MSM CONNECTIONS
For the week of 11/14/04
The Men’s Ministry e-mail newsletter of
Our mission: Our mission is to lead men to
Jesus Christ and provide opportunity for
Christian men to grow in their faith
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MSM CONNECTIONS is the opt-in newsletter for the men
of New Joy Divine Full Gospel Church. It's a periodic service that helps
connect you with God and with other men at NJD. If you'd like its delivery to
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"The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure." Isaiah 33:5-6 (NIV)
"We never become truly spiritual by sitting down and wishing to become so. You must undertake something so great that you cannot accomplish it unaided." Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)
Christians worldwide gathered on Sunday to remember in prayer their fellow believers who are suffering for their faith. In some places there is 'active persecution', where authorities are involved and persecution is systematic, operating in accordance with discriminatory and oppressive laws. In other places there is 'passive persecution', where persecution occurs at the community level. The extent of the persecution depends on the nature of the political system. In some countries Christians are protected from severe persecution by good government and the rule of law. In countries where human rights are not respected, Christians lack protection and persecutors appear to have unofficial permission to act with impunity. May this remind us to keep praying.
http://www.idop.org/prayerrequests.html
How soft we in the West have become. How could we possibly tell a fellow Christian hanging from a cross in Sudan that the American Civil Liberties Union is "persecuting" us? How would the story of our church's zoning woes sound to a Christian sister in Pakistan who has been raped and forcibly married to a Muslim neighbor?
Incidents of torture and bloodletting are too common in the non-Western portion of Christ's church, which constitutes 70 percent of global Christianity. According to the World Evangelical Alliance's Religious Liberty Commission, 200 million Christians today live with serious persecution -- threatened with prison, violence, and other actions -- for their faith. Another 400 million face "non-trivial restrictions on their freedom and the loss of many basic human rights, simply because they choose to love and follow Jesus Christ."
Secular tyrants such as Mao, Stalin, and Hitler ordered the worst examples of the 20th century's shameful persecutions. Much of today's persecution flows from non-Christian religious elites in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and elsewhere....
Read the rest of this editorial at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/012/18.32.html
On January 12, 1997, two Swiss men set out to be the first to circle the earth in a high-tech, solar-powered, pressurized, hot-air balloon. Not long after launch, however, strong fumes from a kerosene leak forced the craft down in the Mediterranean Sea. A failed fuel clamp, costing $1.16, brought down an aircraft costing $1.5 million.
While this event was unforeseen and accidental, it serves to make Solomon's point in Ecclesiastes 10:1. Something very small can ruin something very large. More specifically, Solomon says a little act of foolishness can undo something you have taken a lifetime to build. He compares the life of a person to a vial of costly perfume, something that gives off a beautiful fragrance and has great value. All it takes to ruin that vial of ointment is for a fly to fall in it and drown. Something beautiful is immediately transformed into something repugnant. If you are toying with the idea of doing something foolish, thinking "it's just a little thing" . . . don't do it. There are no little things. If something seems little to you, it means you haven't gotten close enough to it to see how big it really is. (Turning Point Daily Devotional, 11-1-04)
by Alan Barrington
"All passengers for Flight #7529 to Gulfport should now board the aircraft." I had arrived early at the Atlanta airport, so the announcement was a welcomed sign that my routine business trip would soon be underway. I found my seat and settled in for a peaceful reading of the sports page. After takeoff, the pleasant gentleman next to me dozed off. We were on our way to Gulfport, Mississippi.
"But the peaceful part of that day -- Aug. 21, 1995 -- ended 15 minutes later with a loud explosion -- blam! The commuter plane veered to the left and dipped sharply. Seconds later, the captain leveled out the fall, but I noticed passengers looking out the left side of the aircraft. Then I looked: The housing was ripped from the engine and fluid was pouring from it onto the wing. It was clear we had not stopped falling.
