VERSE TO PONDER
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."
- James 4:10
Monday, March 31, 2014
Thought for today - 03/31/2014
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Finally Here's the Truth About Curing Diabetes!
Hello,
Here's important news for anyone with diabetes. A remarkable E-Book is now available that reveals scientifically proven principles that can activate your body to produce more insulin naturally, reversing diabetes symptoms without the need for medication.
Diabetes is a condition in which sugar is not properly absorbed by the body. Globally the incidence of diabetes is expected to exceed 250 million people by 2025 – resulting in 35 million heart attacks, 13 million strokes, 6 million episodes of renal failure, 8 million instances of blindness or eye problems, 2 million amputations and 62 million deaths – that is a measure of the scale of the problem. While diabetes belongs at the top of the healthcare agenda, it has yet to be given that position.
According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 21 million diabetics in America; with another 54 million people having pre-diabetes (placing them at high risk for developing Type II diabetes). This equates to 75 million Americans having diabetes, or being at high risk.
With attention focused on body sugar and insulin levels, however, the underlying cause of all the devastation has been overlooked. According to health advocate and best-selling author Matt Traverso, many doctors are failing to treat the real underlying cause of diabetes. Instead, they are treating the symptoms with chemicals and pharmaceutical medications that often leave the sufferers with side effects and a long term dependency on these drugs.
What some doctors may be failing to understand is that diabetes is not a disease, it is an outward reaction coming directly from the pancreas that results in the body no longer being able to produce normal amounts of insulin due to the pancreas being run down.
Matt Traverso's E-Book states, if the damage that is being done to the pancreas can be turned around, the organ will be given the chance to heal itself and then, gradually, it is possible for those who are dependent on insulin shots to be able to stop them all together. This means diabetes sufferers may no longer have to be dependant on the drugs and medications that are usually taken to treat the condition.
Top scientists such as Dr Robert O. Young, Dr Gabriel Cousens, Dr Fuhrman and many others (whose groundbreaking research forms the basis of this E-book) state that "diabetes is completely reversible". This information sheds new light on how diabetes sufferers get the condition and how they can turn their illness around for good.
Just go now to the link immediately below for the full facts:
~~~> "The Diabetes-Reversing Breakthrough"
To your health,
Mark Thompson.
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Thought for today - 03/30/2014
CONSIDER
A little boy asked his father for assistance in repairing his broken wagon. When the job was done, the boy looked up and said, "Daddy, when I try to do things by myself, they go wrong. But when you and I work together, they turn out just fine."
- Unknown Author
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Thought for today - 03/29/2014
CONSIDER
"To be sensible of our corruption and abhor our own transgressions is the first symptom of spiritual health."
- J. C. Ryle
Friday, March 28, 2014
TONIGHT!!! FINDING FREEDOM IN DISCIPLINE
TONIGHT!!!
FINDING FREEDOM IN DISCIPLINE
3/28/2014 @ 10:00PM CENTRAL TIME
There are many distractions and illusions that try to turn us from our
relationship with God. We have been given great authority to rule and
reign with Christ on this earth. But the first place we need to exercise
that authority is what we will discuss this week - having an unwavering
commitment.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepath/2014/03/29/finding-freedom-in-discipline
FINDING FREEDOM IN DISCIPLINE
3/28/2014 @ 10:00PM CENTRAL TIME
There are many distractions and illusions that try to turn us from our
relationship with God. We have been given great authority to rule and
reign with Christ on this earth. But the first place we need to exercise
that authority is what we will discuss this week - having an unwavering
commitment.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepath/2014/03/29/finding-freedom-in-discipline
Thought for today - 03/28/2014
VERSE TO PONDER
"Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
- Ephesians 6:12-13
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Thought for today - 03/27/2014
RADIANT CERTAINTY
"'Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.' John 16:22
"There are some days when, frankly, I don't feel much like worshiping God. There are probably more days like that than I'd care to admit.
"Usually those are days when I'm staring at my circumstances and I struggle with the God-truth that he is in the circumstances surrounding my life -- all the circumstances.
"Jesus was so sure that God's faithfulness would be present in all circumstances that his certainty radiated throughout his whole being. Heading into a crisis that would ultimately cost him his life, at the Last Supper Jesus exhibited such radiant certainty about God's faithfulness that not one of his disciples discerned his death was lurking outside the door.
"We, also, can have this radiant certainty about God's hand in our lives. We can say, 'When it comes to God's faithfulness, I know because I know that I know.'"
- Jon Walker, Growing with Purpose
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Thought for today - 03/26/2014
NO REGRETS
"Either your past is serving as a springboard to a better tomorrow, or it is the proverbial albatross keeping you from moving forward today."
- Les Parrott III, Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Thought for today - 03/25/2014
REDEMPTIVE PAIN
"Having faced the personal misery and relational pain of doing things my way, having experienced the futility of living life to be noticed, and having carried the heavy burden of making pleasure my idol, I'm far more willing to pay the price for transformation. There's pain in either direction. I may as well embrace the pain that leads me to God instead of suffer the pain of being drawn away from him. So I hope you'll take these words as an encouragement. Pain in this world is a foregone conclusion. The only question is whether we choose to live a life of redemptive pain or of self-destructive pain. I pray you'll choose redemptive pain."
- Gary Thomas, The Beautiful Fight: Surrendering to the Transforming Presence of God Every Day of Your Life
Monday, March 24, 2014
Thought for today - 03/24/2014
A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
"I pledge allegiance to Jesus Christ -- my rescuer and leader -- and to his command, 'Love one another, as I have loved you.' I pledge to live this day by faith in God, to love him with all my prayer, passion, intellect, and muscle, and to bear the Holy Spirit fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."
- (copyright 2002, jonathan.petersen@comcast.net
Sunday, March 23, 2014
CONNECTIONS News - 03/23/2014 NOW AVAILABLE!
