Connecting
man to man to God
For
week of January 10, 2010
Issue 286
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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“This
is what the Lord says, ‘Forget the former things; do not
dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up;
do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and
streams in the wasteland.’”
Isaiah 43:16, 18, 19
CONSIDER
“Nothing promotes the activity of the devil more than
the Christian's proximity to God.”
John Blanchard
WILE
E. COYOTE GOES TO THE ACME CONVENTION
by Brett Clemmer, VP of Man in the Mirror
Growing up, I
used to love watching the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons.
Of course, Wile E. tried every trick in the book to catch up to
the speedy Road Runner, often with the use of a mail-order device
from the Acme Corporation.
While some believe that Acme
simple stood for "A Company that Makes Everything," it
was really a clever use of irony. "Acme" means the
highest point of achievement or development. In other words, it's
as good as it gets. Unfortunately, operator error consistently
doomed the incompetent canine to epic failure even as Acme's
product worked flawlessly.
What if Wile E. Coyote had
someone to help him? What if he went to Acme's annual convention
and met other Acme customers who had successfully hunted and
caught a Road Runner? Can you imagine the workshop titles?
Slingshot Strategies on Uneven Terrain, or Parachute Safety for
Rocket Users.
Men's discipleship is the true Acme of the
local church. Yet too often operator error dooms our efforts to
spectacular failure. Most leaders are not as tireless as Wile E.
Coyote. After a couple of "crash and burn" experiences,
we often see leaders quietly remove themselves from the hunt.
Maybe you're easing that way yourself right now, or you know
someone who is.
That's why the Annual Summit is so
important to us, and why you should come. The Summit brings
together leaders who are successfully "catching the road
runner." They are making men's discipleship work in their
church, community, region or denomination. They are the
"super-users," using the Acme products to perform the
Acme tasks, often with Acme results. Best of all, they are eager
to share what they've learned with leaders who are as committed to
men's discipleship as they are. Leaders like you.
This
isn't a cartoon. Our stakes aren't scrawny fleet-footed birds. We
can't afford to lose our most enthusiastic leaders. If you want to
learn from the experts, if you need encouragement as a
disciple-maker, or if you have fellow leaders who need to learn,
grow and be inspired, you can't miss the Summit. It's the Acme
Convention of Men's Discipleship.
For more information on
the 2010 Man in the Mirror Annual Summit, go to
www.maninthemirrorsummit.com. You'll find workshop leaders and
main session speakers, schedule and registration pages, travel and
lodging information, local area attractions and more.
http://www.maninthemirrorsummit.org/
DOBSON STARTING
NEW NONPROFIT AND RADIO SHOW
James Dobson may be leaving Focus on the Family in late
February, but he’s not going away. Dobson, who founded Focus
in 1977, announced on his Facebook page that in March he will
launch a nonprofit Christian group and host a new radio show with
his son, Ryan. Retiring is attractive, Dobson writes, but “the
institution of the family continues to be in deplorable condition,
and children are growing up in a culture that often twists and
warps their young minds.” His new organization will be
called James Dobson on the Family and be based in Colorado
Springs. Its goal is similar to that of Focus -- standing up
for family values.... Read this in full at
http://www.gazette.com/articles/dobson-91549-new-plans.html
and
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2009/12/james_dobson_to.html
and
http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2010/01/dobson-plans-new-radio-ministr.php
RELIGION NOW
HOTTEST TOPIC OF STUDY FOR US HISTORIANS
Religion has become the hottest topic of study for US
historians, overtaking the previous favorite -- cultural studies
-- and pulling ahead of women’s studies in the latest annual
survey by the American Historical Association. Younger historians
are more likely than older ones to turn their sights on faith
issues.
The proportion of US historians working on
religious issues now stands at 7.7%. If that seems low, compare it
with the more traditional fields in the study of the past --
political history (4.6%), military history (3.8%) or diplomatic
history (3.8%). Cultural studies stood at 7.5% and women’s
studies at 6.4%.
Among the reasons cited by the AHA were:
* Interest in the rise of “more activist (and in some
cases ‘militant’) forms of religion.”
* An
“extension of the methods and interests of social and
cultural history.”
* The impact of the “historical
turn” in other disciplines, including religious studies.
