Connecting man to man to God!

Week of November 12, 2006

"A person without self-control is as defenseless as a city with broken-down walls."  Pr. 25:28 (NLT)

     CONSIDER

"The question is no longer as Dostoevski put it: 'Can civilized men believe?'  Rather: Can unbelieving men be civilized?"  Philip Rieff, The Triumph of the Therapeutic

     THE EVIDENCE FOR THE HISTORICAL JESUS

by Dr. William Lane Craig

Five reasons are presented for thinking that critics who accept the historical credibility of the gospel accounts of Jesus do not bear a special burden of proof relative to more skeptical critics.  Then the historicity of a few specific aspects of Jesus' life are addressed, including his radical self-concept as the divine Son of God, his role as a miracle-worker, his trial and crucifixion, and his resurrection from the dead.  Read this article at

http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/rediscover2.html

     AS YOU WISH

by John Ortberg

"On the bookshelf of my daughter Mallory's bedroom sits a volume called The Princess Bride.  It was the basis of a quirky little movie that my family has seen more times than I can count.  It comes from the pen of William Goldman, though he pretends he just translated it from a Florinese manuscript by an S. Morgenstern that set records for the most weeks on a Florinese bestseller list.  It took a long time to convince my daughter that there was no S. Morgenstern, no Florinese language, and, sadly, no country named Florin.  But there is one line that lies at the heart of the book's story -- and at the heart of your story as well"....  Read this in full at

http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Product/Book/Articles/As+You+Wish.htm

     AN INTERVIEW WITH PHILIP YANCEY

Philip Yancey has been holding out the torch for Christian skeptics since his first book, Where Is God When It Hurts?, and he's been a prizefighter in that category ever since.  From his editorship at Christianity Today to his bestselling books, Yancey's name has floated in and around thinking Christian circles for years -- most likely because of his strength as a writer and his willingness to probe even the most difficult questions without side-stepping their importance.

Yancey's most recent work, Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?, is a long, mature look at the Christian discipline of talking to God.  Recently, Yancey gave RELEVANTmagazine.com the opportunity to ask him a few questions concerning his new book, skepticism, and the practical side of prayer....  Read this in full at

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god_article.php?id=7239

     THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE

A Statement of Evangelicals and Catholics Together

"We are grateful that as Christians, Evangelicals and Catholics together, we can speak with one voice on a matter of paramount urgency for our society and the world.  We address this statement to all who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to all people of goodwill who share our concern for a more just and humane social order.

"Recent years have witnessed a new pattern of convergence and cooperation between Evangelicals and Catholics.  We are grateful that the project known as "Evangelicals and Catholics Together" (ECT) has played a part in this development -- a development that has occasioned both controversy and high hopes within our respective communities.  In the public life of our country, the changing relationship between Evangelicals and Catholics has also occasioned curiosity, anxiety, and even alarm.

"This convergence has implications for our culture and civil order.  In the present statement we intend, however briefly and inadequately, to make the case for what is commonly called "a culture of life" -- and to do so in a way that invites public deliberation and engages questions of public policy.  Our primary purpose, however, is to explain to our communities why we believe that support for a culture of life is an integral part of Christian faith and therefore a morally unavoidable imperative of Christian discipleship"....  Read this statement in full at

http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft0608/articles/ectstatement.html

     WAYS TO PRAY WHEN WE CANNOT PRAY

by Cynthia Bezek

Sometimes it's not that we don't want to pray -- it's that we cannot pray.  What then?  Here are some suggestions for breaking through when we find it difficult to pray:

1. Keep trying.  Don't give up -- that's just what the enemy wants!  Say the words, even if the feelings aren't there.  God hears us even when we feel as though He doesn't.

2. Sing hymns.  Sing hymns that express the way you feel -- or want to feel.  If you're uncomfortable hearing yourself sing, play a tape or CD.  "It Is Well with My Soul," "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," "And Can It Be?," or "How Great Thou Art" -- hymns like these have a way of releasing our pain and ushering us into the Father's presence....  Read this in full at

http://www.navpress.com/EPubs/DisplayArticle/2/2.14.5.1.html?aCode=NL101006

     LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)

"Others tell.  Leaders sell.

