MSM CONNECTIONS
For the week of 12/12/04
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
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"May
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that
you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 (NIV)
"Circumstances
do not contribute to misery. It's our
lack of understanding of who God is and his wonderful, holy purpose for us that
frustrates so many. And the flesh rears
its ugly head -- always reminding us that we have our rights." Bill Bright
by Drew
Dyck
"...I
couldn't help overhearing a lively conversation at the table next to me. Two professors were discussing a variety of
topics, when one statement caught my attention. "I hate Christianity," one of them said turning
suddenly pensive and looking out the window.
"I really hate it." I
stared into my coffee cup eagerly awaiting his reasoning, but none was
given. The other professor simply
nodded his agreement and the conversation moved on. Perhaps I could have dismissed the professor's animosity, if his
was an isolated view. But I have heard
his sentiment echo in the comments of fellow students....
"...I
have come to the conclusion that many of my fellow students are rejecting the
wrong Christ. They simply don't know
who Jesus is. They have never read the
Bible for themselves....
"...For
some reason we thought we could improve on His example. We thought we could water down the message
and make it easier to swallow. But it
turns out that people are choking on our concoction, especially young
people. Here is what young people think
about today's Christianity: They think it's cheesy, arrogant, simple,
mainstream and they don't want it. Our
generation has already rejected that pitch. We have seen the American Dream
spread out before us like a banquet feast, and in short, we were full. We don't want unflinching confidence. We want vulnerability. We don't want cute slogans and serenity. We want revolution and dynamism. We want humility. We want unvarnished
truth. Now that I think about it, we
want Jesus...."
Read this
editorial in full at
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/article.php?sid=5126
Joy is not
a result of our circumstances. Be
joyful this Christmas!
http://www.literature.org/authors/dickens-charles/christmas-carol/
by Dick
Staub
"As
you head out to the theatre this Christmas, remember two things: The Apostle
Paul teaches us to "redeem the time," and the word
"entertainment" means "a diversion." It would be a shame to be unaware that
generally, Hollywood's product aims to divert our attention from what really
matters, like the true meaning of Christmas, especially this year through newly
released movies that have nothing at all to do with the Christmas Story or its
basic themes.
"We're
more likely to get in the REAL spirit of Christmas by investing two hours
visiting a shut-in, volunteering at a homeless shelter or taking a walk for a
long-overdue conversation with a good family member or friend, than we are
sitting in a theatre being under-whelmed by the paltry offerings of Hollywood
this blessed Christmas Season. Use your
time wisely.
"I'm
not looking for sentimental remakes of the Christmas story, nor am I wanting to
form a "Christmas-season-focused-let's pressure Hollywood"
group. I want us to spend our time
during the Christmas Season (and every other) in ways consistent with our
belief that Christ is central to the Season and our life. Basically I'm trying to remind us that
"Christmas Season" has been co-opted for other purposes by everybody
including Hollywood and we shouldn't be mindlessly swept up in the foolishness
of it all!"
See the
sights and hear the sounds of Christmas around the world. Visit WorldView (http://www.christmas.com/worldview/) for a peek
at traditions and customs in various areas of the world. At Silent Night (http://silentnight.web.za/),
you can find 175 languages and 119 versions of this Famous Christmas carol,
known and loved worldwide. And enjoy
religious classical art at World's Great Madonnas (http://davenation.com/madonnas/).
Desperate
for a bit of holiday calm and cheer amidst the busy-ness of the last-minute
Christmas preparations? Take some time
off and read a few more worthwhile Christmas articles and reflections gathered
from around the web.
http://ifc.gospelcom.net/ministry/366/
Hallmark
Channel will broadcast "Davey and Goliath's Snowboard Christmas" -- a
new one-hour, stop-motion animation television special from the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) -- on Dec. 19 at noon (ET/PT), with an encore
broadcast on Dec. 26 at the same time slot.
