September 7, 2003
Prayer Request

Current Issue

Prayer Requests
1) Pray for revival and an awakening in the church. How do you pray?

2) Pray for our country. . .Pray for U.S. Soldiers who continue to serve in dangerous parts of the world. Pray for God's supernatural protection on them. Pray that their experience in the military will give them an opportunity to grow as human beings and to draw near to God. Pray also for the chaplains who serve our military so faithfully.

3) Pray for our president. . .Pray for the President as on September 10 he welcomes Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah to the White House. The two leaders will discuss the next steps in regional security issues, the war on terrorism and the further strengthening of the relationship between our two nations.

Additional leaders to pray for:

Read: Psalm 46:1-2 & Psalm 4:1

Missionaries
4) Pray for Rod and Dawn Taylor. Here is part of their recent e-mail:

5) Joan in Israel asks for prayer:

6) Pray for a church in Manila. Currently they are providing:

Oregon
7) Pray for an Eastern European lady who has recently become a Christian. She is in Portland and is caregiving in an adult foster care home. Pray that she becomes well grounded in the faith and is able to share it with those she serves.

8) Pray for a young Eastern European lady who works in the bank. She is a Christian and is seeing some areas that her church is missing God's blessing by not participating in. Pray for her church that they develop God's vision and pray for her that she maintains a strong witness.

9) Pray for Esther and Jacob. They are longtime prayer warriors with PrayerWorks. Pray for God's blessings to be poured out on them.

Washington
10) Pray for Dennis and Jan. Both are having health problems and are struggling to maintain. Jan is a teacher. She is especially stressed as she has diabetic neuropathy. Dennis is checking into some disability. Pray for their strength. Pray that they both keep a tight grip on God.

Life is a puzzle.
Jesus will give you
the missing peace!

September 14, 2003
Prayer Requests
Some "What" Jokes & Helpful Hints

The First Path
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." ---Matthew 6:33 NIV

My family camped for three weeks each summer. It was the highlight of the year, and I enjoyed these vacations even more than Christmas or birthdays. Still, sometimes the old familiar spot lost its allure, facilitating the need to locate a new place. One year we decided to explore the Sierra-Nevada Mountains and stumbled upon an unexpected surprise.

That afternoon, while hunting for a new camping spot in the Mammoth area of Central California, my father pulled his suburban into an alpine meadow. It was beautiful. The meadow offered the perfect place for pitching a tent, with level terrain and ponderosa pines to offer shade. However, one essential thing was missing--fresh water. Dad knew that his first task was locating water, without which, there would be no reason to set up the campsite for his family. Heading up the canyon, he began his search for a mountain spring. In a few hours he returned with a grin on his face, carrying a canteen of spring water.

With each subsequent trip, the path to the springs became more established and easier to traverse. In a few years, others were using the trail my father had blazed. Many have since enjoyed the beauty and comfort of the meadow because someone took the time to seek out the water source first.

Likewise, certain things in prayer also come first: Seeking God and His righteousness. This type of seeking is not an occasional endeavor; rather, it's a persistent searching until a well-worn path develops. Just like blazing a trail to good water, establishing a good relationship with God has priorities and some exceptional benefits. When we make the daily seeking of God's kingdom and His righteousness our first path in prayer, we can enjoy the beauty of God's kingdom and have assurance He will provide our other needs as well.
(c) Charles E. Harrel Portland, OR

Current Issue

Prayer Requests

1) Pray for revival and an awakening in the church.

2) Pray for our country. . .Pray for the many chaplains--both military and civilian--across our country and around the world, that they will be helped by God to do their jobs wisely and well, and to honor Him in their ministries. As the State of California has eliminated one vital chaplaincy program, pray that this will not occur with other valuable chaplaincy programs that serve Americans in many walks of life.

