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"Pile your troubles on God's
shoulders --
He'll carry your load, He'll help
you out.
He'll never let good people topple
into ruin." Psalm 55:22 (Msg)
CONSIDER
"The least pain in our little
finger gives us more concern and uneasiness than the destruction of
millions of our fellow beings."
William Hazlitt
WHEN SPOUSES DISAGREE ON FINANCIAL MATTERS
by Howard Dayton
Disagreements regarding financial
matters are a major cause of marital problems. So, what should a married
person who is a Christian do when his or her spouse doesn't want to tithe
or budget?...
Here is a suggestion you might want
to try if your spouse doesn't want to tithe. Ask him or her to allow you
to give a smaller amount for at least one year. If, at the end of the
year, you are worse off financially as a result of your giving, you will
agree to stop giving on his or her income. But if you are better off,
then he or she may be willing to give even more....
In theory, the matter of budgeting
is pretty straightforward -- for someone who is single. But if you're a
typical married couple, very likely one of you enjoys spending and one of
you wants to save. This complicates the matter somewhat; and with this in
mind, husbands and wives need to learn to work together. Otherwise, no
spending plan will work well. Furthermore, if you are married to someone
who simply refuses to cooperate, it will be impossible to budget
properly.
Agreeing as a couple about financial
decisions and goals requires consideration, perhaps some compromise, and
might even involve sacrifice from each partner....
Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=20627
BACK TO SCHOOL RESOURCES AND REVIEWS
Summer is almost over -- and to our
kids' mixed feelings of excitement and dismay, a new school year will
soon begin. Parents and students
will find helpful resources, information, and ministry on the Web for a
young Christian's back-to-school experience. Read the full story for a variety of
back-to-school information and resources at
http://ifc.gospelcom.net/family/800/
BARNA: HOW PARENTS ARE RAISING CHILDREN
A nationwide survey of parents,
conducted by The Barna Group, offers some surprising insights into the
outcomes parents are most eager to achieve in their children, the
qualities they believe are most important for parents to have in order to
be effective, and some of the critical choices and tradeoffs they make in
their child-rearing efforts.
http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=183
LEARNING TO NOT FEAR THE FUTURE
by Howard Dayton
Many Christians make financial
decisions that are motivated by fear of the future, rather than by trust
in God and his provision. Fear of
the future can cause Christian families to scrimp and sacrifice for
retirement or for some financial disaster. Too often, however, little or no
thought is given to the fact that God is able to care for those who put
their total faith in him.
Read this article at
http://www.pastors.com/rwmt/default.asp?id=214&artid=8394&expand=1
THE CHURCH HAS SOLD OUT
by Lucas Land
The church has sold out. The same way punk music has sold
out. It's impossible to be punk
anymore. Being corporate is
decidedly un-punk, and most punk bands are definitely corporate. Punk was once a movement, a radical
underground movement of rebellion, anti-establishment, and anarchist
ideals. Now rebellion has been marketed
to the masses (see PBS's documentary Merchants of Cool). It's quite possible punk may not even
exist, because it has become the institution it rebelled against -- in
the same way the church was once a movement and has become an
institution, something it was never meant to be.
Too often we've defined the church
in ways that are decidedly unbiblical (e.g., a building, a place, a
worship service, a denominational structure, etc.). There isn't anything inherently wrong
with these things, but they aren't church. Our word church originally came from
the Greek word ekklesia. This word
is actually a compound word that literally means "called
out." Ek means out and it
implies motion and movement.
Klesia comes from the Greek word kaleo, to be called. We're not called to stand still. We're called to movement, motion, and
most importantly mission....
Read this article in full at
http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/topics/culture/altar_of_relevance.php
CULTURAL ILLITERACY AND THE FUTURE
by Dick Staub
Two new reports about college
freshman indicate that 50% of them can't read at a college level, and 25%
of them are spending their time reading entertainment weeklies like US,
as one said, so they can dress like Paris Hilton.
History is replete with evidence of
societies eroding from within; our free society proves we can do so
voluntarily. We are reaching the
situation described by the great Italian novelist, Alberto Moravia, who
once remarked in dismay that in these times even the illiterates read and
write. Think about it. These illiterates will enter the
workforce, vote and are counted in the figures that make ours the most
religiously observant nation on the planet.
