MSM CONNECTIONS
For the week of 06/19/05
The Men’s Ministry e-mail
newsletter of
New
Our mission: Our mission is to lead
men to
Jesus Christ and provide
opportunity for
Christian men to grow in their
faith
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"Fathers,
do not exasperate your children, instead, bring them up in the training and
instruction of the Lord." Ephesians
6:4
CONSIDER
"The
Holy Scriptures are our letters from home."
CONNECTING EARTHLY DADS WITH A HEAVENLY FATHER
Here's a
ChristianityToday.com article, Our Fathers Who Are on Earth[1],
by Roland C. Warren, president of National Fatherhood Initiative[2], a secular
organization that works with children and dads.
[1] http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/005/28.53.html
[2] http://www.fatherhood.org/
TIPS FOR FATHERS
Articles
from Focus on the Family. "Daddy@Work" discusses
balancing work and family, and in "Like Father, Like Son," baseball's
Dave Dravecky considers how earthly fathers and sons
reflect our relationship to God the Father, and the importance of fathers to
daughters is.
http://www.family.org/topics/a0020738.cfm
THE FATHER'S LOVE LETTER
My Child...
You may
not know me, but I know everything about you
...Psalm
139:1
I know
when you sit down and when you rise up
...Psalm
139:2
I am
familiar with all your ways
...Psalm
139:3
Even the
very hairs on your head are numbered
...Matthew
10:29-31
For you
were made in my image
...Genesis
1:27
In me you
live and move and have your being
...Acts
17:28
For you
are my offspring
...Acts
17:28
I knew you
even before you were conceived
...Jeremiah
1:4-5
I chose
you when I planned creation
...Ephesians
1:11-12
You were
not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book
...Psalm
139:15-16
I
determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live
...Acts
17:26
You are
fearfully and wonderfully made
...Psalm
139:14
I knit you
together in your mother's womb
...Psalm
139:13
And
brought you forth on the day you were born
...Psalm
71:6
I have
been misrepresented by those who don't know me
...John
8:41-44
I am not
distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love
...1 John
4:16
And it is
my desire to lavish my love on you
...1 John
3:1
Simply
because you are my child and I am your Father
...1 John
3:1
I offer
you more than your earthly father ever could
...Matthew
7:11
For I am
the perfect father
...Matthew
5:48
Every good
gift that you receive comes from my hand
...James
1:17
For I am
your provider and I meet all your needs
...Matthew
6:31-33
My plan
for your future has always been filled with hope
...Jeremiah
29:11
Because I
love you with an everlasting love
...Jeremiah
31:3
My
thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore
...Psalms
139:17-18
And I
rejoice over you with singing
...Zephaniah
3:17
I will
never stop doing good to you
...Jeremiah
32:40
For you are my treasured possession
...Exodus
19:5
I desire
to establish you with all my heart and all my soul
...Jeremiah
32:41
And I want
to show you great and marvelous things
...Jeremiah
33:3
If you
seek me with all your heart, you will find me
...Deuteronomy
4:29
Delight in
me and I will give you the desires of your heart
...Psalm
37:4
For it is
I who gave you those desires
...Philippians
2:13
I am able
to do more for you than you could possibly imagine
...Ephesians
3:20
For I am
your greatest encourager
...2
Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also
the Father who comforts you in all your troubles
...2
Corinthians 1:3-4
When you
are brokenhearted, I am close to you
...Psalm
34:18
As a
shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart
...Isaiah
40:11
One day I
will wipe away every tear from your eyes
...Revelation
21:3-4
And I'll
take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth
...Revelation
21:3-4
I am your
Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus
...John
17:23
For in
Jesus, my love for you is revealed
...John
17:26
He is the
exact representation of my being
...Hebrews
1:3
He came to
demonstrate that I am for you, not against you
...Romans
8:31
And to
tell you that I am not counting your sins
...2
Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died
so that you and I could be reconciled
...2
Corinthians 5:18-19
His death
was the ultimate expression of my love for you
...1 John
4:10
I gave up
everything I loved that I might gain your love
...Romans
8:31-32
If you
receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me
...1 John
2:23
And
nothing will ever separate you from my love again
...Romans
8:38-39
Come home
and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen
...Luke
15:7
I have
always been Father, and will always be Father
...Ephesians
3:14-15
My
question is...Will you be my child?
...John
1:12-13
I am
waiting for you
...Luke
15:11-32
Love,
Your Dad.
Almighty God
Father's
Love Letter used by permission Father Heart Communications. Copyright
1999-2005. http://www.FathersLoveLetter.com
WHAT IS A FATHER?