Others impress.  Leaders influence.

Others try to be heard.  Leaders strive to be understood.

Others explain.  Leaders energize.

Others inform.  Leaders inspire.

Others relay only facts.  Leaders tell stories."

   Mark Sanborn, You Don't Need a Title to be a Leader

     VERSE TO PONDER

"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.  It is better to be of a lowly spirit among the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud."  Proverbs 16:18-19

     CONSIDER

"As Christian parents, we are not to simply socialize our children into civil human beings; we are to train them to advance the Kingdom of God.  Christian parenting is less like a cotillion and more like a boot camp.  It's not simply about manners and proper decorum in public; it's about being conditioned and prepared to take on life's challenges.  It's not about fussing with their collar so they'll look cute at the dance.  It's about getting them ready to do battle."  Timothy Smith, The Danger of Raising Nice Kids

     4 SPIRITUAL LAWS

Campus Crusade for Christ's website has the Four Spiritual Laws translated into about 150 different language versions:

http://www.campuscrusade.com/four_laws_online.htm

     CHRISTIAN BOOK SUMMARIES

Chuck Colson's book Lies That Go Unchallenged in Popular Culture is now summarized at Christian Book Summaries.  Here's a quick look at what you'll find:

The Book's Purpose

* Expose 7 lies that represent worldviews in direct opposition to biblical revelation

* Demonstrate how the lies are based on partial truth, thereby making them seem harmless and attractive

* Clarify how these lies, over time, are destroying the moral fabric of our nation

* Issue a call for Christians to challenge these lies in the public arena and to serve those individuals with opposing worldviews

http://www.christianbooksummaries.com

Purchase your copy today:

http://christianconnectionbooks.30fold.com/content/search/product/view_item.php?dcn=9399&sm=

     TED HAGGARD, A HYPOCRITE?

by Art Toalston

"I love hypocrites. So many of them are good people who need God's love, such as hypocrites like Ted Haggard and, uh, hypocrites like me and perhaps you.

No doubt, there are hypocrites, imperfect people and even addicts of all kinds within the Christian community.  To their credit, however, these individuals have the courage to embrace a faith that challenges their sin and seeks to redeem their lives.  Sadly, people outside the faith have no such resource.  Hypocrites, imperfect people and addicts who lack the transforming dynamic of Christian faith have only the frailty of human will and manmade psychology/psychiatry upon which to build lives of integrity.  Followers of Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, gain a new foothold for battling the dark facets of their humanity"....  Read this in full at

http://www.bpnews.net/bpcolumn.asp?ID=2440

     SURVEY: HOW AMERICANS VIEW CHRISTIAN GROUPS, MUSLIMS

Americans generally have a positive outlook on some Christian groups, a new survey revealed, while their view on Mormons and Muslims are less favorable.  The North American Mission Board's Center for Missional Research polled 1,210 American adults across the country and found the Catholic Church with the highest favorable view among Americans.  Behind the Catholic Church were Southern Baptists and United Methodists with around 57% of adults favorably viewing the two groups.  Around 66% held a positive view of Catholics....  Read this in full at

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20061109/25903.htm

     EVANGELICAL PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS

If there's a consensus about the future of evangelicalism, it's this: The church needs a fresh infusion of that which has made it traditionally strong.  But in the current context, back-to-the-basics feel counter-cultural: Exalt the uniqueness of Christ in a pluralistic culture, reach out to men in an era of feminism, and celebrate the timelessness of Word and sacrament in a market-driven culture obsessed with relevance....  Read this in full at

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/october/18.72.html

     HA! PUNS

Did you hear that NASA recently put a bunch of Holsteins into low earth orbit?  They called it the herd shot 'round the world.

Two boll weevils grew up in South Carolina.  One went to Hollywood andbecame a famous actor.  The other stayed behind in the cotton fields and never amounted to much.  The second one, naturally, became known as the lesser of two weevils.

