Impossible Odds

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day - Chapter Two Notes

Control is something many of us desire above all else.  What are things we like to control in our lives? Ex. How our kids turn out.

The problem with this is that control is a lie.  We can never experience total control in our lives because of variables not under our control.  Some things are left up to chance.  We “play the odds,” hoping for the best.

At some point, those odds are stacked against us.  The natural reaction is fear, despair, and relying on our own power to get us through.  But God has a bigger plan, and a better way of looking at “odds”….

God likes “impossible odds” because that’s when He gets all the glory.

-Ex. Gideon (Judges 7)

-It’s when the odds are seemingly impossible that we have to rely on God to do what we can’t.

-When God performs miracles like this, He gets the glory, and we get the blessing.

Focus on the odds causes us to have a diminished view of God

-God is omni-dimensional; the construct of God is that exists in our mind is nothing compared to who He actually is.

-Faith allows us to break free from space-time and do the extradimensional through a God that isn’t limited in the ways that we are.

Odds are irrelevant because God controls our destiny

-Chess Master example.

-As a child of God we can have a sense of destiny.

-Our problems aren’t circumstantial, they are perceptual.

Closing thought:  Odds are simply a predictor of outcome.  The better the odds, the better the chance a certain outcome occurs.  But God doesn’t operate this way.  He doesn’t pull the lever on the slot machine, hoping that all three symbols match up.  Instead, He determines what the outcome will be.   Chance is not a part of the equation.   God’s outcome is always good, because His word says he has our best interests at heart.   This is the sense of destiny that we can have as believers; that God has an outcome for us that isn’t based on luck, but carefully and thoughtfully planned out by a God who knows our needs, knows our future, who controls all things, and who loves us as dear children.

Challenge:  “Our problems aren’t circumstantial, they are perceptual.”.  How does this truth change the way you look at the lions you are facing (or are going to face)?  Commit to viewing your circumstances from God’s perspective, not your own.

The Rabbit and The Resurrection

As we're leading up to Easter Sunday, our focus at Turning Point is taking advantage of a holiday, when people who may not go to church every Sunday will be looking for a place to attend on this particular Sunday, and inviting them to church. Not because they should. Not because it's this particular Sunday. But because it's an opportunity with better than average odds that they will come. And they might meet Jesus. 

And Easter Sunday presents it's own unique opportunity, if we as Christians capitalize on it. It's like the most exciting day to celebrate as Christians. It's the day we celebrate that Jesus did what no other could do in their own power and that is RAISE FROM THE DEAD. He is alive. And that should be our day to show our joy that our God can conquer all, including death! So that means this should be the most exciting day for a visitor to come - it's a big party!

So keep these things on the forefront of your mind over the next two weeks. We'll be starting a new message series on Easter about Baggage. The new Creative team will be "theme-ing" out the church and auditorium. Everybody will be wearing some shade of pastel I'm sure. There might even be frilly dresses involved....but the focus will be on Jesus and those who might meet him for the first time.

Do it Do it!

This. Is. Hilarious.

And unfortunately, probably true for someone and somewhere. However, look how bad of an invite these people gave. And the person they asked SAID YES. Doesn't that give you hope? 

Who will you invite? We had our leadership meeting last night and those involved in the planning of the service are going to do Easter Sunday right. Things will be a little different, maybe in a different order or a different media, so you'll want to check it out. But as always, don't be afraid to invite anyone and everyone. Our goal at Turning Point Church is to make it a safe place to bring a friend, and to get out of the way so they can meet Jesus. And what day is more exciting that celebrating the day Jesus did what no other person has ever done in their own power - He ROSE FROM THE DEAD. HE'S ALIVE!

Make the ask! Give them food or candy instead of Easter eggs though...

Lion Chasers

We will be meeting again tomorrow night at our home (email wgcoop10@yahoo.com for address/directions) at 6:30 PM. We will eat and move on through our book, as well as discuss our next service opportunity. Can't wait to see you guys there! 

The notes from Ch. 1 are posted below - these are Wes' notes for what we talked about 2 Tuesday's ago. 

Lions-Chapter 1 (3/6/12)

Read 2 Samuel 23:20-21-The Story of Benaiah

2 Key Themes /Concepts in this story:

                 -Fight vs. Flight

                 -Risk vs. Reward

*These 2 concepts are natural human filters that allow us to analyze situations and make decisions.  However, when we start seeing filtering situations through faith instead, it changes the way we make decisions, even seemingly mundane ones, and opens us up to being used and blessed by God in ways we could never imagine.*

 1) We have to resist the desire to flee when God-ordained opportunities cross our path.

 God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time.

The problem is, the right place often seems like the wrong place, and the right time often seems like the wrong time.

However, we don’t know what the future holds, and how God wants to use these opportunities to prepare us for future ministry.

