Losing Gracefully

1
Losing Gracefully

• Romans 828
• And we know that in all things God works for the
  good of those who love him, who have been called
  according to his purpose.

2
Introduction

• LaHoo-SaHer
• Playing checkers

3
Outline

• In context
• The effects of losing
• Losing GRACEfully

4
In context

• What exactly am I talking about?
• Our bad days
• Winning at all costs
• State of mind, or focus

5
Accidental Insurance
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The effects of losing

• Personal (internal)
• Personal or physical (external)

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Personal damage

• Why is losing bad?
• What causes us to react poorly?

8
External damage

• Perception is everything

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Whats so important?

• May your faith turn to ashes and simply blow
  away, never to be seen again.

10
Judas

• Matthew 271-5
• Early in the morning, all the chief priests
  and the elders of the people came to the decision
  to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him
  away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
  
• When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that
  Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse
  and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief
  priests and the elders. "I have sinned," he said,
  "for I have betrayed innocent blood."
• "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's
  your responsibility."
• So Judas threw the money into the temple and
  left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

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Losing Gracefully

• James 12-6
• Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you
  face trials of many kinds, because you know that
  the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may
  be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If
  any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who
  gives generously to all without finding fault,
  and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he
  must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts
  is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by
  the wind.

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Is there a flip side?

• Learning from our losses.
• Losing as a tool to accomplish a goal

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Jesus

• Matthew 2626-39
• Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place
  called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here
  while I go over there and pray." He took Peter
  and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and
  he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he
  said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow
  to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch
  with me."
• Going a little farther, he fell with his face to
  the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is
  possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not
  as I will, but as you will."

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Closing Remarks

• 1 Peter 58-11
• Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the
  devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking
  for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm
  in the faith, because you know that your brothers
  throughout the world are undergoing the same kind
  of sufferings.
• And the God of all grace, who called you to his
  eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered
  a little while, will himself restore you and make
  you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the
  power for ever and ever. Amen.