Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Prayer Request 2/25 - 3/2

Tuesday
All the casinos in Macau were forced to close during the viral epidemic. It is illegal to gamble in China except for Macau Special Administrative Region. Since the return of Macau to China in 1999, it has become the world's largest gaming center. Chinese love to gamble which has destroyed countless families. We intercede for believers whose family members are gamblers. May the Lord set them free from the bondage of sin and save them. We also pray that churches will speak up against addictions and other social ills.
Wednesday
The viral outbreak and closures of cities have wreaked havoc on the education systems of China at all levels, forcing schools to close. The Education ministry quickly demanded schools to provide a study plan and curriculum to keep the 190 million elementary and middle school students busy during the suspension period. Children of believers have not been able to attend church for a couple of years because of the new religious policy. We pray that parents will teach the Bible stories to their own children, pray with them and spend time to tell what the Lord has done in their families.
Thursday
The Ministry of Education encourages extra-curricular reading and exercise, and online tutoring if possible, but it warned that elementary school students should not spend too much time online. The Education Television channel will launch a special program for students, which was used in the SARS epidemic in 2003. There is very little Christian parenting content online, making things worse so the majority of parents falsely believe that their children should decide on their religion once they are older. We pray that all of us will know God wants us to raise godly children for Him.
Friday
Schools in China will resume at different times differently from place to place. Some provinces, including Liaoning and Sichuan, may plan to reopen primary and secondary schools soon, while other provinces such as Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Guangdong have postponed the start date to at least March. We do not know when children and young people can return to church. We pray that there will be many parents like “By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” Heb 11:23 (NIV)
Saturday
At the present time, most churches in China no longer have Sunday school for children. Some pastors with Christian educational training have started curriculum for parents, and organizing parenting conferences to raise the awareness of parents as far as spiritual growth of their children. We pray that God will raise up more resources to help parents, equipping more pastors to teach parents to instruct Biblical values to their children. Believer parents must assume the responsibility of nurturing their children.
Sunday
In China, education is highly competitive. In Guangzhou the number of children in a school said to prepare children for elementary school has doubled. Parents are willing to pay tens of thousands of yuans to get a space in this elite school. We pray specifically for Christian parents as they also feel the same pressure to push children to get ahead. May the Lord add to their faith so they will trust Him not only to provide what they need but also for His best plan for their children
Monday
In the past, little attention was given to helping parents teach their children Bible lessons and foster spiritual growth at home. Now, churches in China are not able to have children's ministries of any kind. Some pastors are trying to prepare materials for parents to use with their children. We pray that God will use all the pastors and ministries alike to design and create suitable curriculum as well as making them available to help parents in China to teach and communicate God’s love to their children. Parents must be taught and do the teaching themselves. “You shall teach them diligently to your children” (Duet 6:7)

星期二
澳門所有博彩經營場所以及其他娛樂設施,為減低新型冠狀病毒傳播的風險,關閉營業15天。中國境內除了澳門之外,其他博彩活動一概違法。澳門在1999年回歸中國,近年已成為世界上最大型的博彩中心。中國人好賭,賭博摧毀了無數家庭。我們特別為有嗜賭家人的信徒禱告,求主施恩拯救,使人能從賭癮中釋放,得著真正能叫人心靈滿足的救恩。幫助癮君子和病態賭徒,扶持他們與神及教會建立密切的關係。又求主興起信徒在社會舆論上為防治瘾癖和其他不公議題發聲。
星期三
病毒疫情已使中國的各級學校陷入混亂。教育部發布通知,敦促省級教育部門統一部署,為呆在家裡的學生製定詳細的學習計劃,設法讓中國1.9億的中、小學生在停課期間保持學習狀態。因著新的宗教政策,信徒的孩子已經不能參加教會聚會有兩年之久了。我們為父母能將神的話殷勤教導子女禱告,願意刻意安排時間與孩子一起讀經、禱告,也講述神在他們家中的作為。
星期四
教育部鼓勵課外閱讀和體育鍛煉,如果可能的話,還鼓勵網上輔導,不過另一方面也提醒小學生不該花太多時間在互聯網上。中國教育電視台有特別節目開播給學生們,該平台在2003年SARS期間也有類似的運作。網上對於如何幫助兒女愛主的資訊,幾乎寥寥無幾,更糟的是許多信徒家長錯誤認為孩子有選擇宗教的自由,讓他們成人之後自己選擇。求主憐憫,叫我們知道祂的心意是要從我們得著敬虔的後裔。
星期五
關於復課時間,目前中國各省情況不一。有些可能計劃二月下旬重新開放中、小學,而上海、浙江和廣東等則已將開學日期定為不早於3月。我們不知何時何日孩子們才能合法地與父母一同參加教會聚會。我們向天父懇求,有更多如同摩西父母一樣有堅定信心的信徒家長。「摩西生下來,他的父母見他是個俊美的孩子,就因著信,把他藏了三個月,並不怕王命。」(來11:23)
星期六
現在中國教會大都已經不能辦兒童主日學,一群完成基督教教育課程的傳道人已開展家長教育事工,如組織家長會,提升家長教養孩童信仰成長的意識;開辦家長課堂,教導父母如何在家中具體實踐兒童屬靈教育。求主賜福家長教育事工,帶領傳道人能裝備家長,幫助孩童建立基督教價值觀;並求主加力給家長,在教養孩童上滿有主的恩典與能力。
星期日
中國的教育競爭大,廣州某幼小銜接班去年的報讀人數激增兩倍。還有家長為了給孩子報讀「突擊班」,不惜交納上萬元的培訓費。我們特别為信徒家長禱告,在面對孩子升學壓力時,對神的信心不減少,不僅要相信神必為孩子的教育有足夠的預備,也深信祂在每個孩子身上都有最美好, 最獨特的計劃。
星期一
中國教會過去忽略幫助信徒父母教導子女聖經和注重培育信二代的靈命成長。現在因政策令教會不能有兒童主日學和任何孩童事工,有些牧者惟有開始供給家長教導子女的資源。求主使用牧者和信徒領袖所設計的內容,幫助信徒家長能傳授和傳達基督的信仰,這原是家長當盡的本分。「我今日所吩咐你的話都要記在心上,也要殷勤教訓你的兒女。」(申 6:7)願我們都為屬靈的承傳盡心盡力。

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