MSM CONNECTIONS
For the week of
The Men’s Ministry
e-mail newsletter of
Our mission: Our
mission is to lead men to
Jesus Christ and
provide opportunity for
Christian men to grow
in their faith
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MSM CONNECTIONS is the opt-in newsletter for the men
of New Joy Divine Full Gospel Church. It's a periodic service that helps
connect you with God and with other men at NJD. If you'd like its delivery to
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"'I
have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.'" John
CONSIDER
"Constantly
practice the habit of inwardly gazing upon God.
You know that something inside your heart sees God. Even when you are compelled to withdraw your
conscious attention in order to engage in earthly affairs, there is within you
a secret communion always going on."
A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), The Pursuit of God [1948]
WHY PURITY AND ROMANCE GO HAND-IN-HAND
Jason
Illian, from TV's The Bachelorette, gives guys tips on how to win a girl's
heart while keeping temptation at bay.
New Man magazine recently talked with Jason Illian, a motivational
speaker from
http://www.newmanmag.com/article.php?sid=577&mode=thread&order=0
FAMILIAR STRANGER:
As the
vulgar Eric Cartman character of the
The closer
we get to the Gospels, the more we realize that these four witnesses to Jesus'
life and ministry intentionally placed some distance between the reader and the
wonder-working preacher from
But we
don't really "see" Jesus. For
some reason-possibly the Jewish prohibition of idolatry -- the Gospel writers
forgo almost all physical description of him.
Whether Jesus towered over the crowd like Saul or could see eye-to-eye
with Zacchaeus we know not. And so we
guess: The history of Christian iconography attests to the thousands of
attempts to give physical expression to this mystery....
Read this
article in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/002/35.89.html
THE DIGITAL FUTURE
Until
March 2005, C-SPAN is televising live a series of discussions hosted by the
Library of Congress'
http://www.c-span.org/congress/digitalfuture.asp
In 1900
there were about 9 million Christians in all of
"It's
in
Indeed
Sanneh, a West African Christian, says in the book's conclusion that northern,
liberal Christianity has become a "do-as-you-please" religion, deeply
accommodated to the post-Christian values of the secular northlands. And, he adds, the new Christianity of the
global south and east, which bears the scars of hardship and persecution, will
clash increasingly with its urbane and worldly northern counterpart.
That's
because outside the
Carpenter
believes that the Roman Catholic Church is probably more profoundly impacted by
the rise of Christianity in the global south than any other religion. "About 40% of the College of
Cardinals," he notes, "comes from the global south and east. The new story there is
TEN COMMANDMENTS
You
betcha...
1. Der's only one God, ya know.
2. Don't make that fish on your mantle
an idol.
3. Cussing ain't
4. Go to church even when you're up
north.
5. Honor your folks.
6. Don't kill. Catch and release.
7. There is only one
8. If it ain't your lutefisk, don't
take it.
9. Don't be braggin' about how much
snow ya shoveled.
10. Keep your mind off your neighbor's
hotdish.
BASIC BIBLE DOCTRINE
I. The
Deity of Christ
A. He
possesses incommunicable attributes.
1. Self-existence
(Heb.7:3; John 5:26)
2. Immutability
(Heb.1:10; 13:8)
3. Infinity:
Eternality (Heb.7:3); Omnipresence (Matt.28:20)
B. He
participates in the function of deity.
1. He
created the world (John 1:3).
2. He
sustains the world (Col.1:15-17).
3. He
forgives sins (Matt.9:1,2)
4. He
performs final judgment (John 5:22; Rev.19:16).
C. He
receives worship.
1. Of
angels (Heb.1:6; Rev.5:12,13)
2. Of
men (John 9:38;
D. He
has divine titles.
1. Jehovah
(Luke
2. Son
of God (Luke
E. Jesus
claimed to be God (John
F. Other
explicit claims (John 1:1; Rom.9.5; 1 John
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=540
LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)
Accentuate
the positive. Express things in terms of
what should be done, not what should not be done. If you accentuate the negative, people are
more likely to veer towards it. Like the
mother who left her five-year-old for a minute unsupervised in the kitchen,
saying as she left the room, "...don't you go putting those beans up your
nose..."
http://www.alanchapman.com/leadership.htm
SIX HABITS OF SPIRITUALLY HAPPY MEN
by Patrick
Morley
I've been
meeting with men for over three decades.
