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FACTS AND IMPRESSIONS

 

August 12, 2002

Because of our attendance at our American Baptist International Ministries Conference last week we did not have a published thought that week. This week I’d like you to think through these excerpts of a prayerful message from Fred Oaks of the Southport Baptist Church, Indianapolis, IN

"Thank you O God for loving us enough to accept us as we are, and too much to leave us this way…We pray for the healing of the nations. We pray for the rich and powerful nations in which Christians struggle to know how to follow the Prince of Peace, this Jesus who had no place to lay his head and had to borrow a quarter to teach about taxes…We pray for impoverished nations in which crushing debt and scarce resources have led to fierce competition and instability. Help us to see the link connecting the over development of some nations and the underdevelopment of other nations. We pray for so called ‘closed countries,’ and trust that you will continue to make a way where there is no way. We pray for countries in turmoil in which the rule of law has given way to the law of the jungle. Bring order that there might be peace, and peace that there might be development-development in harmony with creation, for even in a quantum universe, there is order. We pray for countries in which the church is persecuted. And we pray as they have asked, not for an end to persecution, but for strength to be faithful in the midst of it, for…strength to love. We pray for the leaders of every nation. May they see their positions as a divine trust and so use their influence not for personal enrichment but as stewards of the hopes and potential of their people. Some nations speak of peace and other nations speak of justice but your Word speaks of that day when peace and justice embrace. We pray for that day!…Lord…you have people everywhere who love you …and want to be nothing else than instruments of your peace. Oh, may we be numbered among them."

Will you join me in making this prayer a theme of our life together.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

201 Oak St.

Mauston, WI 53948-1333 608-8474555

Past Weeks Thoughts:

October "God of the Hills" 10/9/2000 "God of the Lake" 10/16/2000 "God of the Nighttime" 10/23/2000 "God of the Stars" 10/30/2000  
November "God of the Wilderness" 11/6/2000 "We wish to see Jesus" 11/13/2000 "Thanksgiving Meditation" 11/20/2000 "If it's by God..." 11/27/2000  
December "John's Story of Christmas" 12/4/2000 "The Grandparents of Christmas" 12/11/2000 "A Christmas Prayer" 12/18/2000 "New Years Thoughts" 12/25/2000  
January 2001 New Years Eve 1/1/2001 "Let is walk softly" 1/8/01 "His Rod and Staff" 1/16/01 "Attitude" 1/22/2001 "Charis and Eirene" 1/29/2001
February Shine, Jesus, Shine 2/5/2001 A Rabbinical Story 2/12/2001 "They said it couldn't be done" 2/19/2001 The Life of a Useful Man 2/26/2001  

March

"Faith" 3/5/2001

 "God and Meaning" 3/12/2001 "Our Witness" 3/19/2001 "Making a Difference" 3/26/2001  
April Ann's Thoughts- A Memorial 4/2/2001 Ann's Prayer 4/9/2001   Easter Morning 4/30/2001  
May Nine Questions about our World 5/7/2001 Towards a Core Vision 5/14/2001 "Good Morning, God" 5/21/2001 God's Troubled World 5/28/2001  
June A Morning Prayer 6/4/2001 Nelson Mandela Inaugural Speech 6/11/2001 "Stive first for the kingdom..."6/18/2001 Joy and Sorrow 6/25/2001  
July Four Things 7/2/2001 The Present Crisis 7/9/2001 We see dimly 7/16/2001 "Stranger within our gates" 7/23/01  
August Valui and Margaretn 8/6/01 Way to Go! 8/13/01 A Word from the Executive Director 8/20/01 Baptist Community in the Congo 8/27/01  
September Reaching the Unreached 9/3/01 Jesus Wept over Jerusalem 9/10/01   Dominican Republic 9/24/01  
October Opportunities 10/1/01 North Korea 10/8/01 Poland 10/15/01 How Big is your God? 10/29/01  
November Cambodia 11/5/01 Western Sahara 11/12/01 Thanksgiving 11/19/01 Thanksgiving Prayer 11/26/01  
December Going Global 12/3/01 The Gift 12/10/01 Christmas and the Road that Leads Home 12/17/01    
January 2002 A New Years Thought 1/1/02 Goals 1/7/02 A Baby's Hug We Can Overcome 1/28/02 Peace and Holiness 1/28/02
February 2002 How to do it and Hebrews 2/4/02 The Congregation 2/11/02 A Brave Man's Prayer 2/18/02 Shrouded Fire 2/25/02  

March 2002

Guidelines 3/4/2002

My Prayer 3/11/02

Snow 3/18/02

Holy Week 3/25--4/7 2002
April 2002 Dag Hammerskold 4/8/02 The Pathway 4/15/02 The Agony of God 4/22/02 O Brother Man 4/29/02  
May 2002 Values, Belief, Vison & Mission 5/6/02 For Mothers' Everywhere 5/13/02 Discipleship 5/20/02 God, In My Unbelief 5/27/02  
June 2002 Overcoming 6/3/02   Faith in Action Group 6/17/02 Commitment 6/24/02  
July 2002 Christianity and its' Meaning 7/8/02 The Sermon 7/15/02 The Fellowhsip 7/22/02 With Dr. Patrick Pang  
August   Healing of the Nations 8/12/02