Connecting
man to man to God
For
week of June 13, 2010
Issue 308
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.
Today's issue is going out to 2,066 weekly subscribers.
Thank you in advance for forwarding this issue to friends, family
and associates! To have a friend start their own Free subscription
to CONNECTIONS, please have them visit:
http://www.pathoflifeministries.net/page33.html
or
subscribe via rss feed
here:
http://www.connectionsnews.wordpress.com/feed
“My
son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his
rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father
the son he delights in.”
Proverbs 3:11-12
CONSIDER
"A
good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and
yet one of the most valuable assets in our society."
Billy Graham
CHRISTIAN
ROCK PIONEER DANA KEY DIES AT 56
Christian
rock pioneer Dana Key died from a ruptured blood clot June 6 at
the age of 56. The co-founder of rock band DeGarmo and Key was
serving as senior pastor of The Love of Christ (TLC) Church in
Cordova, Tenn., at the time of his death.
Credited
as one of the early innovators of the Christian rock genre, Key
and longtime friend Eddie DeGarmo founded DeGarmo and Key over 30
years ago, having wanted to "communicate a clear, honest
Christian message through straight-ahead rock 'n' roll."
Not
long after their first album, This Time Thru, hit stores in 1978,
the band emerged as one of the biggest names in the growing CCM
field in the 1980s. Together, they recorded 17 albums, picked up
seven Grammy nominations and 17 Dove Award nominations.... Read
this in full
at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100608/christian-rock-pioneer-dana-key-dies-at-56/index.html
CHRISTIAN
GROUPS PREPARED FOR FOOTBALL (SOCCER) WORLD CUP IN SOUTH
AFRICA
Excitement
is reaching fever pitch as South Africa begins the first football
(soccer) World Cup to be held on African soil.
The
FIFA World Cup is currently encompassing 30 days of football
(soccer) played in 10 stadiums scattered over 9 cities. They are
expecting over 300,000 visitors from all parts of the world. This
will translate into 2.74 million spectators with a TV audience of
some 40 billion watching the 200 hours of football.
Half
the world will be able to watch the final which expects to see 3.3
billion people glued to their sets. In addition a further 14
million visitors will be watching games on Big Screens at the fan
parks.
Christian
groups and churches have been mobilized to take advantage of the
opportunity for evangelism present by the World Cup.... Read this
in full
at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2010/s10060040.htm
Also
“Global Baptists ministering at World Cup soccer
tourney”
http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5227/53/
MISSIONARIES
ARE A FORCE FOR GOOD
by
Joel Edwards
The
18th and 19th centuries were not all bad for those who received
missionaries. Missionaries were invariable people propelled by a
passion for people -– not just their mission. Christian
mission is quintessentially fuelled by the idea that God loves
everyone, offers life through Jesus Christ and that that life
carries with it the gift of spiritual and social wellbeing. And
usually missionaries believe this so much that for 2000 years they
have been prepared to leave comfort and family, risking disease
and death to offer others a better way to live. Sixteen hundred
years ago Christian bishops would send the parabolani into
plague-ridden communities without any expectations that they might
return from their mission.
Missionaries
have established healthcare, orphanages, education and built
infrastructure. Like Albert Schweitzer and William Carey they have
been educators, philosophers, scientists, anthropologists and
humanitarian workers. Like John Wesley, Count Zinzendorf, Olaudah
Equiano and John Smith of Demerara, they were at the forefront of
the abolitionist movement. Despite the outrageous episodes of
child abuse and the fanciful, demonising mythologies which Dan
Brown has spawned in our public consciousness, the Catholic church
has the longest unbroken track record for spreading the common
good. Long before Coca Cola or the "McDonaldisation" of
the world, missions were been a trans-cultural global movement for
good –- imperfect but also impactful.... Read this in full
at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/jun/04/religion-missionaries-christianity
BACK IN THE
BLACK: FOCUS ON THE FAMILY
Battered
by the recession, the departure of its founder, and a suddenly
smaller donor base, Focus on the Family suffered mightily in 2009
but appears to have finally turned the corner. The Colorado
Springs-based organization had a $355,000 surplus, according to
its Form 990, filed with the Internal Revenue Service in May.
That’s a far cry from the $1.1 million deficit reported in
the previous year. And in an even more striking turnaround, cash
and cash equivalents increased during the fiscal year from $3.6
million to $22.2 million.
The
990 covers the period from Oct. 1, 2008 to Sept 30, 2009, a time
during which the organization went through numerous, often
wrenching, changes. Among them: The organization’s iconic
founder, 73-year-old James Dobson, stepped down as CEO and chief
spokesman. He was replaced by 48-year-old Jim Daly.... Read this
in full
at
http://csbj.com/2010/06/05/back-in-the-black-focus-on-the-family/
FATHER’S
DAY...
is
June 20. The idea of Father's Day was conceived slightly more than
a century ago by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened
to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to
honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who
was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June was
chosen for the first Father's Day celebration – 100 years
ago, June 19, 1910, proclaimed by Spokane's mayor because it was
the month of Smart's birth. The first presidential proclamation
honoring fathers was issued in 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson
designated the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Father’s
Day has been celebrated annually since 1972 when President Richard
Nixon signed the public law that made it
permanent.
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-ff11.html
FREE
FATHERHOOD eCHART
This
free downloadable Bible chart contains a listing of the measurable
benefits a father's presence can have on his children. Get it
at
http://www.rose-publishing.com/fatherschart
RODNEY
ATKINS’ SONG "WATCHING YOU"
Driving
through town just my boy and me
With
a happy meal in his booster seat
Knowing
that he couldn't have the toy
Till
his nuggets were gone
A
green traffic light turned straight to red
I
hit my brakes and mumbled under my breath
His
fries went a flying and his orange drink covered his lap
Well
then my four year old said a four letter word
That
started with "s" and I was concerned
So
I said son now now where did you learn to talk like that
[Chorus
one]
He
said I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool
I'm
your buckaroo, I wanna be like you
And
eat all my food and grow as tall as you are
We
got cowboy boots and camo pants
Yeah
we're just alike, hey ain't we dad
I
wanna do everything you do
So
I've been watching you.... Read this in full
at
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rodneyatkins/watchingyou.html
Hear
the song at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_CpawBfzoI
DAD ON DUTY,
AGAIN
by
Todd Wilson
Dads
and lifeguards are similar. Like lifeguards, our job is to keep an
eye out for potential disasters, children who may be about to go
under, dangerous rip tides, and vicious sharks who could easily
gobble up an unsuspecting child.
The
world in which we live is dangerous, and we dads must always be on
duty. We must be on the watch for rip tides that can suck our
children away -- rip tides disguised as bad attitudes, friends,
video games, TV programs, magazines, textbooks, and other outside
influences.
We
don't have the luxury of sitting back and enjoying the view. We
must be involved -- scanning, anticipating, and praying.... Read
this in full
at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/moi/familyman/2007/cmn70518.html
CONSIDER
"We
are given children to test us and make us more spiritual."
George Will
THE
IMPORTANCE OF FATHERS
According
to Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, a father's involvement with a child
increases the child's IQ, the child's motivation to learn and the
child's self-confidence. In addition, children with involved dads
are more likely to develop a sense of humor as well as an "inner
excitement."
(Victor
Parachin, "The Fine Art of Good Fathering," Herald of
Holiness, February 1995)
5 SIMPLE WAYS
TO LET YOUR KIDS KNOW YOU LOVE 'EM
by
John Trent
We
busy dads are always looking for new ways to grow closer to our
kids. Sometimes we think we need tons of time to make this
connection -- like regular "date nights" with each child
or weekend camping trips with just Dad and the kids. Dates and
camping trips are great, but it's actually the little things --
done over time and with a loving heart -- that do the trick for
kids. Try some of these and watch the connections happen:
Be
a "Mail Man"
On
your child's next birthday, cover a shoebox with wrapping paper
and a label that says, "Mail from Dad." Each year on
your child's birthday, write a letter that's not to be read until
you give your child the box -- on his 18th birthday, the day he
goes to college, his wedding day, whatever feels right for you.
Use these letters to express your love, to praise his strengths
and gifts, to offer specific prayers, and to share your hopes for
the person he'll be one day.... Read this in full
at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/momsense/2003/fall/14.55.html
JONI AND KEN
TADA ON COACH WOODEN
Joni
interviews Ken about the legacy of their friend and role model,
UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden. Hear this interview
at
http://www.joniandfriends.org/radio/2010/6/10/ken-coach-wooden/
PUBLISHER TO
RELEASE FINAL JOHN WOODEN BOOK IN JULY
The
final book by John Wooden will be released in July instead of
September, announced McGraw-Hill, the publisher for the legendary
basketball and life coach. The Wisdom of Wooden, which Wooden
co-wrote with author Steve Jamison, was originally set to release
just weeks ahead of the former UCLA basketball coach’s 100th
birthday in celebration of his winning experiences, life lessons,
inspirations, motivations, and memories.... Read this in full
at
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100609/publisher-to-release-final-john-wooden-book-in-july/index.html
HOW EFFECTIVE
ARE WE?
