Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Prayer Request 2/27--3/5

Tuesday
With the stock market sky high, the most common greeting now is, "Are you in the stock market?" Everywhere in the media, there is a not-to-be-missed stock frenzy and even housewives are very involved in it. Church leaders estimate that 70% of church ministry is done by female believers. We lift up everyone who serves in their churches, in whatever capacity. May the Lord bless them with the riches of heaven and good health .

Wednesday
At Chinese New Year's time Chinese people struggle with the amount to give in their red envelopes (hong bao) as New Year's gifts. In the past, a few chickens, dozens of eggs, or a few bottles of wine made good presents but now, a hundred yuan is considered the minimal gift for friends or relatives. This month there will be many people giving and receiving gifts. Let us pray that believers will not forget to give back with thankful hearts from what the Lord has given to them. We pray for stronger Chinese churches through increased giving and sending of more missionaries from those churches.

Thursday
What happens when one needs medical care but has no money to pay for it? If that person is in Mainland China the chance of getting any medical care is slim. In Hong Kong care in public hospitals is free. In Taiwan, everyone is covered by a global medical care insurance. Church workers in China do not have health care benefits at all and must cover such expenses themselves. Let us pray for both the physical and spiritual health of all workers and especially those who are ill and have to pay their medical costs with their own money .

Friday
In the past ten years convenience stores like 7-ELEVEN have become a fixture in many communities. They have also become the one-stop, open-24-hour centers for paying for utilities, places to grab a quick meal, and even bookstores.In contrast, places of worship are hard to find and are open only on Sundays in China. Let us pray for many seekers who are hungry for God and looking for churches to fill the emptiness in their hearts .

Saturday
Chinese advertisers are focusing on "single career women". They have a good income, buy the newest cell-phone regularly, drink name brand coffee, and speculate in the stock markets as the newest and hottest hobby. Single women constitute a high percentage of China's church workers but few ever have any luxuries to enjoy. Let us thank the Lord for their faithfulness in serving. We remember, too, their financial needs and comfort for the loneliness they all experiences .

Sunday
Speculating in the stock market has reached a feverish pitch in China with 600,000 new trading accounts opened in December 2006 alone. Young people are also trading on the market looking for quick gain as the general market heads higher. Trading stocks has become the favorite pastime in Shanghai. Let us pray for the guarding of the hearts of all believers against greed as stock market has become the favorite conversation in church .

Monday
There are about eighty million Hakka (guest) people who have their own unique customs, dialect, and ethnic characteristics. About 85% of them live in Guangdong and Fujian provinces. Also there are about 6.4 million in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. It is difficult for Hakkas to become Christians but once they get saved, they are usually very good Christians. Hakka-speaking churches have an ambitious goal to double their attendance in ten years. Let us pray for their churches, their outreach and even that the gospel will be broadcast by radio in the Hakka language .

星期二
最近中國股市大漲,人們一見面最常聽到的問候便是:「您可有進股」?股市大好令人不容錯過,而大家都賺得不亦樂乎,連家庭主婦也十分熱衷投入。據估計,70%的教會事工都是由婦女擔任的,姊妹們的忠心擺上直接影響事工的果效。讓我們為所有在教會服事的姐妹們禱告,求神供應也保守她們都有屬天的豐盛和健康的體魄。

星期三
在農曆新年,不少華人都得為紅包該給多少錢而傷腦筋。在過去,送幾隻雞幾打蛋或幾瓶酒就已經夠體面了,但如,連給親友拜年,非人民幣一百元以上不成禮。春節這個月裏,好多人都忙著送禮受禮,我們求神讓信徒們莫忘向神表達感恩。也為中國教會透過弟兄姐妹更多的擺上,能因著差派出更多宣教工人,而得以更茁壯地成長。

星期四
當病患需要接受醫療,卻沒有能力付醫藥費時該怎麼辦?這人若在中國,接受治療的機會很渺茫;假如在香港,他能在公立醫院獲得免費醫療;若在臺灣,則有全民健保支付費用。在中國的教會同工都沒有任何醫療保障。醫藥費全得由自己承擔。讓我們為所有服事神的工人身心靈的健康禱告,特別是患病需負擔醫療費用者求神充足供應、扶助。

星期五
十年來,像「7-11」一類的便利商店在兩岸三地已成爲人們生活中不可或缺的一環,現在更提供一站式服務,24小時不打烊,供人們交費、購餐、提款、買書、甚至寄快遞、買機票等等,非常方便。相反的,在中國要找個崇拜的地方不但困難,而且只能在星期天才開放。因此對許多人上教會十分不方便。讓我們為所有尋求真理、渴慕神、尋找教會的人的需要禱告。

星期六
廣告商正將大量精力集中在中國所謂的「白領麗人」身上,這些擁有穩定收入的年輕單身女性大多追求時尚,是最新款的手機、汽車、以及名牌咖啡飲料,甚至股市投資的追隨者。在中國教會服事的同工中,有相當多的比例是單身姐妹,但她們卻沒有什麼經濟能力享受物質上的舒適。讓我們為她們忠心的服事而感恩,也為她們生活上的供應禱告,求神親自安慰她們在服事和生活上所經歷的各樣困難和孤單。

星期日
隨著中國股票持續走紅,去年(2006年)單在12月份新開的股戶就有60萬個。年輕人也想通過炒股票來賺一筆快錢。特別是在上海,這種對股票的熱情越演越烈,並已經更廣泛的蔓延到社會各個階層。教會裏的弟兄姐妹也都在談股票,畢竟股市像一個賭場,我們求神保守每一位信徒的心懷意念,不被貪戀金錢的心綑綁。

星期一
客家人一般被稱爲「客人」,他們屬於漢族擁有自己獨特的風俗、語言、和族群特質,總數約有八千萬人,85%分佈在廣東和福建,在港澳和臺灣有六百四十萬人。客家人有自己的客家教會,也有十年倍增的計劃。讓我們特別以禱告記念客家教會,求主帶領他們的宣道活動及透過客語的福音廣播節目,能在這個族群將真理大大傳開來。

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