Connecting man to man to God!

Week of August 6, 2006

"When I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the Christians, I couldn't stop thanking God for you -- every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks.  But I do more than thank.  I ask -- ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory -- to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for Christians, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him-endless energy, boundless strength!"  Ephesians 1:15-19 (Msg)

     CONSIDER

"The Sabbath is meant to be a 'day trip to eternity.'"  Peter Eaton

     A PREREQUISITE FOR BELIEF

"Are you worried because you find it so hard to believe?  Don't be surprised at the difficulty of faith, if there is some part of your life where you are consciously resisting or disobeying the commandment of Jesus.  Is there some part of your life that you're refusing to surrender at his behest, some sinful passion, maybe, or some animosity, some hope, perhaps your ambition or your reason?  If so, you must not be surprised that you have not received the Holy Spirit, that prayer is difficult, or that your request for faith remains unanswered ... The person who disobeys cannot believe.  Only if you obey can you believe."  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

     OPTIMISM IS VITAL

"Over the years I have observed many church folk who become paralyzed when faced with important decisions.  They tend to either retreat into the status quo or become negative and pessimistic about the future.  How sad! Sure, these things can be scary.  Quit your job to try something new?  Move your family halfway across the country?  Take a cut in pay so you can do something that fits your truest self better than what you're doing now?  Those are not easy prospects to face, but if God is in it, you will never regret making those changes in your life.  No goal is worth its salt if it doesn't involve risk taking and the possibility of failure, yet you can't get there without an optimistic spirit."  Richard G. Capen Jr., Empowered by Faith

     NFL TRAINING CAMPS

http://www.nfl.com/trainingcamp

     PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 14-20

http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2006/index.html

     DOWN ON THE FUNNY FARM

Steve Oedekerk, the writer/director/producer of Barnyard, might be one of Hollywood's funniest guys.  For Oedekerk, a Christian, it's all about the joy of making people laugh.

Q: Is your movie one that kids should really relate to?

Oedekerk: Yes, but not just kids.  I think a lot of Christians will relate to it too, because we all reach a point where God reaches in, where you start noticing your actions more and the conscience gets a little louder.  That's really what Barnyard is about-that moment where you have a decision to make as to which road you're going to take.  And, if it comes through as intended, it's sort of like the fun that you think you're going to lose by taking responsibility and caring about other people, is actually replaced with something much grander.  It's more of a joy; the fun doesn't really leave, but it gets enhanced and expanded.  That's really what the storyline is ultimately about.

Read this interview in full at

http://tinyurl.com/zomuf

     HOW THEN SHALL WE POLITICK?

Michael Gerson might be the most familiar person you don't know.  As chief speechwriter for President George W. Bush during the 2000 campaign and first term, he crafted prominent addresses delivered after September 11, the Columbia shuttle explosion, and on the State of the Union.  As senior adviser during Bush's second term, he sought more funding to fight AIDS and a plan to end the Darfur genocide.  One of TIME magazine's 25 most influential evangelicals, Gerson left the White House on June 28.  Now he plans to take time off for reflection before focusing on writing.  He spoke with CT associate editor Collin Hansen days before he packed up his West Wing office.

Q: What will you remember most fondly about your time working for President Bush?

A: Memories I'll really take away are being in Namibia, meeting this little 6-year-old, HIV-positive girl whose parents had named her "There is no good in the world," because they assumed she was going to die.  And then seeing a perfectly healthy little girl because of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). That's a vivid experience.

I'll also remember being with the President over in the residence, where he met with Chinese house-church leaders and dissidents, and how unbelievably inspired they were to know they had a friend in the Oval Office.  Those are the kind of things I'll tell my children, the kind of things that really make public service worthwhile.

Read this interview in full at

http://tinyurl.com/ewmmj

     ACTION ALERT

Help World Vision get supplies to civilian families in Lebanon

from WV President Richard Stearns

I urge you to join World Vision in rushing emergency supplies, including food, blankets and clean water, to children and families fleeing the conflict and destruction in Lebanon.

As you've seen on the news, over 700,000 people have been forced from their homes by heavy fighting.  More than 200,000 of these are small children.  They are caught in the crossfire of a terrible conflict, their lives in grave danger as they search for safety.

Our staff in Lebanon is working around the clock to help displaced children and families who've come to us for help. We are providing safe shelter for them in schools and other buildings. But emergency supplies are running desperately low.  Please rush your donation today to continue assisting these families fleeing for safety.

