|
Connections Connecting man to
man to God! Week of Issue 117 CONNECTIONS
is the opt-in newsletter for the men & friends of Minister Frank
Coleman. It's a periodic service that
helps connect you with God and with other men. If you'd like its delivery to your email
address stopped, scroll down and follow the instructions at the end of this
message. Also let me know if you
change your email address and want to keep subscribing to CONNECTIONS. "The
Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil
one." 2
Thessalonians 3:3 CONSIDER "[Christ]
was primarily concerned to change men as men rather than the political regime
under which they lived; to transform their attitude rather than their circumstances;
to treat the sickness of their hearts rather than the problems of their
environment." J. N. D. Anderson
(b.1908), Christianity: the Witness of History [1969] 7 WAYS TO IGNITE A PASSION FOR READING
THE BIBLE by Kathy
Widenhouse In American
homes the Bible has taken on the status of an icon with little practical
value. When asked, "What book has
most influenced your life?" in a recent Library of Congress survey,
respondents awarded the Bible the top position. But only 34% of American Christians read
God's Word on their own during the week, and of that group, only 13% claim to
read it daily. "Americans revere
the Bible," says pollster George Gallup, Jr., "but, by and large,
they don't read it." Why not? While we do
not battle external obstacles to reading the Bible -- such as laws or
financial restrictions -- we face internal barriers every day. Perhaps you rank among the majority of
Americans who do not read the Bible regularly. You've considered it, been exhorted to try
it, and even attempted it a few times, yet you can't seem to make it a
habit. What can you do?.... Read this in full at PGA CHAMPIONSHIP August 14-20 http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2006/index.html TENNIS August
28-Sept. 10 http://www.usopen.org/home/default.sps TWO UPCOMING FILMS TARGET THE PASSION
AUDIENCE Two major
Jesus-themed films are in the works:
On December 1, New Line Cinema, which hit it big with the Lord of the
Rings trilogy, releases The Nativity Story.
And next Easter, Sony Pictures, the studio behind The Da Vinci Code,
releases The Resurrection. The Nativity
Story (www.thenativitystory.com) tells the
tale of Joseph and Mary, the journey of the magi, the rule of King Herod, and
the birth of Christ. The Resurrection
picks up where The Passion left off, telling the story of the 40 days between
the Resurrection and the Ascension. Read this in
full at JESUS RETURNS TO THE MOVIES by Phil
Boatwright A few nights
ago I viewed a film from 1950 on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). I was familiar
with "Stars in my Crown," but had forgotten its uniqueness. Joel McCrea starred as a devout western
town preacher. The episodic story had
the reverend patiently witnessing to his Civil War comrade who refused to
attend church services, and to a new town doctor, who found no place for
religion in the healing process. The
picture was replete with prayers, gospel tunes that declared Jesus as Savior
and a solid message pertaining to the need for faith. After viewing, I wondered if such a film
would ever again find its way into a movie theater. Even if a filmmaker wants to deal with
spirituality (as does M. Night Shyamalan in his films) the major studios prefer
God to be generic in order not to offend practitioners of different
beliefs.... Read this in full at http://www.bpnews.net/bpcolumn.asp?ID=2335 LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE) "3-D
Leadership" by Stan Toler Many
Christian leaders are moving forward at a rapid pace, running on so little
gas they would short-circuit the low-fuel light on any dashboard. In order to be successful over the long
haul, leaders must avoid the trap of doing more and must learn to do fewer
things more effectively. I suggest a
3-D approach: designate, delegate and dissociate.... Read this in full at http://www.leaderlinks.com/columntoler.htm VERSE TO PONDER "Ah,
Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power
and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." Jeremiah 32:17 CONSIDER "You
have... the gospel written upon vellum; it deserves to be set with diamonds,
except that the heart of man were a fitter repository for it." The Colloquies of Erasmus (1466?-1536) MAY WE NEVER BE THE CAUSE! One-third of
women around the world say they have been physically abused, coerced into
sex, or otherwise abused sometime in their lifetime. Source: The
Family Violence Prevention Fund HOW TO READ A BOOK by Rick Rusaw Nearly 20
years ago, I made a commitment to read.