Today's religious leaders are
focusing on a culture war which they believe will be won through
political means, I am more concerned about the faulty spiritual,
intellectual and aesthetic foundations on which such movements are trying
to build....
http://www.dickstaub.com/culturewatch.php?record_id=898
A DISAPPOINTING DINNER WITH A PERFECT STRANGER
by Dick Staub
I wish I could be more excited about
David Gregory's [book] "Dinner With a Perfect Stranger." The concept is an interesting one --
what if a young, overworked executive received an invitation to dine with
Jesus Christ for a leisurely conversation over a fine meal? [Unfortunately,] the dialogue emerged
as a thinly veiled apologetic primer on "common objections to
following Jesus that every Christian should be able to counter."
Read this review in full at
http://www.dickstaub.com/culturewatch.php?record_id=897
HOLLYWOOD
CHASING "PASSION" DOLLARS
Barbara Nicolosi teaches Christians
screenwriting and then helps them network in Hollywood. She says, "There's absolutely a
new phrase in town these days, and it's called 'Passion dollars.'"
We tracked down big-time Hollywood producer Ralph
Winter in his offices on the Fox lot.
He's a Christian, and also the man behind "The X-men"
movies and the upcoming "Fantastic Four." He says not only was Hollywood impressed
by "The Passion's" numbers, but also how many Christians poured
out to see "A Walk to Remember," a movie that wasn't made with
them in mind, but told the tale of a wayward teen turned around by his
relationship with a pastor's daughter, a young lady who was totally on
fire for God.
Winter thinks Disney's bringing the
C.S. Lewis's epic "Chronicles of Narnia" to the big screen will
only add to the trend of faith-filled films. He remarks, "Narnia coming out at
Christmas time is going to be huge."
Read this article in full at
http://makeashorterlink.com/?T567514AB
CLASSIC BIBLE COMMENTARIES FOR BIBLE STUDY AND RESEARCH
Classic Bible Commentaries[1],
sponsored by E-Word Today makes it easy to access any commentary author,
chapter and book, with cross-links to all authors, chapters and books--only
one click away. The Web site also links closely with Bible Gateway[2] so
Web surfers can read a Bible passage and read several commentaries about
the passage. As time permits, additional contemporary commentaries will
be added. All commentaries are available in regular print and giant
print. Be sure to visit E-Word Today to subscribe[3] to a daily email
devotional for large-print, daily Bible reading[4] and more, for
"direct access to the Internet's most popular Christian devotionals
and newsletters."
-- Links in this story --
[1] http://www.BibleClassics.com/
[2] http://www.biblegateway.com/
[3] http://www.ewordtoday.com/
[4] http://eword.gospelcom.net/bible/today.htm
DVDs YOU MAY WANT TO RENT
These Disney films are not devoid of
all questionable content, but they are entertaining films that possess positive
and uplifting statements. Parents
should screen each one to determine if it's suitable for your family to
enjoy.
ENDURANCE (1999). A young man
overcomes obstacles to attain his goal of becoming the world's fastest
long-distance runner.
TARZAN (1999). Animated version of
the Edgar Rice Burroughs' jungle man mixes equal amounts of humor and
action, with a couple of life lessons and a gentle romance thrown in for
good measure.
TOY STORY 2 (1999). Buzz Lightyear
and Andy's other toys spring into action when a thieving toy collector
steals Woody in order to sell him to a museum in Japan.
THE MIRACLE MAKER (2000). With the
use of claymation and graphically striking two-dimensional animation, the
story presents the life of Jesus through the eyes of a sick little girl
who encounters the Christ through different stages of His ministry.
FANTASIA 2000 (2000). Update of
"Fantasia," contains the original segment, "The Sorcerer's
Apprentice" from the 1940 film, with seven new sequences, each
introduced by diverse celebrities such as Steve Martin, Bette Midler,
Itzhak Perlman, James Earl Jones, Penn & Teller, Quincy Jones, Angela
Lansbury and, of course, Mickey Mouse.
TREASURE PLANET (2002). Based on
Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure
Island," this animated update has
15-year-old Jim Hawkins joining the crew of an intergalactic expedition
as a cabin boy aboard a glittering space galleon.
HOLES (2003). Dogged by bad luck
stemming from an ancient family curse, Stanley Yelnats has little clue
that he's in for the adventure of his life when sent to Camp Green Lake.
