Connecting
man to man to God
For week of June 7, 2009
Issue 255
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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“
O taste and see that the Lord is
good: blessed is the man that trusts in him.” Psalm 34:8
CONSIDER
"Spectacular achievements are always preceded by
unspectacular preparation." Roger Staubach
NEWSWEEK: HAVE
THE DAYS OF CHRISTIAN MEDIA COME AND GONE?
Is it the end in America to the perceived separation between
the secular and the evangelical worlds. Not 10 years ago, the
conventional wisdom as reflected in much of the mass media held
that evangelical Christians led completely separate lives from
everyone else. They went to separate colleges, they married each
other -- and they shopped at Christian bookstores, where they
could purchase books, records, magazines, and tea napkins produced
and distributed by Christian-owned companies. Only secular people
shopped at Barnes & Noble. So separate were the two worlds
that Christian bestsellers rarely showed up on the New York Times
bestseller list -- and when they did (as with Tim LaHaye and Jerry
Jenkins's Left Behind books), the secular media treated the
authors and consumers as oddities. Now, though, Christian and
inspirational stories are widely available in secular places....
Read this in full at
http://www.newsweek.com/id/200442
MUCH MORE THAN A
GIFTED TEACHER
“People today are willing to concede Jesus was a good
man, a gifted teacher, and a sound moral example. But that's not
the whole picture of Jesus presented in the New Testament. He is
all of those things, but so much more. You cannot speak
meaningfully about Jesus without immediately plunging into deep
waters. That, my friends, is where the trouble starts, because
Christians claim he is God. Others are convinced he's not. Some
people take it further and, while acknowledging that the Bible may
point in that direction, still insist Jesus himself never made
such a claim. As you might have guessed, this last statement is
simply a myth.
“ Recall
that God revealed his name to Moses from the burning bush as the
great "I Am" (Exodus 3:14). Now in John 8:58, there is
no mistaking the allusion: Jesus claimed to be the great I Am, God
Almighty, Israel's glorious King. His enemies got it: "At
this, they picked up stones to stone him" (8:59). Why?
Because claiming to be God was worthy of death.” from
Busted: Exposing Popular Myths about Christianity by Fred von
Kamecke
BILLY
GRAHAM'S DAUGHTER TELLS HOW HER FATHER IS 'GROWING (OLD) IN GOD'S
GRACE'
Evangelist
Billy Graham has been the confidante and spiritual advisor to
American presidents and men and women of fame, financial and
political power. He became a household word, not only in Christian
circles, but in the homes of most of the people across the globe.
Personally, in his lifetime, he has preached to over 215 million
people and, estimates say, seen 2.5 million come forward in his
meetings to receive Jesus Christ as Savior. His radio and TV
audiences have reached over 2 billion viewers and listeners.
Today the once busy minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
is still active, but not as much as before. His daughter Anne
Graham Lotz, the second of the Graham's 5 children and the wife of
a dentist, operates a ministry called AnGeL Ministries which,
following in her father's footsteps, reaches out internationally.
In a new documentary, Graham Lotz spoke about her father's
new pace of ministry. She stated in the recent interview: "My
father didn't really retire until his body sort of quit on him. He
has always said that, for a minister of the Gospel, there is no
retirement, but his body decided differently." It was 17
years ago that Billy Graham was diagnosed with Parkinson's
disease. "He has a difficult time hearing, a difficult time
seeing, a difficult time walking. His heart is still strong. His
mind is clear," said Graham Lotz.... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2009/s09060021.htm
THE TRANSFORMING
WORK OF MARRIAGE
“The real transforming work of marriage is the
24-four-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week commitment. This is the
crucible that grinds and shapes us into the character of Jesus
Christ. Instead of getting up at 3:00 AM to begin prayer in a
monastery, the question becomes, "Who will wake up when the
baby's diaper needs changing?"
