December 7, 2003
Prayer Request
Christmas Groaners

Who Started Christmas?

This morning, I heard a story on the radio of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.

She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year -- overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.

Finally the elevator doors opened, and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed, she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot."

From the back of the car, everyone heard a quiet calm voice respond, "Don't worry; we already crucified him." For the rest of the trip down in the elevator, it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

Don't forget this year to keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase, and word. If we all did that, just think how different this whole world would be.

Thanks, Al & Carol Eberhart, Placerville CA

Prayer Requests

1) Pray for revival and an awakening in the church. . .How would you be different?

2) Pray for our country. . . Remember Pearl Harbor -- December 7th. Pray for those families who lost loved ones that day. Praise God for the freedom we have in the United States.

3) Pray for our president. . .Mr. Bush is very busy meeting with delegates from around the world discussing world peace and other issues. Pray the right words are spoken and the right actions taken.

Additional leaders to pray for:

Read: 1 Chronicles 5:20

Missionaries

4) Scott and Evani Hunnicutt in South America ask for prayer for their town of 15,000 people. There are only 2 policemen for the whole town and all time slots. Recently there have been a rash of shootings. Three have died. The police presence is too thin to do anything about it. The townspeople rebelled and rioted, tearing up the jail, the mayor's office and the police station. The state leaders are not responding to the needs of the town. Pray that God can settle things down and use His people to strengthen His witness. Pray for open and responding hearts to God's Word.

5) Pray for Katherin who has returned to Mongolia. She is doing the bookkeeping for 2 mission groups there. She discovered some errors and is working with the leaders to resolve the problems. Pray for her to be gracious with the leaders in this process. Pray for wisdom regarding her next assignment and length of stay in Mongolia.

Update: Johnee, Charlotte's mother is doing much better after having the pacemaker installed. Charlotte will stay awhile.

6) Pray for Dr Tim and Joan Herrick in Mali serving with The Navigators. Continue to pray that the Lord would open doors for them to have an impact on the health of people in Mali and for friendships that might advance the Kingdom of Heaven.

7) Continue to pray for Steve and Erica Lawry who lead Parakaleo Christian Ministries as they train biblical counselors at Stanford University. Their time in Hungary was wonderful and exhausting. The Biblical Counseling material was deeply accepted there and the folks were open hearted and open minded. This past semester, the courses at Stanford have gathered many more students. Steve and Erica are preparing the material for publication. Pray about that too.

8) Pray for Bruce and Deb Robinson in Haiti. Haitian currency has lost half its value since September. Pray for rain so people can grow their own food (and thereby need less money). Pray that the water line projects can put a good number of men to work because each man working means a family eating with dignity. Pray for the church building at Myet that needs to be roofed in March. Pray for repairs on a handpump in a village where the people have to walk 6 miles roundtrip for what water they can carry. Pray that this work brings people to God.

Washington DC

9) Pray for the salvation of Ted Kennedy, Hilary Clinton, and Tom Daschle.

10) Pray for those congressional leaders who are open about their Christian beliefs. There is lots of pressure in Congress. (Congress is in recess this week)

Oregon

11) Pray for PrayerWorks staffers, Jay and Dave. Jay was sick last week and now Dave is sick.

Christmas Groaners

There was a Russian weatherman who lived in Siberia. Now everyone knows that it never rains in Siberia -- it only snows. But this meteorologist predicted rain, not just once but for several days.

The local Meteorologist Society was shocked and they turned him in to the National Weather Bureau.

The NWB sent a representative to the town to settle the debate. Both the Meteorologic Society and the NWB representative went to the weatherman's home to see why he would forecast rain in Siberia.

His wife answered the door. They asked to see the weatherman but she told them he was busy predicting the next day's storm.

At that very moment, it began to rain. His wife said, "See, Rudolph-the-Red knows rain, dear!"

December 14, 2003
Prayer Request
Christmas Groaners

Prayer Requests

1) Pray for revival and an awakening in the church. . .and have a Christ centered Christmas.

2) Pray for our country. . .as the flu and other illnesses invade.

3) Pray for our president. . .as he and his wife meet with folks from around the world and seasonal visitors to the White House. It is a physically demanding time.

Additional leaders to pray for:

Read: Psalm 32:6 & Psalm 43:3-4

Our Government

4) The FDA rushed through approval of the RU486 -- the abortion pill--without adequate testing. Now a young girl, Holly Paterson, has died from it’s use. To prevent further such tragedies, Congress is working on the “RU486 Suspension and Review Act” - called Holly’s Law. Pray for passage of this act. Alert your Congressman about your feelings of RU486.

5) A County in Virginia was successfully sued by a Wiccan (Witch) who said that her rights were being violated when she was not allowed to pray to open the meetings of the commissioners like other religious persons were. Pray for those county commissioners for wisdom and spiritual protection.

Around The World

6) Pray for two Tibetan men. One has been tutoring foreigners in Tibetan for years and recently had to have surgery. Pray for his recovery. He is an excellent witness for the Lord. The other is a young man living in the city for its educational opportunities. Recently the lama from his home village told him to return home because he was under “evil influences” in the city. He had been having long conversations with a number of Evangelical Christians. Pray he accepts the Lord and has enough strength of character to follow Jesus.

