Connecting man to man to God!

Week of September 9, 2007

Issue 173

[Jesus said,] "'All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"  Matthew 28:18-20

     CONSIDER

"The renewal of our natures is a work of great importance.  It is not to be done in a day.  We have not only a new house to build up, but an old one to pull down."  George Whitefield (1714-1770)

     D. JAMES KENNEDY DEAD AT 76

The Rev. D. James Kennedy, 76, a pioneering megachurch pastor who became one of the nation's most prominent Christian broadcasters and a key figure in the rise of the religious right, died Sept. 5.  Kennedy took the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale from a congregation of 45 in 1959 to a megachurch of nearly 10,000 members today.  Read this in full at

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2007-09-05-kennedy_N.htm

Also see the memorial tribute website

http://www.djameskennedy.org

     INTERVIEW WITH KOREAN HOSTAGES' PASTOR

The Christian Korean hostages did not know until after they were released that two male companions, including the associate pastor of the church, were killed....  Read more at

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/septemberweb-only/136-22.0.html

     OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

Dan Miller lost the use of his arms and legs, but he never surrendered his aspirations.  He dreamed of teaching physical education, playing guitar, playing golf, and flying an airplane -- and today, he has accomplished every one of those goals.  You won't want to miss this inspiring story of hope and perseverance.  Dan says, "My dreams looked hopeless.  My doctor didn't want to give me false hopes.  He said, 'Dan, you'll be in a wheelchair the rest of your life.  I don't know if you'll ever take care of yourself.'"  Listen to this amazing life story at

http://www.oneplace.com/Ministries/Focus_on_the_Family/Default.asp

     Q & A WITH INDIANAPOLIS COLTS COACH TONY DUNGY

The Indianapolis Colts headquarters is decidedly understated.  Just like the Colt's head coach, Tony Dungy.  Dungy walks into the interview and greets the interviewer warmly, as if he's a neighbor and they're meeting at a backyard barbeque.  He's definitely not like the stereotypical, self-absorbed sports star.  Helmets, pads, and jerseys all in blue, festooned with startling white horseshoes, surround them.  This is Dungy's world -- a world of winners and losers, of multimillionaires barely out of their teens, and high-octane, big-money football programs with one goal: win the Super Bowl.  He has done it.  The prize is his.  Yet he's no snarling, cursing, ruthless, win-at-all-costs coach-zilla.  Among the swollen egos, Dungy is one of the sport's most rare commodities -- a truly great winner who remains a modest, sensitive Christian.  His world is bigger than football.  They say nice guys finish last.  Dungy proves them wrong.  This is one nice guy who finished first.

New Man magazine: Coach, first of all, let me congratulate you on your great Super Bowl win.  I watched the Super Bowl in Jerusalem at 3am and it occurred to me that it must be an amazing feeling to realize that people all over world are watching you at a given moment.

Dungy: As we walked out to the field to warm up I just remembered watching all those other Super Bowls and knowing what the audience was seeing and saying, hey, we're out here and we are a focal point of certainly the country right now and it was kind of a humbling feeling....  Read this in full at

http://www.newmanmagazine.com/dungy/

     SPORTS CALENDAR

September 10-30 -- FIFA Women's World Cup soccer tournament (China)

http://www.fifa.com/womenworldcup/index.html

NFL season is underway

http://www.nfl.com/

     LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)

"The best coaches are students of their players and find ways to individually motivate them to get the best out of them. And that's what dads have to do for their sons."  John Trent, Dad's Everything Book for Sons

     VERSE TO PONDER

"When I said, 'My foot is slipping,' your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul."  Psalm 94:18-19

     CONSIDER

"If you were not strangers here the dogs of the world would not bark at you." Samuel Rutherford

     THE DIVINE PERFECTIONS.

    How shall I praise th' eternal God,

        That Infinite Unknown?

    Who can ascend his high abode,

        Or venture near his throne?

    The great invisible! He dwells

        Conceal'd in dazzling light:

    But his all-searching eye reveals

        The secrets of the night.

    Those watchful eyes that never sleep,

        Survey the world around;

    His wisdom is the boundless deep,

        Where all our thoughts are drown'd.

    He knows no shadow of a change,

        Nor alters his decrees;

    Firm as a rock his truth remains,

        To guard his promises.

    Justice, upon a dreadful throne,

        Maintains the rights of God;

    While mercy sends her pardons down,

        Bought with a Savior's blood.

    Now to my soul immortal King,

        Speak some forgiving word;

    Then `twill be double joy to sing

        The glories of my Lord.