We thank God that He has placed World Vision in Lebanon, and that we have faithful supporters like you who can work together with us to be His hands and feet for such a time as this.  Your generosity in the past has carried our ministry forward.  Today we rely once more on your heart of compassion to reach out to children and families in need.

As you respond, please also pray for our staff in Lebanon, working so tirelessly in impossible conditions to help those who are suffering.  I am humbled by the sacrifices they are making on behalf of the children we serve.  Also, pray for peace in this troubled region.  Donate at

http://tinyurl.com/krojj

     GOD BLESS THE WORLD

by Roy Hoch, Aptos, CA

I wrote these words some time ago (to the tune of "God Bless America") and have used them several times in talks and sermons, to (amazingly) applause:

God bless humanity, all around the globe;

God's around us and in us, moving us to be loving and bold.

From the North Pole to the South Pole,

All God's children everywhere.

God bless all families and make us one;

God bless this lovely earth, our Home Sweet Home.

     LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)

"Innovative Genius"

Just where creativity comes from may forever remain a mystery, but economist David Galenson has somehow managed to codify creative people into just two kinds, writes Daniel H. Pink, author of "A Whole New Mind," in Wired (Jul 06).  One class of creatives David calls "conceptual innovators," and he defines them as those who "make bold, dramatic leaps in their disciplines" and "do their breakthrough work when they are young."  The other class of creatives is pegged as "experimental innovators," who pursue creativity through "trial and error and thus do their important work much later in life."  Read this in full at

http://reveries.com/?p=598

     VERSE TO PONDER

"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him."  Psalm 18:30

     CONSIDER

"The emotionally isolated male doesn't see himself as a creation wonderfully made by God but the sum of what he does at home, work, and church."  Steve Sonderman, How to Build a Life-Changing Men's Ministry

     STEM CELLS: A VIEW FROM A WHEELCHAIR

In this article, Joni Eareckson Tada, who was at the White House when President Bush signed his historic veto of stem cell legislation a few weeks ago, weighs in on the debate over stem cell research.

http://www.pastors.com/rwmt/default.asp?id=270&artid=9687&expand=1

Also see StemCellResearch.org

http://www.stemcellresearch.org/

     YMCAS: WEIGH FAITH VS. FITNESS

The Young Men's Christian Association was founded 150 years ago to provide Bible study and a helping hand to down-and-out men.  Today YMCAs are at work in more than 120 countries, serving more than 45 million people.  In recent decades, however, YMCAs have become better known for their family fitness centers than their Christian outreach programs. And that's not an entirely positive shift as far as YMCA executive directors such as John Alexander are concerned.  "Unfortunately, people look at us and just see a swim and gym," said Alexander, whose Danville Family YMCA in Danville, Ill., has taken recent steps to redress that: displaying the Ten Commandments, banners with biblical verses, and a Bible in its lobby.  "It's a Christian organization. It's nothing to be ashamed of."  But not everyone agrees....

http://tinyurl.com/z9c4z

     THIS IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. MOTTO

In response to the request of citizens during the Civil War, in 1861 then Secretary of the Treasury Salmon Chase requested the director of the Mint at Philadelphia, James Pollock, to design a motto demonstrating America's dependence on God, stating, "No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense.  The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins."  At first, the motto "Our Trust is in God" was suggested, but it was too long to fit on small coins.  "God Our Trust" was suggested, and stamped on a number of coins minted in 1861.

Eventually the phrasing of the motto evolved, and on April 22, 1864, Congress passed legislation that changed the composition of the one-cent coin and approved minting of the two-cent coin to include the phrase "In God We Trust."  The axiom first appeared on two-cent coins minted that same year.

The expression continued to appear on American currency, but it was not until July 30, 1956 that President Dwight Eisenhower signed legislation establishing the phrase "In God We Trust" as the nation's official motto....

http://www.newhousenews.com/archive/sefton071306.html

Also see the Presidential Proclamation

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/07/20060727-12.html

     AS THE YEARS TURN

~ I felt like my body had gotten totally out of shape, so I got my doctor's permission to join a fitness club and start exercising.  I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors.  I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour.  By the time I got my gym shorts on, the class was over.

~ Reporters interviewing a 104-year-old woman: "And what do you think is the best thing about being 104?" the reporter asked.  She simply replied, "No peer pressure."

~ The nice thing about being senile is you can hide your own Easter eggs.

~ I've sure gotten old!  I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement, new knees.  Fought prostate cancer and diabetes.  I'm half blind, can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine, take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts.  Have bouts with dementia.  Have poor circulation; hardly feel my hands and feet anymore.  Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92.  Have lost all my friends.  But, thankfully, I still have my driver's license.

