Archive for May, 2023

29 May

Remembering

Posted by sandhillspastor in Eternal Life, Freedom, Memorial Day, Salvation, Service.

Dear friends,

I trust you have had a time of somber reflection this past weekend, remembering those who gave their lives in service to America. Without their sacrifice, I fear we would have none of the freedoms we have today. Therefore, we must be ever vigilant to preserve those liberties because there are those who would take many of them away.

There were many families who spent the weekend enjoying the activities at Lake Ericson. It may not be the biggest lake in our area, but in our eyes, it is the best. There were games, a food trailer, and a movie after dark at the carousel. In addition, there was fishing, boating, and just relaxing around the many campfires.

As I was contemplating the sacrifices made on behalf of America, I was reminded once again of the sacrifice of our Lord, who came to give His life to free us from the bondage of sin. God’s greatest gift to mankind was to give His only Son as payment for our sin debt. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:16-18).

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so, He condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us… (Romans 8:1-4b).

America’s military heroes died to preserve our way of life; Jesus Christ died on a cross to give us eternal life, if only we will believe.

God Bless America!

22 May

Life’s Purpose

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Calling, Christian Living, Discipleship, Gospel, Great Commission, Work.

Hello friends,

It is time once again for another visit. We have been taking advantage of the nicer weather to get outdoors as much as possible. There are those trips to town for appointments and to get groceries and other supplies, but there has been time for some yard work and the planting of the garden beds. After the rain of last week, mowing will take some of my attention for the rest of the growing season.

I do enjoy putting my thoughts in writing, and I pray they make a difference in someone’s life. I believe each person has been placed on this earth for a purpose, and God’s purpose for everyone is given in Scripture. Jesus said this concerning his reason for coming to earth, and the will of God: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, bur the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:38-40).

Did you get that? It is God’s will that everyone be saved. The one who is saved then has been given a divine purpose in life. This does not give the indication that everyone will be saved, but that everyone who believes in Jesus will have the gift of eternal life. Other scriptures tell us that we are saved. not to sit on the sidelines and wait for him to come for us. Quite the opposite is true.

We, as Jesus was, are to be about the Father’s business, not that we can save anyone, but that we spread the good news of Jesus to all those around us. To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

What are these good works? I believe they start with Jesus’ command in Matthew 28. His command to us is this: Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations…, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. (Verses 19-20).

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

15 May

Stormy Weather

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Creation, Eternity, Faith, Heaven, Worship.

Dear friends,

There was some stormy weather in our area last Friday. As we were heading home from Kearney that day, we were behind the storm and in no danger. There were tornados in the vicinity of home, but no major damage was reported. Also, there were some nice rains through the week as evidenced by the speed at which the lawn has grown. I must face the fact that mowing season has arrived!

As we think of the storms that occur in life, we return to the pages of God’s word. As we read the Bible, we learn that this earth was created perfect. God called everything he had made very good. Then along came temptation. Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God, and all of God’s good creation was broken. Here are the Lord’s words as he spoke to Adam: “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’; The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.

The apostle Paul mentions a broken creation in Romans 8: “For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now” (Romans 8:19-22).

However, eventually creation will be restored. We read these words: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband… Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new” (Revelation 21:1-5a). This is Great News!

Blessings,

Pastor Jerry

8 May

Pray On

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Faith, Prayer, Blessings, Assurance, Reward, Trust.

Dear friends.

We have finally seen some rain! According to the “official” gauge on our deck, it totaled 1.40” of precious moisture. We did not get any hail, but some areas did. This doesn’t mean we stop praying for rain, but that we remain persistent in prayer. There is a story in the Bible about a woman who was persistent in asking for a favor.

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

For some time, he refused. But finally, he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming.’”

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for  his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly” (Luke 18:1-8).

At the end of the parable, Jesus asked his disciples this question: Wil not God bring justice to his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? If an unjust judge who does not fear God will rule justly in a poor woman’s favor because of her persistence based on the law, won’t a holy God give justice to his people who pray to him with perseverance based on his word? The question isn’t about God’s willingness. It is about our willingness to persevere by faith in prayer based on God’s Word. (The Tony Evans Bible Commentary).

Elsewhere in Scripture we are told to pray without ceasing. That is, to be always in an attitude of prayer. So, don’t give up praying for rain during a drought. Keep on praying for that prodigal son or daughter. Don’t stop praying for the healing of a broken relationship. Don’t cease praying for physical healing. God answers prayers, and He will answer those heartfelt prayers. Keep in mind He will answer in one of three ways: Yes, No, or Not Right Now.

Pray on,

Pastor Jerry

1 May

Who Will Go?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Body of Believers, Calling, God's Word, Gospel, Great Commission, Obedience.

Dear friends,

We are seeing more evidence of spring; trees blooming and getting new leaves, grass growing (get the mower ready), and dandelions! We did get a little rain the other night, but the wind blew it all away the next day. Let us not give up in asking the Lord to provide that much needed soaking rain. God does answer those sincere and heartfelt prayers.

We have been on the road with doctor’s appointments in recent days. Milrae is recovering from her second knee replacement, and she is glad there were only two knees to be replaced.

In church news, we are still in the process of finding a new pastor. Yours truly has been preaching three days a month, with guest speakers the other Sundays. This has been working well, but obviously is not a long-lasting solution. If you or someone you know is looking for a place to do God’s work of shepherding a small congregation, send them our way.

Our church is not alone in the search for pastoral leadership. It seems there are too few candidates for an increasing number of small congregations. From a personal perspective, I can think of few other callings that are as important as being the Lord’s representative to a body of Christian people making up a small church, whether it is in a city or in a rural setting.

I am drawn to a passage in the book of Romans. It reads as follows: “Everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news?’” (Romans 10:13-15).

The prophet Isaiah, in a vision, got a glimpse of heaven in which he saw the throne of God. He heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah’s answer is, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Luke 10:2).

Who will go?

For Him,

Pastor Jerry