Archive for July, 2018

30 Jul

God’s Will for You

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Christian Living, Discipleship, Faith, Freedom, Obedience, Salvation, Service, Truth, Uncategorized.

There was a good hatch of geese here at the lake, and I enjoy watching them out my window. They are quite belligerent when another goose enters their private space, chasing the encroaching one, but then they will run away from a little blackbird defending its nest.

Are you still seeking God’s will for your life? It’s not in the stars or a horoscope. It is not in the cards, and there is no Lady Luck. God’s will for you is found only in the Bible. The following is excerpted from “Found: God’s Will”, by Dr. John MacArthur.

First, it is God’s will that men be saved. “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life” (John 6:40). God has no reason to reveal to you anything particular about your life, if you have not met qualification number one.

Second, you must be Spirit-filled. That is the teaching of the Word of God. When a person is saved, the moment they receive Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live within you. There is no Christian who does not possess the Holy Spirit. Christians have everything they need in the Holy Spirit. “For you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” (Jesus, in Acts 1:8).

Third, God requires every believer to be sanctified. Another word would be ‘pure’. 1 Thessalonians 4:7 reads, “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.”

The fourth qualification, is to be submissive. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake” (1 Peter 2:13). This is the kind of submission that makes you the best possible citizen in the society in which you live.

Number 5, we are called to suffer. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted… (2 Timothy 3:15). “However, if (or when) you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1 Peter 4:16). Are you willing to suffer for Him who suffered for you? Are you willing to confront the world? That is the will of God.

The final principle: If you are doing all five of the basic things, God is running your life, and anything you want to do will be His will.

In His hands,
Pastor Jerry

23 Jul

The Race

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, God's Word, Reward, Uncategorized, Wisdom.

We were missed by the storms of the past week. We did receive some beneficial rains, so the lawn and garden continue to prosper without much attention. One thing I have found with the garden being in a feed bunk-like raised bed, is that they need watered more than when planted in the ground. This is especially noticeable with the cucumbers.

Saturday was the third annual Trail Mix Fun Run here at the lake. Personally, I have no desire to run anywhere, for any reason. I know it is my age and condition, (or lack of condition) that causes me not to want to participate. As a youngster, I enjoyed running and envisioned being a distance runner at one point. One season of cross-country as a freshman in high school brought reality into the picture. I was not really ever going to be a runner.

As I watched the runners prepare for the fun run here, I was reminded of the apostle Paul’s instructions to his fellow Christians. He likened the Christian life to a foot race. He was evidently familiar with the athletic contests of his day.

The writer of Hebrews also had instructions to runners concerning preparations for the race. These are his words, … “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Runners, whether in a race, or running just for fun, remove any bulky or flowing garments and put on shoes and clothing suited for speed and ease of movement; also those on a journey through the Christian life rid themselves of anything that would prevent them from running a good race.

No committed runner enters a race planning to run only part of the race. Whatever else happens, they intend to finish. They focus on finishing, even if they don’t expect to finish in the top five or even ten. Paul exhorted his readers to run is such a way as to get the prize, but his goal was to finish well. He said, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me… “(Acts 20:24). “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

16 Jul

God at Work

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Blessings, Discipleship, Eternal Life, Families, God's Word, Great Commission, Miracles, Salvation, Uncategorized.

I don’t have any real ‘news’ this week. It is about the same from day to day. Sometimes it rains, sometimes not. It’s windy some days, and calm at other times. Hot, but never cold; after all it is summer.

As I travel around to other churches, I have opportunity to see and hear what the Lord is doing in other places. This week, I heard about a 6-year-old little boy, who through his attending Sunday School and church, learned enough about Jesus to convince his dad to come to church. The dad, I understand, has placed his faith in Christ, and a broken marriage may be healed, all because of that little boy’s testimony. This little boy is unashamed and unafraid to tell everyone he meets about Jesus. Oh, that more Christian adults had this kind of testimony!

God is still in the business of saving souls, and he uses many ways, and works through all kinds of people. I believe one of the greatest miracles is when God, by His Holy Spirit, moves a person to trust in Christ as Savior and Lord.

I have shared the following passages of scripture many times, but they are worth repeating. They are from Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome. After highlighting God’s righteousness and His just judgment of sin, Paul points to the fact that all people are sinners in need of a Savior.

“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one… Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:10-12, 20-24).

Also, this: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

To His Glory,
Pastor Jerry

9 Jul

God’s Family Plan

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Blessings, Creation, Families, Marriage, renewal, Truth, Uncategorized.

Dear friends,
Summer is here! When you live near a body of water, large or small, you can be sure there will be people celebrating summer. It is not any different here at Lake Ericson. Lots of people enjoying everything summer. Boats, beverages, bonfires, barbeques, and families playing together. Ah, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. The Ericson 4th of July tradition continued this year, with a parade and kid’s rodeo. Some things never change, and that’s good. Thanks to those who make it happen year after year.

Thinking of families, something that has been on my mind recently is the epidemic of fractured families, and the downplaying of the importance of marriage in general. The following commentary is distilled from a recent sermon titled “Families: A Gift from God.”

The Bible is quite clear in presenting God’s plan for the family, and its importance in how His world works. We read, “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable helper for him’” (Genesis 2:18). In Genesis 1:27-28, we read, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

A mom and a dad are always a woman and a man, no matter what the culture is promoting today. Each partner has responsibilities and gifts that complement the other. Together they are a complete unit. If one is absent, the whole system is unbalanced.

I believe the problem of broken marriages and all that goes with it, can be traced back to the abandonment of belief in God, and the complete rejection of his plan for marriage and families. However, it is not too late. Confession of our sin and repenting of it will bring a restored relationship with the Lord, and a return to his values and the resulting blessings.

Pastor Greg Laurie said this; Think of how different it would be if we just obeyed one of the Ten Commandments: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). It would mean that families would still be together. It would mean that children wouldn’t be conceived out of wedlock and would have a stable father figure in their lives. You can take almost every social ill in our nation and trace it to the breakdown of the family.

Praying for healthy families,
Pastor Jerry

2 Jul

On Freedom

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Blessings, Christian Living, Freedom, Gospel, Peace, Truth, Uncategorized, Worship.

The 2018 fireworks display at Lake Ericson was held Saturday evening, and ended in a rain storm. The early date was necessary due to availability of qualified persons. There were a lot of families who enjoyed the weekend at the lake, even though it wasn’t a holiday. Independence Day falls on Wednesday this year, but we should be able to celebrate this country’s independence every day. There are those who criticize her, and want to make harmful changes to our constitution, but America is still the greatest nation on earth, bar none.

Perhaps our greatest responsibility as citizens of this country, is to first of all, thank God for his blessings through the years, followed by prayers for the future of the United States of America. After all, if not for His guidance and protection in the past, this nation might never have been created.

There is another freedom for which we owe God our allegiance. He sent His Son to die for our sins, and in response to his offer of salvation, we are set free from the bondage of sin. True freedom in the spiritual sense means not only are we free from the penalty of sin, we are set free from the guilt that results from disobeying Him.

In him (Jesus) and through faith in him, we may approach God with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 1:12). Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17).

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1). You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13).

Finally, in these verses, we find instructions on how to live as citizens in a country, under God’s direction: Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king (president), as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right… Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. (1 Peter 2:13-16).

Happy Independence Day,
Pastor Jerry