29 Dec

Joy In Trials

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Best Life, Happiness, Joy, Peace, Trials, Trust.

Hello friends,

We had a good family Christmas. We gathered at Ryan’s house in Neligh. The boys fed us well with steak, lobster tail, and all kinds of other goodies. There were also home-made cinnamon rolls that were to die for. Needless to say, we are in fasting mode the day after.

We are about to enter a new year! 2026 is almost here. The greeting of the week will be “Happy New Year!” We always salute the turning of the calendar to January with those words, but for some it probably will not be happy every day of the year. There will be disappointments, sicknesses, deaths in families and other kinds of personal tragedies. The optimism we have will fade away to reality and we find it hard to be happy all the time.

The Bible speaks of joy. When the angels announced the birth of the Savior, the greeting was Joy to the World! I believe joy is separate from happiness, In the middle of unhappy times, we can still be joyful. The psalmist wrote, “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy” (Psalm 94:19). In this sense, joy is based on the writer’s relationship with God.

In another psalm we read, “The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy… Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy” (Psalm 126:3, 5). Paul, in his letter to the church at Philippi wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).

The Lord Jesus told His disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We will not always be happy, but through our faith and trust in the Lord, we will have joy in our hearts.

 “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8).

Trials will come, but they are not unexpected. The good news is that the Lord is with us in those trials. Joy is knowing we have Him in our hearts in those times.

Have a blessed New Year,

Pastor Jerry

22 Dec

His Great Gift

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Christmas, Incarnation, The Good News, Worship.

Dear friends,

It doesn’t appear that we will have a White Christmas this year. I was glad we didn’t have any snow last Thursday. The way the wind blew we would still be digging out. I remember Christmases past when we had those conditions and they aren’t fun.

As I sit here in front of the keyboard, the question arises, “what do I write about this week?” It is Christmas week, so I suppose something seasonal would be appropriate. The words of the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke will be read in homes and churches leading up the celebration of the birth of Christ. It is a story that never grows old. Children are drawn to the baby in the manger, while those who are older are reminded that the baby would grow to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

To some, however, it is just another holiday off from work. For others, it is all commercial hype, and fancy light displays. And let us not forget Santa Claus with his reindeer and toy laden sleigh. It certainly is the season of giving, but the Gift of God in the person of Jesus Christ is the supreme example of an underserved gift.

As the scripture says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”.

Enter the Lord Jesus. “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1John 2:2). There is no way that mere humans can ever be able to atone for their sins, because no one is sinless.  “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19). That word repent means to stop sinning and turn to the Lord.

Romans 10:9-10 reminds us, “If you declare with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

You see, Jesus is much more than an infant in a stable. He is the Savior of the World. Glory to God for His great good Gift!

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Jerry

15 Dec

From the Cradle to the Cross

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Christmas, Culture, Gospel, Incarnation.

Dear readers,

Winter weather appears to have come to stay. We did get a small amount of snow over the weekend, but not enough to create problems. As of this writing, it is cold, but warmer temps are forecast for this week. The big event on most the minds of many is the Christmas holiday just around the corner.

In this Christmas season, I encourage you to look beyond the manger in Bethlehem to the cross of Calvary. The birth of the Savior is worthy of celebration, but the reason for His coming is a greater cause for celebration. When He came, it was into a world tainted by sin. His purpose in coming was to pay the sin-debt of every person ever born. This is the gift of God to those who would understand they were sinners and had nothing to offer that would pay that debt. As is often quoted, “We owed a debt we could not pay, and He paid a debt He did not owe.”

The penalty for our sin was paid at Calvary, when Jesus died on that cross. The proof of that payment was shown in His resurrection. The story began in a manger and ended on a cross. Because of that fact, our salvation is sure. Our responsibility is not to work our way to heaven, but to accept the gift of salvation that Christ has provided to us.

I’m reminded of the chorus of an old song:

“From the manger to the cross, the rugged cross of Calvary
The road that Jesus walked for you and me all alone
By the world forsaken still He shed His blood for me
From the manger to the cross the rugged cross of Calvary.”

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

The baby in the manger grew to be the Man who opened the way for us to have eternal life. As the apostle Paul wrote, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

As we celebrate Christmas, let us also give God glory for being our Lord and Savior.

Because He lives,

Pastor Jerry

8 Dec

Why Christmas?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Christmas, Faith, Salvation, The Good News.

