Archive for June, 2025

30 Jun

It’s His Plan

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Blessings, Faith, Miracles, Planning, Trials, Trust.

Hello all,
We continue to recover from our car wreck. The bumps and bruises are healing, and we continue to attest to God’s providence and protection in all of this. Weather-wise, in the past ten days we have recorded 6.5 inches of rain in our high-tech gauge. After what was a long, dry spell, we are grateful for abundant moisture.

In feedback from last week’s column, it was pointed out that it sounded like I was promoting the idea that God protects us from everything all the time. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that. What it does say is that in this world there will be hardships, including death and dying. There is sickness and disease, pain and sorrow. Sometimes He protects us from harm, but sometimes He doesn’t. Whatever the outcome, God is never surprised and His perfect plan is being carried out.

Let me share some informative scriptures with you: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds (James 1:2). Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of glory that God has promised to those who love Him (James 1:12). Notice that James said when you face trials, not if you face trials.

Peter wrote this, concerning trials, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1: 6). Also, Peter said, “Dear friends do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).

The words of Jesus after telling His disciples of trials to come: “I have told you all 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).

In Romans 12, Paul reminds his readers to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12).

We may say, If I had done this or that, taken a different road, or chosen a different route, this would not have happened. But as I have said before and continue to say, it is all in God’s plan and through it all He is fulfilling His purpose in each life and in each experience.

Trusting Him,
Pastor Jerry

23 Jun

God’s Protection

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Faith, Milestones, Miracles, Praise, thanksgiving.

Hello friends,
We had one of those weeks you remember for a long time. The weather has been very warm, but we also had some rain. My opening sentence has nothing to do with the weather but with a memorable happening. It started as a normal week, with a couple of doctor’s appointments.

On Wednesday, after our appointment, we decided to tour around and check out some local campgrounds. We had been talking about taking the camper out for a few days but wanted to look around first.

Our first stop was Davis Creek, south of North Loup. Then, we took some dicey back roads, courtesy of Google maps, to Sherman Reservoir. After lunch in Loup City, we went to Ravenna with the idea of visiting Buffalo County Park. We have been there before and wanted to check out the improvements since we last visited.

As I started to turn onto the road to the park, we collided with a pickup I had not seen. Airbags in the car deployed with a loud bang and we came to a sudden stop. I never want to have that experience again!

The car was totaled, but neither we or the other driver had life-threatening injuries, although we were bruised and sore. Over the next few days, we found more bruises, but we are slowly healing. Know this though,
airbags are great but work better if used with seatbelts also.

In all this we are thankful to God for His protection. This could have turned out much worse without it. As I reflected on this, scriptures came to mind that assured me of His guiding hand upon us.

Psalm 121:7-8 reads, “The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever more.”
Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. And let us not forget Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…”

Our experience last Wednesday was not “luck”, but the Lord taking charge for his plan and purpose. He’s not done with us.

All praise to Him,
Pastor Jerry

16 Jun

Waiting For Heaven

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Body of Believers, Eternal Life, Faith, Heaven, Second Coming.

Dear friends,
It’s a beautiful summer day as I write this. Looking out at the lake, with the sunlight glistening on the water, I am reminded how blessed we are to be living here. I trust you can say the same in the place the Lord has put you. The old saying is “bloom where you are planted.”

We have lived in several locations and situations in our married life, but no matter what the location, it was always home. As Christians, we know this world is not our final home, but a stop along the way in our journey to heaven.

“But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). Referring to the faithful believers in Hebrews, the Bible says this, “If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:15-16).

Speaking of heaven, the apostle Paul wrote, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Corinthians 4:17-5:1).

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1:3-6).

Finally, Paul’s words from Romans 8, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (verse 18).

Just passing through,
Pastor Jerry

9 Jun

Come Home

Posted by sandhillspastor in Family of God, Forgiveness, Grace, Obedience, Relationships.

Hello all,
After a long dry season, we have had some nice rains. What a difference it has made in our surroundings. This past Saturday we celebrated another wedding anniversary. It sometimes feels like only yesterday we made those vows, but it has been 61 years!

I don’t know why, but it seems I spend more time reminiscing about the past as the years go by. I guess as I look back, I see more clearly the lessons I have learned. For instance I remembered a time when I left a gate open and a group of heifers escaped and went to where the cows and calves were being kept. I stressed over how I might get them back home, but the next morning those heifers were at the gate wanting to return to their own corral. I didn’t have to wonder how to get them separated because they did it all on their own. Apparently, they decided home was not such a bad place after all.

I was reminded in this of the story of the prodigal son Jesus told in the Bible. This was about a young man who left home to see the world, and who discovered the world wasn’t all it seemed to be from a distance. The young man came to his senses and returned home to his father, realizing that what he had at home was far better than what the world had to offer.

The young man convinced his father to give him his inheritance, and we read: Not long after that, the young man got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, he began to be in need… When he came to his senses, he said ‘I will set out and go back to my father” … So, he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:13-20).

When those heifers returned from their little ‘adventure’ they got no kisses, but I welcomed them home. Keep in mind if you find you have strayed away from God, He will welcome you back into his arms. He is there for you.

Safe in Him,
Pastor Jerry

2 Jun

Blessed

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Faith, Grace, Praise, thanksgiving.

Dear friends,
After the rains of the last week, there is a completely different look to our surroundings. The grass is growing, flowers are blooming, and people are smiling; smiling because there will be grass in the pastures and crops to be harvested. In this part of the world, a little rain makes a great difference in our outlook. For Christians, this is evidence that God answers our prayers. I might add, even if you don’t know the Lord it is proof of his presence.

I often hear someone say, “I was really lucky…” No Christian should ever say “I was really lucky today” or “Whatever will be will be.” Forget that. If you are a Christian, there is no such thing as dumb luck. God has a plan and a purpose. He has a strategy for your life. You may not see it now, but He sees it and always has seen it. God is paying attention to what you are facing right now. He is paying attention to what you really need—not necessarily what you want. The great thing to know is that God is thinking about you and that He cares for you.

“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail” (Proverbs 19:21). So, we need to make His plan our priority. In Isaiah we read, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord, ‘and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heaven are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (NLT).

You can find God’s thoughts and ways in His Word. If you study and pray about them often enough, you start to align your decision making with them. You make choices that honor the Lord and pave the way for His plans to be accomplished in and through you

God doesn’t reveal His entire plan for your life at once. Instead, He reveals only what you need to know at a given moment, just enough for you to stay dependent on Him.

God’s word doesn’t give us a calendar for Christ’s return. Until then, our job is to discover and embrace God’s plan for our life—and to align our will and our priorities with His. [Credit: Greg Laurie]

Remember, you are not lucky. You are blessed by God.

In Him,
Pastor Jerryr