Connecting
man to man to God
For
week of March 14, 2010
Issue 295
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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“Fear
not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will
strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my
victorious right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
CONSIDER
“If you are in the wrong place, the right place is
empty.”
Unknown Author
LENT'S TERRIBLE
GIFT: LESSONS IN DYING
by Kay Lynn Northcutt
At the end of every yoga class we
practice dying. Our teacher cautions us that the corpse pose, or
shavasana, is the most difficult of all yoga postures to master,
but for those of us whose legs and arms are trembling from an
hour's exertion in warrior pose, downward-facing dog and cobra,
the prospect of relaxing horizontally on one's yoga mat brings
both relief and the impertinent question, "How hard can it
be?"
Fascinated, I report to my husband, "Every
day at the conclusion of yoga class we practice dying."
"That's interesting," he says, trying to share my
enthusiasm. "It's kind of like Lent," I venture, "except
it's a physical practice, not so much a spiritual one. Lent is
when we're supposed to practice dying, right?"
When I
was a young woman and my best friend died of lung cancer, my
minister told me, "You've been given a terrible gift at so
young an age, Kay. A terrible gift." That two-word phrase,
"terrible gift," functions as a parable for me. New
Testament scholar Brandon Scott re minds us that the Greek word
parabole can mean to "throw beside." Most typically a
parable throws something beside something else -- unexpectedly....
Read this in full at
http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=8258
COMING HOME
by Roger Lovette
More than anything else, for me Lent is
coming home. Nothing captures this idea more than the story of the
Prodigal son. We know it like the back of our hands. The boy, mad
and foolish, went far from home and found that over there was not
all it was cracked up to be. In time, he lost everything and had
no place to go. Finally—in desperation he decided to go back
home, groveling in the dust, ashamed and embarrassed. Hopefully
his father would take him back, maybe as a servant. We know the
rest of that story.
As I think of these forty days that
lead up to Easter, I think of homecoming. A place to come home to.
At the end of the road there is a light in the window and someone
who waits. There are clean, white sheets just for the likes of us.
Let us leave it all behind, the broken promises, the shattered
dreams, the fears and rage of so much. A world that some days
seems like an insane asylum. Let’s begin again that long
journey. At Lent I remember we have a place to come to. Thanks be
to God.... Read this in full at
http://rogerlovette.blogspot.com/2010/02/coming-home.html
WITH LESS THAN A
MONTH UNTIL EASTER, CHRISTIAN SECURITY NETWORK WARNS MOST CHURCHES
NOT PREPARED
So
far in 2010 Christian organizations in the United States have
experienced 13 acts of violence resulting in three deaths, 20
arsons, and tens of thousands of dollars in property loss,
according to the Christian Security Network.
"Criminals
are becoming more aware that churches are 'soft targets' and
targeting them with greater frequency, whether it is property
crimes or personal attacks" stated Jeff Hawkins, executive
director of the Christian Security Network (CSN)
(www.christiansecuritynetwork.org)
CSN published a report this January for 2009 crimes
against Christian churches, however with Easter approaching,
Hawkins knows that crimes will increase.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/5631613283.html
COURT: 'UNDER
GOD' IN PLEDGE IS CONSTITUTIONAL
The words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance
are an appeal to patriotism, not religion, and do not violate the
separation of church and state, a federal appeals court has ruled
- the same court that declared the pledge unconstitutional in
2002.
In a separate ruling, the Ninth US Circuit Court of
Appeals panel in San Francisco upheld the placement of the
national motto, "In God We Trust," on coins and
currency. The language is patriotic and ceremonial, not religious,
the court said.
Both suits were filed by Michael Newdow, a
Sacramento atheist who has filed numerous challenges to
government-sponsored religious invocations.... Read this in full
at
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/11/BAS71CEC9F.DTL
NOT ENOUGH RELIGION NEWS COVERAGE, AMERICANS SAY
A new study by the Pew Research Center's Project for
Excellence in Journalism finds that 41% of Americans say that the
news media does not devote enough coverage to religion and
spirituality. Young adults and women are particularly likely to
express a desire for increased coverage of religious issues.
The
most popular online news subjects are the weather (followed by 81%
of internet news users), national events (73%), health and
medicine (66%), business and the economy (64%), international
events (62%), and science and technology (60%).
