Exloring Life Eternal

Holy Day Greetings:
Barakah fi al-MaLKi-Tsedek wa al-MaLKi-Salam!
Rest in the Blessing found in the True King of Righteousness & the True King of Peace! (Hebrews 7:1-17)

PRAISE:
We rejoice in the opportunity that two expatriate pastors had to share and visit with a National Muslim man they met while waiting their opportunity to greet the rulers during the mourning of Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum in Dubai. Praise the Lord for divine appointments!

PETITION:
Pray for the MBBs and tentmakers in Kuwait as they have conversations with National Muslims during the mourning period for Sheikh Jabber Al Sabbagh, the ruler of Kuwait. Pray that the new ruler will allow even more religious freedom for Christians.

Please lift up “Franklin” and “Gene” – two National Muslims that are seriously seeking for God. Ask that God would continue to draw them unto Himself. Pray that they will find fellowship through each other, through other local believers or seekers, and/or through further contact with their tentmaker friend – as God desires.

A leading tentmaking family have some big decisions to make regarding a potential new role. Please pray that they will hear clearly from God on this. Pray for clarity of vision and oneness of spirit between us as a couple. There are a lot of difficult barriers which stand in the way if they say yes. Pray for faith to pursue God and trust the barrier-clearing to Him.

Pray for the Bible Society here - for God to raise up a new leader and for his visa to be completed without delay or problem. Pray for God's continued anointing on the current leader as he and his family move on to another location. Pray for this work in the region, for distribution of Bibles and scriptures, especially to poor and migrant workers.

Praise God that he is bringing more workers to live, work and be a witness to His saving grace in Qatar! Pray that the new tentmakers will have discernment in finding housing, enrolling in new schools, arranging transportation and building friendships with National Muslims.

TESTIMONY:
The volunteers came and went. They did some good and their hearts were changed. Perhaps some will return to serve the Lord in this hot and barren land. Direct impact is hard to measure, but one example of partnership at it's best came out during this short term outreach. Through one of several projects the volunteers did that summer, a relationship was born between a long-term tentmaker and “Franklin” (not his real name). Franklin is a National Muslim who is seriously seeking for God. But that relationship was made possible because Franklin had been listening to Christian radio broadcasts, and had questions. This tentmaker seemed like someone who could answer his questions and be trusted. Interestingly though Franklin was not afraid to ask his questions in front of his peers - not usually the case in this environment where persecution is common. The initial questions led to a visit and more discussion of the questions. The answers were not really found in the words of the tentmaker, but in the Book that was given to Franklin and his friend “Gene” as a gift. They so enjoyed their time of reading the Words of God in their own Arabic! Some time has passed since anyone has heard from Franklin and Gene. It wasn’t known whether Franklin and Gene were still reading the book, still listening to the radio, or still asking questions. But just in the past few weeks, Franklin called the tentmaker after a long silence and has now begun to re-establishment the relationship. Hopefully this will lead to another face-to-face visit in the near future.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Praying Thru the Arabian Peninsula
www.pray-ap.info
USA #: 800-376-5876 (Eastern Time)
Encouraging & equipping believers & churches everywhere to pray through the heart of the Muslim world so that church planting movements will spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond for the Lord's glory.

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To learn how you can support this & other work in the Middle East, visit:
http://www.srginc.org

Or write:
ptap@srginc.org

Or:
PTAP
c/o Strategic Resource Group
P.O. Box 1809
Easton, MD 21601
USA

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Note that several government authorities are passing & we are praying for their successors & peace in these lands @ a time when one land remembers the struggle for Freedom & Civil rights. There is no Greater Right than to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ & to thus be called a child of God as you pursue His peace daily with others.

As you read through these requests: Remember, the chief aim is the salvation of those who are lost in darkness & have no hope of eternal life apart from Jesus Christ. - mjh

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Israel - Pray that the election scheduled for March 28, 2006 will lead to governance for all Israelis, whether they are ethnically Jewish or Arab, and religiously Jewish, Muslim, or Christian.

Djibouti - Pray that Christians will be a strong witness to God's love and see spiritual breakthroughs in their country.

Yemen - Pray for the protection of Christians in a country with many ethnic/tribal tensions.

Bahrain - Pray for a reduction in family pressure against those who choose to follow Jesus Christ.

Lebanon - The assassination of Christian journalist and political Gibran Toeni on December 12, 2005 further dented the confidence and hope of the Christian community. Pray for renewed hope and restored joy.

Qatar - Praise God for the commencement of construction of the first Christian Church building in Qatar since the rise of Islam. Pray that any tension caused would be used for the glory of God.

