Thought for today - 12/31/2013

VERSE TO PONDER 
"Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." 
- 1 Corinthians 15:58

A BAD YEAR

Friend,

Last night, I was reading a news article that reported that a majority believe 2013 was a "bad year."

Bad year? Not for babies! 87 surgical abortion clinics closed in 2013 alone -- that means the number of abortion facilities are down 73% from the abortion industry's peak in 1991!

I want you to know that 2013 was a year that LIVES WERE SAVED, even if Washington can't get their act together.

Little boys and girls were spared from abortion because of the work you have allowed us to do, and 2013 might have been the most successful year for our pro-life values.

In 2013, you allowed Students for Life to visit over 350 college campuses, start more than 100 new pro-life youth organizations, and train thousands of young leaders.

Through your prayers, financial support, and grassroots action, we've seen more than 87 abortion facilities close this year. Despite having the most pro-abortion president in our nation's history, Planned Parenthood was handed defeat after crushing defeat. And, because of Kermit Gosnell, our nation learned what a gruesome practice abortion is.

Heading into 2014, we know we are going to have our work cut out for us, and our team is going to need you now more than ever. We are preparing for our largest expansion of team members ever to help meet the needs of our 780 pro-life youth groups and the fight back against the Culture of Dealth's advances on our nation's campuses.

Will you stand with Students for Life one last time in 2013 by making an end of the year gift of $100, $50, or even $25 that will be instantly doubled by our $110,000 matching grant?

We have less than 48 hours to go and need to raise $29,543. I hope you can stand with us.

For Life,






Kristan Hawkins
President, Students for Life of America

P.S. - I hope by now, you have had the chance to see our newest video. It's 6 minutes long, but I promise it will give you the hope you need heading into 2014.

P.P.S. - Because Students for Life of America is a 501c3 organization, all of your donations are tax deductible!

Students for Life of America
9255 Center Street, Suite 300
Manassas, Virginia 20110
Office: (571) 379-7261 Fax: (866) 582-6420

CONNECTIONS News is now available!

CONNECTIONS News is now available!
CONNECTIONS is a periodic newsletter of announcements, news,
recommendations, articles, and other information helpful to anyone in
our spiritual growth. Thanks for welcoming CONNECTIONS into your in-box!

For week of 12/29/2013
http://connectionsnews.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/connections-news-12292013/

Thought for today - 12/30/2013

CONSIDER 
"What we believe about God is the most important thing about us." 
- A. W. Tozer

Thought for today - 12/29/2013

CONSIDER 
"Christians love one another. They never fail to help widows; they save orphans from those who would hurt them. If a man has something, he gives freely to the man who has nothing. If they see a stranger, Christians take him home and are happy, as though he were a real brother. They don't consider themselves brothers in the usual sense, but brothers instead through the Spirit, in God. ... And if they hear that one of them is in jail, or persecuted for professing the name of their redeemer, they all give him what he needs--if it is possible, they bail him out. If one of them is poor and there isn't enough food to go around, they fast several days to give him the food he needs. This is really a new kind of person. There is something divine in them." 
- Marcianus Aristides (2nd century), a lawyer, before HadrianThe Apology of Aristides on Behalf of the Christians, ed. J. Rendel Harris, Joseph Armitage Robinson, Cambridge: The University Press, 1891, p. 49-50

Thought for today - 12/28/2013

VERSE TO PONDER 
[Jesus said:] "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 
- John 13:34-35

Thought for today - 12/25/2013

"O give thanks to the Lord, for the Lord is good; for God's steadfast love endures forever." 
- Psalm 107:1 

Thought for today - 12/24/2013

ON PRAYER 
"Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is of life."
- Jonathan Edwards

Thought for today - 12/23/2013

"I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed -- I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "that I am God."
- Isaiah 43:11-12

Thought for today - 12/22/2013

CONSIDER
"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul." 
- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Thought for today - 12/21/2013

THE HEART OF ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS
"These then are the conditions of Western life. Busy, busy, busy, distracted, flitting, with the attention span of a proton in a particle accelerator. And it has left us lonelier than we've ever been.

