Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Prayer Request 1/27 - 2/2

Tuesday
In 2014 China manufactured three hundred million electronic cigarettes, about ninety percent of the global market. Many of the smaller manufacturers are unregulated and their cigarettes are laced with heavy metals, carcinogens and are more dangerous than real cigarettes. When their parents smoke, young people tend to learn to smoke early. We pray for Christian parents whose children smoke or have addiction problems. May the Lord answer their prayers and turn their children to the Lord.
Wednesday
Gambling has been a cash cow for Macau, a city of half a million people, accounting for over 80 percent of Macau’s economy. But, the recent anti-corruption campaign in China has drastically reduced the number of gamblers from China, especially the highrollers. Gambling is particularly a Chinese illness. We pray for Christians whose spouses gamble and philander. May the Lord deliver them and give them people who can and will support and comfort them in church.
Thursday
Macau gambling’s bearish outlook is caused by China's anti-corruption measures, a slowing economy and a lack of confidence in junket operations — the middlemen act on behalf of the casinos to attract big spenders by arranging their travel and handling their gambling credit. Gambling has ruined so many families. We pray for those who are devastated but refuse to give up to save their marriage. We ask the Lord for matured Christians to help them and that they will experience God’s presence even in the darkest time.
Friday
There is a saying that when a man gets rich he goes bad but when a woman goes bad, she gets rich. This shows that wealth is corrupting men--the figure of the newly-rich man as a womanizer was prevalent in the late 1990's and early 2000's--and women as well. We pray that Christians who become well-off financially will not become conceited and greedy, lest they fall and shame the name of God.
Saturday
The vast majority (90%) of businesswomen in China are either divorced or single. They feel pressure to get married but are often reluctant to do so because the men whom they consider their social equals demand them to quit working as a condition of marriage. We pray for sisters in the church who are either divorced or single. May the Lord bless them with vibrant spiritual life and much growth in the truth of God. May He be their strength and comfort, giving them the desire of their hearts.
Sunday
In China there is less of the sense that romantic relationships are tainted by money than one finds in the West. There is a sense that if one loves and cares for another person, he or she demonstrates that love through concrete actions. Many Christian couples in China divorce using the excuse of failure to provide adequate financial support. We pray for the marriages of all believers, that the church will provide Biblical teaching and practical counseling for their members
Monday
In a Chinese marital relationship love is demonstrated through fulfilling one's duties such as earning money for the needs of the family, doing domestic chores, and caring for those who are sick. Most of the young Christians have gotten married without pre-marital counseling so they do not know how to deal with conflict in a Biblical way. We pray that newly-wed Christian couples will have Jesus Christ as the Lord of their homes.
 
星期二
中國2014年製造了3億支電子煙,,佔全球市場的90%以上。眾多小型業者都不受工業法規管制,成品所含的重金屬和致癌物質之嚴重,甚至比真煙還更危險。現今有許多年輕人學家長抽煙。有些信徒的孩子也開始有不良嗜好和吸煙,求神的靈在這些年輕人心裡動工,引領他們杜絕不良癖好,歸回到主跟前,以神的同在為樂。
星期三
博彩業是澳門的搖錢樹。在這座50萬人口的城市經濟中,去年博彩業所佔比例為80%。但由於最近的反腐行動,中國賭客大大減少,尤其是那些豪賭者更是銳減。賭博是中國人的主要惡習,也破壞了無數家庭的完整和幸福。我們用禱告來記念信徒中有沉迷於嫖賭的配偶,求主拯救這些陷在罪中之樂的人,又給信徒在教會中有安慰和支持的同伴。
星期四
由於反腐行動、放緩的經濟,以及對中間人運作的缺乏信任,造成澳門賭客劇減。所謂中間人運作,就是中介代表賭場,安排豪客的行程和賭賬額度。許多賭徒深陷賭博的陋習難改,往往導致家庭破碎,婚姻無法挽回。我們特別為面對這種情況的信徒家庭禱告,求主興起成熟信徒能給予切時的幫助和輔導,讓神兒女在黑暗艱難的日子中,仍能經歷神的信實與同在。
星期五
俗語有云:「男人有錢就變壞,女人變壞就有錢。」反映了在中國,財富讓男人墮落的普遍現象。上世紀90年代末和本世紀初,新富階層中好色男人的形象真的很普遍,然而一些新貴女富豪們的放蕩形徑亦與男性無異。社會上敗壞的風氣也同樣嚴重侵入教會。願主保守每個信徒,不因著物質富裕而落入自欺、自負與貪婪裡,求主救我們逃離試探、誘惑,以免羞辱主的聖名。
星期六
大多數中國女商人中,九成是單身或已離異。那些單身女性有婚配壓力,但又不願意結婚,因為她們眼中有條件的男仕,大多會要求她們退出商場才能結婚。我們來為失婚及單身的姊妹禱告,求主賜給她們活潑的靈命,在神的真道上不斷長進;又求主自己成為她們的幫助與安慰,成全她們心中所願。
星期日
一些中國人不像西方人那樣浪漫,覺得金錢會玷污纯潔的愛情。中式的觀念是,如果你愛我,並且在乎我,請用行動來示愛。許多信徒離婚的理由,也是對方在供應家庭經濟上沒有盡到責任。我們為弟兄姊妹的婚姻祈求,求主幫助教會能按著聖經原則來教導婚姻家庭的課題,並給與信徒實際的幫助與諮商輔導。
星期一
在中國夫妻關係中,要通過履行家庭責任來表達愛,比如給家裡掙錢,幹瑣碎的家務活兒,在另一半生病時悉心呵護等等。許多年輕信徒夫妻根本沒有經歷婚前輔導就踏進婚姻,也沒有學習聖經的原則來建立基督化的家庭,他們是以世界的觀念來處理夫妻關係和衝突,常常完全沒有屬靈的智慧和裝備面對挑戰。我們為信徒的家庭都能尊基督為一家之主祈求。

