|
Connections Connecting man to
man to God! Week of Issue 138 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. "Praise
the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the
Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Psalm 103:1-2 CONSIDER "The
best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.
The second best time is today."
Chinese proverb GO FROM GOOD TO GREAT THIS YEAR (Adapted from
Better than Good: Creating a Life You Can't Wait to Live, copyright 2006 by Zig Ziglar) You may think
that achieving a good life is the most you can manage in this stressful,
challenging world. But you don't have
to settle for a life that's merely good.
God wants to give you a life that's great! Here's how you can live life to the
fullest: * Discover
your passion. Think and pray about
what matters most to you, and why. Ask
God to reveal His dreams for you.
Consider what noble contributions you can make to the world to make
life better not just for yourself, but for other people as well. Once you've found your passion, keep it
alive. Regularly invest your time,
talent, and money into pursuing it.
Find someone who is already successful at what you're passionate about
doing, and ask that person to mentor you.
Envision what you'd like to achieve, and let your imagination inspire
you as you develop your passion. * Manage
stress well. Don't let stress rob you
of your passion. Wait to worry about
situations until you have all the facts about them; then use that information
to develop an action plan so you won't need to worry. Learn from your failures, but leave them in
the past so you can move confidently into the future. Live with integrity so you won't have to
deal with any stress arising from guilt or shame. Stay out of debt to avoid financial
stress. Don't fear the future;
remember that a loving and powerful God is in control of it, and decide to
trust Him. Reduce your stress with
laughter as often as you can, and share the joy with others. * Watch your
thoughts. Realize that what you think
powerfully impacts who you are and will become. Decide to be an optimist. Meditate on
thoughts that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute,
excellent, and worthy of praise. Spend
time regularly reading the Bible and other inspirational books. Avoid negative material from the media and
in conversations with others. Feed
your mind positive thoughts, knowing that they will lead to positive
actions. Embrace healthy attitudes,
such as knowing that you're never a victim of your circumstances, trusting
that God will cause everything that happens to you to work together for a
good purpose, and thanking God for all the gifts He has given you. * Plan
wisely.... * Don't let
failure stop you.... * Cultivate
healthy habits.... * Recognize
the power of grit.... * Redefine
success.... * Discover
your purpose.... * Change the
world.... Read this in
full at http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/1460957.html 250 MILLION CHRISTIANS WILL BE
PERSECUTED IN 2007 According to persecution
watchdog Release International, persecution is growing the fastest in the
Muslim world. Release says most
persecution takes place in four distinct "zones": those of Islam,
Communism, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
Abuses suffered by Christians include kidnapping, forced conversion,
imprisonment, church destruction, torture, rape, and execution.... Read this in full at http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070102/24735.htm D. JAMES KENNEDY RECOVERING FROM HEART
ATTACK Dr. D. James
Kennedy, founder of Coral Ridge Ministries, and 2006 inductee into the
National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame, suffered heart arrhythmia
leading to cardiac arrest at his home Dec. 28. He was given CPR and admitted to the
hospital. Brian Fisher, Executive Vice
President of Coral Ridge Ministries, says Kennedy was on life support for a
time but is now off. Jan. 3 Kennedy
"underwent a procedure to implant a pacemaker/defibrillator and
continues to make progress," says Fisher. "We are so thankful for your prayers
and encouragement! Please continue to
intercede on his behalf for a complete recovery and for his return to his
normal ministry duties." HOW MANY PORN ADDICTS ARE IN CHURCH? by Mike Genung Could half of
Christian men have a problem with porn, as so many of the statistics
say? Porn is reported to be a 12
billion dollar industry in the Certainly
half the men in "my" church couldn't have a problem with porn. Most the men in our body of 600 are in
their late 30s to early 40s, married, and the father of little ones. They have successful careers making good
money and are involved in ministry. I
couldn't picture so many of these men I sit next to every Sunday leering at
porn.... Read this in full at http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/pastors/1336107.html CHUCK COLSON: NEED FOR BIBLICAL
WORLDVIEW IS URGENT A recent
survey by http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=5886 FORGIVE "I'm
convinced that we can't go through life harboring grudges against people;
it's pointless. The Lord's Prayer,
which is the prayer that Jesus taught his followers, says, "Forgive us
our sins" -- and this is from the Greek -- "as we have already
forgiven those who sin against us."
Not "as we forgive those who sin against us," but "as
we have already forgiven them."
So we can't go to God until we have forgiven those who sin against
us. I remember the night when I could
finally pray, "Lord Jesus, I forgive them for what they did to
me." Then I started saying,
"In the name of Jesus, please forgive me for harboring murderous
thoughts against them." When I
did that, I started to feel free from the hatred I was carrying towards
them. It didn't have a hold over me
anymore." Graham Taylor, (Sin,
Salvation and Shadowmancer) LEADERSHIP TIP (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE) "The
ultimate test of leadership is not the polls you take, but the risks you
take. In the short run, some risks
prove overwhelming. Political courage
can be self-defeating. But the
greatest defeat of all would be to live without courage, for that would
hardly be living at all." U.S.