"I gripped the seat back and glanced over to take one last peek out the window next to me. All I could see, as we plummeted through the thick clouds, were the treetops coming ever closer. Just moments before, I had been thinking of my two beautiful twin girls and two handsome sons, I had remembered every precise detail of their smiling faces. I was so proud of them. Now I realized I may not ever see them or my wife on this earth again...."
Read this article at
http://www.newmanmag.com/article.php?sid=562&mode=thread&order=0
by Mark W. Sorensen, University of Phoenix Online Faculty
"Opportunity cost" is defined as "what we give up when we make one choice over another." I have also heard this stated in a slightly different way in describing sacrifice -- "giving up something good for something better." Time is a depleting non-renewable resource, even more so than oil for most people.
Here are some facts to consider about the opportunity cost of Time:
* Average lifespan is 80 years = 701,280 hours
* Programmed time (think of it as overhead) 68 years = 376,520 hours (54%)
* Age 0 - 12 (dependent or fixed actions) = 105,120 hours (16%)
* Sleep after age 12: 8 hrs times 68 years = 198,560 hours (29%)
* Personal grooming: 1 hour times 68 years = 24,280 hours (3%)
* Meals: 2 hours times 68 years = 48,560 hours (6%)
* Discretionary time = 324,760 hours (46%)
* Family
* Education
* Work
* Leisure
How am I *investing* my time?
Originally playing in theaters across the country, MGM Home Entertainment has released Luther to DVD and video. In the film, Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love) stars as the 16th-century Martin Luther, the scholar and priest whose defiant actions changed the religious landscape.
Academy Award-winning dramatist Peter Ustinov (Topkapi) appeared in his last role in this film with a powerful performance alongside Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2). Available for the suggested retail price of $29.98, the Luther DVD features interview featurettes with the cast and the original theatrical trailer, while the video will be offered to retailers for the suggested dealer price of $27.50. The film is rated PG-13 for disturbing images of violence.
"Here is the truly Christian life, here is faith really working by love: when a man applies himself with joy and love to the works of that freest servitude, in which he serves others voluntarily and for naught; himself abundantly satisfied in the fullness and richness of his own faith." Martin Luther (1483-1546)
"His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation." Luke 1:50 (NIV)
by William G. Wells
Magic that's such a hot topic today with teenagers is connected with Wicca, a modern witchcraft movement that embraces a revival of ancient pagan traditions. Christian parents today must be aware of this growing phenomenon, because while Wicca does attract adults, the vast majority of new Wiccans become involved as teenagers. Informal groups of Wiccans called covens have popped up in most cities in the United States. In understanding Wicca, parents should be aware that witchcraft is not harmless fun, but an explicitly anti-Christian worldview and a collection of fundamentally unbiblical practices. Without delving into Wiccan history, here is a summary of Wiccans' beliefs and what parents should know to protect their children from this movement...."
Read this article at
http://www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=4896
Chicago Bears rookie Tommie Harris Jr. is a Pentecostal preacher's kid who wants God to get "all the glory" during his football career, while recognizing the spiritual challenges of playing in the NFL, and its barrage of temptations.
"The Bible says we wrestle not against flesh and blood," Harris told "Charisma" magazine in the November issue. "It's all about the spirit man," he added. "A man who can't control his spirit is like a city without walls. That man has no protection. I plan on looking to God to help me control my spirit in the NFL."
"I want to dwell in the shelter of the most high and keep my eyes always on God," said Harris, who credits his parents for their Christian influence. "... My prayer is that God may get all the glory for me playing in the NFL and that God would continue to grow me in Christ."
