Greatness Trait #3:
Regardless of ...
where he is,
what he’s doing or
who is with him,
...he is the same man.
Nov 8, 2017
10 Greatness Traits: #3 ~ He's the same man Wherever or Wherever! ~ JT Waresak
Ed's Note: JT Waresak studied 10 "greatness" traits in the lives of many great men of the past and present. Let's look at theses traits one at a time:
Greatness Trait #3:
Regardless of ...
where he is,
what he’s doing or
who is with him,
...he is the same man.
Greatness Trait #3:
Regardless of ...
where he is,
what he’s doing or
who is with him,
...he is the same man.
Happy 99th Birthday Billy Graham! ~ St. Mark
Related:
Woody Allen interviews Billy Graham
Billy Graham talks of End Times
The year was 1976. Excited, I waited alongside Dad with about 50 other equally-excited ministry workers. All of us were smartly outfitted in white shirts, suits and ties, as if we were awaiting royalty. All of us had been invited to this important "Motown" organizing meeting by the BGEA. Although this happened decades ago in nearby Detroit, Michigan, it was a moment that has embedded itself in my mind forever. We'd also listened to Beverly Shea, his soloist for years on the TV. As a family we'd played his vinyl records until they were scratchy. Billy Graham, George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows - What a faithful team they were! Three handsome men absolutely on fire for God! But this was it!; ...any minute he would enter the room and we would finally see and meet him personally!
Billy Graham had my absolute & utmost respect. His effectiveness for Christ, his integrity, the things he stood for & his boldness in witness for Christ were unparalleled! He could quickly draw you in with the power of his words and leave you significantly challenged. He was and is legendary! He was the benchmark in the christian world setting the standards for decades to come. My dad as a minister of the gospel just over the Michigan border, had been invited to represent our church with a number of other area pastors. They promised to pray and support the upcoming area Billy Graham Crusade.
Billy Graham was the world's greatest evangelist, even surpassing the Apostle Paul and his ability to reach his generation!
I was only 19 years old, and the youngest person in the room then, but I had been following his ministry since I was young enough to remember. In those days, his large crusades even preempted regularly scheduled TV and radio programming.
A hush fell over the room as he humbly walked in flashing his smile and protected by a security detail; He stood just several feet from me.
What can I say? I was "moved" to say the least; what an inspiration he was to me. He thanked & encouraged us for supporting his upcoming crusade and led us in prayer, calling on God to change people's hearts and accept Christ's Salvation when they attended the Crusade. After this short meeting, his security people led him out. I later learned that they were apparently protecting him from threats to his life and wisely taking all precautions.
I was left speechless, ... I had just met Billy Graham in person.
Woody Allen interviews Billy Graham
Billy Graham talks of End Times
The year was 1976. Excited, I waited alongside Dad with about 50 other equally-excited ministry workers. All of us were smartly outfitted in white shirts, suits and ties, as if we were awaiting royalty. All of us had been invited to this important "Motown" organizing meeting by the BGEA. Although this happened decades ago in nearby Detroit, Michigan, it was a moment that has embedded itself in my mind forever. We'd also listened to Beverly Shea, his soloist for years on the TV. As a family we'd played his vinyl records until they were scratchy. Billy Graham, George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows - What a faithful team they were! Three handsome men absolutely on fire for God! But this was it!; ...any minute he would enter the room and we would finally see and meet him personally!
Billy Graham had my absolute & utmost respect. His effectiveness for Christ, his integrity, the things he stood for & his boldness in witness for Christ were unparalleled! He could quickly draw you in with the power of his words and leave you significantly challenged. He was and is legendary! He was the benchmark in the christian world setting the standards for decades to come. My dad as a minister of the gospel just over the Michigan border, had been invited to represent our church with a number of other area pastors. They promised to pray and support the upcoming area Billy Graham Crusade.
Billy Graham was the world's greatest evangelist, even surpassing the Apostle Paul and his ability to reach his generation!
I was only 19 years old, and the youngest person in the room then, but I had been following his ministry since I was young enough to remember. In those days, his large crusades even preempted regularly scheduled TV and radio programming.
A hush fell over the room as he humbly walked in flashing his smile and protected by a security detail; He stood just several feet from me.
What can I say? I was "moved" to say the least; what an inspiration he was to me. He thanked & encouraged us for supporting his upcoming crusade and led us in prayer, calling on God to change people's hearts and accept Christ's Salvation when they attended the Crusade. After this short meeting, his security people led him out. I later learned that they were apparently protecting him from threats to his life and wisely taking all precautions.
I was left speechless, ... I had just met Billy Graham in person.
Billy Graham was 99 years old yesterday!
Happy Birthday!~ St Mark
Netanyahu Tells Russians: We Will Not Allow Iran into Syria ~ by Itamar Eichner
Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu and PM Netanyahu
Wednesday, 18 October 2017 | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russia’s Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu Tuesday that Israel will not allow Iran to entrench its military forces in Syria.
“Iran has to understand that Israel will not allow this,” Netanyahu said during the meeting in Jerusalem, which was also attended by Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
Also during the meeting, Lieberman and Netanyahu also discussed the Iran nuclear deal which President Donald Trump refused to recertify last week.
Netanyahu warned the Russian defense minister that unless the deal is altered, Iran will be able to build up a stockpile of nuclear weapons within 8-10 years.
Prior to the meeting, Shoygu, as part of his two-day trip, was escorted by Lieberman around the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Shoygu arrived in Israel on Monday evening to kick off what is the [first] visit in years by a Russian official in his position to Israel.
His landing came against a background of an attack by the Israel Air Force [IAF] on a Syrian aerial defense battery on Monday morning, which earlier launched a surface-to-air missile towards IAF planes
“This is his first visit, and as his first visit as defense minister, it is of extraordinary importance,” Lieberman said on Monday.
