Tuesday
The schools in China are finally abandoning a system for honor students called "Three Good Students". For decades all Chinese students and their parents strove to earn that designation. Many Chinese born after 1980 or 1990 remember how much honor was associated with earning such a distinction. A student who consistently earned this honor received preferential treatment by getting promotions and academic recognition. All Chinese parents are under tremendous pressure to see their children succeed academically. We want to pray for those parents whose children do not get good grades or are simply unable to be academically competitive. We pray that God will relieve the anguish of these parents and give them faith to trust Him knowing that God will not abandon their children and that He has a purpose for their lives.
Wednesday
The criteria for being selected as a Three Good Student are: good political ideology and moral character, good grades, and good health. The Three Good Student system was begun in 1954 by the Communist party with the purpose of promoting students at all levels to be loyal to the party. A student designated as a Three Good Student has also become synonymous with "a good kid, good student". Much of the learning in Sunday schools in China mirrors that of the methods of teaching used in regular school so the students get knowledge about the Bible and are taught to behave well, but their true spiritual development is overlooked. They are not allowed to ask difficult questions about their Christian faith. Let us pray for all Sunday school teachers to model their faith, to encourage their students in their Christian lives, and to strive to be friends to their little brothers and sisters.
Thursday
The incidence of cleft lip in China is relatively high, about 1-2 cases for every 1000 newborns. It is estimate that China has 1.7 million cleft lip patients which make it the most common congenital malformations. Under the One-child policy, the birth of the cleft-lip child brings tremendous pressure and guilt to the parents and the child suffer discrimination even after surgical correction. Let us remember in prayer for all the Christian parents who have children with deformities of all kinds or learning disabilities. Many of them must endure disparaging comments about why God did not give them a normal child. We pray for their marriage, their relationship with the in-laws, especially those who are not believers. Above all, we pray for their children, may the Lord grant them special favor, knowing they are very loved by the Heavenly Father and God has a perfect plan in their lives to glorify Him.
Friday
For those Chinese judges handling corruption cases, deciding whether to indict and how to prosecute is basically a power struggle to get rid of someone to a great extent rather than the following the letter of the laws. There are always some bad apples in both open and house churches. As a whole, vast majority of church workers are sincere and just. And, we ought to pray for them so they will not be tempted by wealth or other snares, and serve the Lord faithfully.
Saturday
When corrupt officials confess their crimes in court, they often claim that they had lowered their personal standards, and strayed away from their reasoning and principles. Sometimes they give the excuses of lacking good understanding of the law. When a believers fall away from God, they know they are not pleasing God. We pray with trepidation that God will bring them back, bring them to repentance. We too pray that we will not fall into the same temptations and snares of the evil one, because of our greed and lack of thanksgiving.
Sunday
Corruption in China can be summed up as widespread and systematic. It is so deeply rooted that honest officials is said to be the minority and exception. If an official does not accept bribe, one is risking being left out of the game of being rich. What all these mean is, no matter how angry the public is about corruption, there is really nothing to hold back corruption. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" (Matt. 7:3), admittedly we all are quick to judge others. May the Lord forgive our self-righteousness, our hypocrisy, and give us a sincere heart that thirsts only after His righteousness.
Monday
Corruption is so tempting because it brings huge benefits to those officials involved. They know such practices bring tremendous wealth to their families and kids. Unfortunately, such attitude permeates the whole society, especially among the university students because their greatest aspiration is to be an official and quickly strike rich one day taking bribe. Even Christian parents would encourage their children to join the Party and use all kinds of connections to get their children have a job as an official, because it is a sure ticket to a comfortable lifestyle. May the Lord have mercy on all of us, so we will teach our children with the Biblical values, raising them to be people who fear God, and be consistent in our walk and talk.