“We
are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we profess to know
a Power the Twentieth Century does not reckon with. But we are
‘harmless,’ and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual
pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this
battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high places.
Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass, outspoken
boldness is required to take part in the comradeship of the Cross.
We are ‘sideliners’--coaching and criticizing the real
wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God
unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its
own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!”
Jim Elliot (1927-1956), Shadow of the Almighty: the life &
testament of Jim Elliot, Elisabeth Elliot, Harper, 1958, p.
79
FORMER MUSLIM
REACTS TO POSSIBLE DEPORTATION TO KENYA, PERSECUTION FOR CHRISTIAN
BELIEFS: 'GOD HAS TAKEN ME THROUGH SO MUCH IN LIFE'
A
Hope College (Holland, MI) graduate from Kenya who wrote a book
about his conversion to Christianity has lost his bid to remain in
the USA. A federal appeals court refused to overturn a decision to
send Hussein Wario back to Kenya.
Wario,
who fears he will be persecuted because of his conversion from
Islam, said he plans to appeal the court's decision. He said he
learned of it from a friend who saw a report on television. "I've
dealt with so much in life that, to be honest with you, I don't
even know what to say or how to describe it," said Wario, 35.
"I was speechless for a moment and then I was like, 'God has
taken me through so much in life, and this is a minor bump.'"
.... Read this in full
at
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/06/hope_college_grad_reacts_to_po.html
VERSE TO
PONDER
“As
a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has
compassion on those who fear him.”
Psalm 103:13
CONSIDER
“Habit
is a cable; we weave a thread of it every day, and at last we
cannot break it.”
Horace
Mann
MY BAND OF
BROTHERS
by
Blake A. Hiemstra
Last
Friday morning started the way most of them have for the last five
years. I awoke early, got out before sunrise and went to church.
No, there was no sunrise worship service being held with my local
congregation. Instead, I went to Starbucks.
You
might think this ubiquitous, commercialized coffee house is the
antithesis of church. But make no mistake, when I sat down in the
comfy chair with my decaf mocha in hand, church was in session.
I
gathered at 6 a.m. with the seven other brothers of MFL (Men
Following the Lord) for an hour of men being men. This group of
guys is dedicated to following the Lord, cherishing our wives and
raising our kids in a godly way. We're a brotherhood. We're a
community. Quite simply, we're the church being the church in all
its glorious splendor and power.
On
a typical Friday, I arrive around 5:35 a.m. and I'm greeted
shortly afterward by the Senator, as we call him. We solve the
world’s problems together for a minute.... Read this in full
at
http://newmanmag.com/e-magazine/052410/story2.php
5 WARDROBE
BUILDING GUIDELINES FOR MEN
1.
Master interchangeability – The secret of the best dressed
men is that they wear clothing that neither draws attention nor
strikes observers as flamboyant; they are simply well put
together. The good news is this can be achieved with very few sets
of clothes, and if selected carefully a man with only two suits,
four dress shirts, four ties, and two pairs of shoes has 64
different combinations at his disposal (2×4x4×2=64 ).
The key here is making sure your clothing is interchangeable; a
core of classic colored suits and dress shirts complimented with
time tested tie patterns will yield a higher return on investment
than any trendy garment that only matches one other item in your
wardrobe.... Read this in full
at
http://artofmanliness.com/2010/05/13/how-to-build-your-wardrobe-2/
TED HAGGARD'S
NEW CHURCH STARTS EARLY
What
was supposed to be a launch party June 6 for St. James Church in
Colorado Springs turned out to be much more. Standing on a wooden
riser surrounded by hay bales, Ted Haggard gave his first sermon
as pastor of St. James in a barn next to his home on Old Ranch
Road. About 160 people sat elbow to elbow on folding chairs to
hear Haggard sermonize about sin, love and forgiveness.