THE INCREDIBLES (2004). This
hilarious, action-packed animated adventure has put-upon superheroes
denying their superpowers and living under a government protection plan
(themselves the victims of sue-happy citizens once protected by the super
do-gooders: "Who asked you to save me?").
AMERICA'S
HEART AND SOUL (2004) The most joyous cinema experience of the year. Captures both the unparalleled beauty
of the U.S.
and the incomparable spirit of its people.
BASIC BIBLE DOCTRINE
The Doctrine of Man (continued)
III.
The Fall of Man
E. The results of the Fall
1. On the Serpent (3:14). The serpent
was condemned to crawl (3:14). All the animal kingdom in fact was
affected by the Fall (Rom.8:20).
2. On Satan (3:15). Satan's
kingdom would forever be opposed ("enmity") by Eve's godly
descendants (believers). Christ (a
descendant of Eve) would deal the death blow to Satan ("head")
on the cross, although Satan was allowed to cause Christ to suffer
("heel"). This verse is
the first revelation of the gospel in the Bible.
3. On Eve and women (3:16). Women would 1) always have pain in
childbirth, 2) struggle with the desire to rule over her husband (see
"desire" 4:7) and yet, 3) be in a supportive rather than ruling
role. The New Testament confirms
these effects (1 Cor.11:3; 14:34: Eph.5:24, 25;
Titus 2:3-5; 1 Peter 3:1, 5, 6).
4. On Adam and men (3:17-19;
23, 24). The ground was cursed so
that sustaining life would require difficult and painful labor (3:17-19a). Man would now die (3:19b) and Adam and
Eve were expelled from the garden (3:23, 24).
5. On the human race (3:7, 8). Mankind experienced a sense of guilt
("made a covering" 3:7) and a loss of fellowship with God
("hid themselves" 3:8).
Sin also brought death upon the race -- both physical and
spiritual (Eph.2:3; Rom.5:12).
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=398
LEADERSHIP TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)
Sneak Peek: A leadership secret from
Billy Graham...
10. Leverage Weakness.
Great strengths are usually
accompanied by significant weaknesses.
Effective leaders accept their weaknesses and leverage them. First they admit them, then adapt,
delegate, and constantly learn.
Billy Graham had a deep sense of his own limitations. Despite his preaching to millions,
Billy has often professed he wasn't a great preacher. And he was right. There are others who are more
eloquent. Billy consistently set
himself to learn from everyone.
"God measures people by the small dimensions of humility and
not by the bigness of their achievements or the size of their
capabilities." Billy Graham
This is just one of 21 secrets
you'll find in THE LEADERSHIP SECRETS OF BILLY GRAHAM. Look for it in bookstores.
http://www.zondervan.com/Books/Detail.asp?ISBN=0310255783
Also see
Thoughts and Reflections on Billy
Graham's Life Principles
http://www.inspiriogifts.com/detail.asp?isbn=0310810604
VERSE TO PONDER
"Therefore, I urge you,
brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual [Or
reasonable] act of worship."
Romans 12:1
CONSIDER
"There has never been, and
cannot be, a good life, without self-control." Leo Tolstoy
STOKE UP THE FAT BURNER
by Gordon Tessler
Many men have developed a habit of
skipping breakfast, eating greasy fast food at lunch and eating their
largest meal of the day late at night.
This pattern is a sure way to slow your metabolism down and gain
unwanted pounds. You play
basketball every weekend, you even go for a jog and lift a few weights
once or twice a week. But it
doesn't seem to change the paunchy image you see in the mirror. What's the deal?
Men have the misguided belief that
exercise alone will control their weight no matter what they eat. But as a man approaches 40 he must also
face the fact that his metabolism is slowing down. Metabolism is the rate at which a
person's body uses the calories he eats.
It plays a vital role in the body's ability to control weight. We certainly need to exercise
regularly, but what and how we eat affects our metabolism more than how
much we exercise.
Weight-loss programs tout exercise
as the primary way to burn calories, but only 200 or 300 calories are
actually burned doing a normal half-hour workout. The few calories burned during the
exercise period are not nearly as important as an exercise that will work
the muscles which fire up our metabolism long after the exercise is
over....