Ethiopia - Pray for unity amongst the various church groups that they can work together in the common goal of filling their nation with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

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DEATH IN MECCA == At least 363 Muslim pilgrims died and 60 were left in critical condition after a stampede at the annual hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on January 12th. The pilgrims were squeezed in at the entrance to a holy site, four people per square yard, when about a dozen stumbled on baggage, tripping others behind them, said the Interior Ministry. The tragedy underlined the difficulty in managing one of the biggest religious events in the world, which this year drew more than 2.5 million. The weeklong pilgrimage is required once in a lifetime of every able-bodied Muslim. Muslims believe that anyone who dies during a pilgrimage is assured a place in heaven.

A 1990 stampede killed 1,426 people.
1998 a stampede at the pillar killed 118 people
A February 2004 stampede killed 244.
Now in January 2006, a stampede killed 363.
And a building collapse killed 76.

Another accident that marred this year's hajj was the Jan. 5 collapse
of a building being used as a pilgrims' hotel in Mecca, killing 76 people. [ABC NEWS 13 Jan.'06]

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An even greater number died in a previous year when the tent city at
Mina caught fire when a kerosene heater in of the tents tipped over
and started the fire. If anyone has stats on that incident, I would
appreciates having those as well.

Part of the problem at the stoning of the Jamarat is the high emotional pitch of the event at a very congested point plus flying rocks and obstacles in the pathway. Pilgrims are only allowed to wear sandals on the Hajj and these often fall off in the shuffle and are impossible to retrieve without the risk of being crushed by the crowd.

--
From a Christian friend who also loves Muslims. If you can help with the stats & stats of previous deaths, please email ptap@srginc.org .
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EGYPT’S GARBAGE CITY CHRISTIANS == Christians in Egypt still suffer discrimination and persecution and many live in desperate poverty. The poorest of all are the thousands who are born, live and die on the rubbish heaps surrounding Cairo. Many even live in huts built out of rubbish, eking out a living by collecting and sorting refuse. The poorest ‘garbage city’ has almost 7,000 people living on four acres. 93% are Christians and over half live on a family income of under £20 (U.S.$34) monthly. The Christians are also distressed by attempts made to convert their children to Islam. “We own nothing,” said one, “but our Christ is more precious than everything.” At least 1,200 children in this dump cannot go to school. Barnabas Fund has committed to building a primary school. Two shifts will provide education for at least 800. [BARNABAS AID Jan/Feb‘06]

HCJB'S RADIO-PLANTING MINISTRY == The world's oldest missionary broadcast organization, HCJB World Radio, is helping local ministries worldwide reach listeners by using innovative technology like podcasting (audio programming distributed via the Web), satellite radio, digital local radio, and livestreaming. According to Curt Cole, vice president of international ministries, digital local radio is doing well in Europe and livestreaming is reaching a new audience. For example, streaming Spanish and Arabic programming 24 hours a day allows the ministry to reach a newer, younger audience that in some cases are in limited-access countries. "Radio planting has matured into what we now call radio planting and development," Cole said in a news release. "We see this ministry as much more than just helping with an antenna. In reality, we want to see long-term relationships develop where we partner with local groups around the world to make local radio available in an appropriate context. [CHRISTIAN POST, 12 Jan.'06]

ERITREAN POLICE ARREST LEADERS FROM 5 CHURCHES == At least 40 pastors, elders and leading laymen from 5 banned Protestant churches in the East African country of Eritrea were arrested in their homes or offices in late 2005 and early 2006. Starting early on the morning of Dec. 22, security police began tracking down leaders of the Church of the Living God along with clergymen and elders in the Full Gospel, Rema, Hallelujah and Philadelphia churches. One Church of the Living God pastor escaped shortly after his arrest, and police have arrested a member of his church board and one of his parishioners. Police also raided a music shop run by members of the Philadelphia Church, jailed all 15 people present and shut down the store. The music shop was the main source of Christian materials, music tapes and books for Protestant evangelicals in Asmara. 26 pastors and 1,700 evangelical church members are currently imprisoned in Eritrea; some have been tortured by government military forces, [AGAPE/COMPASS 4 Jan.'06]

