Sunday was Youth Sunday, and we were so glad that our youth are so willing to do whatever they are asked to do. Remember they are the only link we have to the church of the future. One fine member of our youth team is Micha, and he brought his very beautiful girlfriend, Cloe McCool. Another is Carl Wayne Cartwright, our youth leader, who brought Julia, a very pretty young lady with a beautiful smile. We were also blessed with Sister Geneva Testerman's daughter, Kim. May God pour out a special blessing upon these who have come to worship with us. John 3:16 was recited by Maliah and Britney, led by Sister Sandra Cartwright. They were so sweet and a little shy but willing to do what they felt God would have them do. So we say Thanks and God Bless You.
When Pastor Bob Cartwright came to the pulpit, he asked a very leading question: "Do you really want to go to heaven?" We all answered very quickly "Yes." Wouldn't you have been ready with that response? Of course we all want to go to heaven and spend eternity with our heavenly Father and live in peace. We then turned to Jeremiah 29:11. In this scripture we read that He knows the plan that he has for us, a life of peace and not of evil. He already knows the end of the story of your life.
We are encouraged with the awesome words in Revelation 21:1-4. We are promised a new heaven where there will be no more sorrow, death, pain nor crying. This is so unlike the life we are now living, but it is a truth and he was speaking to his children. We are so concerned about the things we face that we don't hear what he tells us in John 14:1-3. Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled: Ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: If it were not true I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
When Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again, in John chapter 3, there was much confusion in the mind of the ruler of the Jews. He was looking at the flesh and natural life, not the spiritual. Jesus was amazed that he, being a master of Israel, was void of the things of the spirit. He asked him if he could not believe the earthly things Jesus told him of, how could he believe heavenly things? If we are not careful we will find ourselves looking at things with a fleshly mind just as Nicodemus. We are called by the Spirit and can only understand God's ways by that same Spirit.
Jesus died that we could be saved, and the pitiful truth is we often make bad choices when there is only one path to follow and one word to tell us how to reach heaven. So when someone asks you if you really want to go to heaven, just say "Yes, and I'm on my way." There is only one other destination and that is a place of eternal damnation that burns with fire and brimstone forever. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God if you are not walking upright.
In closing, Pastor again asked not only if you want to go to heaven, but are you ready to make that journey. Make the right choices. The people at Cove Mission of Hope in Lanagan, Mo., where Jesus is Lord of all, pray that God blesses you.
Religion on 05/05/2016