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"Our old life died with Christ
on the cross so that our sinful selves would have no power over us and
we'd no longer be slaves to sin."
Romans 6:6 (NCV)
CONSIDER
"You may study, look, and
meditate, but Jesus is a greater Savior than you think Him to be, even
when your thoughts are at their highest." Charles Spurgeon
"MERE CHRISTIANITY"
by Professor Edward H. Pauley
"As any reputable historian can
attest, movements and institutions have a way of changing over time,
sometimes within one generation, so that they are almost unrecognizable
to later observers. Historic,
orthodox Christianity, on the other hand, has maintained an identity and
continuity at its core for nearly 2,000 years. That core of faith and practice, of
doctrine and deed, has been dubbed by one of its most articulate 20th
century adherents, C. S. Lewis, as "Mere Christianity." It is the common ground on which
traditional Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Protestant believers
stand. Despite centuries of
passionate differences among themselves, the wonder is how much they
share with each other and with the 1st century Christianity of the New
Testament".... Read this in
full at
http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth26.html
WINTER OLYMPICS WRAP-UP
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/torino/front.htm
http://www.nbcolympics.com/index.html
http://news.yahoo.com/fc/Sports/Olympics
http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/home/index.html
5 KEYS TO SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE AT WORK
In every part of the world, people
are looking for spiritual answers and resources as never before. But you don't need to travel to some
exotic foreign mission field to find hungry hearts. You spend hours every
day in the most strategic place of impact in the world-your
workplace. Here are five practical
keys to help you with your ministry through work....
http://www.regent.edu/acad/schbus/maz/busreview/issue22/spir_influence.html
THIS SEASON OF LENT
Lent, the period of 40 weekdays and
6 Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, begins March 1 (Ash
Wednesday) with the imposition of ashes, an ancient symbol of penance
common in the Old Testament and pagan antiquity. Jesus alludes to it when he condemns
the cities of Bethsaida
and Chorazin for not doing penance.
"If the miracles performed in you had taken place in Trye and
Sidon,
they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes" (Matthew 11:21). This is the time we think about
Christ's sacrifice for us. It's
also a good time for us to consider what we will sacrifice for God.
O Jesus, you place on my forehead
the sign of my sister Death:
"Remember you are dust,
and
to dust you shall return."
How not hear her wise advice?
One day my life on earth will end;
the limits on my years are set,
though I know not the day or hour
Shall I be ready to go to meet you?
Let this holy season be a time of
grace
for
me and all this world.
"Teach us to number our days
aright,
that
we may gain wisdom of heart."
O Jesus, you place on my forehead
the sign of your saving Cross:
"Turn from sin and be faithful
to
the gospel."
How can I turn from sin
unless
I turn to you?
You speak, you raise your hand,
you touch my mind and call my name,
"Turn to the Lord your God
again."
THE CHALLENGE OF THE LENTEN SEASON
"The world in its own careless
way seems to expect something of Lent.
It's a time when the claims of Jesus Christ appear to enter the
scope of legitimate inquiry.
Publishers issue books of sermons and devotions dealing with the
cross of Christ; pastors preach messages on the events surrounding Calvary,
with the confidence that even the most liberal members of their
congregation will hardly criticize the subject matter...."
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/110/33.0.html
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA
The name 'dies cinerum'
(day of ashes) which it bears in the Roman Missal is found in the
earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary
and probably dates from at least the eighth century. On this day all the faithful according
to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning
of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb into ashes previously
blessed, marks the forehead -- or in case of clerics upon the place of
the tonsure -- of each the sign of the cross, saying the words:
"Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt
return"....
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01775b.htm
LENTEN PRAYER RESOURCES FROM THE CALVIN INSTITUTE OF CHRISTIAN
WORSHIP
Lent invites us to make our hearts
ready for remembering Jesus' passion and celebrating Jesus' resurrection.
