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Connecting man to
man to God! Week of Issue 157 CONNECTIONS is
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"Since
the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- his eternal power and
divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been
made, so that men are without excuse."
Romans 1:20 CONSIDER "I avoid
looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward." Charlotte Bronte OUTREACH TO CHRISTIAN MEN ON THE RISE After 16
seasons of developing godly men, the nation's largest men's ministry is
making some changes this year.
"We are busy and we are excited about 2007 and one of the things
that ranks clear is change," says Dr. Tom Fortson, president and CEO of
Promise Keepers, "but sometimes we don't want to change." For over a
decade, Promise Keepers has held up to 22 stadium-sized gatherings, drawing
hundreds of thousands of men across the country each year. Now in its 17th year of conference
ministry, the men's movement has scheduled only 7 national conferences this
summer and added a line-up of smaller-scale events called Promise Keepers
"Selects," one-day events that will engage men to get active in the
local community. "Selects"
are planned to seat only 1,000 to 2,000 men at a time as opposed to the tens
of thousands Promise Keepers typically gathers at its larger
conferences. The four-hour gatherings
are issue-specific and focus on one theme.
Such topics that will be addressed are finances, single parenting, preparation for marriage, pornography, and business
ethics. PK's first 2007 stadium event themed "Flood: Energizing Men of
Integrity" hits http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070509/27311.htm Also see http://www.promisekeepers.org/ THE POWER OF A PRAYING HUSBAND By Stormie Omartian "Your
marriage is like a football game. You
and your wife are a team. And she
wants the security of knowing that when things are tough and down to the wire
-- even when the enemy is already celebrating your demise and all appears to
be lost -- you have the faith to believe that up to the very last second
everything can turn around. She needs
the assurance you have a play in your pocket that can take you down the field
with the ball for a possible winning score.
She wants you to trust that with God nothing is impossible, and
because of that you will never give up hoping for the impossible to
happen.... "Please
pray for yourself that: 1.
You will be the husband God wants you to
be. 2.
You will know how to really love your
wife. 3.
You will be led by the Holy Spirit in
all decisions. 4.
You will be delivered from negative
behavior. 5.
You will speak words that build and not
destroy. 6.
You will have the desire to pray for
your wife. 7.
You will grow spiritually, emotionally,
and mentally." Read more at http://www.crosswalk.com/561218/ PENTECOST SUNDAY (May 27) In many
churches, the season leading up to Pentecost Sunday is one of the most
neglected of the church calendar. Even
in less liturgical churches that are beginning to place more emphasis on
observing the church calendar, the momentum to carry observation of the
church year through Pentecost (Whitsunday in some traditions) and Trinity
Sunday (the first Sunday after Pentecost Sunday) seems to be lacking. No doubt there are a variety of reasons for
this neglect. There is the simple
practical fact that after five months or more of concerted effort invested in
special emphases and activities from Advent to Epiphany to Lent to Easter,
both ministers and parishioners may simply be mentally and emotionally
exhausted. After the intensity of Lent
and Holy Week there is a certain psychological "let down" after
Easter. Pentecost was
originally an Old Testament festival, since the time of Josephus calculated
as beginning on the fiftieth day after the beginning of Passover. In the Christian calendar, it falls on the
seventh Sunday after Easter. It was called the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), and
in the Old Testament was originally an agricultural festival celebrating and
giving thanks for the "first fruits" of the early spring harvest
(Lev 23, Exod 23, 34). While there
are other references to Pentecost in the New Testament (e.g. 1 Cor 16:8), it is most significant in Acts 2 and the
familiar scene of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those in the
"upper room." The New
Testament writers associate the events of Acts 2 with Pentecost, and relate
it to the prophecies of Joel 2 and promises of Jesus (Acts 1:8). In both, the
emphasis is on a empowerment through the Holy Spirit
to enable the people of God to witness to Jesus the Christ.... Read this in full at http://www.crivoice.org/cypentecost.html GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER (May 27) http://www.globaldayofprayer.com ON PROPER LANGUAGE "The
General is sorry to be informed that the foolish and wicked practice of
profane cursing and swearing, a vice hitherto little known in our American
Army is growing into fashion. He hopes
that the officers will, by example as well as influence, endeavor to check it
and that both they and the men will reflect that we can little hope of the
blessing of Heaven on our army if we insult it by our impiety and folly. Added to this it is a vice so mean and low
without any temptation that every man of sense and character detests and
despises it." General George Washington HOW TO GIVE YOUR TESTIMONY from Pat
Morley Three things
usually happen when a man comes to faith in Jesus. First, he sees the life of Christ exampled
(that's you). Second, he hears that
man's story attributed to Christ.
