Connecting
man to man to God
For
week of February 28, 2010
Issue 293
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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“Yet
even now, says the Lord,
return
to me with all your heart,
with
fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
rend
your hearts and not your clothing.
Return
to the Lord, your God,
[who]
is gracious and merciful,
slow
to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and
relents from punishing.”
-
Joel 2:12-13
CONSIDER
“God
does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us
comforters.”
J. H. Jowett
THE
CHALLENGE OF THE LENTEN SEASON
Lent
constitutes both a challenge and an embarrassment to
Protestantism. Each year as the season approaches it brings with
it the temptation to equivocate. We do not know where we stand
because our feet seem to be stuck in both camps.
On
one side, our conscience serves to remind us that (if we are the
practicing Christians we claim to be) we had better "do
something" about observing the most sacred season in the
Christian calendar. We are reminded further of what we know all
too well, namely, that we have been over-indulgent, and that it
would be an excellent idea to place ourselves under some kind of
spiritual and physical discipline. It would not hurt us to "give
up something for Lent." On the level of personal habits we
could stand a more rugged Christian discipleship.... Read this in
full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/marchweb-only/33.0.html
JESUS
IS PREPARING A PLACE -- AND WAITING FOR YOU TO ARRIVE
by
Max Lucado
In
one of his Far Side cartoons, Gary Larson depicts a winged man
seated in heaven on a cloud. No one near. Nothing to do. Marooned
on his celestial post. The caption witnesses his despair: "Wish
I'd brought a magazine."
I
can relate. Eternal life? Clouds in my midst, a harp on my lap,
and time on my hands, unending time. An endless sing-along -- a
hymn, then a chorus, then still more verses. "Whatever the
tortures of hell," declared science-fiction writer Isaac
Asimov, "I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse."
You
might have similar reservations, quiet yet troubling. Will
eternity meet expectations? Jesus gives an assuring response:
Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in
me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this
were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a
place for you? (John 14:1-2, NLT)
Forget
the movies' images of knee-high fog banks and floating spirits.
Jesus has gone to "prepare a place." Heaven is tangible:
as real as the soil in your garden, as physical as the fruit in
your orchard. In fact, your garden and fruit might look familiar
in heaven.
You
probably assume God will destroy this universe and relocate his
children. But when God created the heavens and earth, he applauded
his work (Genesis 1:31). God never denounced his earth, just man's
mistreatment of it. Besides, he's the God of reclamation, not
extermination. He restores, recovers, renews. Expect him to
reclaim every square inch of what's rightfully his (Matthew
19:28).... Read this in full at
http://www.kyria.com/topics/spiritualformation/biblestudyanddevotions/youreexpected.html
TRUE
FOCUS
“Trust
in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own
insight.”
Proverbs 3:5
“CHURCHILL”
BIOGRAPHY BY PAUL JOHNSON
Review
by John Wilson
“Yes,
there are already far too many books on Churchill, but there is
always room for another good one, and you might just gobble up
Paul Johnson's biography, slim and wonderfully readable, in a
single sitting. Johnson himself has entered his 80s, and I think
that gives him an angle on Churchill's long life that he would
have lacked had he written this book 40 or even 20 years ago.
Among the lessons Johnson extracts is this: ‘Churchill
wasted an extraordinarily small amount of his time and emotional
energy on the mean-nesses of life: recrimination, shifting the
blame onto others..., harboring grudges, waging vendettas.’”
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/february/28.62.html
POLL:
MISSISSIPPIANS MOST LIKELY TO ATTEND CHURCH FREQUENTLY
Mississippians
are more likely to attend a religious service on a weekly or
almost weekly basis than the people of any other state, according
to the second annual Gallup poll on religious service attendance.
The
people of Mississippi were also found in 2008 to be the most
frequent servicegoers, but last year were even more likely to
attend service weekly with 63% saying they "attend church,
synagogue, or mosque” at least once a week or almost every
week. In 2008, 60% said the same.
