~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "At just the right time, when we were still powerless,
Christ died for the ungodly. Very
rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone
might possibly dare to die. But God
demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us." Romans 5:6-8 CONSIDER "Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection not
in words alone, but in every leaf in springtime." Martin Luther MORE ON THE
RESURRECTION "The resurrection means that he can bring forth the
new. His working never comes to an end,
for he can always open up a new possibility ... The cross speaks of God
standing with his creatures in the flux of events, the resurrection speaks of
his always being ahead of events. Both
symbols seem essential to the idea of God." Scottish Theologian John Macquarrie "In many respects I find an unresurrected Jesus easier to
accept. Easter makes him
dangerous. Because of Easter, I have
to listen to his extravagant claims and can no longer pick and choose from
his sayings. Moreover, Easter means he
must be loose out there somewhere."
Philip Yancey MOST DON'T BELIEVE IN
BODILY RESURRECTION FOR THEMSELVES A new Scripps Howard/Ohio University poll shows that most
Americans don't believe they'll experience a resurrection of their bodies
when they die, putting them at odds with a core teaching of
Christianity. This seems to put
Americans in conflict with both the Nicene Creed and the Apostles'
Creed. Only 36% of the 1,007 adults
interviewed said 'yes' to the question: 'Do you believe that, after you die,
your physical body will be resurrected someday?' 54% said they do not believe and 10% were
undecided. Apart from a physical
resurrection of the body, the poll finds that most Americans embrace other
major elements of traditional Christian dogma. 90% believe in a God or a Supreme Being,
with 65% saying they are 'absolutely certain' that God exists. 72% said they believe in an afterlife in
which they'll have 'some sort of consciousness,' although slightly less than
half (47%) said they're "absolutely certain" of this.... TOP TEN JESUS MOVIES They've been making films about the Son of God for over a
century. Here's one man's list of
those that ascend to the top of the cinematic pack.... The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1902-05) The King of Kings (1927) The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964) The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) Godspell (1973) The Messiah (1976) Jesus of Jesus (1999) The Miracle Maker (2000) The Passion of the Christ (2004) Read more about them at LIVING LIFE WITH
PURPOSE by David Jeremiah What kind of life do you want to lead? A life that creates a lasting impression,
chiseled through imperishable deeds? In
order to live this kind of life -- a life written upon everlasting rock
instead of temporal wind or waves -- we must have a goal that makes our lives
significant. A purpose worth living
and dying for, a passion that transcends our limited world, a cause bigger
than we are -- such is the making of a life of purpose. You can't serve the generation that preceded you, because you
weren't there. You'll never be able to
serve the generation after you, because you won't be there. You have to serve the generation in which
you live, and you must do it by the will of God. The greatest way we can serve the
generation in which we live is to live a life of purpose.... Read this in full at http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=23007 'HEF' TURNS 80 by Gail Dines and Robert Jensen ( "Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy, is the most influential
pimp in postwar Read this commentary in full at JUST PRAY NO Since 1991, Christians from around the world have united to pray
for the addicted. This year's
"Just Pray No" weekend of prayer and fasting for the addicted will
be April 22 and 23. LEADERSHIP TIPS
(BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE) Dress For Success by Scott Reeves Here's a rule of thumb: Understated elegance beats flash and
trash five days a week. That means men
shouldn't dress like aspiring rock stars.
For you who still furnish your apartments in Undergraduate Chic,
traditional attire includes: *
A button-down shirt. *
Polished black shoes. *
A blue, black or gray jacket. *
Slacks that complement the jacket. *
You can't go wrong with a conservative
tie. (Alas, this rules out pink flamingoes, hula dancers and anything to do
with sports.).... Read more at CLERGY AND LAITY
DISAGREE ABOUT TITHING AND CHARITABLE GIVING According to a new study, 56% of all clergy say Christians are
under a biblical mandate to tithe 10% of their income to the local church,
while another 12% feel Christians are under this 10% mandate, but the gifts
don't necessarily have to go to the local church. 20% believe there's a
biblical mandate to give, but not any specific amount or percentage. However, among the people who attend
Protestant churches, only 36% feel there's a biblical command to tithe 10% to
their local church, while another 23% believe there's a biblical mandate to
tithe, but not necessarily to the local church. 27% feel the Bible commands
Christians to give, but not a set proportion or amount, while 10% believe
Christians are under no mandate to give anything.... HOW TO RESPOND TO THE
DA VINCI CODE by Lee Strobel With this May's release of the movie version of The Da Vinci
Code, Christians will have a potentially unprecedented opportunity to answer
questions about Jesus from spiritual seekers in our communities. Here are ideas to help us get started.... THE RETURN OF SMITH
& WESSON Due to savvy marketing, a growing Homeland security budget, and
expanded Pentagon spending, a legendary armsmaker is coming back to
life. See the New York Times slide
show at VERSE TO PONDER "[Christ] himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so
that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have
been healed." 1 Peter 2:24 CONSIDER "Christianity does not consist in any partial amendment of
our lives, any particular moral virtues, but in an entire change of our
natural temper, a life wholly devoted to God." William Law (1686-1761) PUN ALERT 1.
A vulture boards an airplane, carrying
two dead raccoons. The stewardess
looks at him and says, "I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per
passenger." 2.
Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says: "Dam!". 3.
Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were
chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft.
Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your
kayak and heat it too. 4.
Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says "I've lost my
electron." The other says "Are you sure?" The first replies "Yes, I'm positive." 5.
Did you hear about the Buddhist who
refused Novocain during a root canal?
His goal: transcend dental medication. 6.
A group of chess enthusiasts checked
into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament
victories. After about an hour, the
manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why?" they asked, as they
moved off. "Because", he
said, "I can't stand chess-nuts
boasting in an open foyer." 7.