Third, he hears how he too can embrace the life-transforming gospel of
Jesus. Do you know how
to share your own faith story with another man? Once you've listened and sense a man knows
you're on his side, give him your testimony.
Your own story is 100 times more powerful than telling him the
"theology" of Christianity alone.
Be prepared to do this in not more than 10 minutes, but also in 3
minutes if the time is short. In equal
time segments tell him three things: *
BEFORE: What was your life like before
you embraced Jesus? Empty, confused,
lonely, disillusioned, futile, lacking significance, without purpose or
meaning, successful but still not happy?
As much as possible, relate your story to what you know about his
story. *
HOW: How did you come to profess faith
in Jesus? Where? Who showed you the way? Why did you respond? Be sure to mention the love and holiness of
God, conviction of your sins, hunger for truth, understanding who Christ is,
repentance, and faith in Jesus. *
AFTER: What has Christ done in your life
since? Pick areas that have changed
which relate to his struggles A CHALLENGE:
If you want to get serious about sharing Christ with men (or already are),
don't shoot from the hip. Take a
couple of hours and write out, time, practice, and memorize a 3-minute
testimony. Pick words that sparkle and
emote. Mark Twain said, "A powerful
agent is the right word." And you
already know what would happen if Michael Jordan didn't practice. http://www.maninthemirror.org/ VERSE TO PONDER "Let no
debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for
he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8 CONSIDER "We buy
things we do not want to impress people we do not like." John Adams GOD IS REAL "True
spirituality covers all of reality.
There are things the Bible tells us as absolutes, which are sinful --
which do not conform to the character of God.
But aside from these the Lordship of Christ covers all of life and all
of life equally. It is not only that
true spirituality covers all of life, but it covers all parts of the spectrum
of life equally. In this sense there
is nothing concerning reality that is not spiritual." Francis Schaeffer, A Christian Manifesto, "He is
not silent. The reason we have the
answer is because the infinite-personal God, the full Trinitarian God, has
not been silent. He has told us who He
is. Couch your concept of inspiration and revelation in these terms, and you
will see how it cuts down into the warp and woof of modern thinking. He is not silent. That is the reason we know. It is because He has spoken. What has He told us? Has He told us only about other things? No,
He has told us truth about Himself -- and because He has told us truth about
Himself -- that He is the infinite-personal, triune God -- we have the answer
to existence." Francis Schaeffer,
He Is There and He Is Not WORSHIP: LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR
HEART by Gordon
MacDonald "...Worship
comes in a thousand forms. No one way
suits all. We are drawn in our
expressions of exaltation and celebration by our cultural backgrounds, our
personal structure of temperament, and our progress in the spiritual
journey. But while we cannot set forth
rigid patterns of worship, we can make some statements about what genuine
worship should accomplish: *
Worship should draw a sharp contrast
between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of heaven *
Worship should focus on the living God
and His revelation of Himself as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit *
Worship should bring to our
consciousness the acts and the character of God. *
Worship should call the worshipper to
repentance - a confession of sinfulness in contrast to God's righteousness
and a resulting sense of forgiveness and restoration *
Worship should cause the worshipper to
inventory his/her benefits in life and give thanks *
Worship should provide a chance for one
to see his/her work in the perspective of the kingdom and give from the
profits of labor *
Worship should make the worshipper feel
prayed for in terms of personal needs *
Worship should refine the perspective of
people so that they see and pray for world events in light of the Kingdom
purposes of God *
Worship should offer encouragement and
insight from the preached Word *
Worship should send people back into the
"streets" of the world with a renewed sense of energy, confidence,
and purpose.... Read this in
full at http://www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=1616 DANGER SIGNS OF INTERNET ADDICTIONS: *
Have your
family or friends
complained about the amount of time you spend online? *
Are you less involved with your spouse
or friends because of your involvement with the Internet? *
Have you lied to your spouse or family
members about your Internet usage? *
