Prayer Alert: Stand By Israel subtitle: (avoid severe judgment)

Gary Bauer, president of American Values, and the New York Family Policy Council urge Christians to take a stand for Israel.

The United States is in danger of following a course of action that will ultimately result in the most severe judgment of God to be poured out in a greater degree than we are already seeing. What are we seeing you may ask. Well, there is drought in many states, the lakes in WI are at an all time low. We are having forest fires, tornadoes, floods, heat waves and other natural events in greater numbers and more frequently than before. The bees whom we rely upon to pollinate our crops have vanished. Einstein predicted that we could not survive four years without bees. Gas prices are high, food prices are gaining.

We have an extremely large national debt and trade deficit. We have been classified as a debtor nation and have a 3rd rate status financially among the nations. Yes, we are classified as a debtor nation. We have spent a tremendous amount of money giving aid to Palestinians who are Israel's enemy, we are spending tremendous amounts of money on the war in Iraq, while we have a tremendous number of people without health insurance here in the U.S. These are all signs of judgment from the Lord.

The Baker report, which until recently President Bush has resisted, contains the recommendation that we divide up Israel for peace in Iraq. Israel is our strongest ally and if we go along with the Baker Report's recommendations, we are in for major judgment. President Bush has asked for Peace Talks between Israel and Palestine. We must pray that President Bush does not agree to divide Israel or Jerusalem.

The ultimate judgement comes for those who divide up Israel. Joel 3:2 states that whoever is guilty of dividing up Israel will come under judgement. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joel%203:2;&version=31 We are already guilty for agreeing to give the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians. It has become a haven for terrorists.

7-19-2007
Evangelicals Urged to Defend Israel
American Values' staff reports:

"[Pressure to give up land is a "move in the wrong direction."

More than 3,000 evangelicals met in Washington, D.C., this week for the Christians United for Israel Summit, where they heard about the increasing pressures against the historic and biblical country.

Gary Bauer, president of American Values, said the Bush administration’s pressure on Israel to give up land is a “move in the wrong direction.”
“Our message is, ‘Quit pressuring to give up land,’” Bauer said. “That has never worked; it’s not going to work now.”

Bill Koenig, author of "Eye to Eye – Facing the Consequences of Dividing Israel", said standing with Israel is biblical.

“Genesis 12:3 talks about those who stand with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their decedents will be blessed,” he told Family News in Focus. “And those who do not will be cursed, and if you look at the end of that Scripture, it talks about all families on earth.”

Summit attendees also lobbied Congress this week, urging them to stand with Israel.]"

PRAY AND TAKE ACTION
Please pray that U.S. policy will no longer support any ideas or initiatives that divide the land of Israel. Also pray that we don't push Israel in that direction.

Call the Presidental Comment Line: 1.202.456.1111

Send the President an email: comments@whitehouse.gov

Ask the President to support Israel and not to divide Israel's land. Remind him of the judgement that occurs when someone divides Israel's land.

If you don't already love and care about Israel, pray and ask God to give you a heart for His ancient people. God loves Israel. We need a heart for Israel too. (Don't forget - Jesus is Jewish)

Shalom~

Stop Planned Parenthood Spending Amendment is in Congress!!!!!

American Life League sends this alert:

Let's strip Planned Parenthood of millions of tax dollars each year. The moment we've all been praying for has come.

Thursday, July 19th, the United States House of Representatives started to consider the Labor, Health and Human Services funding bill (H.R. 3043). This bill Authorizes fundindg for Title X -the domestic family planning program.

PP receives over $65.000,000.00 a year from this one program.

The current bill actually increases the Title X program to $311 Million and would mean approximately a $15 Million increase in funds going to Planned Parenthood.

Representative Mike Pence of Indiana will be offering an amendment to the bill. His amendment will state:

AMENDMENT TO H.R. 3043, AS REPORTED
OFFERED BY MR. PENCE OF INDIANA
SEC. ___. None of the funds made available under this Act shall be available to Planned Parenthood for any purpose under title X of the Public Health Services Act.

This amendment will cut off all Title X funds form PP!!!!!

Pray for this amendment to be added to the bill. Take Action: Cover your phone call with prayer, and call your representative immediately and let him/her know how you feel about "the Pence amendment to H.R. 3043".

