Watermarked by David Faust from The Lookout January 2010

Transcription

1 The Morrowville Messenger January Volume 2014 Issue 1 Watermarked by David Faust from The Lookout January 2010 When my wife Candy was a young girl her dad used to tell her, Always remember who you are and who you represent. That's a good rule to follow. But who are you, really? Did you ever look at piece of high-quality paper and notice a faint but distinct image imbedded in the paper? It's called a watermark. When you hold the paper up to the light, you see a pattern made by varying the thickness in the paper. A watermark is used for dating documents and for identifying the paper's quality. A watermark is not on the paper. It's actually in the paper. When you were conceived in your mother's womb, the Lord put his watermark in your soul. You belong uniquely to him and bear his image a fact dramatically restated when you place your faith in Christ and are baptized into him. No matter what you look like on the outside, no matter how many moments or years since you were conceived, the bright light of God's truth shows who you really are and knowing who you are changes everything. My granddaughter goes to school (she's in first grade) and rides her bike. That's what she does, but it's not who she is. She's a precious creation of God. Ben Utecht plays tight-end in the NFL. That's what he does, but it's not who he is. He is a Christian who uses his skill as an athlete and a musician to honor the Lord. Karen Carnahan serves as president over a division of a large company. That's how she makes her living but it's not all she lives for. Karen is a serious Christian devoting her life to the service of God. Henry David Thoreau wrote, The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. He contemplated how terrible it would be if when I came to die, [I] discover I had not lived. But that won't happen if we remember who we are. Russ Blowers served for years as the senior minister of East 91 st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis. He attended the local Rotary Club, and when it was time for him to formally introduce himself to the group he didn't want to give a predictable response and say, I'm a minister, so he said: Hi, I'm Russ Blowers. I'm with a global enterprise. We have branches in every country in the world. We have representatives in nearly every parliament and boardroom on earth. We're into motivation and behavior alteration. We run hospitals, feeding stations, crisispregnancy centers, universities, publishing houses, and nursing homes. We care for our clients from birth to death. We are into life insurance and fire insurance. We perform spiritual heart transplants. Our original Organizer owns all the real estate on earth plus an assortment of galaxies and constellations. He knows everything and lives everywhere. Our product is free for the asking. (There's not enough money to buy it.) Our CEO was born in a hick town, worked as a carpenter, didn't own a home, was misunderstood by his family and hated by his enemies, walked on water, was condemned to death without a trial, and arose from the dead. I talk with him every day. Remember who you are and who you represent. You are a jar of clay where the Creator of the universe has deposited priceless treasure. You are the light of the world reflecting rays from the source of Light himself. Your heavenly Father wove you into a unique and incomparable creation. No one has your DNA or your fingerprints. No one else has your social network and your circle of influence. No one else has your God-given opportunities to serve. Even if you're a twin, you are one of a kind. You bear the watermark of God.

2 Matthew s Thoughts Over the past few months I have heard more and more negative things about our government. The failed healthcare rollout, the increasing insurance costs, the leaked information about spying they are involved in, a multi million dollar vacation to Hawaii for Christmas the list just goes on and on. Even the liberal media is in on criticizing the president, but the real issue I ve been wrestling with is should the church? I claim to follow the Bible. I was taught Speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where it is silent. Have no authority outside or above the Bible, and don t pick and choose what you will follow because you must either follow it all or none of it. All of these sayings sound great until you come to a text like Romans 13:1-7 or 1 Peter 2:13-17 that say Honor the President, then things get a lot tougher. After all we are a nation founded on rebellion. Our founding fathers rebelled against the king of England, our national idols, movie stars, and favorite singers are all rebels, even our children are expected to go through a rebellious stage sometime in their teen years, but is this idea biblical? Romans 13 really challenges my faith sometimes, because it says 3 very tough things. First it says to be subject to every governing authority, second it claims that there is no authority except from God. That literally means Obama was selected, appointed, and elected president of the USA by God s design. I understand there is a time and a place for rebellion against authority, Hitler was killing people, Nero was burning them alive, Bashar al-assad is bombing and starving millions. But Obama well, he is forcing some of us to pay more for our healthcare, and giving others healthcare where they couldn t even qualify before. There is a huge difference between those men. The third and final thing Romans 13 says that really makes me stop and think about what we are or aren t saying about the government is verse 5. Be in subjection (to the rulers) for the sake or your conscience and to avoid God s wrath. I may not approve of what this current administration is doing, but I will show him the honor and respect that his office is due. How about you? Inside this issue Look out.. 1 Matthew s Thoughts 2 Looking back at Christmas....3 A Special Gift.4 Birthdays, Those Serving.5 Missions..6 Prayer Chain Call Marcella if you need to put someone on the prayer chain, either for prayer or praise. Or Shellie at: shellie_baxter2006@yahoo.com Contact Information Terry Frager Chairman of the Board Home phone: (785) Church Phone: (785) Sunday School Worship Worship Times 9:30 AM 10:30 AM In service to God The Messenger staff: Steve Wright, Marcella Durst, Matthew & Heather Carder, and Jim & Rose Applegarth. Just a reminder to let everyone know that our church offers announcement and prayer chain s. If there is someone that is not getting our s and would like to, they could e- mail Shellie Baxter and ask to be added. Thanks so much! shellie_baxter2006@yahoo.com Visit us on the web at: 2