http://www.charismanow.com/a.php?ArticleID=10101
by John Eldredge
"Adventure, with all its requisite danger and wildness, is a deeply spiritual longing written into the soul of man. The masculine heart needs a place where nothing is prefabricated, modular, nonfat, zip lock, franchised, on-line, microwavable. Where there are no deadlines, cell phones, or committee meetings. Where there is room for the soul. Where, finally, the geography around us corresponds to the geography of our heart. Look at the heroes of the biblical text: Moses does not encounter the living God at the mall. He finds him (or is found by him) somewhere out in the deserts of Sinai, a long way from the comforts of Egypt. The same is true of Jacob, who has his wrestling match with God not on the living room sofa but in a wadi somewhere east of the Jabbok, in Mesopotamia. Where did the great prophet Elijah go to recover his strength? To the wild. As did John the Baptist, and his cousin, Jesus, who is led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
"The way a man's life unfolds nowadays tends to drive his heart into remote regions of the soul. Endless hours at a computer screen; selling shoes at the mall; meetings, memos, phone calls. The business world -- where the majority of American men live and die -- requires a man to be efficient and punctual. Corporate policies and procedures are designed with one aim: to harness a man to the plow and make him produce. But the soul refuses to be harnessed; it knows nothing of day timers and deadlines and P&L statements. The soul longs for passion, for freedom, for life. As D. H. Lawrence said, "I am not a mechanism." A man needs to feel the rhythms of the earth; he needs to have in hand something real-the tiller of a boat, a set of reins, the roughness of rope, or simply a shovel. Can a man live all his days to keep his fingernails clean and trim? Is that what a boy dreams of?
"And then, alas, there is the church. Christianity, as it currently exists, has done some terrible things to men. When all is said and done, I think most men in the church believe that God put them on the earth to be a good boy. The problem with men, we are told, is that they don't know how to keep their promises, be spiritual leaders, talk to their wives, or raise their children. But, if they will try real hard they can reach the lofty summit of becoming . . . a nice guy. That's what we hold up as models of Christian maturity: Really Nice Guys. We don't smoke, drink, or swear; that's what makes us men. Now let me ask my male readers: In all your boyhood dreams growing up, did you ever dream of becoming a Nice Guy?
"Really now -- do I overstate my case? Walk into most churches in America, have a look around, and ask yourself this question: What is a Christian man? Don't listen to what is said, look at what you find there. There is no doubt about it. You'd have to admit a Christian man is . . . bored. At a recent church retreat I was talking with a guy in his fifties, listening really, about his own journey as a man. "I've pretty much tried for the last twenty years to be a good man as the church defines it." Intrigued, I asked him to say what he thought that was. He paused for a long moment. "Dutiful," he said. "And separated from his heart." A perfect description, I thought. Sadly right on the mark."
In an interview in the Winter 2004 issue of Leadership Journal, John Ortberg talked about the teachable value of failure in ministry. He said it's important to, "Teach that failure is essential to learning. And it's not the same as competence. "I read a study involving a pottery class. They divided students into two groups. One group would get As by making one really good pot. The other one would get As by making 50 pots, no matter what they looked like. Guess what? The students in the 50-pot group made the best pots! They'd make one and it would be no good. And they'd make another one, get a little better. They'd make another one, get a little better. They just kept learning how to make better pots.
"The one-pot group put all this pressure on themselves over one pot, but they never learned how to make a pot well because they didn't fail enough." ("Holy Tension," Leadership, Winter 2004, p. 27.)
I have a spelling checker
I disk covered four my PC.
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks aye can knot see.
Eye ran this poem threw it.
Your sure real glad two no.
Its very polished in its weigh,
My checker tolled me sew.
A checker is a blessing.
It freeze yew lodes of thyme.
It helps me right awl stiles two reed,
And aides me when aye rime.
Each frays comes posed up on my screen
Eye trussed too bee a joule.
The checker pours o'er every word
To cheque sum spelling rule.
Bee fore wee rote with checkers
Hour spelling was inn deck line,
Butt now when wee dew have a laps,
Wee are not maid too wine.
And now bee cause my spelling
Is checked with such grate flare,
There are know faults in awl this peace,
Of nun eye am a wear.
To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should be proud,
And wee mussed dew the best wee can,
Sew flaws are knot aloud.