Asked what
subjects they would like to receive more coverage, 44% said
scientific news and discoveries, 41% said religion and
spirituality, 39% said health and medicine, 39% said their state
government, and 38% said their neighborhood or local community.
http://www.journalism.org/node/19537
HOLOGRAM
PREACHERS SLATED TO APPEAR IN CHURCHES
Holographic preachers are stirring another
technology-gone-too-far debate among Christians. While the dust
over beaming preachers on a video screen on multi-site campuses
has somewhat settled, the new 3D tool is raising more questions
and concerns among some believers.
"Since so many of
us in the west are convinced that entertaining pew fodder is
critical to advancing 'the gospel' and that only a very few have
the necessary gifts to preachertain – this will become the
'perfect' solution," Bill Kinnon, author of A Networked
Conspiracy, Social Networks, The Church & the Power of
Collective Intelligence, wrote in a recent blog post.
What
has Kinnon and many other Christians talking is the holographic
technology that music artist Madonna famously used at the Grammy
Awards in 2006 and that one company wants to promote in
churches.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100305/hologram-preachers-slated-to-appear-in-churches/index.html
A WIN-WIN AT HOME
“‘How can I apply this win-win concept with my
spouse and kids?’ The skills we use at work that are almost
second nature really can be taken home and put to good use. That
doesn't mean it will be easy to make your marriage stronger using
these skills; it only means that you already have them and don't
need to learn anything new.
“Just as it would be
disastrous for my business if I insisted on being right all of the
time, our families suffer when we are inflexible and act as if
we're the final word on everything. Win-win at work means growing
your business by helping your customers succeed. It means
resolving conflicts so that both you and your customer gain more
than you lose. It doesn't mean letting your customer win at your
expense; it means having a mutually positive experience.
“At
home, win-win means enabling your spouse and children to be as
successful as you are, being willing to sacrifice some of what's
important to you in favor of what's important to them. And as you
negotiate the daily conflicts that are normal in every family, it
means trying to find solutions that address your family's needs
rather than fighting only for what is important to you.”
Louis Upkins, Jr., Treat Me Like A Customer
WHY DO WE RUN TO
IDOLS AND AWAY FROM GOD?
“The shameful apostasy of Israel is unparalleled among
the heathen nations of the world, God charges (Jer. 2:9-13).
Search through every pagan nation, inquire in every idol temple,
investigate the religious life of the idolaters of the world, and
there will be found a fidelity to these false gods that will put
Israel's unfaithfulness to her God to shame. Israel's conduct was
unheard of even among the heathen. The idolatrous nations remained
true to their gods, in spite of the fact that they did not
actually exist and could not help them in any way. God, as it
were, marvels at Israel's unbelief.”
Hobart E. Freeman
(1920-1984), An Introduction to the O. T. Prophets, Chicago: Moody
Press, 1968, p. 238
VICTIMS
OF RADICAL ISLAM: CHRISTIANITY'S MODERN-DAY MARTYRS
The rise of Islamic extremism is putting increasing pressure
on Christians in Muslim countries, who are the victims of murder,
violence, and discrimination. Christians are now considered the
most persecuted religious group around the world.
Kevin
Ang is cautious these days. He glances around, taking a look to
the left down the long row of stores, then to the right toward the
square, to check that no one is nearby. Only then does the church
caretaker dig out his key, unlock the gate, and enter the Metro
Tabernacle Church in a suburb of Kuala Lumpur.
The draft
of air stirs charred Bible pages. The walls are sooty and the
building smells of scorched plastic. Metro Tabernacle Church was
the first of 11 churches set on fire by angry Muslims -- all
because of one word. "Allah," Kevin Ang whispers.
It
began with a question -- should Christians here, like Muslims, be
allowed to call their God "Allah," since they don't have
any other word or language at their disposal? The Muslims claim
Allah for themselves, both the word and the God, and fear that if
Christians are allowed to use the same word for their own god, it
could lead pious Muslims astray.
For three years there was
a ban in place and the government confiscated Bibles that
mentioned "Allah." Then on Dec. 31 last year, Malaysia's
highest court reached a decision: The Christian God could also be
called Allah.
