Connecting man to man to God!

Week of July 22, 2007

"A gentle word can get through to the hard-headed."  Proverbs 25:15b (NCV)

     CONSIDER

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."  Henry Ford

     IS THERE A GOD?

This article is an opportunity for you to take an honest look at the possibility of God.  It will attempt to answer the question, "Is there a God who is powerful, personal and loving?  Does such a God exist?"  Perhaps a little surprising, many people believe in God not out of desperation or wish fulfillment, but as an honest response to the compelling facts before them.  Before you look at the following facts, however, consider this.  If a person opposes the possibility of there being a God, then any evidence can be rationalized or explained away.  Just like if someone is dead set against the idea that people walked on the moon, then no amount of proof is going to change their thinking.  Satellite footage of the astronauts walking on the moon, moon rocks of foreign composition, the testimony of the astronauts, written reports from their mission . . . all the evidence would be worthless, because the person has already concluded that people cannot go to the moon.

When it comes to the possibility of God's existence, the Bible says that there are people who have seen sufficient evidence, but they have suppressed the truth about God. (1) On the other hand, for those who want to know God if He is there, He says, "You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, says the Lord."(2) So before you look at the facts to prove God's existence, it is valid to ask, "If God does exist would I want to know Him?"  Here, then, are some reasons supporting God's existence...  Read this in full at

http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/isthere/isthere2.html

     DECONSTRUCTING ATHEISM

literary scholar Stanley Fish has of late been demonstrating his political incorrectness by writing critically of separation of church and state, and also by challenging leading atheists like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens.  Indeed Fish uses his detailed knowledge of Milton as well as his famous skills of literary deconstruction to show the emptiness of the atheist arguments.  In his New York Times blog, Fish takes up the argument advanced by Dawkins and company that belief in God is a kind of evasion.  According to this argument, we avoid the responsibilities of this life by putting our hopes in another life.  Religion makes us do crazy things....  Read this in full at

http://www.tothesource.org/7_17_2007/7_17_2007.htm

     CHRISTIANS LEARNING TO BE CIVIL IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE

You can hear it in popular catchphrases and reality shows: Cruelty and crassness are becoming the loudest voices in America today.  But in this article, James Emery White -- a pastor, professor, and ministry leader -- tells how some winsome, thoughtful Christians are being heard in the midst of the noise....

http://www.pastors.com/rwmt/default.asp?id=317&artid=10693&expand=1

     SPLENDOR

"The day that each person willingly accepts himself or herself for who he or she is and acknowledges the uniqueness of God's framing process marks the beginning of a journey to seeing the handiwork of God in each life.  Trying to mirror someone else's accomplishments is one thing.  Trying to be someone else in distinctive capacity is unhealthy and breeds insatiable hungers.  Not everyone is a Bach or an Einstein. But there is splendor in the ordinary.  Accepting and celebrating the thread of your own personality is the first grasp of the Grand Weaver's design in your life. You are not a number.  He knows you by name.  Every stage of the process may not look picturesque, but every detail will come into focus and possess its share of beauty."  Ravi Zacharias, The Grand Weaver: How God Shapes Us Through the Events of Our Lives

     ALL-STAR CHRISTIAN BASEBALL SLUGGER MIKE PIAZZA...

Talks about praying for home runs, forgiving opponents, and passing judgment on Barry Bonds.  After starting his career as the 1,390th player chosen in baseball's 1988 amateur draft, Mike Piazza has gone on to defy expectations and become one of the top major-league catchers of all time.  Piazza won the 1993 Rookie of the Year Award, has been chosen for a dozen All-Star games, and holds the record for most home runs by a catcher.  Piazza is also a devoted Catholic and appears in the documentary "Champions of Faith," which profiles Christian baseball players. Currently playing for the Oakland A's, Piazza spoke with Beliefnet about forgiving his opponents, praying (or not) for home-runs, and passing judgment on baseball's steroids scandal....  Read this in full at

