Connecting man to man to God!

Week of April 1, 2007

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"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  2 Corinthians 5:21

     CONSIDER

"Countless people have seen the Cross, but few carry it."  Calvin Miller, Once Upon a Tree

     EASTER: MYTH, HALLUCINATION, OR HISTORY?

by Edwin M. Yamauchi

"That the Easter faith in the Resurrection of Christ is the core of Christianity can hardly be denied.  Whether that conviction is rooted in myth, in hallucination, or in history has often been debated.  Some have maintained that the Resurrection of Christ is a myth patterned after the prototypes of dying and rising fertility gods.  Others argue that subjective visions of the risen Christ were sufficient to convince the disciples that their leader was not dead.  Even those who do not doubt the historicity of Christ's life and death differ as to how the Resurrection may be viewed historically.  Let us examine the evidences for these alternatives"....  Read this in full at

http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/yama.html

     FREE AUDIO DOWNLOAD OF THE ORIGINAL EASTER STORY

http://www.zondervan.com/media/podcasts/the_easter_story_pod.mp3

     PURCHASE YOUR OWN COPY OF “THE BIBLE EXPERIENCE”

http://www.christianconnectionbooks.com/content/search/product/view_item.php?dcn=26622&sm=

     LENTEN REFLECTIONS

"IN THE DAILY ROUND of life, dust and cobwebs accumulate in our souls.  The hidden corners of our hearts become encrusted with grime or filled with forgotten debris.  During the weeks of Lent, God's Spirit is given opportunity to clear away the clutter, sweep away the dust and wash us clean.  We are invited to prepare ourselves heart, soul, mind and body for the new life of Easter."  Marlene Kropf in The Mennonite

"I GAVE UP coffee creamer for Lent one year.  By the end of the tenth day, I began to love black coffee.  That's the year I learned that it isn't giving up things that counts.  I became aware that only internal change really counts."  Joan Chittister, Listen with the Heart

"I AM CONVINCED that 99% of us are addicted to something, whether it is eating, shopping, blaming, or taking care of other people.  The simplest definition of an addiction is anything we use to fill the empty place inside of us that belongs to God alone."  Barbara Brown Taylor, Home by Another Way

"MAYBE LENT is a good time to stop doing and try being.  Relinquishment lies at the heart of the Christian gospel and is a countercultural choice that hones our discipleship.  If I let go of the assumption that my hard work will bring me all that I desire, I begin to look at the present moment, receive it with gratitude, and know what it asks of me.  I learn when it is time to rest, time to plan, time to play, time to wait, time to act boldly."  Elizabeth J. Canham in Weavings

"THEY WHO are conscious of their own sins have no eyes for the sins of their neighbors."  Abbot Moses in The Wisdom of the Desert

"THE SEASON of Lent involves the telling of the same old story that invites us to become participants in the drama.  If we choose to act in this great Passion Play we shall find ourselves called to be experiments in vulnerability.  We will have set in motion a course of events totally beyond our control."  Alan Jones, Passion for Pilgrimage

     STUDY ON THE PHYSICAL DEATH OF JESUS

Jesus of Nazareth underwent Jewish and Roman trials, was flogged, and was sentenced to death by crucifixion.  The scourging produced deep stripe-like lacerations and appreciable blood loss, and it probably set the stage for hypovolemic shock as evidenced by the fact that Jesus was too weakened to carry the crossbar (patibulum) to Golgotha.  At the site of crucifixion his wrists were nailed to the patibulum and after the patibulum was lifted onto the upright post (stipes), his feet were nailed to the stipes.  The major pathophysiologic effect of crucifixion was an interference with normal respirations.  Accordingly death resulted primarily from hypovolemic shock and exhaustion asphyxia.  Jesus’ death was ensured by the thrust of a soldier’s spear into his side.  Modern medical interpretation of the historical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead when taken down from the cross....  Read this in full at

http://www.frugalsites.net/jesus/

     DESIRE HAPPENS: YOU SEE, YOU WANT. THEN WHAT?

by Agnieszka Tennant

"There are times in the lives of most Christians when a vital force inserts itself into our consciousness and demands to take over.  We see someone, and we crave.  Sometimes we want and can have -- with God's and everyone's blessing. Desire does take place between husbands and wives, sweetly.  But even married people who feel this marvelous hunger in their bones are occasionally broadsided by unwieldy yearning.  Misguided cravings do not discriminate between the single and the married, the celibate and the promiscuous.  They plop onto your lap unannounced.  You see someone, and suddenly you want to do something-often, something that is not yours to do.  Like it or not, think healthily about it or not, pray against it or not -- desire happens.  What do you do when it pays its impromptu visits?  Indulge in thought only?  Deny it's there? Seek an exorcism? Curse yourself?  Eat chocolate?"....  Read this in full at

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/april/25.80.html

     SPARK

"In the Scriptures, anything that's anti-human is anti-God.  Genesis begins with God creating the world and then creating people "in his own image."  The Hebrew word for image here is tselem, and it has a specific cultural meaning.  The stories of Genesis originated in ancient Near Eastern culture, where a king was said to rule in the image of a particular god.  If you wanted to see what that god was like, you looked at that god's king.