“This
is Easter morning for me,” Haggard told the congregants,
referring to his view that the establishment of St. James
represents his “resurrection.” “We will be
cheerleaders for good.” Haggard’s church plans have
been under a microscope since he started prayer gatherings at his
home in November.... Read this in full
at
http://www.gazette.com/articles/haggard-99882-james-elbow.html
COMMUNITY
SERVICE IS THE RELIGION
Maybe
it was the rain pelting Balboa Park. Maybe it was the toll of so
many years on the streets, measured in missing teeth and weathered
skin, a deep scar running up a taut belly. Whatever the reason,
the man they call Dollar Bill said he was thinking that maybe it
was time to find a place to live.
"I'm
tired of the streets, baby doll," he told Estreanda Fulford.
"And they're probably tired of you," Fulford
replied.
Fulford,
a social worker for San Diego County, is in daily contact with the
homeless, the formerly homeless and the soon-to-be homeless. But
this encounter was not part of her job — not her paying job,
anyway. Fulford spends 30 to 40 hours a week volunteering as the
leader of a ministry for homeless people for the Rock Church, a
fundamentalist megachurch in Point Loma that is making its mark as
a powerhouse of community service as well as evangelism.
The
Rock says it contributed 615,000 hours of service to the community
last year, including 166,000 hours for the benefit of local
government in San Diego. The Rock estimates the value of its
"mayor's hours" — projects it says were identified
by San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders — at $2.6 million.
For
2010, it has set a goal of 700,000 hours, 200,000 of them for the
city. "It's so simple," said Miles McPherson, a former
San Diego Chargers defensive back who founded the Rock 10 years
ago and is its senior pastor. The goal, he said, is to "just
do something about the pain and brokenness of the world."....
Read this in full
at
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rockchurch-20100607,0,2688059.story
MUSICIANS
LATEST TO SEEK PAYMENT FROM CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL
Several
unpaid musicians who played for Sunday services at the Crystal
Cathedral have filed complaints in small claims court in Orange
County seeking payment for services provided – the latest
vendors to take action against the financially troubled church.
A
trumpet player who has performed for 30 years at the megachurch's
"Glory of Christmas" pageant has also filed a claim
saying he is owed about $3,450 for the 2009 pageant.
"I
played every single show, showed up on time every single day,"
said trumpeter Larry Grossman. "I did my job exactly the way
I was supposed to – as I had done it for the last 30 years.
I just didn't anticipate any problems."
In
addition, Gray Television Inc. filed a civil lawsuit in Orange
County Superior Court seeking about $55,500 plus interest,
attorneys and lawsuit expenses. According to the April 29 suit,
the cathedral owes the television station money "for the
reasonable value of the work, labor, advertising services and
materials rendered."
Over
the last few months, three businesses, including an equipment
financing company and two television stations, have filed lawsuits
against the Crystal Cathedral stating that the megachurch owes
them more than $2 million for services rendered. Several vendors
who provided their services during the church's "Glory of
Christmas" pageant – including a woman who provides
live animals, a props director, wardrobe supervisor and drycleaner
-- also came forward saying they are owed tens of thousands of
dollars.... Read this in full
at
http://crystal-cathedral-news.newslib.com/story/2974-3226431/
CHRISTIANS
DISCUSS 'GOOD' AND 'BAD' EVANGELISM
"Good
evangelism" and "bad evangelism" came under
discussion when a diverse group of Christians met in Scotland to
mark the 100th anniversary of the historic 1910 Edinburgh
Missionary Conference.
Antonios
Kireopoulos, the associate general secretary for interfaith
relations for the New York-based National Council of Churches, on
June 4 used his keynote address to draw a line between "good"
evangelism and bad "proselytism."
Evangelism
is most harmful, he said, when it "strives to make Christians
from among people that are already Christians," and suffering
under political difficulties.
Kireopoulos
cited the experience in Russia and other Eastern European
countries after the fall of the Soviet Union, when missionaries,
"generally, but not only from evangelical or fundamentalist
Protestant communities in the U.S., took advantage of the
weak."
The
Edinburgh meeting is commemorating the centenary of the 1910 World
Missionary Conference, which marked the beginning of the modern
ecumenical movement for church unity.
The
organizers of the 2010 meeting include representatives of
evangelical, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Protestant and Roman Catholic
traditions, as well as of the World Council of Churches.... Read
this in full
at
http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2010/06/christians-discuss-good-and-ba.php
TWO GLOBAL
CHURCH NETWORKS MERGE
The
world’s two largest networks of Protestant churches in the
Reformed tradition are meeting in Grand Rapids, MI June 18-26 to
found a new organization signaling a new level of relationship
between two families of churches once divided from each
other.