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/220/story_22083_1.html

     PILGRIMAGE TO IRELAND'S FIRST CHRISTIAN SITES

by Gary Gnidovic

For me, it all started with the music.  My interest in Irish culture and history was sparked when a friend gave me a recording of Irish fiddle tunes.  It was the beginning of a lifelong love.  In Celtic music there seems to be a capacity for expressing great joy and exuberance, yet also a plaintive longing for something unseen....  See this slideshow at

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/julyweb-only/129-32.0.html

     LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)

"Don't tell people how to do things; tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results."  George Patton

     VERSE TO PONDER

"The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men."  Titus 2:11 (NKJV)

     CONSIDER

"Hate is only power to love misused."  Missionary Tidings

     XV PAN AMERICAN GAMES CONCLUDE JULY 29

5,662 athletes from 42 countries in the Americas are competing on the courts, tracks, fields, and swimming pools of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Held every 4 years, always 1 year before the Summer Olympic Games, the first Pan American Games debuted in 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina....

http://www.rio2007.org.br/data/pages/8A488A8F12D856280112D876FFDA6E31.htm

   Parapan American Games

This year, for the first time in history, the Parapan American Games will be held in the same city and immediately after the Pan American Games.  Organized by CO-RIO in partnership with the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) and according to the rules set forth by the Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Parapan American Games Rio 2007 will be held from August 12th to August 19th, 2007.

http://www.rio2007.org.br/data/pages/8A488A8F12D856280112D88B027B64A0.htm

     WHAT TO DO ONCE YOU'VE SEEN BATHSHEBA

by Patrick Morley

Every man has at least seen his Bathsheba.  The attraction is not really the woman, but the "idea" of the perfect version of that woman.  Once you've seen Bathsheba, what are your options?  If you're both single, by all means get to know the woman.  If she loves Christ and the "real" version of her brings you joy, you are blessed.

What should you do if you are married?

a.    Act out your lust.

b.    Carry on a fantasy (a secret thought life).

c.    Don't worry about it because you're strong.

d.    Appreciate her God-given beauty.

e.    Admire her beauty and let it propel your mind to meditate on the greatness and goodness of the holy Creator.

f.    Exercise 1 Corinthians 10:13.

g.    Flee from the temptation.

h.    Let her remind you of how much you love your own wife and why.

i.    After prayerfully picking the right moment, tell your wife that you've seen Bathsheba.  (This will depend not only on your spiritual maturity, but hers).  If you can speak this frankly with your wife, you will render Satan and your flesh powerless because the secrecy of the whole thing is the hook.  You cannot be reeled in if you spit out the hook.  At least, this is how it happened with me.

j.    Tell a close brother in Christ about your attraction to this Bathsheba.  You'll learn that, "When the secret is out, it loses its power."  Ask your brother to pray for you on the spot.  Then tell your brother that he can phone you anytime he is struggling with similar temptations

I thought as I got older, there would be fewer Bathshebas.  That has not been the case.  As men of God, let's make sure we take care of business in this area.  David's life was never quite the same after he fell into the arms of Bathsheba.

So here's my take: The first 3 answers are obviously nuts ("act out your lust," "carry on a fantasy," and "don't worry because you are strong").  Personally, I would be concerned about "appreciate her God-given beauty" standing alone (answer "d") without adding the guts of answer "e" -- "let it propel your mind to meditate on the greatness and goodness of the holy Creator."  All or any combination of answers from "e" through "j" would be my choices.

http://www.maninthemirror.org

     A TIME TO MOURN

by Harold Dean Trulear

Do we really know how -- and whom -- to mourn?  With rising rates of violent crime, cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Milwaukee lose on a monthly basis approximately the same number of people as Virginia Tech did in a single morning, but do we mourn?  Or is our capacity to mourn lessened by our profane suspicion that low-income, inner-city lives are less valuable than college-campus lives?...  Read this in full at

http://www.esa-online.org/Article.asp?RecordKey=79338C37-AA66-4986-BFE2-D4A1C1A9644B