CONNECTIONS NEWS
For week of March 23, 2014
IS NOW AVAILABLE!
This is the weekly newsletter of Path Of Life Ministries.
Today’s issue is going out to over 2,162 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
In This Issue:
Read entire issue here: http://connectionsnews.wordpress.com/2014/03/23/connections-news-03232013/
For week of March 23, 2014
IS NOW AVAILABLE!
This is the weekly newsletter of Path Of Life Ministries.
Today’s issue is going out to over 2,162 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
In This Issue:
- N.T. WRIGHT ON WHY THE PSALMS MATTER
- SHOULD DIGITAL BIBLES BE USED IN INAUGURAL CEREMONIES? BIBLE GATEWAY VISITORS WEIGH IN
- THE IMPORTANCE OF INTROSPECTION
- MINISTERING TO NAZIS: NEW HISTORY TELLS ABOUT WORK OF A ST. LOUIS, MO CHAPLAIN
- PASTOR MARK DRISCOLL APOLOGIZES FOR MISSTEPS, QUITS SOCIAL MEDIA
- DAILY BLESSING PACT
- AN MUCH MORE . . .
Read entire issue here: http://connectionsnews.wordpress.com/2014/03/23/connections-news-03232013/
Thought for today - 03/23/2014
CONSIDER
"Keep your lamp burning, and let God place it where He will."
Unknown Author
Friday, March 21, 2014
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Thought for today - 03/20/2014
ON PRAYER
"We cannot attain to the understanding of Scripture either by study or by the intellect. Your first duty is to begin by prayer. Entreat the Lord to grant you, of His great mercy, the true understanding of His Word. There is no other interpreter of the Word of God than the Author of this Word, as He Himself has said, "They shall be all taught of God." (John 6:45) Hope for nothing from your own labors, from your own understanding: trust solely in God, and in the influence of His Spirit. Believe this on the word of a man who has experience."
- Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Thought for today - 03/19/2014
VERSE TO PONDER
"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
- John 14:6
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
CONNECTIONS News - 03/16/2014 is now here!
Connecting man to man to God
For week of March 16, 2014
Issue 502
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
or subscribe via rss feed here:
http://www.connectionsnews.wordpress.com/feed
Know now then that the LORD your God is the only true God! He is the faithful God, who keeps the covenant and proves loyal to everyone who loves him and keeps his commands—even to the thousandth generation!
- Deuteronomy 7:9 (CEB)
CONSIDER
“We aren’t only called to *share* the gospel. We are called to *show* the gospel.”
- James E. Biles, Sr.
READ ENTIRE ISSUE HERE: http://connectionsnews.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/connections-news-03162014/
THE RISE OF THE NEW PERSECUTED CHURCH
While we're busy "straining at gnats" amongst ourselves, here's yet another example to a "sold out" faith.
THE RISE OF THE NEW PERSECUTED CHURCH
by Jesse Carey
Last week, 33 individuals who were attempting to establish an underground church were sentenced to death. The missionary who was assisting them has been imprisoned for months, and his fate, like all of those he has come in contact with, is still perilously undetermined.
Officially, their crimes are related to “attempting to overthrow” the regime of dictator Kim Jong-un. But in North Korea, where the lines between state-allegiance and cult-like devotion to government leaders is so blurry that it may no longer exist, the crimes of being a Christian and opposing the regime are one and the same.
If the government goes through with the executions, the 33 people will be joining a growing group of martyrs who have paid a price for their faith that’s almost completely unknown in most parts of the West. They represent a dramatic divide within the Church—in the very same Body of Christ, there are those who daily risk death for their faith and those whose biggest daily risk is taking it for granted…. Read this in full at
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/rise-new-persecuted-church
Thought for today - 03/18/2014
CONSIDER
"Is not sight a jewel? Is not hearing a treasure? Is not speech a glory? O my Lord pardon my ingratitude, and pity my dullness who am not sensible of these gifts."
- Thomas Traherne
Monday, March 17, 2014
Thought for today - 03/17/2014
WHO IS THIS BABY?
In chemistry, He turned water to wine.
In biology, He was born without the normal conception.
In physics, He disapproved the law of gravity when He ascended into heaven.
In economics, He disapproved the law of diminishing return by feeding 5,000 men with two fishes and 5 loaves of bread.
In medicine, He cured the sick and the blind without administering a single dose of drugs.
In history, He is the beginning and the end.
In government, He said that he shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace.
In religion, He said no one comes to the Father except through him;
So. Who is He? He is Jesus! The greatest man in history.
Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.
He had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.
He had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.
He had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Thought for today - 03/16/2014
CONSIDER
"Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it; then your heart will never be made captive by any earthly thing."
- St. John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Thought for today - 03/15/2014
VERSE TO PONDER
"Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow."
- Isaiah 1:17
Friday, March 14, 2014
Connections News 03/09/2014 - Late
Connecting man to man to God
For week of March 9, 2014
Issue 501
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
or subscribe via rss feed here:
http://www.connectionsnews.wordpress.com/feed
LORD, you are my God. I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, planned long ago, faithful and sure.
- Isaiah 25:1 (CEB)
CONSIDER
“The enthronement of Christ in the heart secures the dethronement of self, for two cannot occupy the throne at the same time.”
- J. Oswald Sanders (1902-1992), The Pursuit of the Holy, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Pub. House, 1972, p. 30
THE 160-YEAR CHRISTIAN HISTORY BEHIND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN UKRAINE
by Philip Jenkins
In recent days, the Crimean peninsula has been at the heart of what some have described as the greatest international crisis of the 21st century. But this is not the first time the region has been so critical to international affairs. Many educated people have at least heard of the great struggle known as the Crimean War (1853-56), although its causes and events remain mysterious to most non-specialists.