“
Any situation that calls me to
confront my selfishness has enormous spiritual value, and I slowly
began to understand that the real purpose of marriage may not be
happiness as much as it is holiness. Not that God has anything
against happiness, or that happiness and holiness are by nature
mutually exclusive, but looking at marriage through the lens of
holiness began to put it into an entirely new perspective for me.”
from Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage To Make Us
Holy More Than To Make Us Happy? (DVD) by Gary Thomas
US EVANGELICALS
PESSIMISTIC ABOUT CHRISTIANITY IN AMERICA
A survey of some of the top evangelical leaders in the nation
found that while there is overwhelming optimism on the growth of
Christianity in the world, there is mostly pessimism when it comes
to the future of the faith in America. “Evangelical leaders
are very bullish on the future growth of Christianity, except in
America,” said Leith Anderson, president of the 30
million-member National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).
In
the latest Evangelical Leaders Survey, released Tuesday,
respondents said they overwhelmingly (94 percent) believe the
number of Christians worldwide will increase in the next ten
years. A mere four percent of respondents said the number of
Christians will stay the same, while two percent said they are
unsure. No one predicted the number of Christians will decrease.
The expectations for Christianity’s growth, however, focused
on the global south where the religion is currently blossoming....
Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20090603/u-s-evangelicals-pessimistic-about-christianity-in-america/index.html
THE LESSON OF
NAILS
Ron, a
9-year old boy, was being raised by his mother who didn't know how
to cope with his uncontrollable temper. She knew he was angry that
his father had abandoned him and she tried professional
counseling, but nothing seemed to work.
So she sent Ron to
spend the summer on his grandparent's farm. When he came home, he
was a changed boy. His mom asked him what happened and he told her
that every time he got mad or said anything unkind, Grandpa made
him go outside and hammer a big two-inch nail into a two-by-four.
It was hard, and he wasn't allowed back until the nail was all the
way in.
After about 20 trips to the shed to get the tools,
he decided it was easier to control his temper than hammer those
long nails. "Did you change because you hated the
consequences so much?" she asked. "Well, that was part
of it," he said. "After I'd nailed in all the nails and
was behaving better, Grandma took me outside and made me pull them
out. That was even harder. When I was done, she gave me this
note." He showed it to her, and this is what she read:
"Pulling out the nails is like saying you're sorry.
But the holes still remain in the board. You can't fix things by
being sorry, but you can stop making new holes. Remember, every
time you do something mean and nasty, you're making a hole
somewhere in someone. That's what your dad did to you. Please
don't do it to anyone else. You’re better than that."
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
BROTHER AND LORD
“Like the Father, Jesus is God. He always was, always
is, and always will be. But unlike the Father, Jesus is also a
human being. Though charged with blasphemy and crucified for
claiming to be one with the Father, Jesus' resurrection validates
his claim to be God's Son in a unique way. When we confess our
belief that Jesus is the Son of God, we share in the love the
Father has for the Son, becoming adopted children of God.
“
Though Jesus was the Son of God,
he was also the Son of Man, a title that emphasizes both his
lowliness and his eventual dominion. Near the end of his life,
when the high priest asked him whether he was the Son of God,
Jesus no longer avoided the title but said that he would one day
"see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty
One and coming on the clouds of heaven" (Matthew 26:64). When
you pray to Jesus as Son of God and Son of Man, you are praying to
the One who is your Brother and your Lord.” from The Names
of God: 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups by Ann
Spangler
OLIVER
NORTH TO BIKERS: 'WALK THE TALK'
Retired Lt. Col. Oliver North served 22 years in the Marine
Corps, receiving the Silver Star for combat service during the
Vietnam War, along with the Bronze Star for valor and two Purple
Hearts for combat wounds. President Ronald Reagan described him as
"an American hero."
North, however, told
motorcycle enthusiasts at the 2009 Rally to Ridgecrest that he met
Jesus Christ in 1978 "after a life of self-centeredness,
thinking I was God's gift to the Marine Corps and that all the
medals and accolades made me a greater man."
North,
now a best-selling author, syndicated columnist and host of "War
Stories With Oliver North" on the Fox News Channel, recounted
how, when he was a cocky Marine officer, his commanding officer,
Lt. Col. John Southy Grinalds, modeled for him the servant
leadership of Christ. And Grinalds challenged North to examine the
Scriptures, which led to his conversion.