... Isaac Watts (1674-1748), Hymns and Spiritual Songs [1707]

     STUDY: FAMILY MAKES TEENS HAPPIEST

Straight from MTV comes a report that says today's youth are happiest when they're with their family and most of them hope to marry and have children of their own someday.  The study, commissioned by MTV and the Associated Press, found that nearly three-quarters of people between the ages of 13 and 24 said their relationship with their parents makes them happy.  They also said having sex and using drugs doesn't really make them happy and spirituality is important to them.  Richard Ross, professor of student ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, said the study results are positive because great relationships with parents lead to stronger spiritual impact in the lives of youth....  Read this in full at

http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=26360

     PORTRAIT OF EXPLOITATION

"For the vast majority of the world's prostituted women, prostitution is the experience of being hunted, dominated, harassed, assaulted, and battered...In prostitution, demand creates supply.  Because men want to buy sex, prostitution is assumed to be inevitable, therefore 'normal.'... Prostitution must be exposed for what it really is: a particularly lethal form of male violence against women.  The focus on research, prevention, and law enforcement in the next decade must be on the demand side of prostitution." -- From "Prostitution: A critical review of the medical and social sciences literature" by Melissa Farley and Vanessa Kelly in Women & Criminal Justice (2000, Vol. 11), available at ProstitutionResearch.com.

Condemnation and denigration characterize the lives of those who are trapped in a life of sexual exploitation -- condemnation from society, from the pimps who coerce and abuse them, and from their own wounded hearts.  To engage in further marginalization of prostituted persons only worsens their situation -- as well as our own, as we ignore Christ's admonition to reach out to the least of these.  If God's attitude toward prostituted persons is one of love, grace, and acceptance, how can the church offer any less? -- From the Sept/Oct 2007 PRISM cover story.  Read it at

http://www.esa-online.org/Display.asp?Page=Prism

     WOMEN ARE MORE SPIRITUAL THAN MEN

30% of women rank their religious beliefs as "extremely" important in their lives compared with 22% of men in a telephone survey conducted by the Center for Survey Research and Analysis at the University of Connecticut.  A significantly larger percentage of women than men also report attending religious services at least once a week and praying every day, according to the poll.  The margin of sampling error is 4.4 percentage points....  Read this in full at

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-religion0905.artsep05,0,2982618.story

     WALK THE TALK

"I'm convinced that sometimes we as Christians can focus so much on the workout that we forget why we're working out.  Our spiritual workouts may include Bible studies, quiet times, and memorizing scripture, all of which are great and helpful in their own right.  But in the end, Jesus wants us to put what we've learned into practice, serving others as He served them.  Baptizing others as He baptized them.  Teaching others as He taught them."  Eric Elder

     AUTHENTICITY

We can go to Mass or services or prayers every day.  I mean, we can sing all the right songs and we can recite all the right prayers.  But if it's just going through the motions, what's the point?  God says in the book of Isaiah, "These people, they honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me" (see Isaiah 29:13).  Sometimes we have to stop and ask, "Why do we do what we do?" To keep the family happy? So that I don't feel guilty?  The Scriptures remind us that God doesn't want the empty rituals.  God wants our hearts."  Rob Bell, in NOOMA 004: Sunday

     THE CHURCH IS FLAT

A missionary in China sends a text message to his home church as if he were just across town.  In Europe, immigrants from the Southern hemisphere plant churches with huge success.  In Saudi Arabia, families with satellite dishes access Christian television and hear the gospel.  In the United States, Anglican congregations place themselves under the authority of African bishops.  Welcome to the global church....  Read this in full at

http://www.ministrytodaymag.com/display.php?id=15389

Also see

http://www.glocal.net

     ON READING

"Reading is the food, light, lamp, refuge, solace of the soul, the spice of all natural flavors.  It feeds the hungry, gives light to the one sitting in darkness, offers bread to the one fleeing shipwreck or war, comforts the contrite heart."  Peter of Celle

     NEW BOOK SUMMARY

Confessions by Saint Augustine is now summarized in detail online.  The book's message: The Confessions are not Augustine's autobiography, but his effort to recall crucial episodes and events in his life where, at age 40, he can look back and see God's providence and grace.  Saint Augustine, who lived from A.D. 354 - 430, explains the story of his early life, education, and successful career as a teacher of rhetoric.  Following his extensive search for truth and his conversion to Christianity, Augustine gives his life completely to serving God.  His spiritual odyssey and struggle toward the faith offer insights to those who experience the good and evil of their own souls and long to find rest in God alone....  Read the summary at

http://www.christianbooksummaries.com/

Purcahse the book at

http://www.christianconnectionbooks.com/content/search/product/view_item.php?dcn=43155&sm=

     WARNING: PUN AHEAD

A thief in Paris planned to steal some paintings from the Louvre Museum.  After careful planning, he got past security, stole the paintings, and made it safely to his van.  However, he was captured only two blocks away when his van ran out of gas.  When asked how he could mastermind such a crime and then make such an obvious error, he replied, "Monsieur, that is the reason I stole the paintings.  I had no Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh."  (See if you have De Gaulle to send this on to someone else.  I sent it to you because I figured I had nothing Toulouse.)