... As a period of preparation, Lent has historically included the
instruction of persons for baptism and profession of faith on Easter
Sunday; the calling back of those who have become estranged from the
church; and efforts by all Christians to deepen their piety, devotion,
and readiness to mark the death and resurrection of their Savior. As such, the primary focus of the season
is to explore and deepen a "baptismal spirituality" that
centers on our union with Christ rather than to function only as an
extended meditation on Christ's suffering and death....
http://www.calvin.edu/worship/leader/lent.php
FASTING AS A SPIRITUAL EXERCISE
"The writings of Scripture, the
Church Fathers, and many Christian leaders of today offer several
biblical insights into the spiritual need for fasting: It is a way to humble ourselves before
God (Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:21). It brings revelation of our spiritual
condition resulting in brokenness and change. It brings personal revival through the
powerful moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It helps us better understand the Bible
by making it more vital and practical.
It transforms prayer into a richer and more personal experience.
"Once you understand the
purpose of fasting and realize what it does for you, regular fasting will
begin to make spiritual sense. The
more you fast for the purpose of seeking God's face and for his glory,
the more you will want to fast.
The rewards are rich beyond measure."
http://www.new-life.net/fasting.htm
YOUR PERSONAL GUIDE TO FASTING & PRAYER
by Bill Bright
"Fasting is one of the most
neglected spiritual admonitions.
In fact, it's been ignored for so long that it is difficult to
find information on the "how-to's" of
this life-changing experience.
When I first undertook an extended fast, I had difficult time
finding information on the nature of a Biblical fast, how to start, what
to expect physically and spiritually, and how to terminate a
fast...." Read this article
at
http://www.billbright.com/howtofast/
Also see 7 BASIC STEPS TO FASTING
& PRAYER
http://www.billbright.com/7steps/
RELIGIOUS PRACTICE OF FASTING GETS SUPPORT FROM MEDICINE
Fasting programs can lower blood
pressure or cholesterol levels.
http://health.enotes.com/medicine-encyclopedia/fasting
A BOOK FOR LENT
"Jesus is rejected by God, is
cut completely off from God, is hung on a tree
and thereby cursed, divorced at all points from his Father. And yet: it is in this same Jesus, at
this same moment, precisely because of his sacrifice and death, that God
is most present to the world! It's
in Jesus on the cursed tree that God's supreme intentions toward the
world are made manifest: that he hasn't come to curse, but rather to love
and to bless."
Excerpt from RELIVING THE PASSION:
Meditations on the Suffering, Death, and the Resurrection of Jesus as
Recorded in Mark by Walter Wangerin, Jr.
http://www.zondervan.com/Books/Detail.asp?ISBN=0310755301
VERSE TO PONDER
"I have been crucified with
Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Galatians 2:20
(NIV)
CONSIDER
"The world is full of
mysteries; the soul is full of mysteries; heaven is all mystery to us
earthly creatures. But whoever
embraces the cross with open heart finds therein the explanation of a
thousand mysteries." William
Ullathorne
THE CROSS
"The cross is the way of the
lost
the cross is the staff of the lame
the cross is the guide of the blind
the cross the strength of the weak
the cross is the hope of the
hopeless
the cross is the freedom of the
slaves
the cross the water of the seeds
the cross is the consolation of the
laborers
the cross is the source of those who
seek water
the cross is the cloth of the
naked"
- African Hymn, 444 Surprising
Quotes about Jesus
CONSIDER
"I owe my Lord a morning song,
for Jesus rose at dawn; he made death die and would not lie, that others
might live on." John L. Bell
HMMMMMM
"Each day, 5 million
marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for
Easter." The National
Confectioners Association (http://www.candyusa.org)
LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)
Discipleship: Eternal Impact by Phil
Downer
"What a person needs is someone
to draw close, minister to him, and help him mature. He needs somebody to demonstrate for him
another way to live, modeling a godly marriage, biblical parenthood, and
the love of Christ. He needs
someone who will take the time to parent him in his spiritual walk,
helping him find the new life Christ promised. Many people are exactly like I was
twenty years ago, in need of a spiritual parent...." Read this in full by going to this PDF
document
http://www.efca.org/men/media/volume_4_number_3.pdf
DYING TO BE A BETTER HUSBAND
by Steve Sjogren
If you were to stand face-to-face
with God right now, do you think he'd have anything to say about your
marriage? He did with Steve
Sjogren. Now, Sjogren believes
he's a better listener because of that encounter. What does God want to say about your
marriage?....
http://tinyurl.com/p2j4e
NEW TEST HELPS PREDICT YOUR DEATH-RISK
There's a new test for baby boomers
and their parents, and it's one where you definitely want a low score.