If the conflict is remembered today, it resonates through the heroic charitable efforts of Florence Nightingale and the foundation of modern nursing. Actually, that earlier war deserves to be far better known as a pivotal moment in European religious affairs. Without knowing that religious element, moreover — without a sense of its Christian background — we will miss major themes in modern global affairs, in the Middle East and beyond.
Given its date, that religious emphasis may seem wildly anachronistic. This was, after all, a highly modern struggle between the Great Powers of the day: Britain, France, and the Ottoman Empire against Tsarist Russia. The war was fought with highly modern technology, including railroads and telegraphs, not to mention deadly artillery. Some 800,000 died, almost half from disease—at least as many fatalities as in the American Civil War of the next decade.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march-web-only/ukraine-crimean-war-history.html?paging=off
GOOGLE MAP GALLERY INCLUDES LANDS OF THE BIBLE
Google has just announced the launching of Google Maps Gallery, a new way for organizations to share and publish their maps online via Google Maps Engine.
One interesting map is Lands of the Bible 1967 Map (© National Geographic Society), which is transparently overlayed on top of a map of the current Middle East.
This unique map was created in 1967 for the National Geographic Magazine and has been reprinted in its original format. Filled with reference information, the map includes insets of: The Holy Land, Walled city of Jerusalem, Traditional route of the Exodus, St. Paul’s four great journeys, and The Crusades.... Read this in full at
http://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2014/03/google-map-gallery-includes-lands-of-the-bible/
PRO FOOTBALL WAS MY GOD
by Derwin Gray
Growing up on the west side of San Antonio, I believed in god — the god of football. The game was my ticket out of an early life saturated with violence, addiction, abuse, and chaos.
I was raised by my grandmother, because my parents were only teenagers when I was born. They were children bringing a child into the world. As much as they wanted to care for me, the hurt and brokenness in their lives prevented them. "Grannie" was a Jehovah's Witness, so that was the religion I knew. After a while, even that went away.
We were not poor. We were "po." We couldn't afford the other o and r. We didn't eat meals together. We didn't pray together. There were good times, like when we'd go fishing or when my grandfather would come home after work in the evenings. By the time I was 13, however, I looked at my environment and told my grandmother, "I'm going to do something with my life." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march/pro-football-was-my-god-derwin-gray.html
SAYING YES TO GOD
“The usual biblical word describing the "no" we say to the world's lies and the yes we say to God's truth is repentance...
Repentance is not an emotion. It is not feeling sorry for your sins. It is a decision. It is deciding that you have been wrong in supposing that you could manage your own life and be your own god; it is deciding that you were wrong in thinking that you had, or could get, the strength, education and training to make it on your own; it is deciding that you have been told a pack of lies about yourself and your neighbor and your world. And it is deciding that God in Jesus Christ is telling you the truth.”
- Eugene H. Peterson (b. 1932), A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, InterVarsity Press, 2000, p. 29-30
HATE: A NEGLECTED CHRISTIAN VIRTUE & PRAYER
by BJ Stockman
Hate doesn’t normally come up in the list of Christian virtues. But it should.
We are to hate what is evil. This is a command, and a neglected one at that. God through the prophet Amos called his people to: “Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts” (Amos 5:15). Notice how hating evil relates to justice. Justice requires hating injustice. There is no passivity here. Evil is not to be tolerated. It is to be hated. So much for tolerance.... Read this in full at
http://bjstockman.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/hate-a-neglected-christian-virtue-prayer/
SUSPICIOUS OF GOD
Clare De Graaf
“I believe God will meet all my needs. But, I’m not sure he’ll meet all my needs. That’s my fear.”
My wife, Susan, and I recently attended a weekend retreat sponsored by Generous Giving, a ministry that encourages thoughtful, biblical generosity. So, here we were sitting around a huge stone fireplace in a Christian camp lodge, with seven Christian couples, most of whom were strangers, talking about stewardship.
My first observation is that it’s often easier to talk to strangers about this topic than our friends. With strangers, we can read what the Bible says and nod our heads in agreement – safe, knowing full well, they don’t have a clue as to how we really live – what we’re really like.
But, thanks to our moderator, the minute that statement made at the beginning of this blog was thrown out, everyone nodded silently. We had found common ground! There are people who truly lack food and shelter, the basic needs of life, but not this group! All our needs have been met. But, in that statement we immediately recognized that our hearts have slowly morphed so that many of our “wants” have now become our “needs”! .... Read this in full at
http://www.claredegraaf.com/2014/03/03/suspicious-of-god/
THE BIBLE IN AMERICAN LIFE REPORT
“The Bible in American Life” is a national study by the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture. The purpose of the study is to understand better how Americans use the Bible in their personal daily lives and how other influences, including religious communities and the Internet, shape individuals’ use of Scripture.... Read this in full at
http://www.raac.iupui.edu/research-projects/bible-american-life/bible-american-life-report/
WHERE DID BIBLE'S VERSE NUMBERS COME FROM?
by Doug Schlegel
In 1524, the son of a Parisian printer took over his father’s business at the age of 21. There is nothing particularly unusual about a son taking over the family business, but the previous year, Robert Estienne had revised the Latin edition of the New Testament. Its subsequent publication was the first occasion of years of controversy that were to follow.
The controversy? Estienne had run afoul of the powerful and influential Roman Catholic faculty of the Sorbonne who thought it was a dangerous thing to have the Bible in the hands of ordinary farmers and shopkeepers.
Estienne was undeterred and continued to publish editions of the Bible for sale and distribution as well as to speak approvingly of the Reformers’ theological views that were then being circulated. He even published many of Melanchthon’s works, further antagonizing his opponents.... Read this in full at
http://www.wnd.com/2014/03/where-did-the-bibles-verse-numbers-come-from/
WE WON’T SOLVE BIBLICAL LITERACY WITH BIBLE TRIVIA
by Marc Cortez
For some time now, people have been rightly concerned about the trajectory of biblical literacy. Talking to those who have been teaching Bible/theology for many years, they all say that one of the greatest challenges they face is that people just don’t know the Bible like they used to. So they spend far more time teaching basic biblical literacy and consequently less time building on that foundation.
And it’s a real problem, one that affects people’s ability to understand the whole scope of what the Bible has to say, how that relates to individual stories and verses, and how all of it connects to the challenging issues that people face every day. But it’s a problem that we will not solve by mastering Bible trivia.... Read this in full at
http://marccortez.com/2014/03/04/we-wont-solve-biblical-literacy-with-bible-trivia/
BIBLE GATEWAY MOBILE APP REVIEW
by Chris Page
Bible Gateway is one of the cleanest, most efficient apps for interacting with the Bible that you can find for your Android. It gives you plenty of ways to read or hear the Bible and lets you enjoy your favorite or most important passages over and over. This is an excellent Bible study app, even if you're just beginning your study.
This app isn't just a pocket Bible, but a complete resource for all of the major translations of the book. It lets you create an account -- or log in through Facebook -- and track your Bible study, read any chapter from any translation you want, and even listen to the Bible read by one of several readers in multiple languages. In addition to an impressively clean interface for reading the Bible, Bible Gateway offers a verse of the day, around which you can structure your study. You can make notes about your reading, as well as share any verse you choose right from the app on multiple social networks and messaging platforms.... Read this in full at
http://download.cnet.com/8301-20_4-10483432-10084490.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=
Download the free Bible Gateway App for either iPhone or Android at.
http://m.BibleGateway.com/app
INFOGRAPHIC: EVERY DREAM IN THE BIBLE (AND WHAT THEY MEAN)
by Jeffrey Kranz
Sometimes in the Bible, God communicates to people in dreams. Some of them are symbolic (like the dreams in Daniel), and some involve explicit instructions from God.
Dreams fascinate me, and I figure they’re interesting to you, too. Since God has revealed some of His word through dreams, I thought it might be cool to find all the dreams in the Bible.
So, I Bible-geeked out and made this for you.... Read this in full at
http://overviewbible.com/infographic-dreams-bible/
CREATING A CHURCH SOCIAL MEDIA HUB
by Paul Wilkinson
I’m writing this in a vacuum, because I haven’t exactly seen done what I am proposing here. I just see a need. So here’s the proposal, and if you have any suggestions or revisions based on experience with a church that’s doing this please leave a comment.
Social media, as we have come to know it, is with us to stay. The platforms will migrate over time, but a generation has grown up communicating on line, and overall, I would say that for the church, this is a good thing. We can start a conversation at a weekend service, and continue it all week. We can learn that people have specific interests, and send them links to articles and channels of interest. It replaces the classic “encouragement notes” or “thinking-of-you cards.” .... Read this in full at
http://paulwilkinson.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/creating-a-church-social-media-hub/
VERSE TO PONDER
I’ve commanded you to be brave and strong, haven’t I? Don’t be alarmed or terrified, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
- Joshua 1:9 (CEB)
CONSIDER
“If there is a Creator God, there is nothing illogical at all about the possibility of miracles. After all, if he created everything out of nothing, it would hardly be a problem for him to rearrange parts of it as and when he wishes.”
- Timothy Keller
INTERVIEW: BIBLE SCHOLAR CONFIRMS 50 REAL PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE
Has archaeology confirmed the existence of any of the people mentioned in the Bible? In his article “Archaeology Confirms 50 Real People in the Bible” in the March/April 2014 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review (BAR), Purdue University scholar Lawrence Mykytiuk identifies 50 figures from the Old Testament that he says have been confirmed archaeologically. An accompanying chart lists Israelite kings, Mesopotamian monarchs, and lesser-known figures who are both mentioned in the Bible and present in the archaeological data. Bible Gateway interviewed Dr. Mykytiuk about his findings:.... Read this in full at
http://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2014/03/interview-bible-scholar-confirms-50-real-people-in-the-bible/
CELEBRATING LENT 2014
Every year, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Sunday, millions of people celebrate the 40 days of Lent by giving up—fasting from—certain foods or activities. It's a practice with a rich history among many Christian traditions. But how likely are believers today to participate in Lenten disciplines—and, if they do choose to fast, what are they fasting from?
The majority of adults (72%) are aware of the Christian tradition of giving something up for Lent. Even among non-Christians, awareness of Lent is at about the same level (70%). Yet in spite of this widespread awareness of the season, only 17% of all adults—roughly one-fifth of those who know about the season—have practiced Lenten fasting in the last three years. The same number (17%) plan to give something up for Lent again this year.
Not surprisingly, practicing Catholics are among the most likely to have participated in Lent, with just over two-thirds (65%) saying they have celebrated the fast in the past three years. But many Protestants have also adopted the habit: one in six practicing Protestants (15%) say they have fasted for Lent in the past three years, and about the same number (16%) say they plan to fast this year.... Read this in full at
https://www.barna.org/barna-update/faith-spirituality/656-celebrating-lent-2014
GOD IN REAL TIME
“We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God, who will thwart our plans and frustrate our ways time and again, even daily, by sending people across our path with their demands and requests. We can, then, pass them by, preoccupied with our important daily tasks, just as the priest--perhaps reading the Bible--passed by the man who had fallen among robbers. When we do that, we pass by the visible sign of the Cross raised in our lives to show us that God's way, and not our own, is what counts.”
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), Life Together [1954], tr. Daniel W. Bloesch & James H. Burtness, Fortress Press, 2004, p. 99
WHY CHRISTIAN IDEALISM IS KILLING SPIRITUALITY
by Jayson Bradley
Researchers tell us that the more we’re exposed to perfect bodies in the media, the more we’re dissatisfied with our own. That dissatisfaction goes for any area where we’re regularly and confronted with the idea that everyone else is more successful, richer, smarter, or better than we are.
It would be one thing if the celebrity images that wreaked havoc on our self images were real, but they’re not. They’re airbrushed and photoshopped—the flaws are hidden and the strengths are accented. We let illusion dictate reality.... Read this in full at
http://jaysondbradley.com/2014/02/02/why-christian-idealism-is-killing-spirituality/
ARE WE WORSHIPING SPORTS?
by David Platt
In the wake of Super Bowl XLVIII, Albert Mohler commented on a recent essay published in The Washington Post titled “Is Religion Losing Ground To Sports?” Their answer was yes, and so was Mohler’s. According to him,
“The fastest-growing segment of the American public in terms of religious identification is the ‘nones,’ designating those who identify with no religious tradition at all. At the same time, a religious dedication to sports has been growing. While correlation does not prove causation, the links between these two developments are haunting.”
How is it haunting? Mohler pointed out the undying devotion of adolescent athletes and their parents who scarcely miss a practice, much less a game, while simultaneously, “team sports activities or other forms of organized athletics have taken many evangelical families away from church activities.” What is the object of our worship? To top off this sobering comparison, he metaphorically referred to the stadium in which next year’s already-anticipated Super Bowl will be held as a “cathedral” and the travel of the masses to it as a “pilgrimage.” .... Read this in full at
http://www.radical.net/blog/2014/02/are-we-worshiping-sports/
IS IT IMPORTANT HOW I DRESS FOR CHURCH?
by Randy Alcorn
I've been asked, Do you think that how you dress is important when you attend church? Isn’t that part of showing respect for the things of the Lord?
I think showing respect to the Lord involves different things for different people in different places. Dress is cultural. Some in jeans and t-shirts are wholly focused on the Lord, lost in worship and adoration. Some in suits and ties can sit there in anger, lust, and indifference to the Lord (just like some of those in jeans are no doubt doing, but I doubt they are doing them more) .... Read this in full at
http://www.epm.org/blog/2014/Feb/26/dress-church
12 THINGS TEDx SPEAKERS DO THAT PREACHERS DON’T
While this list is directed at those who preach, it’s equally applicable for anyone who speaks publically or gives a presentation:
1. Present one great idea.
2. Set a time limit.
3. Collaborate.
4. Put time into visuals.
5. Practice.
6. Stay away from notes.... Read this in full at
http://scribblepreach.com/2014/02/26/12-things-tedx-speakers-do-that-preachers-dont/
EXTRA FUNDS HELP FLOAT NOAH’S ARK REPLICA IN KENTUCKY
A Christian ministry that plans to build a Noah’s Ark replica in Kentucky has raised enough money to go ahead with the $150 million project – and is thanking an adversary for boosting its support.
Creation Museum founder Ken Ham announced that a municipal bond offering has brought in enough money to begin the long-delayed “Ark Encounter,” a theme park featuring a 510-foot-long model of Noah’s Ark near the Kentucky-Ohio border.
Ham credited the funding bump to Bill Nye “the Science Guy,” a popular commentator on science issues who faced off against him in a widely publicized February 4 debate over evolution.
Ham said the media attention surrounding the debate prompted supporters who had registered for bonds to follow through with complex paperwork needed to complete the funding.... Read this in full at
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/03/01/extra-funds-help-float-noahs-ark-replica-in-kentucky/
CONSIDER
“Anyone who serves God will discover sooner or later that the great hindrance to his work is not others but himself.”
- Watchman Nee
VERSE TO PONDER
My plans aren’t your plans, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my plans than your plans.
- Isaiah 55:8-9 (CEB)
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: THE FAST, AS TAUGHT BY HOLY LORE
Words: Unknown author, 11th Century
Music: Rouen church melody
The fast, as taught by holy lore,
We keep in solemn course once more;
The fast to all men known, and bound
In forty days of yearly round.
The law and seers that were of old
In divers ways this Lent foretold
Which Christ, all seasons’ King and Guide,
In after ages sanctified.
More sparing therefore let us make
The words we speak, the food we take,
Our sleep and mirth, and closer barred
Be every sense in holy guard.
In prayer together let us fall,
And cry for mercy, one and all,
And weep before the Judge’s feet,
And His avenging wrath entreat.
Thy grace have we offended sore,
By sins, O God, which we deplore;
But pour upon us from on high,
O pardoning One, Thy clemency.
Remember Thou, though frail we be,
That yet Thine handiwork are we;
Nor let the honor of Thy Name
Be by another put to shame.
Forgive the sin that we have wrought;
Increase the good that we have sought;
That we at length, our wanderings o’er,
May please Thee here and evermore.
We pray Thee, holy Trinity,
One God, unchanging Unity,
That we from this our abstinence
May reap the fruits of penitence.
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/f/t/ftaugbhl.htm
ON PRAYER
“Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish that you had made it larger.”
- Phillips Brooks (1835-1893), The More Abundant Life: Lenten Readings, Dutton, 1906, p. 103
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.
Follow on Twitter
http://twitter.com/BibleGateway
The Bible Hunter
http://biblereadersmuseum.blogspot.ca/
Video: Sermon by Gary Burge on Psalm 23
http://media.willowcreek.org/midweekexperience/psalm-23/
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 remember the good ol' days when "snap crackle pop" were sounds I heard from my cereal, not my body.
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.
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For week of March 9, 2014
Issue 501
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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LORD, you are my God. I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, planned long ago, faithful and sure.
- Isaiah 25:1 (CEB)
CONSIDER
“The enthronement of Christ in the heart secures the dethronement of self, for two cannot occupy the throne at the same time.”