"Jesus' response to the teacher's question - which is the most important commandment? - directly addresses these issues, the personal, the cultural and the political. Jesus' No. 1 principle, however, isn't just a helpful piece of wisdom that might make your life a bit better or your business more profitable. Jesus' response reflects the very essence not only of his teaching but of the nature of God - life, and indeed Christianity, is meant to be lived in meaningful relationships. As such, relationships are not an optional extra to the good life, they are utterly essential.

"Jesus' response has huge implications for society as a whole, for local communities, and, indeed, for every human being. In sum, Jesus' simple response - love God, love your neighbour - reflects the heart of the heart of all that really matters."
- Mark Greene, The Best Idea in the World

Thought for today - 12/20/2013

CONSIDER
"I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states ... Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly." 
- Martin Luther King Jr., from his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"

Duck Dynasty star discusses homosexual behavior, gets suspended by network

U.S. gay rights advocates said Phil Robertson's remarks about gays in an interview are "vile" but the "Duck Dynasty" star says he meant no "disrespect." Robertson told GQ magazine the line between right and wrong has become "blurred" -- starting with "homosexual behavior."

Thought for today - 12/19/2013

"It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him." 
- Deuteronomy 13:4

Thought for today - 12/18/2013

YOU WERE MEANT TO SHINE
"In Luke 6:12-16, we read that Jesus "called disciples to him, and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles." Clearly the group of people called "disciples" was bigger than twelve, and included both men and women. They didn't just agree with him theologically or philosophically; they dedicated themselves to doing what he did, living as he lived. They literally followed him. Luke 8:1-3 mentions several women who were among his disciples and supported Jesus financially.

"Jesus quit his day job, carpentry, to go into full time ministry. He was poor to begin with, even as a working guy; when he started just being a rabbi, he didn't have any income. Some verses indicate that he was homeless, or at least that that he depended on the hospitality of various strangers and friends when he traveled about. He didn't come to preach to the wealthy, although certainly some people of means believed in him, followed him, even supported him. He came to preach to everyone, and he did not exclude the poor.

"This group of women helped support Jesus. Jesus needed them. He chose to depend on others, which is an amazing style of leadership. What's more empowering to a follower than being needed? Did you ever consider that just as Jesus needed these women to support his cause, he needs you too? I'm not saying this to load on the guilt. I want to give you a glimpse of what an important part you play as one of his disciples. You were meant to shine."
- Keri Wyatt Kent, Simple Compassion

Thought for today - 12/17/2013

ONCE AND FOR ALL
"Our past, present, and future sins were dealt with simultaneously through the cross. God didn't discriminate with regard to time of occurrence. All of our sins were in the future when Jesus died. He looked down the entire timeline of human existence and took away all sins. Whether the sins occurred two thousand years before or after the cross made no difference. When Jesus finished wiping out all record of our sins, he took a seat. And he has been relaxing at God's right hand ever since.

"What position are you in with regard to your sins? Are you standing up, running around, and trying to make up for them? Attempting to get forgiven, to get cleansed? Or are you seated with Jesus Christ in a relaxed position? Do you realize that your Savior has taken them away once and for all?"
- Andrew Farley, The N*ked Gospel

HANG YOUR "CHRISTMAS TREE" UPSIDE DOWN

HANG YOUR "CHRISTMAS TREE" UPSIDE DOWN
".....we want to have an upside down Christmas. Yep, an upside down Christmas Tree. We’re hanging the holiday upside down this year so real love falls out of our Christmas. So no one gets hanged by debt. Because we’re giving the whole Christmas season to Jesus and His upside down Kingdom, not just some tossed crusty edge of of it. Because we can feel it—how we’re done with the malls and missing Jesus."

WHY NYT BESTSELLER ANN VOSKAMP HUNG HER CHRISTMAS TREE UPSIDE DOWN
by Jonathan Merritt
When Ann Voskamp penned “One Thousand Gifts: Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are”, no one predicted the book, would sit on the ”New York Times” bestseller list for more than 60 weeks. Since then, Voskamp, a former greeting card writer, has continued to develop a cult following online with her homespun wisdom and poetic prose. No one can turn a phrase quite like Ann.