Fathers
are men who give daughters away to other men who aren't nearly good enough, so
that they can have children that are smarter than anybody's.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Position:
DAD
Long-term
team players needed for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic
environment. Candidates must possess
excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour
shifts on call. Some overnight travel
required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and
endless sports tournaments in faraway cities.
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Ø
Must
provide on-site training in basic life skills, such as nose blowing. Must have strong skills in negotiating,
conflict resolution and crisis management.
Ability to suture flesh wounds a plus.
Ø
Must
be able to think out of the box but not lose track of the box, because you most
likely will need it for a school project.
Ø
Must
reconcile petty cash disbursements and be proficient in managing budgets and
resources fairly, unless you want to hear, "He got more than me!" for
the rest of your life.
Ø
Must
be able to drive motor vehicles safely under loud and adverse conditions while
simultaneously practicing above mentioned skills in conflict resolution.
Ø
Must
be able to choose your battles wisely and then stick to your guns.
Ø
Must
be able to withstand criticism, such as "You don't know anything."
Ø
Must
be willing to be hated at least temporarily, until someone needs $5 to go
skating.
Ø
Must
be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Ø
Must
possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60
mph in three seconds flat, in case this time the screams from the backyard are
not someone just crying wolf.
Ø
Must
be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget
repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
Ø
Must
handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic
toys and battery-operated devices.
Ø
Must
screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple
homework projects.
Ø
Must
have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and
mental outlooks.
Ø
Must
be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Ø
Must
have a highly energetic entrepreneurial spirit, because fund-raiser will be
your middle name.
Ø
Must
have a diverse knowledge base, so as to answer questions on the fly such as
"What makes the wind move?" or "Why can't we just stop all
wars?"
Ø
Must
always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Ø
Must
assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
Ø
Other
responsibilities include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the
facility.
POSSIBILITY
FOR ADVANCEMENT AND PROMOTION
Virtually
none. Your job is to remain in the same position
for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.
PREVIOUS
EXPERIENCE
None
required, unfortunately. On-the-job
training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND
COMPENSATION
You pay
them, offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption
that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is
left. The oddest thing about this
reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do
more.
BENEFITS
While no
health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid
holidays and no stock options are offered, the job supplies limitless
opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life, if you play your
cards right.
'FATHER OF THE YEAR' CONTEST
Describe
in 125 words or less why your Dad should be Father of the Year!
http://www.lettersfromdad.com/contest/
MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES 3 'CRITICAL' SOFTWARE PATCHES
Microsoft
Corp., the world's largest software maker, is warning users about three new
security flaws affecting Windows and Internet Explorer and urges them to
download patches to fix the software.
All of the top three security flaws could allow an attacker to take
control over a personal computer and use it to steal data or launch other
attacks, Microsoft said. A hacker could
exploit one of the security flaws if a user directed the web browser to a
specially designed webpage, said Stephen Toulouse, a manager at Microsoft's
http://www.microsoft.com/security
IN SEARCH OF NOAH'S
Few Old Testament
stories capture the imagination like Noah's
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=20902
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=20903
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=20904
BASIC BIBLE DOCTRINE
The
Doctrine of Angels
I. The Existence of Angels
A. The Bible
assumes their existence.
1. 34 books (of 66 total)
refer to angels.
2. Christ taught their existence
(Matt.8:10; 24:31; 26:53 etc.).
B. The Bible
describes their creation.
1. Angels were created by God
(Ps.148:2,5; Col.1:16). Only God had no beginning (1
Tim.6:16).
2. Angels were created before the
world and man (Job 38:6,7).
3. Angels were created holy
(Ezek.28:15; Jude 6).
II. The Nature of Angels
A. Angels are personal beings.
1. They have intellect (Matt.28:5; 1
Pet.1:12).
2. They have emotions (Job 38:7; Luke
2:13; 15:10)
3. They have will (Jude 6).
B. Angels are spirit beings.
1. They exist as spirits - not with material
bodies (Heb. 1:14).
a. An angel can be in only one
place at one time (Dan.9:21-23; 10:10-14)
b. Although they are spirit beings,
they can appear in the form of men (in dreams - Matt.1:20; in natural sight
with human functions - Gen.18: 1-8; 22: 19:1; seen by some and not others - 2
Kings 6:15-17).
2. They cannot reproduce (Mark 12:25).
3. They do not die (Luke 20:36).
C. Angels have communicable attributes in
a degree greater than man but less than God.
1. They have more knowledge than man
(Matt.24:31; Luke 1:13-16) but less than God (Matt.24:36).
2. They have more power than man (2
Pet.2:11; acts 5:19) but less than God.
D. Angels are organized and ranked. One
"archangel," Michael is named (Jude 9). There are also "chief princes"
(Dan.10:13), "seraphim" (Is.6:1-3) and "cherubim"
(Gen.3:22-24).