The 12-question test measures risk of dying within four years, and the
more points you get, the greater your risk....
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-02-14-mortality-test_x.htm
COOL MATH TRICK
1.
Grab a calculator
(you won't be able to do this one in your head)
2.
Key in the first
three digits of your phone number (NOT YOUR AREA CODE)
3.
Multiply by 80
4.
Add 1
5.
Multiply by 250
6.
Add the last 4
digits of your phone number
7.
Add the last 4
digits of your phone number again.
8.
Subtract 250
9.
Divide number by 2
Do you recognize the answer?
CONSIDER
"Crosses are not the places
where faith is killed but where it is proven." Calvin Miller, The Christ of Easter
VERSE TO PONDER
"Crying may last for a night,
but joy comes in the morning."
Ps. 30:5 (NCV)
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: THE FAST, AS TAUGHT BY HOLY LORE
Words: Unknown author. This hymn is found in two 11th century
manuscripts in the British Museum, and in Latin Hymns of the Anglo-Saxon
Church, printed from an 11th century manuscript by the Surtees Society
(Durham, England: 1851). Translated from Latin to English by John M.
Neale, 1854.
Music: Rouen
church melody
The fast, as taught by holy lore,
We keep in solemn course once more;
The fast to all men known, and bound
In forty days of yearly round.
The law and seers that were of old
In divers ways this Lent foretold
Which Christ, all seasons' King and
Guide,
In after ages sanctified.
More sparing therefore let us make
The words we speak, the food we
take,
Our sleep and mirth, and closer
barred
Be every sense in holy guard.
In prayer together let us fall,
And cry for mercy, one and all,
And weep before the Judge's feet,
And His avenging wrath
entreat.
Thy grace have we offended sore,
By sins, O God, which we deplore;
But pour upon us from on high,
O pardoning One, Thy clemency.
Remember Thou, though frail we be,
That yet Thine handiwork are we;
Nor let the honor of Thy Name
Be by another put to shame.
Forgive the sin that we have
wrought;
Increase the good that we have
sought;
That we at length, our wanderings
o'er,
May please Thee here and evermore.
We pray Thee, holy Trinity,
One God, unchanging Unity,
That we from this our abstinence
May reap the fruits of penitence.
>from CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/f/t/ftaugbhl.htm
GOD FAQ
Question 61: Are all they saved who
hear the gospel, and live in the church?
Answer: All that hear the gospel,
and live in the visible church, are not saved; but they only who are true
members of the church invisible.
http://www.shortercatechism.com/
ON PRAYER
"I strongly suspect that if we
saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers make, and all the
people those little prayers were destined to affect, and all the
consequences of those prayers down through the centuries, we would be so
paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer that we would be unable to get
up off our knees for the rest of our lives." Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy, Boston
College
PRAY FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS TODAY
http://christiansincrisis.net/
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).
[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.
Looking for a good
book? A new Bible? How about some inspiring music? We’ve got what you
need. Visit our online
Christian bookstore to get the best prices around. Visit us today and
you’ll find a huge inventory, totally convenient shopping and great
prices on the products you’re looking for. Are you using the power of
books to grow in your relationship with God and lead people to Christ?
Books really do change lives. Take this opportunity to bless your
congregation so they can go and bless others. Visit our bookstore today!
http://www.thechristianconnection.net
BEAUTIFUL, NEWLY
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CALL
773-732-8843 FOR MORE INFO.
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES
Tell us what sites you find
enjoyable and why.
The ooze.com
http://www.theooze.com
Internet Evangelism Day (May 7)
http://ied.gospelcom.net/publicity.php#news
(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.)
We set the sail; God makes the wind.
Min. Frank Coleman, Editor
[email protected]
===== /\ =====
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 Joy Divine Full Gospel Church is located at 7625 S. Halsted St. Chicago, IL 60620.
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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