*
Increased student demand for courses on the subject.... Read this
in full at
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2009/12/31/religion-now-hottest-topic-of-study-for-u-s-historians-aha-survey/
SOMETHING TO
THINK ABOUT
“When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star
in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the
shepherds are back with their flock, the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to
release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace ...
to make music in the heart.”
Howard Thurman, American
author, civil rights leader, and theologian (1899-1981)
THE COLOR OF
FAITH
The
racial divide is beginning to erode in some churches and it is
fading fastest in one of American religion's most conservative
precincts: Evangelical Christianity.... Read this in full at
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1950943,00.html
OUR FASCINATION
WITH THE END OF THE WORLD
As far back as 2800 BC, the Assyrians warned that the end of
the world was near. Mayans predicted the apocalypse for 2012.
Jerry Walls of the Center for Philosophy of Religion at the
University of Notre Dame talks about our ongoing fascination with
the end of days.... Read and listen to this in full at
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120988099
BOOK OUTLINES
MAJOR VIEWS OF END TIMES
"Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond," a book
in Zondervan's popular Counterpoints series, provides a useful
dialogue on the major millennial positions of Christian
eschatology.
Darrell Bock of Dallas Theological Seminary
edited the decade-old book, which features proponents of
postmillennialism, amillennialism and premillennialism by Kenneth
Gentry, Robert Strimple and Craig Blaising with each offering an
apologetic for their position followed by responses from the
remaining two authors.
The reader would do well to keep a
Bible handy along with the book. In his preface, Bock writes that
eschatology for some means "'future things' only, but all of
these authors note that we already live in an era of initial
fulfillment of promises concerning the Messiah Jesus. We are in a
world where eschatology is at work." .... Read this in full
at
http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31967
BIBLICAL
SCHOLAR'S DATE FOR RAPTURE: MAY 21, 2011
Harold Camping lets out a hearty chuckle when he considers the
people who believe the world will end in 2012. "That date has
not one stitch of biblical authority," Camping says from the
Oakland office where he runs Family Radio, an evangelical station
that reaches listeners around the world. "It's like a fairy
tale." The real date for the end of times, he says, is in
2011.
The Mayans and the recent Hollywood movie "2012"
have put the apocalypse in the popular mind this year, but Camping
has been at this business for a long time. And while Armageddon is
pop science or big-screen entertainment to many, Camping has
followers from the Bay Area to China.... Read this in full at
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/01/BA8V1AV589.DTL
ON THE 'RELIGIOUS
RIGHT,' WE TOO HAVE A 'BLIND SIDE'
by Robert Peters
Over the Christmas weekend, my wife and I
went to see "The Blind Side," a film about an affluent
white family in Memphis who took Michael Oher, a homeless African
American youth, into their home and made him part of their family.
As a result of the Tuohy family's out-of-the-ordinary Christian
kindness, Oher turned his life around and became a success on the
football field and in the classroom.
For those who aren't
football fans, the film is entitled "The Blind Side"
because Michael Oher became one the nation's top left offensive
tackles while playing at the University of Mississippi. It is the
job of the left offensive tackle to protect the quarterback's
"blind side" from defensive players whose job it is to
get to the quarterback when he drops back to pass. In a day when
quarterbacks drop back to pass frequently, the left offensive
tackle position is considered one of the most important; and
talented, motivated players are highly prized.... Read this in
full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/3938412545.html
TEARING AND
MENDING
“Putting things back together is never easy, which makes
mending a tear a very sacred act.
“I'm not good at
this kind of magic on my own. I am defensive and proud and-more
than anything-scared. I'm quick to punish others and myself
because I'm afraid of getting hurt or getting hurt again. All of
these things and more make me a bad candidate for forgiving and
forgetting.
“I want to be the one who will thread
the needle, no matter how difficult, and begin stitching, but I
need help to actually get started. Desperately.
“Somehow,
if we will let him, God will be that help. He will be the
invisible glue that seeps in and re-adheres what has been ripped
open. He will soften our hearts when we can't do it on our own. He
will help us turn toward each other when all we want to do is walk
away. He will help us let go of our grievances when we desperately
want to protect and nurture them. He will give us moments and
places that will bind us up forever.
“All we have to
do is remain the slightest bit open to becoming well.”
Leeana Tankersley, Found Art
NAVY STAND-OUT
LINEBACKER SERVES CHRIST
Scott Pospisil knew it years ago. He could see something
unique in his eldest son. Ross Pospisil, now a senior linebacker
at the U.S. Naval Academy who is preparing for the final game of
an impressive four-year career, had plenty of typical boyish
vigor, but there was something else. He also possessed a
precocious tenderness. Ross loved to serve others.