"Church
attendance levels are widely dispersed across the states, with the
highest levels generally occurring in the South and the Midwest,
and the lowest in the Northeast and the West," the Gallup
organization noted in announcing the latest figures, which were
based on more than 350,000 interviews conducted among national
adults, aged 18 and older, across all 50 states and the District
of Columbia in 2009.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100218/poll-mississippians-most-likely-to-attend-church-frequently/index.html
STUDY
ON RELIGION FINDS YOUNG ADULTS LESS AFFILIATED BUT NOT LESS
BELIEVING
Is
faith losing its grip on the young? That would be one way to read
a new report by the respected Pew Forum on Religion and Public
Life, which found that more than one-quarter of Americans age 18
to 29 have no religious preference or affiliation, and fewer than
one in five attend services regularly. That makes them easily the
least religious generation among Americans alive today, perhaps
the least religious ever.
Or
does it? The Pew study found that, although young adults -- the
so-called Millennial generation born after 1981 -- are shunning
traditional religious denominations and services in unprecedented
numbers, their faith in God and the power of prayer appears nearly
as strong as that of young people in earlier generations.... Read
this in full at
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beliefs22-2010feb22,0,7143343.story
DO
YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? MOST AMERICANS DO
A
survey from the Pew Forum on Religion showed that a vast majority
of Americans, nearly 80%, believe in miracles. The results are
from a wider study, "Religion Among the Millennials."
Greg Smith from the Pew Forum on Religion talks about the
widespread belief in miracles.
An
extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing or accomplishment -
that's Merriam Webster's definition of the word, miracle. But it
goes on: An event manifesting divine intervention, a wonderful
occurrence. And from that alone, you might conclude that our
understanding of miracles is murky at best. A new study from Pew
complicates things a bit further.
The
study shows that young adults, the so-called millennial
generation, don't attend church services regularly, are less
inclined to express religious preference or affiliation than their
elders, but profess widespread belief in the afterlife, in heaven
and hell and in miracles. Nearly 80% of all Americans, in fact,
say they believe in miracles.... Read and hear this in full at
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124007551
WHAT
TO DO WITH EMPTY CHURCH BUILDINGS
Amid
the closings of Catholic churches across the Northeast and
Midwest, local officials -- vexed by visions of vacant buildings
in struggling neighborhoods -- might want to take a look at what’s
happening in Buffalo, NY.
Despite
a weak real estate market, the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo has
found surprising success in selling its closed churches -- often
hulking, high-maintenance, heat-draining structures. To date, the
diocese has sold 38 of the 77 church properties it closed during a
three-year downsizing plan that began in 2005.... Read this in
full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/buffalo_finds_success_in_new_life_for_old_churches/
BLACK
CHURCHES TEAM UP TO TACKLE PROBLEMS FACING BLACK MEN
The
leaders of three black Methodist denominations are joining
together -- for the first time in 45 years -- to address
unemployment, crime and other problems that disproportionately
affect black men.
“When
people talk about us being in an economic downturn, that’s
nice talk for the general community, but for the African-American
community, we are in depression,” said Senior Bishop John R.
Bryant of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
“Our
people are hurting. They’re hurting financially and we want
to put our heads together and our hearts together to see what we
can do to try to ease that kind of pain,” he said.
Bryant’s
church, along with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and
the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, are planning a “Great
Gathering” for March 1-3 in Columbia, SC that is expected to
attract thousands of church members.
The
meeting, organizers say, will spearhead projects such as minority
mentoring programs in local congregations across the country....
Read this in full at
http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2010/02/black-churches-team-up-to-tack.php
ECO-CONSCIOUS
GO GREEN WHEN THEY GO UNDER
In
a world that is increasingly renewable, recyclable and
energy-efficient, many Americans already spend much of their lives
in an eco-friendly environment. Now they can spend eternity there,
too.
That’s
what the late Paul Magalhaes Sr. wanted, so when he was
considering burial plans last October, he settled on a new “eco
option” at Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah, N.J.
