CONSIDER
"Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and then waiting for the rat to die."
~Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thought for today - 07/31/2011
CONNECTIONS News - 07/31/2011
For week of July 31, 2011
Issue 367
The weekly 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 2,096 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
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"I've chosen the way of faithfulness; I'm set on your rules."
Psalm 119:30 (CEB)
CONSIDER
"Let the day have a blessed baptism by giving your first waking thoughts into the bosom of God. The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day."
Henry Ward Beecher
CHURCH STATESMAN & AUTHOR JOHN STOTT, 90, DIES
Christianity Today (@CTmagazine) http://twitter.com/ctmagazine reports: John Stott died July 27 at 3:15 London time (about 10:15 am EDT), according to John Stott Ministries President Benjamin Homan. Homan said that Stott's death came after complications related to old age and that he had been in discomfort for the last several weeks. Family and close friends gathered with Stott today as they listened to Handel's Messiah. Homan said John Stott Ministries has been preparing for his death for the past 15 years. "He set an impeccable example for leaders of ministries of handing things over to other leaders," Homan said. "He imparted to many a love for the global church and imparted a passion for biblical fidelity and a love for the Savior." Billy Graham's spokesperson released the following statement from the evangelist: "The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to Heaven."
Read Christianity Today's coverage:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/john-stott-obit.html
See "The John Stott the World Knew Little About"
http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-john-stott-the-world-knew-little-about-52970/
"John Stott, evangelical leader, dead at 90"
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35828
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/world/europe/28stott.html
BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14320915
CBA coverage
http://www.cbanews.org/article.php?id=3519
See the John Stott Memorial website and view the video (http://youtu.be/tD6JW-RnBQQ):
http://www.johnstottmemorial.org/
Visit Langham Partnership International founded by John Stott:
http://www.langhampartnership.org/
John Stott Ministries
http://www.johnstott.org/
InterVarsity Press
http://www.ivpress.com/
Read excerpts from Basic Christianity by John Stott
http://www.healthy-elements.com/commandments.html
QUOTES BY JOHN STOTT
A Christian's freedom from anxiety is not due to some guaranteed freedom from trouble, but to the folly of worry and especially to the confidence that God is our Father, that even permitted suffering is within the orbit of His care.
Apathy is the acceptance of the unacceptable.
We should not ask, "What is wrong with the world?" for that diagnosis has already been given. Rather, we should ask, "What has happened to the salt and light?"
Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.
Baptism with water is the sign and seal of baptism with the Spirit, as much as it is of the forgiveness of sins. Water-baptism is the initiatory Christian rite, because Spirit-baptism is the initiatory Christian experience.
To encounter Christ is to touch reality and experience transcendence. He gives us a sense of self-worth or personal significance, because He assures us of God's love for us. He sets us free from guilt because He died for us and from paralyzing fear because He reigns. He gives meaning to marriage and home, work and leisure, personhood and citizenship.
Every Christian should be both conservative and radical; conservative in preserving the faith and radical in applying it.
The truth is that there are such things as Christian tears, and too few of us ever weep them.
Good conduct arises out of good doctrine.
His authority on earth allows us to dare to go to all the nations. His authority in heaven gives us our only hope of success. And His presence with us leaves us no other choice.
Read more at
http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/John-Stott-Quotes/
BILLY GRAHAM'S 'MOST IMPORTANT' BOOK COMING
Thomas Nelson will publish renowned evangelist Billy Graham's first major book in more than five years, this fall.
To be released Oct. 18, "Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well" is "hands down one of the most important works that Graham has ever written, and one of his most vulnerable," said Matt Baugher, vice president and publisher at Thomas Nelson. "At his age, with all that has come before, he is in a unique position to guide all of us on what it means to finish well in this life."
Graham, who turns 93 in November, shares his personal experience of growing older, but also teaches some lessons on how to view time on earth. "The best way to meet the challenges of old age is to prepare for them now, before they arrive," Graham said.... Read this in full at
http://christianretailing.com/index.php/newsletter/latest-etailing/23339-billy-grahams-most-important-book-coming
CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST DROPS 'CHRIST'
The global evangelical para-church Campus Crusade for Christ is changing it's name to 'Cru' (http://www.ccci.org/about-us/donor-relations/our-new-name/). The main idea -- according to a look at the change at Christianity Today -- is to evade the problematic word "crusade" and the passe term "campus" (which the massive group known for the Jesus Film, books, tracts and more has long outgrown) and face up to the fact that many of its branches already use different names.... Read this in full at
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/07/christ-jesus-evangelical/1
See also "Campus Crusade Changes Name to Cru"
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/campus-crusade-name-change.html
WHAT IS CHARITY?
It is silence, when your words would hurt.
It is patience, when your neighbor's curt.
It is deafness, when a scandal flows.
It is thoughtfulness, for other's woes.
It is promptness, when a duty calls.
It is courage, when misfortune falls.
Author Unknown
HOW PAUL'S 21ST-CENTURY EVANGELICAL MAKEOVER DISTORTS THE NEW TESTAMENT REALITY
by Timothy Gombis
Evangelicals feel a special connection with the apostle Paul. We shape our theology according to his thought, imitate his mission to evangelize, and pursue discipleship after his devotional practices. But our vision of him is loaded with misconceptions. Have we become more Pauline than Paul himself?
Last April in Christianity Today, Scot McKnight profiled "The Jesus We'll Never Know," describing the tendency of New Testament scholars to create a historical Jesus in their own image. We do the same with the great apostle. Like gazing into a mirror, we easily see our own reflections when we look at Paul.
Intense debates in Pauline studies over the past three decades have yielded fresh insights into Paul's thought and corrected some mistaken assumptions. If we want to be truly Pauline, we will have to take stock of these findings. Let us examine two longstanding misconceptions that have not held up under recent scrutiny, and then note one further way in which we tend to impose our evangelical values upon this apostle of Jesus Christ.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/paulwethink.html
ANESTHETIZED PASTOR SPOKE HOPE IN THE OPERATING ROOM
Pastor Mark Becton's skin cancer surgery five years ago continues to touch lives -- not medically, but spiritually.
Becton, pastor of Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond, Va., underwent surgery in August 2006 to remove the skin cancer and -- while unconscious from general anesthesia -- quoted Scripture and spoke words of encouragement heard by three medical professionals in the operating room.
Anesthesiologist Gail Heppner heard Becton and thought he wasn't completely sedated, so she upped his dosage. But Becton continued. When Heppner turned down the volume of monitors and the music playing in background, Becton's words became clearer to her.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35839
WHAT'S IN YOUR TREASURE CHEST?
"In moments of truth, our souls show up fast, and they bring whatever they've got stuffed away in their pockets. I suppose that we'd all love to see the best in us rise up in moments of stress and confusion. Most of us want to be problem solvers, responding with words of wisdom to others while living joyful, courageous lives. [And we can pray for that. We can learn] to cry out to God for his Spirit to move through us, [to bring] his hope to the world around us. Is there anything else we can do?
"Jesus answers this question. "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks" [Luke 6:45]. The emphasis in Jesus' statement is the phrase stored up. The Greek word is thesauros, meaning 'treasure chest.' This word has morphed into our English thesaurus, which refers to a treasure chest of words.
"Jesus is saying that God has designed us to receive before we can give. Who can give away a treasure he doesn't first own? It's so simple. And yet this uncomplicated truth has been one of the most liberating realizations of my entire life. I can create something beautiful only if beauty has been stored up in my heart. I can become a voice of hope if I live with hope at my core. And love? 'We love because he first loved us' [1 John 4:19]. The apostle Paul writes that we can be a comfort to others when we ourselves have received comfort from God [2 Corinthians 1:3-4]. We will be set free to fill another person's heart with joy only when we have been lifted by the joy of the Spirit. You and I can bring peace into a chaotic environment only if we ourselves are walking in peace [see Romans 15:13].
Do you long to become an instrument more useful for God's purposes? Me too. The question God wants us to answer is, 'What treasures are we storing up in our hearts?'"
Paul Richardson in A Certain Risk: Living Your Faith at the Edge
BARNA EXAMINES TRENDS IN 14 RELIGIOUS FACTORS OVER 20 YEARS
Barna Group's State of the Church Series is an intensive look at the research firm's 20—year tracking of faith trends. George Barna addresses trends related to 14 faith—related variables tracked by the Barna Group from 1991 to 2011. It includes a description of the national pattern for the total population regarding those 14 beliefs and behaviors. Barna also addresses how things have changed within smaller population segments — divided by generation, ethnicity, region, religious segments, and gender.... Read this in full at
http://www.barna.org/faith-spirituality/504-barna-examines-trends-in-14-religious-factors-over-20-years-1991-to-2011
Also see "Barna Describes Religious Changes Among Busters, Boomers, and Elders Since 1991"
http://www.barna.org/faith-spirituality/506-barna-describes-religious-changes-among-busters-boomers-and-elders-since-1991
MY FATHER WAS A PORN ADDICT
by Michelle VanLoon
My father taught me how to ride a bike, the value of a great punchline, and what a woman was supposed to look and act like. My dad was a great guy with a bad habit.
