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Strive to Enter In

7/30/2019

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     "Strive to enter in at the straight gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."  Words spoken by Jesus.  (Luke 13:24)  This was in response to someone in the crowd asking him if there are few that would be saved.  Now, Pastor Josh is a coach.  And, just naturally coaches know what a reverse play is in football.  For those of us not quite in the know, it's a play that is set up to throw the other team into thinking the ball is going one way when it's going the other.  This may not be a totally accurate definition but it's understandable.
     The text of the sermon was taken from Luke 13:25-30.  It's a sad passage about what will happen to those who will try to get into the Master's house once the door is shut.  Our pastor pointed out that society has pulled a reversal on us.  Present-day morals has been turned on its' head and what was wholesome and good is seen as evil and bad.  "Good and evil still exist.  There is a very real devil and a very real God.  It doesn't matter what society says is good or bad, stand for what is right." said Pastor Josh.
     Noah preached for one hundred years that the world was going to be destroyed.  The drought went on.  Preachers today are pleading with people that they should repent and believe.  "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (Matthew 24:37)  Pastor Josh continued, "Hell is going to burn hot for those who don't believe."
     The day finally came and the Ark was complete.  All mankind needed to do was get on the boat.  They would be saved.  All they had to do was believe Noah's message.  They would be saved.  God shut Noah in. (Genesis 7:16)  The rain started.  Then people realized Noah's truth.  But it was too late.  The door was shut.
     Jesus warns the people in Luke 13:25-30.  There's a day coming when Christ will shut the door.  God will judge the world.  He will not let wrong be right and right be wrong. ​

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The Right Lane

7/26/2019

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​     Pastor Josh, he sees the heavenly message in the trials of life.  His sermons are littered with places he's been, things he's listened to, and his personal experiences.  This Sunday sermon was no exception.  The sermon opened with his recent trip to St. Louis.
    "If any of you have been to St. Louis, you'll understand what I'm talking about." the pastor begins.  "There's seven lanes of traffic going the same way.  Count them.  Seven.  Just trying to make sure you're in the right lane is a real challenge.  And, what if you're not?  How would you ever get into the right lane?  If you're in the far right lane and need to be in the far left lane, how're you ever going to get over there to turn?  Not only that, there are seven lanes going your direction and seven going the other direction.  That means that you have to do the same thing all over again when you leave St. Louis."
     The text for the sermon was Luke 13:23-24.  It's a short discourse Jesus has with someone who asked him if there would be few that would be saved.  Jesus told him to "strive to enter in at the straight gate."  Striving could mean trying to get into the right lane.  First of all, you have to know where you're going.  It's the same way in our spiritual life.  The world that you're trying to raise your kid in: there are many, many lanes in life to choose from.  But, there's only one lane that will get us to our destination.  Get into the right lane--the one to heaven.  God's not interested in anything but whether you're in the right lane.
     God made a way we can get into the right lane.  The road to heaven, it's an uneasy journey of life.  Fair has nothing to do with it.  Don't try other ways, it won't work.  "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 14:12)  Do the opposite of what the flesh wants to do.  Thomas asked Jesus, "Lord, we know not whether thou goest; and how can we know the way?  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way..." (John 14:5-6)  Jesus is the way.  Strive to make heaven your home.  
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Scars

7/13/2019

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    Van Kelly, the director of Camp Joy, visited our church as he did many other churches.  The depth of his care and concern for young people can be heard in his talks when he makes his annual rounds.  While he was with us he talked about scars.  Not just physical ones but ones that the naked eye cannot see.  The invisible hurts that have a lot to do with the way that we view life.  Following are excerpts from his talk with us.  It is both thought provoking and encourages us to take an inventory of how we treat others.
​
     Some years ago down in Florida, on a hot summer day, a little boy decided to go out for a swim.  They have an old swimming hole behind their house.  As soon as he removed his shirt and shoes he flew into that water not realizing that he was swimming toward the middle of the lake and there was an alligator swimming toward him.  The mother was there at the window washing dishes and she saw what was getting ready to happen.  She dropped the dishes and ran outside.  