A woman has twins and gives them up for
adoption. One of them goes to a family
in 8.
Friars behind on their belfry payments
opened a small florist shop to raise funds.
Since everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, a rival
florist across town thought the competition was unfair. He asked the good fathers to close down,
but they would not. So, the rival
florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, a thug in town to "persuade" them to
close. Hugh beat up the friars and
trashed their store, saying he'd be back if they didn't close up shop. Terrified, they did so, thereby proving
that: Only Hugh can prevent florist
friars. 9.
A religious man in 10.
And finally, there was the person who
sent ten different puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the
puns would make them laugh. No pun in
ten did! EXTRAORDINARY USES
FOR ORDINARY THINGS Did you know you could zap pimples with window cleaner? Or clean a toilet bowl with
Alka-Seltzer? Polish your shoes with
toothpaste? You'll find these and
hundreds of other quick fixes and repairs using ordinary household items in
Reader's Digest's new, free, interactive Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary
Things tool. You can search your
problem by keyword, browse by category, or look at popular searches to find
cost-effective solutions for practically anything. Try it out today, and discover more than
2,300 ingenious ways to restore, replace, repair, or revive practically
everything in and around your home -- using products you already have. RESPONDING TO THE
GOSPEL OF JUDAS by R. Albert Mohler Jr. Headlines around the world are announcing the publication of a
"long lost" and "suppressed" ancient document, known as
The Gospel of Judas. The National
Geographic Society announced the publication at a major media event April 6,
just in time to boost publicity for its special on the National Geographic Channel
April 9. The announcement led to a frenzy of media coverage, ranging from
responsible reports to outrageous sensationalism. According to some commentators, the
publication of this new document will force a complete reformulation of
Christianity and our understanding of both Judas and Jesus. In reality, nothing of the sort is in
view. The document is highly
interesting, however, offering an ancient and authoritative source into the
thinking of heretical groups who offered alternative understandings of
Christianity. The document purports to be written by Judas, even though it
certainly was written long after Judas's death. Nevertheless, the very
existence of this document, rooted in the third century after Christ,
indicates something of the struggle Christian leaders confronted in defining
and defending the authentic Gospel against heretical groups such as the
Gnostics. A quick look at The Gospel of Judas reveals the contrast between
this document and the four canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John. The English version, edited by
Rudolphe Kasser, Marvin Meyer, and Gregor Wurst, presents an accessible and
readable version of the portions of the Codex Tchacos now available. The most
remarkable feature of this text is its thoroughly Gnostic character. The
substance of this Gospel bears virtually no resemblance to orthodox
Christianity -- a fact which explains why the early church recognized this
writing for what it is, and rejected it as neither authoritative nor
authentic.... Read this article in full at CONSIDER "We are God's tenants here, and yet here he, our landlord,
pays us rents -- not yearly, nor quarterly, but hourly and quarterly; every
minute he renews his mercy." John
Donne VERSE TO PONDER "If, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him
through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we
be saved through his life!"
Romans 5:10 THIS WEEK'S HYMN:
CHRIST IS RISEN! Words: Fanny Crosby, late 19th Century) Music: George C. Stebbins Christ hath risen! Hallelujah! Blessèd morn of life and light! Lo, the grave is rent asunder, Death is conquered through His might. Refrain Christ is risen! Hallelujah! Gladness fills the world today; From the tomb that could not hold Him, See, the stone is rolled away! Christ hath risen! Hallelujah! Friends of Jesus, dry your tears; Through the veil of gloom and darkness, Lo, the Son of God appears! Refrain Christ hath risen! Hallelujah! He hath risen, as He said; He is now the King of glory, And our great exalted Head. Refrain >from CyberHymnal at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/i/cisrisen.htm GOD FAQ Question 68: Are the elect only effectually called? Answer: All the elect, and they only, are effectually called; although
others may be, and often are, outwardly called by the ministry of the Word,
and have some common operations of the Spirit; who, for their wilful neglect
and contempt of the grace offered to them, being justly left in their
unbelief, do never truly come to Jesus Christ. http://www.shortercatechism.com/ ON PRAYER "The Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to
Him." Deuteronomy 4:7 (NIV) PRAY FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS TODAY PRAY FOR A COUNTRY TODAY DAILY BLESSING PACT PERSONAL FINANCIAL Settlements "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. Bookstore Entrepreneur Wanted Top income potential, flexible hours, Christian oriented, online required. 1-866-439-1617 http://www.thechristianconnection.net 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://christianconnectionbooks.spreadtheword.com SHARE YOUR FAVORITE
WEBSITES Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why. Resurrection Flash movies: "The Walk" http://www.newsongonline.org/shock/walk_link.html "He Is Risen" http://www.newsongonline.org/shock/risen.html Resurrection Of Jesus Puzzle http://members.aol.com/SHinrichs9/rssrdeb.htm Gospelcom.net Resurrection resources http://www.gospelcom.net/content/easter/ A virtual journey through the Resurrection story http://awesomestories.com/religion/stories/easter_story/easter_story_ch1.htm Easter in Cyberspace: A Christian Perspective http://www.easterincyberspace.com/ ChristianityToday.com Easter Links http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/easter/ 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.) Alleluia! Christ, the
Lord, is Risen!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONNECTIONS is a periodic newsletter of
announcements, news, recommendations, articles, and other information helpful
to men in our spiritual growth. Thanks for welcoming 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 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 Visit
our website at: http://www.newjoydivine.org/
To
subscribe to CONNECTIONS, send a message to [email protected] with
"subscribe MSM" in the subject line. To unsubscribe, send
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with "unsubscribe MSM" in the subject line. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |