MSM CONNECTIONS
For the week of 06/27
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
and minister to others.
===== /\ =====
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 your email address stopped, scroll down and follow the instructions at the end of this message. Also let me know if you change your email address and want to keep subscribing to MSM CONNECTIONS.
===== /\ =====
"Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head..." 1 Corinthians 13:4 (Msg)
CONSIDER
"Thanks be to thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which Thou hast given us; for all the pains and insults which Thou hast borne for us. O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may we know thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, and follow Thee more nearly; For Thine own sake." St. Richard of Chichester (1197-1253)
SAME-S*X MARRIAGE
The fate of the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment will be determined sooner than many expected. The U.S. Senate is expected to hold a debate and subsequent vote on it in mid-July. In spite of the high profile and significance of this issue, Barna Research's latest national survey shows that tens of millions of adults are not even aware of the amendment. Further, there is no consensus on how to respond to the amendment. A large majority of Americans do, however, oppose ordaining practicing homosexuals as clergy. To discover people's positions on these matters, and how people's faith affects their viewpoints, go to
<a href="http://www.barna.org"> Or click here</a>
[Editor's note: I place the * symbol in some words as a way to circumvent sp*m filters looking for specific words that trigger them. If those words are flagged by the filters, the email message may not be delivered to you. The * symbol breaks up the words and gets around the filters.]
SENATE SCHEDULES MID-JULY VOTE ON
FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT
http://www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=6960
<a href="http://www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=6960"> Or click here</a>
WHY BOTHER?
by Chuck Colson
"Things just don't add up. The polls tell us that a significant majority of American voters oppose same-s*x "marriage." Yet congressmen and senators tell us that their phones aren't exactly ringing off the hook over this issue. In fact, they're hardly getting any calls on the subject at all -- not even from Christians. What's going on?
"One explanation might be that, for many secularists who oppose same-s*x "marriage," it's just not that big a deal. The general public often shies away from controversial social issues, especially during election years, and no one wants to seem judgmental, after all, in today's "tolerant" environment. "But what about Christians? What's our excuse for staying silent?..."
Read this commentary in full at
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y291325A8
<a href="http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y291325A8"> Or click here</a>
DECADENCE AND VULNERABILITY
by Chuck Colson
"...[T]here is one huge problem same-s*x "marriage" will cause that you may not have considered. If we legitimize same-s*x unions, we will make ourselves even more of a target for terrorists. Now before you write me off as a crank, read carefully.
"We have to remember the reasons that Islamic extremists are waging their terror war on the West. As Charles Krauthammer writes in Townhall, when it comes to the reasons Islam is fighting "the great jihad" against America, we "agree on the obvious answers: religion, ideology, political power, and territory. But there is one fundamental issue at stake that dares not speak its name," Krauthammer writes. "This is also about -- deeply about - s*x." In making their case against freedom, the jihadists claim that wherever freedom travels -- "especially in America and Europe -- it brings s*xual license and corruption, decadence and depravity."...."
Read this commentary in full at
http://makeashorterlink.com/?L581225A8
<a href="http://makeashorterlink.com/?L581225A8"> Or click here</a>
DUTCH DISASTER
by Mark Earley
"As America moves closer to embracing same-s*x "marriage," one can almost picture people in the wedding industry rubbing their hands in delight. After all, if we legalize gay "marriage," we'll have more weddings than ever, right? Wrong. We will end up having fewer marriages, not more. Just ask the citizens of Holland, where marriage is going the way of typewriters and buggy whips.
"In the Weekly Standard, Stanley Kurtz, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, points out that in recent decades -- a time when parental cohabitation was sweeping across Northern Europe -- the Dutch clung to the last, ragged remains of their religious traditions. Yes, they engaged in cohabitation -- but when Dutch couples had children, they usually got married.
"Not anymore. During the mid-1990s, the rate of out-of-wedlock births began to shoot up. By 2003, the rate of increase nearly doubled to 31% of all Dutch births. What accounts for this phenomenon? G*y "marriage." These were the years, Kurtz notes, "when the debate over the legal recognition of g*y relationships came to the fore in the Netherlands." The debate came to an end when Holland legalized full same-s*x "marriage" in the year 2000...."
Read this commentary in full at
http://makeashorterlink.com/?R261325A8
<a href="http://makeashorterlink.com/?R261325A8"> Or click here</a>
* Minister of Music, Cory “Keyz” Martin and Keyz2Life Muzik announces the release of “RH Faktor” by gospel hip-hop artists Redeemed Hip-Hop Tuesday, June 29th. Visit the Keyz2Life website at http://www.keyz2life.com for details.
* Get prepared for the Christian Marriage Enrichment Ministry’s Las Vegas outing! July 18–21, 2004. See Minister Shonnette Collier for details. Download flyer <here> (Acrobat ReaderTM needed).
PARENTS' INFLUENCE
"Research shows that parents tend to underestimate how much influence they have when it comes to whether or not their teenager will engage in premarital sex. Only 32% of adults believe parents are the biggest influence on teens in this regard. Of teens themselves, however, 45% say their parents have more influence than their friends. One-third says their friends have the most influence. Nearly 60% of teens say parents are their role models of healthy, responsible relationships. It would be easier to postpone sexual activity, say 88% of teens, if they could have more open and honest conversations with their parents about it." The Washington Times (Dec 17, 2003)
DAD IS A GIRL'S FIRST
GLIMPSE OF GOD'S LOVE
"...Whether it was running beside me as I rode a two-wheeler for the first time, building a dollhouse for me in our damp basement night after night for months, flying kites together, editing my English papers, helping me collect bugs for a school science project, praying for my sister and me every morning before we left the house for school or imparting in me a love for reading the spiritual classics and writing, he always made me feel like I was important to him....
"No dad is perfect, and I'm sure if you ask my dad what he coulda, shoulda, woulda done differently, he would be the first to admit his shortcomings. But, despite his flaws, God still used my dad to show me some of my first glimpses of what my heavenly Father is like....
"So, what are some ways daughters of all ages suggested dads can connect with their daughters?
"MAKE AN EFFORT TO ENTER HER WORLD.
OK, maybe you don't want to play Barbie dolls with her, but find something she likes to do and enjoy it together. Maybe it's getting up early on a Saturday before the rest of the family and eating a bowl of cereal together in your jammies while watching her favorite cartoons. Or, maybe it's being a coach for her soccer team or taking the day off to be a chaperone for her class field trip.
"SHOW AFFECTION.
Hugs, hugs and more hugs! There's no replacement for a dad's affection in a girl's life....
"BE TRANSPARENT.
Don't be afraid to fail or make mistakes in front of her. She needs to see not only that you do fail, but also how you handle your failures and what you learn from them....
"LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY....
Read the rest at
http://www.newmanmag.com/article.php?sid=542&mode=thread&order=0
<a href="http://www.newmanmag.com/article.php?sid=542&mode=thread&order=0"> Or click here</a>
FOURTH OF JULY
Christianity and the American Revolution
http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/fourthofjuly/
<a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/fourthofjuly/"> Or click here</a>
GRILLING TIPS FROM
BETTER HOMES & GARDENS
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z16A323A8
<a href="http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z16A323A8"> Or click here</a>
CHRISTIAN DOCTOR RANKED
AMONG WORLD'S TOP BUSINESS THINKERS
A charismatic Christian doctor has been ranked among the world's top business thinkers. Considered a leading futurist, Dr. Patrick Dixon is sought out by Fortune 100 companies for his lectures on emerging trends. Patrick Dixon was recently listed among the top 50 management gurus -- alongside such famous names as Microsoft chief Bill Gates and Virgin founder Richard Branson.
A global ranking of business thinkers compiled by United Kingdom-based Suntop Media in association with Bloomsbury Publishing, the Thinkers 50 project asked hundreds of academics, consultants and business people, "Who is the most important living management thinker?" Dixon snatched the No. 46 slot in its 2003 report.
A former church planter, Dixon is now widely known for his groundbreaking talks on the future. "The Wall Street Journal" described him as a "global change guru." His talks are a blend of sanctified common sense, "flashes of inspiration" and the "inclusive worldview" that he holds as a committed Christian.
At 47, his work has come full circle. He's offering diagnoses again -- but to a new group of patients. "I've become a physician to organizations," he told "Charisma" magazine in the May issue. The full article on Patrick Dixon can be found in the magazine.
http://www.charismanow.com/a.php?ArticleID=9140
<a href="http://www.charismanow.com/a.php?ArticleID=9140"> Or click here</a>
<a href="http://pdixon.blogspot.com/"> Or click here</a>
http://www.globalchange.com/main.htm
<a href="http://www.globalchange.com/main.htm"> Or click here</a>
BEYOND IMAGINATION
Bill Bright, just months before he died in July 2003, wrote this: "Even though I've always believed in heaven and hell, after I became a believer, I gave little thought to it. But in recent months I've been writing on heaven and hell.
My logic is this: The God whom we worship created at least 100 billion galaxies-some astronomers would say 200 billion. Do we give God credit? They say it was the Big Bang. But it was this great Creator God who made all this majesty and glory.
You can imagine, then, what he's done to create a heaven? "Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither knows the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him"-beauty and magnificence beyond anything our little finite minds can imagine."
A STATE'S BATTLE
AGAINST OBESITY
Long-steeped in a Southern tradition of fried delights, the people of Arkansas are saying no more. The state, from its schoolrooms to the governor's mansion, is taking an honest look at its weight problem and coming up with innovative ways to cut the fat. Listen to this report (and benefit from it) at
http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/feature_1956758.html
<a href="http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/feature_1956758.html"> Or click here</a>
VERSE TO PONDER
"Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:11 (TNIV)
CONSIDER
"Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts." Nikki Giovanni
GOD GIVES OLDEST MAJOR
LEAGUER 'STRENGTH, WISDOM AND TALENT TO PLAY'
Atlanta Braves first baseman Julio Franco credits God for enabling him to be the oldest everyday player in modern major league baseball history. At 45, Franco keeps himself in great shape and believes he could play until he's 50, "USA Today" reported.
The 6-1, 188-pound native of the Dominican Republic is batting ..305 with four home runs and 23 runs batted in through 42 games this season, his fourth with the Braves. Franco broke into the majors in 1982 with the Philadelphia Phillies, but has spent most of his 16-plus years in the big leagues with the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers.
"If you want to make it to the big leagues and play a long time, put yourself in the hands of the Lord," said Franco. "That goes for anything you do. You'll be happy for the rest of your life because He's the answer. People can take it from me because I've lived both sides."
Franco has a serenity that stands in stark contrast to the untamed, fast lane partying earlier in his career. "There are things I did in the past that, I'm too ashamed to even talk about," said Franco, who has been married to his wife, Rosa, for 14 years and has a son, Joshua, 10.
"By the same token, I realize I did those things because of ignorance and the work of the devil," he added. "That's why I say it's a gift from God that I'm doing these things in baseball at this age and at this level and still doing them well. He's the one that gives me the strength, wisdom and talent to play this game. I'm just a tool that He uses."
http://www.charismanow.com/a.php?ArticleID=9234
<a href="http://www.charismanow.com/a.php?ArticleID=9234"> Or click here</a>
PROSTATE CANCER &
DIET
Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men (besides skin cancer), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thanks to medical advancements over the last 10 years, the overall survival rate has increased to about 97%. Still, despite the positive outlook, you're better off trying to prevent the disease in the first place-and one of the keys to prevention is your diet.
For instance, have you been drinking your tomato juice? Tomatoes contain a natural antioxidant known as lycopene that may help lower the incidence of prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
In addition, many other fruits and vegetables contain similar antioxidants beneficial for cancer prevention. A diet which is low in saturated animal fats and high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can help reduce your risk of developing prostate or other cancers.
<a href="http://www.southbeachdiet.com"> Or click here</a>
WHAT WAS THAT?
Overhead from a little boy praying: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us some email."
TRUST IN GOD
"It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we see the activity and mistake panic for inspiration. That is why we see so few fellow workers with God, yet so many people working for God. We would much rather work for God than believe in him. Do I really believe that God will do in me what I cannot do? The degree of hopelessness I have for others comes from never realizing that God has done anything for me. Is my own personal experience such a wonderful realization of God's power and might that I can never have a sense of hopelessness for anyone else I see? Has any spiritual work been accomplished in me at all? The degree of panic activity in my life is equal to the degree of my lack of personal spiritual experience." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
CONSIDER
"Fear is a self-imposed prison that will keep you from becoming what God intends for you to be." Rick Warren
VERSE TO PONDER
"My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life." Psalm 119:50(NIV)
Mark your calendars for the weekend of August 27-29, 2004 at the Hickory Ridge Marriott Conference Hotel in Lisle Illinois where we will have our annual Men’s Conference. Theme: “The Fruit Of The Spirit.” Come and be blessed during this time of fellowship and ministry. Contact Minister Maurice Collier or Minister Frank Coleman. Visit the church’s web site: www.newjoydivine.org, go to the Men’s ministry page for details or download a registration form <here>.