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Prayer Request 1/20 - 1/26

Tuesday
China is offering women who take off their veils fully paid trips to Shanghai or Urumqi, as models of deveiling. But those who don’t remove their veils lose preferential benefits or are subject to administrative detention. Many Han Chinese have given up sharing Jesus with the Muslims. We pray for those who ​are ​actively witnessing to the Muslims, through friendship evangelism, especially those who are converts in ​the​ Xingjian area.
Wednesday
Recently, the party has pushed a “mass line” campaign aimed at embedding officials in regions of ethnic minorities. It started in 2011, with 20,000 officials rusticated in ​to​ grass-root communities in Tibet. ​Tibet is hard soil for the gospel. Few churches exist and those that do are mostly Han Chinese. We ask God to preserve their faith and revive those churches so they can be bright lamps for Jesus in the vast spiritual darkness.
Thursday
The Chinese​ government is sending 200,000 officials into Muslim regions, with one-third of them going into rural southern Xinjiang. They stay there for a year as the eyes and ears of the Communist Party to ensure the implementation of policy at the local level. ​China has strongly discouraged conversion of Muslim minorities to Christianity fearing unrest.​ We pray for Christians in Xinjiang that the Lord will give them strong faith in Him knowing He is with them and loves them very much.
Friday
In the 1980's​ there was a lot of promotion of ethnic cadres into the Party. Now there are 6,000,000 ethnic minority members of the Communist Party but in the eyes of Beijing probably many of them have not been carrying out policy adequately. We lift up all of the non-Han Chinese believers in prayer, especially those in Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces. May the Lord bring them more and more well-trained shepherds so their ministry will flourish and believers will grow spiritually with a solid foundation of Biblical truth.
Saturday
There has been a lot of discussion in China recently about rooting ​out religious beliefs among party members since they have realized that the party representatives in the frontier regions in the 1980's and 90's were not carrying out party rules. We pray for believers in the ethnic minorities in China, especially the churches in Yunnan. Although economic conditions have vastly improved there, churches have lost all of their young people because they went to the cities to work.
Sunday
Although wages have risen and more blue-collar workers are able to afford monthly mortgage payments, many do not have the down payments. Increasing costs of labor hurt the profit margins of developers and make it increasingly expensive to build more homes. ​We pray for wisdom for all believers in China who are planning to purchase a house and that they will "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness' knowing that "all of these things will be added to you." (Matthew 7: 34)​
Monday
Just a decade ago, China had a glut of young, eager workers. Construction sites commonly operated around the clock, with workers earning as little as $5 for a day’s or night’s work. ​Wages have risen significantly but sadly, compensation for church workers lags greatly. May the Lord have mercy on the churches in China and help them to honor their shepherds and treat them with respect and generosity, not as mere servants.
 