3) Pray for our president. . .as he has requested approval from the Congress for funds to continue to bring much needed order and services to Iraq. Pray for wisdom for those who will decide on this matter. Pray also for those Americans, both military and civilian, working for freedom for the people of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Additional leaders to pray for:

Read: Psalm 33:12 & Colossians 4:2

4) The IFA prayer digest requests prayer for the following:
"Intercessors should prayerfully mark two meetings scheduled for October, both of which will have profound and lasting effects on the Episcopal Church of the U.S.A. (ECUSA) and the worldwide Anglican Communion. The first, a meeting of the American Anglican Council (AAC), was to be convened in a large Plano, TX, Episcopal Church on Oct. 7-9, but has been moved to a convention center in Dallas because registrations have already far exceeded the 1,600-seat capacity of the Plano church. At the second meeting, to be held a week later in London (Oct. 15-17), the 38 primates of the worldwide Anglican Communion (of which the ECUSA is a part) will meet to discuss the growing outrage and simmering rebellion over ordaining homosexual bishops and blessing same-sex 'unions.'"

5) This is also an IFA request
From various directions, including within its own ranks, Christian churches are being told that symbols of the Cross and Bible quotations should be removed from advertising and prominent display in worship services lest they "turn off" potential members and lose opportunity to influence seekers" who want social interaction but not a religious message. The American Clergy Leadership Conference, which began as a project of the Unification Church under its founder, Sun Myung Moon, is leading an effort to get rid of any sign of a cross, saying it "symbolizes oppression and superiority" and works against promoting "reconciliation among Christians, Jews and Muslims." Meanwhile, in the UK, advertisers working with churches in an all-out effort to stem declining church attendance are suggesting renewed emphasis on social attractions; short, informal messages geared to the "felt needs" of visitors; and a comfortable setting with no inference of suffering, such as "traditional images like pictures of Jesus on a cross."

(Editor's note (or diatribe on a soapbox): What ever happened to standing up for a biblically based Christian value system that said God is right and all else is wrong? Whatever possesses people to think they can water down Christianity just because they don't want to be responsible to a living God who will judge them with a two-edged sword, anyway? God will not honor such nonsense when dealing with His Word!)

Israel
6) Pray for those in Israel who have been killed, or wounded (whether it be physical, spiritual, or emotional wounds) in the latest round of bloodletting. Hamas bombed two sites this week and killed many people and then wonders why Israel doesn't believe they want peace. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem -- and the rest of Israel too!

7) Joan is safe. The Hebrew lessons are going well. She will be having a newly born-again Jewish lady living with her for a while. Pray that the lady absorbs all she can about God and Jesus while she is there. Pray for her future.

Oregon
8) Pray for a couple who are struggling together over an issue. Pray for God's peace and grace on the family.

9) Pray for an older lady who just broke her wrist. Pray for good healing and strength to endure until it does.

10) Portland has a new police chief. Pray for the Christian who was recently fired. Pray for those who did the firing. Pray for the new man.

11) Pray for a man and wife who are making a decision whether to retire from a long time position in order to take a position in a ministry.

12) Pray for the PrayerWorks staff as they make some important decisions.

Current Issue

Some "What" Jokes
What do you call a boomerang that doesn't work?	A stick.
What do you call cheese that isn't yours?	Nacho Cheese.
What do you call Santa's helpers?	Subordinate Clauses.
What do you get from a pampered cow?	Spoiled Milk.
What lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches?	A Nervous Wreck.
What kind of coffee was served on the Titanic?	Sanka.
Why did Pilgrims' pants always fall down?	Because they wore their belt buckle on their hat.
Thanks, Tim McKeeth

Some Helpful Hints

* Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish.

* Mayonnaise will kill lice and also will condition your hair.

* Brewed Lipton tea will give you shiny hair.

* Nestea will soothe a sunburn when added to your bath water.

* Colgate or Crest toothpaste will help a minor burn.

* Sugar takes care of a burnt tongue.

* WD40, sprayed on and rubbed in, will lessen the pain of Arthritis.

* Meat tenderizer stops the pain and swelling of bee stings.