Do you feel estrangement in your
relationship with God because of your involvement with the Internet
(pornography, gambling, etc.)? *
Do you avoid social engagements or try
to leave such engagements early in order to spend more time on the Internet? *
Do you hide your Internet involvement
from your spouse or family members? *
Do you, your spouse, or family members
stay up late, after everyone has gone to bed, so you can log onto the
Internet privately? *
Have you, your spouse or a family member
experienced an increase in moodiness, anger and harsh blaming? *
Have you, your spouse or family member
tried to stop your involvement with the Internet, but have been unable to do
so? For help, go
to THE NICENE CREED I believe in
one God, the Father
Almighty, maker of
heaven and earth, and of all
things visible and invisible; And in one
Lord Jesus Christ, the only
begotten Son of God, begotten of
his Father before all worlds, God of God,
Light of Light, very God of
very God, begotten, not
made, being of one
substance with the Father; by whom all
things were made; who for us men
and for our salvation came down
from heaven, and was
incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin
Mary, and was made
man; and was
crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered
and was buried; and the third
day he rose again according to
the Scriptures, and ascended
into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and he shall
come again, with glory, to judge both
the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe
in the Holy Ghost the Lord, and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father [and the Son]; who with the
Father and the Son together is worshipped
and glorified; who spake by the Prophets. And I believe
one holy Catholic and I acknowledge
one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for
the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. AMEN. http://www.gty.org/~phil/creeds/nicene.htm CONSIDER "Forgiveness
is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." Mark Twain VERSE TO PONDER "All
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by
his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:23-24 THIS WEEK'S HYMN: ABOVE THE STARRY
SPHERES Words:
Attributed to Ambrose of Milan (340-397) (Jam Christus
astra ascenderat);
translated from Latin to English by Edward Caswall,
Lyra Catholica, 1849, and
the compilers of Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1873. Music: ST.
MICHAEL, melody by Louis Bourgeois in the French Genevan
Psalter, 1551; Above the
starry spheres, To where He
was before, Christ had
gone up, the Father's gift Upon the
Church to pour. At length had
fully come, On mystic
circle borne Of seven
times seven revolving days, The
Pentecostal morn. When, as the
Apostles knelt At the third
hour in prayer, A sudden
rushing sound proclaimed That God
Himself was there. Forthwith a
tongue of fire Is seen on
every brow, Each heart receives
the Father's light, The Word's
enkindling glow. The Holy
Ghost on all Is mightily
outpoured, Who straight
in divers tongues declare The wonders
of the Lord. While
strangers of all climes Flock round
from far and near, And their own
tongue, wherever born, All with
amazement hear. But Denies the
hand divine; And, mocking,
jeers the saints of Christ As full of
new made wine. Till Peter,
in the midst, By Joel's
ancient word, Rebukes their
unbelief, and wins Three
thousand to the Lord. The Father
and the Son And Spirit we
adore, O may the
Spirit's gifts be poured On us
forevermore. >from
CyberHymnal at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/b/abovstar.htm
GOD FAQ Question 125:
Why are superiors styled father and mother? Answer:
Superiors are styled father and mother, both to teach them in all duties
toward their inferiors, like natural parents, to express love and tenderness
to them, according to their several relations; and to work inferiors to a
greater willingness and cheerfulness in performing their duties to their
superiors, as to their parents. http://www.shortercatechism.com/
ON PRAYER "Our
praying needs to be pressed and pursued with an energy that never tires, a persistency
which will not be denied, and a courage which never fails." E.M. Bounds
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 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. All About
Lawns Outdoor Power
Equipment Institute Toro's YardCare 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.) Mighty
is our God; mighty is our King; mighty is our Lord; Ruler of everything. Min. Frank Coleman, Editor 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... · Start Your Domain Name Search Here · Download & Share Your Favorite Music · Visit my blog - comment & share your thoughts email: [email protected] phone:
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