No Way!!! Thanks, God! ...my new life-song.

This is SO CRAZY! This has been on my heart for awhile- living with no regrets! Whether it be in my walk with Christ, or my academic, financial, and relational endeavors, I don't want to look back 10 minutes, 2 weeks or 5 years from "now", and wish I had've done something different. ("Something" being working harder, studying more efficiently, being nicer, seizing an opportunity...) I also don't want to take for granted ANYTHING that God has provided me- material possessions, career/educational opportunities, relationships. I want to carpe diem for God!

{And Lord, please guard me from false regrets, because guilt is definitely a tool that Satan uses to draw us away from You.}

I was trying to use my time wisely this Sunday morning (before you congratulate me, it's because I'm playing 'catch up' and procrastinated) and doing some work. While working, I started listening to some JJ Heller songs (quite calming and edifying) on Groove Shark and I heard a new one. I was listening haphazardly when I heard her sing, "When I go I want to be known as one who lived with no regrets." Dang!

I've found my life-song!

Fine. I'll share...

Video: http://www.godcares.tv/video/463/JJ-Heller-When-I-leave
Lyrics: http://www.sweetslyrics.com/362527.JJ%20Heller%20-%20When%20I%20Leave.html

Thank you, JJ Heller! ...and God! ;)

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Pray for Muslims During Ramadan!

http://missions.highpointeaustin.org/pray/

Islam, Fear, and the Gospel’s Demand

Islam, Fear, and the Gospel’s Demand
August 3, 2010 | By: Ted Esler | Category: Commentary

I have a friend who works in a country where Islamic law governs life. The small house church he had established was in the hands of national leadership, and he was not present when the religious police broke in and arrested the entire church, sentencing all of the men to prison.

One day soon after, an angry mob assembled at the local mosque and marched toward my friend’s home. He gathered his wife and children together, locked the doors, shuttered the windows, and went upstairs. His wife shook in fear as they prayed together, asking for deliverance and praying for those who were marching down the street toward them. The shouts and insults against Christians grew as the mob drew closer to their home.

To his amazement, the crowd passed by and continued down the street. He then came to the realization that they had never intended to visit him that day. They were unaware of his involvement with the small, persecuted house church.

As we consider Islam and its reach into our own country this story helps me understand where many of our hearts might be. The news is filled with angry mobs and it appears that they are headed our way. How should we think about this?

It is easy for us to assume, like my friend did, that they are coming for us. But we are not the reason for their anger.

Paul wrote, "Many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ" (Philippians 3:18). The dangerous anger of Islam does not burn foremost because of our culture, our freedoms, or our "way of life." It is an attack on the cross first and foremost. Our response should be based on this fact.

Watching the news one might be led to conclude that anger is the best response to Islam. Another response might be fear, such as that felt by my friend (an understandable, human response).

Jesus taught another response. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: love your enemies …" (Matthew 5:43, 44).

For many evangelicals, the threat of Islam—both real and perceived—has sometimes distracted from obedience to the demands of the gospel. While radical Islam certainly has a political agenda that should not be minimized, we should, in obedience, follow Jesus' command to love them.

How best should we love Muslims? We can pray, we can show them tangible acts of love, and we can send emissaries to them. While it is very disconcerting to see Islam grow within the borders of the USA, our hearts should break more over the fact that 1.2 to 1.5 billion people don’t know Jesus and will never experience the joy it is to know him. Most will never meet a disciple of Christ unless some of us go.

That is why Pioneers, the organization I serve with, exists.

Pioneers-USA is pleased to be a sponsor of the 2010 Desiring God National Conference. I look forward to meeting you in Minneapolis, October 1-3. Until then, you can connect with me at twitter.com/tedstur and connect with Pioneers at pioneers.org, twitter.com/pioneersusa or http://www.facebook.com/pioneersusa to find out more about engaging Muslims with the gospel.

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2578_islam_fear_and_the_gospels_demand/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DGBlog+%28DG+Blog%29

Pentagon Report Places Blame for Military Suicides

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/us/30suicide.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

I Salute You.

President Obama honors fallen troops

Allen Hunt
10/29/2009


As his decision on Afghanistan war strategy nears, President Obama made a surprise trip to Dover Air Force Base Wednesday night into Thursday morning to attend the dignified transfer movement of 18 U.S. personnel who were killed in Afghanistan on Monday. The dignified transfer is a solemn movement that is conducted for every US military member that dies while in service in a theater of war. The 18 killed included service members and Drug Enforcement Agency agents.

The traveling press corps that accompanied the President to Dover was permitted to witness one of the transfers, per the wishes of the families. The President stood at attention with the six –person carry team near the ramp of the C-17 which carried the flag draped transfer case which held the body of Sgt. Dale R. Griffin of Terre Haute, Indiana. As the carry team brought the case down the ramp, the President and the official party saluted. Sgt. Griffin’s family members were also present.