     ALL THINGS HARRY POTTER

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the 7th and last book in J. K. Rowling's best-selling series, is now in stores.  As with the last 6 volumes and 4 films, there's hand wringing and discussion not just over the quality, but whether it encourages witchcraft or Christian values.  Since 1999, Christianity Today and its sister publications have been discussing the content of the books, along with questions of whether -- and more importantly how -- the books should be read by children and parents....  Read this in full at

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/special/harrypotter.html

Also see

Sightings: "Severus Snape and the Transparency of Evil"

http://marty-center.uchicago.edu/sightings/archive_2007/0719.shtml

     AMERICA'S 50 MOST INFLUENTIAL CHURCHES

According to The Church Report, Willow Creek Community Church (South Barrington, Ill.), Saddleback Church Lake Forest, Calif.), North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, Ga.), and Fellowship Church (Grapevine, Texas) lead this year's 50 Most Influential Churches list.  New to the top 10 churches are Granger Community Church (Granger, Ind.), Mars Hill Church (Seattle, Wash.), and Seacoast Church (Mt Pleasant, S.C.).  All but Granger Community Church and The Potter's House are multi-site churches....  Read this in full at

http://www.thechurchreport.com/mag_article.php?mid=1095&mname=July

     6 AFRICAN COUNTRIES WIN HIGH MARKS IN NEW STUDY OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS

Botswana, Mali, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, and Kenya rank among the world's most religiously tolerant societies, according to the latest study by the Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom.  Eritrea and Sudan rank among the most restrictive.  According to the report, countries with Christian backgrounds have the best religious freedom record, such as Hungary, Ireland, Estonia, and the United States.  Countries run by atheist governments such as communist China, Vietnam, and North Korea are ranked at the bottom....  Read this in full at

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070710/28378_%27Christian%27_Nations_Dominate_World%92s_Best_Religious_Freedom_Spots.htm

     PLANS UNDERWAY FOR WORLD'S LARGEST CROSS IN NAZARETH

A group of prosperous Christian businessmen in Israel are planning to build the largest cross in the world in the boyhood town of Jesus Christ.  According to officials, the initial private building plan is already underway for the "Nazareth Cross," which will be 60 meters (197 feet) high and decorated by some 7.2 million mosaic tiles made of Nazareth stone.  By comparison, Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, stands 39.6 meters (130 feet) tall, weighs 700 tons, and is located at the peak of the 700 meters (2,296 feet) Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city....

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070717/28479_Plans_Underway_for_World%27s_Largest_Cross_in_Nazareth.htm

Also see

http://www.nazarethcross.com/

     TRUCKER CHAPEL A BEACON AT ALABAMA TRUCK STOP

Along Interstate 10 in south Alabama sits a chapel with a shape, size, and design that reveal much about its ministry.  Situated at exit 53 at Oasis Travel Center in Robertsdale is a trailer that no longer hauls refrigerated items but now serves as a place for emitting the warmth and light of Jesus Christ.

Called Exit 53 Chapel, this trailer is a church for truckers.  The truck-stop chapel, a ministry of the Baldwin Baptist Association, "provides an opportunity for truckers to be able to worship in an atmosphere they feel comfortable in," says Rick Barnhart, associate director of missions for Baldwin Association. Plus, they know their rigs will be secure because they're parked nearby....  Read this is full at

http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=26081

     THE LAWS OF GOLF

LAW 1: No matter how bad your last shot was, the worst is yet to come.  This law does not expire on the 18th hole, since it has the supernatural tendency to extend over the course of a tournament, a summer and, eventually, a lifetime.

LAW 2: Your best round of golf will be followed almost immediately by your worst round ever.  The probability of the latter increases with the number of people you tell about the former.

LAW 3: Brand new golf balls are water-magnetic.  Though this cannot be proven in the lab, it is a known fact that the more expensive the golf ball, the greater its attraction to water.

LAW 4: Golf balls never bounce off of trees back into play.  If one does, the tree is breaking a law of the universe and should be cut down.

