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Themes: "Way that seems right, It's Important who you listen to PB In the mid 1800's, pioneers were still exploring the land. They would trek hundreds of miles through unexplored wilderness looking for quicker and easier routes to get to the West coast. When a new route was found, a local mountain man would usually set up a supply store at the beginning of the trail. He would sell supplies to travelers heading west on the new found passage.
On one such route, known as Hastings Cutoff, a mountain man named Jim Bridger built a supply post. One day a party of travelers inquired of Mr. Bridger as to the conditions and safety of the recently discovered trail. Eager for customers, Mr. Bridger confidently assured the Donner Party that the trail was "a fine, level road." Trusting the advice of an experienced mountain man, the party purchased some supplies and prepared for the trip.
On July 31, 1846, 82 excited members of the Donner Party hitched up their wagons. They talked and dreamed of what it would be like when they got to their destination.... California. As the wagon train began to crawl out on the trail, they soon found the "fine, level road" to be a rough, jagged path. They carefully maneuvered around huge rocks and crossed endless miles of barren desert. They made slow progress through the wilderness. This concerned them. Winter was coming!
October came and brought with it the inevitable snow and chill of the western winter. The weary travelers fought the inclement weather. Soon, they were stuck in the mountains in the snow. There was nothing they could do. They tried to fight the bitter cold and wind as long as possible. The Donner Party's hopeful crossing to sunny California became a desperate struggle for survival. For many, cold and snow was fatal.. By the time rescuers reached the stranded group, 33 members had lost their lives.
The Donner Party believed the lies of greedy Mr. Bridger. They trusted in something that was not true. Their journey was disastrous.
As we saw earlier, Paul trusted in something that is always true - God's Word. God said that Paul would survive the rough trip and he did.
Each one of us also has to make a trip. When your life is over, you will travel from earth to either Heaven or Hell. God has provided the one way of safety, the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe His Word and trust His Son, and you can be certain you will be in Heaven. "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:13).
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Andrew Musch
