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Phillipians 4:6-9 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
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Irrelevant Sacrifice? 8500 men?! Bloodiest battle, completely unnecessary? What a gut wrenching waste… But what about the waste of “lost potential?” Or mis-guided direction or Less-then-honorable goals?
A life that was lived as if nothing really mattered.
It’s the sigh of the death bed, the remorse of old age.
What was my life worth? Where’s the significance? Old movie illustration Someone once said…
“The happiest man is he who is able to integrate the end of his life with its beginning.” i.e. Living as if it DOES matter.
You mean life… like it had a plan & a purpose? Like things mattered? Like i had a direction & reason for my breath? Well, Yes, couldn’t have said it better myself. “So teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom” Psalm 90:12
The Key is to understand & accept the following…
1.God is real. 2.Because of this… life matters & today is the day to begin “It matters” living. Ask: Is my life going anywhere Significant? Do I know where to go…not go… & why? Do I have direction? “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint…” Proverbs 29:18
Something about the cat being away and the mice playing.
G.K. Chesterson “The point of an open mind, like having an open mouth, is to close it on something solid.”
Graduates….God is something “solid”
I have discovered that God allows us to inch to the cliff of despair,
So we’ll recognize our need for Him…
Bryan Chapell Book: Holiness by Grace
A painful rescue The rescue may hurt… But the motive is love!
Familiarity & comfort can be one of the biggest enemies of needed change…
You can either take charge of this; or God will… if He loves you.
We’re used to certain roads & ways of doing things.
It’s called a rut! Maybe Robert Lewis can help?
Excellent book: Raising a Modern Day Knight
Mentions 3 things #1 A Transcendent Cause [something larger than life to live for] Colossians 3:1a Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above… Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
#2 A Vision for Life [A path to follow] Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved…
#3 A Code of Conduct [a guide on the inside] Colossians 3:5a Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: …idolatry. Colossians 3:6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. Colossians 3:8a But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these… Colossians 3:9b …since you have taken off your old self with its practices Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Unashamed Triumph - Focus on the largeness of God. Not the mountain of problems…Live out the grace you’ve received.
Not ashamed #13 Romans 12 4/15/12
Fox News 4/11/12 BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – An Argentine woman who insisted on visiting her premature baby in the morgue after being told it had died found the child alive after 12 hours. Analia Bouter was just six months pregnant when she gave birth to her daughter, and said the medical staff told her the baby showed no signs of life when it was born… Bouter went with her husband to the morgue's refrigerated room… When she opened the drawer containing the child and heard a whimper and saw signs of life, she thought she was hallucinating. Doctors say the girl is now in good condition. Her parents have named her Luz Milagros - which means miracles…
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Is your name Luz Milagros? A.k.a. Mrs. Miracle? Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Adapted from Fox News 4/3/12: An 80-year-old Wisconsin woman successfully landed a twin-engine plane after her 81 year old pilot husband became unconscious and later died…His wife, who had no flying experience, called on the radio for help. The Door County Cherryland Airport in northeast Wisconsin sent a second plane up to help coach the woman down. "She's not a licensed pilot and has very little on flying an aircraft," said Door County Sheriff Terry Vogel.
The plane then began to run out of fuel and the right engine lost power. With the help of the second pilot, the woman was able to successfully land the plane."We got him up into an aircraft and he felt it was easier for him to give her instructions, for him to determine for instance, her speed in the air and how to instruct how to successfully land that aircraft," Vogel said.
She suffered minor injuries. Her husband was pronounced dead on the ground."We're very proud of her for doing what she did. It was a very difficult situation with her husband unconscious next to her. It took a lot to collect her thoughts and get that thing landed," Vogel said.
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What’s your story?Has something died? Something spinning out of control? Crashing? Hope? Dreams? Your character? A relationship? A loved one? Feels like we have fly this [life] Story by ourselves. Fuel is low. Engine flamed out. We’re going down!
Don’t know what I’m doing. Sometimes it feels like we spend our entire lives struggling with the controls of a crashing airplane… a.k.a. our life!
Oh, how we need someone “in the air…” Right there with us! Guiding us in…Meet “two men in a plane…”
Luke 24:13a Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus…
Luke 24:14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
I was In Joplin soon after last May’s tornado.Everywhere I went… do you know what people were talking about? Everyone had “a story.” Loss, tragedy, fear---- & for some, thankfulness.
Like, Jim Holland: Jets? Had to literally run for his life… his story? Never been THAT afraid in his life. Or
My new friend from the Blendville Church… He just got everyone down to safety & I was caught in the stairwell… “Then comes affliction to awaken the dreamer” Soren Kierkegaard
Listen to this Story…Luke 24:15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; What was the purpose of this intersection of stories?
It was a special, special act of intentional love.2 men. 1 shared Story.
Men… [all God’s ladies would say… well, there’s the problem! Men!]
Who Hadn’t quite grasped the situation. They had knowledge… but hadn’t applied the lessons.
To “awaken the dreamer…” “Powerful Knowledge must transpose into our life narrative.”
Some very special friends of mine, Thursday gathered around me & prayed for me.
Asked me how this Easter would be different for me… they knew… they just wanted to hear me say it.