     GRILLING 101

The long days and warm weather of summer may be coming to an end, but that doesn't mean you can't sneak in a few more barbeques!  Nothing beats the taste of a lean steak or fresh veggies cooked on the grill, so keep the coals hot while the weather is still warm.  Here are 9 basics that every grill master needs to know:

1.  If you're using a charcoal grill, light the coals 30 minutes prior to cooking. Coals need time to settle.  The coals are ready for high-heat cooking when you can hold your hand over the fire for only two to three seconds, and for medium-heat cooking, it's a second or two longer.

2.  Light the coals using a chimney -- a tall, cylindrical device in which you stack the charcoal.  A chimney allows for an easy and even burn without the use of taste-altering lighter fluids.

3.  When cooking skewered meat or vegetables, cut your food into equal-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.  Also, be certain to cut the pieces large enough so that they can't fall through the cracks in the grill.

4.  If you choose to marinate your meat, do so for at least three hours prior to cooking.  Marinating tenderizes the meat and reduces cooking time.

5.  Brush sauces onto the food only during the last 20 minutes of grilling.  Applying sauces earlier can lead to overbrowning or burning.

6.  Don't put cooked meat on the same plate that was used to carry raw meat.  This can cause bacterial contamination.  The same danger applies to cooking utensils -- use one set of tongs to pick up raw meat and a separate set of tongs to pick up cooked meat.

7.  Clean your grill while it's still warm, using a stiff wire brush.  The food you brush away will burn up in the coals.

8.  Never add lighter fluid to a burning fire.  The fuel can ignite as it is poured and cause serious burns.

9.  Avoid a potentially hazardous situation by keeping your grill away from buildings and trees when cooking.

http://www.southbeachdiet.com/public/dailydish/dd_20070903.asp

     Life Dance

To the rhythm of your life, go ahead and dance,
Not literally on a ballroom floor, but every time you get the chance.

When you rise in the morning and plant your feet, check your pulse and feel the rhythm of your heartbeat,
Say to yourself, the gift of today is a special treat, today will be oh so sweet.

If you live with someone in your home
Tell them you love them and they are not alone.

Before you hit the showers,
Take few of your minutes out of this 24 hours
Give thanks to God, for his universal healing powers.

Connect with the goodness of you and your instinctual fire,
Let it guide your movements today towards your heart's desire.

Just dance with joy and soon you will see,
Life can be so lovely and that's the way it's meant to be.

Ask me how I know?
Cause the good book tells me so.

Peace & blessings,

The Kool Brother

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=97601285

     WORK IS 'THE BIGGEST SLEEP ROBBER'

(Those who get less than 4-1/2 hours sleep a night work an average of 93 minutes longer on weekdays and 118 minutes more at the weekend.  Commuting time ranks second, above socializing and leisure time, for eating into sleep time, according to a study in the journal Sleep....  Read more at

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6972409.stm

     DRIVE YOUR CAR TO DEATH, SAVE $31,000

By keeping your car for 15 years, or 225,000 miles of driving, you could save nearly $31,000, according to Consumer Reports magazine.  That's compared to the cost of buying an identical model every 5 years, which is roughly the rate at which most car owners trade in their vehicles....  Read this in full at

http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/30/autos/cr_drive_200k/index.htm

     CONSIDER

"The purpose of religion -- at any rate, the Christian religion -- is not to get you into heaven, but to get heaven into you."  Frederick Ward Kates

     VERSE TO PONDER

"I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live."  Psalm 116: 1-2

     THIS WEEK'S HYMN: BELIEVE AND OBEY

Words: Fanny Crosby, 1894

Music: Ira D. Sankey

Press onward, press onward, and trusting the Lord,

Remember the promise proclaimed in His Word;

He guideth the footsteps, directeth the way

Of all who confess Him, believe, and obey.

Refrain

Believe and obey, believe and obey;

The Master is calling, no longer delay:

The light of His mercy shines bright on the way

Of all who confess Him, believe, and obey.

Press onward, press onward, if you would secure

The rest of the faithful, abiding and sure;

The gift of salvation is offered today

To all who confess Him, believe, and obey.

Refrain

Press onward, press onward, your courage renew;

The prize is before you, the crown is in view;

His love is so boundless, He'll never say nay

To those who confess Him, believe, and obey.

Refrain

>from CyberHymnal at

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/e/l/believao.htm

     ON PRAYER

"Prayer should be brief and pure, unless it happen to be lengthened by an impulse or inspiration of divine grace."  Rule of Benedict

     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.

     MAKE MONEY MEET PEOPLE!

Meet Thousands of Business People Online FREE! Business Networking & Advertising Service Entrepreneurs and Home Business Owners advertise your Company, Product, or Service as apart of DirectMatches' online business networking service where business people are matched with other business people to do BUSINESS! It's the MySpace for business people! To register for a free business profile, visit: http://www.directmatches.com/goglobal

     SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES

Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why.

YouTube: Billiard Dominoes (amazing)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlBBzLgAN1E

World Beard and Mustache Championships

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2007/09/02/worlds_best_whiskers_vie_for_honors/

Product Reviews

http://www.summize.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.)

I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to grow up, if I'd known that so much of adulthood is ad-libbed.

Min. Frank Coleman, Editor

[email protected]

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