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
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"Let us examine our
ways and test them, and let us return to the
Lord." Lamentations
CONSIDER
"Easter is the New
Year's Day of the soul." A.B. Simpson
HOSTAGE READS
'PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE' TO ALLEGED
(
"I asked him if I could
read," Smith, 26, said in recounting the ordeal to reporters outside her
attorney's office March 13. "He said, 'What do you want to
read?' "'Well, I have a book in my room.' So I went
and got it. I got my Bible, and I got a book called 'The
Purpose-Driven Life.' I turned it to the chapter that I was on that
day. It was chapter 33. And I started to read the first paragraph of
it. After I read it, he said, 'Stop. Will you read it again?'
On Day 33 of the book,
author Rick Warren, a
Read this news story in full
at
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=20340
Read chapter 33 at
http://www.zondervan.com/purposedrivenlife/images/0310205719_PDL_c33.pdf
HOLY WEEK
March 20 - Palm Sunday
March 24 - Maundy Thursday
March 25 - Good Friday
March 27 - Easter Sunday
ANSWERING THE CYNICS
As Easter approaches, so
does the cynical non-believer who delights in pointing out his favorite and
so-called "unanswerable" questions about the Christian
faith. Cynical comments usually include, "Christianity is a
crutch," "It's narrow-minded to think Jesus is the only way to
God," and "If God is so good, why is there
evil?" Read Ten Objections to Christianity and How to Respond,
a ChristianityToday.com article, and find answers that will help you respond to
the cynics that surround you -- unbelieving friends, family, colleagues -- and
a world that needs an encounter with the risen Christ.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2000/002/7.62.html
EVANGELICAL WRITERS DISCUSS
EASTER-RELATED TOPICS
Read What Makes This Week
Holy?[1] by Timothy George, executive editor of Christianity Today addressing
the spiritual meaning of both Passover and Holy Week in the Jewish and
Christian traditions. George comments, "As Jews reenact the
mighty act of God in saving His chosen people at the Exodus, so Christians are
called to follow Jesus on His lonely trek from the Upper Room through
[1] http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/114/11.0.html
[2] http://www.christianarsenal.com/Apologetics/Resurrection.htm
[3] http://watkins.gospelcom.net/finished.htm
[4] http://www.gospelcom.net/content/easter/
[5] http://www.teacherhelp.org/easter.htm#recipes
[6] http://awesomestories.com/religion/stories/easter_story/easter_story_ch1.htm
[7] http://www.puzzleclub.org/
[8] http://www.sfakia-crete.com/sfakia-crete/greekeaster.html
[9] http://www.ceai.org/fmembers/teaching_tips/tt_easter.htm
THE NIGHT BEFORE
EASTER...FOR FAMILIES
Read 'Twas
the Night before Easter[1] as a fun family activity.
Gather your family on the actual night before Easter and either read or
dramatize the poem (which you may print out, along with the credit/copyright
line). Make sure everyone in the family has a part (little ones
might enjoy coloring their favorite part of the poem). Then read the
Easter Bible story from John 20:1-18[2], which you might also want to
dramatize. Conclude with a family prayer circle. You may
also enjoy reading The Empty Egg[3] as you prepare for
the coming Easter celebration.
[1] http://www.peggiesplace.com/easter.htm
[3] http://gatewaytojesus.com/inspirational/inspirationalstories/EmptyEgg.html
EXPERIENCE THE VOICES AND
EMOTIONS OF EASTER
Back to the Bible presents
The Twelve Voices of Easter[1], a RealAudio and visual
Internet drama in English and French, written by Dr. Woodrow Kroll and Keith Ghormley. Follow 12 Bible personalities as they
relate the Easter events from a personal perspective and bring to life your
understanding of Easter. Hear the voices of betrayal, denial,
deception and more, concluding with voices of affirmation, courage, adoration
and assurance. Then read The Emotions of Easter[2], an
article by Dr. Kroll in which he discusses the emotions of awe, joy, obedience
and worship, woven throughout the Easter story. Dr. Kroll says,
"Don't be afraid of your emotions. They can make Easter a
deeper, richer experience."