“We greatly appreciate our relationship with Russia, especially the openness and frankness. We don’t always agree but we always speak frankly and openly. We believe that the moment there is open and frank dialogue, any problems can be overcome.”
A day after Shoygu concludes his visit, Lieberman will take off for Washington to meet with US Defense Secretary James Mattis, with Iran occupying the bulk of their focus and Trump’s announcement of a new policy review of the US’s approach to the Iranians and the situation in Syria.
__________________________________
Photo Credit: Haim Zack/GPO
Prayer Focus
Seek the Lord God’s defense and deliverance for Israel from Iran’s efforts to take territory in Syria and expand their nuclear arsenal. Pray that Russia will clearly understand the significance of PM Netanyahu’s message.
Seek the Lord God’s defense and deliverance for Israel from Iran’s efforts to take territory in Syria and expand their nuclear arsenal. Pray that Russia will clearly understand the significance of PM Netanyahu’s message.
Scripture
O Lord my God, in You I have taken refuge; save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me
- Psalm 7:1
Menno Simons to Be Canonized as a Saint by the Catholic Church 😎
~ from The Daily Bonnet 😎
VATICAN CITY
Sixteenth century Anabaptist leader Menno Simons has reached all the necessary prerequisites for canonization and will officially be declared a Saint by Pope Francis in August.
As an ecumenical move, the pontiff said it was time for non-Catholics to join the sainthood, and what better way to start than by adding the most radical reformer of them all.
Simons has met the necessary three miracle minimum as Bethany Sawatzky of Altona, Manitoba is alleged to have found an image of him in her morning waffles. Earlier in the year, Lancaster, Pennsylvania residents flocked to visit young mystic Rebecca Yoder who had visions of Simons at the local garbage dump. A prayer to Menno is also alleged to have been responsible for curing a mild cough that Henry Dick had been suffering from, although it also could have gotten better after Henry consumed a large quantity of black licorice.
Pope Francis is satisfied with the three miracles, noting that, “Anabaptists around the globe have long revered Saint Menno…and now they can officially pray for his divine intervention on their behalf.”
Rosaries featuring Menno’s visage were selling like hotcakes throughout Italy and Kleefeld, Manitoba today.
The Secret That Keeps Men From Singing in Worship
Worshippers stood obediently as the band rocked out, the smoke machine belched and lights flashed. Lyrics were projected on the screen, but almost no one sang them.It happened again yesterday. I was attending one of those hip, contemporary churches—and almost no one sang.
A few women were trying, but I saw only one male (other than the worship leader) making the attempt.
A few months ago, I blogged “Have Christians Stopped Singing?” I did some research, and learned that congregational singing has ebbed and flowed over the centuries. It reached a high tide when I was a young man—but that tide may be going out again.
And that could be bad news for men.
First, a very quick history of congregational singing.
Before the Reformation, laypersons were not allowed to sing in church. They were expected to stand mute as sacred music was performed by professionals (priests and cantors), played on complex instruments (pipe organs) and sung in an obscure language (Latin).
Reformers gave worship back to the people in the form of congregational singing.
They composed simple tunes that were easy to sing, and mated them with theologically rich lyrics. Since most people were illiterate in the 16th century, singing became an effective form of catechism.
Congregants learned about God as they sang about God.
A technological advance—the printing press—led to an explosion of congregational singing.
The first hymnal was printed in 1532, and soon a few dozen hymns became standards across Christendom. Hymnals slowly grew over the next four centuries. By the mid-20th century, every Protestant church had a hymnal of about 1000 songs, 250 of which were regularly sung.
In the church of my youth, everyone picked up a hymnal and sang every verse of every song.
About 20 years ago, a new technological advance—the computer controlled projection screen—entered America’s sanctuaries.
Suddenly, churches could project song lyrics for all to see. Hymnals became obsolete. No longer were Christians limited to 1,000 songs handed down by our elders.
At first, churches simply projected the songs everyone knew—hymns and a few simple praise songs that had come out of the Jesus Movement.
People sang robustly.
But that began to change about 10 years ago.
Worship leaders realized they could project anything on that screen.
So, they brought in new songs each week. They drew from the radio, the Internet and Worship conferences. Some began composing their own songs, performing them during worship and selling them on CD after church.
In short order, we went from 250 songs everyone knows to more than 250,000 songs nobody knows.
Years ago, worship leaders used to prepare their flocks when introducing a new song. “We’re going to do a new song for you now,” they would say. “We’ll go through it twice, and then we invite you to join in.”
That kind of coaching is rare today.
Songs get switched out so frequently that it’s impossible to learn them. People can’t sing songs they’ve never heard. And with no musical notes to follow, how is a person supposed to pick up the tune?
And so, the church has returned to the 14th century.
Worshippers stand mute as professional-caliber musicians play complex instruments, sung in an obscure language.
Martin Luther is turning over in his grave.
What does this mean for men?
On the positive side, men no longer feel pressure to sing in church.
Men who are poor readers or poor singers no longer have to fumble through hymnals, sing archaic lyrics or read a musical staff.
But the negatives are huge.
Men are doers, and singing was one of the things we used to do together in church. It was a chance to participate.
Now, with congregational singing going away, and communion no longer a weekly ordinance, there’s only one avenue left for men to participate in the service—the offering.
Is this really the message we want to send to men? Sit there, be quiet and enjoy the show. And don’t forget to give us money.
There’s nothing wrong with professionalism and quality in church music. The problem isn’t the rock band, or the lights, or the smoke machine.
The key is familiarity. People enjoy singing songs they know.
How do I know? When that super-hip band performed a hymn, the crowd responded with gusto. People sang.
Even the men.
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