Connecting
man to man to God
For week of May 17, 2009
Issue 252
The
Men’s Ministry newsletter of Path Of Life Ministries.
Our
mission is to lead men to Jesus Christ and provide opportunity for
Christian men to grow in their faith and minister to others.
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"Be
kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just
as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
CONSIDER
“Knowledge is the small part of ignorance that we
arrange and classify.” Ambrose Bierce
MANY
CHURCHGOERS AND FAITH LEADERS STRUGGLE TO DEFINE SPIRITUAL
MATURITY
A new study from the Barna Group identifies an underlying
reason why there is little progress in helping people develop
spiritually: many churchgoers and clergy struggle to articulate a
basic understanding of spiritual maturity. People aspire to be
spiritually mature, but they do not know what it means. Pastors
want to guide others on the path to spiritual wholeness, but they
are often not clearly defining the goals or the outcomes of that
process. The research -- conducted in partnership with Living on
the Edge -- describes 5 challenges and 5 opportunities:
5
Challenges
1. Most Christians equate spiritual maturity with
following the rules.
2. Most churchgoers are not clear what
their church expects in terms of spiritual maturity.
3. Most
Christians offer one-dimensional views of personal spiritual
maturity.
4. Most pastors struggle with feeling the relevance
as well as articulating a specific set of objectives for
spirituality, often favoring activities over attitudes.
5.
Pastors are surprisingly vague about the biblical references they
use to chart spiritual maturity for people.
5
Opportunities
1. Christians and pastors have clarity about the
major boundaries that must be addressed to tackle the problem.
2.
While most Americans are relatively content with their
spirituality “as is,” millions aspire to grow
spiritually.
3. Compared to older believers, Christians under
the age of 40 are less satisfied with spirituality and less “rule
oriented.”
4. Pastors realize they need more help when
it comes to assessing spiritual health.
5. Pastors tend to be
harder on themselves than are congregants.... Read this research
in full at
http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/264-many-churchgoers-and-faith-leaders-struggle-to-define-spiritual-maturity
A
PERFECT (CULTURAL) STORM: HOW THE CHURCH SHOULD RESPOND
by Chuck Colson
“ Today Americans find themselves
swept up in the perfect cultural storm. We have a financial
meltdown caused largely by moral failures in government, Wall
Street, and the public. We’re paying the bill for decades of
self-indulgence, fueled by rampant relativism, rejection of the
Christian work ethic, and materialism. And we have an army of
Islamic jihadists who hope to destroy Israel and the Western
world.
“ In the midst of this storm, many of our
neighbors are in despair. But Christians ought not to despair; we
should redouble our efforts to winsomely engage this culture.
Remember, culture is just religion incarnate, and politics is only
an expression of culture. So to fix a broken culture, you
reinvigorate the Church-offering deeper discipleship and worldview
teaching.
“ And this is why Christians must learn to
band together, making the best use of our resources. Now, this is
a novel idea for some of us. The great strength of evangelicalism
is its entrepreneurialism, but it’s also our weakness.
Church planters and para-church ministries often compete with one
another, needlessly duplicating efforts”.... Read this in
full at
http://www.christianpost.com/Opinion/Columns/2009/05/a-perfect-cultural-storm-13/index.html
THE
NEW (EVANGELICAL) MAINLINE
American evangelicalism is displacing the old mainline. How do
we keep from suffering the same fate?
A Christianity Today
editorial
The American Religious Identification Survey
(ARIS), recently released by Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar at
Trinity College, has captured some bold headlines. And no wonder:
The share of people classified as "Nones" (who claim
atheism, agnosticism, or have no stated religious preference) has
nearly doubled since the survey began, from 8.2 percent in 1990 to
15 percent in 2008. Mainline churches continue their precipitous
decline; for example, Methodists have fallen from 8 percent to 5
percent over that same span. Even the share of Americans who call
themselves Baptist is down.
Such trends prompted Newsweek
magazine to proclaim on its cover, Edward Gibbon-like, "The
Decline and Fall of Christian America." In the April 13
issue, available right before Easter, editor Jon Meacham opined,
"While we remain a nation decisively shaped by religious
faith, our politics and our culture are, in the main, less
influenced by movements and arguments of an explicitly Christian
character than they were even five years ago."
