Space Bags and Pack Mates are absolutely wonderful when it comes to saving space in your luggage, and we've come to recommend them highly! I would suggest the "sealed zipper" type over the vacuum seal since there may not be a vacuum to re-seal the bags at your destination; however, for home storage, I'm sure the vacuum seal type are great as long as you refresh the bag every six months.

Literally a few hours before we left to come back to Jerusalem, a group in the town where I grew up made our adoption official. Words cannot begin to describe the joy and delight that overcame me that day. Our commitment to one another has Acts 1:8  all over it, the same verse on which the International Prayer Center of Jerusalem (IPCJ) bases its work and focus. What an honor to work with my "hometown Jerusalem" in the real Jerusalem!

As you and your group make Acts 1:8 real, may I encourage you to visit that website ( www.actsone8.com ) to make it known to others and to find out how to make it practical for yourself? It begins where you are.

How encouraging it was to read this from one of you:

"Scott, how exciting to read the exact words I called out to God repeated back as an answer. I prayed that God would give you and your family the easiest return trip to Jerusalem that you had ever had and that all you luggage would arrive with you or before you. Then I read your words that it was by far the easiest entry you had ever had and for that I praise our awesome Father. Every day, I just stand amazed in the presence of God at how He answers the prayers of His children!!"

A dear friend and I share the same heart for the people of West Virginia, and he published a great idea I hope you will take to heart entitled, "Developing A Prayer List For The Unchurched" (scroll to the end of the page where you'll also find some help on planning your next overseas trip).

Matthew 24:14

* Be sure to sign up for the Wednesday Weekly.

+ You continued praying that our adjustment to life in Jerusalem would go smoothly... a feeling of "everything-happening-at-once" pervaded the first few days of our arrival, but it was your intercession that kept us sane. It didn't take long to realize how we miss water pressure and customer service, but we're missing you more than those nice things : -)

+ You prayed that we would be aware of opportunities to share the Good News with our neighbors... our new neighbor upstairs has requested my help with computer learning, and I had the joy of introducing him to one of my favorite sites at www.answering-islam.org

+ You joined us in giving thanks for each person who made the past ten weeks so memorable... as I've been updating Jasmine's website I've seen pictures that bring back to mind so many of you :-)

<T H I S  W E E K><

<>< Once again "visas" are becoming a challenge :-( Many of you prayed us through the last two years, so here's an update from "Joe," the gentleman responsible for helping us acquire visas:

"HERE IS THE CURRENT SITUATION: We still have big problems in the visa area. While I am constantly assured by (the religious affairs guy) that no one will have to leave the country and it will all work out, I am not comfortable at this time with the long term outlook. They are completely ignoring Status Quo (where we get to keep the numbers of A-3's we have historically had) and saying that to have an A-3 you must preach to a congregation of at least ? (125 or 200 or 300; the number changes). This means that almost no one in our organization will be granted an A-3 in the next round. The standard line is that the new category will take care of it all and no one will be told to leave. The problem is that the new category is not out yet, despite promises that it would be done by last April. When it comes out, we can look at it and see if it is a long-term visa where our people can stay for 10, 20, or 30 years. If not, it is not satisfactory, but we can't tell till we see it. Meantime, (the religious affairs guy) is only willing to give us what he calls a B-1 Special. He says that this is a long-term visa, not limited to 2 or 5 years; however, that is not in writing, yet although I have been promised that. At any rate that can be changed at a moments notice, and although I trust his intentions, I don't trust the bureaucracy.

The bottom line of all this is that we are not out of the woods yet. We need to keep this as a matter of urgent prayer, not only for us but through our supporters. We know who controls the heart of the king; a minor bureaucrat is no problem for Him. Also, if you have contacts with influential people either in the Israeli government or the US government, it may be time soon to contact them. Get those addresses and letters ready!

I assure you that I am working on this almost daily as are many other people in UCCI and the three large Zionist organizations here. We are not alone but we, mostly me, still have work to do. Pray for me and our situation please."

<>< As we continue unpacking and sorting, pray with us that we would enjoy Jasmine's last week before she enters Kindergarten.

<>< Continue praying for our new upstairs neighbor as his interest in computers gives me opportunity to share the Good News.

>< Pray for the Baltic Russian people. >

CALENDAR UPDATES

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18-21, Pray for another safe, uneventful departure from the US. Pray, too, that all of our luggage will arrive at the same time and place we do and that returning to Jerusalem (if possible) will be painless, especially by way of a re-entry airport visa.