After
his death on Jan. 7 at age 78, Magalhaes was interred in
Maryrest—the first person to be “ecologically buried”
in one of the country’s first Catholic cemeteries with an
environmentally sensitive section.
“My
father always loved nature,” said his son, Paul Magalhaes
Jr. “He was the kind of guy, if there was an ant crawling,
he’d say, `Don’t step on it; it has a purpose.’”
People
in the funeral industry say more Christians are embracing the idea
of burial in cemeteries striving to contain their own carbon
footprint.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/eco_conscious_go_green_when_they_go_under/
CHURCHES
TO PRAY WITH ONE VOICE FOR JUSTICE
Thousands
of people will join with one voice to pray for an end to poverty
as they connect with God’s heart for justice. Beginning
March 1, churches and individual Christians worldwide will spend
time with God and pray about issues of poverty and justice as part
of the One Voice prayer campaign led by Tearfund, 24-7 Prayer, and
CompassionArt.
The
ministries have developed prayer resources for the week, including
material giving guidance on prayers for Haiti following the
January 12 earthquake that left more than 200,000 people dead and
another 1.5 million homeless and in need of aid.... Read this in
full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100224/churches-to-pray-with-one-voice-for-justice/index.html
ECUMENICAL
HEAD: OUR CALL IS TO CARRY THE CROSS
A
Norwegian theologian has been formally installed as the new head
of the World Council of Churches. During his installation service,
the Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit pronounced "Nothing except
Jesus Christ, and him crucified" as his first unity call to
the worldwide ecumenical fellowship.
"The
cross is and will forever be the sign of the church," the new
general secretary said. "This is the symbol that we have
together, the symbol of what we have together, the symbol of what
the churches have to give to the world. From the beginning to the
end." It's the symbol that churches need to return to in
order to be one, he said.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100224/ecumenical-head-our-call-is-to-carry-the-cross/index.html
Q&A:
PHILIP RYKEN, WHEATON'S NEXT PRESIDENT
Wheaton
College chose from one of its own when it appointed Philip Ryken,
pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, as its next
president. Ryken graduated from the college in 1988 and has served
on its board of trustees since 2006. Ryken received his M.Div.
from Westminster Theological Seminary and his doctorate in
historical theology from the University of Oxford. He is on the
board of trustees at Westminster Theological Seminary, and a
council member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals and the
Gospel Coalition. Ryken will begin on July 1 after president Duane
Litfin retires in June. Ryken spoke with Christianity Today about
his plans for the college.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/februaryweb-only/18-21.0.html
WHAT’S
IN THE BIBLE DVD
Phil
Vischer here. I want to tell you about What’s in the Bible?
-- the first new DVD project I have conceived from scratch since
VeggieTales, and a project I can’t wait to share with the
world. The first 2 DVDs, In the Beginning and Let My People Go!,
will be available March 1, but I wanted to take the time to tell
you a little bit about why I am so excited about this series.
What’s
in the Bible? is, in a nutshell, an attempt to address declining
biblical literacy in the North American church. VeggieTales was an
amazingly effective way to teach individual Bible stories, but not
abstract concepts like sin, redemption, or God’s grace. Yet
these concepts are the core of a meaningful faith. Christian
colleges report that incoming freshmen -- even those from
Christian homes -- know less about the Bible each year. And partly
as a result of a lack of meaningful knowledge about their faith,
65% of Christian kids are walking away from the church as soon as
they leave high school.
So,
What's in the Bible? is a new 13-part series that will walk kids
all the way through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Call it
“Christianity 101” -- a crash course in our faith,
presented with the same wit and whimsy as VeggieTales.
http://www.whatsinthebible.com
SUGGESTIONS
FOR THE HUSBAND OF A WOMAN WHO LEFT
by
Neil Wiegert
*
If you haven't been walking with the Lord, start; if you are
walking with Him, walk closer.