During
Ross's junior year at Temple High School in Temple, Texas, he
noticed a table of kids who sat by themselves at lunch. In the
often harsh world of high school pecking orders, this group of
misfits had fallen through the cracks.
Crossing racial and
social lines, Ross decided to eat lunch with them. At first, it
took the group by surprise. Ross was a popular two-sport athlete
and a member of the National Honor Society. What was he doing at
their table? Ross's friends wondered the same thing. It didn't
matter. He ate at their table every day for an entire semester....
Read this in full at
http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31968
TIM TEBOW CAM:
FLORIDA GATOR ENDS SUGAR BOWL 2010 ON BIBLICAL NOTE WITH EPHESIANS
2:8-10
At
Jan. 1’s Sugar Bowl, Tim Tebow had his own webcam and a
Bible on his side, which may be why his performance was the
sweetest in the game's history. Tebow threw for a career-high 482
yards and three touchdowns, rushing for another 51 yards and a
score. With his No. 5 team, the Florida Gators, Tebow decimated
No. 4 Cincinnati Bearcats 51-24. "This has been the best four
years of my life," Tebow said. "We wanted to end it on a
good note."
That's an understatement - Tebow finished
with 533 total yards, which is more than anyone in the history of
the Bowl Championship Series. Texas' Vince Young had previously
set the record with 467 yards in the 2005 Sugar Bowl.
Tebow,
who is known for touting bible verses during football games, tore
through the Louisiana Superdome with "Ephesians 2:8-10"
printed beneath his eyes. The reference suggests that, despite his
team's win, Tebow will not be boasting anytime soon.
The
King James Version (KJV) of Ephesians 2:8-10 reads: "For by
grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
.... Read this in full at
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/2010/01/02/2010-01-02_tim_tebow_cam_florida_gator_ends_sugar_bowl_2010_on_biblical_note_with_ephesians.html
TIGER, FORGET
BUDDHISM, FIND CHRIST: BRIT HUME ON FOX
Brit Hume turned evangelist on Fox News Sunday, in a segment
with panelists predicting the future for Tiger Woods after Woods'
notable "transgressions" (now a 2009 top euphemism,
along with "Appalachian Trail," as a signifier for
"mistress.") .... Read this in full at
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/01/fox-news-tiger-woods-brit-hume-forgiveness-evangelical/1
and
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/04/brit-hume-reiterates-tige_n_411238.html
and
http://www.breakpoint.org/commentaries/14003-how-dare-he
and
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/januaryweb-only/11-42.0.html
THE ULTIMATE
PUSH-UP GUIDE: 35+ PUSH-UP EXERCISES
The humble push-up. Used by militaries all over the world to
get their soldiers in fighting condition and middle school P.E.
teachers to punish punk kids. The push-up is the ultimate
bodyweight exercise. It requires no special equipment and can be
done anywhere, anytime. The push-up often gets overlooked because
many men find it too simple or too boring to perform. But by
switching up your hand and feet positions and adding in a few
twists, the push-up becomes a versatile muscle builder that will
leave you begging for mercy. The Art of Manliness website has
compiled the ultimate resource on push-ups; here is a primer on
every variation (with video) that could be found. Your muscles
will hate you, but they’ll never get bored.... Read this in
full at
http://artofmanliness.com/2009/07/21/push-ups-exercises/
AS SPIRITUAL
FILMS BRING IN THE BUCKS, HOLLYWOOD GETS MORE RELIGIOUS
It's everywhere at the multiplex these days: religion. Or if
that word makes you uncomfortable, you can go with the more
general "spirituality."
In movies as varied as
the dead serious "The Road," the uplifting family
picture "The Blind Side," the biting comedy "The
Invention of Lying," and even James Cameron's sci-fi opus
"Avatar," issues of faith and morality and mankind's
place in the universe are all the rage.
Not all of these
movies embrace religion. Some question human gullibility. Some ask
for evidence of a higher purpose in what often seems a random
universe. But whether they encourage prayer or doubt, they're all
part of the zeitgeist.
But why now? .... Read this in full
at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/31/AR2009123102973.html
MAKE THE GOSPEL
YOURS
Though
Christ a thousand times
In Bethlehem be born,
If he's not
born in thee
Thy soul is still forlorn.