That's why eye brake in two averse
Cuz Eye dew want too please.
Sow glad eye yam that aye did bye
This soft wear four pea seas.
"Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." Psalm 62:8 (NIV)
"A house without books is like a home without windows." (Horace Mann)
Words: Adelaide A. Procter, 1858
Music: Frederick C. Maker, 1876
My God, I thank Thee, Who hast made
The earth so bright,
So full of splendor and of joy,
Beauty and light;
So many glorious things are here,
Noble and right.
I thank Thee, too, that Thou hast made
Joy to abound;
So many gentle thoughts and deeds
Circling us round,
That in the darkest spot of earth
Some love is found.
I thank Thee more that all our joy
Is touched with pain,
That shadows fall on brightest hours,
That thorns remain;
So that earth's bliss may be our guide,
And not our chain.
For thou who knowest, Lord, how soon
Our weak heart clings,
Hast given us joys, tender and true,
Yet all with wings;
So that we see gleaming on high
Diviner things.
I thank Thee, Lord, that Thou hast kept
The best in store;
We have enough, yet not too much
To long for more:
A yearning for a deeper peace
Not known before.
I thank Thee, Lord, that here our souls
Though amply blessed,
Can never find, although they seek
A perfect rest;
Nor ever shall, until they lean
On Jesus' breast.
>from CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/y/mygoditt.htm
Make sure your car is mechanically sound before the temperature dips and the streets get icy. The Car Care Council recommends the following tasks be performed by a do-it-yourselfer or professional auto technician:
* Check the coolant (antifreeze); coolant should be flushed and refilled every two years in most vehicles.
* Check the owner's manual to see if your driving habits are considered "severe," and if so, have the oil changed accordingly, usually every 3,000 miles; consider changing to a "winter weight" oil if you live in a cold climate.
* Check the battery and exhaust system.
* Be certain the heater and defroster are working properly.
* Keep the gas tank at least half full, decreasing the chances of moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing....
Read the rest of the tips at
http://www.carcarecouncil.org/Winter/winter.shtml
"Prayer pulls the rope down below and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly; others give only an occasional jerk at the rope. But he who communicates with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously with all his might." Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 19th century pastor and author
We're praying for our fellow believers in a different nation each week.
Please pray for...TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/td.html
The Christian Church is very fragmented - between traditional and newer denominations and a growing multiplicity of Indian and Black-led charismatic and Pentecostal ministries. There's little cohesion with common spiritual goals, outreach or missions involvement. There's a lack of national vision and purpose and many 'Christian' families are dysfunctional. Pray for revival to enliven and empower the Church.
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).
PRAY FOR THESE
BROTHERS
* Bishop Chester McLaurin
* Bro. Fred Simms
* Minister Maurice Collier
* Bro. Danielle Metcalf
* Min Lamont Smith
* Bro. Travis Collins
* Bro. Carl Modica
* Bro. Michael St. James
* Bro. Antonio Dawkins
* Elder William Moore
[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.]
Are you looking for something or do you have something to sell? Let me know and I'll put it in this newsletter.
HOUSE
FOR SALE
BEAUTIFUL 3BR 2
BATH TRI-LEVEL 4133 W 148TH st.
MIDLOTHIAN IL OAK CABINETS, CERAMIC TILE, NEW ROOF, NEW CARPETING THROUGHOUT, FIREPLACE, LARGE FENCED YARD, SIDE DRIVE 2 CAR GARAGE, MUCH MORE. ASKING $209,000, CONTACT BRIDGET DELESIO 708-743-3007 FOR SHOWING |
Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why.
Sites in honor of Veteran's Day last week
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/vets/
http://www.annieshomepage.com/veterans.html
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/veteransday1.html
http://www.sherylfranklin.com/holidays/veterans_day.html
Bible.org Study Site
Online Jigsaw Puzzles
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.)
Reach. Connect. Grow. Honor. Serve.
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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
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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/
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