But now, Voskamp has shifted her attention to Christmas. Her newest book, “The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas,” was an instant bestseller and intends to wrestle the true story of Christmas from the clutches of commercialism and consumerism. Voskamp is so committed to her message that the farmer’s wife and mother of six hung her Christmas tree upside down this year. Here, we discuss how she wants to help people discover a different Christmas story and why she decided to turn that iconic Christmas symbol upside down in her home…. Read this in full at
http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2013/12/10/nyt-bestseller-ann-voskamp-hung-christmas-tree-upside/

Read this ane other articles of inspiration in the CONNECTIONS News
http://connectionsnews.wordpress.com/

CONNECTIONS News - 12/15/2013

CONNECTIONS News for week of 12/15/2013 is now out!
http://connectionsnews.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/connections-news-12152013/

St. Louis Heath Department Shuts Down Homeless Ministry: Shame On You Mayor Francis G. Slay!

There has been a Jesus Sighting In St. Louis!

St. Louis Heath Department Shuts Down Homeless Ministry: Shame On You Mayor Francis G. Slay!

pimppreacher.com

PimpPreacher.com St Louis Bureau 12/14/2013 Well it has just happened! Just when I said I would never want to join another church – I have found one 

Thought for today - 12/14/2013

ON PRAYER 
"[C. S. Lewis] was leery of too many prayers that leave all the work to God and other people."
- Kathryn Lindskoog (1934-2003), C. S. Lewis, Mere Christian

Thought for today - 12/13/2013

"'I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" 
- Jeremiah 29:11

Thought for today - 12/12/2013

CONSIDER 
"Love is unselfishly choosing for another's highest good." 
- C. S. Lewis

Thought for today - 12/11/2013

COMMITMENT REQUIRED IN MARRIAGE 
Jill Briscoe says that one of the gifts her parents gave their children was a commitment to one another that did not consider divorce an option. "Differences they had were kept between them and worked out in the context of the promises they made to each other and to God on their wedding day. There was no option out! As someone has said, when the doors on a marriage are shut and bolted and a fire breaks out, all your time and energy goes to putting out the flames!"
(from What My Parents Did Right, ed. By Gloria Gaither, StarSong Publishing, 1991, p. 33)

CONNECTIONS News - 12/08/2013

[Go to CONNECTIONS site here: http://connectionsnews.wordpress.com/2013/12/10/connections-news-12082013/]

Connecting man to man to God
For week of December 8, 2013
Issue 488

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 over 2,160 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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Jesus spoke to the people again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me won’t walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (CEB)


     CONSIDER
“You are one of a kind - designed to glorify God as only you can.”
- Unknown Author


     DIED: NELSON MANDELA, SOUTH AFRICAN LEADER WHO STOOD AGAINST APARTHEID
by Gideon Strauss
The legacy of the president who prized reconciliation has much to teach Christians about the necessity, the difficulty, and the limits of politics.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/december-web-only/died-nelson-mandela-south-african-leader-stood-against-apar.html


     NELSON MANDELA DIES, PEOPLE OF FAITH REACT
The hero of South Africa — and an inspiration to millions worldwide — died Dec. 5 at 95. The Twitterverse lit up with memories, appreciations and prayers.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/12/05/nelson-mandela-dies-people-faith-react/


     DIED: PAUL CROUCH, 79, FOUNDER OF TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK
In the mid-1970s a vision came to Paul Crouch, but it wasn't what a man of the cloth might have expected.

A map of North America had appeared on his ceiling, glowing with pencil-thin beams of light that shot in every direction. "Lord," asked Crouch, a Pentecostal minister, "what does this mean?"

God, according to Crouch, had just one word for him: "Satellite."

Crouch, who belonged to the Assemblies of God, had been trying to spread the gospel through a small television station in Tustin, but the vision changed his business plan. He bought more television stations, then piled on cable channels and eventually satellites, filling the airwaves with evangelical programming until he had built the world's largest Christian television system — the Trinity Broadcasting Network, or TBN.

The controversial pioneer of televangelism, whose broadcast empire was called "one of evangelicalism's most successful and far-reaching media enterprises" by the Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism, died Nov 30, said his grandson, Brandon Crouch. He was 79.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2013/november/died-paul-crouch-79-founder-of-trinity-broadcasting.html


     HOW ARE YOU CELEBRATING ADVENT THIS YEAR?
It’s December, and Advent is here! Chances are (if you’re in the U.S.) you’re just now fully recovering from the Thanksgiving holiday last week. But with Thanksgiving behind us, we’ve officially entered the countdown to Christmas. And while that stretch of time holds a lot of pleasant experiences—Christmas music, time spent with family, Christmas-themed activities at school and church, etc.—it’s also usually marked by a hectic pace, jam-packed schedules, and financial stress.