7) In Sri Lanka, the infighting has increased and there are many more instances of Buddhist militants attacking Christians and their church facilities. Pray for boldness and strength for the Christians.

8) 20,000 Bibles have become available in Vietnam, a country of 80 million people, more than a million believers and 800 churches. Pray for the distribution of these Bibles and the effect on the witness there.

Oregon

9) Pray for Phyllis who has cancer.

10) Pray for Alice’s husband who has a rare disorder. Pray for salvation and healing.

11) Pray for Scott who left the care center without further contact. Pray God would open his eyes to the truth and that he would be able to deal with his hurt.

12) Pray for a young couple with four kids and a ton of problems.

Illinois

13) Pray for Philis who is having a hard time recovering from her son’s suicide. Those who are trying to help are working harder at her recovery than she is.

14) Pray for a young girl who needs to learn some of life’s hard lessons. Pray those things can be learned as gently as possible.

Idaho

15) Pray for a couple. They seem to have given up trying to work out the problems.

16) Pray for Dan and Ginger Work as he establishes himself in a new pastorate and a new town.

17) Pray for Steve and Beth Smith who have also moved into a new pastorate but in familiar territory to their family.

Another Christmas Groaner

A man, living in Arizona, called his daughter in New York, one morning. When she answered the phone, he blurted out, “Your mom and I are getting a divorce.”

After determining the seriousness of the situation, the daughter screamed into the phone, “Don’t do a thing until I get there! I’m calling my brother and we are both coming. Don’t file those papers!” And she hung up.

A few minutes later, the son called. “Is it true? You and Mom are getting a divorce?” The father indicated it was. The son yelled, “Don’t do anything. Sis and I will be there in the morning!”

The man hung up the phone and turned to his wife. “Well, dear. the children will be here for Christmas and they’re paying their own way!”

December 21, 2003
Prayer Request

Prayer Requests

Pray for Ron and Karen Rohman and their family. Last week their 30 year old nephew was stabbed to deaath in Pasadena CA and they will be going there. Pray their time is of great value to the Lord. Pray for the grieving family.

December 28, 2003
Prayer Request
The New Year

Yeshua (Jesus)
The Messiah of Israel

Exodus 3:13-14 Moses asked God, "What shall I say to them (the children of Israel)?" "And God said to Moses I AM THAT I AM: and He said, 'Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.'"

John 8:56-58 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad." Then the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you before Abraham was born, I AM."

Matthew 27:43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I AM THE SON OF GOD.

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, "I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."

John 8:12 Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life."

John 10:9 "I AM THE DOOR; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture."

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die, Do you believe this?"

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I AM THE WAY, AND THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE; no one comes to the father but through Me."

John 15:5 "I AM THE VINE, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing."

Revelation 1:17 "Fear not; I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST AND THE LIVING ONE; and I was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades."

Thanks for the reminder of the greatness of Jesus to Erwin, Lee and Willie from the Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles Oregon

Prayer Requests

1) Pray for revival and an awakening in the church. . . Pray for the great I AM to be real to each of us.

2) Pray for our country. . . that the moral climate would return to a faith in God and a respect for one another.

3) Pray for our president. . . that God give him safety and strength, grace and peace as he leads our country.

Additional leaders to pray for: Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers, Vice President Richard Cheney.

Read: Your favorite passage of the Bible at least 7 times this week.

Illinois

4) Pray for Carol and Dan. He has Stage 4 prostate cancer and won't do anything about it. Pray for strength for Carol and wisdom for Dan. Pray for healing.

5) Pray for Nan and Russ. He just had a knee replacement. Pray for healing.

California

6) Pray for the families of those lost in the mudslides in the same area as the forest fires several months ago.

7) Pray also for the people recovering from the earthquake in Paso Robles.

Oregon

8) Pray for Betty for salvation.

9) Pray for spiritual protection for several close families. Pray for salvation for those in the families who aren't yet saved.

North Carolina

10) Pray for salvation and an interest in things of the Lord for a family who is all wrapped up in "good service organizations", and which office they held in which club. Health issues are catching up with them and there may not be much more time.

Missionaries

11) Kathrin has decided to stay in Mongolia. Pray that this is God's decision and God will provide spiritual protection, and physical necessities for her.

12) Pray for Mercy Corp workers as they move into Iran to help the earthquake victims. Pray God's protection from disease and fatigue.

13) Pray for Bob and MaryAnn Samms as they continue to work with Russian theological students in the Ukraine. They facilitate translation and publishing of text books.

14) Pray for Rett and Sherrill Bragg who have worked in the South American jungles with great success. Pray for future plans. Pray for their adult children.

15) Pray for Rolf Schuler who is in Orlando Florida working with Campus Crusade for Christ as a computer whiz with international responsibilities. Pray God's wisdom and blessing on him and his work.

The New Year

Janus, the ancient god for whom January was named, had two heads. One looked backward and one looked forward.

As the staff of PrayerWorks looks back to see a year filled with growth and goodness. As we look forward we see more growth, more potential areas of service to the Lord, and more blessings.

None of this would be --- if it were not for you'all, God's faithful prayer warriors. Only through your prayer does this ministry exist.

We'all just want to say thanks to you'all for a good year past and a great year coming. Have a blessed new year!