Dear friends,

It has been a cool week weather-wise. This is okay, sometimes we have lots of snow by now. As we enter the second week of December, our thoughts turn to the celebration of our Lord’s birth. Christmas reminds us once again of God’s love for us.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). 0ld Testament prophecy had predicted the birth of a Savior centuries before.

Isaiah wrote, “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6).

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5).

Most of Bethlehem did not know who He was. When Jesus was born, there was no big celebration. The only people who knew He had come were shepherds watching their sheep. John tells us, “He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was his own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:10-12d.

In the world today, millions do not know who Jesus is. If they know of Him, He is a good man or a great teacher. To them He is not God, nor is He the One who can save them from their sins. When they read or hear that God so loved the world He gave His only Son, they leave out the part about believing in Him. They think we are all God’s children, but they are wrong. Only those who place their faith in Christ are called children of God.

Romans 10:12 tells us we are saved by calling on the Lord. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Here is something to think about this Christmas season. Do you know who Jesus is? Is He your Savior?

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

1 Dec

True Peace

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, Faith, Peace, Rest.

Hello friends,

It is December first and we have had our first snowfall of the season. I’m not a real fan of cold, but the snow makes the world look fresh and new. They say time flies when you are having fun, but having fun or not time marches on. Before you know it Christmas will be here, and we will start a new year. The new year may bring blessings or trials. No matter, if you are a child of God, you can rest assured that He is with you through it all.

With all the unrest and confusion in the world today, it is important to remember that God is still on His throne, and He is still in control. His plan for mankind and the rest of His creation continues. Nothing surprises Him because He knows all things. Those who do not know the Lord will never have real peace until they learn to trust Him in every situation.

Cast all your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken (Psalm 55:22).

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7).

Remember, God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

Jesus, as he prepared to go to the cross, said to His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

Real peace comes from placing your faith and trust in the Savior. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Again, as we face uncertain times, we can have peace through it all by trusting the Lord Jesus. As the saying goes, “No Christ, no peace. Know Christ, know peace.”

In Him,

Pastor Jerry

24 Nov

Give Thanks

Posted by sandhillspastor in God's Word, Praise, thanksgiving.

Dear friends,

Our unseasonable weather continues, with much sunshine and mild temperatures. In family news, we have a new great-granddaughter. Alex and Breanna welcome Raela June to their little family. We thank the Lord for her, she is truly something to be thankful for.

It being the season of thanksgiving, what are you thankful for and to whom do you direct your thanks? I know this is a question that is raised at this time of the year. It is good to reflect on past blessings and give the Lord credit for what He has done.

A verse of scripture that comes to mind is 1 Chronicles 16:34; “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Also, this: Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with the strings and pipe, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:1-6).

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name” (Psalm 100:4). “Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind” (Psalm 107: 8).

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Along this line of thinking, the day after Thanksgiving Day is Black Friday, when people rise early to stand in long lines, hoping to get the best deals on merchandise they might not ordinarily purchase. I wonder what it would look like if people were as excited to attend church on a Sunday morning? Would there be lines forming early in the morning in hopes of getting a front row seat?

Just thinking,

Pastor Jerry

17 Nov

Trust and Obey

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Faith, Gospel, Marriage, Obedience, Relationships, Trust.

Hello friends,

Again, we have extra nice weather for mid-November. I expect we’ll be paying for these nice days. The past few days have given us an opportunity to get a bit of work done on the house. The shingles on the little bay window overhangs were in sad shape, so over three days we were able to get three hours of work done.

In this there was a lesson in trust between two people in a long-term marriage relationship. To get the shingling done, I had to be lifted to the eave on the tractor loader. Since there were only two of us to get the job done, it fell to Milrae to operate the loader controls. I’m sure many of you have had a similar experience.

I needed to give her directions on operating the loader controls, and she is willing to help, but somewhat anxious about getting it right. If she happens to move the control lever the wrong way, I could find myself on the ground in short order. She trusts me to give right directions, and I must trust her to follow them. I can report that she handled it well; I didn’t get thrown to the ground and the repairs were done.