With all of that packed into just one month, how can you possibly experience spiritual peace this holiday season?

One simple way you can stay spiritually grounded this Christmas season is by participating in the season of Advent. Advent has just begun; now is a perfect time to choose to participate.... Read this in full at
http://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2013/12/how-are-you-celebrating-advent-this-year/


     HARD WON LESSONS ON LEADERSHIP
by Clare De Graaf
A few weeks ago I was teaching a group of young fathers and was asked this question, “How do I build confidence with my children for me as a godly father?”

I doubt if there’s ever been a true Christian and a parent, who has not asked that question. It’s the Holy Grail of both Christian parenting and Christian leadership, in general. So my answers will address all Christians who aspire to be men and women of integrity, on the job or in the home.

My answer to that father’s question was this; “Either live up to your children’s expectation for a true follower of Jesus, and/or manage their expectations.” The group understood the first half of my answer, but didn’t understand my “manage their expectations” advice. It sounded to them like a copout – an excuse for under-performing. I disagreed.

Here’s why I believe both observations are so important to build confidence in those you lead.... Read this in full at
http://www.claredegraaf.com/2013/12/05/hard-won-lessons-on-leadership-part-six/


     11 GIVING GUIDELINES TO FIGHT THE PULL OF MATERIALISM
by Randy Alcorn
believe the only way to break the power of materialism is first, to see ourselves as stewards that God has entrusted these money and possessions to, and second, to give. Jesus says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). As long as I still have something, I believe I own it. But when I give it away, I relinquish the control, power and prestige that come with wealth. At the moment of release, the light turns on. The magic spell is broken. My mind clears, and I recognize God as owner, myself as servant and other people as intended beneficiaries of what God has entrusted to me.

The New Testament offers guidelines for giving that can help us fight the pull of materialism: .... Read this in full at
http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-how-to/171544-randy-alcorn-giving-guidelines-to-fight-the-pull-of-materialism.html


     MEET SALLY LLOYD-JONES, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN AUTHOR YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF
How do you get kids to read one of the world’s oldest books? Ask Sally Lloyd-Jones, whose “The Jesus Storybook Bible” recently passed the critical mark of 1 million copies sold.

The British ex-pat and now proud New Yorker has never married or had children of her own, yet aims to retell the Bible to something that comes alive for young people.

One of her editors told her once that there are two types of children’s books authors: the ones who are around children, and the ones who are children inside.

“It kind of freed me, because I think I know I’m that second one,” she said. “And I can still write from that place, because my childhood is so vivid.”

Her “The Jesus Storybook Bible” was not an overnight best-seller, nor was her path to best-selling children’s author a direct one.... Read this in full at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/meet-sally-lloyd-jones-the-most-successful-christian-author-youve-never-heard-of/2013/12/02/b0dfd936-5b97-11e3-801f-1f90bf692c9b_story.html


     ARE CHRISTIANS MORE LIKE JESUS OR THE PHARISEES?
by Barna Group
One of the common critiques leveled at present-day Christianity is that it’s a religion full of hypocritical people.

A new Barna Group study examines the degree to which this perception may be accurate. The study explores how well Christians seem to emulate the actions and attitudes of Jesus in their interactions with others.

The research project was directed by David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group, in conjunction with John Burke, author of Mud and the Masterpiece, a book exploring the attitudes and actions of Jesus in all of his encounters.... Read this in full at
http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/171494-george-barna-christians-more-like-jesus-or-the-pharisees.html


     ADVENTURE, ENVIRONMENTALISM OFFER OFF-ROAD ROUTE TO GOD
by Cathy Lynn Grossman
Some religious leaders are turning their ways of living the faith inside out — literally. They’re taking believers into the woods, rivers and deserts to find spiritual truth through adventure and environmental awareness.

Doug Gilmer, adjunct professor of teaching at Liberty University and the so-called Backcountry Chaplain, is one. “The whole Bible is a book of adventure,” he said. “Look at Abraham, Moses, Paul, setting out into the unknown.”

Gilmer teaches Christian adventure leadership in outdoor ministry as a way to make his students “more aware of, more reliant on, the Creator and His Creation.” .... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/12/05/adventure-environmentalism-combine-road-routes-god/


     VERSE TO PONDER
“In the past, God spoke through the prophets to our ancestors in many times and many ways. In these final days, though, he spoke to us through a Son. God made his Son the heir of everything and created the world through him.”
- Hebrews 1:1-2 (CEB)


     CONSIDER
“It was when I was happiest that I longed most. The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing to find the place where all the beauty came from.”
- C. S. Lewis


     TELL ME OH WISE ONE...
"Oh, master...tell me of fate."

"Ah, my son...it is what has brought great nations together. It has made the world a smaller place in which to live. It has inspired men of worth to work endless hours. It will some day enable men to span the universe and light years of travel will soon become mere seconds in time."

"And that, my master, is fate?"

"Oh, FATE! I thought you said FREIGHT."
http://www.mikeysFunnies.com


     BIKER CHURCHES LEAD OUTLAWS TO GOD
Members of outlaw motorcycle gangs are coming together throughout the Bible Belt where bikers who once thrived on sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll and even a life of crime are now looking for calmness of Bible study and prayer meetings.

“Churches like this gather misfits,” Matthew Butler, who became the church’s pastor in 2010 after working in its music ministry, told Aljazeera America on Sunday, December 1.

“Without a church like this, there would be hundreds of people with nowhere else to go. We are literally reaching into the darkness.” .... Read this in full at
http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/466519-biker-churches-lead-outlaws-to-god.html


     ARE THOSE REALLY ST. PETER’S BONES ON DISPLAY AT THE VATICAN?
by Eric J. Lyman
When Pope Francis cradled the small box said to contain nine bone fragments believed to be the mortal remains of St. Peter, the first pope, he fanned the flames of a long-standing debate over the authenticity of ancient church relics.

Most old churches in Italy contain some ancient relic, ranging from a glass tube said to hold the blood of St. Gennaro in Naples to a section of what is believed to be Jesus’ umbilical cord in the Basilica of St. John of Lateran in Rome. Perhaps the most famous religious relic in Italy — the Shroud of Turin, believed by many to be Jesus’ burial cloth — will go on display again in early 2015, and Turin Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia this week invited Pope Francis to attend its public debut.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/12/05/really-st-peters-bones-display-vatican/


     TWO WORLD-CLASS LIBRARIES LAUNCH ONLINE ARCHIVE OF ANCIENT SCRIPTURES
by Trevor Grundy
Two of the world’s great libraries — the Vatican Library in Rome and the Bodleian Library at Oxford University — have scanned and loaded the first of 1.5 million pages of ancient Hebrew, Greek and early Christian manuscripts online Dec. 3.

The project brings rare and priceless religious and cultural collections to a global audience for the first time in history.

The website is the first step in a four-year project and it includes the Bodleian’s 1455 Gutenberg Bible — one of only 50 surviving copies.

The $3.3 million project is funded by the Polonsky Foundation, which aims to democratize access to information. Leonard S. Polonsky is chairman of Hansard Global PLC, an international financial services company.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/12/04/two-world-class-libraries-launch-online-archive-ancient-scriptures/


     'JESUS WOULD NOT BE SAFE IN EGYPT TODAY,' PARLIAMENT HEARS
A three hour debate in England’s Parliament Dec. 3 resulted in broad spectrum of agreement on the severity of the global persecution of Christians and the need for the issue to receive wider attention worldwide.

Countries of concern mentioned during the debate were Pakistan, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, China, North Korea, Burma, Eritrea and Iran.

The issue of persecution against Christians was brought forward by the Democratic Unionist MP for Strangford, Jim Shannon, who opened the discussion with some harrowing statistics, stating that a hundred thousand Christians will have been killed in 2013 for their faith, while 200 million will have experienced persecution.... Read this in full at
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/jesus.would.not.be.safe.in.egypt.today.parliament.hears/34925.htm


     FREE BIBLE FRIDAY
Common English Bible is posting a question about the Bible on its Live the Bible Facebook page every Friday. On the following Monday, the staff will select their favorite answer from everyone's responses, and that fan will receive a free copy of the new CEB Study Bible! .... Read this in full at
http://www.facebook.com/LiveTheBible


     COINS DEPICTING JESUS UNCOVERED?
In what appears to be a “very significant” discovery of Art and Art History from the 1st century A.D., historian, historical archaeologist, and imaging inventor Dr. Ronald Stewart, Th.D., Ph.D., is stating that he has possibly uncovered hand-struck coins minted sometime between 33-47 A.D., which have images and depictions of Jesus Christ—many which correlate to well-known Biblical events, reports Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST Ministries.