- J. Oswald Sanders (1902-1992), The Pursuit of the Holy, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Pub. House, 1972, p. 30
THE 160-YEAR CHRISTIAN HISTORY BEHIND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN UKRAINE
by Philip Jenkins
In recent days, the Crimean peninsula has been at the heart of what some have described as the greatest international crisis of the 21st century. But this is not the first time the region has been so critical to international affairs. Many educated people have at least heard of the great struggle known as the Crimean War (1853-56), although its causes and events remain mysterious to most non-specialists.
If the conflict is remembered today, it resonates through the heroic charitable efforts of Florence Nightingale and the foundation of modern nursing. Actually, that earlier war deserves to be far better known as a pivotal moment in European religious affairs. Without knowing that religious element, moreover — without a sense of its Christian background — we will miss major themes in modern global affairs, in the Middle East and beyond.
Given its date, that religious emphasis may seem wildly anachronistic. This was, after all, a highly modern struggle between the Great Powers of the day: Britain, France, and the Ottoman Empire against Tsarist Russia. The war was fought with highly modern technology, including railroads and telegraphs, not to mention deadly artillery. Some 800,000 died, almost half from disease—at least as many fatalities as in the American Civil War of the next decade.... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march-web-only/ukraine-crimean-war-history.html?paging=off
GOOGLE MAP GALLERY INCLUDES LANDS OF THE BIBLE
Google has just announced the launching of Google Maps Gallery, a new way for organizations to share and publish their maps online via Google Maps Engine.
One interesting map is Lands of the Bible 1967 Map (© National Geographic Society), which is transparently overlayed on top of a map of the current Middle East.
This unique map was created in 1967 for the National Geographic Magazine and has been reprinted in its original format. Filled with reference information, the map includes insets of: The Holy Land, Walled city of Jerusalem, Traditional route of the Exodus, St. Paul’s four great journeys, and The Crusades.... Read this in full at
http://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2014/03/google-map-gallery-includes-lands-of-the-bible/
PRO FOOTBALL WAS MY GOD
by Derwin Gray
Growing up on the west side of San Antonio, I believed in god — the god of football. The game was my ticket out of an early life saturated with violence, addiction, abuse, and chaos.
I was raised by my grandmother, because my parents were only teenagers when I was born. They were children bringing a child into the world. As much as they wanted to care for me, the hurt and brokenness in their lives prevented them. "Grannie" was a Jehovah's Witness, so that was the religion I knew. After a while, even that went away.
We were not poor. We were "po." We couldn't afford the other o and r. We didn't eat meals together. We didn't pray together. There were good times, like when we'd go fishing or when my grandfather would come home after work in the evenings. By the time I was 13, however, I looked at my environment and told my grandmother, "I'm going to do something with my life." .... Read this in full at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march/pro-football-was-my-god-derwin-gray.html
SAYING YES TO GOD
“The usual biblical word describing the "no" we say to the world's lies and the yes we say to God's truth is repentance...
Repentance is not an emotion. It is not feeling sorry for your sins. It is a decision. It is deciding that you have been wrong in supposing that you could manage your own life and be your own god; it is deciding that you were wrong in thinking that you had, or could get, the strength, education and training to make it on your own; it is deciding that you have been told a pack of lies about yourself and your neighbor and your world. And it is deciding that God in Jesus Christ is telling you the truth.”
- Eugene H. Peterson (b. 1932), A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, InterVarsity Press, 2000, p. 29-30
HATE: A NEGLECTED CHRISTIAN VIRTUE & PRAYER
by BJ Stockman
Hate doesn’t normally come up in the list of Christian virtues. But it should.
We are to hate what is evil. This is a command, and a neglected one at that. God through the prophet Amos called his people to: “Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts” (Amos 5:15). Notice how hating evil relates to justice. Justice requires hating injustice. There is no passivity here. Evil is not to be tolerated. It is to be hated. So much for tolerance.... Read this in full at
http://bjstockman.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/hate-a-neglected-christian-virtue-prayer/
SUSPICIOUS OF GOD
Clare De Graaf
“I believe God will meet all my needs. But, I’m not sure he’ll meet all my needs. That’s my fear.”
My wife, Susan, and I recently attended a weekend retreat sponsored by Generous Giving, a ministry that encourages thoughtful, biblical generosity. So, here we were sitting around a huge stone fireplace in a Christian camp lodge, with seven Christian couples, most of whom were strangers, talking about stewardship.
My first observation is that it’s often easier to talk to strangers about this topic than our friends. With strangers, we can read what the Bible says and nod our heads in agreement – safe, knowing full well, they don’t have a clue as to how we really live – what we’re really like.
But, thanks to our moderator, the minute that statement made at the beginning of this blog was thrown out, everyone nodded silently. We had found common ground! There are people who truly lack food and shelter, the basic needs of life, but not this group! All our needs have been met. But, in that statement we immediately recognized that our hearts have slowly morphed so that many of our “wants” have now become our “needs”! .... Read this in full at
http://www.claredegraaf.com/2014/03/03/suspicious-of-god/
THE BIBLE IN AMERICAN LIFE REPORT
“The Bible in American Life” is a national study by the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture. The purpose of the study is to understand better how Americans use the Bible in their personal daily lives and how other influences, including religious communities and the Internet, shape individuals’ use of Scripture.... Read this in full at
http://www.raac.iupui.edu/research-projects/bible-american-life/bible-american-life-report/
WHERE DID BIBLE'S VERSE NUMBERS COME FROM?
by Doug Schlegel
In 1524, the son of a Parisian printer took over his father’s business at the age of 21. There is nothing particularly unusual about a son taking over the family business, but the previous year, Robert Estienne had revised the Latin edition of the New Testament. Its subsequent publication was the first occasion of years of controversy that were to follow.
The controversy? Estienne had run afoul of the powerful and influential Roman Catholic faculty of the Sorbonne who thought it was a dangerous thing to have the Bible in the hands of ordinary farmers and shopkeepers.