When we consider relationships negatively impacted by a pornography addiction, most of us first consider the addict's spouse or girl/boyfriend. It is not just the adult partner who is affected by a porn habit. Even if the addict believes he or she has the habit under wraps, porn's toxicity leaks into other relationships in an addict's life.... Read this in full at
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/2011/07/my_father_was_a_porn_addict.html
Also see the websites Pornography Harms
http://www.pornharms.com/
and
The War on Illegal Pornography
http://www.waronillegalpornography.com/
WILLOW CREEK CUTS TIES WITH EX-GAY EXODUS INTERNATIONAL
Willow Creek Community Church, a trend-setting megachurch in suburban Chicago, has quietly ended its partnership with Exodus International, an "ex-gay" organization.
Willow Creek decided to sever ties with the Florida-based ministry in 2009, Christianity Today reported, but the decision only became public in June.
Church officials described the move as a shift in approach rather than a change in belief. Susan DeLay, a spokeswoman for Willow Creek, said the church continues to welcome those who are attracted to people of the same sex.
"Willow Creek has a whole host of ministries for people dealing with these issues, and we would never intend for them to feel sidelined," she told Christianity Today.... Read this in full at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/22/willow-creek-cuts-ties-wi_n_907266.html
See also: "Willow Creek Splits with Exodus International"
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/willowcreekexodus.html
CHURCH SERVICES SEPARATED BY AGE 'UNBIBLICAL,' SAY FORMER YOUTH PASTORS
A group of pastors and former youth ministry leaders suggest that today's youth ministries should be disbanded, calling the common practice of separating congregations by age for worship and Bible study "unbiblical."
The church leaders state their case in the documentary film, "Divided: Is Age-Segregated Ministry Multiplying or Dividing the Church?" (http://dividedthemovie.com/).
The film is produced by the National Center for Family Integrated Churches in association with LeClerc Brothers Motion Pictures. The producers are making it available for free online until Sept. 15.
"Divided" follows "twenty-something" Christian filmmaker Philip LeClerc on a quest to find answers to why his generation is increasingly turning away from attending church. Recent surveys have shown that as many as 85% of young people will leave the church and many never return.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/church-services-separated-by-age-unbiblical-say-former-youth-pastors-52964/
THOUSANDS OF GRANDPARENTS GATHERING TO PRAY ON 9/11/11
The Christian Grandparenting Network (http://www.christiangrandparenting.net/) is issuing a call to grandparents across the US and Canada to unite with other grandparents in churches and communities on September 11, 2011 to pray for the children of our world, our families and our country's leaders.
"These are desperate and uncertain times for all, but especially for our grandchildren," says Cavin Harper, Executive Director of CGN. "With Grandparent's Day falling on Sunday, September 11th this year, the tenth anniversary of 9/11, we felt prompted to turn this day of tragedy into a compelling opportunity for grandparents to stand in the gap on behalf of the next generations. It is our grandchildren who must navigate a world that is increasingly hostile toward Christianity and God's truth. It is time for our generation--today's grandparents--to step to the plate and determine that we will do all we can to not let a whole generation perish on our watch!" .... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/4007417448.html
WORLD TRADE CENTER CROSS LOWERED INTO NEW HOME
The cross-shaped steel beam found amid the wreckage of 9/11 has become a religious relic and will be housed in a memorial museum. "I saw Calvary in the midst of all the wreckage, the disaster," said Frank Silecchia, the construction worker who stumbled upon the beam. "It was a sign that God didn't desert us." .... Read and watch video in full at
http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/143536/wtc-cross-lowered-into-new-home
ATHEIST GROUP WANTS TO STOP WORLD TRADE CENTER CROSS
A group of atheists has filed a lawsuit to stop the display of the World Trade Center cross at a memorial of the 9/11 terror attacks. The "government enshrinement of the cross was an impermissible mingling of church and state," the American Atheists say in a press statement. The group says it filed the lawsuit in state court in New York and posted a copy of the lawsuit on its website.... Read this in full at
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/07/26/new.york.wtc.cross/index.html
VERSE TO PONDER
"But if we live in the light in the same way as he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin."
1 John 1:7 (CEB)
CONSIDER
"Most commit the same mistake with God that they do with their friends: they do all the talking."
Fulton J. Sheen
JONI EARECKSON TADA AND HER HUSBAND KEN TALK ABOUT POPULAR CULTURE, AND THEIR LIFE TOGETHER BATTLING CANCER AND DISABILITY
by Michael Ireland
Last summer, Joni Eareckson Tada was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent successful surgery in order to treat it.
In an interview with Joni at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville, TN, I caught up with Joni and her husband Ken to talk about how she coped with the diagnoses, and about two new books she has written.
I asked her how she was doing; Joni told me: "Yes, I'm doing remarkably well, and I'm sure that's to the credit of God's people for praying."
"I went through surgery for stage three breast cancer last summer and went through a rigorous time of chemo therapy, but that's several months behind me now and the pet scans are all clear—no evidence of any metastasized cancer in my body. So the doctors' reports are extremely optimistic for the future, so I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal schedule—a travel schedule, a work schedule, and trusting that God's hand of healing will continue to rest upon me," she said.... Read this in full at
http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=9151
A GOD WITH SKIN ON
"George Buttrick, former chaplain at Harvard, recalls that students would come into his office, plop down on a chair and declare, 'I don't believe in God.' Buttrick would give this disarming reply: 'Sit down and tell me what kind of God you don't believe in. I probably don't believe in that God either.' And then he would talk about Jesus, the corrective to all our assumptions about God.
"Books of theology tend to define God by what he is not: God is immortal, invisible, infinite. But what is God like, positively? For the Christian, Jesus answers such all-important questions. The apostle Paul boldly called Jesus 'the image of the invisible God.' Jesus was God's exact replica: 'For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.'
"God is, in a word, Christlike. Jesus presents a God with skin on whom we can take or leave, love or ignore. In this visible, scaled-down model we can discern God's features more clearly.
"I must admit that Jesus has revised in flesh many of my harsh and unpalatable notions about God. Why am I a Christian? I sometimes ask myself, and to be perfectly honest the reasons reduce to two: (1) the lack of good alternatives, and (2) Jesus. Brilliant, untamed, tender, creative, slippery, irreducible, paradoxically humble - Jesus stands up to scrutiny. He is who I want my God to be."
Philip Yancey in The Jesus I Never Knew
CAMP MEETING AT THE WILD GOOSE FESTIVAL
A group of 20 white folk sat at the feet of African-American storyteller Melvin Bray as he explored "How Now Shall Wild Goosers Live?" It was the last day of the Wild Goose Festival, which brought together nearly 1,700 mainline Christians, emerging-church types and social justice activists for four days of art, music, worship, workshops and conversation at Shakori Hills in North Carolina's Piedmont region.
Bray recited the story of how David attracted the outcasts of Israel to the wilderness, where he was hiding from Saul. Those outcasts, Bray said, were something like the group of "evangelical refugees," gays and lesbians and activists who were attending the festival. "All these men and women who've been exiled . . . these men and women who've been told they don't have any place," said Bray — "I imagine there were a few LGBTQ in the mix, because they didn't have a voice in Israel, they weren't part of the community. They find refuge with him, they find safety with him, they build this egalitarian community with him, with ideals about how we should live with one another." .... Read this in full at
http://christiancentury.org/article/2011-07/camp-meeting
30 DAYS OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED DURING RAMADAN
With the start of the month-long Islamic fast called Ramadan beginning August 1, Open Doors USA has launched a 30-day campaign (http://www.opendoorsusa.org/pray/Ramadan) urging Christians in the West to pray for persecuted believers in Muslim-dominated countries.
During August most Muslims will fast from dawn until dusk, seeking to shed their sins through acts of restraint. They believe this is a time of purification accomplished through good deeds and self control.
To help Christians pray for the persecuted, Open Doors USA is offering the Ramadan Prayer Calendar. The calendar has multiple prayer points designed to help Christians pray for persecuted Christians around the world during the 30 days.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/5303617445.html
WORLD RELIEF CEO PROMOTES PEACE THROUGH RACE FOR CONGO
World Relief announces its 1st annual Race for Congo (http://worldrelief.org/raceforcongo) from August 1st to August 7th. World Relief President and CEO Stephan Bauman is leading 7 cyclists in relay around the clock, 24 hours a day, covering 2,776 miles in seven days to raise money to end the brutal conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A celebratory concluding event will be held on August 7th on the lawn in front of Mason Hall at Johns Hopkins University from 5-7pm.