3 Operation Christmas Child Thanks to all of you who participated in Operation Christmas Child. My family had a great deal of fun as we shopped and planned for our shoeboxes, knowing that some child will be blessed directly by our efforts. Many of you have told me how much fun it is to pack your boxes as well. Morrowville Christian Church sent sixteen shoe boxes this year. That's a few more than in the past. The boxes go from Morrowville to Belleville, then to Salina and over to the processing center in Denver, CO. This year, ours were again delivered to Mexico, a counrty so close yet so far away from us, as they struggle with high crime and poverty rates. Please continue to pray for the kids who have received our boxes. They have also been given the gospel storybook, The Greatest Gift, and they have an opportunity to go through a discipleship program called, The Greatest Journey. Pray that they and their families may experience the life-changing knowledge of God's love. BIRTH AN- NOUNCEMENT Brandon and Amber(Miller) Dux are the parents of a new little daughter. Her name is Haylea Elizabeth, she was born Nov. 19, She weighed 8 lbs. 11 oz. and was 20 long! Haylea has a BIG brother, Weston, who is 2. Grandpa and Grandma are Matt and Lori Miller. Great Grandpa and Grandma are Darrel and Evelyn Portenier. LEAVE CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS Christmas without Christ? Tell me, how can it be? So many people change it To suit themselves, you see. Can t we say Merry Christmas Instead of Happy Holidays? We take Christ out of Christmas In so many different ways. It is nice to exchange gifts This special time of the year, But what do we give to Christ, Our Redeemer and Savior so dear? Christ is really what makes it A genuine Christmas season. If we take Him out of Christmas, We celebrate for the wrong reason. I want Christ in my Christmas, For inside my heart Jesus lives. Jesus can be your Savior too, For free salvation He gives. Christmas in Morrowville The week of Christmas at Morrowville Christian Church began with breakfast at 9:00 am on Sunday. At 9:30 we all headed into the sanctuary where the ladies of Eternity Focus led the worship service for us. It was great having them back again. They have truly been given a gift from God and it is beautiful thing when they share it with others. The traditional Christmas Eve service was held again this year. Brian and Cheryl Skupa did an excellent job of planning the program and working with the kids, teenagers, and adults involved to put on a wonderful program that showed what Christmas is really all about. 3