Take action on this now, before it's too late.

Shalom~~~

Action Alerts

CWA informs us:

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act 2/27/2002 By Robert H. Knight and Kenneth L. Ervin, II

The Employment Non-Discrinination Act (ENDA) has once again been introduced in Congress. 1ENDA would prohibit discrimination based on "sexual orientation", thus opening businesses with 15 or more employees to harassment by homosexual activist lawyers.

ENDA is billed as an expansion of equality, but it is really a "gay" power grab taht would severely curb constitutionallty guaranteed unalienable rights that Americans hold dear, including the freedons of speech, religion and association.


Please take action, call your Representative today. 1.202.224.3121
Use the below talking points from CWA.
Talking Points:
In brief, ENDA would:

Turn groups like the Boy Scouts into targets of federally funded lawsuits. While he was Vice President, Al Gore said on Good Morning America, 2 in answer to a question about the Boy Scouts, that he hoped ENDA would do away with all “discrimination” by public and private groups.

Constitute a major expansion of federal power over the workplace and create a new way for the government to manipulate employers. ENDA’s intent is to create grounds for lawsuits. By injecting sexuality into civil rights law, ENDA opens a Pandora’s box of ways for the government to dictate to businesses.

Make people’s sexual temptations a source of material for federal lawsuits. The law properly deals with actions, not beliefs. ENDA creates a new class based on the fuzzy grounds of perception and intention. This is far removed from laws designed to end racial discrimination, because not only is race evident but also it has no moral aspect. Sexual behavior is fraught with moral consequences.

Elevate multiple-sex-partner relationships into a federally protected “right.” By including “bisexuality” in the definition of sexual orientations, the government would go on record supporting the practice of having sex with more than one person. This is a direct challenge to the intent behind the Defense of Marriage Act and other laws designed to protect marriage.

Put the federal government in the position of adopting a view of sexuality utterly at odds with that propounded by the major faiths of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. All major faiths support marriage and oppose homosexual conduct. The U.S. government would be placing people with traditional views of morality into opposition to their own government. King George never intruded this deeply into Americans’ lives.

Prohibit employers from taking into account sexual conduct in the hiring of education and child care worker positions. Because ENDA is so sweeping, employers could not take into account any sexual conduct, even that which might severely impact children.

Afford special protections to an already privileged group. Statistically, homosexuals do not qualify as a bona fide minority group, as determined by the U.S. Supreme Court. Homosexuals are not defined by an immutable characteristic, they are not economically deprived, nor do they suffer from a history of discrimination and political powerlessness.

Change national policy by forcing the government to abandon support for marriage – the bedrock of every healthy society. By declaring traditional morality regarding sexuality as a form of “discrimination,” ENDA will undermine the special status of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Lead to further demands by homosexual activists to force others to celebrate abnormal and unhealthy sexual behavior. Many corporations that adopted “sexual orientation” policies soon found themselves besieged by demands for outright “gay pride” celebrations. Anything less than open promotion is regarded by many homosexual activists as “discriminatory.”

THREATENING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
ENDA proponents point to the religious exemption in the legislation. But the exemption narrowly applies only to church-related organizations. Anyone else is unprotected. The bill utterly ignores freedom of conscience for individuals. And the question must be asked: If there is a presumption that it would be immoral to impose ENDA on religious bodies, why is it moral to impose it on everyone else?

Religious bodies are exempt from taxation, but this is not based on the idea that taxation per se is repugnant to the religion’s beliefs. Religion needs protection from Caesar, who could use the power to tax as a way to destroy conscience. ENDA, however, actually imposes a new moral order, with a religious opt-out—but not for everyone.

Despite ENDA’s religious exemption, certain religious and charitable organizations could still find their tax-exempt status in danger unless they provide special advantages for homosexuals. Businesses owned by devout Christians, Jews and Muslims would be forced to adopt a view of human sexuality at odds with that taught by their faiths.

Even church-related institutions will be subject to harassment, as overzealous courts trample on religious exemptions in order to promote sexual “equality.”

Although there is a world of difference between skin color and sexual behavior, liberal courts are likely to blur the distinction and to regard traditional morality as a form of “bigotry.”

