|
Connections Connecting man to
man to God! Week of Issue 133 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
fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the
firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our
ancestors, set them above the crowd.
By faith, we see the world called into existence by God's word, what
we see created by what we don't see."
Hebrews 11:1-3 (Msg) CONSIDER "I do
not understand the mystery of grace -- only that it meets us where we are,
but does not leave us where it found us." Anne Lamott MAJOR CHRISTIAN LEADERS ARE WIDELY
UNKNOWN, EVEN AMONG CHRISTIANS Several
leaders whom many Christians revere and believe are representing the
Christian faith in today's culture are virtually unknown in the http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdateNarrowPreview&BarnaUpdateID=251 12 WAYS TO JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS 1.
Build a Caregiver Kit. 2.
Sponsor a child affected by AIDS. 3.
Pray for children and families affected
by AIDS. Read more at THE NATIVITY STORY Read full
coverage of this major motion picture at http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/special/nativitystory.html also see the
official movie website at http://www.thenativitystory.com/ WHAT IS What Needs
Does Human beings
are created in the image of God and have a fundamental need to be in a
relationship with their Creator. What Are For
generations 1.
Declare God's character and mission as
revealed in Scripture (missio Dei). 2.
Inform participants about the current
realities in global missions. 3.
Call all participants to join God's
mission. 4.
Motivate participants to serve in global
and crosscultural missions. " What is Since 1946, WE OVER ME "The
hallmark of western civilization has been rugged individualism. Because of our philosophy of life, we are
used to the personal pronouns 'I' and 'my' and 'me.' We have not been taught to think in terms
of 'we' and 'our' and 'us.'
Consequently, we individualize many references to corporate experience
in the New Testament, thus often emphasizing personal prayer. The facts are that more is said in the book
of Acts and the epistles about corporate prayer, corporate learning of
biblical truth, corporate evangelism, and corporate Christian maturity and
growth than about the personal aspects of these Christian disciplines.... The
personal dimensions of Christianity are difficult to maintain and practice
unless they grow out of a proper corporate experience on a regular
basis." Gene Getz, Praying for
One Another LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE) When
attempting to recognize, solve, and learn from a mistake, there are several
principles that are helpful to follow: *
Take Responsibility -- Own the mistake
and decide that action needs to be taken. *
Examine the Mistake -- Reflect on the
issue and list possible solutions. *
Get Outside Opinion -- Share the issue
with a mentoring partner. Be honest
with yourself and the person you're communicating with in order to gain the
most of the learning situation. *
Be Open to Change -- Be willing to
change behavior, mindset and attitude. *
Take Action -- Decide what changes need
to be made in order to avoid a similar mistake. http://www.3creek.com/resources/newsletters/newsletters.htm VERSE TO PONDER "Finally,
beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever
is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any
excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these
things." Philippians 4:8 CONSIDER "No one
gets an exemption from hardship on planet earth. How we receive it hinges on whether we
believe in an alternate reality that transcends the one we know so well. The Bible never minimizes hardship or
unfairness -- witness books like Job, Psalms, and Lamentations. It simply asks us to withhold final
judgment until all the evidence is in."
Phillip Yancey, Rumors of Another World GUARD YOURSELF "Just as
we are responsible for what we eat, so we are responsible for what we
see. It is easy to become a victim of
the vast array of visual stimuli surrounding us. The 'powers and principalities' control
many of our daily images. Posters,
billboards, television, video cassettes, movies and store windows
continuously assault our eyes and inscribe their images upon our memories. Still we do not have to be passive victims
of a world that wants to entertain and distract us. We can make some decisions and
choices. A spiritual life in the midst
of our energy-draining society requires us to take conscious steps to
safeguard that inner space where we can keep our eyes fixed on the beauty of
the Lord." Henri Nouwen, Behold The Beauty Of The Lord GOD'S LIGHT SHOW IN DEEP SPACE Hubble
telescope's top 10 greatest space photographs by Michael
Hanlon For a while
it looked as if the whole mission would end in embarrassing failure. After it was launched in 1990, the Hubble
Space Telescope, a $1.5 billion orbiting observatory, was found to have a
glitch in its giant lens -- rendering Earth's first orbital observatory
short-sighted. But after an audacious
Shuttle repair mission, when Hubble was fixed with what is effectively a pair
of eyeglasses to correct its sight, the telescope has returned some of the
most stunning images ever captured by science. And now astronomers have voted for the best
pictures taken by Hubble in its 16 years in orbit. Hubble's Top
Ten illustrate that our universe is not only deeply strange, but also almost
impossibly beautiful. Hubble, which is
about the size of a bus, has been sending pictures and data back to
scientists since it began operating 370 miles up. It transmits about 120 gigabytes of
information every week. That's equal
to about 3,600 feet of books on a shelf. By putting a
telescope into space, astronomers can get views of distant objects without
having to look through Earth's thick and soupy atmosphere. From hundreds of miles above the clouds and
weather, Hubble can provide pictures of unparalleled clarity and
sharpness. Over its life, Hubble has
been pointed at objects as diverse as the Moon and the most distant galaxies,
to help scientists better understand the wonders of the known universe. Hubble is an
old machine and, until recently, glitches in its various mechanisms seemed to
have doomed the telescope. But now
NASA has announced a $900million repair mission in the next couple of years
to keep it flying. When the repairs
have been carried out, it is hoped Hubble will continue to give many more
years of service and, perhaps, even return images superior to those seen
here. Henry Lambright, science and technology professor at THE KINGDOM IS NOW "We tell
people that the cross means we are forgiven.