~ An elderly woman decided to prepare her will and told her preacher she had two final requests.  First, she wanted to be cremated, and second, she wanted her ashes scattered over Wal-Mart.  "Wal-Mart?" the preacher exclaimed.  "Why Wal-Mart?"  "Then I'll be sure my daughters visit me twice a week."

~ My memory's not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.

~ It's scary when you start making the same noises as your coffeemaker.

~ These days about half the stuff in my shopping cart says, "For fast relief."

~ Don't let aging get you down.  It's too hard to get back up!

~ Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old, You grow old because you stop laughing.

~ THE SENILITY PRAYER: Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference. 

     CONSIDER

"What is research but a blind date with knowledge."  William Henry, pioneering British chemist

     VERSE TO PONDER

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 3:14

     THIS WEEK'S HYMN: GOD OF ALL POWER AND TRUTH AND GRACE

Words: Charles Wesley, 1742

Music: Valentin Schumann, 1539

God of all power, and truth, and grace,

Which shall from age to age endure,

Whose Word, when Heaven and earth shall pass,

Remains and stands for ever sure;

That I Thy mercy may proclaim,

That all mankind Thy truth may see,

Hallow Thy great and glorious Name,

And perfect holiness in me.

Thy sanctifying Spirit pour,

To quench my thirst, and make me clean;

Now, Father, let the gracious shower

Descend, and make me pure from sin.

Purge me from every sinful blot;

My idols all be cast aside;

Cleanse me from every sinful thought,

From all the filth of self and pride.

Give me a new, a perfect heart,

From doubt, and fear, and sorrow free;

The mind which was in Christ impart,

And let my spirit cleave to Thee.

O take this heart of stone away!

Thy sway it doth not, cannot own;

In me no longer let it stay,

O take away this heart of stone!

O that I now, from sin released,

Thy Word may to the utmost prove,

Enter into the promised rest,

The Canaan of Thy perfect love!

>from CyberHymnal at

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/a/p/gaptgrac.htm

     GOD FAQ

Question 84: Shall all men die?

Answer: Death being threatened as the wages of sin, it is appointed unto all men once to die; for that all have sinned.

http://www.shortercatechism.com/

     LIFE SAVERS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

A simple blood pressure test could be one of the most important things you can do to save your life.  High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, so controlling it and knowing the warning signs of these diseases can mean the difference between life and death.  Help yourself and those you love with Life Savers, a new, free package of publications from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Citizen Information Center.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and stroke is the third leading cause.  Heart disease happens when veins and arteries get clogged, forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood.  Strokes are caused when a blood clot or a ruptured artery cuts off the brain's blood supply, killing brain cells.  Stroke and heart disease share the same risk factors that leading a good-for-you lifestyle will help to reduce.  Stay active, eat right, control diabetes, and quit smoking to keep these two diseases at bay.  And, most importantly, make sure to keep tabs on your blood pressure.  Find more ways to lower your risks in the Life Savers package.

Knowing the symptoms of these diseases may save your life or the life of someone you love.  Chest pain isn't the only sign of heart disease.  Learn more at

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/press/nfclifesavers06.htm

     SPIRITUAL WINGS

Receive daily meditational ponderments capsulized as simple one-liners in your e-mailbox as yet another path to spark the soul in thought. Includes a daily spiritual acronym; a weekly spiritual affirmation, a weekly spiritually oriented artwork, a weekly spiritual sharing, a weekly spiritual prayer, a weekly spiritual poem, a weekly spiritually oriented joke, and a weekly spiritually oriented cartoon. Ecumenical, nondenominational.

-"May the road always lead, where you need to be."

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpiritualWings/

     ON PRAYER

"While simple prayer is the type most commonly practiced in Scripture, intercession is perhaps the kind of prayer most commonly commanded in Scripture.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that "intercessory prayer is the purifying bath into which the individual and the fellowship must enter every day."  When I intercede for others, the circle of my concern becomes expanded a little beyond myself.  More than that, when I intercede for others, God is at work in ways I do not understand."  John Ortberg, The Life You've Always Wanted

     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
Business Growth

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.

WANTED:
Honest contractor to offer professional advice on a problem with water seepage in the basement.
Options needed.
Contact: Frank Coleman @ frankcoleman @yahoo.com or 773-410-1483

     SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES

Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why.

Common Sense Internet Safety Survival Guide

http://www.commonsense.com/

Pipecleaner Dance

http://www.davidbessler.com/wordpress/?p=48

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 flashlight is a cylindrical device for storing dead batteries.

Min. Frank Coleman, Editor

[email protected]

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