡，甚至視其為家常便飯。求主激勵我們隨時儆醒，更要穿上神所賜的全副軍裝，竭力抵擋仇敵撒旦的各種攻擊。
星期三
許多城市教會在年假期間紛紛舉辦夫妻營會，弟兄營會，姐妹營會等，讓許多平時忙碌的信徒能夠在休息之餘，同時在靈裏可以得著更新。我們為這些營會感恩，求主透過真理的教導和實踐，帶來參加者的婚姻更新，信徒夫妻能學會健康、合乎聖經的溝通技巧與習慣，特別是那些曾受到傷害的人際關係得到完全的寬恕與醫治。
星期四
城市教會吸引越來越多的職場人士加入，他們最關心的莫過於家庭和孩子等話題，因著這樣的需求，城市教會開始重視對於教會夫妻的關懷和牧養。許多信主不久的基督徒夫婦，必須對付信主之前的罪和目前生活中與配偶父母相處的難題。我們為他們能勝過自己的軟弱，活出主耶穌犧牲的愛:丈夫體貼妻子，妻子順服丈夫來禱告, 因為捨己是最不易學習的功課。
星期五
在離婚率最高的十個城市裡，北京第一、上海第二。北京的離婚率39%，上海的離婚率38%，接著是深圳、廣州、廈門、台北、香港、大連、杭州、哈爾濱。求主幫助信徒不受現今世代敗壞的婚姻觀影響，有智慧分辨傳媒對婚姻關係的錯誤描繪及渲染。求主保守祂兒女謹守在祂面前慎重許下的婚姻承諾，也保守我們的心懷意念。
星期六
按統計，八成以上的婚姻最終破裂是導因于第三者的介入。六成以上的人經歷不同程度的身體或精神上的「出軌」。一般人視離婚為結束不快樂婚姻的自然選擇，離婚手續非常簡單，符合條件的，只需付費十元人民幣(1.50美元)即成。讓我們為目前正考慮離婚的信徒禱告，求神幫助他們用信心依靠並尋求祂的旨意，也求主預備成熟的屬靈同伴來支持他們，作出討神喜悅的決定,也願意靠主活出美好的見証。
星期日
當問及婚外情是怎麼發生的？五成以上的人認為自己的出軌是「鬼使神差」。他們雖然對後果表示後悔，認為自己是稀裏糊塗的有了婚外情，但與此同時，卻承認出軌帶給自己前所未有的刺激感。國內教會缺少能力或資源來幫助婚姻出現問題的信徒，我們為教會能重視並回應迫切的婚姻輔導事工禱告，求主興起合適的工人開展有關的培訓，賜下更多輔導人才培訓班，和更多能明白婚姻輔導的重要性和果效的教會牧者與領導同工。
星期一
根據婚姻輔導員的觀察，婚姻出軌者對自己是否會故伎重施，普遍表示沉默，認為「説不準」。同時，幾乎所有人都認為自己出軌後，再也無法重回原先的婚姻愛戀軌道上。我們為那些在信主前已離婚的或在教會聚會的失婚信徒禱告，求神醫治他們的心靈創傷，有信心知道神的赦免是完全的；求主幫助他們有智慧處理好與家人的關係。也為教會能接納這群失婚人來禱告。