"The writer of Genesis makes it clear that in all of creation there is something different about humans.  They aren't God, and they aren't going to become God, but in some distinct, intentional way, something of God has been placed in them.  We reflect what God is like and who God is.  A divine spark resides in every single human being.  Everybody, everywhere.  Bearers of the divine image."  Rob Bell in Sex God

     MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IS UNDERWAY

http://mlb.mlb.com/index.jsp

     7 INNINGS, FAMILY, QUIET TIME

by Tim Ellsworth

Jake Westbrook has been a model of consistency for the Cleveland Indians.  Over the past 3 seasons, Westbrook has started at least 30 games and pitched more than 210 innings each year.  His win totals over the same period have been 14, 15 and 15.  Indians manager Eric Wedge knows he can give the ball to Westbrook, who will pitch 7 solid innings and give the team a good chance to win most of the time.

For Westbrook, that consistency doesn't stop when he steps off the field.  He strives for the same outcome when it comes to his spiritual life as well.  "Just like baseball's a routine, you have that routine in your life where you spend time with Jesus in prayer, in quiet time, and in reading the Word," Westbrook says.  "When you do that, everything else starts to fit in place."

Westbrook will be the first to admit he doesn't always achieve that goal of spending time with the Lord daily, but it's still something for which he strives.  And it has been since he became a Christian while a student at Madison County High School in Danielsville, Ga., where he started attending meetings of the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter....  Read this in full at

http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=25252

     PITCHER EMBRACES UNIQUENESS OF THE GOSPEL

Cleveland Indians pitcher Paul Byrd knows what it's like to be hunted.  That's exactly how he describes his conversion.  "I came to know the Lord at Louisiana State University," Byrd said.  "I had a guy who was our chapel leader who was affiliated with Campus Crusade for Christ.  He was the first time I heard what I call the hardcore version of the Gospel -- the exclusiveness of Jesus."

But the first time he heard the message, Byrd thought he was listening to someone from a cult convey a message that sounded ridiculous and extreme.

Byrd started reading the Bible and discovered for himself the exclusive claims Christ made -- that He alone is the only way to salvation.  That there is no other name under heaven given among men by which they must be saved....  Read this in full at

http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=25281

     LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)

"Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who will argue with you."  John Wooden (quote found in Sports Illustrated, 3/19/07)

     VERSE TO PONDER

"There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men."  1 Timothy 2:5-6

     CONSIDER

"He who was raised from the dead will raise us also, if we do His will and live by His commands and love what He loved, refraining from all injustice, covetousness, love of money, evil-speaking, false witness, not returning evil for evil or abuse for abuse, or blow for blow, or curse for curse, but remembering what the Lord said when He taught: Do not judge, so that you may not be judged; forgive and you will be forgiven; have mercy so that you may be shown mercy; with the measure you use men will measure back to you; and blessed are the poor and those who are persecuted for their uprightness, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to them."  St. Polycarp (69?-155?), Letter to the Philippians

     THE STRUGGLE FOR A NEW WORLD MIND

by Carl F.H. Henry

"If historic Christianity is again to compete as a vital world ideology, evangelicalism must project a solution for the most pressing world problems.  It must offer a formula for a new world mind with spiritual ends, involving evangelical affirmations in political, economic, sociological, and educational realms, local and international.  The redemptive message has implications for all of life; a truncated life results from a truncated message"....  Read this in full at

http://www.esa-online.org/Article.asp?RecordKey=2142B951-8900-4C2E-98B5-A52FF3DA594F

     BOOK SUMMARY

How to Be A Christian In A Brave New World by Joni Eareckson Tada and Nigel M. de S. Cameron is now summarized at Christian Book Summaries.  Christ followers should think through the complex issues involved in the recent biotech revolution.  Cloning, stem-cell research, assisted suicide, genetic engineering, and designer babies are just a few of the intricate ethical topics facing us today.  We must think strategically, stick to our informed convictions, and act wisely in the midst of the pressing ethical issues of our culture.  Read the summary at

http://www.christianbooksummaries.com/

     A PRAYER

   My God, how endless is Thy love!

   Thy gifts are every evening new,

   And morning mercies from above

   Gently distill like early dew.

   Thou spread'st the curtains of the night,

   Great guardian of my sleeping hours;

   Thy sov'reign word restores the light,

   And quickens all my drowsy powers.

   I yield my powers to Thy command,

   To Thee I consecrate my days;

   Perpetual blessings from Thine hand

   Demand perpetual songs of praise.

      Isaac Watts (1674-1748), Psalms of David Imitated [1719], Psalm 81

    HANDWRITTEN, ILLUSTRATED BIBLE REVISITS ANCIENT TRADITION

The pages are made of calfskin, the ink is 500 years old, the letters each perfectly inscribed with quills.  And yet for all the antiquity the St. John's Bible embraces, there are decidedly modern signs too -- images of terrorist targets, urban apartment buildings, even cheering football fans.