The program is the first new Davey and Goliath production in 30
years. The ELCA's mission with Davey
and Goliath is to bring "moral and religious faith-based values to a new
generation of children in lively and engaging ways."
http://www.daveyandgoliath.org/
Michael
Irvin, the self-styled playmaker during his Dallas Cowboys days, is making
bigger and more eternally important plays than the many touchdowns and taunts
he dished out during his decade-plus career as a Cowboys wide receiver. He's now more than happy to talk about his
new, fulltime career and his maturing faith in Jesus Christ which lifted him
from a much-publicized career marked by drugs, adultery, and other
troubles. The new Michael Irvin story
is every bit as interesting as his rise from south Florida poverty to a
national championship at the University of Miami, where he met his wife Sandi,
to an All-Pro career in the NFL....
Read this
article at
http://www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=7703
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1790325
http://www.ncaasports.com/football/mens
Feb. 6,
2005
by Charles
Colson with Anne Morse
"It's
impossible to disconnect kids from the culture. The idea that we can separate ourselves from our social
surroundings, as Christians did a century ago, is foolish -- unless we move to
a desert island. We simply cannot
escape the long, grubby arm of television, the Internet, music, and magazines.
"Our
only hope is to teach discernment. It's
no coincidence that of the five groups I've spoken to in the last year, the
only student who had the right worldview answers was a senior at Virginia Tech
who grew up in a family that is both godly and worldly-wise."
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/012/30.80.html
"As
the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O
God." Psalm 42:1 (NIV)
"You
were made by God and for God -- and until you understand that, life will never
make sense." Rick Warren
Imagine: You walk across the parking lot, unlock your
car and get inside. Then you lock all
your doors, start the engine and shift into reverse, and you look into the
rearview mirror to back out of your parking space and you notice a piece of
paper stuck to the middle of the rear window.
So, you shift into park, unlock your doors and jump out of your car to
remove that paper (or whatever it is) that's obstructing your view. When you reach the back of your car, that's
when the carjackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car, and take
off. Beware. Just drive away and remove the paper that's stuck to your window
later. Tell others in your family.
An attacker
may be able to take control of your computer by taking advantage of
vulnerability in Internet Explorer versions 6.0 and later. Microsoft has released an update to resolve
this problem. Go to
http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/200412_windows.mspx
by Michael
Marks
I had no
Christmas spirit
when I
breathed a weary sigh,
And looked
across the table
where the
bills were piled too high.
The
laundry wasn't finished
and the
car I had to fix,
My stocks
were down another point,
the
Chargers lost by six.
And so
with only minutes
till my
son got home from school
I gave up
on the drudgery
and
grabbed a wooden stool.
The
burdens that I carried
were about
all I could take,
And so I
flipped the TV on
to catch a
little break.
I came
upon a desert scene
in shades
of tan and rust,
No
snowflakes hung upon the wind,
just
clouds of swirling dust.
And where
the reindeer should have stood
before a
laden sleigh,
Eight
Humvees ran a column
right
behind an M1A.
A group of
boys walked past the tank,
not one
was past his teens,
Their eyes
were hard as polished flint,
their
faces drawn and lean.
They
walked the street in armor
with their
rifles shouldered tight,
Their
dearest wish for Christmas,
just to
have a silent night.
Other
soldiers gathered,
hunkered
down against the wind,
To share a
scrap of mail
and dreams
of going home again.
There
wasn't much at all to put
their
lonely hearts at ease,
They had
no Christmas turkey,
just a
pack of MREs.
They
didn't have a garland
or a
stocking I could see,
They
didn't need an ornament--
they
lacked a Christmas tree.
They
didn't have a present
even
though it was tradition,
the only
boxes I could see
were
labeled "ammunition."
I felt a
little tug and found
my son now
by my side,
He asked
me what it was I feared,
and why it
was I cried.
I swept
him up into my arms
and held
him oh so near
And kissed
him on the forehead
as I
whispered in his ear.
There's
nothing wrong my little son,
for safe
we sleep tonight,
Our heroes
stand on foreign land
to give us
all the right,
To worry
on the things in life
that mean
nothing at all,
Instead of
wondering if we
will be
the next to fall.
He looked
at me as children do
and said
it's always right,
To thank
the ones who help us
and
perhaps that we should write.