Many of those men exude a contagious joy and contentment. Their lives are peaceable, orderly, and
recommend Christ. They're downright
happy! Most of these happy men exercise
six spiritual habits that keep them "abiding in Christ." The dictionary says a habit is, "an
acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost
involuntary."
These six
habits are not litmus tests that you can use to judge a man's walk with
Christ. That would be extremely
dangerous. These habits do nothing to
improve a man's record with Jesus. They
are, however, indicators or "clues" of a deeper commitment to live by
faith and make a difference in the world.
These aren't the only six habits that reveal the depth of a man's walk
with Christ. Nevertheless, those of us
who are leaders would do well to practice, and encourage our men to practice,
these six habits. The change of heart
these often represent can change the course of a man's life and family lineage
for generations to come.
Habit #1: Spiritually happy men
read the Bible regularly.
Habit #2: Spiritually happy men
pray with their wives.
Habit #3: Spiritually happy men are
in a small group.
Habit #4: Spiritually happy men are
active in a church.
Habit #5: Spiritually happy men
tithe.
Habit #6: Spiritually happy men are
serving the Lord.
http://www.maninthemirror.org/biblestudy/series.htm
PHISHING FRAUD
from Randy
Rhodes
Email
schemes, called "phishing" or "carding", are an attempt to
trick consumers into disclosing personal and/or financial information. The emails appear to come from companies with
whom consumers may regularly conduct business (e.g., AOL, Earthlink, Paypal,
eBay, or a credit card issuer). Often
times the email threatens termination of accounts unless consumers update
billing information.
Many of
these email schemes contain links to "look-alike" websites that are
loaded with actual trademarked images.
The websites then instruct consumers to "reenter" their credit
card numbers, social security numbers, bank PINs, or other personal
information. If consumers actually
provide the information requested, the data goes to scammers, not the
legitimate company whose name is on the site.
Thereafter, the data is often used to order goods or services and/or to
obtain credit in the name of the consumer.
Caution
should always be used when receiving any unsolicited communication requesting
personal information. For tips on how to
avoid phishing scams, see http://www.antiphishing.org/consumer_recs.html
FACT ACT MEANS FREE CREDIT REPORTS
Have you
heard of the new FACT Act? Since
PASSWORD SAFE
A reader
recommends the Password Safe program as the best way to protect computer
passwords. Don't store a Word document
with all account and password information on your hard drive. The latest Trojan Horse logs your keystrokes,
and could in some cases deposit small programs that can scan your hard drive
for personal security information. Read
about it at
http://www.schneier.com/passsafe.html
Also,
watch out for Zango, a free offer on the web that, when installed, creates a
log of everything you do, keystroke by keystroke. In their privacy policy they claim this is
harmless (http://www.zango.com/about/privacypolicy.aspx). But Symantec calls this software, which
originates from a company called 180Search, spyware. A fix is available at http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/adware.180search.html.
THE GENEROUS HUSBAND
Pray for
your wife every day. Here's one way: Do
it by the first letter of the day of the week:
Sunday =
Spiritual walk
Monday =
Mood and emotions
Tuesday =
Time and energy
Wednesday
= Wellness - physical health
Thursday =
Talents and gifts
Friday =
Friends and Family
Saturday =
Sexuality
http://www.the-generous-husband.com/
Also, for
women, see
http://www.the-generous-wife.com/
VERSE TO PONDER
"God
has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can
flow through you. Are you called to be a
speaker? Then speak as though God
himself were speaking through you. Are
you called to help others? Do it with
all the strength and energy that God supplies.
Then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus
Christ." 1 Peter 4:10-11c (NLT)
CONSIDER
"Here
he tells us that the new birth is first of all "not of blood." You don't get it through the blood stream,
through heredity. Your parents can give
you much, but they cannot give you this.
Being born in a Christian home does not make you a Christian."
PRAY THROUGH THE NEWS
by Lori
Roeleveld
I love the
news. Like my black coffee, I like it
unadorned, straightforward, and hot. So
I begin my day with the local morning show, catch the national evening news,
then top off the day with Nightline. I
read a daily newspaper and two weekly local papers as well as the Sunday
edition. My Internet homepage is
programmed to report world and national news headlines, and my car radio is
tuned to my favorite news station....my avid interest in the news no longer
seems like a condition, but a calling.
Being an informed Christian is no longer an end in itself, but a means
by which I can serve through prayer. If
you're a similarly afflicted newshound, consider that God may be calling you to
regular intercession for the world. Here
are some guidelines to help you.