Civil rights attorney Joseph E. Broadus, who testified during Senate hearings on ENDA in 1996, summarizes the problem with ENDA’s religious provisions:

"The exemption language is at best problematic. An exemption should provide some clear area of protected activity with only marginal uncertainty. With ENDA, the uncertainty is at the heart of the provision.
ENDA trashes the traditional respect for and accommodation of religious faith and practice found in civil rights laws. It seeks to chill and suppress religious expression and freedom of speech by using the law to transform or extinguish religious practices that are disfavored by the elite, such as the practice of declaring homosexuality a ‘sin.’ Because of its stealth design, ENDA discourages discussion of such issues.”3

SUMMARY
Current national policy is committed to upholding and supporting marriage and family. ENDA would initiate an inevitable assault on marriage as “discriminatory” and further weaken efforts to restore marriage to its societal primacy.

ENDA puts the federal government in an adversarial role against the basic sexual morality of the major faiths in America. It is so sweeping that it threatens the freedoms of speech, religion and association. Furthermore, it would balkanize America by granting freedom of conscience to employers with fewer than 15 employees while denying it to employers with 15 or more employees.

ENDA will inspire lawsuits by homosexual activists, who will cry “homophobia” when an employer cleaves to policies that favor marriage, family and traditional sexual morality.
***
Robert H. Knight is director of the Culture and Family Institute (CFI), an affiliate of Concerned Women for America. Kenneth L. Ervin, II is CFI’s projects coordinator.
ENDNOTES
1. S. 1284 by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts), H.R. 2692 by Rep. Christopher Shays
(R-Connecticut).
2. Charlie Gibson’s interview with Vice President Al Gore, ABC’s Good Morning America, October 26, 2000.
3. Joseph E. Broadus, “ENDA: A Religious Liberties Threat,” Family Research Council monograph, 1998.

Shalom~

More on Hate Crimes from Citizen Link

Citizen Link has more info on hate crimes.
Below is a copy of the Citiizen Link email I received yesterday. This email is addressed to me. You can also sign up to receive updates from Citizen Link.

If you haven't called your Senators and even if you have, please read this Update and Pray and Take Action. Read previous blog entry also on the same topic. You can sign a petition by clicking on *petition* below. If you have already called, send an email or call again. Also notice the links for more information on this topic.

Lastly, there is an invitation to a special conference, Washington Briefing 2007, which will be held in Washington D.C. this fall. Sign up to go!!!

*Petition Update - Hate Crimes on the Move!*

"[Dear Ellen,

Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts is at it again. He's taken the Hate Crimes bill which will create a two-tier justice system by valuing some victims more than others and attached it to the Defense Authorization Bill as an amendment. Kennedy's move is clever. By attaching Hate Crimes to the Defense spending bill, he unconscionably forces the Senate and the President to choose between the safety of our troops and standing up for the principle that the hate crimes bill is un-American and unconstitutional.

Liberals in Congress are determined to ram this legislation through, at the behest of homosexual activists. This bill would extend "special protected status" to homosexuals, bisexuals and transsexuals so that crimes committed against them will be prosecuted more severely than the same crime committed against someone without this special protection.

For more information about this bill:
listen online to today's Focus on the Family broadcast
read our Hate Crimes Fact Sheet
and read our CitizenLink article

This legislation is unconscionable, unnecessary and specifically creates inequality under the law. Right now, crimes are punished regardless of who the victim is; if this bill passes, some victims will be valued higher based on their sexual behavior. Those victims not included in these special protections will become second-class victims!Even more disturbing is the potential for freedom of speech to become a victim of this legislation as well. By tying in with federal "aiding and abetting" statutes, it's possible that any speech that incites violence against a member of a protected class will be prosecuted just like the actual crime. That means it's possible a pastor who preaches about the biblical view of homosexuality could be arrested for inciting a hate crime because of his sermon.We have no time to lose. The Defense bill is being debated on the Senate floor this week and the Hate Crimes amendment (#2067) must be stopped.

We know you've already signed the Hate Crimes petition, but we'd like to ask you to do two things. First, forward this e-mail to your family and friends so they, too, can sign the petition and express their outrage about this bill. Second, please call your senators and urge them to reject the Hate Crimes Bill (Amendment # 2067 to the Defense Authorization Bill, H.R. 1585).