"I would not
know Jesus Christ as my personal Savior if I hadn't had someone
intentionally share with me," North told 600-plus attendees
at the motorcycle rally held over Memorial Day weekend at LifeWay
Ridgecrest Conference Center near Asheville, N.C.
North
encouraged the crowd to be intentional about sharing their faith
and living like Christ.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30606
FROM HUNGER TO
FRUITFULNESS
“Rain, with its dark skies, gray days, and dreariness,
is liquid disappointment. Rain is a symbol of ruin, a catalyst for
corrosion, a creator of rust. We steel ourselves, stockpiling
resources for a rainy day. Discouragement dampens our spirit, and
no one likes to hang around a wet blanket. Rain is a pain, a
bother. Our children sing, ‘Rain, rain, go away, come again
some other day.’
“ Yet
this is not the whole story. In the 45th year of my rain-drenched
life, I have come to see rain as compelling proof of God's
gracious, giving nature. An absence of rain turns a place into a
desert, a wasteland. If you've ever been parched and felt faint
and studied the horizon for the smallest sign of hope, then you
know the feeling. You know the feeling of hope at a softly
darkening sky, the sharp-sweet scent of wet air, and the
transparent but tangible first drop of rain. That first drop of
rain begins a transformation from hunger to fruitfulness.”
from The First Drop of Rain by Leslie Parrott
WHAT FAD WOULD
JESUS FOLLOW?
Looking for a way to help members of her youth group use moral
discernment when making life choices, a Lutheran youth minister in
Holland, Mich., re-read a copy of Charles Sheldon's "In His
Steps," a classic story from the 1890s in which the central
character frames right and wrong with the question, "What
would Jesus do?"
Friendship bracelets were becoming
popular in 1989. So, Janie Tinklenberg asked a friend who worked
for a local company about producing some woven wristbands with the
acronym WWJD -- because there wasn't enough room to spell it out
-- both to remind young people of their commitment to Christ and
as a tool to witness to friends.
The rest, of course, is
history. Tinklenberg, now on staff at Peace Lutheran Church in
Gahanna, Ohio, belatedly obtained trademark for the phrase, but
since it was considered public domain, she did not receive any
royalties.
That didn't stop others from cashing in,
however. By 1997, Lesco Corporation, the company that produced the
first bracelets, had sold about 300,000. Then Paul Harvey
mentioned them on his syndicated radio show, and dozens of
corporations rushed in to capitalize on a market craze spilling
over into WWJD shirts, hats, key chains and coffee mugs.
Now
WWJD is remembered as the quintessential Christian fad. A fad,
according to the dictionary, is a practice or interest followed
for a time with exaggerated zeal, and then abandoned when
something else comes along to take its place. Sociologists
classify fads as a form of "collective preoccupations,"
where many people over a relatively broad social spectrum engage
in a similar behavior and interpret it in similar ways in order to
identify their place in society.... Read this in full at
http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4121&Itemid=53
PEOPLE OF GOD?
“Over time the Crypto-Christians [in Japan] confused
their Christian beliefs and their Japanese [cultural] disguises.
The result was the emergence of a hybrid religion no longer
adhering to the doctrines of orthodox Christianity. When Europeans
regained entrance to Japan in the 19th century, they were
astonished to see communities of hidden Christians living in the
hills around Nagasaki. This amazement waned, however, when they
discovered the faith of these forgotten Christians was hardly
Christianity.
“ In
our cultural quest for survival, driven by our fear of
irrelevance, have evangelicals become Crypto-Christians? Have we
clothed our faith with the forms of our American culture to the
point that our Christianity has morphed into something entirely
different -- a folk religion altogether consumerist in spirit and
content? By yielding its imagination to the forms around it, has
the church, like ancient Israel, lost the ability to be an
alternative people of God? Is Walter Brueggemann correct: ‘The
contemporary American church is so largely enculturated to the
American ethos of consumerism that it has little power to believe
or to act’?” from The Divine Commodity: Discovering a
Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity by Skye Jethani
A WORLD WITHOUT
NEWSPAPERS?
by
Erich Bridges
At the very moment when all kinds of media are
multiplying, however, one of the best tools available for
understanding the onslaught of information is on life support:
journalism. For all their biases and shortcomings, good newspapers
tell us what is happening, where and when it's happening and,
often, why it's happening. They summarize the world and give us
options for responding to onrushing events.