Imams protested and disgruntled citizens
threw Molotov cocktails at churches. Then, on top of everything,
Prime Minister Najib Razak stated that he couldn't stop people who
might protest against specific developments in the country -- and
some took that as an invitation to violent action. First churches
burned, then the other side retaliated with pigs' heads placed in
front of two mosques. Sixty percent of Malaysians are Muslims and
9 percent Christians, with the rest made up by Hindus, Buddhists,
and Sikhs. They managed to live together well, until now.
It's
a battle over a single word, but it's also about much more than
that. The conflict has to do with the question of what rights the
Christian minority in Malaysia is entitled to. Even more than
that, it's a question of politics. The ruling United Malays
National Organization is losing supporters to Islamist hardliners
-- and wants to win them back with religious policies.... Read
this in full at
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,680349,00.html
NIGERIAN
ARCHBISHOP: GENERATIONS WIPED OUT BY MASS ATTACKS
The Nigerian Anglican archbishop, who oversees the area where
more than 500 people were recently killed, grieved over the
history lost and said people need to understand the sacredness of
human life. “Some of these communities may never again be
recognized in history because generations have been wiped out,”
said the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Kwashi, Anglican Archbishop of Jos,
Nigeria. "Hundreds of corpses of men, women, children and
grandchildren littered the burned houses, roads, bush paths, farm
areas and hiding places,” he said.
March 6-7, two
predominantly Christian villages in the Jos area were attacked by
machete-wielding Muslim extremists. At a superficial level the
violence appears to be religiously motivated. Some say the most
recent violence is revenge for the attacks on Muslims in January.
But local experts say the conflict is also fueled by competition
over resources, land, and jobs in the poverty-stricken area....
Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100310/nigerian-archbishop-generations-wiped-out-by-mass-attacks/index.html
MYSTICISM FOR ALL
by Ross Douthat
Mysticism is dying, and taking true
religion with it. Monasteries have dwindled. Contemplative orders
have declined. Our religious leaders no longer preach the
renunciation of the world; our culture scoffs at the idea. The
closest most Americans come to real asceticism is giving up
chocolate, cappuccinos, or (in my own not-quite-Francis-of-Assisi
case) meat for lunch for Lent.
This, at least, is the
stern message of Luke Timothy Johnson, writing in the latest issue
of the Catholic journal Commonweal. As society has become steadily
more materialistic, Johnson declares, our churches have followed
suit, giving up on the ascetic and ecstatic aspects of religion
and emphasizing only the more worldly expressions of faith.
Conservative believers fixate on the culture wars, religious
liberals preach social justice, and neither leaves room for what
should be a central focus of religion — the quest for the
numinous, the pursuit of the unnamable, the tremor of bliss and
the dark night of the soul.
Yet by some measures,
mysticism’s place in contemporary religious life looks more
secure than ever. Our opinion polls suggest that we’re
encountering the divine all over the place. In 1962, after a
decade-long boom in church attendance and public religiosity,
Gallup found that just 22 percent of Americans reported having
what they termed “a religious or mystical experience.”
Flash forward to 2009, in a supposedly more secular United States,
and that number had climbed to nearly 50 percent.... Read this in
full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/opinion/08douthat.html
LEARNING TO LOVE
OURSELVES LESS
by Erich Bridges
American Christianity has become so
worldly, to use an old-fashioned word, that believers of an
earlier age would barely recognize many of us as followers of
Christ.
The ancient spiritual practices of extended
prayer, fasting and silence are rare in a culture addicted to
constant sensory stimulation. Abstaining from pleasures and
entertainments for the purpose of holiness is rarer still.
Voluntary poverty and self-denial in our day sound so
medieval.... Read this in full at
http://www.lifeway.com/article/170127/
Q&A WITH
WORLD VISION PRESIDENT
Among the 25 members of President Obama's Faith Council,
Richard Stearns occupies an interesting spot in the political
spectrum. As president of World Vision, he heads one of the
largest Christian relief organizations in the world. His group has
also been at the forefront of recent fights over the right of
religions organizations to hire employees based on their beliefs.
His background is also unusual in the faith-based, nonprofit,
world. He came to World Vision after decades in a lucrative career
as a corporate CEO -- a journey chronicled in his book last year
"The Hole in Our Gospel."