And so we
pushed aside the bills
and sat to
draft a note,
to thank
the many far from home,
and this
is what we wrote:
God bless
you all and keep you safe,
and speed
your way back home.
Remember
that we love you so,
and that
you are not alone.
The gift
you give you share with all,
a present
every day,
You give
the gift of liberty
and that
we can't repay.
Copyright
2003 Michael Marks: "I freely submit this poem for reprint without
reservation -- this is an open and grateful tribute to the men and women who
serve every day to keep our nation safe."
"I
urge every American to find some way to thank our military and to help out the
military family down the street. If
you're interested to find out how you can help, go to http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/. You can go there to learn about efforts in
your own community to say you support our troops. In this season of giving, let us stand with the men and women who
stand up for America, our military."
President Bush, speaking at Camp Pendleton Dec. 8.
Kind
hearts are the garden
Kind
thoughts are the root
Kind words
are the blossoms
Kind deeds
are the fruit
"God
grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas,
which is love; the radiance of Christmas, which is purity; the righteousness of
Christmas, which is justice; the belief in Christmas, which is truth; the all
of Christmas, which is Christ." (Wilda English)
"Anyone
who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me." Matthew 18:5 (LB)
Words
& Music: William H. Neidlinger, 1890
In the
little village of Bethlehem,
There lay
a Child one day;
And the
sky was bright with a holy light
O'er the
place where Jesus lay.
Refrain
Alleluia!
O how the angels sang.
Alleluia!
How it rang!
And the
sky was bright with a holy light
'Twas the
birthday of a King.
'Twas a
humble birthplace, but O how much
God gave
to us that day,
From the
manger bed what a path has led,
What a
perfect, holy way.
>from
CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/i/birthday.htm
*
Check
to make sure all electrical cords are in good condition.
*
Before
using lights outdoors, check labels to ensure they've been certified for
outdoor use.
*
Keep
cords and plugs away from sweating pipes and puddles.
*
Test
your ground fault circuit interrupters at the start of every season.
*
Never
remove the grounding feature on a plug.
Read more
at
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/press/nfcsafetytips05.htm
"Empowered
prayer rises above the immediate, stretches beyond the temporal and digs deeper
than the mundane. Empowered prayer
never runs out of things to pray for. It's prayer that grows with time and
maturity. It develops as a spiritual
skill. It moves off dead center and
explores the uncharted waters of deeper things. The requests of empowered prayer not only deal with our needs but
also reflect the agenda of God."
Woodrow Kroll, President, Back to the Bible
We're
praying for our fellow believers in a different nation each week.
Please
pray for...YEMEN
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ym.html
Yemen was
once famous for frankincense and myrrh, but now the growing of the narcotic qat
has become the mainstay for rural Yemen.
Over 80% of the adult population chews it and much of the agricultural
land and irrigation water is committed to its cultivation. Nearly 40% of the national economy is
involved in qat. The negative effects
on productivity, social and family life are immense. Corruption in high places prevents developmental programs from
being effective. Less than half the
population has access to any health services and nearly half of all children
suffer from malnutrition.
Christianity
was strong by A.D. 400, but was almost completely wiped out by the Muslim
conquest in the 7th Century. The Queen
of Sheba reigned in Yemen and sought wisdom from Solomon three millennia ago. May the modern people of Sheba seek after
the wisdom from God as is promised in Isaiah 60:6.
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
* Elder Dalter Yarbrough
* Bro. Robert Allen
* Bro. Anton Johnson
* Apostle Aaron Royster
* Bro. Warren Baudy
* Bro. Raymond Jones
* Minister Aaron Royster, Jr.
* Bro. Paul Burton
* Bro. Darnell Kennedy
* Pastor Leonard Royster
[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.
Tell us
what sites you find enjoyable and why.
Advent
http://www.spirithome.com/advent.html
Christmas
http://www.gospelcom.net/peggiesplace/Christmas.htm
Credit
Card Security Tips
http://corporate.visa.com/st/consumer_tip.jsp
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.)
"To
God be the glory -- great things he hath done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son." (Fanny J. Crosby)
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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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