President Gerald R. Ford (1913-2006) Also see
"The Public Faith That Shaped Ford's Pardon Decision" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/01/AR2007010100702_pf.html VERSE TO PONDER "The
grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness
and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in
this present age." Titus 2:11-12 CONSIDER "To be
afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true." Bayard Rustin NEVER ALONE "There
is no place where God is not. He is everywhere at all times, and you can
constantly talk with him. As long as
you understand this, you are never really alone. Prayer is a fantastic tool that you can use
in lonely times. Talk to God, and let
him speak to you. David learned that
fellowship with God is a tremendous antidote to loneliness. He learned that loneliness is a signal that
it is time for us to become better acquainted with God." Rick Warren, God's Answers to Life's
Difficult Questions HOW SHOULD WE ADDRESS GOD? by At night,
when I get down on my knees beside my bed and lean my head on my folded hands
in the posture of prayer I was taught as a child, there's always a moment's
hesitation while I fumble for the first word to launch into the cosmos, a
name that will find the infinite mystery I want my words to reach. Doubtless my
attention to the question of what to call God has been heightened by the
violent clash between partisans from the world's three major monotheistic
religions. Muslims call upon Allah, ideally, five times a day. The Qur'an lists
the 99 names of God, e. g., "He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator,
the Fashioner, the Exalted in Might, the Wise." The name Allah itself is the Arabic
transliteration of the Hebrew Eloah (cf. Elohim, one of God's names in the Hebrew scriptures) or
Aramaic Elah, meaning "Mighty One" or
"One Worthy of Praise." But
the Qur'an also says that Allah has names that he keeps
to himself, an option I find strangely appealing. Jewish
prayers most often address God as "King of the Universe." Rabbi Yochanan, who salvaged the Torah when So what are
my choices? Do I address myself to
Father? If so, should it be preceded
with Our or My? Should I say Lord,
perhaps with a prefatory Dear, like the greeting of a letter? What about Jesus, Holy Spirit, or just
plain God? If I say Father, is it
because I am a child, seeking comfort and certain assurance? Do I say Lord because I feel strong enough
to approach as an adult, yet humble enough to acknowledge servanthood? Can I, this night, transcend the barriers
of time to experience the personal presence of the resurrected Jesus, the one
who has "borne our griefs and carried our
sorrows"? Should I appeal to the
Holy Spirit, feeling the need for firing up by that life-giving but elusive
essence? Or do I take the easy way out
and just say God, the generic term for whatever is infinitely bigger and
better than I am?.... Read this in
full at http://www.christianitytoday.com/bc/2007/001/1.8.html DO YOUR PART "Let no
one be discouraged by the belief there is nothing one man or one woman can do
against the enormous array of the world's ills, against misery and ignorance,
injustice and violence. ... Few will have the greatness to bend history
itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in
the total of all those acts will be written the history of our
generation." Robert F. Kennedy THE 5 MOST COMMON EXERCISE MISTAKES by Wayne
Westcott, PhD, CSCS More people
start an exercise program in January than at any other time of the year. Within weeks or months, most of them have
called it quits -- often because of injury.
Unfortunately, many people exercise in a way that almost guarantees
injuries or even chronic pain. But this common problem can be avoided. How much
exercise do you need? Opinions differ, but I recommend following the Avoid these
exercise mistakes... Mistake 1 Stretching
before workouts. At one time, trainers advised everyone to stretch before
exercise. It doesn't help -- and
actually increases the risk for injury. Tendons have
a limited blood supply. It takes them longer to warm up than muscles.
Performing stretches before a workout -- when tendons are cold -- increases
the risk for microtears in the connective tissue in
or around the tendon. These tears are
painful and slow to heal. Recommended:
Stretch after -- not before -- vigorous activities. Warm up by performing the exercise at a
slower pace and reduced resistance for three to six minutes. For example, if you plan to bike for 35
minutes, begin by riding at a slow, comfortable pace for three to six
minutes. Mistake 2 Using a
barbell (a bar with an adjustable weighted disk attached to each end and held
with two hands). Experienced weight
lifters can safely use barbells, but a dumbbell (a short bar with weight at
each end and held in each hand) is better for injury prevention. That's because the wrists are less likely
to move into a fully supinated (palms facing up) or
pronated (palms facing down) position,
that may strain your elbows.
