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Having trouble viewing this e-mail? You can read it online at: http://www.heart4teens.com/The_Bible_the_original_transformer
If you enjoy this free email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of teenagers everywhere! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, you can join Heart4Teens.com readers around the world by visiting: http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Heart4Teens
Stop by our web site to view past stories or to browse through the tons of resources we have there for teens!
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Michael's updated book Heart Touchers "Life-Changing Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter," for just $13.95. Autographed copies are available at no extra charge and we will pay the shipping for you. An e-book is also available for $3.25.
Visit the link below to preview the book. http://www.Heart4Teens.com/books
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The Bible: The Original Transformer
I'll admit, even as a grown man mind you, that I think the Transformers movies are pretty cool. There, I said it - and I don't feel an ounce less mature.
Maybe it's the CGI magic and enough explosions to leave your ears ringing for a week? I'm sorry - what did you say?
Or perhaps because the US Air Force (the branch in which I served) is actually portrayed in an awesome light? Go USAF!
For sure it's also because of the films' attempts at putting an engaging plot line together:
First Transformers: Autobots good.Decepticons bad.transform.battle.blow up everything.the end.
Second Transformers: Autobots good.Decepticons bad.lather, rinse, repeat.the end
But who cares, right? A movie about robots trying to destroy the universe should be a big budget bloated behemoth that has more product placement than a 50 Cent video.
There is one element of Revenge of the Fallen, though, that I found interesting. Without giving anything away that you haven't already seen on the 57 different trailers for Transformers, did you notice the whole ancient clues that lead to a key element' thing? In this film, Sam has some sort of Allspark hangover and has his Witwicky head full of visions of the past that lead to a critical talisman that somehow the Decepticons lost a bajillion years ago.or something like that.
Annnnyway.isn't there something fascinating about ancient signs that lead to incredible discoveries? Especially if they are verified, tested, and legit.
What would you think if I told you that there was a book, an ancient book in fact, that was put together by 40 different authors, took 1,500 years to complete, yet somehow managed to maintain one basic theme, and never contradicted itself on any subject? Would you be at least a *wee* bit interested?
Of course I'm talking about the Bible. The dusty old book of rules and regulations that people have used for an excuse for just about every kind of awful behavior - or at least some folks think of it that way.
But there are others who know about the true nature of the Bible, which is supernatural. How do we know this? Pretty simple. Not only does it have a remarkable history and life changing content, it has one other factor that definitely makes it the Allspark' of all literature:
Fulfilled prophecy.
Yep, a lotta people over a lotta years have predicted things that might happen in the future - heck you could probably drive over to the interesting' side of town right now and get your future predicted by the Crazy-R-Us folks (but don't really).
That's not what is contained in the Bible. There are over 2,500 prophetic statements that are amazingly specific and even unlikely - and they all (not some or most) came true exactly as predicted.
We could make more than a two and a half hour movie about this and we still would not cover the mind-blowing nature of what is predicted and fulfilled in Scripture, but here is a short list that I hope will serve a trailer to get your interest:
Hundreds of years before it happened, prophets in the Bible predicted the utter destruction of the mightiest city in the ancient world, Babylon. At the time, people laughed at how ridiculous such an idea would be, yet that's exactly what happened in 539 BC.
There are over 300 separate prophecies about Jesus Christ. They include the exact location of His birth, the miracles He would accomplish, the type of death He would encounter, and that He would come back from the dead. Three of them that amaze me are:
His body would be pierced. (Zechariah 12:10; Ps. 22:16 compare John 20:25, 27)
Not a bone of His would be broken. (Numbers 9:12 compare John 19:31-36)
He would be buried with the rich. (Isaiah 53:9 compare Matthew 27:57, 60)
What's so amazing about these three? Well, for one thing, the prophecy about His body being pierced is a reference to crucifixion hundreds of years before it was invented! And when people were crucified, they broke their legs, so if you're going to prophesy crucifixion, you'd best not predict no broken bones.
Yet Jesus died before they needed to break His legs.simply amazing.
And buried with the rich'? Jesus was homeless, so how would he get that gig? Again, highly unlikely, yet a rich man named Joseph donated his own grave out of love for Jesus.
All 300 prophecies about Jesus have been tested, verified, and found legit. The odds of just those being fulfilled exactly are 1 in 10 25 (that's 1 in 10 with 25 zeroes after it!).
Put simply, the Bible is the most amazing book ever put together - that's why it can make this statement with credibility:
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)
The Bible is the book of clues and images for how we can find an amazing adventure of a life serving the God who made the universe. So don't be deceived into thinking that Scripture is on par with other religious books' - it is definitely not.
In fact, think of the Bible as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth and you'll be transformed in ways you never thought possible!
Source: Dare2Share.org
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Creation Q & A
Q: Did birds evolve from dinosaurs?