“In
these times of division and dissension in so many areas of our
lives - including church life - it is highly significant that two
global groups of churches based in 108 countries and representing
80 million people should be willing to come together in a higher
level of union than ever before,” says Richard van Houten,
General Secretary of the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC).
On
June 18, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) will merge
with REC to form the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC).
An expected 475 delegates plus a nearly equal number of observers,
guests, visitors, and volunteers will gather on Calvin College
Campus for the Uniting General Council (UGC) which will mark the
launch of the WCRC.
The
two founding organizations draw on distinctive but complementary
traditions. While both draw on Reformed commitment to Biblical
tradition, REC is known for its emphasis on spiritual development
and faithfulness to church 'Confessions' (statements which define
points of faith) while WARC is known for its stances on issues
such as racial and gender justice, environmental protection and a
just and equitable world economic order.... Read this in full
at
http://www.reformedchurches.org/
ISRAEL
UNEARTHS 3,500-YEAR-OLD PAGAN ARTIFACTS
Archaeologists
have unearthed a cache of rare, 35-century-old religious artifacts
once used in pagan rituals, Israeli officials said June 7. The
items were found during an excavation ordered by the Israel
Antiquities Authority along the route of a new gas line in the
country's north. Excavating a rock hollow, archeologists found
more than 100 intact artifacts, including a vessel for burning
incense and the sculpted face of a woman that was part of a cup
used in a pagan religious ceremony.
"This
is my 42nd excavation in 15 years and the first time I've found
more than shards," said Edwin van den Brink, the
archaeologist who directed the excavation. He said he expected to
find artifacts, but not the amount or quality they
uncovered.
Some
of the small vessels were used to carry precious liquids from
Cyprus and Mycenae, Greece, 3,500 years ago. These vessels were
replicated by people in those areas, illustrating a link between
the regions, van den Brink said.
Van
den Brink said they might have been used in a nearby temple. They
were deposited in the hole either to be preserved from a fire that
swept through the region at the end of the Late Bronze Age, or
they were buried because they were no longer in use.... Read this
in full
at
http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2010/06/israel-unearths-3500-year-old.php
ROMAN
GLADIATOR CEMETERY FOUND IN ENGLAND
Heads
hacked off, a bite from a lion, tiger or bear, massive muscles on
massive men -- all clues that an ancient cemetery uncovered in
northern England is the final resting place of gladiators,
scientists have announced after seven years of
investigations.
The
archeological dig has found "what may be the world's only
well-preserved Roman gladiator cemetery," the York
Archaeological Trust said. Scientists have found 80 skeletons in
the "unique" cemetery under the city of York, northern
England, since 2003.... Read this in full
at
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/06/07/england.roman.cemetery/index.html?hpt=C1
STEPHEN
HAWKING ON RELIGION: 'SCIENCE WILL WIN'
Celebrated
physicist Stephen Hawking knows more about the universe than
almost any other person ever to walk the planet, but some answers
still escape even him.
When
asked by ABC News' Diane Sawyer about the biggest mystery he'd
like solved, he said, "I want to know why the universe
exists, why there is something greater than nothing."
Hawking,
who was at the World Science Festival in New York, is famous for
probing the deepest questions of the cosmos. Until he stepped down
last fall , he held the post of Lucasian professor of mathematics
at Cambridge University, a position once held by Sir Isaac Newton,
the "father of physics" himself.
"What
could define God [is thinking of God] as the embodiment of the
laws of nature. However, this is not what most people would think
of that God," Hawking told Sawyer. "They made a
human-like being with whom one can have a personal relationship.
When you look at the vast size of the universe and how
insignificant an accidental human life is in it, that seems most
impossible."
When
Sawyer asked if there was a way to reconcile religion and science,
Hawking said, "There is a fundamental difference between
religion, which is based on authority, [and] science, which is
based on observation and reason. Science will win because it
works.".... Read this in full
at
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Technology/stephen-hawking-religion-science-win/story?id=10830164
RIVALRY
After
having dug to a depth of 10 meters last year, Scottish scientists
found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the
conclusion that their ancestors had a telephone network more than
100 years ago.
Not
to be outdone by the Scots, in the weeks that followed English
scientists dug to a depth of 20 meters. Shortly thereafter,
headlines in the English newspapers read: "English
archaeologists have found traces of 200-year-old copper wire and
have concluded their ancestors already had an advanced
high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the
Scots."