*
Pray for her. She may not stay, but you will be a stronger man
when it all ends.
*
Even though life is far from normal at this time, keep life as
normal as possible by keeping/maintaining your routines.... Read
this in full at
http://www.maninthemirror.org/weeklybriefing/wb361.htm
LAUNCHED:
NATIONAL MULTIMEDIA PROGRAM TO HELP PARENTS PROTECT KIDS FROM
CYBER SEX
Enough
Is Enough (EIE), a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping
children safe online, announces the national launch of Internet
Safety 101, a comprehensive program for parents, educators, and
other caring adults who need knowledge and resources to protect
kids from dangers on all Internet-enabled devices.
"Internet
Safety 101 is the only multimedia program on the market
specifically designed to educate, equip and empower parents to
gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to protect children from
the very real dangers that exist in a Web 2.0 world," said
Donna Rice Hughes, president and chairman of EIE. "While the
Internet provides many extraordinary opportunities for children,
the sad reality is no child is immune to online threats, which is
why parents must be the first line of defense," Rice Hughes
added.
Today's
kids are exposed to the online dangers of pornography, sexual
predators, cyber bullies, and other Internet threats. While
children can engage in risky behavior via computers, cell phones,
gaming systems, and social networks, many adults are uninformed,
overwhelmed and ill-equipped to deal with online threats. Internet
Safety 101 provides a means for adults to educate, equip and
empower themselves to ensure that children under their care have a
safe and rewarding online experience.
http://www.internetsafety101.org/
TIGER
GETS RELIGION?
by
Rusty Wright
Tiger
Woods publicly apologized
(http://web.tigerwoods.com/news/article/201002198096934/news/)
to his family, friends, and fans for behavior he labeled
“irresponsible,” “selfish,” and “foolish.”
He confessed to unfaithfulness, affairs, and cheating, calling
them “wrong.” He expressed remorse and took
responsibility. “It's up to me to start living a life of
integrity,” affirmed the Associated Press’ Athlete of
the Decade.
Debates
about his scripted, no-questions-allowed announcement method
aside, I must admire his admission of blame and commitment to
change. I wish him success and hope
(http://amyfound.org/writing_resources/amy_internet_syndicate/articles/rusty_wright/rw88.html)
he and his family get the space and support they need to heal.
Matters
of belief and faith figured prominently in Tiger’s
statement. His request of friends and fans who once believed in
him: “I ask you to find room in your heart to one day
believe in me again.” Central to his recovery, he explained,
would be Buddhism, learned at his mother’s knee, from which
he admitted drifting:
“Buddhism
teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an
unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop
following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost
track of what I was taught.” .... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2010/s10020120.htm
WOODS
SAYS HE'LL TURN TO BUDDHISM FOR HELP
In
the theater of American public apologies, it's common for
celebrities to invoke their faith. Disgraced golf superstar Tiger
Woods did it Friday, in fact, with a twist. He cited the role of
Buddhism in his life -- and will look to it to help him recover
from serial infidelity.
"People
probably don't realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I
actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away
from it in recent years," Woods said during Friday's
televised apology, his first public appearance in nearly three
months. It was Woods' most direct reference to his beliefs yet.
In
a few previous interviews, Woods said he had practiced mediation
and had attended temple with his mother. He has credited her, and
her Thai Buddhism, with giving him the focus needed on the golf
course and throughout his life.