Q: Obama has dealt
with the controversy over religious hiring by saying it will be
dealt with by the Justice Department on a case by case basis. To
your mind, what does that mean? What's now the status of the
religious hiring?
A: Our right to hire people who share
our faith has been articulated in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a
1972 amendment to that act and there have been several cases that
uphold that right. We feel the law is on our side. President Obama
has essentially upheld that status quo, and we applaud him for not
trying to change or tinkering with the law.... Read this in full
at
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2010/03/qa_with_world_vision_president.html
also
see Richard Stearns interviewed on Religion & Ethics
Newsweekly
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/march-5-2010/richard-stearns-extended-interview/5837/
SURVEY: COLLEGE
GRADS TAKE DIM VIEW OF TEN COMMANDMENTS
College graduates are more likely to consider the Ten
Commandments irrelevant, and reject the Bible as the word of God,
than those with no college degree, according to a recent study.
A “distinct shift” occurs after college
regarding beliefs and opinion, said Richard Brake, director of
university studies at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
The
ISI surveyed 2,508 Americans on questions intended to measure the
impact of a college degree on people’s beliefs. The
Wilmington, Del.-based ISI has administered the survey for the
past three years.
The study also found that people with
college degrees were more likely to support same-sex marriage, as
well as abortion available at any stage of pregnancy and for any
reason. Graduates were also more likely to believe that public
school teachers should not be allowed to lead prayers in schools.
In addition, the more academic degrees a person acquires,
the more extreme his or her beliefs land on the spectrum. For
example, 57 percent of high school graduates agree that public
school teachers should be allowed to lead prayers in schools,
compared to only 39.4 percent of college graduates, 30.3 percent
of those holding a master’s degree, and 17 percent of those
with a Ph.D.
The shift may be attributed to the
unpopularity of strong religious views in academia, Brake said. “I
think one of the reasons you see this shift is the people that
work in academia share these same views,” he said. .... Read
this in full at
http://ethicsdaily.com/news.php?viewStory=15726
STUDY FINDS
COHABITING DOESN’T MAKE A UNION LAST
Couples who live together before they get married are less
likely to stay married, a new study has found. But their chances
improve if they were already engaged when they began living
together.
The likelihood that a marriage would last for a
decade or more decreased by six percentage points if the couple
had cohabited first, the study found.
The study of men and
women ages 15 to 44 was done by the National Center for Health
Statistics using data from the National Survey of Family Growth
conducted in 2002. The authors define cohabitation as people who
live with a sexual partner of the opposite sex.... Read this in
full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/us/03marry.html?ref=us
Also
see “Study: Cohabiting normative but harmful”
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=32460
MILLENNIALS TRADITIONAL ON SOME FAITH BELIEFS
Young adults today are considered less religious than previous
generations, but a recent report shows Americans age 18 to 29
still remain traditional on a few religious beliefs.
"Though
young adults pray less often than their elders do today, the
number of young adults who say they pray every day rivals the
portion of young adults who said the same in prior decades,"
reported a study from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
The report, "Religion Among the Millennials," is
part of a Pew Research Center series that focuses on the values
and behaviors of teens that make up the millennial generation --
those who were born after 1980.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=32461
VERSE TO PONDER
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of
God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon
him; for he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7
CONSIDER
“My son, now will I teach thee the way of peace and
inward liberty. Be desirous to do the will of another rather than
thine own. Choose always to have less rather than more. Seek
always the lowest place, and to be inferior to everyone. Wish
always, and pray, that the will of God may be wholly fulfilled in
thee.”
Thomas Kempis
HOW MANY PEOPLE
REALLY ATTEND A HOUSE CHURCH? BARNA STUDY FINDS IT DEPENDS ON THE
DEFINITION
Numerous shifts are occurring among church-goers in the US as
they choose from many new forms and formats of the local church.
One of the least understood forms is the house church, and one of
the fundamental questions is exactly how many people are attending
house churches. According to a new report from The Barna Group, it
depends on how such involvement is described to survey
respondents.