2 ) We need to value the reward that God has in store for us over the risks that might come along the way

Lion chasers know that playing it safe is risky

Our greatest regrets in life will be missed opportunities

Sin of Commission vs. Sin of Omission

·     

      When we give into their fears and don’t step out in faith, we 

      1) miss out on the incredible blessings God has for us and 

      2) fail to give God the glory He desires in doing something crazy awesome through us

Closing thought/Take-away:  For lion chasers, it’s not about the size of the lion, the risks involved, or the potential outcome of the confrontation; it’s about stepping out in faith and trusting in a God that is bigger than you, a God that wants the absolute best for you, and a God that wants to use you demonstrate his power and glory to the world, regardless of what the outcome look like. 

Looking ahead:  

The key for us is two-fold- 

1) We need to be able to recognize these God-ordained opportunities and 

2) We need to be able to seize these God-ordained opportunities.  The rest of this book will shed insight into how we can do that.

Challenge: Begin asking God to bring “lions” into your life (if He hasn’t already!).  Ask for the discernment to recognize God-ordained opportunities that cross your path.  Ask Him what dreams/passions that you have that He wants you to act on.  Ask Him for the faith to seize those opportunities.

Don't Miss Out

This Sunday:

Turning Point Church 10am Service

During the service this Sunday, the Elder's of the church will be affirmed. Don't miss out this opportunity to get to know these men and offer your prayer and encouragement to them. 

Plus, we'll be starting a new sermon series!

Next Steps - Essentials 201 6pm

Back for the next class in the Next Steps series, discuss and refresh on the essential activities and practices of a dedicated Christ follower.

Week of March 19th:

Monday

KidzPoint Mandatory Meeting 6:30pm

All members of all teams in the KidzPoint ministry will be gathering together for a meeting. This is the perfect opportunity to come check out Kidzpoint if you are thinking about serving in any of the areas: registration, nursery/toddler, junior and elementary. You can come even if you haven't signed up and you aren't required to commit just because you come to the meeting. Come check out the team - given the focus of kids for our ministry, it's also a pretty fun team to be a part of!

Tuesday 

Connect Group 6:30pm

We will continue through the book In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson.

Wednesday

Leadership Team Meeting 6pm

The established leadership team of the church will be meeting together with the Elders and Pastors for a time of prayer, fellowship, brainstorming, scripture memory, bible study and so forth. 

They pray for you, lift them up in prayer as well!

This Month:

New Sermon Series

Next Steps

Connect Groups

Find one and join one! Even if it's not ours!

Easter Sunday April 8th, 2012

Who are you bringing to church? We will have invite cards available at church soon.

Up Next

What an awesome start back to Connect Groups this past week! We had two new couples join us and we started an amazing book study. Super excited about this "semester" of Connect Groups.


Next week - on Tuesday - we will be meeting at the church for our service opportunity to assembly-line-it and stuff the Turning Point bottles. The bottles have proven very resourceful at local gyms in getting the word out who Turning Point is, and obviously, where we are. The point isn't to advertise Turning Point for the sake of Turning Point, but to let people in our area who, based on research, don't know what church is or what it's about. And so we tell them about our church so that they can walk through our doors and we can point them to Christ. It's always about introducing them to Jesus!


Our goal is to have opportunities to serve that are family friendly so child care isn't required on a weekly basis for everyone. Plus, it allows us to schedule time to serve our church. For the time being, we might be serving in different ways at the church because we're still in our infancy and there is much work to be done. We have the ability and it offers family flexibility. Obviously, we would love to hear your ideas for serving opportunities - to help friends, family, co-workers or the community! 


THIS SUNDAY - is Next Steps 101. Come at 6pm for the "class"...it's your next step to joining as a member at Turning Point Church. You don't have to commit to 101, 201 and 301 all at one time. But make the first step of joining us on mission in Lexington - it would be awesome if you wanted to let myself (Next Steps Champion), Alex or Josh that you're coming. But if you can't give advance notice, don't let that stop you! Still come on Sunday - coffee and snacks. Child care is provided.

Finally, we're wrapping up on the series on Sunday mornings about Nehemiah and being a world changer. I have really enjoyed learning about Nehemiah and how he handled his God given opportunity to change his world. Very challenging!

Back At It

We're back together tomorrow night, getting back in the swing of Connect Groups! We've been taking a break as we got through the launch month and now we're starting a new book study. 




I'm (Morgan) almost finished with the book. I have found it challenging and exciting all at the same time. It has had some ideas and points that I have found very applicable to my life, especially your life as a Christ follower.

Check out the website and check into the author - he has a very interesting story. You can find him on Facebook or on Twitter @MarkBatterson. Specifically, he's a pastor of a church plant in Washington D.C. who hasn't always been successful; the book is about pursuing God's definition of success, which sometimes includes discomfort, risk and failure. Sounds fun, eh? I'm sure you're super psyched to read it now...but it is freeing to be able to act in obedience to God and his terms of success rather than "what everyone else says."

We'll be eating together tomorrow night and getting back in the swing of things, can't wait to see those of you who are coming! Oh, and tell others too - the more the merrier!