As the deadliest conflict since World War II, the ongoing 11-year civil war has devastated the DRC, claiming the lives of more than five million people and displacing millions more. The DRC ranks last on the Global Hunger Index and has been deemed the "rape capital of the world" by the United Nations.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/2480017464.html
LOOKING FOR BREAD OF LIFE SUBSTITUTES?
"Jesus [told] the crowds, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never go hungry' (John 6:35). And again he spoke of bread: 'Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him' (Matthew 7:9-11).
"Yet despite our faith, sometimes we are hungry. And sometimes we are tempted to believe that God has handed us a stone when we asked for bread.
"Jesus [is] the one who nourishes our souls. If you have tried but failed to satisfy your cravings, bring them to Jesus once again. Spend some time quietly in his presence. Tell him what you are feeling and ask him to show you the truth of his Word and of his promise. It may be that your hunger will lead you to a deeper experience of his sufficiency.
"Lord, you have created us with spiritual hungers, cravings that are not easily satisfied. Help me to resist the temptation to stuff myself with cheap substitutes... help me to pursue you as the source of my life... give me courage to trust your Word so that it will nourish my soul."
Ann Spangler in When You Need a Miracle: Stories to Give You Faith and Bring You Hope
HUMAN-ANIMAL HYBRIDS CREATED
More than 150 human-animal hybrid embryos have been created in the last three years in British laboratories, The Daily Mail reported July 25. Pro-life advocates decried the news.
The newspaper reported 155 embryos that have genetic material from both human beings and animals have been created under a 2008 law passed by Parliament. The information was not revealed until a government minister provided it in response to a parliamentary question from David Alton, a crossbench member of the House of Lords in the British Parliament. Crossbench members are not identified with political parties.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35841
CAMP QUEST IS ATHEISTS' ANSWER TO BIBLE SCHOOL
by Monica Hesse
A dispatch from atheist summer camp.
Perhaps one should begin with what the campers at Camp Quest Chesapeake believe in. They believe in critical and creative thinking. They believe in mutual respect and living ethically. They believe in arts and crafts. But here in a wooded national park south of Manassas, VA, under shade trees and American flags and the mosquito haze of a swimming hole, they do not believe in God.
Camp Quest Chesapeake is a summer camp for atheists. Or the children of atheists. Plus: agnostics, secular humanists, freethinkers and other self-identified members of the non-religious community.... Read this in full at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/camp-quest-is-atheists-answer-to-bible-school/2011/07/19/gIQAe1hRbI_story.html
CIRCUMCISION BAN TO BE STRICKEN FROM SAN FRANCISCO BALLOT, JUDGE SAYS
A judge said July 27 she intends to strike a ban on male circumcision from the city's November ballot. Superior Court Judge Loretta Giorgi said in a tentative ruling that the proposed law prohibiting circumcision of male children violates a California law that makes regulating medical procedures a function of the state, not cities. "It serves no legitimate purpose to allow a measure whose invalidity can be determined as a matter of law to remain on the ballot," Giorgi wrote.
Giorgi ordered San Francisco's elections director to remove the controversial measure from the ballot that would have made the city the first in the nation to hold a public vote on whether to outlaw the circumcision of minors.... Read this in full at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/27/circumcision-ban-stripped-from-san-francisco-ballot_n_911590.html?ir=Religion
THE NEW BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY
Every summer, the Israel Antiquities Authority holds a reception at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem for foreign archeological teams excavating in Israel. This year's reception in early July was attended by over 200 archeologists from over 50 different Israeli and foreign projects, who are investigating sites ranging in age from the Paleolithic through Islamic periods. It was another indication that, despite its many internal and external critics, the new biblical archeology is going strong.
But what's "new" about the new biblical archeology? Part of the answer lies in the field's scientific and technological sophistication.... Read this in full at
http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/content/module/2011/7/25/main-feature/1/the-new-biblical-archeology
SIGNS YOU'VE CHOSEN A NO-FRILLS AIRLINE
~ Instead of a Sky Cap, the pilot carries your luggage to the plane.
~ You can't board the plane unless you have the exact change.
~ Before you take off, the stewardess tells you to fasten your Velcro.
~ The Captain asks all the passengers to chip in a little for gas.
~ The Captain yells at the ground crew to get the cows off the runway.
~ No movie. Don't need one. Your life keeps flashing before your eyes.
~ All the planes have both a bathroom and a chapel.
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
EPISCOPALIANS TURN TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR GROWTH
The Episcopal Church is urging congregations to embrace social media websites like Facebook and Twitter in a push to highlight the Internet as a tool for church growth.
The church released a 12-page white paper, or instruction guide, July 20 listing "best practices" for how congregations can make use of social media. The release comes after church leaders grew concerned that some congregations were still mystified by the Internet.
"Episcopal congregations already know they need to be online and active in creating local excitement about their mission and ministries.... Read this in full at
http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/church_20/social_media_and_the_episcopal.html
CONSIDER
"We are as near to heaven as we are far from self, and far from the love of a sinful world."
Samuel Rutherford
VERSE TO PONDER
"Don't fear, because I am with you; don't be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you; I will hold you with my righteous strong hand."
Isaiah 41:10 (CEB)
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: SEND THE FIRE
Words: William Booth, April 14, 1894
Music: Frederick Booth-Tucker
Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Thy blood bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost;
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
'Tis fire we want, for fire we plead,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight,
For power to walk the world in white,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
O see us on Thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day;
To crown the offering now we pray,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/s/e/sendfire.htm
ON PRAYER
"He prays well who is so absorbed with God that he does not know he is praying."
Francois de Sales
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 us to add you to ourprayer chain to pray for your safety and spiritual effectiveness. I'll add your name to the list for the time you'll be away.]
CLASSIFIEDS
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Issue 367
The weekly 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 2,096 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
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"I've chosen the way of faithfulness; I'm set on your rules."
Psalm 119:30 (CEB)
CONSIDER
"Let the day have a blessed baptism by giving your first waking thoughts into the bosom of God. The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day."
Henry Ward Beecher
CHURCH STATESMAN & AUTHOR JOHN STOTT, 90, DIES
Christianity Today (@CTmagazine) http://twitter.com/ctmagazine reports: John Stott died July 27 at 3:15 London time (about 10:15 am EDT), according to John Stott Ministries President Benjamin Homan. Homan said that Stott's death came after complications related to old age and that he had been in discomfort for the last several weeks. Family and close friends gathered with Stott today as they listened to Handel's Messiah. Homan said John Stott Ministries has been preparing for his death for the past 15 years. "He set an impeccable example for leaders of ministries of handing things over to other leaders," Homan said. "He imparted to many a love for the global church and imparted a passion for biblical fidelity and a love for the Savior." Billy Graham's spokesperson released the following statement from the evangelist: "The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to Heaven."
Read Christianity Today's coverage:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/john-stott-obit.html
See "The John Stott the World Knew Little About"
http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-john-stott-the-world-knew-little-about-52970/
"John Stott, evangelical leader, dead at 90"
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35828
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/world/europe/28stott.html
BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14320915
CBA coverage
http://www.cbanews.org/article.php?id=3519
See the John Stott Memorial website and view the video (http://youtu.be/tD6JW-RnBQQ):
http://www.johnstottmemorial.org/
Visit Langham Partnership International founded by John Stott:
http://www.langhampartnership.org/
John Stott Ministries
http://www.johnstott.org/
InterVarsity Press
http://www.ivpress.com/
Read excerpts from Basic Christianity by John Stott
http://www.healthy-elements.com/commandments.html
QUOTES BY JOHN STOTT
A Christian's freedom from anxiety is not due to some guaranteed freedom from trouble, but to the folly of worry and especially to the confidence that God is our Father, that even permitted suffering is within the orbit of His care.
Apathy is the acceptance of the unacceptable.
We should not ask, "What is wrong with the world?" for that diagnosis has already been given. Rather, we should ask, "What has happened to the salt and light?"
Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.
Baptism with water is the sign and seal of baptism with the Spirit, as much as it is of the forgiveness of sins. Water-baptism is the initiatory Christian rite, because Spirit-baptism is the initiatory Christian experience.
To encounter Christ is to touch reality and experience transcendence. He gives us a sense of self-worth or personal significance, because He assures us of God's love for us. He sets us free from guilt because He died for us and from paralyzing fear because He reigns. He gives meaning to marriage and home, work and leisure, personhood and citizenship.
Every Christian should be both conservative and radical; conservative in preserving the faith and radical in applying it.
The truth is that there are such things as Christian tears, and too few of us ever weep them.
Good conduct arises out of good doctrine.
His authority on earth allows us to dare to go to all the nations. His authority in heaven gives us our only hope of success. And His presence with us leaves us no other choice.
Read more at
http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/John-Stott-Quotes/
BILLY GRAHAM'S 'MOST IMPORTANT' BOOK COMING
Thomas Nelson will publish renowned evangelist Billy Graham's first major book in more than five years, this fall.