This Bible is more than a massive sacred text being painstakingly handwritten and illustrated at a master calligrapher's studio at a converted shed in Wales -- the first effort of its size in 5 centuries.  The text is a remarkable convergence of past and present that has created a timeless art piece, a spiritual inspiration and an idealistic reflection of the universality of faith, including everything from prehistoric cave paintings to satellite images from space....  Read this in full at

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070325/26513.htm

     KEEP ROWING

"When 4 rowers are in a boat, with their backs to the bow, their simple office is to pull the oars.  The steersman's office is to look ahead and work the helm.  The moment that the rower turns steersman, and tries to look over his shoulder or out-pull his fellow oarsman, the boat loses headway.  So you and I are placed with our backs to the future.  In our hands are the oars of Christian endeavor.  Let God steer the boat, and let us attend to the oars."  T. L. Cuyler

     HOLLYWOOD PRAYER NETWORK SEEING RED

Borrowing a page from Bono's playbook, the Hollywood Prayer Network (HPN) has taken its publicity campaign to the next level -- by introducing a line of red wristbands.  The bands come embossed with 90028 -- what the HPN terms "the world's most influential zip code" -- to remind wearers to pray for America's culture-shapers and entertainment elite….

http://www.hollywoodprayernetwork.org/

     ESSENTIAL, HEART-HEALTHY EATING ADVICE

*          Eat good fats - Choose good fats from olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, flaxseed oil, walnut oil, avocados, nuts, and fish. Omega-3 (fish oil) supplements are also fine.

*          Eat good carbs - Good carbs include high-fiber, nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.

*          Eat lean protein - Good sources include eggs, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, legumes, skinless white-meat poultry, fish, shellfish, lean cuts of meat, and vegetarian options such as tofu.

http://www.southbeachdiet.com/

     CONSIDER

"If there are a thousand steps between us and God, he will take all but one.  He will leave the final one for us.  The choice is ours."  Max Lucado

     VERSE TO PONDER

"My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge."  Psalm 62:7

     THIS WEEK'S HYMN: ALL YE THAT SEEK THE LORD WHO DIED

Words: Charles Wesley, 1746

Music: Wenzel Muller (1767-1835)

All ye that seek the Lord Who died,

Your God for sinners crucified,

Prevent the earliest dawn, and come

To worship at His sacred tomb.

Bring the sweet spices of your sighs,

Your contrite hearts, and streaming eyes,

Your sad complaints, and humble fears;

Come, and embalm Him with your tears.

While thus ye love your souls t'employ,

Your sorrow shall be turned to joy:

Now, let all your grief be o'er!

Believe, and ye shall weep no more.

An earthquake hath the cavern shook,

And burst the door, and rent the rock;

The Lord hath sent His angel down,

And he hath rolled away the stone.

As snow behold his garment white,

His countenance as lightning bright:

He sits, and waves a flaming sword,

And waits upon his rising Lord.

The third auspicious morn is come,

And calls your Savior from the tomb,

The bands of death are torn away,

The yawning tomb gives back its prey.

Could neither seal nor stone secure,

Nor men, nor devils make it sure?

The seal is broke, the stone cast by,

And all the powers of darkness fly.

The body breathes, and lifts His head,

The keepers sink, and fall as dead;

The dead restored to life appear,

The living quake, and die for fear.

No power a band of soldiers have

To keep one body in its grave:

Surely it no dead body was

That could the Roman eagles chase.

The Lord of Life is risen indeed,

To death delivered in your stead;

His rise proclaims your sins forgiv'n,

And show the living way to Heav'n.

Haste then, ye souls that first believe,

Who dare the Gospel-Word receive,

Your faith with joyful hearts confess,

Be bold, be Jesus' witnesses.

Go tell the followers of your Lord

Their Jesus is to life restored;

He lives, that they His life may find;

He lives, to quicken all mankind.

>from CyberHymnal at

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/y/t/aytslowd.htm

     GOD FAQ

Question 118: Why is the charge of keeping the Sabbath more specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors?

Answer: The charge of keeping the Sabbath is more specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors, because they are bound not only to keep it themselves, but to see that it be observed by all those that are under their charge; and because they are prone ofttimes to hinder them by employments of their own.

http://www.shortercatechism.com/

     ON PRAYER

"Prayer is not a way of making use of God; prayer is a way of offering ourselves to God in order that He should be able to make use of us.  It may be that one of our great faults in prayer is that we talk too much and listen too little.  When prayer is at its highest we wait in silence for God's voice to us; we linger in His presence for His peace and His power to flow over us and around us; we lean back in His everlasting arms and feel the serenity of perfect security in Him."  William Barclay (1907-1978), The Plain Man's Book of Prayers [1959]

     PRAY FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS TODAY

http://christiansincrisis.net/

     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

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Every morning is the dawn of a new error.

Min. Frank Coleman, Editor

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