[1] http://www.backtothebible.org/easter/
[2] http://www.backtothebible.org/lifeissues/holiday/emotionsofeaster.htm
YOU CAN TRUST JESUS
He is eternally steadfast
He is immortally faithful
He is imperially powerful
and
He is impartially merciful
He is Jesus, God's Son
AND YOU CAN TRUST HIM.
I wish I could more accurately
describe Him to you
But He's indescribable
He's incomprehensible
He's invincible
He's irresistible
You can outlive Him
And you can't live without
Him
The Pharisees couldn't stand
Him
But they found they couldn't
stop Him
Pilate couldn't fault Him
Herod couldn't kill Him
Death couldn't conquer Him
And the grave couldn't hold
Him....
Read this poem in full at
http://www.flc.org/ctw/trust.htm
EVANGELICALS TAKE ON
ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL ISSUES
The Evangelical Leadership
Summit was held recently in
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4532625
Read the story at
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/10/national/10evangelical.html?oref=login
Also see NAE website
An Evangelical Call to Civic
Responsibility
http://www.nae.net/images/civic_responsibility2.pdf
and
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/11/Worldandnation/Evangelicals_look_to_.shtml
And check out
Young Evangelicals
Leadership Institute
http://www.nae.net/images/YBFINAL.pdf
BASIC BIBLE DOCTRINE
IV. The Life of
Christ
A. The
Chronology of His earthly life
1. The
Preparation Years - Birth to Baptism (Luke 1-3) Through age 32 (5/4 B.C. - A.D.
29, Luke 3:1,2,23)
2. The
Ministry Years - Age 32-35/36 (A.D. 29 - A.D. 33)
a. The early
Judean and Samaritan Ministry (John
b. The
Galilean Ministry (Matt.4:12 - 18:35; Mark 1:14 - 9:50)
c. The Perean Ministry (Luke 10:1 - 19:28)
3. The Passion
Week (including post-resurrection appearances - Matt.21:1 - 28:20; Mark 10:1 -
16:20; Luke
B. The
Functions of His earthly life: While on earth Christ fulfilled the functions of
Prophet, Priest and King:
1. Christ was
God's Prophet (Matt.13:57; Luke 13:33). Christ was the ultimate fulfillment of
the office of prophet as predicted by Moses (Deut.18:15; Acts
3:22-26). He delivered God's message to man by constant teaching and
preaching (Matt.7:29, 11:1 etc.).
2. Christ was
man's High Priest (Heb.4:14-16;
3. Christ came
as King (Matt.27:11). The prophets and the angel Gabriel predicted that Jesus
would come as the King of Israel (Is.9:6,7; Luke
1:31-33). He did (Matt.2:2; 3:2). He came offering the
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=540
VERSES TO PONDER
"Friends, let me go
over the Message with you one final time--this Message that I proclaimed and
that you made your own; this Message on which you took your stand and by which
your life has been saved....The first thing I did was place before you what was
placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly
as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the
third day, again exactly as Scripture says; that he presented himself alive to
Peter, then to his closest followers, and later to more than five hundred of
his followers all at the same time, most of them still around (although a few
have since died); that he then spent time with James and the rest of those he
commissioned to represent him; and that he finally presented himself alive to
me." 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 (The Message)
CONSIDER
"Any alleged
Christianity which fails to express itself in cheerfulness, at some point, is
clearly spurious. The Christian is cheerful, not because he is blind
to injustice and suffering, but because he is convinced that these, in the
light of the divine sovereignty, are never ultimate." Elton Trueblood (1900-1994), The Humor
of Christ [1965]
LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS,
FAMILY, LIFE)
John MacArthur: "The
price of victory is discipline. That means self-control, sacrifice,
and hard work. Athletes in Paul's day trained hard just to be able
to compete in the competition. In order to enter the Isthmian games, athletes had to give proof of ten months'
full-time training. For thirty days before the event, the athletes
trained together daily, in public view. They followed a staggering
regimen of exercise and discipline that eliminated all but the most
devoted. Then, as now, it was a serious commitment to be a
world-class athlete.
