Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Prayer Request 3/26 - 4/1


Tuesday
Christians in Taiwan are known for hopping from one church to another. They like to go to special meetings and crave to hear any foreign preacher who comes on the scene. Many believers are not rooted deeply in the truth and are spiritually immature so they are easily led astray and cause deep hurt in their churches. We pray for revival in the churches of Taiwan and that the believers will be rooted in Biblical truths, especially the doctrines of the Trinity, Christology, and Soteriology so they are able to defend their faith against heresies and cults.
Wednesday
In the past churches in Taiwan have suffered from some extreme teachings including the so-called "end time prophecy". Because there is a lack of unity among the churches to stand against this false teaching, they have suffered greatly and brought shame on God's name. It is our prayer that all pastors will receive training to differentiate between the false and the true and emphasize Bible truths. We ask the Lord for courage and unity among church leaders and that they will not tolerate false teachers simply in the name of love and harmony.
Thursday
The Eastern Lightning cult, officially banned in mainland China, has obtained official registration in Taiwan. Their members are very loving and passionate in appearance, far more than the average lukewarm Taiwan believers and they have infiltrated small groups in many churches. We beseech the Lord to give both the leaders and believers in the churches wisdom and a discerning spirit so that no wolves in sheep's clothing will take advantage of the simple believers and confuse the churches.
Friday
In China new believers can choose to go to open churches but in the villages there are fewer new churches being built so believers have little choice of the church they will attend. Strictly speaking, pastors of the Three-self churches minister to those who enter their churches and limit their ministry to those people. We know that sheep give birth to new sheep and so believers should lead their friends to church. We pray that Chinese believers will have a passion to share the gospel and will live a lifestyle which glorifies God.
Saturday
Heresies spread widely among the villages in China because they fill a vacuum of religious intimacy and even provide some financial help which impoverished believers welcome. Rural believers who attend house churches are often lacking in their knowledge of Biblical trust so they are easy prey for those who preach heresy. We pray for those believers who are confused and have fallen into heresy. We ask for God's deliverance for them so they will truly understand the truth and gain freedom in Christ.
Sunday
Some of the house churches in major cities of China have grown in attendance reaching to hundreds and even thousands in number so they have to move out of residential apartments and rent office space to carry out their ministry. We give thanks to God for them and pray the Lord will add to them many more who are saved. May their ministries continue to grow. We pray especially for the need for space for their meetings and special favor of the officials who oversee the "religious affairs" in their districts.
Monday
Despite the rapid economic growth of the country, villages in China where two-thirds of the people live still lag behind the rest of the country. Improvement has been spotty at best and many villagers still do not have social benefits such as medical insurance which is available to city residents. Rural churches have been in steep decline in recent years and there are several contributing factors. The huge exodus of young people from country to city is a major one. We ask the Lord for a miracle to raise up pastors who love Him passionately and are willing to stay in the villages and serve Him there.
星期二
台灣的信徒喜歡游走各教會,參加各樣的特會,聽外來講員的信息。有些弟兄姊妹分不清楚真理,靈命根基淺薄,常被錯誤的教導迷糊,以致造成教會的損害。求主復興台灣的教會,幫助信徒在真道上建立紮實的根基,回到神的話語和神的真道上,堅持肯定基督教信仰的範疇,包括三位一體、基督論、救恩論等,能在面對迷惑人的異端邪說時,有分辨的能力與護衛真道的勇氣和信心
星期三
過去台灣教會中有一些極端的言論及所謂的「末世預言」,由於台灣教會回應的立場不夠一致,也讓發出極端言論的人有可趁之機,造成教會極大的虧損。我們為傳道人能有分辨真理的裝備訓練代禱,求主幫助教會更注重真理的教導,面對偏離聖經的異端和不合真道的訊息能勇敢合一地站起來匡正視聽,不可以用所謂的愛心保容和追求和諧來「打迷糊仗」。
星期四
来自 中國大陸的基督教異端「東方閃電」在台灣正式登記,他們的成員外表上,比很多教會裏不冷不熱的「老」基督徒還要來得有「愛心」和「熱情」。求主賜給眾教會的領袖同工和信徒更有辨別的智慧,和純正的靈,不讓披上「羊」外衣的狼般異端成員,趁機偷偷滲入羊群裡,散佈不正確的「邪說」迷惑人心,在教會和小組裡製造攪撓、分裂與矛盾。
星期五
在城市如果找不到教會可以去公開教會聚會,但農村地區公開的三自教會數量也很少。三自教會裏的牧養原則上也只能為來到教會的人講道,不能踏出教會建築。羊嚴格而言不是牧者所生的,而是由羊領羊進入羊圈。我們為所有信徒都有傳福音的心志來禱告,尤其要能活出吸引人歸向主,讓神得著榮耀的生命見証,而不是將傳福音的責任全部留給牧人。
星期六
異端在中國農村地區發展快速,它們興起的原因不僅為那些在貧窮中掙扎的農村信徒彌補了一些信仰的真空,甚至也為他們提供政府所沒有做到的生活保障體系。農村家庭教會的信徒們,因為缺乏真正懂得真理、訓練有素的帶領者,往往被這些異端所迷惑。讓我們為所有陷入異端的信徒祈求,求 神引領他們走出迷惑,能再次得著真理和耶穌基督所釋放的自由。
星期日
一些重要城市的家庭教會, 近幾年信徒陸續增加,形成許多由幾百人到上千信徒組合的相當具規模的教會。因著聚會人數的增加,有些教會已經從居民區家庭聚會的模式,轉型成寫字樓、堂會聚會的模式。我們為他們的發展感謝主的帶領,求主繼續加添他們得救的人數,也興旺他們的事工,好使更多人信主。我們要特別為他們聚會所需要的場地祈求,也使他們在官員前蒙恩。
星期一
雖然中國的經濟仍在快速發展, 但是農村經濟發展進度還是很緩慢,占中國總人口2/3的農民仍有許多人依舊過著貧困落後的生活;農村居民也沒有等同城市居民可以享受到醫療保險等社會安全福利措施。近年農村教會極為荒涼,有許多基本性的問題存在,尤其是大量的流失了年輕一代,目前似乎仍無法改變現況。我們祈求恩主興起愛祂的工人,能忠心留守在農村做牧養的工作。

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