The Capitol switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. Or you can visit our Action Center for district office numbers for your senators.

Thank you in advance for standing with us in defense of our right to speak truth and in opposition to this unnecessary legislation.

P.S. We'd like to invite you to join us in Washington, D.C., this October for an inspiring conference hosted by our sister organization, Family Research Council Action. This premier values-voter event, the Washington Briefing 2007, is designed to educate and equip concerned citizens like you who desire to make a difference for righteousness each time they go to the ballot box.

The Briefing, scheduled for Oct. 19-21, will feature respected pro-family leaders, including Dr. James Dobson, political commentators and elected officials. In addition, all 2008 presidential hopefuls have been invited. For more information or to register, call (888) 372-2284 or visit the Briefing Web site. We hope to see you in our nation's capital this fall!]"

Shalom to all politically active Christians. Many Blessings~~~

Senate Hate Crimes Bill Vote Today Take Immediate Action

Email Action Alert from American Family Association

Senate could vote on the “hate crimes” bill as early as today.
Urgent: Your phone call to your senators needed today! See below for #s.

The Senate will be voting, as early as today, on S.1105, the so-called "hate crimes" bill. Under S.1105, acts of crime committed against members of certain protected classes - including those who identify themselves by their "actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity" - would warrant more intense prosecution and greater penalties than the very same acts committed against heterosexuals.

It would establish homosexuals as a special class of people and give them special rights.
It is no stretch to argue that S. 1105, if enacted, will embody a national policy that will likely lead to the criminalization and civil sanction of the biblical view of homosexuality.

Read these two stories - The tragic story of Jesse Dirkhising and Woman's death at hands of 'gay' her fault, says lawyer - to see how homosexuals murdered heterosexuals but were not charged with a hate crime. Had the roles been reversed - the victims homosexual and the perpetrators heterosexual - they could have been charged. Under S.1105, homosexuals are a "protected class" while heterosexuals are not.

PRAY AND TAKE ACTION

• Ask God to prevent the Hate Crimes Bill from passing. Ask God to change the minds of Senators Schumer and Clinton. Cover the call with the Blood of Jesus.
• It is vitally important for you to call your two senators today and tell them to vote against S.1105, the "hate crimes" bill.

Charles Schumer: 1.202.224.6542 (please call between 9am & 5pm)
Ask For: Legislative Assistant
TalkingPoints:
1) I am very disappointed to see that you are a co-sponsor of S.1105, the “hate crimes” bill.
2) Criminalizing thoughts and creating special categories of victims is unconstitutional. S.1105 would undermine the promise of equal protection under the law guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. This legislation creates second-class victims and a legal system of "separate and unequal."
3) There has been no proof that violent crimes perpetrated against any of the groups listed in the bill have not been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, yet now Congress is asking the federal government to get involved in issues that are, and should remain, local concerns.
4) By far the most disturbing threat we face by this legislation - is the threat it poses to free speech and our religious liberties. In some jurisdictions that have adopted similar laws, “hate crimes” have been defined to include not just physical acts of violence but mere words, too, such as reading from the Bible at a gay event. When "thought crimes" laws are interpreted this way, they pose a serious threat to freedom of speech and religious liberty.
5) The Act would give “special victim” status to a powerful and politically favored group that is identified not by a belief or immutable trait, by solely by its sexual preference.
6) S.1105, the “hate crimes” bill, is unnecessary and I urge you withdraw your support from the legislation.

Senator Clinton was a sponsor of this bill also, call her office and voice your strong opposition to this legislation. 1.202.224.4451

Be Blessed~~~

Hindu to pray in the Senate July 12th PRAY and TAKE ACTION

We are in grave danger. Please visit http://www.afa.net and call your Senator and send out emails.

This one senseless act COULD bring judgment on the Senate and on the United States. Senator Henry Reid (D-NV) has asked that a Hindu clergyperson open the July 12th Senate Session. The Senate and the Senate Clergy have agreed. He will be opening and closing with the OMMMMM and quoting from three Hindu "scacred writings". This event must be stopped. PRAY to the One True God that this hideous offense will not occur. Pray for protection for our Senate and for our country.

