Tuesday
Although in the past farmers were not allowed to sell directly to customers in the cities without paying other fees, the premier of China recently went to the Farmers' Marker in Beijing and encouraged the farmers to sell their produce directly to urban consumers in order to lower retail prices. Many urban believers use going to the market as an excuse for not going to church. We pray for those believers who are lukewarm or inconsistent in attending services. May the Holy Spirit quicken their hearts and remind them that God loves them and desires all of us to put Him first above all other things we do.
Wednesday
The consumer price index (CPI), a main guage of inflation in China, rose 6.2 percent for the year ending in August which is much greater than the government's target of four percent for the year. Food prices account for about a third of this rise. The price of vegetables has remained stubbornly high this past year. When people feel that everything is more expensive, believers tend to feel less generous in their giving at church. We remember all those who are living on a fixed income, as well as those who are retired or dependent on their children for support. May the Lord give them great faith to trust Him to provide for all of their needs.
Thursday
"Xinhua Zidian" from the very first edition in 1953, it has mirrored social, political and economic changes in Chinese society and government. The first print run of the most influential Xinhua Chinese dictionary counts 4 million copies. As the Chinese language changes, the most popular and beloved version of Bible (Union) is nearly a century old. Many of the terms used are archaic or seldom used today. We pray that Christian faith can be communicated effectively in modern language, both inside the church, to the younger generations and to the non-believers.
Friday
In this new edition, all terms associated with class struggle, and hence do not correspond to China today, have been deleted. For example of the pronoun “Zanmen” (all together): in the 2004 edition, the sample given for its meaning was: “All together, we the poor have revolutionized our village.” It is now changed to: “All together, we have become rich in our village.”We praise the Lord for the dramatic changes and improvement in rural China in the past 30 years. We know spiritual revival does comes and goes, but we still pray rural churches will stay healthy, believers will grow mature spiritually and God's revival will come again.
Saturday
Of all the criminal cases in China, those involving corrupt officials sentenced to death arouse the greatest interest. There are plenty of morbid examples of how the public cheered for the recent death sentences for the two deputy mayors to outright demand of executions of corrupt officials. Chinese, believers included, are too bloodthirsty to give up the death penalty as the favorite punishment or method for sweet revenge. May the Spirit convict us all, so we do not just accuse those who steals a lot, but rather be ever reminded that it is the grace of God that protects us from temptations and sins.
Sunday
China leads the world in the number of corrupt officials sentenced and executed each year. But, judging by the seemingly endless "public demand" for such punishment and the surging popular anger, it would seem that there is actually not enough of it. Chinese knows death penalty cannot stop corruption, but still demands it, such cynicism merely perpetuates itself. May the Lord grant us a constant desire for holiness.
Monday
Strictly speaking, China has no "justice," relying only on "political law" in punishing corrupt officials. The so-called "double regulation" (the Communist Party's disciplinary procedure) means that sentences are delivered under the guidance of the Communist Party's, and that the code of criminal procedure is only a reference. Many believers feel cohabitation is acceptable and no longer a God's commandment. May the Lord convict us of all the "double standards", excuses we have, so we will be separated from all manners of sin, darkness and corruption.
星期二
從前農民不許直接在一般巿場販賣產品，現己取消此規定。最近中國總理訪問了北京郊區的周末蔬菜直銷市場，他要求減少農民和社區市民的中間環節，鼓勵更多農民將產品直銷到市場、學校、與社區。一來可降低巿場價格，二來農民的獲利較高。不少城市信徒不去聚會的理由之一是週日需上市場買菜。我們特別為那些靈命冷淡或許久不參加聚會的信徒代禱，願神的靈提醒、催逼，盼望他們能因神的愛將祂自己放在生命的首位。
星期三
中國居民消費價格指數（CPI），即通貨膨脹主要指標，在今年八8月份，比去年上升了6.2%，遠遠高於政府想控制的4%目標。其中食物佔了消費物價指數約三分之一的比重，蔬菜價錢在2011年一直都居高不下，物價上漲亦影響到信徒減少奉獻。我們在禱告中記念所有靠固定收入養生過日子的肢體們，尤其是退休或依賴子女經濟支援的信徒。願主賜他們信心，堅信上帝必供應他們的一切需要。
星期四
中國民眾最熟悉的《新華字典》最近推出第11版。新華字典具有反映中國社會、政治和經濟的變革,乃最有影響力的中國字典。在1953年的初版印刷量就己高達400萬份。中國教會使用最廣泛及信徒最愛的聖經，仍然是已經有一個世紀歷史的和合本。中文己有極大的變化下，和合本使用的字句許多都巳老舊或不易為這世代人所理解。我們祈求能藉著現代的語言更有效地傳達基督的信仰，讓教會中的年輕一代及慕道友能更明白真道與基督的愛。
星期五
在最新一版的《新華字典》，所有與階級鬥爭有關聯的句子，因已不符合現今中國的狀況,全都被刪除。例如代名詞「咱們」，在2004年版本所使用的例句是：「咱們窮人已經解放了村子」，新版則改為：「咱們使我們的村子富起來。」過去的30年，農村有了急劇的變化和改善，為此我們感謝神。雖然屬靈的復興是有時間性，但我們還是為農村教會禱告， 希望農村教會保持聖潔，成熟的信徒增加及神的復興即將再來。
星期六
在中國所有的犯罪事例中，涉及腐敗官員的審判總能激起人們最大的注意。病態的例子很多：例如民眾為蘇杭兩名副市長被判處死刑而歡呼，或是網上要求槍斃所有的貪官。中國人因認為這是最大快人心的報仇，以牙還牙，以眼還眼的想法，仍存在於大多數人的觀念中，包括在基督徒在內，求聖靈幫助我們存心謙卑恩慈,不專著眼指控別人的過犯,再次提醒自己，全是神的恩典免了我們的罪債，又保守我們不為誘惑和罪惡所勝。
星期日
中國腐敗官員判處死刑的案件數量是全球第一。不過從「公眾需求」和民意衝擊來看，這些判決與死刑的執行似乎還不足以平息人民的憤恨。明知死刑不能喝阻貪污腐敗，但中國老百姓仍堅持要維持這樣的刑罰，真是十分嘲諷與矛盾的現象。求主憐憫更是提醒我們信靠祂的人，不為金錢網羅、罪惡引誘，要恆渴慕及追求神的公義與聖潔。
星期一
政府在處理腐敗官員時，嚴格說來並未依循司法的标准，而是以「政治」為主要考量。共產黨有套特殊的調查程序，意味著共產黨的紀檢部門主導判決的結果，刑事訴訟只是個过程。信徒中也有不少人認為，婚前同居沒什麼大不了，忘卻了神要求我們對婚姻誓約的尊重。求聖靈光照我們，看見自己在生活中也慣用「雙重標準」及不合神喜悅的理由自圓其說。幫助我們脫離黑暗，棄絕曖昧及所有不討神喜悅的事。
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