Estienne was undeterred and continued to publish editions of the Bible for sale and distribution as well as to speak approvingly of the Reformers’ theological views that were then being circulated. He even published many of Melanchthon’s works, further antagonizing his opponents.... Read this in full at
http://www.wnd.com/2014/03/where-did-the-bibles-verse-numbers-come-from/
WE WON’T SOLVE BIBLICAL LITERACY WITH BIBLE TRIVIA
by Marc Cortez
For some time now, people have been rightly concerned about the trajectory of biblical literacy. Talking to those who have been teaching Bible/theology for many years, they all say that one of the greatest challenges they face is that people just don’t know the Bible like they used to. So they spend far more time teaching basic biblical literacy and consequently less time building on that foundation.
And it’s a real problem, one that affects people’s ability to understand the whole scope of what the Bible has to say, how that relates to individual stories and verses, and how all of it connects to the challenging issues that people face every day. But it’s a problem that we will not solve by mastering Bible trivia.... Read this in full at
http://marccortez.com/2014/03/04/we-wont-solve-biblical-literacy-with-bible-trivia/
BIBLE GATEWAY MOBILE APP REVIEW
by Chris Page
Bible Gateway is one of the cleanest, most efficient apps for interacting with the Bible that you can find for your Android. It gives you plenty of ways to read or hear the Bible and lets you enjoy your favorite or most important passages over and over. This is an excellent Bible study app, even if you're just beginning your study.
This app isn't just a pocket Bible, but a complete resource for all of the major translations of the book. It lets you create an account -- or log in through Facebook -- and track your Bible study, read any chapter from any translation you want, and even listen to the Bible read by one of several readers in multiple languages. In addition to an impressively clean interface for reading the Bible, Bible Gateway offers a verse of the day, around which you can structure your study. You can make notes about your reading, as well as share any verse you choose right from the app on multiple social networks and messaging platforms.... Read this in full at
http://download.cnet.com/8301-20_4-10483432-10084490.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=
Download the free Bible Gateway App for either iPhone or Android at.
http://m.BibleGateway.com/app
INFOGRAPHIC: EVERY DREAM IN THE BIBLE (AND WHAT THEY MEAN)
by Jeffrey Kranz
Sometimes in the Bible, God communicates to people in dreams. Some of them are symbolic (like the dreams in Daniel), and some involve explicit instructions from God.
Dreams fascinate me, and I figure they’re interesting to you, too. Since God has revealed some of His word through dreams, I thought it might be cool to find all the dreams in the Bible.
So, I Bible-geeked out and made this for you.... Read this in full at
http://overviewbible.com/infographic-dreams-bible/
CREATING A CHURCH SOCIAL MEDIA HUB
by Paul Wilkinson
I’m writing this in a vacuum, because I haven’t exactly seen done what I am proposing here. I just see a need. So here’s the proposal, and if you have any suggestions or revisions based on experience with a church that’s doing this please leave a comment.
Social media, as we have come to know it, is with us to stay. The platforms will migrate over time, but a generation has grown up communicating on line, and overall, I would say that for the church, this is a good thing. We can start a conversation at a weekend service, and continue it all week. We can learn that people have specific interests, and send them links to articles and channels of interest. It replaces the classic “encouragement notes” or “thinking-of-you cards.” .... Read this in full at
http://paulwilkinson.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/creating-a-church-social-media-hub/
VERSE TO PONDER
I’ve commanded you to be brave and strong, haven’t I? Don’t be alarmed or terrified, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
- Joshua 1:9 (CEB)
CONSIDER
“If there is a Creator God, there is nothing illogical at all about the possibility of miracles. After all, if he created everything out of nothing, it would hardly be a problem for him to rearrange parts of it as and when he wishes.”
- Timothy Keller
INTERVIEW: BIBLE SCHOLAR CONFIRMS 50 REAL PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE
Has archaeology confirmed the existence of any of the people mentioned in the Bible? In his article “Archaeology Confirms 50 Real People in the Bible” in the March/April 2014 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review (BAR), Purdue University scholar Lawrence Mykytiuk identifies 50 figures from the Old Testament that he says have been confirmed archaeologically. An accompanying chart lists Israelite kings, Mesopotamian monarchs, and lesser-known figures who are both mentioned in the Bible and present in the archaeological data. Bible Gateway interviewed Dr. Mykytiuk about his findings:.... Read this in full at
http://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2014/03/interview-bible-scholar-confirms-50-real-people-in-the-bible/
CELEBRATING LENT 2014
Every year, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Sunday, millions of people celebrate the 40 days of Lent by giving up—fasting from—certain foods or activities. It's a practice with a rich history among many Christian traditions. But how likely are believers today to participate in Lenten disciplines—and, if they do choose to fast, what are they fasting from?
The majority of adults (72%) are aware of the Christian tradition of giving something up for Lent. Even among non-Christians, awareness of Lent is at about the same level (70%). Yet in spite of this widespread awareness of the season, only 17% of all adults—roughly one-fifth of those who know about the season—have practiced Lenten fasting in the last three years. The same number (17%) plan to give something up for Lent again this year.
Not surprisingly, practicing Catholics are among the most likely to have participated in Lent, with just over two-thirds (65%) saying they have celebrated the fast in the past three years. But many Protestants have also adopted the habit: one in six practicing Protestants (15%) say they have fasted for Lent in the past three years, and about the same number (16%) say they plan to fast this year.... Read this in full at
https://www.barna.org/barna-update/faith-spirituality/656-celebrating-lent-2014
GOD IN REAL TIME
“We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God, who will thwart our plans and frustrate our ways time and again, even daily, by sending people across our path with their demands and requests. We can, then, pass them by, preoccupied with our important daily tasks, just as the priest--perhaps reading the Bible--passed by the man who had fallen among robbers. When we do that, we pass by the visible sign of the Cross raised in our lives to show us that God's way, and not our own, is what counts.”