Two men sitting in a kayak were chilly, but when they lit a fire in the craft, it sank proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it, too.

A three-legged dog walks into a saloon in the Old West.  He slides up to the bar and announces: "I'm looking for the man who shot my paw."

Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal?  He wanted to transcend dental medication.

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."

A woman has twins, and gives them up for adoption.  One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Amal."  The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan."  Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother.  Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Amal.  Her husband responds, "They're twins!  If you've seen Juan, you've seen Amal."

These friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened up 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.  He went back and begged the friars to close.  They ignored him.  So, the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious 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: Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars.

And finally, there was a man who sent ten different puns to friends, in the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh.  Unfortunately, no pun in ten did.

http://www.MikeysFunnies.com

     THANK YOU, LORD

A Special Thanksgiving Message From Billy Graham

"This year as we observe our season of thanksgiving, let us be grateful not only in word but also in deed.  Let our gratitude find expression in a resolve to live a life more unselfish and more consecrated to Jesus Christ.  When we sit around our tables laden with sumptuous delicacies, let us not forget that nearly a billion people around the world will go to bed hungry.  As we enjoy the comforts of our cozy homes, let us not forget that great numbers have no homes to go to.  When we step into our modern cars, let us not forget that many people in the world cannot afford even a bicycle"....  Read this in full at

http://www.billygraham.org/DMag_article.asp?ArticleID=748

     CONSIDER

"It is not what we do that is important, but how much love we put into what we do: we should do small things with great love."  Mother Teresa

     VERSE TO PONDER

"Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice; who makes his neighbors work for nothing, and does not give them their wages.... Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness?  Then it was well with him.  He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well.  Is it not this to know me? says the Lord."  Jeremiah 22:13-16

     THIS WEEK'S HYMN: WITH GRATEFUL HEART MY THANKS I BRING

Words: The Psalter, 1912

Music: William B. Bradbury, 1863

With grateful heart my thanks I bring,

Before the great Thy praise I sing;

I worship in Thy holy place

And praise Thee for Thy truth and grace;

For truth and grace together shine

In Thy most holy Word divine,

In Thy most holy Word divine.

I cried to Thee and Thou didst save,

Thy Word of grace new courage gave;

The kings of earth shall thank Thee, Lord,

For they have heard Thy wondrous Word;

Yea, they shall come with songs of praise,

For great and glorious are Thy ways,

For great and glorious are Thy ways.

O Lord, enthroned in glory bright,

Thou reignest in the heavenly height;

The proud in vain Thy favor seek,

But Thou hast mercy for the meek;

Through trouble though my pathway be,

Thou wilt retrieve and strengthen me,

Thou wilt retrieve and strengthen me.

Thou wilt stretch forth Thy mighty arm

To save me when my foes alarm;

The work Thou hast for me begun

Shall by Thy grace be fully done;

Forever mercy dwells with Thee;

O Lord, my Maker, think on me,

O Lord, my Maker, think on me.

>from CyberHymnal at

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/w/i/withgrat.htm

     LOWER YOUR CHOLESTEROL

Take the Smart Heart Challenge and prove to yourself that simple changes, such as eating a good-sized bowl of Quaker Oatmeal daily, may reduce your cholesterol and decrease your risk of heart disease.  Just 30 bowls for 30 days is all you need to enjoy the cholesterol-lowering benefits of oatmeal.  It's as easy as 1-2-3...

http://www.quakeroatmeal.com/qo_heartHealthy/smartHeartChallenge/index.cfm

     GOD FAQ

Question 98: Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?

Answer: The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon Mount Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone; and are recorded in the twentieth chapter of Exodus. The four first commandments containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man.

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

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."  Romans 12:12 (NIV)

     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.

     SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES

Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why.

PC vs. Mac parodies (Christian vs. Christ-follower)

http://www.ysmarko.com/?p=1042

Do One Nice Thing

http://www.doonenicething.com/

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.)

My reality check bounced.

Min. Frank Coleman, Editor

[email protected]

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