Read this in full at
http://www.newmanmag.com/article.php?sid=588&mode=thread&order=0
CHRISTIAN MUSIC CHANNEL
ChristianityToday.com's Music
Channel features artists, news, reviews, interviews (Amy Grant, Sarah
Brendel, Bono and more) and commentaries for Christian music fans. Read "Glimpses of God"
("examples of perceived spirituality in popular music"). Be informed about upcoming releases,
visit a music store, subscribe to a free newsletter and participate in
message boards. Read music-related articles such "Blessed Are the
Songwriters," "On a Cross-Cultural Mission,"
"Sticking Up for Crossover Artists" and more.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/
10 REASONS WHY GOD ALLOWS SUFFERING
by Patrick Morley
A man stepped off the curb without
looking and was struck by a passing car.
Your child decided to experiment with a gay lifestyle. The doctor said, "We think your
baby will be born with birth defects." A man decides to leave his wife and two
children for another woman. A man
loses his job because he had one bad year in a bad market. A man deep in debt learns his binge
spending is linked to the bipolar disorder with which he must learn to cope. A wife gets Alzheimer's disease.
We can come up with a lot of
high-sounding answers, or we can just let God tell us in his own
words. The Bible is the perfect
pain management manual for Christians.
Here are 10 reasons why God allows suffering. This list is by no means exhaustive --
there are many other reasons, some known and some unknowable (e.g. to
test us, discipline us, and sanctify us).
1.
2 Corinthians
1:3-4: so that we can comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have
received.
2.
2 Corinthians
1:6: so that we may learn patience and endurance.
3.
2 Corinthians
1:8-9: so that we will not rely on ourselves but on God.
4.
2 Corinthians 1:11,
1 Peter 1:6-7: so that God may receive praise and thanks.
5.
Luke 22:31-32:
so that we can strengthen our brothers.
6.
John 9:1-3: so
that the works of God may be displayed.
7.
Deuteronomy
9:4-5: so that evil may be punished.
8.
Romans 5:3-5: so
that our character may be developed.
9.
Romans 8:20-21:
so that we may be delivered from bondage to decay and become children of
God.
10. Psalm 119:67, 71, 75, Hebrews 5:8: so that we can learn
obedience.
Nothing that happens to you by human
will can happen apart from God's will.
He has purposes for you that are far greater than your present
circumstances. Our sufferings are
mere pinpricks compared to what comes next. In fact, the Bible says, 'Therefore we
do not lose heart. Though
outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by
day. For our light and momentary
troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them
all. So we fix our eyes not on
what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal' (2
Corinthians 4:16-18)"
http://www.maninthemirror.org
CONSIDER
"The bitterest tears shed over
graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone." Harriet Beecher Stowe
VERSE TO PONDER
"Religion that God our Father
accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows
in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the
world." James 1:27
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: ALL MY HOPE ON GOD IS FOUNDED
Words: Joachim Neander (1650-1680)
Music: Joachim Neander, 1680
All my hope on God is founded;
He doth still my trust renew,
Me through change and chance He
guideth,
Only good and only true.
God unknown, He alone
Calls my heart to be His own.
Pride of man and earthly glory,
Sword and crown betray His trust;
What with care and toil He buildeth,
Tower and temple fall to dust.
But God's power, hour by hour,
Is my temple and my tower.
God's great goodness aye endureth,
Deep His wisdom, passing thought:
Splendor, light and life attend him,
Beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore from His store
Newborn worlds rise and adore.
Daily doth th'almighty Giver
Bounteous gifts on us bestow;
His desire our soul delighteth,
Pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand at His hand;
Joy doth wait on His command.
Still from man to God eternal
Sacrifice of praise be done,
High above all praises praising
For the gift of Christ, His Son.
Christ doth call one and all:
Ye who follow shall not fall.
>from CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/m/amhogifo.htm
GOD FAQ
Question 34: How was the covenant of
grace administered under the Old Testament?
Answer: The covenant of grace was
administered under the Old Testament, by promises, prophecies,
sacrifices, circumcision, the Passover, and other types and ordinances,
which did all foresignify Christ then to come, and were for that time
sufficient to build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by
whom they then had full remission of sin, and eternal salvation.
http://www.shortercatechism.com/
ON PRAYER
"We must bring [the] presence
of God into our families. How do
we do that? By praying." Mother Teresa, Yugoslavian-born nun and
Nobel laureate
PRAY FOR A COUNTRY TODAY
http://www.gmi.org/ow/index.html
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
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).