Jesus has paid the penalty of our sins. And that Jesus' resurrection means we will
have life after death and be with God in Heaven. That has been our message. But it has retained only two dimensions: we
have neglected the Good News about the Kingdom in the here and now. The
powerful experience and explanation of the inbreaking
rule of God, in which people were being set free from sin, sickness, and
spiritual oppression and even the spirit of a nation was being changed, has
been largely lost. We've replaced it
with a much more individualistic message about freedom from guilt and fire
insurance after we die." Rick Richardson,
Reimagining Evangelism A TESTIMONY "It's
real, it's changed my life, it's transformed my heart, I'm not who I
was. No longer ... do I feel the
pressure of, 'how fancy are my shoes?
Or what kind of car am I driving?
Or how much money do I make?'
None of that matters to me anymore ... I'm
having a daily experience with the spirit of God that's more priceless than
anything I've experienced before."
Actor Stephen Baldwin discussing his Christian conversion with ABC
News TWEENS' FAST BECOMING THE NEW TEENS Child
development experts say that physical and behavioral changes that would have
been typical of teenagers decades ago are now common
among "tweens" -- kids ages 8 to 12. Some
of them are going on "dates" and talking on their own cell
phones. They listen to sexually
charged pop music, play mature-rated video games and spend time gossiping on
MySpace. And more girls are wearing
makeup and clothing that some consider beyond their years. But as the limits have been pushed, experts
say the stakes also have gotten higher -- with parents and tweens having to deal with very grown-up issues such as
pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Earlier this year, that point hit home when federal officials
recommended a vaccine for HPV -- a common STD that can lead to cervical
cancer -- for girls as young as age 9.... http://www.christianpost.com/article/20061126/23684.htm FINDING TIME TO EXERCISE DURING THE
HOLIDAYS While plans
with friends and family may disrupt your regular exercise routine, there are
still simple ways to get your fitness fix during the holidays. Some exercise is better than none (although
30 minutes most days of the week is best), so it makes sense to squeeze in as
much as you can manage. Here are 4
tips to help you work it out: 1.
Get up a little earlier. Set your alarm earlier than usual and do a
short workout or stretching routine.
Exercise will help energize you for the busy day ahead, plus checking
off your fitness routine first thing in the morning makes it less likely that
other things -- like a business lunch or a weeknight party -- will interfere.
2.
Plan a family activity. Involve everyone in a friendly game of tag
or touch football; check out an ice rink and go skating; or head to a nearby
town for some strolling and window-shopping. 3.
Manage your time in the kitchen. If you're hosting a crowd, try to get a
head start and prepare as much as you can in advance so that you have more
time for your own pursuits. Take
shortcuts, like buying prewashed veggies, premade hummus, or jarred, minced garlic. By minimizing your prep work, you'll reduce
stress -- and have time for a short daily walk! 4.
Recruit a few helpers. Get your family members involved in meal
preparations, decorations, or cleanup - and spend the time you save on
getting in some exercise. http://www.southbeachdiet.com/public/dailydish/dd_20061130.asp CONSIDER "The
purpose of Christianity is not to avoid difficulty, but to produce a
character adequate to meet it when it comes.
It does not make life easy; rather it tries to make us great enough
for life." James Christensen VERSE TO PONDER "Don't
always be wishing for what you don't have.
For real life and real living are not related to how rich we
are." Luke THIS WEEK'S HYMN: ANGELS FROM THE REALMS
OF GLORY Words: James
Montgomery, 1816 Music: Henry
T. Smart, 1867 Angels from
the realms of glory, Wing your
flight o'er all the earth; Ye who sang
creation's story Now proclaim
Messiah's birth. Refrain Come and
worship, come and worship, Worship
Christ, the newborn King. Shepherds, in
the field abiding, Watching o'er
your flocks by night, God with us
is now residing; Yonder shines
the infant light: Refrain Sages, leave
your contemplations, Brighter visions
beam afar; Seek the
great Desire of nations; Ye have seen
His natal star. Refrain Saints,
before the altar bending, Watching long
in hope and fear; Suddenly the
Lord, descending, In His temple
shall appear. Refrain Sinners,
wrung with true repentance, Doomed for
guilt to endless pains, Justice now
revokes the sentence, Mercy calls
you; break your chains. Refrain Though an
Infant now we view Him, He shall fill
His Father's throne, Gather all
the nations to Him; Every knee
shall then bow down: Refrain All creation,
join in praising God, the
Father, Spirit, Son, Evermore your
voices raising To th'eternal Three in One. Refrain >from
CyberHymnal at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/f/afrglory.htm GOD FAQ Question 101:
What is the preface to the ten commandments? Answer: The
preface to the ten commandments is contained in these words, I am the Lord
thy God, which have brought thee out of the 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 "When a
Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he
stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil
shouts for joy." Corrie Ten Boom, Holocaust survivor, author of The Hiding
Place PRAY FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS TODAY PRAY FOR A COUNTRY TODAY DAILY BLESSING PACT I
am agreeing in prayer with you for God’s blessings to overtake you! 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. SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES Tell us what
sites you find enjoyable and why. Clean
stand-up comedy clips http://www.thoushaltlaugh.com/media.html Global Rich
List: Where do you rank? http://www.globalrichlist.com/ Baseball
reference http://www.baseball-reference.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.) Our self
worth is more important than our net worth. 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... · Download & Share Your Favorite Music · Visit my blog - comment & share your thoughts email: [email protected] phone:
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. |
|
|