BOMBING IN INDONESIA MAY HAVE TARGETED CHRISTIANS == A marketplace bomb blast in Palu, Indonesia, killed 8 people and injured 56 others on New Year's Eve. Authorities say two shrapnel bombs were placed in key areas meant to target a specific group of people. The bomb exploded in a marketplace in a Christian area as residents were buying pork for their festive meals. Pork is offensive to Muslims, and the bombing of what locals call a "Christian market" where the meat is sold may point to Islamic terrorists. Indonesian authorities have widely condemned the attack, and there have been a series of arrests. The bombing is the latest in a string of violent incidents over the past two years, echoing conflict between Muslims and Christians from 1998 to 2001 that claimed more than 1,000 lives. A peace accord was signed in December 2001, but sporadic attacks have continued ever since, with Christians forming the overwhelming majority of victims. [COMPASS, 6 Jan.'06]

A YEAR AFTER THE TSUNAMI == One year after the Dec.26 '04 tsunami that took over 200,000 lives, agencies in Indonesia say that rebuilding will take over a decade, and healing more than a generation. However, many ministries in hard-hit areas report that God has opened doors where once they were closed. In India and Sri Lanka many churches have grown as a direct result of the practical love shown by believers. World Vision was named as the top provider of emergency aid in Indonesia, according to a recent study done by Fritz Institute. World Vision was also one of the top aid providers in India. The study showed that the recipients of aid considered international relief organizations to be superior to government and local relief groups. [MNN Dec.22-30'05]

3.3 MILLION COMPLETED BIBLE STUDIES == Amid earthquakes, droughts, famines, hurricanes and civil wars, people around the world last year responded to the Bible League's outreach in record numbers. More than 3.3 million of the ministry's Bible studies were completed during 2005, and many of these people received their own copies of God's Word as a result. In Southeast Asia alone more than 1 million Bible studies were completed, a 34% increase from 2004. These totals reflect the dedication of the ministry's staff and volunteers in more than 50 countries, said Mike Southworth, executive vice president of ministries. "It's through these incredible people and their local churches that the ministry of the Bible League is extended to others living in some of the remotest parts of the earth." [BIBLE LEAGUE Jan.'06]

NEW MISSION FEATURE FILM == "End of the Spear" is being released in U.S. theatres this January, telling the story of Nate Saint and four other missionaries who were slain 50 years ago by the Waodani tribe (previously called Aucas) in the eastern rainforests of Ecuador. CEO Mart Green formed Every Tribe Entertainment, the company that produced the film, after hearing the story of Nate Saint's son, Steve. Every Tribe is devoted to creating "motion picture experiences that affirm life and inspire hope for a broad international audience through true stories presented in highest quality on film." Every Tribe's affiliated Bearing Fruit Communications has produced Beyond the Gates of Splendor, a documentary of the same events that is being marketed to churches and other Christian audiences. [Townhall.com]

RESOURCES:
Ebay recently launched `Ebay for Charities', a scheme whereby anyone can
auction something and give a percentage of the proceeds to charity. See
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/community/charity/index.html

MK CONNECTIONS:
Websites of interest to Missionary Kids and Third Culture Kids:
http://www.mknet.org
http://www.mkplanet.com
http://www.mkministries.com/index.htm
http://www.tckworld.com

MISSION FINDER: A US-based service offering free personal assistance for
finding worldwide mission projects: Vocational, medical, short term,
orphanages. Classified lists of sending agencies, mission resources, travel tips, insurance, and more. Website: http://www.mfinder.org Email: finder@mfinder.org

BUDDHISM: Valuable training tools and resources for Christian ministry to Buddhists. Access vital maps, charts, testimonies, and short vignettes on historic missionaries to the Buddhist world. http://www.sonrisecenter.org/

************************************************************
NEWS BYTES is compiled monthly by Debbie Meroff of OM News & Information
[OMNI] in London, England. Material may be freely copied and circulated.
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Dear Members,

I had some feedback concerning talk to Muslims about Christ crucified and His blood shed for our sin (Leviticus 17:11).

When they express their opinions as this being done by backward people, we might ask do you have any witnesses there on record who watched the crucifiction of Christ or who saw HIM raised again with holes in HIS hands & side.

Do you have any prophets or law before his time which don't agree and were witnessed as true concerning this event?

The Jew had this in their Law & Prophets but apparently were expecting a worldly king who would change everything with worldly power and so couldn't see around this to see that an "eternal kingdom" would be "of God" not man's (II Samuel 7:13, 16) which did not deal with man's sin and dis-relationship with God which the law and prophets showed and their history - a failure to do.

Messiah cut off but not for himself (Daniel 9:26, Isaiah 53:10); My servant the Branch (Isaiah 11:1, Zechariah 3:9,10) - finish sin in one day - Good Friday. It is hard to think of crucifying your Great King for your sin, but is on record: It is Written, was Jesus' way of handleing it (Matthew 4:1-11).

Sincerely in Christ,

Erland Nord