To be released Oct. 18, "Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well" is "hands down one of the most important works that Graham has ever written, and one of his most vulnerable," said Matt Baugher, vice president and publisher at Thomas Nelson. "At his age, with all that has come before, he is in a unique position to guide all of us on what it means to finish well in this life."
Graham, who turns 93 in November, shares his personal experience of growing older, but also teaches some lessons on how to view time on earth. "The best way to meet the challenges of old age is to prepare for them now, before they arrive," Graham said.... Read this in full at
http://christianretailing.com/index.php/newsletter/latest-etailing/23339-billy-grahams-most-important-book-coming
CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST DROPS 'CHRIST'
The global evangelical para-church Campus Crusade for Christ is changing it's name to 'Cru' (http://www.ccci.org/about-us/donor-relations/our-new-name/). The main idea -- according to a look at the change at Christianity Today -- is to evade the problematic word "crusade" and the passe term "campus" (which the massive group known for the Jesus Film, books, tracts and more has long outgrown) and face up to the fact that many of its branches already use different names.... Read this in full at
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/07/christ-jesus-evangelical/1
See also "Campus Crusade Changes Name to Cru"
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/campus-crusade-name-change.html
WHAT IS CHARITY?
It is silence, when your words would hurt.
It is patience, when your neighbor's curt.
It is deafness, when a scandal flows.
It is thoughtfulness, for other's woes.
It is promptness, when a duty calls.
It is courage, when misfortune falls.
Author Unknown
HOW PAUL'S 21ST-CENTURY EVANGELICAL MAKEOVER DISTORTS THE NEW TESTAMENT REALITY
by Timothy Gombis
Evangelicals feel a special connection with the apostle Paul. We shape our theology according to his thought, imitate his mission to evangelize, and pursue discipleship after his devotional practices. But our vision of him is loaded with misconceptions. Have we become more Pauline than Paul himself?
Last April in Christianity Today, Scot McKnight profiled "The Jesus We'll Never Know," describing the tendency of New Testament scholars to create a historical Jesus in their own image. We do the same with the great apostle. Like gazing into a mirror, we easily see our own reflections when we look at Paul.
Intense debates in Pauline studies over the past three decades have yielded fresh insights into Paul's thought and corrected some mistaken assumptions. If we want to be truly Pauline, we will have to take stock of these findings. Let us examine two longstanding misconceptions that have not held up under recent scrutiny, and then note one further way in which we tend to impose our evangelical values upon this apostle of Jesus Christ.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/paulwethink.html
ANESTHETIZED PASTOR SPOKE HOPE IN THE OPERATING ROOM
Pastor Mark Becton's skin cancer surgery five years ago continues to touch lives -- not medically, but spiritually.
Becton, pastor of Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond, Va., underwent surgery in August 2006 to remove the skin cancer and -- while unconscious from general anesthesia -- quoted Scripture and spoke words of encouragement heard by three medical professionals in the operating room.
Anesthesiologist Gail Heppner heard Becton and thought he wasn't completely sedated, so she upped his dosage. But Becton continued. When Heppner turned down the volume of monitors and the music playing in background, Becton's words became clearer to her.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35839
WHAT'S IN YOUR TREASURE CHEST?
"In moments of truth, our souls show up fast, and they bring whatever they've got stuffed away in their pockets. I suppose that we'd all love to see the best in us rise up in moments of stress and confusion. Most of us want to be problem solvers, responding with words of wisdom to others while living joyful, courageous lives. [And we can pray for that. We can learn] to cry out to God for his Spirit to move through us, [to bring] his hope to the world around us. Is there anything else we can do?
"Jesus answers this question. "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks" [Luke 6:45]. The emphasis in Jesus' statement is the phrase stored up. The Greek word is thesauros, meaning 'treasure chest.' This word has morphed into our English thesaurus, which refers to a treasure chest of words.
"Jesus is saying that God has designed us to receive before we can give. Who can give away a treasure he doesn't first own? It's so simple. And yet this uncomplicated truth has been one of the most liberating realizations of my entire life. I can create something beautiful only if beauty has been stored up in my heart. I can become a voice of hope if I live with hope at my core. And love? 'We love because he first loved us' [1 John 4:19]. The apostle Paul writes that we can be a comfort to others when we ourselves have received comfort from God [2 Corinthians 1:3-4]. We will be set free to fill another person's heart with joy only when we have been lifted by the joy of the Spirit. You and I can bring peace into a chaotic environment only if we ourselves are walking in peace [see Romans 15:13].
Do you long to become an instrument more useful for God's purposes? Me too. The question God wants us to answer is, 'What treasures are we storing up in our hearts?'"
Paul Richardson in A Certain Risk: Living Your Faith at the Edge
BARNA EXAMINES TRENDS IN 14 RELIGIOUS FACTORS OVER 20 YEARS
Barna Group's State of the Church Series is an intensive look at the research firm's 20—year tracking of faith trends. George Barna addresses trends related to 14 faith—related variables tracked by the Barna Group from 1991 to 2011. It includes a description of the national pattern for the total population regarding those 14 beliefs and behaviors. Barna also addresses how things have changed within smaller population segments — divided by generation, ethnicity, region, religious segments, and gender.... Read this in full at
http://www.barna.org/faith-spirituality/504-barna-examines-trends-in-14-religious-factors-over-20-years-1991-to-2011
Also see "Barna Describes Religious Changes Among Busters, Boomers, and Elders Since 1991"
http://www.barna.org/faith-spirituality/506-barna-describes-religious-changes-among-busters-boomers-and-elders-since-1991
MY FATHER WAS A PORN ADDICT
by Michelle VanLoon
My father taught me how to ride a bike, the value of a great punchline, and what a woman was supposed to look and act like. My dad was a great guy with a bad habit.
When we consider relationships negatively impacted by a pornography addiction, most of us first consider the addict's spouse or girl/boyfriend. It is not just the adult partner who is affected by a porn habit. Even if the addict believes he or she has the habit under wraps, porn's toxicity leaks into other relationships in an addict's life.... Read this in full at
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/2011/07/my_father_was_a_porn_addict.html
Also see the websites Pornography Harms
http://www.pornharms.com/
and
The War on Illegal Pornography
http://www.waronillegalpornography.com/
WILLOW CREEK CUTS TIES WITH EX-GAY EXODUS INTERNATIONAL
Willow Creek Community Church, a trend-setting megachurch in suburban Chicago, has quietly ended its partnership with Exodus International, an "ex-gay" organization.
Willow Creek decided to sever ties with the Florida-based ministry in 2009, Christianity Today reported, but the decision only became public in June.
Church officials described the move as a shift in approach rather than a change in belief. Susan DeLay, a spokeswoman for Willow Creek, said the church continues to welcome those who are attracted to people of the same sex.
"Willow Creek has a whole host of ministries for people dealing with these issues, and we would never intend for them to feel sidelined," she told Christianity Today.... Read this in full at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/22/willow-creek-cuts-ties-wi_n_907266.html
See also: "Willow Creek Splits with Exodus International"
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/willowcreekexodus.html
CHURCH SERVICES SEPARATED BY AGE 'UNBIBLICAL,' SAY FORMER YOUTH PASTORS
A group of pastors and former youth ministry leaders suggest that today's youth ministries should be disbanded, calling the common practice of separating congregations by age for worship and Bible study "unbiblical."
The church leaders state their case in the documentary film, "Divided: Is Age-Segregated Ministry Multiplying or Dividing the Church?" (http://dividedthemovie.com/).
The film is produced by the National Center for Family Integrated Churches in association with LeClerc Brothers Motion Pictures. The producers are making it available for free online until Sept. 15.
"Divided" follows "twenty-something" Christian filmmaker Philip LeClerc on a quest to find answers to why his generation is increasingly turning away from attending church. Recent surveys have shown that as many as 85% of young people will leave the church and many never return.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/church-services-separated-by-age-unbiblical-say-former-youth-pastors-52964/
THOUSANDS OF GRANDPARENTS GATHERING TO PRAY ON 9/11/11
The Christian Grandparenting Network (http://www.christiangrandparenting.net/) is issuing a call to grandparents across the US and Canada to unite with other grandparents in churches and communities on September 11, 2011 to pray for the children of our world, our families and our country's leaders.
