Loving Discipline
“I used to be a principal and work very hard. I thought I was doing a good job, but I did not glorify God. I was sued and dismissed from my position due to drinking, drunkenness, and reckless behavior during social activities. I know that I have sinned. I have not read the Bible nor attended services for several years. I was proud and had neglected my relationship with God. I even made excuses, convincing myself that the world behaved this way. After my dismissal, I experienced deep pain, depression, anger, and bitterness. I was later diagnosed with cancer. I, thus, have reflected on myself thoroughly. I now read the Bible and spiritual books daily and understand that this suffering is part of God’s discipline.”
(Brother Ying)
- Despite facing significant challenges, Brother Ying has come to understand that this is the Lord’s discipline and a testament to His redemptive love. We believe that the Lord will embrace him once again.
Statutory Retirement
The plan to implement a gradual postponement of the statutory retirement age was reviewed and approved at the 11th First Plenary Session of the 14th National People’s Congress Standing Committee. This was based on the reform needs of economic, social and demographic development. With the substantial rise in education levels, improvements in living standards, advancements in medical technology, and enhancements in the sanitary conditions, the average life expectancy has increased to 78.6 years. This implies that the age of the working population can be postponed. The reform for deferring retirement should be grounded in the principles of voluntariness and flexibility, fully considering the needs of different groups. Employees will be allowed to individually choose their retirement plans which suit their work and life.
(“People’s Daily”, September 11, 2024)
- Pray that this reform can balance the needs of the society, and individual rights and interests of people; and benefit every employee especially the elderly. Ask the Lord to give wisdom to the government so that the policies can enhance the harmonious development of the economy and society.
Run Straight In The Light
“More than 30 years ago, I accidentally found Radio Liangyou while experimenting with a shortwave radio. I did it just to pass the time. Later, the radio host spoke a line, ‘God, please open my eyes and mind to let me see the wonder of your Words.’ This line touched my heart greatly because I was physically blind and wanted to have my eyes opened. This is how I believed in the Lord Jesus. Although God did not heal my eyes, He made my heart opened and brightened. In addition to my church services, God also prepared a reading device for me so that I can co-operate with other organizations to convert gospel information into Braille and help more blind people know God. Thanks to God’s grace, I am able to bless others.”
(Brother Peng)
- Thank God for Brother Peng, who has experienced growth and transformation through the Lord’s grace. He can use his gift given by the Lord to serve the church and others so that more people can be benefited.
Scalper Tickets
Footprints of scalpers are almost everywhere in scopes requiring “ticket grabbing”, such as concerts, tourist attractions and exhibition halls. Scalpers force keen consumers to buy tickets from them at prices several times higher. The reason why scalpers are repeatedly banned but cannot be stopped involves multiple factors such as the imbalance between supply and demand, the asymmetry of technological support and information, insufficient enforcement of laws and regulations, and consumers’ psychology. Relevant laws and regulations should be implemented to effectively combat scalping activities. In particular, penalties should be increased to raise the costs of violating the laws. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen supervision, use technology to crack down on online transactions of scalper tickets and investigate violations in a timely manner.
(“Legal Daily”, September 9, 2024)
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Pray that the Lord will grant wisdom to the supervisory authorities in their efforts to strengthen the crackdown on scalpers. May they ensure that attractions and entertainment are accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation, allowing both the poor and the rich to appreciate the beauty of scenery, culture, and art.
Gospel Broadcasting
- 75th Anniversary Live Broadcast: We thank God for the smooth completion of our three live programs on our anniversary. During the evening’s “Thanksgiving & Testimony Sharing,” we launched the hotline, allowing listeners to share their stories with our hosts. In the program, we received 16 calls, including from listeners who have been with us for over 50 years and those who were newly introduced to us by friends. May God continue to lead Radio Liangyou, allowing our Chinese listeners to receive new life from the truth and bring blessings to themselves, others, society, and the world!
- Production Workstation: With the completion of our studio renovation, our post-production workstation has also been fully updated. Our colleagues are now adapting to the new production software, ProTools. May God help them persevere and work diligently, learning and adapting without affecting their daily work progress.