     With every fiber of her body and she screamed at the top of her lungs to her son to get him to turn.  Fortunately that son heard her voice and he began to make that U-turn and swim back to shore.  During the process that mother waded out into the water to grab hold of him and help him get to shore.  But about that time, the gator and the mother met at each end of that boy.  He grabbed the feet and legs and she grabbed the arms.  The struggle for survival began with the mother screaming at the top of her lungs trying to get the gator to let go of her son.  
     A farmer happened to be driving by and heard the commotion.  He jumped out of his truck and got his rifle and shot the gator and killed it.  Weeks and months passed as that boy was recovering in the hospital.  The story got out about what had happened.  A reporter came to the hospital and asked the boy, "Would you mind showing me your scars?"  The boy began to show where the gator had tore and ripped into him.  The boy said, "But these are not the scars I'm most proud of.  I want to show you the scars on my arms where my momma wouldn't let go.  She dug so deep into my arms that I'll always have them because she wouldn't let go."
     Scars.  This boy certainly had them.  They would be with him the rest of his life.  And they'll have everything to do with his life.  He will never forget that day.  That's the way it is with us.  We have scars that'll always be with us. That's why, as Christians, it's so important to love others just like God has loved us and does not let go of us.  Just think of all the people out there with scars and don't know how to find the joy and peace of God's love.  Don't judge others because of their scars.  Pray that God will give you the burden to help these folks.

     I want to share with you a letter from a young lady about three years ago:   "Dear Brother Van,  When I was eight years old at Camp Joy, I asked the Lord to come into my heart and to save me.  Thinking back at it now it seems I was just scared to go to hell.  It was not something I talked about with my friends often.  But when I was saved and a Christian I found out I was ashamed and scared.  I more just kept it to myself and didn't think much more about it.  
     On my Wednesday night youth group we went to a different church and there in the lesson God opened my eyes about not being ashamed of what He did for me.  I want to live for Christ.  I want to serve him.  I invited everyone one I could at school to come to church and did everything that was going on in churches.  I wanted people to get involved.  I wanted everyone else to feel the love, the comfort, the strength, the forgiveness, and everything else that God gives.  I still want to share that feeling with others.  What God does.  
     A couple months ago my dad died of a drug overdose and my mom started drugs.  And my mom and step dad constantly fought over everything.  My mom went to jail in August and she got out a month later.  One day she took the car and left leaving me and my three younger siblings.  It made things very difficult and very hard.  She went back to jail and missed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Easter and all my birthdays and my siblings birthdays.
     Although so much was going on and I was hurt so bad God was there and lifted me.  I didn't have to get out of bed and put a fake smile on my face and pretend to be nice.  God gave me the happiness when I have been so down.  When I have been so alone, He comforted me.  Through all the lies my mom's told me and all the hurt, God gave me the peace and strength to forgive my mom and move on.  I want to serve Him and share with others on how He has helped me."
     This is the gist of the letter:  that through all the hurts and scars, God healed her soul.  That's what needs to happen in America today.  We need more healing on the soul more than we do the outward body.          
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Camp Joy

7/5/2019

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​     It's that time of year again.  School is out for the summer and Camp Joy is getting revved up and ready to go.  The first group gathers on July 8, the second on July 15 and the third on July 21.  The age groups are 7-9, 10-12, and 13-19.
     Van Kelly, who is the director of Camp Joy, visits our church and reports on how things are going there.  It's always a pleasure to see him again and interesting to hear what he has to say.  Van has a heart for this ministry and it shows through all that he does.  
     We saw a slide presentation of the camp from last year.  But, before he did the slide presentation, he talked to us about scars and used I Corinthians 6:20 as the verse for his talk.  But even before he began that, he told us a little story about Noah's Ark.  Some of you probably already know it but it was new to some of us and it may be to you, too.  Below is what Van told us about the Noah's Ark lesson.    
     "There's some things I learned from Noah's Ark and as I was driving over here this morning I thought it might be appropriate with all the rain we've been getting.  First of all, don't miss the boat and don't forget that we're all in the same boat.  Amen. 
     And plan ahead because it wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.  And, also, stay fit because when you're 650-some years old someone might ask you to do something really big.  You never know.  Don't listen to critics.  Just get on with what has to be done.  Think about that.  If Noah had listened to the critics, all those people making fun of him.  If he had listened to them, he might have never finished the boat.  
     For safety's sake travel in pairs and two heads are better than one.  Right?  Also, build your future on high ground.  Speed isn't always an advantage.  After all, the snails were on there the same time the cheetahs were.  When you're stressed, float awhile.
     Remember that the Ark was built by amateurs and the Titanic was built by professionals and we all know how that worked.  Last of all, remember that the woodpeckers were a larger threat inside than the storm was on the outside."
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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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