With a
newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other, we can cut through
the clutter, get to the heart of the matter, and act....
"Free
content" without a free press is worth what you pay for it:
not much. I challenge you to buy a newspaper. That's right, buy it
-- with cash money from your pocket. Read it. Put it into the
hands of a young person in search of knowledge and understanding.
Subscribe to a Baptist state paper.
You can't make an
impact on your mission field -- which is the world, from your town
to the ends of the earth -- unless you understand it.... Read this
in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30576
THE POWER OF A
SINCERE THANK YOU
“As children we may have grumbled when we were forced to
write thank-you notes. But through this discipline, our parents
taught us that thank-yous can be one of the most powerful ways you
can use words. A thank-you speaks volumes about your character,
humbleness, and values. It points out that you realize that those
who reach out to others mean a great deal to you. Your thank-you
will inspire them to continue to reach out. Your actions will also
put into focus the value of all those who have touched and who
will continue to touch your life. Your thank-yous will also remind
them of the value of their actions.
“
In the case of Dr. Beane, his
kindness and the thank-you letters he received didn't just buy his
freedom; they led to Francis Scott Key's writing ‘The Star
Spangled Banner.’ Paul's letters of thanks have impacted
people's faith for two thousand years. Who knows what kind of
power your sincere words will have. They might well renew an old
bond, inspire someone who is down, change the direction of a life,
or remind a person that their life has really mattered.”
from Sticks and Stones: Using Your Words as a Positive Force by
Ace Collins
LEADERSHIP
TIPS (BUSINESS, FAMILY, LIFE)
IN THE WAKE OF LEADERSHIP
by Andy Stanley
Leadership,
by definition, is forward-focused. As a leader, you and I are
compelled to look ahead in anticipation of tomorrow's demands. But
sometimes this foresight can prevent us from appreciating today's
accomplishments. It can also blind us to a debt we all owe. With
eyes fixed on the future, it's often easy to forget what, or more
importantly who, is behind us.
In the wake of our success
is a group of committed, gifted, and generous people who have
facilitated our accomplishments. If we are great at what we do, it
is due in part to the dozens, maybe even hundreds of people who
have gotten behind us and have given their most valuable commodity
-- their time -- to support our vision.
If we think about
the number of hours that people spend to enable us to do what we
do, we could never fully repay them. This generosity creates a
deficit in our relationships. So what do we do? .... Read this in
full at
http://www.catalystspace.com/content/read/andy_stanley/
VERSE TO PONDER
“Your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but
in the power of God.”
~1 Corinthians 2:5~
CONSIDER
“What I kept, I lost; what I spent, I had; what I gave,
I have.”
~Old epitaph~
STRUGGLING WITH
SAME-GENDER ATTRACTION
Sarah is a 33-year old single woman who shows up on Fridays at
a support group for men and women with unwanted same-sex
attraction. No one in her church knows about her struggle or her
loneliness. She needs brothers and sisters within her congregation
to love and mentor her. Here's how a church can create a safe
environment in which this can happen.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/communitylife/discipleship/strugglingsamegenderattraction.html
OUR STRUGGLE
“We cannot look into the mirror of Rwanda without noting
its deep contradictions. The slaughter that lasted for a hundred
days in the spring of 1994 began on April 7, the Thursday of
Easter week, in a country that was over 85% Christian.
“
Cardinal Etchegaray was the
president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace from
1984 to 1998. When he visited Rwanda on behalf of the pope in
1994, he asked the assembled church leaders, ‘Are you saying
that the blood of tribalism is deeper than the waters of baptism?’
One leader answered, ‘Yes, it is.’ Christian
expression throughout the world has too easily allowed the blood
of tribalism to flow deeper than the waters of baptism.