LAW 5: No matter what causes a golfer to muff a shot, all his playing partners must solemnly chant "You looked up," or invoke the wrath of the universe.

LAW 6: The higher a golfer's handicap, the more qualified he deems himself as an instructor.

LAW 7: Every par-three hole in the world has a secret desire to humiliate golfers.  The shorter the hole, the greater its desire.

LAW 8: Topping a 3-iron is the most painful torture known to man.

LAW 9: Palm trees eat golf balls.

LAW 10: Sand is alive.

LAW 11: Golf carts always run out of juice at the farthest point from the clubhouse.

LAW 12: A golfer hitting into your group will always be bigger than anyone in your group.  Likewise, a group you accidentally hit into will consist of a football player, a professional wrestler, a convicted murderer and an IRS agent -- or some similar combination.

LAW 13: All 3-woods are demon-possessed.

LAW 14: Golf balls from the same "sleeve" tend to follow one another, particularly out of bounds or into the water (See Law 3).

LAW 15: A severe slice is a thing of awesome power and beauty.

LAW 16: "Nice lag" can usually be translated to "lousy putt."  Similarly, "tough break" can usually be translated "way to miss an easy one, sucker."

LAW 17: The person you would most hate to lose to will always be the one who beats you.

LAW 18: The last three holes of a round will automatically adjust your score to what it really should be.

LAW 19: Golf should be given up at least twice per month.

LAW 20: All vows taken on a golf course shall be valid only until the sunset.

     SHADES OF PHILIPPIANS 4:8

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight.  I have responsibilities to fulfill today.  I am important.  My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or ... I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or ... I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or ... I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or ...I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or ... I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or ... I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or ... I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today I can complain because I have to go to school or ... eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.  And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.

What today will be like is up to me.  I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

Have a GREAT DAY ... unless you have other plans.

     CONSIDER

"Forgiveness is not an elective in the curriculum of life.  It is a required course, and the exams are always tough to pass."  Charles Swindoll

     VERSE TO PONDER

"Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you."  Jeremiah 32:17

     THIS WEEK'S HYMN: BEYOND THIS LAND OF PARTING

Words: Mary B. Slade, 1876

Music: Asa B. Everett

Beyond this land of parting, losing and leaving,

Far beyond the losses, darkening this,

And far beyond the taking and the bereaving

Lies the summer land of bliss.

Refrain

Land beyond, so fair and bright!

Land beyond, where is no night!

Summer land, God is its Light.

O happy summer land of bliss.

Beyond this land of toiling, sowing and reaping,

Far beyond the shadows, darkening this,

And far beyond the sighing, moaning and weeping,

Lies the summer land of bliss.

Refrain

Beyond this land of sinning, fainting and failing,

Far beyond the doubtings, darkening this,

And far beyond the griefs and dangers befalling,

Lies the summer land of bliss.

Refrain

Beyond this land of waiting, seeking and sighing,

Far beyond the sorrows, darkening this,

And far beyond the pain and sickness and dying

Lies the summer land of bliss.

Refrain

>from CyberHymnal at

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/e/beyondtl.htm

     ON PRAYER

"This is our Lord's will, ... that our prayer and our trust be, alike, large. For if we do not trust as much as we pray, we fail in full worship to our Lord in our prayer; and also we hinder and hurt ourselves.  The reason is that we do not know truly that our Lord is the ground from which our prayer springeth; nor do we know that it is given us by his grace and his love.  If we knew this, it would make us trust to have of our Lord's gifts all that we desire.  For I am sure that no man asketh mercy and grace with sincerity, without mercy and grace being given to him first."  Juliana of Norwich (1342?-1417), Revelations of Divine Love

     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.

Pray 21: Teens and parents praying together

http://pray21.org/index.php

Children's books from around the world

http://www.childrenslibrary.org/index.shtml

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.)

Why is there always one in every crowd?

Min. Frank Coleman, Editor

[email protected]

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