星期二
中國政府獎勵那些願意摘下頭巾的穆斯林女性,提供免費前往上海或烏魯木齊旅遊的機會。但是,那些不摘的人,就會失去一些優惠待遇,或者要受到行政拘留。許多漢人信徒已經放棄向穆斯林傳福音的嘗試。我們為那些仍然堅持並積極向穆斯林伸出友誼之手,見證基督的信徒禱告,尤其記念改信基督的新彊回民。
星期三
最近共產黨開展了 "群眾路線”運動,目的是讓官員們深入基層社區。西藏的群眾路線是第一個,始於2011-2013 年,期間共有2萬名官員進駐各個村莊。西藏是福音的硬土,以漢人為主的弱小教會在發展上也有種種困難。求主保守信徒,能靠主堅守信仰,復興他們,在屬靈的漆黑中,為主成為明亮的燈台。
星期四
中國新疆計劃在三年時間裡,將派20萬名官員參加下基層活動。其中三分之一去了南疆的農村駐留一年, 確保政策在地方的執行落實。政府為了安撫新彊,堅決反對任何穆斯林改變信仰。我們為新彊的基督徒祈求,願主加添他們信心和膽量,知道他們所信的是信實不改,恩慈的神。祂必一直與信徒同在,保守看顧屬祂的人。
星期五
80年代,共產黨提拔了很多少數民族幹部。有更多的少數民族入黨。如今,共產黨有600萬名少數民族成員,這中間有很多人可能沒在積極推行黨的政策。我們為少數民族中的基督徒禱告,尤其是雲南、廣西地區。求主更多地裝備教會牧者,叫信徒在屬靈上得著充份的供應,確保在信仰上有根有基。
星期六
最近有很多關於根除黨員宗教信仰的討論。共產黨越來越意識到,雖然八、九十年代邊疆地區有很多黨員,但他們並沒有貫徹黨的規定。我們為在中國的少數民族信徒禱告, 特别是在雲南省的,過去的貧困雖然改善,但是近年當地教會也經歷了青年人外出工作的問題,求主再次復興祂的教會,不看環境,單單仰望主的帶領。
星期日
中國工人的工資不斷上漲,讓更多藍領工人能夠負擔每月的房貸,但許多人仍然很難湊齊首付。另一方面,不斷增加的勞工成本,使得建造房屋的成本升高。我們為準備購屋的信徒禱告,求主給他們智慧,認定先求神的國和祂的義,神必將他們需用的賜給他們。
星期一
十年前中國還有大量的年輕工人,在建築工地24小時開工,工人們每天或每夜只能掙五美元。現今一般中國工人的薪資都已大幅上漲,但是許多教會工人的薪俸卻仍沒有改善。求主憐憫教會,按著神的心意敬重神選召來服事教會的牧者,慷慨善待祂的僕人,而不是把牧者視為「會眾的僕人」。

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Prayer Request 1/13 - 1/19

Tuesday
Churches in China face great challenges brought on by urbanization and the shifting of population. Six to seven million people have ​moved from villages into cities and it is estimated that by 2030 sixty-five percent of the people will live in cities. ​We pray for urban churches that they will be​ ​able to retain those believers who have come from the villages and none of them will be lost. We pray, too, ​for rural churches to stay faithful to God and not lose heart or go into decline.
Wednesday
​In the past few months more than two hundred churches in Wenzhou had their crosses taken down. Local officials insist this is not a religious issue but rather a flagrant violation of building codes. ​We pray that Christians will obey the laws of the land and learn to master the fine points of legal issues. We pray specifically for the churches in Wenzhou that the Lord will strengthen their faith and they will not be despondent or disappointed.
Thursday
​Christian churches in China have three approaches in their view of legal issues: 1. Ignore it, 2​. Circumvent it, or 3. Try to manipulate it. They often ignore government rules because they feel Christians are "too spiritual" or they say, "God told me to do it." as they build the church building. We pray for wisdom and favor as churches negotiate with the local government. May the Lord grant them peace so their ministries can expand unimpeded.
Friday
Some churches in China circumvent the law by evading authorities and take pride in their "suffering" without exerting their rights. Others manipulate the law by spending money to curry favor or intervention. ​We pray that each of us will trust the Lord and not depend on our own devices or ability. We pray the church will grow even stronger in times when there are setbacks because the believers seek God first.
Saturday
Christians need to consider the law seriously as they obey and uphold it and seek protection under it. If churches remain legal, they will have room to grow and stay established in China.​We pray that as churches become "legal" the Holy Spirit will empower them to be greatly used​ ​by God and they will experience great growth.​
Sunday
Churches in Wenzhou must learn to take the law seriously and make necessary adjustments. Many of their structures which have crosses on top of them violate the local building codes. We pray for those churches that are engaged in discussion with local officials. Some are using an attorney for the very first time. May the Lord give each one a favorable outcome.​
Monday
Christians who experienced the Cultural Revolution are very different from those who have not gone through it and these differences are clearly evident in how they serve in the church. Generally, they demand to be heard and invariably they fight for power to make decisions.​​Painfully we say it, but the spiritual lives of many pastors in China are immature so we pray for maturity of all the workers in the Lord's harvest field. We pray, too, for unity among believers and godly examples of humility to learn from in the churches.​
 
星期二
中國教會牧養的挑戰,主要是城市化、人口遷移。過去有六、七億人口從農村進入城市,而且人口仍在持續不斷流動。預估至2030年有65%人口進入城市生活。我們為城巿教會能把握時機,牧養進城的農村信徒,不讓他們流失,也為農村教會能持守對神的信心,不沒落、不灰心來禱告。
星期三
數月來,溫州超過200間教堂的十字架被拆。當地行政部門堅稱這不是針對基督教的,而是在依法拆除違章建築。我們為基督徒守法,學習使用法律的語言去對話及維權來禱告。求主賜溫洲教會有智慧處理產業與堅固信心,不因這些打擊而灰心喪志。
星期四
弟兄姊妹在對待「法律」時常普遍存在的三種盲區:無視法律、回避法律或勾兌法律。「無視法律」是當遇到一些事情時,基督徒常常「太屬靈」,憑著「感動」、與所謂「聽到神告訴我要這麼做」的呼召去做。 求主加添中國教會在與政府相關部門的應對中有智慧來代禱。也為教會能有空間來發展事工祈求。
星期五
「迴避法律」是當遇到打擊時,要麼東躲西藏,要麼以患難為榮譽,不去主張自己的權利。而「勾兌法律」即指「法律人情化」,例如花錢疏通、打關係換得一時平安。求主幫助每個信徒時常仰望依靠神,不靠自己的聰明。求主藉著教會遇見的困難,加添信徒的信心,因著凡事先尋求神,使教會在神的恩典中成長。
星期六
基督徒要處處以尊重法律為思考標準,尋求法律的保護與保障權益。求主幫助教會在「合法」上能站穩腳跟,因著教會的「合法化」,能經歷更大的成長,使基督的福音在中國有更長遠的發展。
星期日
溫州教會目前的最大的挑戰就是學習法律的思維和手段去面對當前教會建築物的問題。 好對這些問題梳理,能採取補救措施。我們特別為那些初次與政府談判、聘請律師通過法律手段維權的教會來禱告, 求主親自管理整個過程,賜恩祝福祂的教會能合宜處理妥當事情,最終得著各方面的益處。
星期一
許多「資格老」的信徒在教會中爭奪話語權的背後,往往是貪婪地要緊緊地握住權力。經歷過文革的信徒思想和沒經歷過文革的人很不一樣,在事奉上有常有著相當明顯的差別。教會的現狀反映出這群傳道人的屬靈生命是幼小的。求神興起祂的成熟工人來為他收割莊稼。同時願神也改變我們,能與眾肢體竭力在靈里合一,更在神家中賜給我們許多謙卑服事的好榜樣!

