Connecting
man to man to God
For week of May 25, 2008
Issue 209
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"May
the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of
unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with
one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:5-6
CONSIDER
“Children
are innocent and love justice, while most adults are wicked and
prefer mercy.” G. K. Chesterton
DAUGHTER OF
CHRISTIAN MUSIC STAR KILLED BY CAR
The
5-year-old daughter of Grammy-winning Christian music star Steven
Curtis Chapman was struck and killed May 21 by a sport utility
vehicle driven by her brother, authorities said.... Read this in
full at
http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/
UNEXPECTED
DIALOGUE
In
preparation for an evangelistic tour of China, Luis Palau
befriended Zhao Qizheng, then minister of the State Council
Information Office of China. They hit it off and eventually agreed
to produce the book ‘A Friendly Dialogue between an Atheist
and a Christian,’ originally published in China with the
title ‘Riverside Talks.’ While religious-rights abuses
in China are still regularly reported, ‘A Friendly Dialogue’
represents a step forward for religious freedom. Christianity
Today managing editor Mark Galli sat down with Palau and Zhao to
learn more about their project....
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/may/31.71.html
LESSONS
FROM MY FATHER
The
Rev. Franklin Graham on his father Billy: "He taught me that
there is a devil in this world. There are spiritual powers at work
against God. Why do we have bars on the windows? Why do we have to
have police forces? Why do we have a judicial system? It's because
of the evil in this world. Everything he taught, he taught us
through the Scripture"....
http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/family-fatherhood/My_Father_The_Preacher.shtml
KNOWING
GOD
“By
giving his name, God says clearly, I want to have a personal
relationship. I am introducing myself. I am telling you my name so
that you can call me. God did this to let the Israelites know he
would be very near, personally protecting them, putting out food
for them every night and setting up signposts for their journey
every day. He was not just the great God of the universe. He was
their own personal God, who cared. He would go with them on their
dangerous trip to Palestine. For us, God's name means much the
same thing. A person can pick out his name even if it is said in a
crowded, noisy room. So with God. Amid the incredible clatter of
the universe, the motion and clamor of billions, when we speak his
name, God tunes in. We have his attention when we call out to him.
He will keep a close eye on us. He will stay close to us all
through our dangerous journey.” Tim Stafford, Personal God:
Can You Really Know the One Who Made the Universe?
THE
GOD OF REDEMPTION
“If
abuse is widely distributed throughout all sectors of society --
and it has been so throughout human history -- what hope is there?
It is precisely at the juncture of intractable evil, abuse, and
human misery that the Christian gospel offers the only possible
hope. God is deeply moved by human suffering (Hosea 11:8; John
11:35 ) and is committed to heal and redeem the broken at the
greatest possible cost (Exodus 2:23-25; Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ
did not come for the healthy, but to redeem the sick and broken
(Matthew 9:12-13). The writer of Hebrews beautifully declares that
Christ took on human flesh so that he could die and, in so doing,
render Satan and death impotent and break the chains of human
bondage ( Hebrews 2:14-15). The incredible irony of the gospel for
abuse victims is that Jesus suffered the most extreme form of
physical abuse so that the broken could be healed (Isaiah 53:5).
In fact, this irony is so great that the dominant symbol of
Christianity is an instrument of sadistic abuse -- a cross.”
Steven R. Tracy, Mending the Soul: Understanding and Healing Abuse
JESUS’
BEAUTY
“Albert
Camus begins his essay "The Myth of Sisyphus" with these
words: "There is only one really serious philosophical
question, and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not
worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of
philosophy." It is a haunting question; in fact, as I
followed atheism to its logical conclusion in my own life as I
grew up, it became my question. I ended up in a hospital room in
New Delhi, with doctors battling to keep me alive. It was in that
lowly condition that I was handed a Bible, and the story of the
gospel was read to me. All I can say now is how grateful I am that
[atheist] Sam Harris was not my mentor or his tirade my
inspiration. Instead, I trusted the Christ of the Scriptures (see
Romans 10:9-10), and today, four decades later, having traveled
this globe dozens of times, speaking in numerous countries and
lecturing in scores of universities, I find Jesus to be more
beautiful and attractive than ever before.” Ravi Zacharias,
The End of Reason: A Response to the New Atheists
DIARY OF AN OLD
SOUL
O
Christ, my life, possess me utterly.
Take
me and make a little Christ of me.
