Blog Archives

Footprints of God

10/23/2018

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both..." It's the beginning of a poem by Robert Frost published in 1916. It's the dilemma all of us face. Looking down the road and wanting to see the end of it before taking that first step. Life is fleeting, well we know it, the wood once vibrant with life and green is now yellowing. The beating heart, the soft voice in the ear, almost a whisper calls "Follow me." (John 1:43)
     "Count the cost.." the voice says. It's not possible to cling to the desires of life and follow the Master down the road. Thousands thronged Jesus in those early days of his preaching and teaching. He knew that many loved the gifts (healing, miracles) he had to offer but weren't prepared to follow in his footsteps. They would stick around for whatever they could get but vanish when the going gets tough.
     Jesus said to the twelve, "Will you go away too?" Peter replied, "Where will we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6: 67-68). Peter was right to put his faith in Jesus. When Jesus came to the ship at 3 o'clock in the morning and answered Peter's request and said, "Come", up jumped Peter into the water. But Peter, like all of us, sometimes falter. He looked down and saw the tempest beneath his feet and began to sink. Out he cried, "Save me!" Jesus caught him and on they went to the boat. (Matthew 14:22-33)
     The road is not always smooth. Sometimes the tempests appear. But like Peter Jesus is there to walk with you, or maybe even carry you just like the "Footprints in the Sand" speaks of. It's a poem written by Mary Fishback Powers. Life is fleeting and the time to make a choice is now. No one is guaranteed the next breath, the next day, or the next week. Which road will it be. The one that beckons, "Follow me" or the one that leads to many things in life that are desirable. Both roads offer much the same with just one big difference. When the tempests come, will Jesus be there to catch you?

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The Finger of God

10/17/2018

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"And the ark rested in the seventh month on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat." (Genesis 8:4) Mount Ararat is the highest peak at the end of a chain of mountains. It's believed to be the most voluminous (immense) mountain in the world. It stands at around 17,000 feet above the plains below it which are 2,000 to 3,000 feet above sea level. Because of its immense size and the connection with Noah this mountain is called "the finger of God" by the locals.
     Just think.   The world is covered with water. Is it any wonder that this mountain is called "the finger of God", the one place that beckons the boat with all living species aboard. Surely, it must have seemed so to Noah and his family, too.
     Stories about the finger of God must have gotten around in those ancient days. The magicians to the Pharaoh of Egypt referred to the finger of God (Exodus 8:19) when they were unable to turn dust into lice. The tablets of stone that Moses took with him were written with the finger of God. (Exodus 31:18) It doesn't really say that God used his finger to mark Cain (Genesis 4:15). Cain had a mark on him, nonetheless, that God had put there to protect him from being slain.
     It's interesting that in John 8 where the Pharisees were plotting to trap Jesus by bringing an adulterous woman to him that the first thing he does is stoop down and write on the ground with his finger. This particular incident the Pharisees quoted the law of Moses that she should be stoned. They continued to badger him over the law to which he replies, "He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone." And what does he do but stoop down and write on the ground again. (John 8:8) A look back at Exodus 34:1 tells us that God wrote the ten commandments on the tablets a second time.
     The parallel here causes one to stop and wonder. The Son of God who is God in the flesh remembers writing those tablets a second time. So do the Pharisees. And they know why they were written a second time. Jesus' actions spoke louder than words to them that day.
     Surely they remember the story of the writing finger in Daniel 5 that resulted in the death of Belshazzar for his wickedness in taking the holy vessels from the temple and using them for drinking at his party. Surely they remember the mark that God put on Cain. Surely they remember the Psalm of David's that speaks of God's fingers designing creation (Psalm 8:3)
     Last of all they may have remembered the visions of Amos and the chastisement of Israel. "Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them..." (Amos 9:2) Today, for us, it's Hebrews 10:31, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

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God's Got Your Back!