"That was precisely how
Paul portrayed the discipline he followed as a leader of God's
people. This was no mere game to him. He was more serious than any
track-and-field athlete. He wanted to win a race that had far more
significance than any arena sport. Therefore it required even more diligence
and discipline.
"Everyone who competes
for the prize is temperate [moderate, self-restrained, not given to excess] in
all things," he said in 1 Corinthians
HE'S LISTENING, BUT HE
DOESN'T HEAR
A man was sitting on the
edge of the bed, observing his wife turning back and forth, looking at herself
in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off he asked what
she'd like to have for her special day. "I'd like to be six
again," she replied, still looking in the mirror.
On the morning of her
Birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Lucky Charms, and then
took her to Six Flags theme park. What a day! He put her
on every ride in the park: the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Monster Roller Coaster, everything there
was. Five hours later they staggered out of the theme
park. Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside
down. He then took her to a McDonald's where he ordered her a Happy
Meal with extra fries and a chocolate shake. Then it was off to a
movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favorite candy, M&Ms.
What a fabulous
adventure! Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed
into bed exhausted. He leaned over his wife with a big smile and
lovingly asked, "Well dear, what was it like being six
again?" Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly
changed. "I meant my dress size, you
dummy!" The moral of the story: Even when a man is listening,
he's gonna get it wrong.
INTERNET EVANGELISM DAY
TEENS &
CREATION/EVOLUTION: MOST SEE GOD'S HANDIWORK
The poll of 1,028 teenagers
ages 13-17 finds that 38% don't believe in evolution, believing instead that
"God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time
within the last 10,000 years or so." Another 43% believe that humans
"developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but
God guided" the process. All total, 81% believe that God was
somehow involved. Only 18% believe that evolution took place without
God playing a role.
Read this story in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=20311
CONSIDER
"When we have, through
Christ, obtained mercy for our persons, we need not fear but that we shall have
suitable and seasonable help for our duties." John Owen
(1616-1683)
VERSE TO PONDER
"He is not here; he has
risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he
lay." Matthew 28:6 (NIV)
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: CHRIST THE
LORD IS RISEN TODAY
Words: Charles Wesley, 1739
Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say,
Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs
high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth,
reply, Alleluia!
Love's redeeming work is
done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle
won, Alleluia!
Lo! the
Sun's eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no
more, Alleluia!
Vain the stone, the watch,
the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates
of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His
rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise,
Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious
King, Alleluia!
Where, O death,
is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to
save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave?
Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head,
Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave,
the skies, Alleluia!
Hail, the Lord of earth and
heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant
now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection day,
Alleluia!
King of glory, Soul of
bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this,
Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to
prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to
love, Alleluia!
Hymns of praise then let us
sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly
King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and
grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to
redeem and save. Alleluia!
But the pains that He
endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation
have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He's King,
Alleluia!
Where the
angels ever sing. Alleluia!
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day,
Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross,
Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss.
Alleluia!
>from CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/t/ctlrisen.htm
GOD FAQ
Question 12: What are the
decrees of God?
Answer: God's decrees are
the wise, free, and holy acts of the counsel of his will, whereby, from all
eternity, he has, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained: Whatsoever
comes to pass in time, especially concerning angels and men.
http://www.shortercatechism.com/
ON PRAYER
"Prayer is...always
affected by the character and conduct of him who prays. Water cannot
rise above its own level, and the spotless prayer cannot flow from the spotted
heart. Straight praying is never born of crooked
conduct." Leonard Ravenhill
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
*
Phillips, Bro.
Edward Corey
*
West, Bro.
Rudolph
*
Gray, Bro. Johnie
*
Powell, Bro.
Larry
*
Whitehead, Minister
Arnold
*
Gray, Sr.,
Pastor Marvin
*
Pratt, Bro. Jack
*
Wilkerson, Bro.
Lester
*
Green, Bro.
James
*
Pulliam,
Minister Timothy
[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.
Virtual Bubble Wrap to Pop
http://www.virtual-bubblewrap.com/popnow.shtml
Endhomelessness.org
http://www.endhomelessness.org
Search The
Word: Bible tools for the serious student
http://www.searchgodsword.org/
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.)
He is risen!
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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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