Thursday, January 08, 2015

Prayer Request 1/6 - 1/12

Tuesday Millions of parents in China ​send ​their children to ''boarding kindergartens,'' every year, a tradition that began after the 1949 Communist revolution, where children as young as 3 live at school during the week — sometimes, but not always, returning home for the weekend.Some churches even openly discourage the presence of children because they interfere with adult services. We pray churches will see the importance of children​'s​ ministry, not causing any of the little ones to stumble and lose the opportunity to know Jesus.
Wednesday
China built many ''boarding kindergartens'' after the revolution in order to free parents, especially mothers, to work outside the home, as part of the official goal of women's emancipation that in reality was geared to the needs of the Communist Party. ​Many churches have no programs for children so parents ​can't take their children to church. We pray for training classes for teachers of children in Sunday school because this will truly bless the future churches of China.
Thursday
“Boarding kindergartens” reached a peak during the Great Leap Forward from 1958 to 1962, when children were boarded in droves as Mao Zedong ordered China to outstrip the United States and Britain through agricultural collectivization and industrial production. We pray for adequate equipping of all of the Sunday school teachers of children so they will be able to effectively teach Bible truths. We pray specifically for the wisdom and love of Jesus for those who are passionate in serving the little ones but lack proper training.
Friday
​According to experts, separation anxiety in China today may be caused by the widely-accepted cultural practice of giving children to their ​grandparents to raise so the parents can work long hours due to intense economic pressures. Many believers do not raise their own children for various reasons. May the Lord comfort them, removing the guilt they struggle with, and listen to their prayer for their children to keep ​a close relationship with them.
Saturday
​Chinese families are no longer scattered due to political campaigns but what about the impact of the "boarding kindergartens" today? On the internet parents say, "I'm so busy at work. Where is there a 'boarding ​kindergarten" in Nanjing or Shanghai? How much does it cost?" Many young Christian parents really do not know how to balance the demands of work, family and raising children. We pray for these parents so they will still have regular church lives and possess the wisdom of raising children knowing God.
Sunday
​Approximately fifty-five million children in China are left behind with their grandparents on the farm as their parents go to the city to work, seeing their children perhaps once a year. Separation anxiety looms when the grandparents later hand the children back to the parents their hardly know. ​We pray for parents who are believers ​but are emotionally distant or even unable to communicate with their children. May the Lord heal their brokenness so they can once again fulfill their God-given role and duty.
Monday
Tens of thousands of parents in China choose an overseas education for their children each year hoping they will learn world-class skills grounded in liberal, democratic values in a healthy environment.​ May the Lord answer the prayers of all the believers who pray for a good education for their children. We pray that each of us would be reminded that God desires us to teach our children so they will know Him from a very young age.

星期二
每年有數百萬中國家長將孩子送去「托兒所」。這種做法始於1949年的共產黨革命,只有3歲大的孩子都是一整個星期待在學校裡,有時會回家過週末。 有些教會以「妨礙」成人聚會為由,在門口懸掛「禁止兒童進入」的牌子。我們為教會能看見兒童事工的重要性代禱,不使主所鍾愛的孩童因大人們在真理知識、信心和愛心上的不足而失去認識耶穌的機會。
星期三
1994 之後,為了給母親們騰出時間,讓他們能離開家門工作,中國修建了許多「托兒所」。讓母親們走出家門是解放女性這個官方目標的一部分,但實際上是為了滿足共產黨的需要。許多教會沒有任何孩童的事工,信徒的兒女缺乏針對他們的聖經的教導。 求主差派更多工人開展有系統的兒童主日學師資訓練課程,祝福中國教會的下一代。
星期四
在1958至1962年的大躍進時期,孩子送去寄宿學校的教育現象達到頂峰。毛澤東當時下令中國實行農業合作化和加大工業生產,期待能超越美國和英國。我們為兒童主日學老師禱告,求主幫肋他們得著全備的培訓,能有效地教導兒童在真理上成長。也求主賜智慧和愛心給那些滿有服事熱誠,但卻還得不到適切培訓的老師們。
星期五
今天中國人普遍都能接受孩子由祖父母撫養,讓承受巨大經濟壓力的父母長時間在外工作的做法。然而專家說,這種做法可能造成兒童心理上的分離創傷。不少信徒常因種種原因而無法親自養育孩子。求主安慰他們的心,不致因為對孩有虧欠而過份內疚,更求主垂聽他們為孩子的禱告。幫助他們能保持與孩子有健康又親密的關係。
星期六
雖然現時中國的家庭不再因為政治因素而分居多地,但是仍然有許多父母選擇把孩子送去托兒所。在網上,家長們常問道:「我工作太忙了,南京或上海哪兒有托兒所?收費是多少?」許多年輕信徒家長真的不知道如何平衡工作、家庭、子女教養等的要求,求主幫助他們能有規律的教會生活,能在神家中成長,也有教養子女認識神的智慧。
星期日
中國約有5,500萬名農村留守兒童,一年最多和外出打工的父母見一次面。當祖父母把孩子還給有條件可以親自撫養的父母時,孩子可能已經認不得父母了,不論是留守在農村或遷入城市,對兒童而言又是一種分離。我們為信徒父母禱告,有許多人跟子女的關係不親密、疏遠、甚至破裂,求主賜下醫治,使家長能恢復神托負的身份與責任。
星期一
每年都有成千上萬的中國家長為孩子選擇了海外的教育,希望他們在健康的環境中,以自由和民主的價值觀為基礎,學習世界級的知能。 多少信徒家長也為孩子能受好的教育祈求,願主垂聽他們的禱告,更是提醒家長,主希望我們能盡到親自教導子女成長的責任,使他們能從小認識主,學習真理,一生走在蒙福的正道上。