And I kept a single-minded focus, not on the volume of material, but
on what I was getting out of it.
Actually reading a book is only half the point. For years I would read and then forget what
I had found so relevant and inspiring.
I was missing out on making reading useful. Sadly, I was forgoing the creation of a
deep well of useful material that I could draw upon, as needed, down the
road.... Read this in full at http://www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=9664 FAITH AND POLITICS "I don't
believe that particularly Christian faith can be identified with any party or
any ideology ... properly understood, it has to stand in judgment of every
party and every ideology with a passion for human dignity, and justice, and
rights." Michael Gerson, Bush
speechwriter, 1999-2006 MONEY AND EVANGELISM People who
make less than $35,000 a year are more likely than those who make more money
to believe they have a personal responsibility to share their faith with
others. According to a study by George
Barna, 45% of Christians in that salary range believe strongly they have a
personal responsibility to share their faith compared to 34% of those that
make between $35,000-$60,000 and 33% of those who make more than $60,000. Source:
Barna.org
YOUR JOB AND YOUR FAITH "If
you're in a job with a bunch of bad people who curse and swear and tell
coarse jokes, I don't feel a bit sorry for you. They're probably why you're
there." Jerry Cook, The TEEN RUNNER HAS FAITH IN GOD "I think
that God is using me," Allyson Felix explains of the rise to prominence
that began with a silver medal in the Athens Olympics and culminated in the
world title last August in Also
read The world's fastest teenager
(Today's Christian, 2004) LIVING LIKE ESAU by Heather
Koerner Doof! To sell your birthright for a measly bowl
of stew? How could Esau even think of
such a thing? And then, as always, the
Holy Spirit gave me the not-so-gentle nudge.
Oh really, Heather? I may
flatter myself that I would never sell my inheritance for a bowl of
stew. But haven't I done exactly
that? God has made me an heir. Yet, haven't I prized the earthly over the
eternal, in direct contradiction to God's Word?.... Read this in full at http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001316.cfm TAKE THE WEAK OUT OF MEEK by Mark
Rutland Few leaders
exemplify meekness more than Abraham Lincoln did. Its young men gone to death or in
prisoner-of-war camps far in the North, its heartland in ashes, and its
agriculture and industry destroyed, the South, in 1865, was shattered. Postwar poverty, and a deep sense of shame
and defeat gripped the states of the former Confederacy with economic and
psychosocial depression. The Army and
the congress wanted the conquered rebel states occupied, gutted and forever
stripped of full participation in the republic. Only his
meekness, his refusal to use his power in unrestrained vengeance, saved the
South and the nation from a postwar nightmare even worse than it was. Long
known for his honesty, "With
malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God
gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to
bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle
and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a
just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." The greatness
of the powerful is made manifest in restraint, and meekness is the virtue of
the victor, not the vanquished.
Misunderstood by many, meekness is often thought to be only for the
weak-sister types. Nothing could be
further from the truth. Meekness is
the supreme virtue of leadership without which power becomes tyranny. Meekness is power under control.... Read this in full at http://www.ministrytodaymag.com/display.php?id=8445 SEE THE MIRACLES AROUND US "The
miraculous is not extraordinary but the common mode of existence. It is our daily bread. Whoever really has
considered the lilies of the field or the birds of the air and pondered the
improbability of their existence in this warm world within the cold and empty
stellar distances will hardly balk at the turning of water into wine -- which
was, after all, a very small miracle.