But is
it possible that Newsweek missed the real story? According to the
survey, rather than being headed for a crash, the American church,
while shrinking slightly relative to the overall population, is
becoming more conservative and evangelical, though somewhat less
denominational.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/mayweb-only/119-21.0.html
JESUS
CALLING
“I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS. These were the last words I spoke
before ascending into heaven. I continue to proclaim this promise
to all who will listen. People respond to My continual Presence in
various ways. Most Christians accept this teaching as truth but
ignore it in their daily living. Some ill-taught or wounded
believers fear (and may even resent) My awareness of all they do,
say, and think. A few people center their lives around this
glorious promise and find themselves blessed beyond all
expectations. When My Presence is the focal point of your
consciousness, all the pieces of your life fall into place. As you
gaze at Me through the eyes of your heart, you can see the world
around you from My perspective. The fact that I am with you makes
every moment of your life meaningful.”
http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1591451884
JESUS
BOAT, UNEARTHED
During an especially bad drought in 1986, the sea of Galilee
receded from the property of Kibbutz Ginosar and exposed a boat.
Yuval and Moshele Lofan, fishermen, discovered it and called in
the archaeologists. The boat began to disintegrate as soon as it
was exposed, so a team worked for 11 days to extract it from the
mud without destroying it.
Most estimates say the boat is
from about BC 50 to AD 50. It probably is quite similar to the
type of boat Jesus and his disciples would have used during his
ministry in Galilee.
The boat's discover seemed to be a
spiritual sign to many. The Yigal-Alon Museum website says that at
the time the boat was discovered, "A brilliant double rainbow
crowned the skies over the Galilee. Extremely rare, many thought
these rainbows and other simultaneous unexplainable events were
signs from God." .... Read this in full (and see photos) at
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/images/2009/05/jesus-boat-unearthed.html
HOW
DO YOU SPELL LUST? M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I
Las Vegas may be known as "Sin City," but when it
comes to transgressions per capita, parts of the Bible Belt may
burn much hotter, suggests a new study by Kansas State University
geographers.
The project, conducted by four graduate
students in the university's department of geography, maps out
"hot spots" for Christianity's seven deadly sins --
lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride.
The
hot-spot data is based on federal statistics such as sexually
transmitted disease rates for lust, theft rates for envy and
violent crime rates for wrath.
Researcher Ryan Bergstrom
emphasizes the project was intended as a secular mapping exercise,
but faith leaders have been gradually discovering it through word
of mouth. Many express surprise and disbelief at findings that
show America's deep South as suffering from more overall
sinfulness than southern Nevada.
The Rev. Joel Hunter,
pastor of Northland Church in Longwood, Fla., speculated the
results could mean that regional stereotypes about morality have
been greatly exaggerated.
"Perhaps Las Vegas is known
for its tourist industry but the residents are in reality more
sedate and conservative," he said. "And perhaps Florida
is known for its retirees but our residents are more `out there'
with our appetites." .... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/how_do_you_spell_lust_m_i_s_s_i_s_s_i_p_p_i1/
See
maps of the Seven Deadly Sins
http://flowingdata.com/2009/05/12/maps-of-the-seven-deadly-sins/
MEN
WANT 'MACHO' HYMNS, FEWER FLOWERS AND LESS DANCING IN CHURCH
They have stood the test of time and it seems that today,
despite all the changes to church services, men still prefer to
sing 'proper macho hymns'. Nearly 60% of those who took part in a
survey said they enjoyed singing -- but added comments showing
they preferred anthemic songs and 'proclamational' hymns as
opposed to more emotional love songs. Sixty percent said they did
not like flowers and embroidered banners in church, while 52% did
not like dancing in church.
Comments gathered from the
online survey of 400 UK readers of the men's magazine Sorted also
showed many did not like hugging, holding hands, or sitting in
circles discussing their feelings in church. Most were
churchgoers. The magazine suggested a top ten of male-friendly
hymns including: Onward Christian Soldiers, Guide Me O Thy Great
Redeemer, All People That On Earth Do Dwell, Amazing Grace, and
Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind Forgive Our Foolish Ways.