The cross on
Golgotha
Will never save thy soul;
The cross in thy own
heart
Alone can make thee whole.
... Anonymous, 3rd
century, from the German of Angelus Silesius, included in
Masterpieces of Religious Verse, James Dalton Morrison, ed., New
York: Harper & Bros., 1948, p. 148
REPORT FINDS OVER
1,200 CRIMES AGAINST CHURCHES IN 2009
There were at least 1,237 crimes committed against Christian
churches and ministries in the United States this past year,
according to a new report. Included among the crimes are 12
homicides and 38 other violent incidents -- including three sexual
assaults and three kidnappings -- 98 arsons and over 700
burglaries, according to the 2009 “Crimes Against Christian
Organizations in the United States” report published by the
Christian Security Network. The network said the church burglaries
resulted in an estimated $24 million in property loss.... Read
this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100104/report-over-1-200-crimes-against-churches-in-2009/index.html
2009 A YEAR OF
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
When Pope Benedict XVI visited Africa last March, he made
countless pleas on behalf of the poor and the war-weary. Yet the
words that got the most attention were spoken on the papal plane
when he said condoms are part of the problem, not the solution, to
Africa’s HIV/AIDS pandemic.
And so it was in the
year of religion in 2009, when well-intended gestures of goodwill
and reconciliation erupted into firestorms of controversy. Even
the best-laid plans, 2009 reminded us, often carry unforeseen
consequences.
“People can have good motives toward a
middle position and cooperation and all of that, but it just turns
out to be extremely difficult to do because our divisions are so
deep-seated,” said John Green, director of the Bliss
Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron.
Many
of the controversies revolved around a president and a pope, both
of whom spark strong personal reactions.
In January,
President Obama reached out to evangelicals by inviting megachurch
pastor Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural invocation. Gay groups
seethed because of Warren’s activism against same-sex
marriage. When Obama offered another prayer slot to openly gay
Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson, conservatives detected signs of
homosexual activism.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/2009_a_year_of_unintended_consequences/
YEAR IN REVIEW:
RELIGION AND AMERICA BY THE NUMBERS
An analysis of more than 350,000 interviews conducted by
Gallup finds Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Louisiana, and Arkansas to be the most religious states in the
nation. Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts are the
least religious states. The United States is generally a religious
nation, although the degree of this religiosity varies across
states and regions of the country. A robust 65% of all Americans
-- across the entire US population -- reported in 2008 that
religion was important in their daily lives. The polls were
released in 2009.
Survey findings released by Ellison
Research show that 7 out of 10 regular churchgoers would be at
least somewhat open to switching denominations, with dramatic
differences between Protestants and Roman Catholics. Respondents
who attend worship services once a month or more were asked what
denomination they attend most often. Then they were asked what
role that denomination would play if they could no longer attend
their current church. Three out of 10 churchgoers say they would
only consider attending one denomination—they would be open
to nothing else. Another 44% report having one preferred
denomination, but they would also consider others. Eleven percent
has a small number of denominations they would consider, with no
particular favorite among them. Six percent don’t have any
particular denomination they prefer, but they do have certain ones
they would not consider. And 9% say denomination does not factor
into their decision of what church to attend.... Read this in full
at
http://www.christianexaminer.com/Articles/Articles%20Jan10/Art_Jan10_03.html
YEAR IN REVIEW
2009: HOPE AND CHANGE AND SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
by Warren Cole Smith – Evangelical Press
Back in
January 2009, President-elect Barack Obama invited the Rev. Rick
Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration, prompting those
on both sides of the political spectrum to take notice.
Conservative evangelicals -- most of whom did not vote for Obama
-- didn’t criticize him so much as they did Warren, for
accepting the invitation. Outrage from the homosexual-activist
community -- most of whom did vote for Obama -- criticized the
invitation because Warren had actively campaigned for traditional
marriage during California’s Proposition 8 campaign.
And,
of course, atheist Michael Newdow organized a group of 11 atheist
and humanist groups to file suit against the government. He wanted
to prevent prayers of any kind from being offered at the
presidential inauguration.