Words: “I am the Resurrection and the Life…” A story that has transposed my life--- via death. What was Jesus up to with these two men on “the road to Emmaus?”
Bible says… … they were kept from recognizing him. Luke 24:16
God does many things out of His mercy
to bring maximum effect, by maximizing opportunity.
Notice what Jesus did to get them to think
God uses the tools of His “Working all things together for the Good” actions…
To Profoundly awaken us to His Story----
then, & often only then can we find our story in His Story.
Luke 24:17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
luke 24:17b They stood still, their faces downcast.
Everyone of us TODAY is a Greek Language expert… because we can easily translate verse 18…
Luke 24:18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
Exact Greek translation?
“Are you kidding me?”
Jesus may have thought: No! I’m not! ‘Cause My story
is still not being recited in your heart!
We know the facts… but we have not coupled them with Faith & have not made it our life story.
Easter. Big Deal! He’s dead, now He’s alive… so what?
I know, I Know; He came alive on the 3rd day…
what’s for lunch? I can fly this plane by myself! Who needs a pilot? Who needs 2 engines?
Do you need a wakening dose of affliction, o’ Dreamer!
Does the pilot have to be dead---
the engines to be aflame---
And you in a droning death spiral, racing to meet the solid Earth from 10,000 feet!
Before--- you consider how valuable a safe landing to be?
How is Resurrection Sunday for you Phil?
I –am--- awake--- & no longer dreaming… Lord.
Affliction has transposed my life narrative. I love vs. 19… the Master Teacher @ His best…
I love the Lord. I love how he patiently leads us to His Story.
He wants to Hear [from our Hearts]
how His Story has affected our Story.
Luke 24:19 “What things?” he asked.
[you can cut their anxious frustration with this stranger who has recently lived in obvious oblivion!]
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
Clopas… listen to what you’re saying!
If He was such… do you REALLY think His Story has ended?
Listen to “pitiful.” Ever heard Pitiful?
You’re about to be introduced to Pitiful in all of its stubborn glory… Luke 24:21b … we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel….
But… it’s been 3 days…
Wow. What does it take?
Have you given up on God? Set aside Christ… for the “reasonable life?”
Let me tell you: Your plane is going down. Smoke bellowing from engine #2 Low on fuel. The pilot is dead.
You’re at the controls. You’re on your own. It would seem.
But wait. Someone has responded to your Mayday, Mayday!
A stone from THE grave has rolled back. Hope lives. He’ll put His hands over yours… guiding the controls. Make His story yours.
The Story Finding Your Story in God’s Story Luke 24:13-25 You’re invited… Resurrection Day Services April 8th @ 10:00 AM Plus, take note of these other special events…
8:30 -10:00 AM Get your picture taken for the Church photo board. 8:30 - 9:30 Easter breakfast, in the Fellowship Café [gym] 9:00 -9:55 Special Easter Video [in the gym] No Sunday School classes. This video is for all ages.
1. "The Bible" by God. 2. "Radical" by David Platt 3. "The Most Important Place on Earth" by Robert Wolgemuth 4. "Tempted & Tried" by Russell D. Moore 5. "Making Children Mind without Losing Yours" by Kevin Leman 6. "The Rest of God" by Mark Buchanan
You and your Family are invited Free Meal Every Wednesday 6:00 -7:00 PM
Oswego Christian Church's Gym!
Begins January 18th, 2012
Each evening has a limited supply of food, once it's gone, serving will end for that evening. Call for information or for availability of food. 795.2637.
Families may also visit the food pantry and/or clothing Ministry at the Church. The Church will also be taking your prayer requests. The Bread of Life Ministry: Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35
Oswego Christian Church has a food pantry and clothing ministry available to the community of Oswego and the surrounding area. Times are tough for several families in Southeast Kansas people have lost their jobs and others are trying to seek new employment with similar compensation and benefits. There are people that may have the blessings of receiving assistance from others, but some families are in need of a little help.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need food Oswego Christian church food pantry is available. Perhaps you are paying bills but you can't stretch it far enough to buy the needed clothes for yourself or your family, you are welcome to stop by and receive some food or search through the clothing available to assist you in getting through this rough time.
If you need food assistance, we have already made bags of food with a variety of dinners available. For the clothing ministry, there are clothes available for men, women, and children in most sizes. Those needing clothes are welcome to look around and find what you need.
Oswego Christian Church is located at 11048A US HWY 59 on the south side of Oswego, KS. The offices are open from 8:00 to 3:30 Monday thru Friday.
Wednesday nights from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. is also an opportunity to participate in the community dinner. The food pantry and clothing ministries are available during this time also.
You can contact the office at 620-795-2637 for more information.
Adapted from Fox News 4/3/12: An 80-year-old Wisconsin woman successfully landed a twin-engine plane after her 81 year old pilot husband became unconscious and later died…His wife, who had no flying experience, called on the radio for help. The Door County Cherryland Airport in northeast Wisconsin sent a second plane up to help coach the woman down. "She's not a licensed pilot and has very little on flying an aircraft," said Door County Sheriff Terry Vogel.
Phil's reading list as of March 1, 2012:
