Prayer Request 12/18 - 12/24

Tuesday
During the past twelve years banks in Shangqui, Henan have refused to accept small change. The local bus company had to pay their drivers with the change collected from bus fares. On payday the drivers would lug home a huge bag of coins or small bills. Chinese coins are practically worthless due to inflation yet it is common to see many small bills in the offering plate at church. Believers in China are no longer poor but the amount of their offerings has not improved. We ask the Lord to show them how we will all be blessed when we are faithful stewards of what He has entrusted to us and His house will then lack nothing.
Wednesday
Taking the average income as a guide, it takes 25 years to buy an apartment in Beijing, and 30-40 years in Shanghai or Shenzhen. In New York City, it takes about 6 years and 20.8 years in Hong Kong to pay for an apartment. We pray for all believers that their emotions will not go up and down because of the price of homes. We know our hearts should be on the Lord alone and not on the wealth we own, so we can love Him steadfastly.
Thursday
In China, temporary workers are often used as a convenient scapegoat when something goes wrong. When chengguan officers severely beat a street vendor, the incident was blamed on “temporary workers.” When a building was wrongfully demolished, “temporary workers” get the blame too. In general, urban churches do not reach out to the large number of migrant workers from villages because they are uneducated or unsophisticated. We pray that we all would learn to love those people Jesus would welcome, the sinners and the social outcasts.
Friday
It is reported that the property market in China has started slowly to recover. In July, the average price for a new apartment in one hundred cities was 8717 yuan per square meter. This report also said that the road to recover former property will be a long, difficult one. Many Chinese have the ability to buy more than one apartment. Many speculators are stuck with houses bought when the market was high and even Christians are no exception. We pray for genuine faith in God, and contentment and joy from Him to rule their lives rather than the rising or falling price of real estate or the stock market.
Saturday
Chinese people tend to put money away in savings rather than spending it since there is a lack of services available to finance loans or to borrow money to pay for things. People from the villages who go to work in cities, must accumulate enough cash to buy a house there or they will not be able to enjoy the social benefits city residents do. We pray for those Christians from rural areas who work in cities. They work hard to be able to send money home so they pay a huge price by sacrificing their family relationships to work. We pray for God's strength, a strong faith in Him, and always the strong desire to walk close to Jesus.
Sunday
Under the one-child policy, Chinese parents know that if they don't have enough savings there might not be anyone to care for them because a young married couples must care for four elderly parents one day. Bible teaches us to honor our parents and not to despise them when they are old. We pray for those elderly parents who worry about whether their children will support them or not, especially those who have relationship problem with the in-laws. May the Lord bring about changes in their hearts and attitudes.
Monday
There are many churches springing up in the cities, the vast majority of them are independent and not connected or associated with each others. Believers usually do not know about believers in other, even for those churches who are nearby.We want to pray for these independent churches, for good ministry in worship, fellowship and discipleship. May the Lord release them from the sense of loneliness, but rather be used greatly by God, and become a great testimony in their neighborhood and leading many to Christ.


星期二
河南商丘市當地各大銀行連續12年以各種借口拒收零鈔。公交車公司只好用一元錢的硬幣、零鈔來發工資，司機領工資就是20多捆小鈔票，用蛇皮袋一扛拿回家裡。因著物價高漲，硬幣零錢似乎越來越沒有價值。也因著物價高漲，教會的奉獻普遍都是小鈔。就算信徒不再那麼貧窮，但是所奉獻的仍然不多。求主幫助信徒，能甘心樂意更多為主擺上，尤其是在金錢上做忠心的管家，也使教會事工的進展沒有欠缺。
星期三
如果以工資收入作為一項參照指標，按戶均收入而論，北京居民買一套房需要淨攢25年，上海和深圳則需要35-40年。按同樣指標，在紐約為6年，而香港為20.8年。我們為信徒能專心依靠神來禱告，求主幫助我們不愛慕世界，不將快樂建立在起伏不定的房地產上，而是能更多的親近主，愛主，因為我們的永恆的基業是在神那裡。
星期四
「臨時工」顧名思義乃「臨時招聘的工人」，但現已成為社會問題的「替罪羊」了。城管取締，建築物拆除出事「惹禍」，都怪罪於他們。打出：臨時工出事，畏罪潛逃，官府抓捕云云，事件就如此這般可以不了了之。大體而言，中國的城市教會不能吸引臨時工或農民工，主要原因是這些人沒受過什麽教育也無法融入。主耶穌都是與罪人及社會邊緣人物為友的，求主幫助我們能體會祂的心腸，明白祂的心意，我們都是神重價救贖、蒙救恩的罪人，只要接受福音，在神眼中同為尊貴。
星期五
一份調查報告說，樓市已開始有些復蘇。7月中國100個城市(新建)住宅平均價格為每平方米8717元。然而房地產市場要恢復到曾經呈現的繁榮景象，將是一個漫長、艱難的跋涉。有能力買房子的中國人，持有房屋幾乎都會超過一套，不少買家也被房子套牢，就連信徒也不例外。求主堅定我們對神的信心，敬虔加上知足地在世度日，而不是受房價, 股票起伏的影響，失去在主裡的喜樂與平安。
星期六
中國人往往多儲蓄少花錢，其中一個原因是缺乏適合家庭需要的金融服務。在中國鮮有人貸款來購物。同時，那些從農村到城市来工作的人覺得他們必須存更多的錢才能在城市買房，否則他們無法享受到城市所提供的基本服務。我們特別在禱告中紀念那些從農村到城市工作的基督徒，他們在城市打工，省吃儉用，為的是能攢錢寄回家。他們經常是為了賺錢而付出了很大的代價，許多人遭受到夫妻、親子關係破裂之苦。求主幫助他們，賜給他們力量、堅固他們對神的信心和與主親密同行的願望。
星期日
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。中國父母知道：到退休前，如果不存夠錢， 將來到他們年老時可能會無人照顧。基督徒孝敬父母是理所當然的，奉養年邁雙親也是聖經的重要教導。我們為年長的信徒來禱告，尤其是那些擔心自己的孩子是否會孝順照顧他們的，尤其是家中有婆媳不合的問題，家中充滿了壓力。願主恩待他們，也改變他們兩代的心態。
星期一
中國城市新興教會之中有很多不同的系統派別，但是許多教會都只有一間堂會，在肢體相交上，不免有孤單感。我們特別為單獨一間的教會禱告。求主讓他們在敬拜、會友交通、門徒培訓等方面都有很美好的配搭和服事。求主幫助他們不覺孤單，更願意讓主來使用，使他們在社區，都能為主大作見証，領人歸主。