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God Keeps His Promises

4/28/2019

 
​ When Abraham was seventy-five years old, the Bible already says that he and his wife had no children.  Nevertheless, God calls him to leave his homeland and go to a place he will show him.  Abraham, hearing the word of God takes his wife and his nephew Lot and they strike off for the land of Canaan.  
     Abraham leads an interesting life.  For most of the next ten years he travels to Egypt during a famine, gets himself into some trouble over his wife, and leaves Egypt.  Now Abraham is a wealthy man.  His nephew is not exactly poor either.  They get into a little squabble over the best grazing land.  Abraham, who wants to keep the peace, tells Lot to pick where he wants to stay and he'll go the other way.  Lot's not good at making choices, obviously, and "...pitches his tent toward Sodom." (Genesis 13:12)  God directs Abraham to move on further down the road because the men of Sodom were so wicked.  He moves on to the plains of Mamre near ancient Hebron.
     By now Abraham is eighty-five.  He's starting to worry because the only one to inherit is his steward. (Genesis 15:2)  God assures him that this will not be his heir.  God again promises him an heir.  Sarah is seventy-five, knows the story, and is anxious that Abraham have an heir.  (There's no way, or so Sarah thinks, that she will ever bare a child especially at this age!)  She convinces Abraham to have a child with her handmaiden, Hagar.  So the child of nature, Ishmael, is born.  A child of nature because this is not the result of God's promise to Abraham.  It's a result of Sarah trying to hurry along the process.  As if God needs help.
     Things rock along and Ishmael is a teenager.  Abraham is almost one hundred and Sarah is ninety years old.  God again tells him that he's going to bless Sarah and give her a son.  It seems really far-fetched to Abraham and he lets out a laugh.  Now,  notice this.  Abraham laughed first. (Genesis 17:17)  Then Sarah hears it again and this time, she laughs.  She is way past child-bearing age.  Only a miracle could make such a thing happen.
     Thus, the child of promise, Isaac, was born to a one-hundred year old man and a ninety year old woman who is well past child-bearing age.  Is any thing too hard for the Lord? (Genesis 18:14)

The Bible is Real

4/21/2019

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     The Bible is one-hundred percent true.  Of course, one would expect anyone writing this column to say that.  But, to say that, and be able to back it up is quite another.  There are a lot of "notions" floating around out there.    Some believe that the Bible is fantastical, something made up, fabricated.  King David is a mythical character and never existed.  God is an imaginary character.  The Bible stories are from older mythology.  The story of Christ is made up from bits and pieces of other stories.  David Miessler uses the internet to spread some of his beliefs including some of the above.
     The Smithsonian Department of Anthropology and the staff archaeologist of National Geographic use the Bible as a reference tool to verify historical events, names and places.  It is a verifiable document and can be proven against other historical documents.  Something not well known.  A search of the historical proofs of the Bible will reveal that the Bible is being verified as to its' accuracy and not being debunked as some choose to believe.  Evidence in favor of the authenticity of the Bible continues as ancient documents, tablets, and stones turn up.  The truth is out there.  
     Forty authors wrote the 66 books of the Bible over a span of 1500 years.  Even so, the book is accurate when comparing early prophecies to later fulfillment.  For example, Isaiah 7:14 says "...a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."  This prophecy occurred about 750 years before Christ and was authored by the Prophet Isaiah.  Matthew 1:25 which fulfills the prophecy says "And he knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn...".   It was authored by Matthew.  Many other prophecy/fulfillment verses can be found throughout the Bible.  Only through God's omniscience could it happen.  Different authors of different books of the Bible covering centuries both predicting and fulfilling with accuracy.  Could man do such a thing?  With God's instruction he can.
     God knew that man, His creation, would fall.  He knew that many would not believe even when presented with the facts.  Jesus pointed out clearly in John 10:24-33 how even the Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy and wanted to stone him.  And they had been looking for the Messiah who was standing in their midst.  The world hasn't changed.
    This is where faith arrives on the scene.  God knew it would take faith to believe that God is who he said he is, and will do what he says he will. Believing with the head is not enough.  Believing with the heart is.  Facts and proof are not enough.  It takes faith.  "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)  Hebrews 11 is the faith chapter.  The book of First John is good to aid the believer in "knowing that he knows".  Believing, faith, knowing.  "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God, and eternal life." (I John 5:20)
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Connected, but Disconnected