His
latest comments reflected the Buddhist teachings about desire,
craving and attachment -- and balance.... Read this in full at
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100220/ap_on_sp_ot/us_tiger_woods_buddhism
NCAA
REMOVES CONTROVERSIAL FOCUS ON THE FAMILY ADS
Two
weeks after CBS and the National Football League endured criticism
from women's groups and gay rights advocates for letting Focus on
the Family run an advertisement during the Super Bowl while
blocking an ad from a gay dating service, the controversy has
extended to singe the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
The
national college sports group on Tuesday dropped advertisements
from Focus on the Family from its championships website (which,
unlike the association's main .org website, is a .com site that
takes advertising and is managed by CBS College Sports). According
to a spokesman for Focus on the Family, the ads had been included
on several CBS-managed Web sites (including ncaa.com) as part of
the conservative advocacy group's purchase of the Super Bowl
ad.... Read this in full at
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/02/24/ncaa
40,000
HAITIANS PROFESS FAITH IN CHRIST SINCE JAN. 12 QUAKE
A
reported 40,127 Haitians have made professions of faith in Jesus
Christ since a major earthquake hit the impoverished nation in
January, according to pastors and directors of missions within the
Confraternite Missionaire Baptiste d'Haiti (CMBH).
"Haiti
is ripe for a spiritual movement from God," said Craig
Culbreth, director of the Florida Baptist Convention's partnership
missions department, which coordinates the work of the CMBH, upon
his Feb. 22 return from Port-au-Prince.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=32370
REPORT:
US FOREIGN OFFICERS NEED RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
The
US government needs to enhance the religious literacy of its
foreign service officers and diplomats so that they can better
address foreign policy challenges, a report advised.
Task
force members of the report “Engaging Religious Communities
Abroad: A New Imperative for US Foreign Policy,” sponsored
by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, said for too long the
government has ignored the fact that religion plays a large role
in the lives of the people its officers interact with overseas.
It
is imperative that representatives of America engage with local
religious communities and receive training on how to relate to
these religious groups in order to fulfill its foreign interests,
the task force said.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100224/report-u-s-foreign-officers-need-religious-education/index.html
CHRISTIAN
VIDEO GAME COMPANIES TO MERGE
Newark’s
Digital Praise, which makes Christian video games, plans to merge
with Murrieta’s Left Behind Games Inc. Left Behind said
Digital Praise “has generated approximately $4.89 million
dollars selling Christian video games over the past two years.”
Digital
Praise, led by CEO Tom Bean, started selling the “Dance
Praise” game, which uses a mat and Christian music, in 2005.
The company’s biggest hit has been “Guitar Praise,”
released in late 2008.
Left
Behind gave Digital Praise a no-interest short-term loan of
$50,000 in December “to assist them with their working
capital requirements.” By the end of the year, Digital
Praise had paid back $10,411 of that loan.... Read this in full at
http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stories/2010/02/22/daily18.html
also
see the news release at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/1111913137.html
VERSE
TO PONDER
“The
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Galatians 5:22-23
CONSIDER
“Man,
like the bridge, was designed to carry the load of the moment, not
the combined weight of a year at once.”
William Ward
THE
SIX PERCENT SOLUTION
by
Will Willimon
When
I was at my first church, I was complaining to a wise, experienced
pastor that I had “too few talented lay persons” in my
little church to change the downward course of the congregation.
(Even forty years ago I was trying to change the church!) “I
have no more than five or six folks who show any ability to move
forward,” I whined.
“Well
consider yourself fortunate,” replied the wise pastor. “My
congregation is twice the size of yours and I can count no more
than five or six Spirit-filled, innovative leaders. Fortunately,
God rarely needs more than that to get the ball rolling.”
What?
Jesus changed the whole world with twelve (only eleven of whom
panned out) disciples. Malcolm Gladwell’s, The Tipping Point
is a study of how human organizations change. How does a system
reach the “tipping point” whereby an organizational
culture is transformed? Gladwell documents that it takes no more
than six children in a school to begin wearing a certain brand of
sport shoe to reach the tipping point whereby in just a few days a
hundred children will begin wearing that same brand of shoe.
I
believe Gladwell is right. In all of the churches I have served as
a pastor only six percent of the members gave nearly two-thirds of
all the financial gifts to the church. I’ve served some
wonderful churches but I’ve never served a church that
wasn’t being led by six percent of the members. Only six
percent of the congregation are people to whom God has given the
passion and the position to lead the whole church.... Read this in
full at
http://willimon.blogspot.com/2010/01/six-percent-solution.html
DISSIDENTS
UNVEIL NEW RIVAL NORTH AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH
Saying
they're done with efforts to reform the nation's largest Lutheran
body, dissidents unveiled blueprints Thursday (Feb. 18) for a
rival denomination, the North American Lutheran Church (NALC).