It reminds me of the old hymn Trust and Obey. It speaks of our need as Christians to trust and obey the Lord Jesus. Trust comes first, as we put our faith in Him to give us proper instructions as we serve Him. When we have faith, we can then obey His commands without fear or hesitation. He says do not fear, for I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

Trusting and obeying, in our current culture, are words that are not often well-received. Perhaps you have trusted someone, only to find out they are not trustworthy at all. It is hard to be obedient to someone you cannot trust.

Jesus asks us to trust Him in the everyday things, and to obey His commands. In doing so we can live knowing He is in control and his commands are for our good. “In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands, And His commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

10 Nov

Half a Loaf?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Discipleship, God's Word, Truth.

Dear readers,

The seasons are a changing. There has been snow in our state, but not in our immediate area as I write this. We are blessed more than we realize. I remember an early October snow when we had cows twenty miles from home. We drove them home with horses and it was far from an enjoyable task. It wasn’t just a little snow, it was about 6 inches deep, heavy and wet. Enough of the reminiscing, on to the present.

I have noticed that you can now buy half a loaf of bread. Who knew that would be a thing? It seems folks these days only take what suits their current needs. It is somewhat the same with spiritual matters. The world, if it acknowledges God at all, will take what they need from His word and leave the rest. They may go for half the loaf, or maybe just a few slices depending on their needs at the moment. There is no planning ahead.

In fact, the Bible needs to be taken in its entirety for it to be of any use at all. The tendency of the world, and many who claim Christ is to use the Bible as a cafeteria, taking only what appeals to them and ignoring the rest. In truth, the word of God always has been and is still applicable to each person.

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8). When Jesus was tempted by the devil he said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4).

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Finally this, “And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll” (Revelation 22:19).

Application for us: It’s okay to purchase a half-loaf of Sara Lee bread if that meets your needs, but please don’t treat the Bible as a buffet from which you can pick and choose. This will have eternal consequences.

For Him,

Pastor Jerry.

3 Nov

The Light of the World

Posted by sandhillspastor in Discipleship, Evangelism, Gospel, Salt and Light, Salvation, Witness.

Hello all,
Another month has rolled around. With it comes the change back to Standard Time. I, for one, would prefer to have it set one way or the other and stop this twice-yearly craziness.

It seems the world is becoming a darker place at a rapid pace. I’m not referring to the length of daylight hours, but to the sense of spiritual darkness. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the light of the world. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Isaiah, referring to the coming Messiah said, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in darkness, a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2). Jesus references this prophecy in Matthew chapter 4; “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (vs 15-16).

Speaking of Jesus, John wrote, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).

In writing to the church at Thessalonica, Paul said, “But you brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of the dark world, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

The good news is this: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:90).

As we share the gospel with others, we may hear these words that were spoken to me many years ago; “You pointed toward the light and I followed. I was confused and lost, and you pointed the way.” Words that warm my heart even today.

For Jesus,
Pastor Jerry

27 Oct

Who’s Number One?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Discipleship, Faith, God's Word, Obedience, Ten Commandments, Witness.

Dear friends,

This past Saturday we helped our great-grandson celebrate his second birthday. Being only two Maverick probably didn’t understand all the attention, but he enjoyed every minute, especially all the gifts that he acquired. He enjoyed being the center of attention. A lot of adults today enjoy being the center of attention, as well.

In this day of “me first” or “look out for number one”, I fear that many Christians have fallen into the same trap. The gospel message is not about me but taking up our cross and following Jesus. It is supposed to be Jesus first, not me first.

J.C. Rylie said this: “It costs something to be a true Christian. Let that never be forgotten. To be a mere nominal Christian and go to church, is cheap and easy work. But to hear Christ’s voice, believe in Christ, confess Christ requires much self-denial.”

The Bible says follow Christ. It is not about ‘me’ and it’s never easy but it’s necessary.

Dr. George Barna says, “We are reproducing church attenders, but we are not reproducing disciples of Christ.”

John, in his testimony about Jesus, said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). Jesus himself had this to say concerning His followers, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

Again, Jesus: Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am my servant will be” (John 12:36a).

In giving the Great Commission, Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Notice He said make disciples. He did not say go to church on Sunday and feel good about yourself the rest of the week. Making disciples requires a commitment to sharing the Gospel and teaching others to be obedient to Christ’s calling on their lives. It is sometimes difficult, but it is what our Savior wants from us. We are to draw attention to Jesus Christ in the way we live our lives. In doing so the focus is directed to Him, not to us.

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

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