1. Spend more time in God's Word and
prayer than in the news media.
2. Spend a portion of the television
newscast praying for people and daily events.
3. Use the daily newspaper to pray for
and develop a love for your community.
4. Resist letting the news shape your
worldview.
5. Take an occasional media fast.
Read this
article in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2005/001/9.46.html
TO BE SIX YEARS OLD
A father
became disturbed about the length of time his six-year-old son was taking to
get home from school. The father decided
he'd make the trip to discover for himself how long it should take a small boy
to cover the distance. The father
settled on 20 minutes but his son was still taking an hour. Finally the father decided to make the trip
with his son.
After the
trip, the father said, "The 20 minutes I thought reasonable was right, but
I failed to consider such important things as a side trip to track down a trail
of ants...or an educational stop to watch a man fix a flat...or the time it
took to swing around a half dozen telephone poles...or how much time it took
for a boy just to get acquainted with two stray dogs and brown cat. In short," said the father, "I had
forgotten what it is really like to be six years old."
BECOMING YOUNG
In an
exhibit hall in Cannes Hundreds of Picasso's paintings were in chronological
display from what he had painted as an adolescent all the way up to his
experiments as an 85 year old master.
During the exhibit one lady approached Picasso and told him she did not
understand. His beginning works were so
mature, serious and solemn and then his later paintings are so free, different,
and irrepressible. It seems like the
dates should be reversed. How do you explain this? "Easily," replied
Picasso. "It takes a long time to
become young."
CONSIDER
"Going
to church doesn't make you a Christian, any more than going to a garage makes
you an automobile." Billy Sunday
(1862-1935)
VERSE TO PONDER
"Here
I am! I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: O LORD JESUS, LAMB OF GOD
Words: R.
Michael Cullinan, 1996
Music:
Johann Walther, 1524
O Lord
Jesus, Lamb of God,
Bearing
such a heavy load;
Pain and
suffering was Your fate-
Anguish,
ridicule and hate.
Crown of
thorns and staff of spite,
Must you
mock our Sovereign's might?
Know you
not whom Pilate brings?
Jesus
Christ, the King of kings!
Road of
sorrow, lead the way
To
redeeming love today.
Let me see
my Savior's face;
Let me
taste this gift of grace.
Tree of
anguish, bear my sin;
Heart of
Jesus, let me in.
O Lord,
may Your wounds make whole
Body,
spirit and my soul.
Cross of
triumph lifted high;
Christ
becomes the victory:
Priest and
sacrifice today,
Washing
all our guilt away.
O LORD
JESUS, LAMB OF GOD. (c) 1996, Robert Cullinan.
The copyright holder grants permission to reproduce these lyrics, as
long as this notice remains with each copy.
>from
CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/l/oljlambg.htm
GOD FAQ
Question
9: How many persons are there in the Godhead?
Answer:
There be three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;
and these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in
power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties.
http://www.shortercatechism.com/
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
http://www.worlddayofprayer.net/
ON PRAYER
"When
we are linked by the power of prayer, we, as it were, hold each other's hand as
we walk side by side along a slippery pate; and thus by the bounteous
disposition of charity, it comes about that the harder each one leans on the
other, the more firmly we are riveted together in brotherly love." Pope Gregory the Great
CRITICAL PRAYER
REQUESTS FOR STRATEGIC NATIONS
We're praying for our fellow believers in a different nation
each week. Please pray for...
