Tuesday

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord!

Call upon His name;

make known His deeds among the peoples!”

~Psalm 105:1~

 

Joan Hagan says she will be sore, be did not break anything in the fall yesterday. Please continue to remember her in your prayers.

 

 

Jesse Dean is progressing. Therapy is very tiring for him, but he is slowing getting stronger. Please keep Jesse and Majel in your prayers.

 

 

IMB ANNUAL STAFF RETREAT. Thank you for praying for the staff of the International Mission Board, SBC, on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 22 and 23. Our offices are closed for our Annual Staff Retreat, and we are excited to spend these days hearing from the Lord. Dr. David Platt from The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, is challenging us under the theme “Desperate,” and the Scripture, ‘Now show me Your glory…’ (Exodus 33:18).” Jeremy Welborn of Grove Avenue Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia, is leading our music. Jerry Rankin will encourage us in a session we are calling, “Celebrating Who We Are.” Please ask the Lord to refresh the staff and build new bonds of friendship. Thank you for partnering with us in prayer.

I received the note below this morning in regards to my cousin’s wife M.
Thank you for praying for her.
Melinda

Thank you all so much for all the love and prayers and for passing me on to your prayer partners. I saw a wonderful doctor down at Harris Methodist Hospital here in Dallas with Texas Oncology. He came here in ’99 from MD Anderson in Houston and has been practicing Gynecological Oncology for more than 25 years. That being said, I feel very comfortable and confident in his expertise. He was not happy with the pathology report, according to him it was “sketchy” and did not identify the tumor
type with accuracy. So he is sending my biopsies to the group of
pathologists that he trusts and says have never let him down. He wants the cancer to be identified with 100% accuracy…so do I!!! I go to have a full body scan on Friday to make sure there are no other tumors growing anywhere else in my body and to make sure that the cancer has not spread.

On exam today…praise the Lord…he did not find any indication that the tumor had spread into the bladder or the colon!!! He said that surgery is not an option, tumors of this size are too big for surgery and that it is too hard to surgically remove all of the cancer cells. Also, the uterus is a great focal point for the radiation so we want to keep it there. So…we go for the scan on Friday, the new group of pathologists are reading the biopsies, we have our next appointment with the doctor on May
4th where we will review the results and hear the doctors “game plan” which will most likely begin with radiation.

On another note, as many of you knew we do not have health insurance. The clinic that I am going to works especially for the uninsured. We will be responsible for 30% of the cost which who knows how much this could run. Please be in prayer that God will work all of this out for us.

Thank you all again for the prayers…but don’t stop now, please!!!
Love you all,
M

KneEmail
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10).
Mike Benson, Editor

IT’S WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1994…

You are a passenger aboard flight 2033 from Seoul, South Korea to the resort island of Cheju. You and 151 fellow-vacationers are looking forward to a much-needed rest.

The jetliner is only moments from touchdown. You glance out the thick, two-ply window. The plane is scarcely 30 feet off the ground, but it’s obviously moving far too fast. The runway is soaked from a local tropical storm and wind shear is making the landing all-the-more precarious. When the aircraft does reach the earth, it is more than 1,700 meters beyond the landing threshold. A harrowing, split second later the plane crashes through a guard post and then slams into the airport safety barricade. You are terror-stricken.

The two cockpit occupants escape out the nearest window. With the assistance of the six-member cabin crew, you and your seat-mates escape only moments before the plane is engulfed in flames.

A Transportation Ministry investigation reveals the incredible news. The flight was on final approach when a conflict arose between the Captain and co-pilot. That’s right, a conflict. The real reason for the crash wasn’t because of inclement weather, but because of a clash of wills.

Co-pilot, Chung Chan-kyu, asked Captain Barry Woods numerous times whether he wanted to “go around.” (Chan-kyu was convinced that there was not sufficient distance for the Airbus to land safely without crossing the end of Runway 6). When Woods said, “No,” Chan-kyu grabbed the throttles to take control. The two argued and scuffled as the plane hurtled toward the ground. Transcripts from the flight report that the Captain shouted, “No!” “No!” and “What are you doing?! Don’t… Wait, man… You’re gonna kill us!”

As I read the story, I found myself wondering aloud, “Who was in charge of the plane…?!” Only one of the pilots had the right to land the craft, but neither would relinquish his power.

“Who’s going to be first?” “Who’s going to land the plane?” That sounds a lot like the apostles to me. They fussed over the same fundamental issue. When Jesus announced that He would “be betrayed into the hands of men” (Luke 9:44), the twelve began a verbal “tussle” over who would take charge when he was gone. The text says, “Then an argument arose among them as to who should be greatest” (Luke 9:46, Phillips). (The King James version translates the word argument as “reasoning;” the term in the Greek is dialogismos and refers to a heated debate). As improbable as it may sound, the very men whom Jesus taught and trained often wrangled (Matthew 20:20-28; Mark 9:34; Luke 22:24) for position and status over what they believed would be (Acts 1:6) the future kingdom.

I’ve come to the conclusion that “Who’s going to be first?” is THE underlying issue; it is THE core problem — in most arguments. Folks want power; they want to be first. In a manner of speaking, they want to “grab the throttles” and control the plane themselves. People are strange, aren’t they? They want the front of the bus, the back of the church, and the center of attention. Chan-kyu and Woods did. The apostles did. We do. Think about it, and you will probably agree. Nobody wants to be second in command; nobody wants to play second fiddle. And that is why disagreements arise.

When church members have a “falling-out,” it is usually over power issues and who’s going to be in control. When married partners quarrel, it is often over who is going to be in charge of the checkbook and how money is to be spent. When siblings argue, it is typically over who’s going to be first. “Why is his piece of cake bigger than mine?!” “Why does he get to stay out past midnight, but I have to be in before 11:00?” When nations war and fight, it is typically over which country is going to dominate and rule. When presidential candidates vie for political office, it is always over “who’s going to fly the plane.” Both Democrats and Republicans want to “grab the throttles” and take the lead in our country.

When arguments do occur, I find it helpful to take a step backwards and ask, “What’s happening here?” “Why are people fussing?” You see, once we can determine the actual cause (i.e., pride) of the discord, we then can begin to work on a solution, just as Jesus did. He used a little child to illustrate the real way to “first place” and greatness. The Bible says, “Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great'” (Luke 9:46-48 NKJV).

What was Jesus’ point? Simply that if you want to be “high,” you must first — like a child — be “low” (i.e., humble, 1 Peter 5:6). You must manifest a serving nature (John 13:1ff) and lack the personal, selfish ambition (Philippians 2:3,4; Galatians 5:26; Romans 12:10) that is so prevalent among adults. You must imbibe the spirit of Christ (Philippians 2:5-11) and “receive” (i.e., assist) others.

Have you been in argument lately? Are you ready to “grab the throttles?” (Don’t feel too bad, the apostles could relate). Look at a small child…and remember. (Mike Benson)
KneEmail: “And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many'” (Matt. 20:24-28).

I’ve witnessed many a power struggle. I’m sure you have too. Let’s pray we will be submissive to God as the authority.

Anna Lee