One
week later, The Kerrymen, a southwest Irish newsletter, reported
the following: "After digging as deep as 30 meters in peat
bog near Tralee, Paddy O'Droll, a self-taught archaeologist,
reported that he found absolutely nothing. Paddy has therefore
concluded that 300 years ago, Ireland had already gone
wireless."
http://www.preaching.com/sermon-illustrations/11632832/
HOW THE BIRDS
MIRED IN THE GULF OIL SPILL TEACH US TO PROPERLY GRIEVE
by
Katelyn Beaty
I
was a news-oblivious kindergartener when the Exxon Valdez oil
spill hit Alaska's coastline and its pristine wildlife in 1989. As
such, I was somewhat unprepared to stomach a recent NPR interview
with an Audubon naturalist working on the Louisiana coast. She
outlined the spill's effects on bird populations around the Gulf,
a major destination for waterfowl. As she described how oil stunts
gulls' and pelicans' ability to regulate body temperature and
breathe, bringing toxins into their bloodstream, turning usually
white eggs muddy brown, I quickly changed the station, knowing
more details would elicit only anger.
But
hearing her description was nothing like seeing the images on The
Boston Globe's Big Picture blog
(http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/06/caught_in_the_oil.html).
And this time, I couldn't bring myself to turn away. The pictures,
of gulls and pelicans on Louisiana's East Grand Terre Island, have
come to embody what's being called the worst environmental
disaster in U.S. history. One gull is so drenched in sheets of oil
that it hardly resembles a bird, more a small dog, its eyes grayed
over from exhaustion and slow suffocation. Another gull floats
seemingly dead in oil, its feet and beak rigid in the air. A brown
pelican, Louisiana's state bird, thrashes and flails in the water,
its monstrous wings (which can span up to 8 feet) weighed down by
layers of oil, its distinctive pouched bill open as if gasping or
crying out. My initial shock turned, predictably, to anger. But
anger soon gave way to a rarer, more profound emotion: grief. When
I looked at these birds, collectively covered in more than 400,000
gallons of oil leaking each day, I bemoaned how one amazing facet
of creation was buried in—was made to carry—a seismic
mess bolstered by human greed and folly.... Read this in full
at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/juneweb-only/33-31.0.html
CONSIDER
“As
we begin to see the package God is putting together in our lives
and discover his purposes for bringing us to our world, it will
provide us with the framework we need to make wise choices. In
addition, we will find that a sense of purpose gives hope in the
midst of tragedy and difficulty, gives meaning to the mundane
aspects of our lives, and helps us to make our lives count for
God.”
R. Ruth Barton
VERSE TO
PONDER
“Fathers,
do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the
training and instruction of the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:4
THIS WEEK'S
HYMN: ETERNAL FATHER, STRONG TO SAVE
Words:
William Whiting, 1860
Music:
John B. Dykes, 1861
Eternal
Father, strong to save,
Whose
arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who
biddest the mighty ocean deep
Its
own appointed limits keep;
Oh,
hear us when we cry to Thee,
For
those in peril on the sea!
O
Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And
hushed their raging at Thy Word,
Who
walked on the foaming deep,
And
calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh,
hear us when we cry to Thee,
For
those in peril on the sea!
Most
Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon
the chaos dark and rude,
And
bid its angry tumult cease,
And
give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh,
hear us when we cry to Thee,
For
those in peril on the sea!
O
Trinity of love and power!
Our
family shield in danger’s hour;
From
rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect
us wheresoever we go;
Thus
evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad
hymns of praise from land and sea.
>from
NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/
ON PRAYER
“No
erudition, no purity of diction, no width of mental outlook, no
flowers of eloquence, no grace of person can atone for lack of
fire. Prayer ascends by fire. Flame gives prayer access as well as
wings, acceptance as well as energy. There is no incense without
fire; no prayer without flame.”
E. M. Bounds
(1835-1913), The Necessity of Prayer [1907], Lulu, 2007, p.
19-20
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.
See
the Holy Land
http://www.seetheholyland.net/
Time-lapse
video: Buddhist monks create a sand
mandala
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/02/a-mandala-in-minutes/
Amazing
Fox Snow Dive
video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP15zlyra3c
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.)
Opportunity
dances with those who are ready on the dance floor.
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/
----------
Subscribe!
Subscribe
to CONNECTIONS here
Get Archives of all past issues
here:
http://www.pathoflifeministries.net/connections/archives_all.html
Check
out my blog