Oswald cuts to the quick!

Few words have ever cut so deep or told as much truth as these from Luke 19 and Oswald Chambers this morning. Thank you Holy Spirit.

April 3, 2008
'If You Had Known!'
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If you had known . . . in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes —Luke 19:42
Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly and the city was stirred to its very foundations, but a strange god was there-the pride of the Pharisees. It was a god that seemed religious and upright, but Jesus compared it to "whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness" ( Matthew 23:27 ).
What is it that blinds you to the peace of God "in this your day"? Do you have a strange god-not a disgusting monster but perhaps an unholy nature that controls your life? More than once God has brought me face to face with a strange god in my life, and I knew that I should have given it up, but I didn’t do it. I got through the crisis "by the skin of my teeth," only to find myself still under the control of that strange god. I am blind to the very things that make for my own peace. It is a shocking thing that we can be in the exact place where the Spirit of God should be having His completely unhindered way with us, and yet we only make matters worse, increasing our blame in God’s eyes.
"If you had known . . . ." God’s words here cut directly to the heart, with the tears of Jesus behind them. These words imply responsibility for our own faults. God holds us accountable for what we refuse to see or are unable to see because of our sin. And "now they are hidden from your eyes" because you have never completely yielded your nature to Him. Oh, the deep, unending sadness for what might have been! God never again opens the doors that have been closed. He opens other doors, but He reminds us that there are doors which we have shut-doors which had no need to be shut. Never be afraid when God brings back your past. Let your memory have its way with you. It is a minister of God bringing its rebuke and sorrow to you. God will turn what might have been into a wonderful lesson of growth for the future.

Baptist Mission Team from Western Kentucky University!

Here is a picture of the team that visited from WKU recently and was involved in ministry in Kensington for a week. It as a truly God glorifying time - the Thusday night "finale" packed the chapel and the gym! WKU Basketball managed to reach the "Sweet Sixteen" but fell short of the prize - this team took the prize though!

Pricesses everywhere....or...why do these beauties hang out with such beasts?

Disney 08 (dad finally gets his Hummer....for 2 minutes)

Go to www.singingrevolution.com

Go to www.singingrevolution.com and sign up to have this documentary shown at a theatre near you! It is the story of the Singing Revolution that brought freedom to our beloved Estonia! Let us know if you signed up!!

An apology - this picture (below) is out of order - It was taken in Delphi not Athens. Two times on our trip we heard the Estonian language being spoken and both times we interupted with our best Estonian and had wonderful conversations - We haven't lost it yet!! We met these two ladies as we were walking up the mountains amongst the ruins in Delphi, Greece - They even complimented us on our Estonian! (they were being exceedingly kind!) Anyway, it made our day and our trip to Greece even more special -if that is possible.

Our new Estonian Friends!!

We found our thrills on Mars Hill!

A Greek cat relaxing in the Plaka of Athens

Good Friends in a Great City - Athens

Thessalonikki

The view from the high above Thessalonikki where it is assumed Jason's house was. We have just learned that The Salvation Army has just opened its work in GREECE and it will begin in THESSALONIKKI!!

Phillippi - Lydia, the slave girl, a beating and praise in Jail!

A beautiful, warm, sunny day in Phillippi - Acts 16 - Periodically you would see traces of the Ignatian Way - the actual road Paul and companions would have walked and travelled on - the road where the slave girl, day after day hounded Paul until he cast a demon out of her (her day of Salvation, I am convinced!) - Scripture is truly alive!

Not sure what Steve and I were acting out here!!

Oops - not so chronological!!

As we retrace our steps through Greece and Turkey we meant to go in order...oops....These would be the first pics - in Neapolis, modern day Kalamaka in Greece - where Paul and his companions landed after following the call of God through circumstances and the Macedonian vision!