"These are desperate and uncertain times for all, but especially for our grandchildren," says Cavin Harper, Executive Director of CGN. "With Grandparent's Day falling on Sunday, September 11th this year, the tenth anniversary of 9/11, we felt prompted to turn this day of tragedy into a compelling opportunity for grandparents to stand in the gap on behalf of the next generations. It is our grandchildren who must navigate a world that is increasingly hostile toward Christianity and God's truth. It is time for our generation--today's grandparents--to step to the plate and determine that we will do all we can to not let a whole generation perish on our watch!" .... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/4007417448.html
WORLD TRADE CENTER CROSS LOWERED INTO NEW HOME
The cross-shaped steel beam found amid the wreckage of 9/11 has become a religious relic and will be housed in a memorial museum. "I saw Calvary in the midst of all the wreckage, the disaster," said Frank Silecchia, the construction worker who stumbled upon the beam. "It was a sign that God didn't desert us." .... Read and watch video in full at
http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/143536/wtc-cross-lowered-into-new-home
ATHEIST GROUP WANTS TO STOP WORLD TRADE CENTER CROSS
A group of atheists has filed a lawsuit to stop the display of the World Trade Center cross at a memorial of the 9/11 terror attacks. The "government enshrinement of the cross was an impermissible mingling of church and state," the American Atheists say in a press statement. The group says it filed the lawsuit in state court in New York and posted a copy of the lawsuit on its website.... Read this in full at
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/07/26/new.york.wtc.cross/index.html
VERSE TO PONDER
"But if we live in the light in the same way as he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin."
1 John 1:7 (CEB)
CONSIDER
"Most commit the same mistake with God that they do with their friends: they do all the talking."
Fulton J. Sheen
JONI EARECKSON TADA AND HER HUSBAND KEN TALK ABOUT POPULAR CULTURE, AND THEIR LIFE TOGETHER BATTLING CANCER AND DISABILITY
by Michael Ireland
Last summer, Joni Eareckson Tada was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent successful surgery in order to treat it.
In an interview with Joni at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville, TN, I caught up with Joni and her husband Ken to talk about how she coped with the diagnoses, and about two new books she has written.
I asked her how she was doing; Joni told me: "Yes, I'm doing remarkably well, and I'm sure that's to the credit of God's people for praying."
"I went through surgery for stage three breast cancer last summer and went through a rigorous time of chemo therapy, but that's several months behind me now and the pet scans are all clear—no evidence of any metastasized cancer in my body. So the doctors' reports are extremely optimistic for the future, so I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal schedule—a travel schedule, a work schedule, and trusting that God's hand of healing will continue to rest upon me," she said.... Read this in full at
http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=9151
A GOD WITH SKIN ON
"George Buttrick, former chaplain at Harvard, recalls that students would come into his office, plop down on a chair and declare, 'I don't believe in God.' Buttrick would give this disarming reply: 'Sit down and tell me what kind of God you don't believe in. I probably don't believe in that God either.' And then he would talk about Jesus, the corrective to all our assumptions about God.
"Books of theology tend to define God by what he is not: God is immortal, invisible, infinite. But what is God like, positively? For the Christian, Jesus answers such all-important questions. The apostle Paul boldly called Jesus 'the image of the invisible God.' Jesus was God's exact replica: 'For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.'
"God is, in a word, Christlike. Jesus presents a God with skin on whom we can take or leave, love or ignore. In this visible, scaled-down model we can discern God's features more clearly.
"I must admit that Jesus has revised in flesh many of my harsh and unpalatable notions about God. Why am I a Christian? I sometimes ask myself, and to be perfectly honest the reasons reduce to two: (1) the lack of good alternatives, and (2) Jesus. Brilliant, untamed, tender, creative, slippery, irreducible, paradoxically humble - Jesus stands up to scrutiny. He is who I want my God to be."
Philip Yancey in The Jesus I Never Knew
CAMP MEETING AT THE WILD GOOSE FESTIVAL
A group of 20 white folk sat at the feet of African-American storyteller Melvin Bray as he explored "How Now Shall Wild Goosers Live?" It was the last day of the Wild Goose Festival, which brought together nearly 1,700 mainline Christians, emerging-church types and social justice activists for four days of art, music, worship, workshops and conversation at Shakori Hills in North Carolina's Piedmont region.
Bray recited the story of how David attracted the outcasts of Israel to the wilderness, where he was hiding from Saul. Those outcasts, Bray said, were something like the group of "evangelical refugees," gays and lesbians and activists who were attending the festival. "All these men and women who've been exiled . . . these men and women who've been told they don't have any place," said Bray — "I imagine there were a few LGBTQ in the mix, because they didn't have a voice in Israel, they weren't part of the community. They find refuge with him, they find safety with him, they build this egalitarian community with him, with ideals about how we should live with one another." .... Read this in full at
http://christiancentury.org/article/2011-07/camp-meeting
30 DAYS OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED DURING RAMADAN
With the start of the month-long Islamic fast called Ramadan beginning August 1, Open Doors USA has launched a 30-day campaign (http://www.opendoorsusa.org/pray/Ramadan) urging Christians in the West to pray for persecuted believers in Muslim-dominated countries.
During August most Muslims will fast from dawn until dusk, seeking to shed their sins through acts of restraint. They believe this is a time of purification accomplished through good deeds and self control.
To help Christians pray for the persecuted, Open Doors USA is offering the Ramadan Prayer Calendar. The calendar has multiple prayer points designed to help Christians pray for persecuted Christians around the world during the 30 days.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/5303617445.html
WORLD RELIEF CEO PROMOTES PEACE THROUGH RACE FOR CONGO
World Relief announces its 1st annual Race for Congo (http://worldrelief.org/raceforcongo) from August 1st to August 7th. World Relief President and CEO Stephan Bauman is leading 7 cyclists in relay around the clock, 24 hours a day, covering 2,776 miles in seven days to raise money to end the brutal conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A celebratory concluding event will be held on August 7th on the lawn in front of Mason Hall at Johns Hopkins University from 5-7pm.
As the deadliest conflict since World War II, the ongoing 11-year civil war has devastated the DRC, claiming the lives of more than five million people and displacing millions more. The DRC ranks last on the Global Hunger Index and has been deemed the "rape capital of the world" by the United Nations.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/2480017464.html
LOOKING FOR BREAD OF LIFE SUBSTITUTES?
"Jesus [told] the crowds, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never go hungry' (John 6:35). And again he spoke of bread: 'Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him' (Matthew 7:9-11).
"Yet despite our faith, sometimes we are hungry. And sometimes we are tempted to believe that God has handed us a stone when we asked for bread.
"Jesus [is] the one who nourishes our souls. If you have tried but failed to satisfy your cravings, bring them to Jesus once again. Spend some time quietly in his presence. Tell him what you are feeling and ask him to show you the truth of his Word and of his promise. It may be that your hunger will lead you to a deeper experience of his sufficiency.
"Lord, you have created us with spiritual hungers, cravings that are not easily satisfied. Help me to resist the temptation to stuff myself with cheap substitutes... help me to pursue you as the source of my life... give me courage to trust your Word so that it will nourish my soul."
Ann Spangler in When You Need a Miracle: Stories to Give You Faith and Bring You Hope
HUMAN-ANIMAL HYBRIDS CREATED
More than 150 human-animal hybrid embryos have been created in the last three years in British laboratories, The Daily Mail reported July 25. Pro-life advocates decried the news.
The newspaper reported 155 embryos that have genetic material from both human beings and animals have been created under a 2008 law passed by Parliament. The information was not revealed until a government minister provided it in response to a parliamentary question from David Alton, a crossbench member of the House of Lords in the British Parliament. Crossbench members are not identified with political parties.... Read this in full at
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35841
CAMP QUEST IS ATHEISTS' ANSWER TO BIBLE SCHOOL
by Monica Hesse
A dispatch from atheist summer camp.
Perhaps one should begin with what the campers at Camp Quest Chesapeake believe in. They believe in critical and creative thinking. They believe in mutual respect and living ethically. They believe in arts and crafts. But here in a wooded national park south of Manassas, VA, under shade trees and American flags and the mosquito haze of a swimming hole, they do not believe in God.
Camp Quest Chesapeake is a summer camp for atheists. Or the children of atheists. Plus: agnostics, secular humanists, freethinkers and other self-identified members of the non-religious community.... Read this in full at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/camp-quest-is-atheists-answer-to-bible-school/2011/07/19/gIQAe1hRbI_story.html
CIRCUMCISION BAN TO BE STRICKEN FROM SAN FRANCISCO BALLOT, JUDGE SAYS
A judge said July 27 she intends to strike a ban on male circumcision from the city's November ballot. Superior Court Judge Loretta Giorgi said in a tentative ruling that the proposed law prohibiting circumcision of male children violates a California law that makes regulating medical procedures a function of the state, not cities. "It serves no legitimate purpose to allow a measure whose invalidity can be determined as a matter of law to remain on the ballot," Giorgi wrote.
Giorgi ordered San Francisco's elections director to remove the controversial measure from the ballot that would have made the city the first in the nation to hold a public vote on whether to outlaw the circumcision of minors.... Read this in full at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/27/circumcision-ban-stripped-from-san-francisco-ballot_n_911590.html?ir=Religion
THE NEW BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY
Every summer, the Israel Antiquities Authority holds a reception at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem for foreign archeological teams excavating in Israel. This year's reception in early July was attended by over 200 archeologists from over 50 different Israeli and foreign projects, who are investigating sites ranging in age from the Paleolithic through Islamic periods. It was another indication that, despite its many internal and external critics, the new biblical archeology is going strong.
