Archive for March, 2026

30 Mar

Holy Week

Posted by sandhillspastor in Cross, Easter, Faith, Good Friday, Gospel.

Dear friends,

Our warm weather continues and still no precipitation of any consequence. The large fires in western Nebraska have been extinguished, but smaller blazes continue to pop up here and there. The balmy weekends show an increase in activity here at Lake Ericson andzss4444 I’m sure people are looking forward to spring and summer activities.

This morning (Sunday) we observed Palm Sunday in our church. At this time of year, Christians are reminded of the sacrifice the Lord Jesus provided when He died for our sins. From His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on that Sunday, to Good Friday and the Resurrection three days later we follow those events with gratitude and respect.

In Jesus’ day, there were those who believed He was who He said He was, but there were many more who had no idea that He was God in the flesh. They thought he was some kind of nut job, not worthy of their time. This same thinking prevails among many in our world today.

Some say Jesus was a great teacher, or just a good man. Some deny His deity, insisting that He was just a man like you and me. If we believe the Bible, we understand that He has always existed, He is God in human flesh, who came to die on a cruel cross so that those who believe will have eternal life.

In John’s gospel we read, “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).

In Acts 4:12 we read, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Everyone since Adam and Eve is born with a sin nature. We are naturally sinners from birth, separated from God. The only way to restore that relationship is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. Will you come to Him today, if you haven’t already?

In His grip,

Pastor Jerry

23 Mar

Facing Disaster

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Faith, God's Word, Hope, Trials, Trust.

Dear friends,

Our temperature went from the mid-nineties Saturday to the mid-fifties on Sunday.  This is after we called off church last week because of cold and snow. Could this be called whiplash?

What do you do when things seem impossible to overcome? I’m thinking of those who were impacted by the wildfires in Nebraska last week. Having spent my life in ranching, I can’t imagine the thought of facing a loss of this magnitude. We lost our cows to financial troubles many years ago, but we still had our feed, fences, machinery and home.

This was just a few years after I had trusted Jesus with my life, and I’ve always said I don’t know how I would have handled this without Him. People who make their living off the land are subject to weather events and challenges that others just don’t understand, but this is nothing new.

If you read the Bible for any length of time, you soon find this is a part of life. The good news is that God knows what you are going through, and although He may not take you out of the situation, He will see you through it.

The psalmist Asaph wrote this when he was discouraged, “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:23-26).

Psalm 62 also became a source of encouragement to me in times of trouble. “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and salvation; He is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out  your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:5-8).

The Lord Jesus left His disciples with these words as he prepared to go to the cross. “I have told you these things, so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Trusting Him,

Pastor Jerry

16 Mar

Our Broken World

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Creation, Eternity, Trials, Trust.

Hello friends,

As I write this, the western part of our state is on fire and the eastern end is experiencing winter weather, including snow and wind. There has not been enough snow to have an effect on the fires. We must keep asking the Lord to send rain or snow to put out the fires. Hopefully by the time you read this He will have answered our prayers. Pray for safety for firefighters and those affected by this disaster. It appears that conditions will not improve greatly, but God knows what we need and will answer in His time.

In the beginning, the creation was perfect, then Adam and Eve disobeyed God and the creation was broken. Because of this, we have droughts, floods, fires, earthquakes and many other things that have resulted. Someday, the creation will be restored to a new beginning and will exist in a perfect state for eternity.

In Genesis, we read of the curse God put in place after Adam and Eve sinned. “To Adam he said, ‘Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it.’

“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground from which you were taken.’” Genesis 3:17-19).

In Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, he wrote, “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:20-21).

God, through the prophet Isaiah said, “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered nor will they come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17).

Finally, from Revelation chapter 21 John writes, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea” (Revelation 21:1). Take heart, the Lord is still on His throne! Keep praying.

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

9 Mar

Sleep Well

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Contentment, Faith, Peace, Rest, Trust.

Hello friends,

Our nice weather continues. It tried to give us some moisture at the end of the week, but a trace doesn’t go very far. It appears there is very little chance of precipitation for the next nine days. The nice days of the weekend brought about increased activity here at the lake. I have noticed in recent days that the spring migration of birds and waterfowl is well underway. Even more signs that spring is just around the corner.

If we spend much time watching or listening to the news these days, we can become very discouraged and want to turn off the television or disconnect from social media. There is much time spent on doom and gloom reporting. I have noticed that even Christian pastors and teachers have become somewhat obsessed with the topic of the end times, as the Bible calls it.

I will agree that it is a subject that we need to be aware of and to be reminded of, but it should not be the only thing we focus on. As long as the Lord tarries, we are to be about the business of sharing the Good News of the gospel with those who do not know Jesus.

In spite of the unrest and disheartening news, the world keeps on turning and God is still on His throne. If we forget that, we will be continually discouraged. When we are tempted to fall into despair over the events swirling around us, it is good to return to the Scriptures for encouragement.

In the Psalms we read the words of David: “Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, God will not deliver him. But you, Lord are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from His holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. (Psalm 3;1-6).

Rest assured, Jesus will return in His time. He has promised but let us be more concerned with bringing people into the kingdom of God and less with when He is coming back for us. In His words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27).

Trusting Him,

Pastor Jerry

2 Mar

Reunion

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Family of God, Fellowship, Heaven, Relationships.

Dear friends,

I have been reminded that spring is just around the corner. Next week we return to Daylight Saving Time, and Resurrection Sunday is only five weeks away. We still haven’t had any moisture of consequence, but some is forecast for later in the week.

I witnessed the reunion of two friends on Sunday. It made me think of the promise to believers of spending eternity in heaven with the Lord Jesus and our family and friends who have gone on ahead of us. One person was my wife and the other was her friend from our years of ministry here in Ericson. They shared their musical talents with the church, one played piano and the other the organ.

The other lady had moved out of state for a time, and they had not seen each other for several years. We found out after church Sunday that the friend was back in Nebraska at her daughter’s house, so we stopped to visit her. When those ladies saw each other there were many happy tears. Oh, what a glad reunion that was.

As I watched and listened to them visiting there, I saw a picture of Christian friends and family being reunited in heaven someday. I could see the picture of happy tears with much rejoicing and reminiscing.

The apostle Paul wrote this about a reunion in heaven. “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

There is a song that says it well, it is called “That Glad Reunion Day”.

“There will be a happy meeting in Heaven, I know
When we see the many loved ones we’ve known here below
Gathered on that blessed hilltop with hearts all aglow
That will be a glad reunion day

A glad day, a wonderful day
Glad day, a glorious day
There with all the holy angels and loved ones to stay
That will be a glad reunion day.”

Are you looking forward to that great glad reunion? I am.

In Him,

Pastor Jerry