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bg.html
Challenges for Prayer
2 Discrimination against ethnic
and religious minorities, under pressure from extremist Muslim groups
3 The churches have been growing
at twice the population rate
a) Growing churches have set bold outreach
goals for the future
b) The Great Commission Movement with the
commitment to planting a church in every one of the 464 sub-districts and each
of the ethnic groups of the country by the year 2000
c) The people-movement tribal churches
d) The churches among sections of the Hindu
population
4 Revival of the Church is the
greatest need
a) Nominal Christianity
b) Unity
c) Outreach
5 Leadership for the churches
a) The
b) Five denominational Bible schools and
seminaries (AoG, ABWE, Free Baptist, Lutheran and
6 There are over 20,000
registered NGOs which have multiplied to meet the land’s deep social needs
7 Bengali people are by far the
largest unreached people in the world with a global total of over 230 million
a) Muslims, who number over 110 million
b) The Hindus who feel vulnerable as a
religious minority
8 The tribal peoples’ very
existence is threatened by the general population explosion pushing hundreds of
thousands of Bengali to invade their territory
9 Other unreached groups:
a) Non-Christian tribal groups
b) The Bihari Muslims
c) Rohingya Muslims
10 Young people are strategic but
little is done to meet their spiritual needs
a) Over half the population is under 16, most
living in great poverty
b) Students number over 650,000 in 458
tertiary colleges
11 Missions
have been welcomed for their social uplift programmes, but too few are directly
involved in evangelistic outreach and church planting
12 Christian literature is in great
demand
a) Widespread distribution by EHC and ABWE
b) Bible Correspondence Courses run by SIM and
others
13 Distribution of Scripture
portions and sales of Bibles have risen year by year
a) The Bible Society and its extensive
ministry of Scripture production
b) The wise distribution of the Scriptures in
the Bengali Muslim dialect
c) The translation of the Bible into tribal
languages
14 Other Christian media are
important since a high proportion of the population is illiterate
a) Radio
b) The JESUS film has been used among Hindus
and Muslims with good response
c) Cassettes
d) Drama teams are being used to communicate
biblical truth to village people
PRAY FOR A COUNTRY TODAY
http://www.gmi.org/ow/index.html
DAILY BLESSING
PACT
Use the following list as your daily prayer guide. Think of
a brother or situation that applies and lift them up in prayer.
I am agreeing in prayer with you for God’s blessings to
overtake you!
PERSONAL
Marital harmony
Family unity
Children saved
Faithful pastor
Spirit-filled church
Real friendships
Relatives redeemed
Educational benefits
Recreational time
Fulfilling career
Favor with God and man
Be in God’s will
FINANCIAL
Better Jobs
Raises or bonuses
Benefits
Sales & commissions
Settlements
Estates & inheritances
Investment increase
Rebates & returns
Checks in the mail
Gifts & surprises
Money to be found
Bills decrease while blessings increase
"And all these blessings shall come on thee, and
overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God"
(Deut. 28:2).
PRAY FOR THESE
BROTHERS
*
Bro. Anton Johnson
*
Apostle Aaron Royster
*
Bro. Warren Baudy
*
Bro. Raymond Jones
*
Minister Aaron Royster, Jr.
*
Bro. Paul
*
Bro. Darnell Kennedy
*
Pastor Leonard Royster
*
Bro. Arthur Carr
*
Minister Corey “Keyz” Martin
[As you
travel on business or vacation, let me know if you'd like the church guys to
pray for your safety and spiritual effectiveness. I'll add your name to the list for the time
you'll be away.]
CLASSIFIEDS
Are you
looking for something or do you have something to sell? Let me know and I'll put it in this
newsletter.
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES
Tell us
what sites you find enjoyable and why.
Now Try
God
E-vangelism.com
All links
to Websites are provided as a service, and do not imply endorsement by our
church.
(BTW:
whenever the URLs in this newsletter are too long to turn into links on your
e-mail program, just copy the entire URL (two lines or more) and paste it into
a temporary email message. Then delete
the return in the middle of it and copy it again. Then paste it into your web browser and hit
enter.)
A husband
is someone who takes out the trash and gives the impression he just cleaned the
whole house.
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MSM CONNECTIONS is a periodic newsletter of
announcements, news, recommendations, articles, and other information helpful
to men in our spiritual growth. Thanks for welcoming MSM CONNECTIONS
into your in-box!
Who to contact:
Minister Frank Coleman, Men Servants Ministry Chairman,
773-410-1483,
Minister Arnold Whitehead, Men Servants Ministry
Vice-Chairman, 773-846-6090
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The mission of New Joy Divine
Full Gospel Church is to be a Christ-centered, Bible based, Spirit guided
church meeting the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of its members and
the community it serves.
The Men Servants Ministry (MSM)
Team offers a variety of activities for men to interact with other men on our
journey of faith in Christ together. Large group, small group, and one-to-one
events encourage relationship building and spiritual strengthening that result
in maximizing the potential we all have in Christ. Contact Min. Frank Coleman,
773-410-1483, [email protected]
if you'd like to participate in a men's discipleship program.
New
Tel: 773-224-5683. Founded & Pastored by Apostle
Aaron L. Royster & Prophetess Mable L. Royster.
Visit our website at: http://www.newjoydivine.org/
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