When Israel went after false gods, God brought judgment on her to bring her to repentance. Do we think we can slap God in the face with this Hindu prayer and not reap His just judgment also???? Perhaps God is allowing this so He can bring a long overdue judgment on the U.S. Cover your families and our Senators and go to the above link and PRAY and TAKE ACTION.

Call the Senate Switchboard and ask for your Senator's office: 1.202.224.3121
Ask them to stop this from happening and if that is not possible ask them to protect themselves and not attend the opening prayer.

Blessings~

Improved Website

We have a number of new categories and new links and on our Links Page. Please take some time to check them out. Go to our Links Page and see the *New York Politics* category. Look at the *Gay and Lesbian Issues* category and the *Sign an Petition* category.

Also notice the two videos we have added to our Home Page; both are terrific. Look at the new News Sites we have added, too.

Many of our pages have been updated.

Happy Surfing!!!

Happy Birthday America!!!!!!!

Take time today to thank God for the freedoms we have, for the beautiful land called America, for the ability to vote for those who rule over our nation, for our right to practice our religion without interference, and for the Christian Heritage that we must uphold.

God Bless America

God bless America, land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her, through the night with Your light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam,
God bless America, my home sweet home.
God bless America, my home sweet home.

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!

Pray For Our Nation

We just returned from a visit with my family in Minnesota. An entire blog will be devoted to the "flying experience". Quite an adventure. Before I finish that writing I need to alert you to this.

We must pray as never before for our nation. I have copied and pasted the Friday Prayer Alert from Intercessors for America.

A very disturbing event will be occurring on July 12th. A Hindu clergyman will be delivering the opening morning prayers in the U.S. Senate. He will be quoting writings from 3 Hindu "holy books".

This affront to the God who created America to serve Him by spreading the Gospel to the ends of the world frightens me greatly. When Israel served other gods great judgements fell. Do we think we will deserve less? Please pray for a fourth great awakening and for mercy for America.

Blessings to all~

SPECIAL EDITION
PRAYER AND SUMMER SUPPORT IS NEEDED

29 June 2007

"These are the times that try men's souls."
-Thomas Paine, 1776

CONCERTED PRAYER IS NEEDED THROUGHOUT JULY - July 4th marks the time we celebrate our nation's founding and deliverance from tyrannical rule. Many will also travel and enjoy times of family and personal vacation in July. From past experience, we have learned that, as intercessors, we must remain prayerfully "on watch." An easy way is to "pray the headline news" each day.

HINDU PRAYER WILL OPEN THE SENATE ON JULY 12 - For what is believed to be the first time in its history, the U.S. Senate will be opened with a Hindu prayer. The Senate Chaplain's Office confirmed Monday that Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain from Nevada will open the Senate with a Hindu prayer on July 12. For more than 200 years, the Senate has opened each workday with a prayer usually delivered by the Senate Chaplain, currently Rev. Barry Black, a Seventh Day Adventist. It is common, however, for senators to recommend religious leaders from their home states to serve as guest chaplains. When asked, the Chaplain's office said that "it cannot say no." Click here to read more.

IFA NEEDS YOUR SUMMER FINANCIAL SUPPORT - While we are called and are blessed to compile and issue these email alerts to help you "track in prayer" each week, it is your financial gifts, large or small, which makes this service to you possible. As with many local churches and faith ministries, the summer months are often financially "leaner" months. Please know that IFA needs your support at this time. You can send a check payable to "IFA," or a credit card donation can easily be made by clicking here or by calling toll-free 1-800-USA-PRAY (872-7729).

Common Sense
Thomas Paine
1776

Among the many writers who undertook to explain the new American concept of liberty, Thomas Paine (1737-1809) and Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) emerged as two of the most influential. Jefferson was born into a prominent Virginia family and received a college education. Paine, in contrast, was born into an obscure family in a small English village and dropped out of school at age thirteen. Considered a political radical by many, Paine wrote a sixteen-pamphlet series, "The American Crisis," during the War for Independence which he signed "Common Sense." The first spirited essay, issued on December 23, 1776, was read to George Washington's demoralized troops at Valley Forge by order of the general. May the following excerpts from the series encourage and envision you as the first essay did Washington's forces in their time of testing and struggle to overcome tyranny:

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; 'tis dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.

Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built upon the ruins of the bowers of paradise. Were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform and irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other law-giver; but that not being the case, he finds it necessary to surrender up a part of his property to furnish means for the protection of the rest. Wherefore, freedom and security being the true design and end of government, it unanswerably follows that whatever form thereof appears most likely to ensure it to us, with least expense and greatest benefit, is preferable to all others. I draw my idea of the form of government from a principle in nature, viz. that the more simple anything is, the less liable it is to be disordered, and the easier repaired when disordered.

"Where, say some is the king of America?I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above! Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in earthly honors, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be placed on the divine law, the Word of God; let a crown be placed thereon."

The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, say some is the king of America? I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above. Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in earthly honors, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be placed on the divine law, the Word of God; let a crown be placed thereon. But lest any ill use should afterwards arise, let the crown at the conclusion of the ceremony be demolished, and scattered among the people whose right it is.

To talk of friendship with those in whom our reason forbids us to have faith, and our affections wounded through a thousand pores instruct us to detest, is madness and folly. Ye that tell us of harmony and reconciliation, can ye give to prostitution its former innocence? There are injuries which nature cannot forgive; she would cease to be nature if she did. The Almighty implanted in us these inextinguishable feelings for good and wise purposes. They are the guardians of His image in our hearts. They distinguish us from the herd of common animals. The social compact would dissolve were we callous to these affections. The robber and murderer would often escape unpunished, did not the injuries which our tempers sustain, provoke us into justice.

O! ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose not only the tyranny but the tyrant, stand forth!

"O! ye that love mankind. . . stand forth!"

"What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'"
Jesus of Nazareth - Mark 13:37


PLEASE "FORWARD" THIS TO YOUR PRAYING FRIENDS - Invite them to become a "partner-in-prayer." Having observed first Friday prayer and fasting for almost 35 years, we are encouraged to see a new "amplification" of united prayer and fasting, especially among the youth, at this time. The Pilgrims, Puritans and other founding New England pastors and churches formed "prayer covenants" and regularly called the members of their congregations to unite in days of earnest prayer, repentance and fasting. The following prophetic exhortation made by Jonathan Edwards during the First Great Awakening shows the historic pattern of awakening we are again walking in:

Walking out the vision of America's Christian founders . . .

"I have often said it would be a thing very desirable, and very likely to be followed with a great blessing, if there could be some contrivance, that there should be an agreement of all God's people in America. . . to keep a Day of Fasting and Prayer to God; wherein, we should all unite on the same day. . . It seems to me, it would mightily encourage and animate God's saints, in humbly and earnestly seeking God, for such blessings which concerns them all; and that it would be much for the rejoicing of all, to think, that at the same time such multitudes of God's dear children, far and near, were sending up their cries to the same common Father for the same motives."
- Jonathan Edwards, 1742
__________________________________________________

A CALL TO
UNITED EXTRAORDINARY PRAYER
Jonathan Edwards

"After two remarkable movements of God in revival, Jonathan Edwards sensed the spiritual momentum was waning. The saints needed to urgently re-engage prayer.

These writings caught on in the later part of the 1700s, when they became fuel for the Second and Third Great Awakenings." - Introduction, David Bryant

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Call toll-free 1-800-872-7729 or order via our website - ifabooks.com

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AN IFA FIRST FRIDAY NEWSLETTER IS AVAILABLE VIA THE WEB OR WILL BE MAILED UPON REQUEST - Visit www.ifapray.org to read the July/August 2007 First Friday Newsletter or to sign up to receive it by mail.

THE MISSION OF INTERCESSORS FOR AMERICA:Uniting Believers in Effective Prayer and Fasting

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Airport Security and Flying in General