Most
of the readers were churchgoers with the majority filling in a
survey form online between January and April. Nearly three
quarters, or 72%, said their favorite part of a service was the
talk or sermon.... Read this in full at
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1177585/Men-want-macho-hymns-fewer-flowers-dancing-church.html
LIVE
OUT THE ADVENTURE OF DISCIPLESHIP
“So often we focus on Jesus' mission on the cross to
save us from our sins. As marvelous as that is, it's critical for
us to grasp the importance of his mission on earth as a rabbi. His
goal was to raise up disciples who would become like him. As
followers of Jesus, we are still called to live out the adventure
of discipleship, becoming like Jesus through the power of his
Spirit at work within us. To do that, we need to tune into what he
was saying by developing the ears of a first-century Jew. As we
do, we'll discover that there are many times in the Gospels when
knowing what Jesus doesn't say becomes just as important as
knowing what he does say.” Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg,
Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus
Can Transform Your Faith
NEW
WEBSITE ILLUMINATES TRUTH ABOUT 'ANGELS & DEMONS' MOVIE
Westminster Theological Seminary has launched an online resource
dedicated to providing a balanced assessment and factual response
to the spiritual, historical, and scientific assertions in the
book and movie of Dan Brown's bestselling novel "Angels &
Demons."
"This website will help individuals
sift through the mix of fact and fiction woven into the novel and
presumably the film," says Dr. Bill Edgar, professor of
apologetics at Westminster. "By providing biblically-sound
facts and highlighting issues related to the intersection of
religion and science that 'Angels & Demons' presents, we hope
to educate people and empower them to engage in conversation about
the book and film."
The premise of "Angels &
Demons" involves the Illuminati, a legendary underground
society, and its attempt to destroy Vatican City, the epicenter of
the Catholic faith, with a substance called antimatter.
Westminster's website, www.TruthAboutAngelsAndDemons.com, follows
suit with scholarly articles on topics addressed in the book, such
as antimatter, the Vatican, secret societies, angels and demons
that speak into the relationship between the Church and
bio-ethics, and issues related to religion and science.
This
new site is the subsequent initiative following
www.TheTruthAboutDaVinci.com, another online cultural apologetic
response sponsored by Westminster that launched in May 2006 before
the blockbuster debut of "The Da Vinci Code," the sequel
to "Angels & Demons" and another runaway bestseller
by Brown.
"In the wake of 'The Da Vinci Code's'
popularity, many people began to question the validity of the
Bible's message and its influence throughout history,"
explains Dr. Vern Poythress, professor of New Testament
interpretation at Westminster. "The Da Vinci website fostered
doubt about doubt, which we also hope to again generate as it
relates to 'Angels & Demons.'"
http://www.TruthAboutAngelsAndDemons.com
MOVIE
REVIEW: STAR TREK
A favorite sci-fi franchise is reborn with Star Trek, director
J.J. Abrams’ take on the early days of James T. Kirk, Spock
and the other well-known crew members aboard the USS Enterprise.
The film’s fresh approach to the well-worn franchise takes
viewers back to the origins of the crew’s beloved
characters. By starting the franchise again, Abrams has brought a
freshness to Trek and has launched a memorable young cast into a
series that may come to define their careers the way that the same
roles defined the careers of predecessors William Shatner and
Leonard Nimoy.
But that doesn’t mean the film is a
slam-dunk. Far from it. Although it has some fun moments and
decent action, Star Trek amounts to surprisingly little and gets
by primarily on viewer identification with characters earned over
decades of repeats of the TV series and numerous films with the
earlier cast. It’s a reset more than a reinvention --
familiar lines from familiar characters, but uttered at an earlier
age. Seeing these traits in younger incarnations of the Enterprise
crew is amusing, but has its limits.... Read this in full at
http://www.crosswalk.com/root/movies/11603291/page0/
OF
CATS AND TEENS
1. Neither teenagers nor cats turn their heads when you call
them by name.
2. No matter what you do for them, it is not
enough. Indeed, all humane efforts are barely adequate to
compensate for the privilege of waiting on them hand and foot.
3. You rarely see a cat walking outside of the house with
an adult human being, and it can be safely said that no teenager
in his or her right mind wants to be seen in public with his or
her parents.
4. Cats and teenagers can lie on the
living-room sofa for hours on end without moving, barely
breathing.
5. Cats have nine lives. Teenagers act as if
they did.
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
TONY
DUNGY'S 'OFF-FIELD' COACHING CAREER
Tony Dungy, former Super Bowl coach of the NFL's Indianapolis
Colts made headlines recently not for what was happening on a
football field but for what is happening in people's lives.