The
new body, which will hew to a more traditional line on issues of
human sexuality, is expected to be formally launched in August as
a conservative alternative to the 4.6 million-member Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America.
So
far, at least seven ELCA congregations have voted to leave after
the Chicago-based denomination lifted restrictions last summer on
non-celibate gay clergy. An additional 28 congregations appear
poised to leave.... Read this in full at
http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2010/02/dissidents-unveil-new-rival-no.php
OLYMPIC
ATHLETES WHO PUT THEIR FAITH FIRST
"For
me, the only thing that keeps me going is ... striving to do my
heavenly Father's will," says skeleton racer Noelle
Pikus-Pace, who lives with her husband and 2-year-old daughter in
Orem, Utah. "That lightens my burden so it's not all about
me. It's about trying to be a good example to those around me and
... showing an example that Christ would have shown."
Pikus-Pace
may be an anomaly, but she's not alone. In a testament to the
diverse religions represented at the Winter Games, Vancouver's
multifaith center provides "spiritual services" to
adherents of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism.
In
recent years, Jewish athletes, such as Michael Phelps's 2008
gold-medal relay teammate Jason Lezak, have used their fame to
promote Jewish causes. Muslim Olympians have stood up for their
religious beliefs in debates over clothing and fasting, even at
the price of sacrificing their athletic goals. It's an issue that
is likely to come into sharper focus at the 2012 Summer Olympics
in London, which will coincide with the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan.
After
Beijing was harshly criticized for banning foreign chaplains from
serving in its understaffed multifaith center at the 2008
Olympics, Vancouver is striving to support the spiritual needs of
athletes. Required by the International Olympic Committee, the
center highlights an often-hidden dimension of athletes.... Read
this in full at
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Olympics/2010/0218/Olympic-athletes-who-put-their-faith-first
HEDRICK
TO RETIRE FROM SPEEDSKATING
US
speedskater Chad Hedrick finished sixth in the men's 1500 meters
Feb. 20 in the last individual race in his speedskating career.
Hedrick announced he is retiring from speedskating after
Vancouver.
"I
think you can watch on video and know that my race looked a lot
different than it did in the 1000 meter," Hedrick said of his
1000 meter bronze medal performance. "I am so shocked that I
did better in the 1000 meter than in the 1500 because I don't even
practice it, and that's what's tough for me to swallow right
here."
Hedrick's
mission in Vancouver was to show the world that he is a different
person than he was in 2006, when he won three medals. Once
considered to be the "Paris Hilton of speedskating" for
his active nightlife, Hedrick has since married and had a
daughter; in recent months he also had become a Christian and was
baptized. On the top of his skating blade he has written the
letters "CGIM," which stands for "See God in me,"
as a reminder to himself that the world is watching.... Read this
in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=32348
GETTING
THE DEVIL OFF THE MOUNTAIN
Arthur
Mijares never saw it coming when he filed the federal paperwork to
change the name of Contra Costa County's most famous landmark from
Mt. Diablo to Mt. Reagan.
It's
not that he's such a big fan of the 40th president of the United
States. It's just that he believes, as a devout Christian, that
naming a peak of such beauty and importance after the devil --
even in Spanish -- is "derogatory, pejorative, offensive,
obscene, blasphemous, and profane."
"I
just happen to be an ordinary man that worships God," Mijares
said by way of explanation. "He gave me this task in my
prayer time. I said, 'Lord, they're going to think I'm a loon.' "
Mijares didn't know the half of it.
In
less than a month, more than 80,000 people have joined a Facebook
group called "People AGAINST Re-naming Mt. Diablo to Mt.
