Exloring Life Eternal

Today I got to talkin' with a couple of young guys at a busstop. They were semi hip, and were being slammed with weather in their faces. It was cold, but we had fun. When we got on the bus, I started earing with the plough of the Bible. One listened more intently than the other. The younger one. I was able to share the whole Gospel with him before he took off.

There was another fellow on the bus in the backseat. I got up & moved to the back seat on the othere side of the bus. We got to talking ... turns out that he speaks Somali as his second language and his parents are from Somalia. He claimed to be a Muslim, but not too strict about Islam. Most of the conversation centered around the need for someone to pay the sin-debt that we have. Atonement is necessary for God's forgiveness to be of any effect in our lives. The blood of Christ must be applied to the doors of our heart if we want to feast with him on the last day. Overall, it seemed like a productive time. He took a tract and was willing to read it.

He read a little from Psalms 22 and correctly ascribed that to Jesus. May Ah. come to know the Messiah personally.

He left to visit a relative ... I continued on, with a song in my heart.

July 3, 2006

"Though my father & mother leave me, the Lord will take care of me." -
Psalm 27:10

PRAISE:
We praise God for His abundant blessings on a tentmaker in our country who recently was married. He tragically lost his wife while living in the Arabian Peninsula several years ago. He and his new wife and his 3 small children are being blended into a loving community as they seek to be part of God's work in their country of service.

PETITION:
Pray for the family that just left one of the most conservative countries in the Arabian Peninsula. Their contract has been closed, they won't be able to return their country. Pray for the smooth transfer of local relationships to other workers who can continue to bear witness of the transforming grace of God.

Pray for the local woman who came to faith recently. She is facing much turmoil in her home. Much of it is from the disfunctional relationships in her family. Pray that the love of Jesus would shine through her and bring peace to her family.

Pray for the expatriate Muslim Background Believer who is seeking out work opportunities. Pray for wisdom.

Pray for the tentmakers who don't leave the region during the summer months. Pray that they would have opportunities to connect with Muslims with open hearts during these months of intense heat.

Lift up the outreaches in Switzerland, Lebanon and UK during these next 6 weeks. Tentmakers from the Arbian Peninsula have traveled to these holiday locations to meet up with AP Arabs to make friendships and share Jesus. Pray for fruit!

TESTIMONY:
"Gladys" is from a mixed religion home. Her father is a Muslim, her mother 'converted' in name only. Glady's home was filled with conflict that culminated with her parent's divorce when she was in her teens. She switched living situations often and never felt at home in either place.

Now as an adult, she has moved to the Arabian Peninsula - in a large, busy city. She is a successful business woman. She is single but would like to be married. Now in her 30's, she feels lonely and is
searching for God. About 7 years ago, a Christian woman from her same country into her life. They both lived in worked in the same foreign country. Over time, they drifted apart - mostly because Gladys moved to Europe.

They have re-acquainted themselves in the past 4 months. Gladys has noticed how peaceful her Christian friends' life is - although it is very busy with job, and children and house and other demands. Gladys just recently asked for some help from her friend - she has a biting emptiness in her life that her friend doesn't have. This led to a
warm and loving conversation about Jesus. Gladys was excited to learn about Jesus - she had seen the Passion of Christ movie but didn't understand it all. She read the latest "Code" book, but felt it was insincere and mis-truths. Her friend's life and story was so real, so warm, so evident! Gladys has watched the Jesus film recently and had many questions - mostly about the person of Jesus. She feels like God is calling her to Him.

Pray for Gladys and for the tentmaking couple who are caring for her.

www.asiaharvest.org
Asia Harvest

From Headhunters to Church Planters:
An Amazing Spiritual Awakening in Nagaland
By Paul Hattaway

Surely one of the greatest spiritual revivals in history happened
in a remote corner of northeast India from the 1950s to 1970s,
when more than one million Naga people came to Christ. For centuries
the Nagas were head-hunters and lived bound by dark demonic powers.
Paul Hattaway, the author of “The Heavenly Man” and “Back to
Jerusalem,” is a frequent visitor to Nagaland. He has interviewed
numerous eyewitnesses to the revivals, documenting how it came
about, the opposition and brutal persecution that followed, and
the astonishing miracles that accompanied it.

“Today, almost one million Christians live joyful lives in Nagaland.
We have been conquered by God’s overwhelming grace and love ...
I recommend ‘From Head-hunters to Church Planters’ as an accurate
and incisive account of what God has done among the Nagas. May
God be glorified thorugh this book, and may your own heart be
revived as you read the wonderful things that God has done in
Nagaland!” - Naga Pastor Gwayhunlo Khing

Waynesboro, GA: Authentic, 2006, 144 pages.
Available from Asia Harvest
On the Web: http://www.asiaharvest.org
Price US$13 (including postage anywhere in the world)
with discounts for bulk orders.

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MERT: Having read some of the accounts, I can honestly say that they have helped prepare me for where I am today & that they equipped me with greater ability to discern danger & do God's work with faith & joy.