But what's "new" about the new biblical archeology? Part of the answer lies in the field's scientific and technological sophistication.... Read this in full at
http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/content/module/2011/7/25/main-feature/1/the-new-biblical-archeology
SIGNS YOU'VE CHOSEN A NO-FRILLS AIRLINE
~ Instead of a Sky Cap, the pilot carries your luggage to the plane.
~ You can't board the plane unless you have the exact change.
~ Before you take off, the stewardess tells you to fasten your Velcro.
~ The Captain asks all the passengers to chip in a little for gas.
~ The Captain yells at the ground crew to get the cows off the runway.
~ No movie. Don't need one. Your life keeps flashing before your eyes.
~ All the planes have both a bathroom and a chapel.
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com
EPISCOPALIANS TURN TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR GROWTH
The Episcopal Church is urging congregations to embrace social media websites like Facebook and Twitter in a push to highlight the Internet as a tool for church growth.
The church released a 12-page white paper, or instruction guide, July 20 listing "best practices" for how congregations can make use of social media. The release comes after church leaders grew concerned that some congregations were still mystified by the Internet.
"Episcopal congregations already know they need to be online and active in creating local excitement about their mission and ministries.... Read this in full at
http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/church_20/social_media_and_the_episcopal.html
CONSIDER
"We are as near to heaven as we are far from self, and far from the love of a sinful world."
Samuel Rutherford
VERSE TO PONDER
"Don't fear, because I am with you; don't be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you; I will hold you with my righteous strong hand."
Isaiah 41:10 (CEB)
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: SEND THE FIRE
Words: William Booth, April 14, 1894
Music: Frederick Booth-Tucker
Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Thy blood bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost;
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
'Tis fire we want, for fire we plead,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight,
For power to walk the world in white,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
O see us on Thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day;
To crown the offering now we pray,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/s/e/sendfire.htm
ON PRAYER
"He prays well who is so absorbed with God that he does not know he is praying."
Francois de Sales
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 us to add you to ourprayer chain 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.
Common English Bible
http://CommonEnglishBible.com
Christian Apps of the Month
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35837
Light University biblical counseling
http://www.lightuonline.com/
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'm not in denial, I'm just very selective about the reality I accept.
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.org/
Subscribe!
Subscribe to CONNECTIONS here
Get Archives of all past issues here:
http://www.pathoflifeministries.net/connections/archives_all.html
Check out my blog
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Thought for today - 07/30/2011
"Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts."
~Amos 5:14-15
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thought for today - 07/29/2011
I always make the same resolution and I've never once broken it: Every year I resolve to give something up for Lent and then when Lent comes I give up my New Years resolution.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thought for today - 07/28/2011
ON PRAYER
"God invites us to ask plainly for what we need. We will not be scolded any more than a child who climbs into her parent's lap and presents a Christmas wish list. Dr. Vernon Grounds says that when he hears of someone in need of healing, he prays like this: 'God, I know you have your own purposes and undoubtedly have a plan for this person, but I'll tell you straight out what I would like to see happen.' If diagnosed with a serious illness, I would ask directly for physical healing. We are commanded to pray for healing, Jesus decisively demonstrated God's desire for human health and wholeness, and dozens of studies have borne out the effectiveness of prayer in the healing process. Faith works. It aligns body, mind, and spirit, and galvanizes the healing processes built into our bodies."
~Philip Yancey, Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thought for today - 07/27/2011
VERSE TO PONDER
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
~1 Corinthians 10:13
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thought for today - 07/26/2011
CONSIDER
"A God you understood would be less than yourself."
~Flannery O'Connor
Monday, July 25, 2011
Thought for today - 07/25/2011
AFFLICTION
"The glory to come far outweighs the affliction of the present. The affliction is light and temporary when compared with the all-surpassing and everlasting glory. So Paul, writing against a background of recent and (even for him) unparalleled tribulation, had assured his friends in Corinth a year or two before this that 'this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison' (2 Cor. 4:17). It is not merely that the glory is a compensation for the suffering; it actually grows out of the suffering. There is an organic relation between the two for the believer as surely as there was for the Lord."
~F. F. Bruce (1910-1991), The Letter of Paul to the Romans, An Introduction and Commentary, p. 159 [1997]
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Thought for today - 07/17/2011
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops.
My office is called a work station. Hmmmmmmm.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
CONNECTIONS - 07/17/2011
For week of July 17, 2011
Issue 365
The weekly 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 2,098 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
"The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil
one."
2 Thessalonians 3:3
CONSIDER
"Some people are so poor they only have money!"
Ivor Powell
GALLUP POLL: 3 IN 10 BELIEVE BIBLE LITERALLY
A new Gallup poll
(http://www.gallup.com/poll/148427/Say-Bible-Literally.aspx) reveals that
three out of 10 Americans believe the Bible to be the actual word of God, to
be interpreted literally, word for word. These results are relatively
consistent with recent results, but down from the peak levels in 1980 and
1984 when 40 percent of Americans said they took the Bible literally....
Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/gallup-poll-3-in-10-believe-bible-literally-52070/
ARE YOU SALTY?
"The assumption of many Christians is that readily identifiable enemies,
such as feminists, New Agers, homosexuals, advocates of diversity,
postmodernists, or liberals, can be blamed for the destruction of America's
moral landscape. Among the many problems with this assumption, two stand out
most prominently. First, this approach is thoroughly unbiblical. Jesus never
taught his disciples that the primary problem in first-century Jewish life
was the rulership of Judea by the Romans. Rather, Jesus taught that the true
enemy was the failure of God's people to act like the people of God should
act.
"It was because the salt of the earth (God's people) had lost its saltiness
that it became good for nothing except to be thrown out [see Matthew 5:13].
The unfaithfulness of God's people - not the activity of those outside the
community of faith (that is, the Romans) - was always the focus of Jesus'
harshest criticisms. In contemporary culture, it would not be hard to
imagine Jesus asking evangelical and Roman Catholic churches some pretty
uncomfortable questions about the number of divorces within our own
churches.
"The second and most troubling aspect of [declaring enemies is the]
self-righteous view that "sin" is located outside of us rather than a
reality coursing through every human heart. The result is that someone who
is on the wrong side of a particular "family values" issue is regarded as an
enemy to be scorned rather than as a person to be won. Repentance is
required of them, but not of us.
"Abraham Lincoln was closer to the truth when he wrote, 'In the presence of
a war, it is quite possible that God's purpose is something different from
the purpose of either party.' When asked by a reporter whether God was on
the side of the North [in the Civil War], Lincoln is said to have humbly
responded, 'My concern is not whether God is on our side, but whether we are
on God's side!'"
Rich Nathan in Who Is My Enemy?
IN ISRAEL, DIGGERS UNEARTH THE BIBLE'S BAD GUYS
At the remains of an ancient metropolis in southern Israel, archaeologists
are piecing together the history of a people remembered chiefly as the bad
guys of the Hebrew Bible.
The city of Gath, where the annual digging season began this week, is
helping scholars paint a more nuanced portrait of the Philistines, who
appear in the biblical story as the perennial enemies of the Israelites.
Close to three millennia ago, Gath was on the frontier between the
Philistines, who occupied the Mediterranean coastal plain, and the
Israelites, who controlled the inland hills. The city's most famous
resident, according to the book of Samuel, was Goliath - the giant warrior
improbably felled by the young shepherd David and his sling.... Read this in
full at
http://news.yahoo.com/israel-diggers-unearth-bibles-bad-guys-095524724.html
WITH ITS PEOPLE TURNING TO CHRIST IN WAVES, INDIA HOSTS MORE BELIEVERS NOW THAN AT ANY TIME IN ITS 4,000-YEAR HISTORY
by Tim Stafford
Shivamma stands in front of her house, braiding her little girl's hair. Her
feet are bare, her sari is simple, and she is rail thin, but she speaks to
visitors with boldness. She is the face of the new Christianity in India.
Shivamma's home is nestled inside a concrete storm sewer discarded by the
factory where she and her husband work. The neighborhood, hidden in an
overgrown back lot, consists of huge pipes lined up like mobile homes. Her
family of four lives within 84 square feet.
For a Dalit and a woman, Shivamma is doing well. In traditional Hindu
thinking, Dalits are not quite human, lacking the right to enter the temple,
read, or eat with members of other castes. A person who touches a Dalit must
immediately purify himself. (One church planter notes the awful exception:
"When it comes to social life, they are untouchable. For rape, they are
touchable.").... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/indiagrassroots.html
THE ROPES THAT HOLD US DOWN
"[My friend] Orville finished the checklist [for liftoff]. The tower gave us
the go-ahead. He glanced out the side window [of the plane] and blanched:
'Oh my gosh! Look at that! We haven't untied the ropes! I can't believe we
were getting ready to take off without untying the ropes! That's a good
one.' I wanted to get out of the plane.