III. The Ministries of Angels
A. They worship God. Angels are
continually involved in praising God (Rev.4:6-11) through describing His
attributes (Is.6:3) and singing praises (Rev.5:8,9).
B. They ministered to Christ. Angels
announced His birth (Luke 1:26-33; 2:13), protected Him (Matt.2:13),
strengthened Him (Matt.4:11; Luke 22:43), and explained to men His resurrection
(Matt.28:6) and ascension (Acts 1:10,11).
C. They carry out God's government.
Angels are God's servants (Ps.103:20; Heb.1:7) and messengers (Luke 1:19;
2:8-14). They can be involved in
controlling nature (Rev.7:1; 16:3,8,9), nations (2
Kings 19:35), and Satan and demons (Dan.10:13,21; 12:1). They will perform future judgment for God
(Matt.13:3a; Rev.15:1; 16:1-21).
D. They protect God's people. Angels are
sent to serve believers (Heb.1:14). They
protect the godly (Ps.34:7; Dan.6:20,23), oppose our
enemies (Ps.35:4,5) and are specifically assigned as guardians of individuals
(Matt.18:10). They are God's agents in
answering prayer (Acts 12:7) even bringing physical provisions (Gen.21:17-20; 1
Kings 19:5-7).
E. They assist believers at death (Luke
16:22; Jude 9).
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=388
LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)
Sneak
Peek: A leadership secret from Billy Graham...
1.
Leadership is forged in the furnace.
How can we
as ordinary leaders deal with the heat we feel and rise to challenges greater
than our capacities? While Billy
Graham's natural mindset is "What could go wrong?" -- he is determined to live by his convictions and the gospel
of hope, and to communicate that confidence to others. Despite the worst, a leader must personify
hope for the best. "I've read the
last page of the Bible. It's going to
turn out all right." Billy Graham
This is
just one of 21 secrets you'll find in THE LEADERSHIP SECRETS OF BILLY
GRAHAM. Look for it in bookstores this
August.
http://www.zondervan.com/Books/Detail.asp?ISBN=0310255783
CONSIDER
"I
learned one thing in Watergate: I was well-intentioned but rationalized illegal
behavior. You cannot live your life
other than walking in the truth. Your
means are as important as your ends."
Charles Colson
VERSE TO PONDER
"As a
father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who
fear him." Psalm 103:13
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: ETERNAL FATHER - THE "NAVY HYMN"
Originally
written by William Whiting of Winchester, England in 1860 as a poem for a
student who was about to sail for the United States, the melody was composed by
a fellow Englishman and Episcopalian clergyman, Rev. John Bacchus Dykes, and
published the following year.
Eternal
Father, strong to save,
Whose arm
hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own
appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear
us when we cry to Thee,
For those
in peril on the sea!
O Christ!
Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed
their raging at Thy word,
Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
And calm
amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear
us when we cry to Thee,
For those
in peril on the sea!
Most Holy
Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the
chaos dark and rude,
And bid
its angry tumult cease,
And give,
for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear
us when we cry to Thee,
For those
in peril on the sea!
O Trinity
of love and power!
Our
brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock
and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect
them wheresoe'er they go;
Thus
evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad
hymns of praise from land and sea.
http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/questions/eternal.html
GOD FAQ
Question
25: Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
Answer:
The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell,
consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of that righteousness
wherein he was created, and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly
indisposed, disabled, and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good, and
wholly inclined to all evil, and that continually; which is commonly called
original sin, and from which do proceed all actual transgressions.
http://www.shortercatechism.com/
ON PRAYER
"What
other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our
God is near us whenever we pray to Him?"
Deuteronomy 4:7
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
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).
PRAY FOR
THESE BROTHERS
*
Pastor Arnold Pulliam
*
Bro. Needle
*
Bro. Byron Hayes
*
Bro. Damien Robinson
*
Bro. Lester Yancey
*
Bro. LaMallon Howard
*
Bro. Joe Ross
*
Elder Dalter Yarbrough
*
Elder Tim Howard
*
Pastor Alan Roundtree
[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.
World in
360
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/world.in.360/
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.)
The best
thing to spend on your children is time.
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MSM
CONNECTIONS is a periodic newsletter of announcements, news, recommendations,
articles, and other information helpful to men in our spiritual growth. Thanks
for welcoming MSM 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
The Men
Servants Ministry (MSM) 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
Tel: 773-224-5683. Founded &
Pastored by Apostle Aaron L. Royster & Prophetess Mable L. Royster.
Visit our
website at: http://www.newjoydivine.org/
===== /\ =====
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