Reagan!!" The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has
been flooded with email; the heated response runs nine to one
against the idea, said Supervisor Susan Bonilla, whose district
includes the beloved mountain.... Read this in full at
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-diablo-reagan23-2010feb23,0,7854021.story
MORALITY
IN MEDIA SAYS PARENTS SHOULDN’T BE THE ONLY LINE OF DEFENSE
IN PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM ONLINE P*RN
MIM
President Robert Peters has advised the FCC that while parents are
the "first line of defense" in protecting children from
harmful content online and elsewhere, a reliance on parents is
"not the whole answer." This was in response to an FCC
"Notice of Inquiry" [MB Docket No. 09-194)] seeking
comment on "how to empower parents to help their children
take advantage of the opportunities offered by evolving
technologies while at the same time protecting children from the
risks inherent in use of these technologies."
Mr.
Peters points out that, "For a variety of reasons, many
parents cannot or will not use available technology." Some
parents, he writes, "do not read or speak English fluently."
Others lack "literacy skills." Many are "chronically
ill or disabled." "A technology gap also separates most
parents...from their children...Parental controls can be difficult
to use...Furthermore, as children get older many will find a way
to circumvent the technology and no technology is perfect...And
while it may come as a surprise to some federal court judges, many
parents are not part of the solution; they are part of the
problem...And it isn't just dads...it's moms too." .... Read
this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/7139213136.html
MULTI-SITE
CHURCHES SPREADING IN POST-CHRISTIAN EUROPE
Amid
decreasing church attendance in Western Europe, multi-site
churches have still managed to take root and spread, one group
reports.
Leadership
Network released a brief report providing snapshots of the various
kinds of multi-site churches growing in Europe.
"While
some people have questioned whether the multi-site model works in
the more post-Christendom context of Europe, there are European
churches, who organize themselves as multi-site churches,"
states the report by Joanne Appleton of the European Church
Planting Network -- a project of Dallas-based Leadership
Network.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100224/multi-site-churches-spreading-in-post-christian-europe/index.html
5
THINGS THAT WILL MAKE YOU HAPPIER
Here
are 5 things that research has shown can improve happiness:
1.
Be grateful
2.
Be optimistic
3.
Count your blessings
4.
Use your strengths
5.
Commit acts of kindness.... Read this in full at
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20100222/sc_livescience/5thingsthatwillmakeyouhappier
CONSIDER
“Goodness
consists not in the outward things we do, but in the inward things
we are.”
Edwin Chapin
VERSE
TO PONDER
“Do
not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to
test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and
perfect will.”
Romans 12:2
THIS
WEEK'S HYMN: AWHILE IN SPIRIT, LORD, TO THEE
Words:
Joseph F. Thrupp, 1853
Music:
Geistliche Lieder, 1543
Awhile
in spirit, Lord, to Thee
Into
the desert we would flee;
Awhile
upon the barren steep
Our
fast with Thee in spirit keep.
Awhile
from Thy temptation learn
The
daily snares of sin to spurn,
And
in our hearts to feel and own
Man
liveth not by bread alone.
O
Thou once tempted like as we,
Thou
knowest our infirmity;
Be
Thou our Helper in the strife,
Be
Thou our true, our inward Life.
And
while, at Thy command we pray,
“Give
us our bread from day to day,”
May
we with Thee, O Christ, be fed,
Thou
Word of God, Thou living Bread.
>from
NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/a/w/awhilein.htm
ON PRAYER
“Do
not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6
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.
Baptist Press
coverage of 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics
http://www.bpnews.net/BPCollectionNews.asp?ID=166
Watch
a man pile bricks on top of his head
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KWBSf3buwE
Dribble
paint like Jackson Pollock
http://www.jacksonpollock.org/
Extensive
list of phobias
http://www.phobiaguide.com/
Flower
maker
http://www.zefrank.com/flowers/
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.)
What if there were no
hypothetical questions?
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 in Chicago, IL.
Visit
our website at: http://www.pathoflifeministries.net/
----------
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