If
I am anything but thy father's son,
'Tis
something not yet from the darkness won.
Oh,
give me light to live with open eyes.
Oh,
give me life to hope above all skies.
...
George MacDonald (1824-1905)
THE
KINGDOM’S CASTLE
“Twenty-seven
years ago, with the Holy Spirit as my guide, I entered at the
portico of Genesis and went into the art galleries of the Old
Testament; on the wall hung pictures of Enoch, Noah, Jacob,
Abraham, Elijah, David, Daniel, and other famous prophets of old.
Then I passed into the music room of the psalms where the Spirit
swept the keyboard of my nature. Then I stepped into the prophetic
room and saw through the telescopes various stars, some pointing
to far-off stars and others to nearby stars, but all concentrated
upon the bright and morning star. From here I went to the
correspondence room where Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter,
James, and Jude sat at their tasks, penning their epistles to the
church. Then I passed last of all into the throne room of
Revelation and saw the King sitting high upon His throne.”
Billy Sunday
HOW
VALUABLE IS THE BIBLE
“The
vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the
place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts. I solemnly state
this from the experience of fifty-four years. The first three
years after conversion I neglected the Word of God. Since I began
to search it diligently, the blessing has been wonderful. I have
read the Bible through one hundred times, and always with
increasing delight. Each time it seems like a new book to me.
Great has been the blessing from consecutive, diligent, daily
study. I look upon it as a lost day when I have not had a good
time over the Word of God.” George Mueller
LEADERSHIP TIPS
(BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)
“A
great deal more failure is the result of an excess of caution than
of bold experimentation with new ideas. The frontiers of the
Kingdom of God were never advanced by men and women of caution.”
- J. Oswald Sanders
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VERSE
TO PONDER
“The
wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then
peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good
fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a
harvest of righteousness.” James 3:17-18
CONSIDER
“How will
you love him who so loved you first? Why, in loving him you will
be an imitator of his kindness. And do not marvel that a human
being can imitate God. By the will of God he can.” Epistle
to Diognetus
HOW
TO THINK ABOUT THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS
By
Bjorn Lomborg
“Research
for the Copenhagen Consensus, in which Nobel laureate economists
analyze new research about the costs and benefits of different
solutions to world problems, shows that just $60 million spent on
providing Vitamin A capsules and therapeutic Zinc supplements for
under-2-year-olds would reach 80% of the infants in Sub-Saharan
Africa and South Asia, with annual economic benefits (from lower
mortality and improved health) of more than $1 billion. That means
doing $17 worth of good for each dollar spent”.... Read this
in full at
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121141221734512357.html
MARRIAGE
TIP
“A
little-known secret among marriage specialists is the fact that
complaining is actually good for your marriage. You read that
right! It's good for your marriage. Research at the University of
Washington has shown that complaining, at a moderate level, helps
couples air their grievances and keep improving. What isn't
helpful to a marriage is criticism. So what's the difference
between criticism and complaining? Criticism almost always begins
with you ("You always make us late!"), whereas
complaining almost always begins with I ("I feel so
frustrated when we are late to something that matters to me").
This may seem like a small matter of semantics, but it makes a big
difference in your marriage.” Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott,
Trading Places: The Best Move You'll Ever Make in Your Marriage
LOVING
YOUR KIDS
“Parental
loving may be explained in terms general enough to embrace every
sort of child. Yes. But the miracle of our realistic and
individual lovings is that each actual relationship -- each
outpouring from a mother's or a father's watchful heart into the
hearts of each of their children -- conforms to the character of
that child. Even so is the quality of the love of the God who
declares himself "Father" for each (and each, and each)
of the individual persons walking the earth, both past and
present. That love knows us all. Embraces us all, equally,
everywhere, everywhen, at once. That love may also be known by us
all, as smooth as the cobalt sky. Unique is every one of the
Father's lovings for every one of his children. Nevertheless, he
is the same from everlasting to everlasting, one God, one Creator,
unchanging heart to heart, the Lover of us all.” Walter
Wangerin Jr., Father and Son: Finding Freedom
SUPERDAD OR
SUPERDUD: WHICH ONE ARE YOU?
by
Alexander Marestaing
They’re
faster than a speeding infant, more powerful than a toddler
tantrum, and able to manage the moodiest of teenagers. They’re
superdads and they’re now playing at an American home near
you. With names like The Dominator, The Invisible Man, and The
Defender they seem like a heroic bunch, but look closely and
you’ll find that some of these “superdads” are
really “superduds.” Take a look at each of these
fathers, and decide which one is worthy of the title “Superdad.”