* Your intercession was heard as all of these things came to pass! Thank you!

22-24, If we get readjusted to life in Jerusalem, pray with us that the transitions would be smooth and bearable. Pray especially for Jasmine as she prepares to enter Kindergarten. May we find friends and neighbors who have become brothers and sisters while we were away.

* We are in Jerusalem, and your intercession has made some of our transitions smooth and bearable - the bank will always be the bank no matter where you are <g>. Jasmine is excited about school, and your praying has helped her see that learning can be a joy. We have yet to find new brothers and sisters, but it's still early.

“A church that strives to evangelize its community without saturating its efforts in prayer is like a race car driver that jumps into a car at the starting line and discovers that the tank has not been filled with gas” (George Barna).

Barna’s analogy is accurate. The reason many of our evangelistic efforts seem to bear so little fruit is that we have failed to pray effectively for the lost.

The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (KJV).

The passage points to the priority of prayer for the lost when it says, “first of all.” It also demonstrates that God desires believers to be involved in praying for “all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” Salvation is always God’s will!

In his book, That None Should Perish, Ed Silvoso wrote, “the church must awaken to the fact that this is not an option, but a command. It is the explicit will of God that the church prays for all men to be saved.”

A practical and effective way to pray for the lost is to develop a prayer list of those in your community who do not attend church regularly. Early in my ministry I learned that most people will not give you the names of lost family members, neighbors or friends, however, they will tell you who does not attend church regularly. Here is how it works.

1. Pass out 3 by 5 inch cards on Sunday morning and ask those present to list the names of those they know – family, friends, neighbors, associates at work or school that do not attend church. I do this every three months.

2. Collect the names and put them on a prayer list.

3. As a pastor I prayed through the list daily, lifting up each name before God in prayer.

4. Make copies of the prayer list available to the church family.

5. During one evening service each week – Sunday or Wednesday, pray for those on the list.

6. Then trust God and pray, and pray some more, never giving up. Remember that “it is not the will of the Father that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9). Also, “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

7. Pray that the Spirit of God will convict the person of their sin; that Satan’s stronghold on their life will be broken, and they will come to the knowledge of the truth.

8. Pray that God will bring a person or persons into their life who will share Jesus with them.

Does it work? Good question. When I pastored Cohutta First Baptist Church (Georgia), the first 97 people who walked the aisle were names on the prayer list. While pastoring Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, Chatsworth, Georgia, many people came to Christ whose names were first on the prayer list. There we saw whole families born-again as the church prayed for them week after week waiting for the day of victory when one by one they would come to faith in Christ.

In Roman 10:1 we read Paul’s prayer, “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” In this verse it is evident that Paul desire to see his people saved was coupled with prayer for the same. Further evidence that this was Paul’s heartbeat is seen in Romans 9:1-3, “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

Would you join me in praying for the lost in West Virginia? The verse God gave me three years ago when He called me back to the state was Romans 10:1. As I travel across the state my constant prayer is for my people, West Virginians, to be saved, all 1.2 plus million of them."

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You've seen the headline, "THE NUMBER OF UNCHURCHED ADULTS HAS NEARLY DOUBLED SINCE 1991" George Barna, May 4, 2004. The question now is how will we respond?

The most effective response will be one that is made together.

Please click on this link for information on how your church can join the growing list of churches participating in Vote CP this fall:

http://www.cpmissions.net/votecp/ecards/

Thank you for your love for the Lord, your love for people, and for your participation in Cooperative Program Missions.

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"The State Department recently launched a secure online travel registration website which will allow you, as an American citizen, to record foreign trip and residence information that the Department of State can use to communicate with you and assist you in case of an emergency.

U.S. citizens around the world who travel or reside abroad can access this site either through a link on TRAVEL.STATE.GOV or directly at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs. We invite you to register yourself and your family and get acquainted with travel registration. If you are already registered with this Embassy, please re-register on line to update your records.

The new Internet travel registration service for American citizens allows you to register and update your contact information on the Internet at any time, making it easier for you to keep your information current. The site also provides you with up-to-date travel information customized to your unique travel agenda and itinerary. The data you provide is secured behind Department of State firewalls, accessed only by cleared personnel in Embassies, Consulates, and the Department of State, and releasable only under the provisions of the Privacy Act.