4/14/2019

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 Is it possible to sum up our modern world and try to get a handle on what is happening?  It's true that this world is becoming increasingly inter-connected.  And, it's also true that this connectedness is putting a spotlight on the differences of people here and everywhere under a microscope.  Connectedness, differences, and microscopes to look at each other closely and see what one likes and doesn't like.  Is the world and the people in it polarizing and separating into groups?
     It's hard to take it in but people are disliking and even hating each other over differences of opinions and beliefs.  To the point that everyday life is being affected.  It's like waiting for the shoe to drop, an ominous feeling that something terrible is going to happen.
     Jesus said this would happen.  He said as much in what is known as the "Olivet Discourse."  It can be found in Matthew 24:1-25, Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:5-36.  Mark 13:12 says, "Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son, and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death."  How far is this world from seeing those things happen? Or, have they already happened and no one is really noticing?
     The days of life on this earth are short.  Living peacefully, dying of old age, and being buried in the family plot are going away.  Having faith and practicing faith are being increasingly challenged.  It's important to live up to the task.  "But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13)  It also says not to conform to this world, to renew your mind so you can prove (test) what is good, acceptable and the perfect will of God.  (Romans 12:2, in the author's own words)  
     This is it.  The only days of the present world is all our generation is allotted.  Where will the next generation begin it's trek?  The days of old-fashioned values, love of fellow men and a common trust that kept people connected is shattering like a piece of broken glass.  What will it be like then?
 Jesus knew this was coming.  And he gives us warning.  But he also gives us hope.  John 3:15-17 speak of eternal life for all those who believe on him.  What to do?  Believe,  Have faith.  God will bring us through this world.  He knew us before we were born (Isaiah 49:1, Galatians 1:15).  He has not forsaken us. (Hebrews 13:5) 

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What's Wrong with the Ten Commandments, Anyway?

4/5/2019

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 "What's wrong with the commandments that the world doesn't want them?"  Pastor Josh litters his sermons with quotes that, oftentimes, awakens the drowsy spirit.  This is one of those.  A good question and deserving of an answer.  What is wrong with the commandments that people are wanting them out of the public square?  The only honest answer that comes to mind is one that Jesus himself gave.  It's in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."  It's a good guess that in the push toward multiculturalism, Jesus is not welcome.  And it's well known that Jesus came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17).
 This is not a new story.  Toward the close of his days here on earth, people were clamoring to crucify the very one who "...made the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached." (Luke 7:22)  It's a hard scene to take in.  Even Pilate had serious reservations about Jesus.  Pilate states that he can find no fault in Jesus.  But the accusers of Jesus become even more fierce.  Pilate knows that Jesus is from Galilee and falls under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee.  Trying his best to avoid crucifying Jesus, he sends him on to Herod.  
 Unfortunately for Pilate, Herod's only interest in Jesus is to see miracles (this is the Herod that beheaded John the Baptist).  When Jesus does nothing, Herod promptly sends him back to Pilate.  Pilate stills tries to wiggle out of condemning Jesus to death.  But the crowd will have nothing to do with releasing Jesus and Barabbas the murderer is released in his place.  This tragedy unfolds in Luke 23.
 Pilate turns out to be an unwitting key player in this drama.  His wife sends him a message (Matthew 27:19) to have nothing to do with "that just man".  Apparently her words did carry some weight with him because twice he tries to keep from pronouncing a death sentence on Jesus.  It is only when the mob appears to be turning into a riot that he condemns Jesus to crucifixion.  And so, he folded in the face of adversity.  He pronounced Jesus a man without fault, not worthy of being crucified and then condemned him.
 And so it goes with life here on planet earth.  People who know what is right fail to carry it out.  And old professor once told his class that "Wrong prevails when good men do nothing."  There's been an awful lot in this old world that has gone amiss.  The once highly regarded Ten Commandments are being brought down in states all across the country.  What's wrong with the Ten Commandments that people hate them?  They hate what they stand for:  Jesus.     
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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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