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), Life Together [1954], tr. Daniel W. Bloesch & James H. Burtness, Fortress Press, 2004, p. 99
WHY CHRISTIAN IDEALISM IS KILLING SPIRITUALITY
by Jayson Bradley
Researchers tell us that the more we’re exposed to perfect bodies in the media, the more we’re dissatisfied with our own. That dissatisfaction goes for any area where we’re regularly and confronted with the idea that everyone else is more successful, richer, smarter, or better than we are.
It would be one thing if the celebrity images that wreaked havoc on our self images were real, but they’re not. They’re airbrushed and photoshopped—the flaws are hidden and the strengths are accented. We let illusion dictate reality.... Read this in full at
http://jaysondbradley.com/2014/02/02/why-christian-idealism-is-killing-spirituality/
ARE WE WORSHIPING SPORTS?
by David Platt
In the wake of Super Bowl XLVIII, Albert Mohler commented on a recent essay published in The Washington Post titled “Is Religion Losing Ground To Sports?” Their answer was yes, and so was Mohler’s. According to him,
“The fastest-growing segment of the American public in terms of religious identification is the ‘nones,’ designating those who identify with no religious tradition at all. At the same time, a religious dedication to sports has been growing. While correlation does not prove causation, the links between these two developments are haunting.”
How is it haunting? Mohler pointed out the undying devotion of adolescent athletes and their parents who scarcely miss a practice, much less a game, while simultaneously, “team sports activities or other forms of organized athletics have taken many evangelical families away from church activities.” What is the object of our worship? To top off this sobering comparison, he metaphorically referred to the stadium in which next year’s already-anticipated Super Bowl will be held as a “cathedral” and the travel of the masses to it as a “pilgrimage.” .... Read this in full at
http://www.radical.net/blog/2014/02/are-we-worshiping-sports/
IS IT IMPORTANT HOW I DRESS FOR CHURCH?
by Randy Alcorn
I've been asked, Do you think that how you dress is important when you attend church? Isn’t that part of showing respect for the things of the Lord?
I think showing respect to the Lord involves different things for different people in different places. Dress is cultural. Some in jeans and t-shirts are wholly focused on the Lord, lost in worship and adoration. Some in suits and ties can sit there in anger, lust, and indifference to the Lord (just like some of those in jeans are no doubt doing, but I doubt they are doing them more) .... Read this in full at
http://www.epm.org/blog/2014/Feb/26/dress-church
12 THINGS TEDx SPEAKERS DO THAT PREACHERS DON’T
While this list is directed at those who preach, it’s equally applicable for anyone who speaks publically or gives a presentation:
1. Present one great idea.
2. Set a time limit.
3. Collaborate.
4. Put time into visuals.
5. Practice.
6. Stay away from notes.... Read this in full at
http://scribblepreach.com/2014/02/26/12-things-tedx-speakers-do-that-preachers-dont/
EXTRA FUNDS HELP FLOAT NOAH’S ARK REPLICA IN KENTUCKY
A Christian ministry that plans to build a Noah’s Ark replica in Kentucky has raised enough money to go ahead with the $150 million project – and is thanking an adversary for boosting its support.
Creation Museum founder Ken Ham announced that a municipal bond offering has brought in enough money to begin the long-delayed “Ark Encounter,” a theme park featuring a 510-foot-long model of Noah’s Ark near the Kentucky-Ohio border.
Ham credited the funding bump to Bill Nye “the Science Guy,” a popular commentator on science issues who faced off against him in a widely publicized February 4 debate over evolution.
Ham said the media attention surrounding the debate prompted supporters who had registered for bonds to follow through with complex paperwork needed to complete the funding.... Read this in full at
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/03/01/extra-funds-help-float-noahs-ark-replica-in-kentucky/
CONSIDER
“Anyone who serves God will discover sooner or later that the great hindrance to his work is not others but himself.”
- Watchman Nee
VERSE TO PONDER
My plans aren’t your plans, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my plans than your plans.
- Isaiah 55:8-9 (CEB)
THIS WEEK'S HYMN: THE FAST, AS TAUGHT BY HOLY LORE
Words: Unknown author, 11th Century
Music: Rouen church melody
The fast, as taught by holy lore,
We keep in solemn course once more;
The fast to all men known, and bound
In forty days of yearly round.
The law and seers that were of old
In divers ways this Lent foretold
Which Christ, all seasons’ King and Guide,
In after ages sanctified.
More sparing therefore let us make
The words we speak, the food we take,
Our sleep and mirth, and closer barred
Be every sense in holy guard.
In prayer together let us fall,
And cry for mercy, one and all,
And weep before the Judge’s feet,
And His avenging wrath entreat.
Thy grace have we offended sore,
By sins, O God, which we deplore;
But pour upon us from on high,
O pardoning One, Thy clemency.
Remember Thou, though frail we be,
That yet Thine handiwork are we;
Nor let the honor of Thy Name
Be by another put to shame.
Forgive the sin that we have wrought;
Increase the good that we have sought;
That we at length, our wanderings o’er,
May please Thee here and evermore.
We pray Thee, holy Trinity,
One God, unchanging Unity,
That we from this our abstinence
May reap the fruits of penitence.
>from NetHymnal at
http://nethymnal.org/htm/f/t/ftaugbhl.htm
ON PRAYER
“Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish that you had made it larger.”
- Phillips Brooks (1835-1893), The More Abundant Life: Lenten Readings, Dutton, 1906, p. 103
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.
Follow on Twitter
http://twitter.com/BibleGateway
The Bible Hunter
http://biblereadersmuseum.blogspot.ca/
Video: Sermon by Gary Burge on Psalm 23
http://media.willowcreek.org/midweekexperience/psalm-23/
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 remember the good ol' days when "snap crackle pop" were sounds I heard from my cereal, not my body.
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.net/
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