"If I am not yet living according to what I believe matters most, it is no
accident. There are forces or habits that have a deep hold on me that I will
have to get rid of. The writer of Hebrews puts it like this: 'Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run
with perseverance the race marked out for us' [Hebrews 12:1]. We must
discard whatever will hold us down. We must discard the wrong priorities
that keep us from what matters most.
"Maybe it's fear or doubt or a misguided sense of inadequacy. God called
Moses to lead his people, but Moses wanted to ground himself. 'Who am I,
that I should go to Pharaoh?' Moses asked. 'What if the people don't listen
to me?' he complained. 'I am slow of speech and tongue,' he argued. He did
not think his gifts were adequate for the challenge.
"Perhaps he pictured other leaders in his mind who were more articulate and
charismatic. His image of himself as a stumbling, stuttering leader kept him
tethered. Being rich toward God meant Moses would have to detach himself
from his need for safety and security.
"Maybe it's a voice that wants to keep you down. Maybe it's a past mistake
or failure. Maybe it's habit, comfort, or laziness. Freedom starts with
naming the rope."
John Ortberg in When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT
"Ultimately, to offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God is to say, 'Here
I am, Lord. My life belongs to you. Who would you like me to be?' There are
costs involved, but those who have done this unanimously agree that the
prize far outweighs the price.
"Paul said all was rubbish compared to knowing Christ intimately. He
surrendered to Christ, who asked him to spend three decades taking the
gospel to non-Jews throughout the Roman Empire. It was hard work, and Paul
had no way of knowing the longterm impact of his labor. As an old man
sitting in a Roman jail waiting to be executed, he looked back at his life.
Here's how he described it: 'For I am already being poured out like a drink
offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in
store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all
who have longed for his appearing.' - 2 Timothy 4:6-8
"[Drink offering. In Jewish rites, wine was poured on the altar or on the
animal being sacrificed. Portions of the animal were often reserved for
eating, but the wine was always completely consumed.
"Crown of righteousness. A crown of victory and public honor, not royalty.
It was customary for a victorious athlete to receive a crown of laurel
leaves as his trophy. A modern analogy might be an Olympic gold medal. For
higher honors, the crown was made of gold leaves. For believers, our reward
is eternal. Rather than a physical trophy, our reward is being honored by
the King of heaven for all of eternity because of our service to him in this
life.]" from the book Surrendering Your Life for God's Pleasure
VERSE TO PONDER
"Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on
wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not
be faint."
Isaiah 40:31
CONSIDER
"Christianity is a battle -- not a dream."
Wendell Phillips (1811-1884), speech, April, 1869, Wendell Phillips: the agitator, William Carlos Martyn, New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1890, p. 368
A LIBERATING WOMAN: A REFLECTION ON THE FOUNDER OF CHRISTIANS FOR BIBLICAL EQUALITY
With the sudden death of Catherine Clark Kroeger on February 14,
evangelicalism lost one of its most admired biblical scholars. At age 85,
Kroeger was still lecturing and researching at Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Her love for the Scriptures,
quick mind, and linguistic abilities made her an entertaining communicator
and reliable exegete; she memorized entire biblical narratives and could
recall them on demand. That she left manuscripts unfinished compounds our
loss.
Yet Kroeger's most defining legacy is her wise leadership in the early
evangelical women's movement of the 1970s. Without her stand on the
centrality of Scripture in responding to contemporary questions of gender
and justice, along with her compassion for the abused, much of
evangelicalism would be theologically afield. As founder and president of
Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE) and of Peace and Safety in the
Christian Home (PASCH) - as well as in 13 books and hundreds of scholarly
articles and lectures - Kroeger demonstrated, while holding to scriptural
authority and evangelism, that the gospel addressed many concerns of
contemporary feminism.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/liberatingwoman.html
HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT PASSES EUROPE'S MOST RESTRICTIVE RELIGION LAW
by Michael Ireland
In a move reminiscent of its Soviet Communist past, Hungary has passed a
restrictive religion law showing that its dictatorial mindset has not yet
fully abated.
Although Communism officially ended in Hungary over 20 years ago, the
Hungarian Parliament July 12, procured for the country the title of 'Worst
Religion Law in Europe' when it adopted its new "Law on the Right to Freedom
of Conscience and Religion, and on Churches, Religions and Religious
Communities."
"I am both saddened and disappointed by the adoption of such a draconian
law," said Joseph K. Grieboski, Founder and Chairman of The Institute on
Religion and Public Policy.... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11070072.htm
CONSIDER
"Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding on to."
Author Unknown
VERSE TO PONDER
"The LORD will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the LORD
will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
Psalm 121:7-8
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: GO, LABOR ON: SPEND, AND BE SPENT
Words: Horatius Bonar, 1843
Music: William Boyd, 1864
Go, labor on: spend, and be spent,
Thy joy to do the Father's will:
It is the way the Master went;
Should not the servant tread it still?
Go, labor on! 'tis not for naught
Thine earthly loss is heavenly gain;
Men heed thee, love thee, praise thee not;
The Master praises: what are men?
Go, labor on! enough, while here,
If He shall praise thee, if He deign
The willing heart to mark and cheer:
No toil for Him shall be in vain.
Go, labor on! Your hands are weak,
Your knees are faint, your soul cast down;
Yet falter not; the prize you seek
Is near-a kingdom and a crown.
Go, labor on while it is day:
The world's dark night is hastening on;
Speed, speed thy work, cast sloth away;
It is not thus that souls are won.
Men die in darkness at thy side,
Without a hope to cheer the tomb;
Take up the torch and wave it wide,
The torch that lights time's thickest gloom.
Toil on, faint not, keep watch and pray,
Be wise the erring soul to win;
Go forth into the world's highway,
Compel the wanderer to come in.
Toil on, and in thy toil rejoice!
For toil comes rest, for exile home;
Soon shalt thou hear the Bridegroom's voice,
The midnight peal, "Behold, I come!"
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/g/o/golaboro.htm
ON PRAYER
"Teach me, God, to pray / in works as much as in words / to make my actions
thoughtful messages / to make my actions more beautiful than words."
James W. Jones
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 us to add you to our prayer chain 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.
iPhone App Helps Readers Pronounce Tough Bible Names
http://www.christianpost.com/news/cant-pronounce-bible-names-new-app-may-hel
p-52174/
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'm on a new diet. No, I haven't changed my eating habits. I just switched
my shower body wash for Dawn dish soap. Its label reads, "Dissolves fat that
is otherwise difficult to remove."
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.org/
Subscribe!
Subscribe to CONNECTIONS here
Get Archives of all past issues here:
http://www.pathoflifeministries.net/connections/archives_all.html
Check out my blog
Issue 365
The weekly 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 2,098 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
"The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil
one."
2 Thessalonians 3:3
CONSIDER
"Some people are so poor they only have money!"
Ivor Powell
GALLUP POLL: 3 IN 10 BELIEVE BIBLE LITERALLY
A new Gallup poll
(http://www.gallup.com/poll/148427/Say-Bible-Literally.aspx) reveals that
three out of 10 Americans believe the Bible to be the actual word of God, to
be interpreted literally, word for word. These results are relatively
consistent with recent results, but down from the peak levels in 1980 and
1984 when 40 percent of Americans said they took the Bible literally....
Read this in full at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/gallup-poll-3-in-10-believe-bible-literally-52070/
ARE YOU SALTY?
"The assumption of many Christians is that readily identifiable enemies,
such as feminists, New Agers, homosexuals, advocates of diversity,
postmodernists, or liberals, can be blamed for the destruction of America's
moral landscape. Among the many problems with this assumption, two stand out
most prominently. First, this approach is thoroughly unbiblical. Jesus never
taught his disciples that the primary problem in first-century Jewish life
was the rulership of Judea by the Romans. Rather, Jesus taught that the true
enemy was the failure of God's people to act like the people of God should
act.
"It was because the salt of the earth (God's people) had lost its saltiness
that it became good for nothing except to be thrown out [see Matthew 5:13].
The unfaithfulness of God's people - not the activity of those outside the
community of faith (that is, the Romans) - was always the focus of Jesus'
harshest criticisms. In contemporary culture, it would not be hard to
imagine Jesus asking evangelical and Roman Catholic churches some pretty
uncomfortable questions about the number of divorces within our own
churches.
"The second and most troubling aspect of [declaring enemies is the]
self-righteous view that "sin" is located outside of us rather than a
reality coursing through every human heart. The result is that someone who
is on the wrong side of a particular "family values" issue is regarded as an
enemy to be scorned rather than as a person to be won. Repentance is
required of them, but not of us.
"Abraham Lincoln was closer to the truth when he wrote, 'In the presence of
a war, it is quite possible that God's purpose is something different from
the purpose of either party.' When asked by a reporter whether God was on
the side of the North [in the Civil War], Lincoln is said to have humbly
responded, 'My concern is not whether God is on our side, but whether we are
on God's side!'"