The President was accompanied by Attorney General Eric Holder, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, DEA Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart, U.S. Army Assistant Judge Advocate Maj Gen Daniel Wright, U.S. Army Special Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Michael Repass, and Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center Col. Robert Edmondson, who will served as the Dignified Transfer Host Officer.

Fifty-five Americans have died in Afghanistan this month, making it the deadliest month of the war since it began eight years ago. Two hundred and seventy-seven Ameriacns have died this year, forty-three percent more than last year.

http://www.590klbj.com/MorningShow/Story.aspx?ID=1159473

MUSLIMS: PRAYING BEYOND THE WALL 27Sep - 3Oct 2009

MUSLIMS: PRAYING BEYOND THE WALL
27 Sep - 3 Oct 2009

“I solemnly charge you: proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.” 2Timothy 4:1-2

SUNDAY, 27Sep:
Approximately 350,000 Muslims currently live in Argentina, where Buenos Aires is home to the largest mosque in South America. These immigrant Muslims include Sunnis, Sufis, Shiites and Turkish mystics, each practicing their particular version of Islam.

In recent years they have established cultural centers, mosques and Islamic schools. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to sow the seeds of the gospel among Argentine Muslims. Ask the Holy Spirit to prepare their hearts to receive the gospel seed with joy. Pray that their lives would be transformed as God’s Word becomes firmly rooted in their hearts, bearing abundant eternal fruit. Pray that they will become vibrant witnesses sharing with others the change God has wrought in their lives.


MONDAY, 28Sep:

The Eastern Pashtun of Afghanistan number more than 15 million and stretch from central Afghanistan to the Indus River in Pakistan. Their conservative society is more than 99 percent Muslim and was the breeding ground of the fundamentalist Taliban.
There are less than 500 Pashtun believers in Christ and no visible Pashtun church. The vast majority of Pashtun have had no opportunity to hear or read the Good News.

Pray for the Gospel to be available to these people. Ask God to call out workers to
serve among them. Pray for Pashtun believers to become brightly shining lights leading their countrymen to Jesus, the Light of the world.

TUESDAY, 29Sep:
A group of West African musicians from the Susu people group had the opportunity to hear the gospel from workers who were in their city for a conference. Five men believed and were baptized. Others in the group were interested and open. This group of new believers and seekers are experiencing persecution, including being forced to leave the rooms they had been renting. This is the off-season, so they do not have much opportunity to earn money. Pray for their faith to remain firm as they look to God to meet all their needs. Ask Him to provide for them in ways that will encourage and strengthen their faith--ways that demonstrate that they are in His loving, all-powerful hands. Pray that they will continue to share the hope that they have found with others.

WEDNESDAY, 30 Sep:
The Afar triangle of eastern Ethiopia, southern Eritrea and Djibouti boasts some of
the earth’s hottest, lowest and driest places. It is home to 1.5 million Afar Muslims. They are herders moving with the seasons in search of water and grass for their herds. In recent years, a nightly radio program in their heart language broadcasts God’s story of creation through redemption. Pray for every Afar to be able to hear these stories. Ask the Holy Spirit to enable them to understand God and His ways. Pray for the Afar to turn from half truths to Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life. Pray for God’s kingdom to flourish in desert lands of the Afar triangle.

THURSDAY, 1 Oct:
130 million Bengali Muslims, living primarily in Bangladesh but with 20 million in the Indian state of West Bengal, typically live in mud brick homes in villages of 100 to 1000 people.

Praise the Lord, in recent years a growing number of Bengali Muslims in Bangladesh have heard and responded to the gospel! Ask God to send these Bangladeshi Muslim-background believers to the villages, towns and cities of West Bengal to share the gospel with their Indian brothers and sisters who have had little opportunity to hear. Pray that rapidly reproducing New Testament churches will be planted among Bengali Muslims wherever they live.


FRIDAY, 2 Oct:
Pray for these Central Asians to respond in faith to the gospel message:




+ a Kyrgyz woman who translates for volunteer teams and has heard the truth many times. She admits that Jesus was sinless and perfect, but still claims Islam.




+ a Turkish hotel owner in Cappadocia who has received a copy of Scripture, but doesn’t really understand the gospel.



+ a hardworking Uighur woman in her forties who is suffering physically, but whose greatest need is spiritual. Pray for physical and spiritual healing.

SATURDAY, 3Oct:
Praise the Lord for the many national partners who are “catching the vision” and beginning to share more consistently with the people of Pepper Port, Indonesia. Ask the Father to empower their words and to lead them to people who are open to hearing the Good News and ready to follow.

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International Mission Board
3806
Monument Avenue
Richmond, VA 23230