* Preparation H heals chigger bites and puffy eyes.

* Jell-O will remove foot odor when used as a foot-soak.

Thanks, Ginger Burton

September 21
Prayer Request
Special Thought
Thank God for children saying grace....

Names Changed To Protect The Guilty
In the early part of the 1950s, Billy Graham came to Portland. There was all the recruiting of choir and counselors prior to the actual Crusade. Those that answered the call were thoroughly trained in the process of meeting the needs of all the people who were expected to respond during the services. And respond they did.

Ida, a school teacher who had recently moved to Portland from Chicago, became a counselor. She had responded to God's call on her life in college at a Katherine Kuhlman Crusade and knew the joy of Jesus in her heart. During the training, the counselors were asked to write a list of people that they wanted to see in God's Kingdom and the trainers challenged them to continue to pray for those on that list until salvation came.

Ida wrote her list and set about witnessing to each person and praying for them. During the intervening 50 years every single person on Ida's list has come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior -- except one. Oscar is the lone holdout. Oscar's wife calls him a rascal. He has never been one to conform to --- well, to anything.

Oscar's wife and children were on Ida's list and eventually everyone did. Oscar's wife is ill now - she has lupus. Ida went to visit and found Oscar sitting on the back porch. She felt led to speak straight to the issue -- and did! Oscar wept silently but openly. He has not accepted Jesus yet -- but then, Ida's not through praying for him.
(c) V.Ann Mandeville, Portland OR

Current Issue

Prayer Requests
1) Pray for revival, and an awakening in the church. . . and Oscar!

2) Pray for our country. . .and the remnants of the hurricane.

3) Pray for our president. . and his team of leaders and advisors as they wage war on illicit drugs and drug traffickers. Pray that the market for illegal drugs will dry up and that drug-related crimes will be eliminated. Pray also that America's children and youth will be protected from the devastating effects of drug abuse.

Additional leaders to pray for:

Read: Psalm 32:6-7 & Joshua 1:9

Missionaries
4) The Neuharths write from Bishket, Central Asia: "Thank you for your praying for us. Without your partnership, I don't know where we would be, but I do know that much of the victory and miracles and growth we have seen here is due to our Lord responding to your prayers. So, we rejoice in pressing on with you. Our team will be praying and processing through our ministry for three days together. Please ask God to prevent our enemy from distracting or hindering us and to fulfill these promises from Isaiah 58:11"

Pray also for the whole family -- it seems they are passing around a pretty yucky germ. Even the dog has been sick."

5) Joan Lipis writes from Israel: "I have a pinched nerve in my neck which radiates pain down to my arm. Might be bone spur, but we're trusting God that it isn't, or that He'll heal. The doctor prescribed aneck brace and bed rest...which means no driving or email. I hope to be ready for the Beresheet New Age Festival next Friday-Sunday."

Pray again for the Festival and Joan's witness there. (The festival is New Age -- not Joan nor PrayerWorks!) Pray for healing.

6) Pray for the couple in Thailand. Their ministry is going and growing. They are currently on a trip into the area where they were before which was dangerous. They are checking out needs and ways of supplying.

Oregon
7) Pray for the family of Grandpa David. He was in his 90's when he passed this week and no one knows for sure about his salvation. He was witnessed to again. Most of the family are not Christians. Pray for peace for those who are -- and an open witness.

8) Pray for Al and Jill. They have gone to California to minister to her father who is dying. He is not a Christian -- not many in the family are. Pray for Jill's witness to be heard and accepted. Pray for safety for Al and Jill as they travel. Latest word is that Dad will have surgery this week to remove infections from around his heart. Pray for God's will to be done in His grace.

9) Continue to pray for Zack. He is still reading his Bible but has not yet submitted to God.

10) Pray for Doug. He has cancer of the throat. He is saved.

11) Pray for a couple near Hood River that their relationship would grow precious to each of them.

12) Keep praying for the board of The Master's Work. Decisions don't seem easy to come by.