We left on Wednesday, June 20th, to visit my family in Minnesota. Flying isn't as much fun as it used to be. We got up at 6:30 AM to get ready for our 11:00 AM flight to Mineapolis/St. Paul via Philadelphia. We were to arrive at our desination at 3:30 PM. Unfortunately, we learned at check-in that our plane was going to be late getting into Albany; this would cause us to arrive in Philadelphia too late to make our connection. The second piece of bad news was, not only would we miss our scheduled flight out of Philadelphia, but there were no other flights with empty seats leaving Philadelphia going to Mpls./St. P. until Thursday. The third piece of bad news was our airline had no other flights going anywhere near Mpls./St. P. with available seats for the rest of the day. (My brother informed me that there are two huge conventions going on this weekend in Mpls. and St. P.). So, the clerk furiously used the computer trying to find any flight on any airline to get us to Mpls./St. P., (MSP) in airline terminology. She finally found a combination of flights that would get us to MSP on our least favorite airline. The flight would leave Albany at 3:30, have a 4 hour lay-over in Detroit and arrive at MSP at "11:10 PM". She sent us over to the default airline to see if they had a better flight arrangement than the one she had found on her computer. Agent #2 at default airlines also checked furiously on her computer but could not find a better plan so she asked us if we wanted to check our bags. If we checked our bags, they would stay in the Albany airport for around 5 hours before we left. That sounds like a sure fire receipe for lost luggage or theft to me. Also, checked baggage that actually made it to Detroit would sit in Detroit for four more hours making it a double risk for theft or lost baggage. With this in mind, trying to be as tactful as possible, which is difficult for me to do, I said the fatal words, "I want to take my luggage on the plane with me, I don't want to leave it here for people to go though." I thought that was pretty straight forward. I didn't say, "I don't want you to loose my luggage", nor did I say, "I don't want anyone to steal my belongings". I just said I didn't want anyone going through my bags. NEVER, EVER SAY THAT. My feeble attempt at diplomacy turned out to be terribly, terribly politically incorrect.

We left the airport with our bags and came back at 2:00 PM to check in. Did I mention this was our third cab ride of the day? ka-ching, ka-ching.

When we checked in, I didn't notice the maroon marks that were scribbled on our boarding passes. The man that looked at our boarding passes and photo IDs prior to letting us get in to the security check line also put a purple rather obvious large squiggle on our boarding passes. When we got close to the check point, we were escorted to another lane and more colorful squiggles were added to our passes. The people in line behind us were allowed to go through in the regular lane and, after about 15 passengers had passed by, I inquired as to why we were being detained. I was told they would be with us in a minute - not a NY minute. I was starting to get angry and upset - no, I was angry and upset. I was handed a bright yellow sign with the number 3 on it, my husband was also given a sign. We were commanded not to touch anything until the signs were taken away from us. I was asked to step into a booth a little larger than a phone booth and told that air would be blown on me. I was asked if I had been in one of these booths before. WHAT?!? While in the booth strong streams of air blew my clothes and my hair. The air stopped and, thank God, I had to sense to stay in the booth until someone let me out. About a minute or so after the air stopped a green light came on saying I could leave the booth. While I was in the booth, I remembered reading about these booths. The air under pressure removes microscopic particles from clothing, hair and skin. A machine then analyses the particles to detect drug residue.

When I left the booth, I was escorted to a separate table where I was told they would be examining my belongings. My purse was dumped out on the table and every item was picked over by the attendent. I was very upset by now. No explination had been given as to why we were being singled out for an intensive search. I was very angry also. Our suit cases received the same treatment and the backpack we brought which contained a ziplock bag full of a mixture of Gold Standard Protein Powder and Juice Plus+ Complete (a meal supplement) made the attendants eyes pop. It was taken to a separate room to be analized. By now, I was furious and very upset. To add to my misery, my usually extremely supportive husband could only say, "If you don't like it, don't fly." when I complained to him about our treatment. At long length, they brought our bags back to us, took our signs with the numbers on them and let us go.

I was so upset that I decided in order to compose myself I would go to a restroom, lock myself in a stall and have a good cry. The restroom stall was extremely small, my roll on suitcase and I were scrunched in and I was touching the toilet. The automatic flusher kept flushing so I couldn't even cry. It struck me intellectually that this was pretty funny but my emotions didn't allow me to laugh. I left the toilet stall without my cry and joined my husband at the gate to await our flight. The final insult came as we boarded the airplane. Our boarding passes now had maroon, purple, and green squiggles on the front and large orange and pink markings on the back. Everyone's pass when scanned made the machine go BING bingbing BING; when they scanned us they pushed a key and the machine went BING bingbing bingbingbing bingBING.

In Detroit the corridor went from Gate 1 to gate 78 -- about a mile and a half. We had 3 gate changes and barely made it to our flight after a 4 hour layover. The plane was supposed to arrive at 11:10 PM but we arrived in MPS at 12:30 AM. My brother was happy to see us I think.