Just about every exercise that you perform with a barbell can be done
with dumbbells. Recommended: If
you're using a barbell, keep your hands in your peripheral vision. If they're
so far apart that you can't see them, the wrist will be cocked at an angle
and more vulnerable to strain. Mistake 3 Performing
repetitions too quickly. People who
use weight machines or lift free weights tend to go too fast -- either to
minimize time spent in the gym, or because accelerating the pace generates
momentum and makes it easier to lift heavy loads. Fast lifting greatly increases stress on
the joints, especially when people neglect proper form. Recommended:
A six-second repetition speed. When
lifting weights, take about two seconds to raise the weight, then lower it to
a count of four. This pace is slow
enough to maintain good form throughout the movement, and fast enough to
complete about 10 repetitions in one minute -- the recommended number of
repetitions for most workouts. Mistake 4 Lifting too
much weight. This is among the most
common causes of joint, muscle and tendon injuries. Recommended:
Warm up by lifting lighter-than-usual weights. For example, if you are going to do curls
with 15-pound dumbbells, begin with eight to 12 repetitions with 5-pound
dumbbells. After warming up, lift no
more than 70% to 80% of your one-repetition maximum. That's the heaviest weight you can lift one
time. Example: If
the most you can lift at one time with dumbbell bench presses is 20 pounds in
each hand, use 75% of that -- about 15-pound weights. You'll know you're in the right range if
you can complete eight to 12 repetitions.
If you can't complete eight repetitions, the weight is too heavy... if
you can easily complete 12 or more, the weight is too light. Mistake 5 Neglecting to
cool down. The cool-down period is
even more important than the warmup period -- not
just for injury prevention, but also to protect the heart. The elevation
in heart rate that occurs during exercise continues for several minutes after
you stop. A larger-than-usual volume
of blood is being pumped from the heart throughout the body. Without continued
muscle activity to help pump it back into circulation, the blood tends to
pool in the legs and feet. The heart
has to work harder to restore normal circulation, which can trigger high
blood pressure. Recommended:
After finishing any exercise or vigorous activity, keep moving for a few
minutes at a slower rate -- by walking in place or biking at a reduced
resistance or slower pace, for example. Bonus:
Activity during cool-down helps flush lactic acid from the muscles. This metabolic byproduct increases during
exercise and can result in muscle discomfort. Since muscles
and tendons have the best blood flow and elasticity during cool-down, it's a
good time to do a basic gentle stretch that targets many of the body's
muscles. What to do:
Sit on the floor with your legs extended.
Bend your right knee and place your right foot just below your left
knee. Bending at the waist, reach
forward with your arms as far as you comfortably can toward your left ankle
or foot. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat
with opposite leg. The full cool-down
should last about four to eight minutes. http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/ CONSIDER "Faith
is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole
staircase." Martin Luther King
Jr. VERSE TO PONDER "Bless
those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with
those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but
associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay
evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on
you, live peaceably with all."
Romans 12:14-18 THIS WEEK'S HYMN: ANOTHER YEAR IS
DAWNING Words:
Frances R. Havergal, 1874 Music: Samuel
S. Wesley, 1864 Another year
is dawning, dear Father, let it be In working or
in waiting, another year with Thee. Another year
of progress, another year of praise, Another year
of proving Thy presence all the days. Another year
of mercies, of faithfulness and grace, Another year
of gladness in the shining of Thy face; Another year
of leaning upon Thy loving breast; Another year
of trusting, of quiet, happy rest. Another year
of service, of witness for Thy love, Another year
of training for holier work above. Another year
is dawning, dear Father, let it be On earth, or
else in Heaven, another year for Thee. >from
CyberHymnal at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/n/anothery.htm GOD FAQ Question 106:
What are we specially taught by these words before me in the first
commandment? Answer: These
words before me, or before my face, in the first commandment, teach us, that
God, who sees all things, takes special notice of, and is much displeased
with, the sin of having any other God: that so it may be an argument to
dissuade from it, and to aggravate it as a most impudent provocation: as also
to persuade us to do as in his sight; Whatever we do in his service. 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 "I too
had noticed that our prayers for others flow more easily than those we offer
on our own behalf. And it would be
nice to accept your view that this just shows we are made to live by
charity. I'm afraid,
however, I detect two much less attractive reasons for the ease of my own
intercessory prayers. One is that I am
often, I believe, praying for others when I should be doing things for
them. It's so much easier to pray for
a bore than to go and see him. And the
other is like unto it. Suppose I pray
that you may be given grace to withstand your besetting sin (short list of
candidates for this post will be forwarded on demand). Well, all the work has to be done by God
and you. If I pray against my own
besetting sin there will be work for me.
One sometimes fights shy of admitting an act to be a sin for this very
reason." C. S. Lewis (1898-1963),
Letters to Malcolm [1964] 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. The http://www.calvin.edu/january/ http://www.mission-in-snowdriftland.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.) A clean desk
is a sign of a cluttered desk drawer. 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. |
|
|