And ask yourself if you recognize your fathering style in any one
of these models.
http://www.newmanmagazine.com/e-magazine/052208/superdad-or-superdud.php
ONLINE
BOOK SUMMARY
A
detailed summary of the book When the Game is Over, It All Goes
Back in the Box by John Ortberg (Zondervan) is now online. Life is
like a game of Monopoly. You strategize, take risks, and wheel and
deal to improve your position. But when the game is over, all the
pieces go back in the box. When the game of life is over, your
body is placed in the grave. Only eternal investments will follow
you into eternity. To get the most out of life, you must arrange
your priorities around what matters the most. A life that focuses
on temporary prizes will result in disappointment when the game is
over. Life's greatest fulfillment comes when you love God, love
others, and nurture your own soul. Read the summary in detail at
http://www.christianbooksummaries.com/
Purchase you copy
here:
http://www.christianconnectionbooks.com/content/search/product/view_item.php?dcn=59077&sm=
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RAINBOW
MAN, ONCE EVER-PRESENT, SHOWS HIS DARK SIDE
Rollen Stewart was
known as the Rainbow Man for the multicolored Afro wigs he
sported, and after finding religion he morphed into the John 3:16
guy, for the biblical messages he espoused at sporting events. Now
he's serving 3 life sentences for hostage-taking....
http://www.latimes.com/sports/football/nfl/la-sp-crowe19-2008may19,0,5430449.column
PORNIFICATION
NATION
"American
culture presents women as sexually available anywhere, anytime,"
explains Lisa Thompson, the Salvation Army's Liaison for the
Abolition of Sex Trafficking. "If you look at fashion,
literature, advertising, and entertainment, you see what some
experts call the 'pornification' of culture"....
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2008/mayjun/2.50.html
WHAT
DO YOU CALL...
What
do you call cheese that isn't yours?
Nacho
Cheese.
What
do you call Santa's helpers?
Subordinate
Clauses.
What
do you call four bull fighters in quicksand?
Quatro
sinko.
What
do you get from a pampered cow?
Spoiled
milk.
What
has four legs, is big, green, fuzzy, and if it fell out of a tree
would kill you?
A
pool table.
What
lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches?
A
nervous wreck.
Where
do you find a dog with no legs?
Right
where you left him.
What
do you get when you cross a pit bull with a collie?
A dog that runs
for help...after it bites your leg off.
What
do prisoners use to call each other?
Cell
phones.
What
do you call a boomerang that doesn't work?
A
stick.
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
CONSIDER
“Miracles
are not breaches of natural law but revelations of spiritual law.”
Unknown
VERSE
TO PONDER
“Be
kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just
as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
THIS WEEK'S
HYMN: PENTECOSTAL POWER
Words
& Music: Charles H. Gabriel, 1912
Lord,
as of old, at Pentecost,
Thou
didst Thy power display,
With
cleansing, purifying flame,
Descend
on us today.
Refrain
Lord, send the
old-time power, the Pentecostal power!
Thy
floodgates of blessing, on us throw open wide!
Lord, send the
old-time power, the Pentecostal power!
That
sinners be converted and Thy Name glorified!
For
mighty works for Thee, prepare
And
strengthen every heart;
Come,
take possession of Thine own,
And
never more depart.
Refrain
All self
consume, all sin destroy!
With
earnest zeal endue
Each
waiting heart to work for Thee;
O
Lord, our faith renew!
Refrain
Speak, Lord!
before Thy throne we wait,
Thy
promise we believe,
And
will not let Thee go until
The
blessing we receive.
Refrain
>from
CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/p/e/pentecop.htm
ON
PRAYER
“Do
with your hearts as you do with your watches, wind them up every
morning by prayer, and at night examine whether your hearts have
gone true all that day.” Thomas Watson
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.
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SHARE
YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES
Tell
us what sites you find enjoyable and why.
National Museum
of Language
http://www.languagemuseum.org/
Museum of the
Alphabet
http://www.jaars.org/museum/alphabet/galleries/index.htm
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.)
Back up my hard drive? How do I
put it in reverse?
Min. Frank Coleman,
Editor
[email protected]
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