4 A Special Gift Submitted by Jim Frager An elderly lady hurried into a local department store to grab a few last minute Christmas gifts. When she saw the crowd she grumbled, "I'll be in here forever --- I have so much to do." Christmas had become a struggle for her. She wished she could just sleep through Christmas as she entered an over flowing toy department. "Look at the prices of all these toys --- I wonder if the grandkids will even play with them," she mumbled again. She worked her way shoulder to shoulder into the doll aisle. Her eye caught a little boy about five holding a lovely doll. He was touching her hair and held her so gently. She found herself staring at the little boy wondering whom the doll was for. She watched him turn to a woman while calling out, "Aunty, are you sure I don't have enough money?" Aunty replied impatiently as she scolded him, "You know that you don't have enough money for that doll." She told the little boy to stay right there, that she had to buy a blanket and would be back in a few minutes. The little boy continued to hold the doll. After a bit the elderly lady asked him, "Who is the doll for?" He said, "It is the doll my sister wanted so badly for Christmas. She just knew that Santa would bring it." The elderly lady spoke again, "Maybe Santa was going to bring it?" He said, "No, Santa can't go where my sister is, I have to give the doll to my mommy to take to her". The elderly lady asked him, "Where is your sister." He looked at her with the saddest eyes and said, "She has gone to be with Jesus. My daddy says that mommy too is going to be with my sister and Jesus for Christmas". The elderly lady s heart nearly stopped beating. Then the little boy looked at her again and said, "I told my daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store." Then he asked her if she wanted to see his picture. She told him, "I would love to". He pulled out some pictures he'd had taken at the front of the store. He said, "I want my mommy to take these with her when she goes to meet my sister and Jesus so she won't ever forget me. I love my mommy so very much and I wish she did not have to leave me. But daddy says she will need to be with my sister together with Jesus." The elderly lady looked on as the little boy lowered his head and grew very quiet. While he was not looking the elderly lady reached into her purse and pulled out a handful of dollar bills. She asked the little boy, "Shall we count that money one more time?" He grew excited and said, "Yes, I just know it has to be enough." So she slipped her money in with his and they began to count it out loud. Of course it was plenty for the doll. He softly said, "Thank you Jesus, for giving me enough money." Then the little boy said, "I had prayed and asked Jesus to give me enough money to buy this doll so mommy can take it with her to give to my sister. And Jesus heard my prayer. I also asked Him for enough to buy my mommy a white rose. She loves white roses so very, very much." In a few minutes Aunty came back just as the elderly lady wheeled her cart away. She could not keep from thinking about the little boy as she finished her shopping in a totally different spirit than when she had started. That's when she remembered a story the local newspaper reported. The newspaper reported several days earlier that a car accident took the life of a little girl and the mother was in critical condition. Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story? Two days later the local newspaper reported that the young woman had died. She could not forget the little boy and just kept wondering if the two were somehow connected. Later that day the elderly lady bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home. There the mother was laying holding a single white rose, the beautiful doll and the picture of the little boy in front of the store. The elderly lady left there in tears, her life changed forever. The love that little boy had for his sister and his mother was overwhelming. And sure enough just as the little boy had said --- his mother was taking the doll to his sister and they would all be together with Jesus for Christmas. 4

5 November 2013 Let s Help Them Celebrate! 1/4 Ethan Sweetser 1/11 Evelyn Portenier 1/12 Hannah Brown 1/20 Elizabeth Wright 1/23 Dorothy Grove 1/24 Vicki Slater 1/28 Lesa Wood 1/29 Chrissi Bjork 1/3 John & Linda Klozenbucher 1/31 Jim & Gaylynn Jones Those Serving in January Communion Mediation Closing Prayer Greeters Communion Preparation 5 Gerry Frager Don Grove Steve & Della Goldsberry Lesa Wood 12 Steve Goldsberry Brian Skupa Ed and Jennifer Durst Lesa Wood 19 Jim Frager Jim Applegarth Rich & Shellie Baxter Lesa Wood 26 Don Grove John Durst Retha Parrack Lesa Wood 5

6 MISSION OUTLOOK As I write this article, 2013 is nearly over and time to think about any changes (if any) that we might want to make to our missions program for At our last board meeting we took a look at our mission giving versus our income. I am happy to say that we are at approximately 28% going to our various missions. What a blessing it is to be involved with a church congregation and board that understands the great blessings we have received because of our willingness to give rather than only looking at ourselves and the 'almighty' dollar. The missions we support are probably some of the best we could ever hope for. All of them are excellent when it comes to how much of the support they receive that is applied to the administrative side of the ledger. They strive diligently to make sure that their work in the Kingdom of God is producing as much fruit as possible. A.R.M. International Prison Ministries, Rapha House, International Disaster Emergency Service (IDES), and Deaf Missions are a few of the missions we have supported for a long time and plan to continue to support. Their wise stewardship of funds and their tremendous impact and influence they have at reaching those who need help, both spiritually and physically, makes this an easy decision. What is hard is not being able to give substantially more than we currently do. We have also had the opportunity to see some new mission areas pop up that warrant taking a closer look at. Our January board meeting is the time we always determine what we plan to do for the year. Please keep our missions program and our upcoming decisions in your prayers. Also, if you feel the call to be involved in our mission program or if there is a particular mission that God has laid on your heart, please let me know. Jim Applegarth Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Morrowville, KS Permit #1 Morrowville Messenger P.O. Box 95 Morrowville, KS ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED 6