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: O
BEAUTIFUL FOR SPACIOUS SKIES
Words: Katharine L. Bates, 1904
Music: Samuel A. Ward, 1882
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain;
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood,
>From sea to shining sea.
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine.
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self control,
Thy liberty in law.
>from CyberHymnal at
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/b/obfsskis.htm
<a href="http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/b/obfsskis.htm"> Or click here</a>
PRAY FOR PEACE
There are at least 21 significant armed conflicts occurring in the world right now.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0904550.html
<a href="http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0904550.html"> Or click here</a>
See the map at
http://www.dwcw.org/index1.htm
<a href="http://www.dwcw.org/index1.htm"> Or click here</a>
CRITICAL PRAYER
REQUESTS FOR STRATEGIC NATIONS
We're praying for our fellow believers in a different nation each week.
Please pray for...INDONESIA
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/id.html
<a href="http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/id.html"> Or click here</a>
These staunchly Muslim islands are some of the least evangelized in Indonesia. The 20,000 Protestants are mainly immigrant peoples in the towns (Jawa, Timor, Chinese Indonesians). Riots in Lombok in January 2000 drove most of these few Christians off the island. Most of the church buildings were totally destroyed, as were many homes of believers.
http://www.gmi.org/ow/index.html
<a href="http://www.gmi.org/ow/index.html"> Or click here</a>
PRAY
* Elder Dalter Yarbrough
* Bro. Lester Yancey
* Min. Arnold Whitehead
* Min. Corey “Keyz” Martin
* Bro. Raymond Jones
[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.
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE
WEBSITES
Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why.
Fireworks Safety Month
http://www.preventblindness.org/news/releases/fireworks_2004.html
<a href="http://www.preventblindness.org/news/releases/fireworks_2004.html"> Or click here</a>
Blog of Death ("The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live.")
<a href="http://www.blogofdeath.com/"> Or click here</a>
Which Chronicles of Narnia book are you?
http://www.bluelikethat.com/narnia/
<a href="http://www.bluelikethat.com/narnia/"> Or click here</a>
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.)
Anticipate. Assess. Adapt. Advance.
Min. Frank Coleman, Editor
===== /\ =====
MSM CONNECTIONS is a periodic newsletter of announcements, news, recommendations, articles, and other information helpful to men in our spiritual growth. Thanks for welcoming MSM CONNECTIONS into your in-box!
Who to contact:
Minister Frank Coleman, Men Servants Ministry Chairman, 773-410-1483,
Minister Arnold Whitehead, Men Servants Ministry Vice-Chairman, 773-846-6090
===== /\ =====
The mission of New Joy Divine Full Gospel Church is to be a Christ-centered, Bible based, Spirit guided church meeting the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of its members and the community it serves.
The Men Servants Ministry (MSM) Team offers a variety of activities for men to interact with other men on our journey of faith in Christ together. Large group, small group, and one-to-one events encourage relationship building and spiritual strengthening that result in maximizing the potential we all have in Christ. Contact Min. Frank Coleman, 773-410-1483, [email protected] if you'd like to participate in a men's discipleship program.
New Joy Divine Full Gospel Church is located at 7625 S. Halsted St. Chicago, IL 60620.
Tel: 773-224-5683. Founded & Pastored by Apostle Aaron L. Royster & Prophetess Mable L. Royster.
Visit our website at www.newjoydivine.org
<a href="http://www.newjoydivine.org"> AOL users click here</a>
===== /\ =====
To subscribe to MSM CONNECTIONS, send a message to [email protected] with "subscribe MSM" in the subject line.
To unsubscribe, send a message to [email protected] with "unsubscribe MSM" in the subject line.