10/8/2018

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There are two kinds of people. Those who serve God and those who don't. That's all there is. A preacher's viewpoint indeed. Pastor Josh firmly believes that if you're a Christian, your duty is to do something about the ones who don't serve God. He's like our coach on the sidelines doing whatever is necessary to get us out of the pews and into the work of serving God. He is even willing to go into overtime to drive home the point. Today was one of those days. "Yes," he said, "I see the clock on the wall but..." he still had more to say.
     The example was in Acts 18:7-11. Paul has run up against the haranguing of the Jews again. He has had it up to here and tersely replied, "Your blood be on your own heads;" and went to preach to the Gentiles. He moved in with a fellow Christian, Justus, which was right next door to the synagogue. Living next door to Paul, there's no way anyone is going escape Paul's preaching. In short order, Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue becomes a believer along with his household and many others.
     Fear must have been creeping into Paul's heart because in verse 9 the Lord speaks to Paul and tells him not to be afraid because He has his back. Not exactly in those words but verse 10 does make it clear that the Lord does have his back. Fear. There's a list as long as your arm. Fear of snakes, death, heights, pain, disappointment, mice, dogs, flying--and the list goes on. Paul was no stranger to being threatened. He may have started thinking that someday, someone might make good on their threats. After all, the conversion of the synagogue ruler must have stirred up some deep emotions.
     Many Christians sit in the pews on Sunday mornings. Sitting and listening to Pastor Josh gives one pause. He tells anyone in earshot that the "harvest is great and the workers are few" (Matthew 9:37). Also, there is always a group who is lost that needs to be preached to. He went on to say that the lost can't be reached by pew sitters and preachers unwilling to be a witness to others. Jonah is an example. What did he do? As soon as God told him to go to the people of Nineveh, Jonah hopped on the nearest boat and went to the furthest reaches of the known world. The boat started sinking and the sailors tossed Jonah overboard. God sent along a submarine (aka big fish or whale) that swooped Jonah up. After three days in the belly of the whale, Jonah was ready to go to Nineveh. It took some convincing but God had not forgotten the lost of Nineveh and Jonah was the man for the job. The story is in the Book of Jonah in the Bible.
     Don't run from God's will. Carry God's Word. There's no need for fear. God told Abraham, "I am your shield." (Genesis 15:1) Like it or not, he was Jonah's shield, too. God also says, "Fear not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10) God has reassured his children time and time again. There are folks out there and God wants us to bring them to Him. He will make sure that no harm comes our way. The Lord has our backs, too.

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The Unknown God

10/1/2018

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As far as is known, the Apostle Paul visited Athens, Greece around 53 A.D. The famous Mars Hill is the location of his only recorded sermon to the Gentiles that has survived. Acts 17 contains that sermon. (There is a sermon to the Jews which is also in its entirety. It's in Acts 13.) Mars Hill itself is across from the Acropolis. Near the steps leading up the to Hill is a plaque containing Paul's sermon in Greek. Imagine having a sermon posted in one of the oldest known cities of the world. What a blessing it is.
     Paul was no slouch. He must have had amazing training and a great memory. Here he is in Athens which during his lifetime had been in existence for at least 2000 years. He sees all the gods and idols practically on every doorstep. They are everywhere. It really bothers him. But there is one that really catches his attention, the one TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Yes, in Athens, they honor a god who has no name. And there's a story that goes with this unknown god.
     Around 600 B.C. Athens suffered a terrible plague. Thinking that one of their gods was the cause of this calamity, they made offerings to them but to no avail. Epimenides, a philosopher that ranked up there with Aristotle and Plato, was fetched to remedy the cause of the plague. Epimenides made a prayer to the unknown god and told them to put hungry sheep out to eat on the green pastures of Mars Hill. If any of them laid down and didn't eat, then there was another god they didn't know of whom they should beseech. Several of them did lie down. These animals were given as offerings.   Very soon after people began to recover.
     Paul comes along some 650 years later and tells them who the UNKNOWN GOD is. It's the one and only God of the Universe, The one who sent his Son and raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31) How simply amazing it is to see God's hand in this story. Paul even refers to Epimenides again in Titus 1:12. Epimenides was from the island of Crete. Imagine. Centuries before a Greek philosopher acknowledged that there is a God that he was aware of but didn't know. Man's heart is always and forever drawn to his Creator. Some deny it which will be to their doom. But not Epimenides.
     There were others who believed that day on Mars Hill, too. But still Paul is hounded by naysayers and he continues on his journey. Just as then, it is so today. People live through tragedies, heartache, and pain. Many go to church and leave just as lost as when they came. Paul carried the Word of God to all who were within hearing distance. And, yet, today just as then, there are naysayers. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that "The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." One who kicks at that is either very brave or very stupid. Either way, no one should want to come face to face with God, who has given everyone on this earth chance after chance, and then turn his nose up to his very Creator. I mean no one should want to.

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Linda Johnson

Linda Johnson moved to Douglas County with her husband Tom 11 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.