According to a story carried in Breaking Christian News, “Research is ongoing, but these initial findings would be a major development throughout art history, Christianity, Near Eastern history, and numismatics" .... Read this in full at
http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue21852.html


     NORMAN ROCKWELL MASTERPIECE SELLS FOR $46 MILLION
by Maria Puente
Norman Rockwell, long America’s favorite mass-market painter, now has auction records to match his popularity. “Saying Grace,” one of his masterpieces, sold for $46 million at auction Dec. 4 — a price three times higher than his previous record.

Two other iconic paintings by Rockwell, who died in 1978, also sold, for a total of nearly $12 million, according to The Associated Press.

There’s no word yet on who bought the paintings.

It was “Grace” that drew all eyes at Sotheby’s in New York. It is an affecting image of a crowded restaurant with a little boy and a woman bowed in prayer at their table as other diners look on.... Read this in full at
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/12/05/norman-rockwell-masterpiece-sells-for-46-million/


     CONSIDER
“What other people think of me is becoming less and less important; what they think of Jesus because of me is critical.”
- Cliff Richard


     VERSE TO PONDER
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”
- John 1:1-2, 14 (CEB)


     THIS WEEK'S HYMN: ARISE, THE KINGDOM IS AT HAND
Words: Johann Rist, 1651; translated from German to English by Catherine Winkworth, 1858
Music: Adapted & harmonized by William H. Monk, 1868

Arise, the kingdom is at hand,
The King is drawing nigh;
Arise with joy, thou faithful band,
To meet the Lord most high!
Look up, ye souls, weighed down with care,
The Sovereign is not far;
Look up, faint hearts, from your despair,
Behold the Morning Star!

Look up, ye drooping hearts, today,
The King is very near;
O cast your griefs and fears away,
For, lo, your help is here!
Hope on, ye broken hearts, at last
The King comes in His might;
He loved us in the ages past
When we lay wrapped in night.

Look up, ye souls weighed down with care,
The Sovereign is not far!
Look up, faint hearts, from your despair,
Behold the Morning Star!
The Lord is with us now, who shall
The sinking spirit feed
With strength and comfort at its need
To Whom e’en death shall bow.

Hope, O ye broken hearts, at last!
The King comes on in might,
He loved us in the ages past
When we sat wrapped in night;
Now are our sorrows o’er, and fear
And wrath to joy give place,
Since God hath made us in His grace
His children evermore.

O rich the gifts Thou bringest us,
Thyself made poor and weak;
O love beyond compare that thus
Can foes and sinners seek!
For this we raise a gladsome voice
On high to Thee alone,
And evermore with thanks rejoice
Before Thy glorious throne.

>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/a/r/arisetki.htm


     ON PRAYER
“We live in a day characterized by the multiplication of man's machinery and the diminution of God's power. The great cry of our day is work, work, work, new organizations, new methods, new machinery; the great need of our day is prayer. It was a master stroke of the devil when he got the church so generally to lay aside this mighty weapon of prayer. The devil is perfectly willing that the church should multiply its organizations, and deftly contrive machinery for the conquest of the world for Christ if it will only give up praying.”
- R. A. Torrey (1856-1928), How to Pray, Fleming H. Revell, 1900, p. 128


     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.

The Complete Gift Solution
http://www.FranksWorldOfGifts.com

Books, Music & More!
http://www.ChristianConnectionBooks.com

Get your domain name here!
http://www.GoGlobalDomains.com


     SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WEBSITES 
Tell us what sites you find enjoyable and why. 

Twitter: Follow Bible Gateway for news about the Bible & inspiration from the Bible
http://twitter.com/biblegateway

Nature Valley Trail View
http://naturevalleytrailview.com/

Pet Bird Wants to Play with Sleepy Kitty
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=0102BFNU

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.) 


He ate so much over the holiday weekend he decided to quit cold turkey. 
Frank Coleman, Editor
frank@frankcoleman.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/  


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