Posts
Tuesday
An estimated twenty-five percent of the luxury purchases in the world are now made by Chinese nationals--a fivefold increase from five percent in 2007. China remains the market where brands of luxury items are recruiting customers rather than serving repeats. Chinese believers are much better off financially than they were in the past but their giving has not increased much. We pray for thanksgiving for them and also that they will willingly and joyfully give to the Lord.
Wednesday
The market for luxury goods is booming in China because of the expansion by retailers in all of the cities which means there is a trend to open shops selling luxury goods in cities as large as Paris or San Francisco for the first time. The number of churches in smaller cities is actually greater than that in the big ones in China. In the so-called mid-sized cities, many churches have no full-time pastors. Let us pray for vision, wisdom, boldness, and a strong witness for those brothers and sisters who lead these churches.
Thursday
The Chinese government faces the problem of an ever-increasing foreign trade reserve. Officials are concerned on how to spend this huge fund, about devaluation of the US dollars and investment returns. Chinese companies also worry about the safety, liquidity and preservation of their trade reserves. Although majority of Chinese believers are better off today than twenty years ago financially, the giving has not increased significantly in most churches. We ask the Lord to give all believers a heart of thanksgiving and generosity, rather than feeling they are still poorer compared to others.
Friday
Chinese churches shun away from talking about money and finances as if it is not spiritual. Money matters, compensation for pastors and tithing are generally taboo subjects. These all contribute to the neglect of pastors. We pray for changing of the attitude of all believers, of giving thanks for what we have and willingness to give to God with gladness. May the Lord change Chinese believers' attitudes toward God’s servants, willing to care for them more financially.
Saturday
Many farmers move into cities but can still collect dividends from the agricultural collective back home, land compensation, or even resettlement benefits if their land was bought. Cities want to have the cheap laborers from the villages but prefer not to offer them adequate social benefits. Urban residents, however, commonly dislike and despise the migrant workers from the villages. We pray that rural believers would show the love of Jesus to migrant laborers in their neighborhood and have the burden to share the gospel with them.
Sunday
The decline of the church in rural China is quite evident. The majority of rural believers working in the cities are plugged into local churches there or even stop attending church. Thus, the vast majority of rural believers who move into the cities are lost to the church where they grew up. May the Lord have mercy on all the ministries designed to reach out and care for migrant workers in the cities. We need to pray for churches in the countryside to know how to disciples their young believers so they will not be lost to the temptations they face in the cities.
Monday
The one-child policy in China implies that one young couple will have to care for four elderly people and as the villages have become more urbanized, the expense of caring for the elderly has quickly risen. It is Biblical for believers to honor their parents and care for them when they are old. Let us pray that young Christians will be willing to care for their aging parents and treat them with love and tenderness, thus through these actions and coupled with their testimony, lead them to know Jesus Christ as Savior.
An estimated twenty-five percent of the luxury purchases in the world are now made by Chinese nationals--a fivefold increase from five percent in 2007. China remains the market where brands of luxury items are recruiting customers rather than serving repeats. Chinese believers are much better off financially than they were in the past but their giving has not increased much. We pray for thanksgiving for them and also that they will willingly and joyfully give to the Lord.
Wednesday
The market for luxury goods is booming in China because of the expansion by retailers in all of the cities which means there is a trend to open shops selling luxury goods in cities as large as Paris or San Francisco for the first time. The number of churches in smaller cities is actually greater than that in the big ones in China. In the so-called mid-sized cities, many churches have no full-time pastors. Let us pray for vision, wisdom, boldness, and a strong witness for those brothers and sisters who lead these churches.
Thursday
The Chinese government faces the problem of an ever-increasing foreign trade reserve. Officials are concerned on how to spend this huge fund, about devaluation of the US dollars and investment returns. Chinese companies also worry about the safety, liquidity and preservation of their trade reserves. Although majority of Chinese believers are better off today than twenty years ago financially, the giving has not increased significantly in most churches. We ask the Lord to give all believers a heart of thanksgiving and generosity, rather than feeling they are still poorer compared to others.
Friday
Chinese churches shun away from talking about money and finances as if it is not spiritual. Money matters, compensation for pastors and tithing are generally taboo subjects. These all contribute to the neglect of pastors. We pray for changing of the attitude of all believers, of giving thanks for what we have and willingness to give to God with gladness. May the Lord change Chinese believers' attitudes toward God’s servants, willing to care for them more financially.
Saturday
Many farmers move into cities but can still collect dividends from the agricultural collective back home, land compensation, or even resettlement benefits if their land was bought. Cities want to have the cheap laborers from the villages but prefer not to offer them adequate social benefits. Urban residents, however, commonly dislike and despise the migrant workers from the villages. We pray that rural believers would show the love of Jesus to migrant laborers in their neighborhood and have the burden to share the gospel with them.
Sunday
The decline of the church in rural China is quite evident. The majority of rural believers working in the cities are plugged into local churches there or even stop attending church. Thus, the vast majority of rural believers who move into the cities are lost to the church where they grew up. May the Lord have mercy on all the ministries designed to reach out and care for migrant workers in the cities. We need to pray for churches in the countryside to know how to disciples their young believers so they will not be lost to the temptations they face in the cities.
Monday
The one-child policy in China implies that one young couple will have to care for four elderly people and as the villages have become more urbanized, the expense of caring for the elderly has quickly risen. It is Biblical for believers to honor their parents and care for them when they are old. Let us pray that young Christians will be willing to care for their aging parents and treat them with love and tenderness, thus through these actions and coupled with their testimony, lead them to know Jesus Christ as Savior.