So the New Year began on the
eve of a new president who had promised hope and change. He was
promising change. However, while all improvement requires change,
not all change is an improvement. So would the changes coming as
2009 began offer hope? Way back then, 12 months ago, ancient
history to the American mind, who could know what the year would
bring. What we know now is that the year was like that iconic and
contentious moment on the Capitol Mall back in January: it offered
something for everyone—both to love and to hate.... Read
this in full at
http://www.christianexaminer.com/Articles/Articles%20Jan10/Art_Jan10_02.html
THE CHRISTIAN
POST YEAR IN THE REVIEW: 2009
Then-Sen. Barack Obama was right when he said back in 2008
that change was coming. The year 2009 was a time of change –
but that was only partly because of the man who was heralded into
the White House on the platform of “Change.” The
changes in 2009 rippled from a number of scale-tipping moments,
the votes of both the many and the few, the rise of some, and the
emissions of the plentiful – according to some.
The
following is a look back at the year 2009 and what changes came
about – ten areas that The Christian Post and much of the
Christian community had their eyes fixed upon: .... Read this in
full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100102/cp-year-in-the-review-2009/index.html
NEW YEARS
RESOLUTIONS YOU CAN KEEP
Are you sick of making the same resolutions year after year
that you never keep? Why not promise to do something you can
ACTUALLY accomplish? Here are some resolutions that you can use as
a starting point:
~ Gain weight. At least 30 pounds.
~
Stop exercising. Waste of time.
~ Read less. Makes you think.
~ Watch more TV. I've been missing some good stuff.
~
Procrastinate more. Starting tomorrow.
~ Spend more time at
work, surfing the web.
~ Take a vacation to someplace
important, like to see the world's largest ball of twine.
~
Don't jump off a cliff just because everyone else did.
~ Stop
bringing lunch from home--eat out more.
~ Don't have eight
children at once.
~ Get in a whole NEW rut!
~ Start being
superstitious.
~ Personal goal: Don't bring back disco.
~
Speak in a monotone voice and only use monosyllabic words.
~
Only wear jeans that are 2 sizes too small and use a chain or rope
for a belt.
~ Spend my summer vacation in cyberspace.
~
Create loose ends.
~ Get more toys.
~ Get further in debt.
~ Don't believe politicians.
~ Break at least one traffic
law.
~ Don't drive a motorized vehicle across thin ice.
~
Don't swim with piranhas or sharks.
~ Spread out priorities
beyond the ability to keep track of them.
~ Wait for
opportunity to knock.
~ Focus on the faults of others.
~
Mope about faults.
~ Never make New Year's resolutions again.
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
VERSE TO PONDER
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old
has gone, the new has come!"
2 Corinthians 5:17
CONSIDER
“It is not in life's chances but in its choices that
happiness comes to the heart of the individual.”
Unknown
Author
TWO
INSIGHTS ABOUT THE MILLENNIALS
by Thom Rainer
The Millennial Generation fascinates me.
Depending upon the years you frame the generation, it is the
largest -- or nearly the largest -- generation in America’s
history. For example, if the birth years 1980 to 2000 are the
parameters, the Millennials are larger than the Boomers. Perhaps
it’s their sheer size that fascinates me.
Two
particular pieces of data caught my attention as I reviewed the
massive amount of data we have. Those insights seem to have
particular relevance for churches that are looking to be more
effective reaching this generation. First, most Millennials
(nearly 90%) say that their parents are key influencers in their
lives. Second, another highly influential group for the
Millennials is their own friends.... Read this in full at
http://www.churchcentral.com/blog/Two-insights-about-the-Millennials
WITH LAUGHTER
I once regularly met with a man under tremendous stress -- the
kind of stress that could send a weaker soul into a nervous
breakdown. He had to endure a spiritual crisis, a relational
crisis, and a vocational crisis -- all at the same time. As we sat
together one evening as part of the same small group, somebody
told a hilarious story. Everyone started laughing until our sides
hurt, which reminded someone else of an equally funny story. This
went on for a good 45 minutes until our diaphragms were sore from
laughter.
"’Well, this meeting got away from
me,’ I thought. ‘We should have been praying for this
guy all that time and giving him some counsel.’
“But
as he stood up, he looked at us and said, "You have no idea
how much this ministered to me tonight."
“Ministered?
With laughter? The truth is, he got exactly what he needed.
“After all, God created laughter. Why can't we
celebrate him as we use what he created to help make his points?
It's a fact -- I think a significant one -- that humans are the
only creatures who laugh. Laughter, in this sense, gloriously
reflects being made in God's image.”