"After the NFL, Dungy is still coaching,"
proclaimed the USA TODAY headline. "His strategy now:
Minister to inmates." Dungy has become a frequent speaker to
inmates in prisons and is leading or participating in several
kinds of faith-based social change projects.
This story is
a classic example of a mainstream media source choosing to step
out from the norm in three specific ways: the story was positive
news, it was faith-based, and it was above the fold (in print) and
the website's lead.
Mr. Dungy coached in a league where
the post-game prayer ritual -- where both teams gather for prayer
at midfield after the game -- is intentionally avoided by the
networks. While broadcasters and print journalists debate over
whether Coach Dungy will ever return to coaching, he has made the
story a different one.... Read this in full at
http://blog.beliefnet.com/idolchatter/2009/04/tony-dungys-off-field-coaching.html
VERSE
TO PONDER
"There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life
set me free from the law of sin and death.”
Romans 8:1-2
CONSIDER
“Have patience with all things, but chiefly have
patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your
own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them--every
day begin the task anew.”
François de Sales
(1567-1622), The beauties of St. Francis de Sales, London: Cowing,
1829, p. 220
CREDIT
CRUNCH PROMPTS 3 IN 4 ADULTS TO SEARCH FOR 'MEANING OF LIFE'
New research reveals that three in four adults are rethinking
their core values and big issues like "the meaning of life."
Out of 2,500 adults interviewed by UK-based Christian Research in
April, 70% said they were searching because of the credit crunch,
or worries about personal finances and job security.
The
search for meaning was found to be occurring to similar degrees
among the young and old, in both genders and across all social
grades except the very lowest.
Most people are turning
first to family and friends to discover their meaning, according
to the survey. Fifty-six percent of those interviewed said they
considered spending more time with family and friends. Half said
they actually did it, and of those, 47% said it was worth it....
Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/Intl/Overseas/2009/05/credit-crunch-prompts-3-in-4-adults-to-search-for-meaning-of-life-13/index.html
RELIGIOUS
PEOPLE MAKE BETTER CITIZENS, STUDY SAYS
First, the silver lining: people of faith are better citizens
and better neighbors, and America is "amazingly"
religious compared to other countries, says Harvard University
professor Robert Putnam. Now, the cloud: young Americans are
"vastly more secular" than their older counterparts,
according to Putnam. "That is a stunning development,"
Putnam said. "The youth are the future. Some of them are
going to get religious over time, but most of them are not."
A celebrated political scientist, Putnam has long been
concerned with declining participation in American civic life, as
described in his best-selling book "Bowling Alone: The
Collapse and Revival of American Community." When Elks clubs
and parent-teacher associations lose members, the ties that bind
civil society unravel, Putnam argues.
But religious people
may be God's gift to civic engagement, Putnam and University of
Notre Dame scholar David Campbell argue in their book, "American
Grace: How Religion is Reshaping our Civic and Political Lives,"
which is scheduled to be released next year.... Read this in full
at
http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=18088
PHOTO
CONTEST TO SHOWCASE WORK ON THE MISSION FIELD
Adventures In Missions (AIM), a nonprofit organization based
in Gainesville, GA, launched its first Missions Photo Contest in a
quest to gather photographs of ministry in action from around the
globe. The purpose is to cast a vision for what God is doing in
the mission field through a collection of compelling photographs
that tell the stories.
AIM founder Seth Barnes was
inspired to start the Missions Photo Contest after seeing an image
taken of an orphan at a care point in Nsoko, Swaziland. "I
saw this photograph and was so taken by it. It captures a soul, a
moment, a place and a ministry. It's like visual poetry," he
says. Barnes wants to share this experience with more people --
and he wants more photos. "As I continued to stare at it [the
photo], I thought, 'We have so many good photographers...we need
to showcase their talent.'"
The ultimate goal is to
publish a book of the winning photographs that shares the stories
and images of reaching out to people in need. "I think it
will help cast a vision for what God is doing," says Barnes.
Anyone is allowed to submit a photo of ministry in action
for consideration in the contest. Prizes are $3,000 for first
place, $1,000 for second, $500 for third, and $250 for fourth and
fifth place. Judging will happen in three rounds, and contestants
must enter a photo by June 15th to be considered in the contest.