星期二
據估計全球25％奢侈品的購買者是中國人 - 這個數字是2007年的五倍。 中國奢侈品市場被看好是因為，新的客人不斷地的增加，而不僅僅是原有客源重覆消費. 中國肢體經濟條件大幅改進，但對教會的奉獻雖有提昇但卻沒有顯著的增加。我們為弟兄姊妹能甘心樂意的奉獻代禱。
星期三
中國奢侈品市場的擴大，是因為奢侈品零售店發展到二線城市。雖然這些是中型城市，但是這些城市人口都多於巴黎或是舊金山。二線城市的信徒增加，甚至教會數字不少於大城市。我們在禱告中記念在二三線城市的教會，許多教會沒有全職傳道人，我們為那些帶領的弟兄姐妹禱告，求主賜給他們異象、智慧、膽量與生命的榜樣。
星期四
中國的外匯儲備不斷創造歷史新高。政府官員擔心美元貶值、投資回報率等等問題，而使用外匯儲備投資的公司，要面對更大外匯儲備的安全性、流動性、保值增值的挑戰。與20多年前相比，中國的肢體經濟條件是好的太多了，但是奉獻並沒有相對的增加。求主加給每個弟兄姊妹更多感恩及樂施，而不是老看別人物質比自己富裕。
星期五
華人教會有一個普遍的問題就是“談錢色變”。講台上很少提到錢的問題，也不談講傳道人的待遇問題，很少教導十一奉獻。這些直接造成了今天許多教會經濟窘迫。我們求神自己來改變弟兄姊妹的態度，更有感恩的心，甘心樂意地奉獻給神。同樣地，願主改變我們對牧者的心態，不但是尊敬他們，也在經濟上不虧待神的僕人。
星期六
許多人的戶口在農村，可以享受到村集體經濟分紅，征地補償，回遷安置房等收益。 對城市而言，需要外地人做廉價的勞工，卻又希望盡量少承擔對他們的公共服務和社會保障。城市的居民一般對外地來的人存著排斥的態度。 我們再次為城市教會禱告，求主賜下愛心，對在教會附近的外來農民工多有關懷，也有向他們傳福音的負擔。
星期日
中國農村教會的衰退是很明顯的，但是進入城市的農村信徒們，卻沒有進入城市教會，絕大部份的信徒都流失了。求主憐憫，興起更多關心他們的事工，求主也讓農村教會在栽培信徒時，也能特別注意教導他們如何在繁華的城市中持守信仰。
星期一
中國一胎化生育政策導致一對年輕夫婦需要照顧四位老年人。由於農村地區變得日益城市化，照顧老年人的費用也在快速攀升，負擔變得愈加沉重。讓我們為所有年輕的基督徒來禱告，求神使他們不僅是願意照顧年邁的父母，更是願意用溫柔和愛來照顧他們，在父母面前為主作美好的見證，也能向他們分享耶穌基督的救贖。
據估計全球25％奢侈品的購買者是中國人 - 這個數字是2007年的五倍。 中國奢侈品市場被看好是因為，新的客人不斷地的增加，而不僅僅是原有客源重覆消費. 中國肢體經濟條件大幅改進，但對教會的奉獻雖有提昇但卻沒有顯著的增加。我們為弟兄姊妹能甘心樂意的奉獻代禱。
星期三
中國奢侈品市場的擴大，是因為奢侈品零售店發展到二線城市。雖然這些是中型城市，但是這些城市人口都多於巴黎或是舊金山。二線城市的信徒增加，甚至教會數字不少於大城市。我們在禱告中記念在二三線城市的教會，許多教會沒有全職傳道人，我們為那些帶領的弟兄姐妹禱告，求主賜給他們異象、智慧、膽量與生命的榜樣。
星期四
中國的外匯儲備不斷創造歷史新高。政府官員擔心美元貶值、投資回報率等等問題，而使用外匯儲備投資的公司，要面對更大外匯儲備的安全性、流動性、保值增值的挑戰。與20多年前相比，中國的肢體經濟條件是好的太多了，但是奉獻並沒有相對的增加。求主加給每個弟兄姊妹更多感恩及樂施，而不是老看別人物質比自己富裕。
星期五
華人教會有一個普遍的問題就是“談錢色變”。講台上很少提到錢的問題，也不談講傳道人的待遇問題，很少教導十一奉獻。這些直接造成了今天許多教會經濟窘迫。我們求神自己來改變弟兄姊妹的態度，更有感恩的心，甘心樂意地奉獻給神。同樣地，願主改變我們對牧者的心態，不但是尊敬他們，也在經濟上不虧待神的僕人。
星期六
許多人的戶口在農村，可以享受到村集體經濟分紅，征地補償，回遷安置房等收益。 對城市而言，需要外地人做廉價的勞工，卻又希望盡量少承擔對他們的公共服務和社會保障。城市的居民一般對外地來的人存著排斥的態度。 我們再次為城市教會禱告，求主賜下愛心，對在教會附近的外來農民工多有關懷，也有向他們傳福音的負擔。
星期日
中國農村教會的衰退是很明顯的，但是進入城市的農村信徒們，卻沒有進入城市教會，絕大部份的信徒都流失了。求主憐憫，興起更多關心他們的事工，求主也讓農村教會在栽培信徒時，也能特別注意教導他們如何在繁華的城市中持守信仰。
星期一
中國一胎化生育政策導致一對年輕夫婦需要照顧四位老年人。由於農村地區變得日益城市化，照顧老年人的費用也在快速攀升，負擔變得愈加沉重。讓我們為所有年輕的基督徒來禱告，求神使他們不僅是願意照顧年邁的父母，更是願意用溫柔和愛來照顧他們，在父母面前為主作美好的見證，也能向他們分享耶穌基督的救贖。
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