"Going Against the Worlds Ways and Thoughts"
Romans 1:17 "For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith: as it is written, The just shall live by
faith."
Some time ago, two university students in
Moorhead, Minnesota painted a mural on the
wall outside their dorm room. It was of a
school of fish all swimming in the same
direction except for a single fish heading the
opposite way. That one fish going the other
direction was meant to be Jesus. Included in
the mural were the words, "Go against the
flow." Sadly, university officials argued that
the mural might offend non-Christians, and
told the students to paint over it.
God has called us, as His believers, and His
Body, to do things that sometimes go against
the flow of the flow of the world and opinions
around us. It is not always easy, either.
Noah built an enormous ark at Gods command.
Abraham took his only son to be sacrificed.
Gideon went to war against thousands of
enemies with only three hundred soldiers on
his side. The disciples left all their
possessions and followed the Lord. And there
are countless other examples we have to
follow!
They all followed Gods leading instead of
others opinions. Its almost as though they
were saying Let's choose to start swimming
in the other direction today! Lets go where
God leads!
Being obedient to Gods direction is the most
important thing we can do. Period. Do that
thing that God has been putting on your heart
today! Hug that person who has been on your
last nerve, or been very hurtful to you! Give
away something you have to someone who
needs it more!
There are many mighty and miraculous
victories that God desires to demonstrate in
our lives, and the lives of His Church, if we
would only be willing to follow His Word and go
against the flow! Stand with your Body even
when it is hard, so you may in turn Be Blessed
and Challenged today in this swim we call life!
 We always want to be aware of
those who have need in our
Community as well as our Church
Body. If you know of a need for
food or clothing, please contact
one of the Church Board to help
meet that need!

OUR CHURCH EVENTS

Tuesday:
8:30AM Mens Study and Prayer
8:30AM Ladies Study and Prayer
And that servant who knew his Master's
Thursday: (3rd of each month)
10:30AM Nursing Home Service
will, and did not prepare himself or do
according to His will, shall be beaten with
Saturday:
7:00PM Evening Worship and Fellowship many stripes." Luke 12:47
Community Meal & Food Pantry

Sunday:
9:00AM Morning Prayer
Spanish Novelist Miguel de Cervantes said, "The
9:30AM Bible Study man who is prepared has his battle half-
10:30AM Morning Service
fought." If you want to prepare yourself so that
Food Pantry available following All Services
you can help your Church as it faces the
challenges ahead, then think about the following:
ALL THE CONTACT INFORMATION
YOU WILL EVER NEED! 1. Assessment: Where are you and your Church
Church Address: First Baptist Church heading? What will conditions be along the way?
218 W. Lincoln St. (P.O. Box 32)
What price are you willing to pay to get there?
Augusta, WI 54722-0032

Church Phone: (715) 286-2042 2. Alignment: Golf has taught me a valuable

Church Website: www.SeekingTheWord.com
Church Facebook: lesson: Even if you know where you want to go, if
www.facebook.com/FirstBaptistChurchOfAugustaWisconsin you are not lined up right, you will never get to
Pastor Craig & Julie Lindgren Pastor_Craig@Live.com your desired destination. That is true of
Pastor: (715) 827-0812 Julie: (715) 703-8583 personal preparation as well as for golf. Good
Prayer Requests: Linda Lone (715) 286-2412 alignment makes following Gods Word possible.
Julie Lindgren (715) 703-8583

3. Attitude: To accomplish any calling, you need

TEACHING SERIES
to do your homework to take care of the mental
Sunday Service: Current: Encounters with Jesus aspects of your direction. You need to have a
Sunday Bible Study: Current: Gospel of JOHN positive Biblical attitude about what God is doing
Saturday Evening: Current: Maturing Christians in your life, in others lives around you, and in the
life of His Body, your Church.
Tuesday Morning: Current: Book of Genesis

4. Action: Being prepared means being ready to

take that first step of obedience when the time
comes. Remember this: Courage has no greater
ally than preparation, and fear has no greater
enemy. Guess what? The road is paved with
squirrels who could not make a decision.
 The Power of a Simple Prayer
We all pray . . . some.

We pray to stay sober, centered, or solvent.

Gods Purpose is Life and Peace: God desires for you to
have life and peace now and for all eternity. I have come
that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10
Recognizing the Problem: We are created to know, love and
glorify God. When we choose to go our own way, living life
in willful disobedience to God, we are choosing to be
separated from God.
The Bible says we are sinnersFor all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life. John 3:16
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
We Cannot Save Ourselves: Because God is Holy, He
cannot allow sin to enter into Heaven. Most people attempt to
save themselves by their own efforts, good works or church
attendance.
The Bible saysThere is a way that appears to be right, but
in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12.
So then, How then can a sinful person
enter Heaven where God allows no sin?
When the lump is deemed malignant.
When the money runs out before the month does.
When the marriage is falling apart. We pray.
But wouldnt we like to pray more? Better? Stronger?
With more fire, faith, and fervency?
Yet we have kids to feed, bills to pay, deadlines to meet.
The calendar pounces on our good intentions like a
coyote on a rabbit. And what about our checkered
history with prayer? Uncertain words. Unmet
expectations. Unanswered requests.
We arent the first to struggle with prayer. The first
followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance too. In fact,
prayer is the only tutorial they ever requested.
And Jesus gave them a prayer.
Not a lecture on prayer.
Not the doctrine of prayer.
He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer.
Couldnt we use the same?
The Lord reminds us that prayer is not a privilege for the
religious, or the eloquence of a chosen few. Prayer is
simply a heartfelt conversation between God and His
children. Let the conversation begin!

We are Saved by Grace: The Good News is this in spite of

our sin, Christ died for us.

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith and

this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not of
works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we

were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

If you would like to have Jesus as Lord of your life, you

can pray a prayer something like this:

Lord, I confess that I have sinned against You and ask You
to forgive me. Im sorry that my sin has hurt You and other
people in my life. I acknowledge that I could never earn
salvation by my good works, but I come to You and Trust in
what Jesus did for me on the Cross. I believe that You Love
me and that Jesus died and rose again so that I can be
Forgiven and come to know You. I ask You to come into my
heart and be Lord of my life. I trust You with everything,
and I thank You for Loving me so much that I can know You
here on earth and spend the rest of eternity with You in
heaven. In Jesus name, Amen.
 The

Blessing of Jacob is a prophetic poem that appears in

Genesis at 49:1-27 and mentions each of Jacob's twelve
sons. Genesis presents the poem as the words of Jacob
to his sons when Jacob is about to die.