13) Continue to pray for Elnore Lymon, a pastor's wife, who recently discovered she has lymphoma. Pray for strength and healing.

Current Issue

Special Thought
Dobson's letter came this week. He talked about the apparent attacks on the family and about the lack of morality in our country. Jay Seculow's web page lists all the coming things in the Supreme Court that will take away the freedom of Christians especially in politics, the media, and the pulpit. There will come a time -- SOON -- that we will all be called on to stand up for Jesus or deny His existence. Start praying now that each of us will be strong enough to acknowledge Jesus publically when the time comes.

Current Issue

Thank God for children saying grace....
Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good, God is great. Thank you for this food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers I heard a woman say, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?" As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer." Then in a theatrical whisper he added, "Too bad that lady never asks God for ice cream....a little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you...ice cream is good for the soul sometimes, and my soul is good already."
Thanks Ginger Burton, Glennwood WA

September 28, 2003
Prayer Request
When God Cares, He Sends The Very Best!
Bumper Snickers

Current Issue

Prayer Requests
1) Pray for revival. . .and an awakening in our churches.

2) Pray for our country. . .and for those recovering from weird weather.

3)Pray for our president. . .Pray for safety and protection for Mrs. Bush as she embarks on an extended trip to Paris and Moscow. She will deliver the keynote address to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in Paris

Additional leaders to pray for:

Oregon
4) Marty has a tooth that is giving him major trouble. Pray that he continues to rely on Jesus rather than the dentist. (Before we could get Marty's request to you'all, it was answered. He went to his family dentist and discovered that there was nothing wrong with the tooth and nothing had to be done.) Thanks for praying for Marty.

Marty has another request: He recently found an abandoned house near where he lives in St Helens (close to Portland) that is up for auction in a few weeks. He has a dream of having a "House of Discipleship" there. Pray for wisdom for Marty and God's plans for that place.

5) Pray for a family that lost their new-born daughter recently. The nurse gave the baby some meds and the next nurse gave the baby a second dose. She died. The family is distraught.

6) Pray for a premie that is only 2 pounds and not gaining. Pray for God's will, the doctors' wisdom, and the family's peace.

7) Pray for "The Popcorn Lady" who just accepted Christ. Her husband is a non-practicing Jew and the family is a mess.

8) Pray for a man who tried to scam an older couple with a story of trials and woes, pretending to be someone he was not. Pray that the situation causes the man to truly come to Christ and repent.

9) Pray for Earl who has thought he had Parkinson's Disease. Instead, he has something like that which is more difficult to manage.

10) Pray for a lady who has a doctor's appointment this week and may have some serious problems.

11) Pray for Jennifer. She and a friend rolled an ATV. She has a separated shoulder. Pray for healing.

Missionaries
12) Jay Neuharth thanks you'all for your prayers. The weekend was a very good time together with their team. Linda recovered well enough to lead them in prayer on Friday, and they had an open, intense, and God-focused time on Saturday and Sunday discussing their work. Pray for Jay as he has to confront a long time friend.

13) Joan e-mailed from Israel this week.... "Doctor said absolutely NO more computer for a while. this is all folks! Happy New Year."
(Rosh Hashanah -- Jewish New Year's began September 27th. Yom Kippur -- the Day of Atonement -- is October 6th)

14) Pray for Tim P to have a fruitful trip to Chili. He leaves in late October and will be gone 3 - 4 weeks. Pray for all the details of the trip. The goal is evangelism.

Extra:
Please pray for Tracy's dad. He had a melonoma removed recently and is not comfortable with the prognosis. Pray also for his salvation.

Thoughtful Words
The woods would be very silent...if no birds sang but the very best!
Anonymous

This is something to think about! Since America is typically represented by an eagle, Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages...The following verse is from the Quran, (the Islamic Bible):

Note the verse number!!!!!

Current Issue

Bumper Snickers
Energizer Bunny arrested: charged with battery!