A: The notion that theropod dinosaurs evolved into birds has almost certainly become one of the most widely accepted "facts" of evolution. The question for many evolutionary researchers had transitioned from "if" to "how." Even artists' depictions of some dinosaurs (such as velociraptors) began to include feathers. Except for a few notable critics, such as University of North Carolina paleobiologist Alan Feduccia, evolutionists seem to have all but agreed on birds' dinosaurian origins.
Now, a new paper in the Journal of Morphology presents the research of two Oregon State University scientists who don't agree with the evolutionary dogma on bird origins. Doctoral student Devon Quick conducted the investigation into bird breathing and its connection with dinosaur-to-bird evolution as part her dissertation.
The research hingesalmost literallyon the femur (upper leg bone) of birds. Unlike other walking creatures, a bird's femur does not move significantly, and birds instead articulate the lower portion of their leg to walk or run. Quick's surprising discovery is that this "knee running" anatomy, with nearly fixed femur bones and musculature, is crucial in preventing a bird's air-sac lung from collapsing whenever the bird takes a breath.
Quick explained, "This is fundamental to bird physiology. It's really strange that no one realized this before. The position of the thigh bone and muscles in birds is critical to their lung function, which in turn is what gives them enough lung capacity for flight."
Dinosaurs lack this fixed femur, however, and that includes the theropod dinosaurs from which birds supposedly evolved. Oregon State zoologist John Ruben, a coauthor on the paper, commented, "Theropod dinosaurs had a moving femur and therefore could not have had a lung that worked like that in birds. Their abdominal air sac, if they had one, would have collapsed. That undercuts a critical piece of supporting evidence for the dinosaur-bird link."
To learn more about this incredible new research debunking a common evolutionary claim, read Birds Did Not Evolve from Dinosaurs, Say Evolutionists at: http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2009/06/12/birds-did-not-evolve
Source: AnswersinGenesis.org
Creation News
Click on the Bible above or visit the web site listed below!
http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Creation_News
This new addition to our web site will give you an article on the leading news in the Creation/Evolution controversy each day. This section also includes a rotating Question and Answer feature and a weekly Creation Comic strip from the people at AnswersInGenesis.org. Be sure to come back and visit each day for an informative article that will help you keep up to date on the latest news in this controversial area!
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Thought For The Day
"You can always tell a real friend: When you've made a fool of yourself he doesn't feel you've done a permanent job." --Lawrence J. Peter
Verse for the Day
"He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends." -- Proverbs 17:9 Amp
Teen's Thought For The Day
"Good enough is neither good, nor enough."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Any kid will run any errand for you if you ask at bedtime." --Red Skelton
Coach's Thought For The Day
"This department requires no physical fitness program. Everyone gets enough exercise jumping to conclusions, flying off the handle, running down the boss, knifing friends in the back, dodging responsibility, and pushing their luck."
Writer's Thought For the Day
"I get to stand up there and read to a bunch of adults who in many cases nobody's read to in years, since they were about five. They just squat on the floor. That's enormously enjoyable." -- Author, Neil Gaiman
Creation/Evolution Thought For The Day
"The main problem in reconstructing the origins of man is lack of fossil evidence: all there is could be displayed on a dinner table." - New Scientist 20 May 1982 pg 491.
Deep Thought For The Day
"In elementary school, in case of fire you have to line up quietly in single-file line from smallest to tallest. What is the logic? Do tall people burn slower?"
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Author MICHAEL T. POWERS Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Christian Teenage Soul and 28 other inspirational books.
Over 175,000 people have listened to popular Chicken Soup Author Michael T. Powers' free inspirational message entitled: "Breathing Life into Others". If you aren't one of them just visit: http://www.Heart4Teens.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message!
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
ALL-STAR Youth Ministry
--The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI
Check out our youth group! If you are in 7-12th grade and live in the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois area come check us out! Jr. High meets on Sunday mornings from 9:30 am - 10:30 am. High School age meets on Sunday night from 6:30-8:00 pm at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerne Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 3 blocks south-east of the Pontiac Convention Center.)
Currently we have students from Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Franklin, Edison, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, and Beloit Turner. E-mail me back if you have any questions about our weekly meetings or would like to come to any of our events that are listed below... We have way too much fun and then, most importantly, talk about issues that are relevant to you as a teenager.
This Week: June 28
Jr. High -- 9:30 am - 10:30 am - "His Words in My Heart" High School -- 6:30 - 8:00 pm - "His Words in My Heart"
Visit our youth website to see our topics up through the year 2010! http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/upcoming_topics
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Teen Community Groups
6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights -- These groups are limited to no more than ten teens and are split into Jr. High and High School ages. This night is for those teens who want to dig deeper than what we do on Sundays. These cell groups will also be doing special activities with each other as the year goes on to build community.
Both Jr. High and High School will meet in the youth room this summer!
This Week July 1:
Bible Study on Proverbs and Outdoor Grass Volleyball!
For more info on our small groups, visit: http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/small_groups
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Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you? http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Life_Purpose
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