The California-based research firm has
explored people’s involvement in non-traditional ministry
settings in a dozen nationwide studies it has conducted in the
past five years. The researchers discovered that the number of
participants varies significantly according to the definition
used, ranging from a minimum of 4% of the adult population to a
maximum of 33%!.... Read this in full at
http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/19-organic-church/291-how-many-people-really-attend-a-house-church-barna-study-finds-it-depends-on-the-definition
MACARTHUR TELLS
CHRISTIANS: DON'T FORNICATE WITH THE WORLD
“The church, if it is to be anything, it is to be
absolutely distinct from the culture, absolutely distinct from the
world, absolutely distinct from unbelievers," said prominent
author and evangelical pastor John MacArthur. Speaking from the
pulpit to thousands of fellow pastors at the Shepherds'
Conference, MacArthur underscored the biblical command not to be
yoked with nonbelievers and to be a separated people. "Paul
demands a total break," he said at Grace Community Church in
Sun Valley, Calif., citing the apostle in the New Testament.
MacArthur, author of Ashamed of the Gospel: When the
Church Becomes Like the World?, grew up in a fundamentalist
environment. At that time, the word "separation" was a
big word on the evangelical word list. Fundamentalists built high
walls in terms of church conduct and relationships, he explained.
If those walls or lines were crossed, the violator was vilified.
Even MacArthur was a victim of the highly separatistic
fundamentalism. He recalled being stripped off of about 55 radio
stations in one day when they felt he was behaving outside their
parameters.
The fundamentalism back then was cruel and
unbiblical, he said. And it was so cannibalistic that it consumed
itself and disappeared. But MacArthur feels there needs to be a
"biblical (not traditional) understanding of separation"
among Christians today.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100305/macarthur-tells-christians-don-t-fornicate-with-the-world/index.html
HOW I FOUND GOD
AND PEACE WITH MY ATHEIST BROTHER: PETER HITCHENS TRACES HIS
JOURNEY BACK TO CHRISTIANITY
During his teenage years and early 20s, Peter Hitchens lost
his faith and rebelled against everything he had been brought up
to believe in. Here, in a moving and thought-provoking account
from his controversial new book, he describes his spiritual
journey back to God -- and the end of his feud with his brother
I set fire to my Bible on the playing fields of my
Cambridge boarding school one bright, windy spring afternoon in
1967. I was 15 years old. The book did not, as I had hoped, blaze
fiercely and swiftly. Only after much blowing and encouragement
did I manage to get it to ignite at all, and I was left with a
disagreeable, half-charred mess. Most of my small invited audience
drifted away long before I had finished, disappointed by the
anticlimax and the pettiness of the thing. Thunder did not mutter.
It would be many years before I would feel a slight shiver
of unease about my act of desecration. Did I then have any idea of
the forces I was trifling with? .... Read this in full at
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1255983/How-I-God-peace-atheist-brother-PETER-HITCHENS-traces-journey-Christianity.html
BOOK REVIEW: 'IN
THE LAND OF BELIEVERS'
Following the trend in hip nonfiction, Gina Welch's "In
the Land of Believers" records something of a wacky stunt: A
20-something, Yale-educated secular Jew from California
infiltrates a nerve center of the religious right, pretending to
get saved and evangelizing with the faithful, all the while
concealing her true identity.
For all that, Welch
explains, the impetus for the project was serious. She wanted to
understand, for her own edification, "what my evangelical
neighbors were like as people, unfiltered and off the record, not
as the subjects of interviews conducted by the 'liberal media.'"
To get at the truth, she writes, her subjects "needed to know
the microphone was off."
And yet, this is
disingenuous, for Welch's microphone is never off. The people she
encounters are always on the record; they just don't know it. They
also don't know her, although they think they do.... Read this in
full at
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-book2-2010mar02,0,3637943.story
SPEAKING TO A
BIBLICALLY ILLITERATE GENERATION
Across the USA, thousands of people, especially young people,
are biblically illiterate. Many give up trying to read the Bible
at all -- confused and intimidated by its length and complexity.
In their new book, Storylines: Your Map to Understanding the Bible
(David C Cook, March 2010), Mike Pilavachi and Andy Croft address
this issue head on by providing readers with the keys to unlocking
their understanding.
Intended for beginners, rather than
biblical scholars, Storylines explores the six main themes of the
Bible-- Jesus, Covenant, (Divine) Presence, Kingdom, Salvation,
and Worship--and takes an exciting journey into the "big
pictures" of Scripture. On the way, readers will also uncover
amazing truths about the Person to whom all Scriptures ultimately
point.
http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/Detail.cfm?sn=106231&source=search
JOEL OSTEEN: THE
NEW FACE OF CHRISTIANITY?
by Daniel Kalder
Forget Billy Graham and Jimmy Swaggart --
the most popular and influential pastor in the US is Joel Osteen.
On the surface he is modest and quietly spoken, but his belief in
the "prosperity gospel" is changing the way people pray.
Osteen, "America's pastor," is at the edge of
the church stage with his glamorous wife and co-pastor, Victoria.
I've watched his televised sermons, seen him on the cover of his
bestselling books, and observed interviews on TV with megastars
such as Larry King, Sean Hannity, and Barbara Walters. Powerful
politicians from both parties crave to be seen with him, just as
in the past they paid homage to Billy Graham (who has endorsed
Osteen). The Republican governor of Texas, Rick Perry, made sure
to attend the grand opening of Houston's Lakewood Church -- a
vast, converted stadium that seats 16,000 -- in July 2005; Osteen
in turn led the prayer during Perry's inauguration two years
later. But Osteen doesn't pick political favorites; when Houston
elected its first openly gay mayor this year (a Democrat), he said
the prayer during her inauguration. The Clintons like to be seen
worshipping at Lakewood when they're in town, and John McCain was
happy to sing the praises of Osteen while campaigning in 2008. And
while Obama is yet to pay a visit, last December he found the time
to receive Osteen at the White House. These disparate and often
opposed politicians recognize one thing: if anybody is the face of
evangelical Christianity in America today, it is Joel Osteen....
Read this in full at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/07/joel-osteen-america-pastor
DOES A SUPREME
COURT JUSTICE'S FAITH EVEN MATTER ANYMORE?
Supreme Court scholars, political scientists and
constitutional experts have long debated how the religion of
modern justices affects their decisions on the bench, with results
that can only be categorized as negligible or inconclusive.
For
every conservative Catholic such as Justice Antonin Scalia, the
current member who most openly and publicly embraces his religion,
there is a liberal Catholic such as former justice William
Brennan, his philosophical opposite. The Catholic majority that in
2007 endorsed a law restricting abortion also staunchly defended
the death penalty. The lone member of the court who has said he
now believes capital punishment violates the Constitution, in
fact, is Stevens, who has always been one of the most adamant
about separating church and state.
Clearly, the court
thinks of itself as post-religious. Last fall, Alito said he was
frustrated that discussions about the court's Catholic majority
became "one of those questions that does not die." He
complained of "respectable people who have seriously raised
the questions in serious publications about whether these
individuals could be trusted to do their jobs." .... Read
this in full at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/07/AR2010030702705.html
OBAMA’S
SPIRITUAL CABINET SHAPES POLICY, TENDS HIS SOUL
Near the end of a bumpy first year in office, President Obama
readied for a Christmas vacation in Hawaii, but before he left, he
called on a group of five ministers for a spiritual recharge. Like
previous prayer calls, this one was more personal than political.
“He certainly does not ask us how we would run the
country and what issue to pursue or not pursue,” said Bishop
Charles Blake of the Los Angeles-based Church of God in Christ,
who was on the phone last December.
For 10 minutes, the
president and the pastors prayed for peace, an economic recovery,
protection for US soldiers, and for Obama to be guided by a wisdom
and power beyond himself.
Glimpses into Obama’s
spiritual life have been rare since he became president. He split
with his longtime Chicago pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, after
the fiery minister nearly derailed Obama’s campaign, and has
not joined a church in Washington.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/obamas_spiritual_cabinet_shapes_policy_tends_his_soul/
ARCHBISHOP:
KENNEDY'S 1960 SPEECH DAMAGED BELIEVERS' ROLE IN PUBLIC LIFE
Speaking to the Greater Houston Ministerial Alliance on Sept.
12, 1960, less than two months before his election as the first
Catholic US president, John F. Kennedy said that if his duties as
president should "ever require me to violate my conscience or
violate the national interest, I would resign the office." He
also said he would not "disavow my views or my church in
order to win this election."
"But in its effect,
the Houston speech did exactly that," Archbishop Charles J.
Chaput of Denver says. "It began the project of walling
religion away from the process of governance in a new and
aggressive way. It also divided a person's private beliefs from
his or her public duties."
He says Kennedy's talk led
to a situation today when there are "more Catholics in
national public office than ever before" but at the same time
fewer who could "coherently explain how their faith informs
their work, or who even feel obligated to try."
"Too
many Catholics confuse their personal opinions with a real
Christian conscience," the archbishop says. "Too many
live their lives as if it were a private idiosyncrasy -- the kind
that they'll never allow to become a public nuisance. And too many
just don't really believe.
"Maybe it's different in
Protestant circles," he adds. "But I hope you'll forgive
me if I say, 'I doubt it.'" .... Read this in full at
http://www.uscatholic.org/news/2010/03/chaput-kennedys-1960-speech-damaged-believers-role-public-life
TEXAS
CONSERVATIVES SEEK DEEPER STAMP ON TEXTS
Even as a panel of educators laid out a vision for national
standards for public schools, the Texas school board was going in
a different direction, holding hearings on changes to its social
studies curriculum that would portray conservatives in a more
positive light, emphasize the role of Christianity in American
history, and include Republican political philosophies in
textbooks.
The hearings are the latest round in a
long-running cultural battle on the 15-member State Board of
Education, a battle that could have profound consequences for the
rest of the country, since Texas is one of the largest buyers of
textbooks. A final vote will come in May.... Read this in full at
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/us/politics/11texas.html
2010 CENSUS BY
THE NUMBERS
This year, America conducts its 23rd census. The nation’s
largest domestic mobilization began in a remote corner of Alaska
and will continue throughout the rest of the country -- and in
Puerto Rico and the Island Areas (American Samoa, Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and the Virgin Islands) -- with
the goal of counting every resident once, and only once, and in
the right place.
Although the 2010 Census questionnaire is
simple and easy to fill out, the census is a massive, complex
operation involving millions of forms and hundreds of thousands of
census workers. To mark this milestone in the nation’s
history, the Census Bureau presents some of the amazing numbers
involved in counting the nation’s estimated 309 million
residents.
More than $400 billion
Amount in federal
funds distributed each year to states and communities based in
part on census population data.
435
Number of seats in
the U.S. House of Representatives to be apportioned according to
the 2010 Census. Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution
requires a census once a decade.... Read this in full at
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/014611.html
CONSIDER
“Not only do we not know God except through Jesus
Christ; we do not even know ourselves except through Jesus
Christ.”
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), Pensees (Thoughts)
[1660], P.F. Collier & Son, 1910, #548, p. 177
VERSE TO PONDER
"Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against
the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this
dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that
when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground,
and after you have done everything, to stand."
Ephesians
6:12-13
THIS
WEEK'S HYMN: FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS
Words: George H. Smyttan, 1856
Music: melody attributed to
Martin Herbst (1654-1681); harmony by William H. Monk (1823-1889)
Forty days and forty nights
Thou wast fasting in the
wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted, and yet
undefiled.
Sunbeams scorching all the day;
Chilly
dew-drops nightly shed;
Prowling beasts about Thy way;
Stones
Thy pillow; earth Thy bed.
Should not we Thy sorrow share
And from worldly joys abstain,
Fasting with unceasing
prayer,
Strong with Thee to suffer pain?
Then if Satan
on us press,
Jesus, Savior, hear our call!
Victor in the
wilderness,
Grant we may not faint nor fall!
So shall
we have peace divine:
Holier gladness ours shall be;
Round
us, too, shall angels shine,
Such as ministered to Thee.
Keep, O keep us, Savior dear,
Ever constant by Thy
side;
That with Thee we may appear
At the eternal
Eastertide.
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/f/o/fortyday.htm
ON PRAYER
“Prayer
is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is of life”
Jonathan Edwards
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.
Shake
the Jello Mold
http://www.jellotime.com/
Online
Alarm Clock
http://kukuklok.com/
Scroll
Clock
http://toki-woki.net/p/scroll-clock/
The
Instant Soundboard (for would-be comedians)
http://deevier.be/
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.)
I'd
give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
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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