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Abomination

1/11/2021

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Those both for and against the changes in our society agree that, as a people, we have become more tolerant.  And the tolerance has permeated our lives just over the last several decades.  But, is that a good thing?  It all depends on which way one wants to fall on this question. 

Luke 16:15 says, “You are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”  Abomination is a thing that causes disgust or hatred.  A search of the Bible will tell the reader there are a number of things that God hates.  Seven of them are listed in Proverbs 6:16-19.
What really matters is this—does one really want to be tolerant of the things that God hates?  Believers would most certainly say, “No.”  Those who hold no real connection to God could say, “No” based on moral values or the way they’ve been raised.  And, yet, in our present world, we are witnessing laws being enacted forcing tolerance of those very things God finds an abomination.

“Last night at open session of the school board it came across the desk of the school board right over here.” Pastor Josh said, pointing his finger. “The way we voted on it was that the boys should go in the boys’ bathroom and the girls in the girls’ bathroom.”

“Can I tell you that is not the way that it is everywhere.  That’s not even the way they really wanted us to vote.  I don’t need a man in the bathroom with my 8th grade daughter.  Only if something is bad wrong and she’s in need of help.  God has made us who we are, let’s be who we are.  God has done it.  Both man and woman are made by God and are equally special to God.  Be what God made you.  And don’t back up on that.  It would be like saying God done the wrong thing.  God doesn’t make mistakes.”
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Abomination is a strong word and elicits a powerful response.  If God calls something an abomination, does one really want to quarrel with Him?  Two passages to ponder.  Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is quick, and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and  spirit and of the joints and marrow, and it a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Philippians 2:14-15: Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.  

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Blessed is the Nation...

1/6/2021

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The twelve tribes of Israel split around 930 BC.  After that, things went mostly downhill for both Israel and Judah.  It wasn’t until the reign of Josiah that the book of the law was found, and things were righted once again.  This was around 622 BC. For over 300 years both Israel and Judah found themselves on a slippery slope to nowhere.

For those who study the early beginnings of this country, they will tell you that religious principles were its’ foundations.  John Jay, the first Supreme Court justice had pointed out that it was the duty of our Christian nation to prefer Christians for their rulers.  Up until 1961 a religious oath requiring a belief in God was still in several states.  The Supreme Court overturned it in that year.  And up until 1963 many classrooms across the country still had Bibles in them.  The Supreme Court overturned that, too.  This country has changed a lot in the past two hundred plus years.

Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”  For a nation to be blessed their Lord needs to be God.  Their God needs to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the supreme judge of the Universe.  “The United States has been blessed because it has been one nation under God.  We still have on the currency In God We Trust.  I hope that it can stay that way.” said Pastor Josh.

“I’m not a terribly political person from the pulpit but I see things that don’t make much sense to me.  I see things I don’t like.  I see things that are of a personal nature, a family nature, and I get kind of concerned for my kids and I get concerned for myself.  I’ll be honest with you.  I’ve seen things I never thought would happen.”  said Pastor Josh.

“Preachers years ago got up and said this would happen and I said, ‘Those guys are crazy.’ Look what’s happened in the last 30 years.  What might happen in the next 30?  Man would say, ‘Look how much we’ve progressed.’  But I tell you, you will never progress past ‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.’  Why say that in a small country church?  Because somebody needs to say it.  Because if we don’t, pretty soon they’ll be coming in here to tell me what I can say and what I can’t say.” concluded our pastor.
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The loss of religious freedom is awfully hard to get back.  Blessed is the nation…not as the President says, or the Supreme Court says, or as the King says, or as some tyrant says, or as some dictator would say not at all…but blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.  There isn’t anybody more for us than Jesus Christ.

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    Linda Johnson

    Linda Johnson moved to Douglas County with her husband Tom 12 years ago after retiring from teaching. Following Tom's death in 2016, Linda began facilitating a grief support group called GriefShare through Sweden Church.​ She serves as the Sunday School teacher for our High School class. Her "Layman's Pen" articles are also published in the local paper, The Douglas County Herald. 

    Andrea Strong

    Andrea is Pastor Joshua Strong's wife. She also serves Sweden Church as Church Secretary, website administrator, and Sunday School teacher to the Intermediate Class.

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