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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THE CHRISTIAN CONNECTION
Looking for a good book? A new Bible? How about some inspiring
music? We’ve got what you need. Visit our online Christian bookstore
to get the best prices around. Log on today and
you’ll find a huge inventory, totally convenient shopping and great
prices on the products you’re looking for. Are you using the power of
books to grow in your relationship with God and lead people to
Christ? Books really do change lives. Take this opportunity to bless
your congregation so they can go and bless others. Visit our bookstore
today!
http://www.thechristianconnection.net
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COLEMAN ENTERPRISES
If you're like
many of my customers that have emailed me for gift ideas and how to
give that perfect gift, you know that the ability to choose a
good gift is a must.
In fact, you can spend all day shopping
around looking at item after item and still only come up with
a mediocre gift.
Unfortunately, the time and energy
expended running around from store to store can be draining and
giving cash seems trite and impersonal.
That's why I'm excited to announce that
I've found a way to…
Give the
Perfect Present For Just About Any
Type Of Gift Giving Campaign Imaginable!
Let me explain... No matter what kind of
gift giving occasion you have -- You'll be able to give a gift that
is guaranteed to please the recipient; everyone will want to know
how you came up with such a great gift idea!
I have used the concept of gift
certificates for years and have spent many wasted dollars giving
these certificates to people that never redeem them due to time
restrictions and the location of the certificate store. My GIFT &
INCENTIVE Program catalogs have been tried and tested to the complete
satisfaction of the giver and the recipient. GIFT & INCENTIVE
Catalogs can literally automate your entire gift giving process.
"What's the bottom line?", you
ask. Here it is: You purchase the GIFT & INCENTIVE Album (Catalog
and gift certificate in one) and give the Album to the person you
want to receive the gift. The recipient of the GIFT & INCENTIVE
Album chooses a gift and then makes their selection on-line or fills
in the reply card that’s inserted in the album, and then drops the
postage paid card in the mail. We'll ship the gift, postpaid, directly
to the recipient. Most gifts arrive in just 10 days.
So don't hesitate, in the time it takes
you to think this over you could have fired off a couple of client
thank-you gifts and secured them for their next order. The GIFT &
INCENTIVE Catalogs will maximize the effectiveness of your gift
giving campaign immediately!
You won't be disappointed. If you have
any questions please feel free to send an e-mail to [email protected]. My
customer support team is available to assist you!
Finest Regards,
Frank Coleman
-- Owner/Operator
Coleman Enterprises GIFT & INCENTIVE Programs
1-866-439-1617
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SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES
Tell us what sites you find
enjoyable and why.
Search for video clips from more
than two dozen sources, including ABC News, BBC News, Fox News, ESPN and
C-Span:
http://www.blinkxtv.com
Answering Islam
http://answering-islam.org.uk/
Sudoku Fun: An addictive brain
teasing puzzle
http://www.sudokufun.com/?enter
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.)
Love Wins.
Min. Frank Coleman, Editor
[email protected]
===== /\ =====
MSM CONNECTIONS is a periodic
newsletter of announcements, news, recommendations, articles, and other
information helpful to men in our spiritual growth. Thanks for welcoming
MSM CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
Who to contact:
Minister Frank Coleman, Men
Servants Ministry Chairman, 773-410-1483,
Minister Arnold Whitehead, Men
Servants Ministry Vice-Chairman, 773-846-6090
===== /\ =====
The mission of New Joy Divine Full Gospel Church is to be a Christ-centered, Bible based,
Spirit guided church meeting the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs
of its members and the community it serves.
The Men Servants Ministry (MSM)
Team offers 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.
New Joy Divine Full Gospel Church is
located at 7625 S. Halsted St. Chicago, IL 60620.
Tel: 773-224-5683. Founded & Pastored by
Apostle Aaron L. Royster & Prophetess Mable L. Royster.
Visit our website at: http://www.newjoydivine.org/
===== /\ =====
To subscribe to MSM CONNECTIONS,
send a message to [email protected]
with "subscribe MSM" in the subject line.
To
unsubscribe, send a message to [email protected]
with "unsubscribe MSM" in the subject line.
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