Gary Thomas, Pure
Pleasure
DAVE
BARRY'S YEAR IN REVIEW: 2009
by Dave Barry
It was a year of Hope -- at first in the
sense of “I feel hopeful!” and later in the sense of
“I hope this year ends soon!”
It was also a
year of Change, especially in Washington, where the tired old
hacks of yesteryear finally yielded the reins of power to a group
of fresh, young, idealistic, new-idea outsiders such as Nancy
Pelosi. As a result Washington, rejecting “business as
usual,” finally stopped trying to solve every problem by
throwing billions of taxpayer dollars at it and instead started
trying to solve every problem by throwing trillions of taxpayer
dollars at it.
To be sure, it was a year that saw plenty
of bad news. But in almost every instance, there was offsetting
good news: .... Read this in full at
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/dave-barry/v-fullstory/story/1397654.html
BLESSED ARE THE
PERSECUTED: WHERE PERSECUTION IS REAL, IT’S INTENSE
Some Christians in the United States are quick to cry
“persecution” if courts, schools, or businesses fail
to favor their religion above others. But in places around the
world where Christians face beatings, economic reprisal,
imprisonment, or even death because of their faith, Americans'
claims of religious persecution in the United States ring hollow.
“Since I began to answer this email, I have been
writing non-stop for the last two hours, and still I am only
scratching the surface of your multivalent questions,” wrote
Chris Van Gorder, a Baylor University religion professor and
expert in global persecution of Christians, responding to an email
query about religious persecution.... Read this in full at
http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/4684/53/
BILLY GRAHAM,
POPE AND POLITICIANS AMONG AMERICA'S MOST ADMIRED
Evangelist Billy Graham and Pope Benedict XVI are among the
top 10 people that Americans most admired in 2009, according to a
new poll. In the USA Today/Gallup Poll, Graham was ranked 6th in
the list of men living today that Americans most admire -- a
result that comes as no surprise given that he has been on the
top-10 list every year since 1955. Pope Benedict XVI, meanwhile,
was virtually tied with Graham with 2% of the open-ended survey’s
votes but was ranked one notch higher.
Other than Graham
and the pope, however, there were no other religious figures on
the 2009 most-admired list -- unless you’re among those
consider talk show host Oprah Winfrey an influential spiritual
leader, as Christianity Today magazine concluded in 2002. Instead,
both the men and women’s lists were dominated by politicians
and those connected to politics.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100101/americans-most-admire-billy-graham-pope-politicians/index.html
CONSIDER
“It is a vital moment of truth when a man discovers that
what he condemns most vehemently in others is that to which he is
himself prone.”
Unknown Author
VERSE TO PONDER
"Teach us to number our days right, that we may gain a
heart of wisdom."
Psalm 90:12
THIS WEEK'S HYMN:
BREAK, NEWBORN YEAR
Words: Thomas H. Gill, 1855
Music: Arthur Cottman, 1872
Break, newborn year, on glad eyes break,
Melodious
voices move;
On, rolling time; thou canst not make
The
Father cease to love.
The parted year had wingèd
feet;
The Savior still doth stay;
The new year comes; but
Spirit sweet,
Thou goest not away.
Our hearts in tears
may oft run o’er;
But Lord, Thy smile still beams;
Our
sins are swelling evermore,
But pardoning grace still streams.
Lord, from this year more service win,
More glory,
more delight:
O make its hours less sad with sin,
Its days
with Thee more bright.
Then we may bless its precious
things
If earthly cheer should come,
Or gladsome mount on
angel wings
If Thou wouldst take us home.
O golden
then the hours must be;
The year must needs be sweet;
Yes,
Lord, with happy melody
Thine opening grace we greet.
>from
NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/b/r/e/breaknby.htm
ON PRAYER
“May
I be careful to have my mind in order when I take upon myself the
honor to speak to the sovereign Lord of the universe, remembering
that upon the temper of my soul depends, in very great measure, my
success.”
Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles
Wesley, the founders of Methodism (1669-1742)
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.
The
Top 10 Sports Moments of 2009
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1944649,00.html
Best
Of The 2010 Snowboarding Videos
http://video.mpora.com/watch/7ZdG0Nz0E/
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.)
Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst, for they are sticking to their
diets.
Min.
Frank Coleman, Editor
Rev.frank@gmail.com
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, frank@frankcoleman.com
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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