星期二
中國取消沿用數十年評定優秀學生的「三好」評選制度。「三好學生」對中國的學生和家長應是再熟悉不過的。大部分80、90後的人可能都曾榮獲這光榮的「三好學生」稱號。連續幾年被選為「三好學生」的，在升學和分配上都給予優先選擇的機會。學業成績至上，使家長都有極大的壓力。我們特別為孩子成績不理想的信徒家長禱告，求主減輕他們的憂慮及苦楚，加添信心，信靠上帝不會撇棄他們的孩子，而是在他們的生命中有美好的目的。
星期三
「三好學生」的評選標準是：思想品德好、學習好、身體好。自1954年起，以固定的比例、相同的衡量標準，在中國所有大、中、小學校普遍推行。「三好」成為學生追求的目標和榮譽，也成為「好孩子、好學生」的同義詞。許多中國教會的主日學就像學校一般，過分強調聖經知識的灌輸，單求孩子們「乖，聽話」。求主幫助每一位主日學老師，更看重學生的靈命成長，允許開口發問信仰中的疑惑，努力成為學生的屬靈良友，讓為師者對主信靠的生命榜樣，吸引學生跟隨基督耶穌。
星期四
目前中國新生兒兔唇比率徧高，每1000名有1至2例先天性「兔唇」。全國有170多萬兔唇患者，成為先天性畸形中最常見病症之一。在一胎政策之下，兔唇兒的誕生不僅讓家長焦慮，更讓無辜的嬰兒遭受身、心理雙重的痛苦。我們特別記念所有家庭中有任何畸形、殘障或學習障礙孩子的基督徒。他們常經歷別人異樣的眼光，忍受嘲諷-為何上帝沒給他們一個正常孩子。也為他們的夫妻關係，婆媳感情禱告，求主賜下特別憐憫、安慰，讓他們體認主愛他們全家，天父必要眷顧他們的孩子，在生命中來榮耀祂。
星期五
中國處理腐敗案件，決定是否起訴某腐敗官員及怎麼處理，很大程度上不是基於法律制裁，而是權力鬥爭。基本上貪官若被抓，不是失寵就是失去了靠山。 教會內部不論是三自或是家庭教會，當中也有極少數品格不佳的人，但整體而言，絕大多數的教會同工都是純樸、正直的。讓我們用禱告來托住他們，求主保守他們能忠心事奉，不被錢財所引誘，更能操練敬虔，靠主勝過一切的試探。
星期六
在腐敗官員當庭供認犯罪行為時，說得最多的就是他們喪失了道德底線，失去了理智，及沒學到接受教育時該學習的原則。有時還可能補充說，他們對法律理解淺薄。在道德上敗壞的基督徒，並非不知自己所做的是不討神喜悅的。我們謹慎地求主將這些迷羊領回，也能認罪悔改。我們更是要提醒自己，不因著貪婪，沒有感恩的心，也落入同樣的引誘，處在敗壞的光景之中。
星期日
「腐敗」在中國是很普遍的，它是遊戲規則而不是例外。現在誠實的官員實在很少，他們要承擔在官場「不上道」、物資「清苦」的風險。也就是說，不管民眾多憤怒，沒有人有足夠的力量防堵貪腐。我們的通病往往也是「看見他人眼中的刺，卻看不見自己眼中的樑木。」。求主赦免我們自以為義的傾向，常以真理照明我們隱而未現的罪，賜我們飢渴慕義的心，殷勤按照神光明美善的旨意行。
星期一
腐敗的貪官，口袋所裝的都是滿滿的金錢。他們明知這不可為，但如此行卻能為家庭和子女帶來巨大的利益。因此，想當官的人滿街都是，特別是中國大學生。連信徒父母也會鼓勵自己孩子入黨當官，想盡辦法，透過關係，就是要讓孩子有「賺大錢」的機會。求主憐憫恩待我們，讓我們所言所行表裡一致，用聖經的價值觀為準繩教養兒女，使他們成為敬虔愛主的人，能持守敬畏神的心，到老也不偏離。
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