We forget the greater and still continuing miracle by which water
(with soil and sunlight) is turned into grapes." Wendell Berry ON MONEY "I don't
think it is a sin to be rich, it's a sin to die rich." Rick Warren 6 FOCAL POINTS TO HELP YOU PRAY FOR THE
LOST by Dick
Eastman One pattern
to help you pray for the lost is the six interrogatives: who, what, when,
why, where, and how. Whom can I
trust? Intercede for lost souls by praying that they would be confronted with
questions regarding trust. Ask that
God would plant in their hearts a skepticism about the lies they hear,
whether philosophical, social, or political. What is my
reason for being? Pray that the lost
will begin to ask, "What is my purpose for living?" Ask God to plant in their hearts an urgency
concerning this question. Read this in
full at STAY SAFE WHEN DISASTER STRIKES Tornadoes,
hurricanes, floods -- summer storms can be powerful. Do you know what to do if a storm causes an
electrical emergency? Be prepared with
the free brochure, Electrical Safety Precautions During Disasters, from the
Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Electrical Safety Foundation
International. Learn what to do if
storms cause flooded areas, wet electrical equipment, or downed power
lines. Visit http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/safety/precautions.htm CONSIDER "Let all
our employment be to know God; the more one knows Him, the more one desires
to know Him. And as knowledge is
commonly the measure of love, the deeper and more extensive our knowledge
shall be, the greater will be our love; and if our love of God were great we
should love Him equally in pains and pleasures." Brother Lawrence (c.1605-1691), The
Practice of the Presence of God VERSE TO PONDER "Since
we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run
with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1 THIS WEEK'S HYMN: ALMIGHTY GOD, YOUR
WORD IS CAST Words: John
Cawood, 1819 Music:
Scottish Psalter, 1615 Almighty God,
Your Word is cast Like seed
into the ground; Now let the
dew of Heav'n descend, And righteous
fruits abound. Let not the
foe of Christ and man This holy
seed remove, But give it
root in ev'ry heart To bring
forth fruits of love. Let not the
world's deceitful cares The rising
plant destroy. But let it
yield a hundredfold The fruits of
peace and joy. Nor let Your
Word so kindly sent To raise us
to Your throne Return to
You, and sadly tell That we
reject Your Son. Oft as the
precious seed is sown, Your
quick'ning grace bestow, That all
whose souls the truth receive, Its saving
power may know. Great God,
come down and on Your Word Your mighty
power bestow, That all who
hear the joyful sound, Your saving
grace may know. >from
CyberHymnal at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/l/g/algyword.htm GOD FAQ Question 85:
Death, being the wages of sin, why are not the righteous delivered from
death, seeing all their sins are forgiven in Christ? Answer: The
righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even in
death are delivered from the sting and curse of it; so that, although they
die, yet it is out of God's love, to free them perfectly from sin and misery,
and to make them capable of further communion with Christ in glory, which
they then enter upon. http://www.shortercatechism.com/ 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 "Many
people have a very strangely childish notion, that 'praying in the name of
Christ' means simply the addition of the words 'through Jesus Christ our
Lord' at the end of their prayers. But
depend upon it, they do not by adding these words, or any words, bring it
about that their prayers should be in the name of Christ. To pray in the name of Christ means to pray
in such a way as represents Christ.
The representative always must speak in the spirit and meaning of
those for whom he speaks. If Christ is our representative, that must be
because He speaks our wishes, or what we ought to make our wishes; and if we
are to pray in the name of Christ, that means that we are, however far off,
expressing His wishes and intentions."
Charles Gore (1853-1932), The Sermon on the Mount [1910] 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. WANTED: SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES Tell us what
sites you find enjoyable and why. Help drill
clean water wells around the world http://livingwater.theh2oproject.org/ Crown
Ministries Money Map http://www.crown.org/MoneyMap/default.aspx 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.) On your
birthday, send a thank you card to your mom. Thanks for welcoming CONNECTIONS
into your in-box! We offer 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. Quick Links... · Here's How to Download & Share Your Favorite Music email: [email protected] phone:
1-773-224-5683 --- 1-773-410-1483 To subscribe to CONNECTIONS, send a
message to [email protected] with "subscribe MSM" in the subject
line. To unsubscribe, send a message
to [email protected] with "unsubscribe MSM" in the subject
line. |