Prayer Request 1/21 - 1/27

TuesdayIn China, soil pollution is a grave problem plaguing the countryside and seriously affecting the major staples of Chinese cooking: rice, cabbage, carrots, turnips and sweet potatoes. Secularism is the spiritual pollution which plagues the churches in China. The rapid growth in the churches seen in the past is seldom seen now. We beseech the Lord for the refining fire to fall once again and bring revival to all of those whose agape love has grown cold.
Wednesday
Most of the fields which can be cultivated in China are surrounded by factories and irrigated with water tainted by industrial waste. Industrial levels of heavy metals in the water pollute not only the agricultural products but also post extreme danger to nearby residents. Secularism is the greatest threat to churches there today. In the South and in Wenzhou—the Jerusalem of China--the “success theory” is pervasive. We pray for God’s cleansing so the churches will seriously study His word and will bear His cross.
Thursday
The government of China has refused to divulge the details of the pollution situation which leaves the farmers and consumers in the dark about the levels of contaminants in the food chain. The soil survey which was completed in 2010 has been locked away as a “state secret”. This exacerbates fear making it difficult to select what to eat and pinpoint the offending factories. We pray for strong teaching of the Word of God, faithfulness, and discipleship rather than merely looking for material blessings from God.
Friday
The government of China admits that one-sixth of their arable land suffers from soil pollution. More than thirteen million tons of the crops harvested each year are contaminated with heavy metals and twenty-two million acres of farmland are affected by pesticides. May the Lord help us not to compromise on Biblical truths because of secularism. May we do everything because of His great love and make our decisions based on Biblical values. And we can we really understand the love of Christ and can live out the words of Revelation 2:19—“Your latter works exceed the first.”
Saturday
Scholars say that soil pollution is especially acute in Hunan Province, the “Rice Bowl” of China. In 2012 Hunan produced millions of tons of rice—sixteen percent of the national total. Many churches are now deciding their ministries based on pragmatism, utilitarianism, or other measurable outcomes. Bible truth is no longer the sole reason for their decisions. May we all be reminded of the Biblical truth found in Revelation 3:11 which says, “Hold fast to that which you have, so that no one may take your crown.”
Sunday
Hunan is also one of China’s top producers of nonferrous metals. As a result, it leads in cadmium, chromium, lead, and nonmetal arsenic pollution. In 2011 Hunan province was responsible for forty-one percent of the cadmium pollution in the nation. Imitation and comparison are not necessarily bad things but many urban churches adopt such a mindset and launch their Ministries out of competition. May the Lord give us pure hearts so we do His work with a passion for evangelism and never grow lukewarm.
Monday
Cadmium which accumulates in the rice plants not only gets into the rice on China’s tables but it also gets into the meat which they eat since the husks are fed to farm animals. However, there is no public data to show the level of cadmium pollution in the food. Urban Chinese imitate each other and compete a lot. We pray that believers will focus on the real message rather than soliciting fanfare, people more than programs, and will not compare the buildings where they meet, the size of their ministries, or how distinguished the pastors or preachers are.

星期二
中國因土壤污染失去大片良田，嚴重影響烹飪中常用的主要農作物，如大米、白菜、胡蘿蔔、蘿蔔和紅薯等等。現今教會信徒面臨最嚴重的靈性污染莫不是世俗主義，從前快速增長的勢頭如今幾乎很難再現。我們迫切為中國教會再次得著復興的靈火燃燒禱告，願主挑旺那些不冷不熱，或已退後的信徒的心。
星期三
中國許多農田被工廠環繞，灌溉使用的是受工業廢料污染的水。廢水中含有高度量有毒重金屬，附近的居民擔心土壤也遭受了污染。世俗主義是教會最大的敵人，在中國南方形成了明顯的「成功神學」，連有「中國耶路撒冷」之稱的溫州也存有明顯的攀比之風。求主潔淨祂的教會，提醒眾信徒再次重視神的話語，甘心背起十架跟隨主。
星期四
政府一直拒絕透露環境生態污染的詳情，讓農民和消費者無從得知食物鏈中的污染物水平。2010年完成的土壤調查報告已被作為「國家機密」鎖起來。這不僅使大眾更難以識別違規的工廠，也加劇民眾的恐懼，讓人難以判斷自己所吃的。我們為教會注重神話語的教導禱告，幫助信徒有渴慕主的心，按聖經的原則行事為人，忠於主的託付，而不是尋求屬世的福氣和滿足肉體的享受。
星期五
中國環境保護部門指稱，受重金屬污染的耕地佔全國總耕地面積的六分之一。每年收穫的農作物中，有逾1300萬噸被重金屬污染，約9萬公頃農田受到農藥影響。願神幫助我們站穩聖經真理，不向世俗妥協；又求主將那賜人智慧和啟示的靈賞賜給我們，使我們真知道他和領受祂的大愛，好叫「末後所行的善事，比起初所行的更多。」（啟 2：19）
星期六
學者們指出，在中國的糧倉湖南省，土壤污染問題特別嚴重。2012年湖南出產了1700萬噸大米，佔全國總量的16％。許多教會用實用主義、功利主義及其他可量化的效應來決定其事工的方向，聖經真理不再是教會唯一的判斷準繩了。求神提醒眾教會「持守你所有的，免得人奪去你的冠冕。」（啟 3：11）
星期日
湖南是中國出產有色金屬的大省，它的鎘、鉻、鉛和非金屬砷污染也排名靠前。2011年全國的鎘污染有41%來自湖南省。模仿和攀比原本無關乎對與錯，但是不少城市教會不慎陷入此等心態，發展事工的動機不再是完全出自主的吩咐和傳福音的熱忱。 求主幫助我們不落入不冷不熱，沒長進的光景，煉淨我們愛祂的心志，單純向主，以火熱、恩慈的心事奉、廣傳福音來討祂喜悅。
星期一
積聚在水稻植株裡的鎘不僅進入了中國人餐桌上的大米裡，也滲入了家畜的肉中，因為農民用稻殼來餵家畜。可是，有關當局一直沒有公開的數據顯示食物中的鎘污染水平。許多城市教會的事工開展，建立在模仿和攀比之上。求主幫助教會不再攀比會堂的華麗、事工的形式，甚至請到了何等的教會界名人站講台；而是看重信仰的實質，不是外表，體認神看重工人的品質遠遠比工作更重要。