Rich Nathan in Who Is My Enemy?
IN ISRAEL, DIGGERS UNEARTH THE BIBLE'S BAD GUYS
At the remains of an ancient metropolis in southern Israel, archaeologists
are piecing together the history of a people remembered chiefly as the bad
guys of the Hebrew Bible.
The city of Gath, where the annual digging season began this week, is
helping scholars paint a more nuanced portrait of the Philistines, who
appear in the biblical story as the perennial enemies of the Israelites.
Close to three millennia ago, Gath was on the frontier between the
Philistines, who occupied the Mediterranean coastal plain, and the
Israelites, who controlled the inland hills. The city's most famous
resident, according to the book of Samuel, was Goliath - the giant warrior
improbably felled by the young shepherd David and his sling.... Read this in
full at
http://news.yahoo.com/israel-diggers-unearth-bibles-bad-guys-095524724.html
WITH ITS PEOPLE TURNING TO CHRIST IN WAVES, INDIA HOSTS MORE BELIEVERS NOW THAN AT ANY TIME IN ITS 4,000-YEAR HISTORY
by Tim Stafford
Shivamma stands in front of her house, braiding her little girl's hair. Her
feet are bare, her sari is simple, and she is rail thin, but she speaks to
visitors with boldness. She is the face of the new Christianity in India.
Shivamma's home is nestled inside a concrete storm sewer discarded by the
factory where she and her husband work. The neighborhood, hidden in an
overgrown back lot, consists of huge pipes lined up like mobile homes. Her
family of four lives within 84 square feet.
For a Dalit and a woman, Shivamma is doing well. In traditional Hindu
thinking, Dalits are not quite human, lacking the right to enter the temple,
read, or eat with members of other castes. A person who touches a Dalit must
immediately purify himself. (One church planter notes the awful exception:
"When it comes to social life, they are untouchable. For rape, they are
touchable.").... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/indiagrassroots.html
THE ROPES THAT HOLD US DOWN
"[My friend] Orville finished the checklist [for liftoff]. The tower gave us
the go-ahead. He glanced out the side window [of the plane] and blanched:
'Oh my gosh! Look at that! We haven't untied the ropes! I can't believe we
were getting ready to take off without untying the ropes! That's a good
one.' I wanted to get out of the plane.
"If I am not yet living according to what I believe matters most, it is no
accident. There are forces or habits that have a deep hold on me that I will
have to get rid of. The writer of Hebrews puts it like this: 'Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run
with perseverance the race marked out for us' [Hebrews 12:1]. We must
discard whatever will hold us down. We must discard the wrong priorities
that keep us from what matters most.
"Maybe it's fear or doubt or a misguided sense of inadequacy. God called
Moses to lead his people, but Moses wanted to ground himself. 'Who am I,
that I should go to Pharaoh?' Moses asked. 'What if the people don't listen
to me?' he complained. 'I am slow of speech and tongue,' he argued. He did
not think his gifts were adequate for the challenge.
"Perhaps he pictured other leaders in his mind who were more articulate and
charismatic. His image of himself as a stumbling, stuttering leader kept him
tethered. Being rich toward God meant Moses would have to detach himself
from his need for safety and security.
"Maybe it's a voice that wants to keep you down. Maybe it's a past mistake
or failure. Maybe it's habit, comfort, or laziness. Freedom starts with
naming the rope."
John Ortberg in When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT
"Ultimately, to offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God is to say, 'Here
I am, Lord. My life belongs to you. Who would you like me to be?' There are
costs involved, but those who have done this unanimously agree that the
prize far outweighs the price.
"Paul said all was rubbish compared to knowing Christ intimately. He
surrendered to Christ, who asked him to spend three decades taking the
gospel to non-Jews throughout the Roman Empire. It was hard work, and Paul
had no way of knowing the longterm impact of his labor. As an old man
sitting in a Roman jail waiting to be executed, he looked back at his life.
Here's how he described it: 'For I am already being poured out like a drink
offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in
store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all
who have longed for his appearing.' - 2 Timothy 4:6-8
"[Drink offering. In Jewish rites, wine was poured on the altar or on the
animal being sacrificed. Portions of the animal were often reserved for
eating, but the wine was always completely consumed.
"Crown of righteousness. A crown of victory and public honor, not royalty.
It was customary for a victorious athlete to receive a crown of laurel
leaves as his trophy. A modern analogy might be an Olympic gold medal. For
higher honors, the crown was made of gold leaves. For believers, our reward
is eternal. Rather than a physical trophy, our reward is being honored by
the King of heaven for all of eternity because of our service to him in this
life.]" from the book Surrendering Your Life for God's Pleasure
VERSE TO PONDER
"Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on
wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not
be faint."
Isaiah 40:31
CONSIDER
"Christianity is a battle -- not a dream."
Wendell Phillips (1811-1884), speech, April, 1869, Wendell Phillips: the agitator, William Carlos Martyn, New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1890, p. 368
A LIBERATING WOMAN: A REFLECTION ON THE FOUNDER OF CHRISTIANS FOR BIBLICAL EQUALITY
With the sudden death of Catherine Clark Kroeger on February 14,
evangelicalism lost one of its most admired biblical scholars. At age 85,
Kroeger was still lecturing and researching at Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Her love for the Scriptures,
quick mind, and linguistic abilities made her an entertaining communicator
and reliable exegete; she memorized entire biblical narratives and could
recall them on demand. That she left manuscripts unfinished compounds our
loss.
Yet Kroeger's most defining legacy is her wise leadership in the early
evangelical women's movement of the 1970s. Without her stand on the
centrality of Scripture in responding to contemporary questions of gender
and justice, along with her compassion for the abused, much of
evangelicalism would be theologically afield. As founder and president of
Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE) and of Peace and Safety in the
Christian Home (PASCH) - as well as in 13 books and hundreds of scholarly
articles and lectures - Kroeger demonstrated, while holding to scriptural
authority and evangelism, that the gospel addressed many concerns of
contemporary feminism.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/liberatingwoman.html
HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT PASSES EUROPE'S MOST RESTRICTIVE RELIGION LAW
by Michael Ireland
In a move reminiscent of its Soviet Communist past, Hungary has passed a
restrictive religion law showing that its dictatorial mindset has not yet
fully abated.
Although Communism officially ended in Hungary over 20 years ago, the
Hungarian Parliament July 12, procured for the country the title of 'Worst
Religion Law in Europe' when it adopted its new "Law on the Right to Freedom
of Conscience and Religion, and on Churches, Religions and Religious
Communities."
"I am both saddened and disappointed by the adoption of such a draconian
law," said Joseph K. Grieboski, Founder and Chairman of The Institute on
Religion and Public Policy.... Read this in full at
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11070072.htm
CONSIDER
"Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding on to."
Author Unknown
VERSE TO PONDER
"The LORD will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the LORD
will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
Psalm 121:7-8
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: GO, LABOR ON: SPEND, AND BE SPENT
Words: Horatius Bonar, 1843
Music: William Boyd, 1864
Go, labor on: spend, and be spent,
Thy joy to do the Father's will:
It is the way the Master went;
Should not the servant tread it still?
Go, labor on! 'tis not for naught
Thine earthly loss is heavenly gain;
Men heed thee, love thee, praise thee not;
The Master praises: what are men?
Go, labor on! enough, while here,
If He shall praise thee, if He deign
The willing heart to mark and cheer:
No toil for Him shall be in vain.
Go, labor on! Your hands are weak,
Your knees are faint, your soul cast down;
Yet falter not; the prize you seek
Is near-a kingdom and a crown.
Go, labor on while it is day:
The world's dark night is hastening on;
Speed, speed thy work, cast sloth away;
It is not thus that souls are won.
Men die in darkness at thy side,
Without a hope to cheer the tomb;
Take up the torch and wave it wide,
The torch that lights time's thickest gloom.
Toil on, faint not, keep watch and pray,
Be wise the erring soul to win;
Go forth into the world's highway,
Compel the wanderer to come in.
Toil on, and in thy toil rejoice!
For toil comes rest, for exile home;
Soon shalt thou hear the Bridegroom's voice,
The midnight peal, "Behold, I come!"
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/g/o/golaboro.htm
ON PRAYER
"Teach me, God, to pray / in works as much as in words / to make my actions
thoughtful messages / to make my actions more beautiful than words."
James W. Jones
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 us to add you to our prayer chain to pray for your safety and spiritual effectiveness. I'll add your name to the list for the time you'll be away.]
CLASSIFIEDS
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SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES
Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why.
iPhone App Helps Readers Pronounce Tough Bible Names
http://www.christianpost.com/news/cant-pronounce-bible-names-new-app-may-hel
p-52174/
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'm on a new diet. No, I haven't changed my eating habits. I just switched
my shower body wash for Dawn dish soap. Its label reads, "Dissolves fat that
is otherwise difficult to remove."
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.
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