For complete contest rules and submission instructions, visit
http://www.adventures.org
10
DUMB THINGS SMART CHRISTIANS BELIEVE
Many Christians, new and seasoned alike, tend to bank on
promises that God never made, says one pastor. So when God doesn't
come through on those "promises," some are likely to
become angry at God. And "that to me as a pastor over all my
years is always one of the saddest things," says Larry
Osborne, teaching pastor at North Coast Church in Vista, Calif.
Osborne, whose church draws over 7,000 people, is hoping
to spare a lot of Jesus followers from that anger. He’s also
hoping Christians will peruse Scripture more and align themselves
with what God really says rather than the “word on the
street.” So he spelled out some of the "dumb things
smart Christians believe" -– ten, to be specific –-
in a new book.
He calls those "dumb things"
spiritual urban legends –- a belief, story, assumption, or
truism that gets passed around as fact even in Sunday-school class
or a Bible study.
"What happens ... is somebody
passes out a truism that sounds good and we've just heard it so
many times [that] we don't bother to check it out," Osborne
explained to The Christian Post. "And that's the source of
most of these urban legends. They're true partially, but they're
not true completely."
One of the partial truths many
Christians fall victim to is the belief that living God's way will
bring good fortune. "The Bible makes no such promise,"
Osborne writes in 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe.... Read
this article in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/Entertainment/Books/2009/05/pastor-10-dumb-things-smart-christians-believe-14/index.html
A
SOLUTION TO BLOCK TV PROFANITY?
by Phil Boatwright
We don't just speak words, we live by
them. We take an oath with words, we make vows using words, and
along with actions, we share our character with others through
words. Yet, we live in a time when language has been devalued.
Objectionable words saturate movie and television dialogue,
sending the message to those in our society that obscenity and
profanity are now accepted public speech.
So, what do we
do? Well, if you're going to a movie, you should read a review
first, one that discreetly, but effectively warns of the type of
language contained. As for television, that's more complicated.
But there is also a solution. Maybe.
Recently I spoke with
Britt Bennett, president of TVGuardian, a service designed to aid
families concerned with inappropriate language bombarding the
airwaves.
BOATWRIGHT: "Britt, can you clarify the
purpose of TVGuardian?"
BENNETT: "It's a filter
that allows viewers to watch the programming they want ... without
having to hear the language they don't want. That's different from
the V-chip, which just blocks out a program in its entirety if any
one part of it is deemed unacceptable."
BOATWRIGHT:
"How did you get involved with TVGuardian?
BENNETT:
"I was watching the movie 'Mrs. Doubtfire' with my children.
When the main character, played by Robin Williams, shouted out,
'Back off, [expletive],' I felt terrible! I had just exposed my
children to filthy language right in my own home. A month or so
later I heard about TVGuardian and rushed to order one for my
family.
"Later when I chose to open a family store
online, TVGuardian was the first product I offered. That led to
meeting the inventor of the product, Rick Bray, and shortly
thereafter being hired to help license it into consumer
electronics.
"So I set about contacting all the major
TV and DVD manufacturers. Very shortly after getting started, we
were excited to get our first account: Sanyo decided they would
license TVG into almost their entire line of DVD players. Those
players were sold in Wal-Mart, so it brought us a great deal of
business.
"Bolstered by our early success with Sanyo,
I thought the rest would be easy. So I set out traveling from city
to city, touting TVG's features and how they would help
manufacturers sell more TVs and DVD players. But nothing ever came
as easily as that first big account. Before I knew it, I had
invested eight years of my life, traveling to five countries, over
75 cities, meeting with more than 100 companies and 200
executives, and holding over 400 meetings. That's a lot of times
to hear the word 'no!'
"Almost three years ago, we
set our sights on the major cable and satellite providers --
Comcast, Cox, DirecTV, Dish, etc. Since nearly 90 percent of
Americans receive their TV through either cable or satellite, this
seemed like the perfect way to get this much-needed feature into
the hands of America's families ... so we asked our customers and
others to contact the leading cable companies, requesting them to
add TVGuardian. We figured that if enough of their customers
wrote, the cable companies would listen. Within less than a month,
over 40,000 customers wrote in asking for TVGuardian. Yet the
cable companies still refused to offer TVGuardian to their
customers." .... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=30488
BLEST
BE THE TIES THAT BIND
by Rodney Clapp
“While I never suffered the
childhood trauma of parents getting divorced, I know as an adult
what it is like to suffer with a divided family. That is because I
am an Episcopalian. As everyone knows -- the late-night arguments
and breaking of dishes have been audible since spring 2003 -- the
Episcopal Church teeters on the edge of a breakup.