We spent a week visiting my parents who live in the Care Center -- euphism for the nursing home part of a large multi level of care facility. On Wednesday, June 27th we attempted to fly home. We were pretty confident, our plane had a stop in Philadelphia but we would be on the same plane going from Philly to Albany. What could go wrong?

When we arrived at Philly the flight we were on was late arriving. Because the crew was changing, we were told we had to deplane and reboard but that we could leave our carry-on luggage on the plane (We had checked most of our luggage.). We deplaned and after a pit stop, we went to a coffee shop. My husband couldn't decide what he wanted to eat so we fiddled around for 15 minutes or more while he decided. When we had finished our coffee, I saw a clock in the coffee shop that said 5:05 PM. Our plane was supposed to leave at 4:45 PM. My husband assured me that the clock was wrong. His watch said 4:05 PM. He said he did not reset his watch to CST. We took our time. When we arrived back at the gate, all the people waiting for the flight were gone but a plane was still attached to the skyway. I approached the clerk behind the desk to ask if the flight to Albany had left. She rudely told me she was busy and couldn't answer any questions. We got in line to re-book behind one other passenger. After about 15 minutes, airline personnel lined up behind us. When I explained our plight to the stewardess in line behind me, she said that our plane was the one that was right outside. As soon as we learned that that was our plane, the plane started to back out of the dock.

We were then directed to Customer Service. When we arrived there, the line was very long. After a two hour wait in line, we re-booked on the last flight going to Albany. The departure time changed from 8:20, to 8:30, to 8:40, to 8:45, to 9:00 PM. The flight was never announced but passengers started boarding at about 5 of 9. A ramp crew couldn't be found so we were delayed at the gate for an hour. Then a strom blew in with lightening so we couldn't leave the gate. That storm blew out but as soon as we got out on the runway another storm blew in with more lightening. Finally things cleared and we were in a long line waiting for take off. Shortly after 1:00 AM the captain announced that the crews shift would time out in 20 minutes and we would be returning to the terminal. A mother traveling alone with a 2 month old and a 18 month old started to cry. This was the 3rd flight she was on that was canceled, she was out of enfamil for her 2 month old who ate q 2 hours. She was going to visit her parents in Clifton Park. The lady across the aisle from me re-booked on a flight leaving at 7:30 AM while we were still on the runway. I asked her if she could do the same for the young mother behind her. The lady, an angel, got the young mother's tickets and was able to book her on the same 7:30 AM flight. I notified a stewardess that she was out of enfamil. They announced her plight and there were two other passengers with excess enfamil which they gave to the young mother. The airline gave her blankets and pillows so she and her babies could be more comfortable in the terminal while waiting for her flight. God is good!!!

When we deplaned, we all got in line at customer service again. At 2:30 AM the customer service desk closed saying they would reopen at 4:30 AM. About 40 of us were left standing in the hallway. When they closed at 2:30, all the flights going to Albany were full except the 8:45 PM flight. The same flight we had just been on. We asked 3 perfect strangers if they wanted to rent a car and drive home. Not surprisingly, they said yes. (The mother and her 2 children were in good shape when we left and the kind lady with the cell phone was in the process of getting boarding passes for their flight at a gate that was open.) We got the phone numbers for Enterprize and Hertz from the airport information phone. The Enterprize # wasn't working. Pat, a very capable woman, called Hertz and made a reservation. We had to go to zone 2 and catch a shuttle bus to Hertz. When we got to the Hertz building, there, again, was a long line. One person was working at the counter and one person was at the preferred customer counter. After 2 and a half hours in line, Pat remembered that she used to be a gold Hertz member. She got in the short line, they found her in the computer, and by 6:00 AM we had an eight passenger van, equipped with Hertz on-star, and we were off. Our ride, which cost each of us $50.00, was most pleasant. We were all laughing about the comedy of errors that we had all lived through. Cell phones were constantly ringing and the conversations were hysterical. Five hours later we were in Albany. We had to get our bags etc. We were home by 1:30 PM. NO SLEEP. I think I'm still recovering. We are thanking God that we got home safely and with all our luggage.

If anyone has a travel story, please submit it to the blog.

Shalom and Happy Traveling~~