“
Paul is right when he says that
‘our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against
the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this
dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12). We are not called to
fight against [physical, political, and church] bodies but against
spiritual forces that lay claim to our bodies.” from Mirror
to the Church: Resurrecting Faith after Genocide in Rwanda by
Emmanuel Katongole
SOME
CHURCHES HELP CHRISTIANS VIEW CULTURE THROUGH SPIRITUAL LENSES
What does it
mean to participate with God in "making all things new"?
Many feel the answer to that question is key to the life and
liturgy of the church. "We think of 'creating culture,'"
said Winn Collier, one of the pastors at All Souls Church in
Charlottesville, Va. "We are part of -- and contributing to
-- our culture. The question is whether we are doing it
faithfully, purposefully and well."
Brad Andrews,
worship-arts coordinator for Missouri Baptist University, agrees.
People live in the culture, he said. "We're doing a
disservice if we don't help our people connect the dots and see
culture through spiritual lenses."
He cautions
against churches using popular culture simply to seem culturally
relevant, however. He feels many churches have gone too far,
forcing contextualization in ways that are both inauthentic and
unwise.... Read this in full at
http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4122&Itemid=53
SUFFERING OFFERS
AN OPPORTUNITY
“In John 9, Jesus refutes the traditional explanation of
suffering. His followers point to a man born blind. Clucking with
pity, they ask, ‘Who sinned, this man or his parents?’
In other words, why did he deserve blindness? Jesus answers
bluntly, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this
happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’
“ The
disciples wanted to look backward, to find out ‘Why?’
Jesus redirected their attention. Consistently, he points forward,
answering a different question: ‘To what end?’ And
that, I believe, offers a neat summary of the Bible's approach to
the problem of pain. To backward-looking questions of cause, to
the ‘Why?’ questions, it gives no definitive answer.
But it does hold out hope for the future, that even suffering can
be transformed or ‘redeemed.’ A human tragedy, like
blindness, can be used to display God's work.
“
Sometimes, as with the man born
blind, the work of God is manifest through dramatic miracle.
Sometimes it is not. But in every case, suffering offers an
opportunity for us to display God's work. from Where Is God When
It Hurts? by Philip Yancey
HOW TO TEACH KIDS
ABOUT MONEY
By
Lisa Belkin
Being the parent of an 18-year-old means second
guessing a lot of choices made over 18 years, and one that I might
have done differently is the decision not to have him get a job
until the end of high school. That’s when I got my own first
(non-babysitting) paycheck, and I subscribed to the same theory
that my parents had -- that his work was to stay focused on
school.
But one of the many side effects of that theory is
that he now needs a crash course in money -- HIS money -- before
he heads out to college in the fall. Figuring that many readers
are in the same situation, I turned for advice to Carrie
Schwab-Pomerantz, daughter of Charles Schwab, and president of
Charles Schwab Foundation, whose mission is to promote financial
education, philanthropy and volunteerism.
Schwab-Pomerantz,
who probably could have simply handed her children cash as they
needed it, started sending them out to work much sooner than I
have, and she used their earnings as a way to teach them about
spending, savings and investing.... Read this in full at
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/letting-kids-make-mistakes-with-money/?hp
CONSIDER
“Every day is a messenger of God.”
~Russian proverb~
VERSE
TO PONDER
“My
son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your
heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you
prosperity.”
~Proverbs 3:1-2~
ON PRAYER
“To relinquish any of the Psalms on the excuse that its
sentiments are too violent for a Christian is a clear sign that a
person has also given up the very battle that a Christian is
summoned to fight. The Psalms are prayers for those who are
engaged in an ongoing, spiritual conflict. No one else need bother
even opening the book.” Patrick Henry Reardon, Christ in the
Psalms
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.
Photos
of a leopard nuzzling a rodent
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1190772/What-squeak-Daring-mouse-whos-boss-scares-leopard-steals-lunch.html
Pictures
within pictures
http://www.gauravjalan.com/entertainment/pictures/strange/illusion/FrameSet.htm
Free
Old Time Radio Shows
http://www.radiolovers.com/
All
links to websites are provided as a service, and do not imply
endorsement by this ministry.
(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.)
Be
kind...everyone you meet is fighting a tough battle.
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!
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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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