“
If you zoom in from the denomination level to individual parishes,
you see that divorce has already occurred in many parts of the
family. According to at least some of the people who have
separated from the Episcopal Church, there isn't a single parish
in America unaffected by the turmoil. And surely it's on the
parish level that the family fight hurts the most. That is where
it really comes, well, home.
“ A while ago someone
suggested to me that the best way to choose a congregation is to
ask oneself: Are these the people I want to bury me?” ....
Read this in full at
http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=6896
MIDEAST’S
CHRISTIANS DECLINING IN INFLUENCE
Christians used to be a vital force in the Middle East. They
dominated Lebanon and filled top jobs in the Palestinian movement.
In Egypt, they were wealthy beyond their number. In Iraq, they
packed the universities and professions. Across the region, their
orientation was a vital link to the West, a counterpoint to
prevailing trends.
But as Pope Benedict XVI wound his way
across the Holy Land recently, he addressed a dwindling and
threatened Christian population driven to emigration by political
violence, lack of economic opportunity, and the rise of radical
Islam. A region that a century ago was 20% Christian is about 5%
today and dropping.
Since it was here that Jesus walked
and Christianity was born, the papal visit highlights a prospect
many consider deeply troubling for the globe’s largest
faith, adhered to by a third of humanity -- its most powerful and
historic shrines could become museum relics with no connection to
those who live among them.
“ I fear the extinction
of Christianity in Iraq and the Middle East,” the Rev. Jean
Benjamin Sleiman, the Catholic archbishop of Baghdad, said in a
comment echoed across the region.... Read this in full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/world/middleeast/13christians.html
'WE
ARE THE FORGOTTEN CHURCH,' SAY PALESTINIAN PASTORS
The entire population of evangelical Christians in the West
Bank and Gaza could fit into one large church in the United
States, one pastor from Jerusalem realized after a recent visit to
the US.
“ Because of the economic pressures, many
Christian families when they get the chance, are leaving for a
better life abroad,” said Pastor Jack Sara, senior pastor of
the Jerusalem Alliance Church in Old City Jerusalem, to Release
International.
There are no more than 5,000 evangelical
Christians remaining in the West Bank and Gaza, revealed a new
report by Release International, a UK-based organization serving
the persecuted church around the world.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/Intl/Persecution/2009/05/-we-are-the-forgotten-church-say-palestinian-pastors-13/index.html
CONSIDER
“No man is a true Christian who does not think
constantly of how he can lift his brother, how he can assist his
friend, how he can enlighten mankind, how he can make virtue the
rule of conduct in the circle in which he lives.”
Woodrow
Wilson
VERSE
TO PONDER
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to
God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7
ON
PRAYER
Day by day, dear Lord, of thee three things I pray:
To see
thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
Follow thee more
nearly,
Day by day.
(Richard of Chichester)
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.
Book your next
vacation with us!
Http://www.ChristianConnectionTravel.com
Books,
Music & More!
http://www.ChristianConnectionBooks.com
Get
your domain name here!
http://www.GoGlobalDomains.com
Let
me show you how to earn money as you
travel!
http://www.earnGlobalVacations.com/
It's
as easy as 1-2-3!
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE
WEBSITES
Tell
us what sites you find enjoyable and why.
Is this what
infinity looks like?
http://www.clublaugh.com/es-items/712.swf
American
Trails
http://www.americantrails.org/
Stunningly
large sports photos
http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/bigshots/2009/05/big_shots_for_may_12_2009.html
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.)
Camping
is nature's way of promoting the motel business.
Min. Frank Coleman, Editor
[email protected]
Thanks
for welcoming CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
----------
CONNECTIONS is a periodic newsletter of
announcements, news, recommendations, articles, and other
information helpful to men in our spiritual growth. Thanks for
welcoming CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
===== /\ =====
The
CONNECTIONS 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.
Path Of Life Ministries is located at 6459 S. Campbell Ave.
Chicago, IL 60629.
Visit our website at:
http://www.pathoflifeministries.net/
----------
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