Archive for September, 2026

21 Sep

Are We Too Late?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Culture, End Times, Eternal Life, Evil deeds, God's Word, Obedience, Ten Commandments.

Hello friends,

The garden is nearing the end of production, and the temperatures are indicating fall weather ahead. We have enough tomatoes in the freezer to guarantee veggie soup for many winter days. Cooler days are welcome, but I am not looking forward to the cold of winter. It seems I am less tolerant of that environment than in earlier days.

If one watches or listens to much that passes for news these days, it would be easy to become discouraged. I have to remind myself there is only so much I can do to change the world. It is important to remember as a Christian that the Lord always knows what is going on. He is not asleep, nor is He uncaring. The world He created is broken and He has a plan for its healing. In the meantime, we must remember to be obedient to His commands. The culture is trying to pull us away from truth and into a world of sin.

God gave only ten commandments to Moses on the stone tablets. However, as we look at them, we see every one being broken and trampled on. Commandment number one is “You shall have no other gods before me.” We have made many things into gods or idols that take us away from God. I could make a long list, but here are a few contemporary idols: Money, various toys, fame, and the self, to name a few.

We are told to remember to set aside a day for worship of the Lord, but there seem to be few who take that commandment seriously. One only needs to look at all the events that are scheduled for Sunday.

“Honor your father and mother.” Increasingly we see young people with little respect for any adult, much less Mom and Dad. There is little regard for others in any aspect of life.

“You shall not murder.” Every day, we read about murders somewhere. There seems to be total disregard for human life. From conception to old age, lives are taken for no reason. Every excuse for doing so is unjustified.

I could go on, but you get the point. Unless we return to God and begin to give Him our obedience and worship, things will not improve. On a positive note, in the end our God will set everything in order.

Keep looking up!

Pastor Jerry

14 Sep

Remembering

Posted by sandhillspastor in Eternal Life, Heaven, Memories, Salvation, Trust, Truth, Witness.

Dear Friends,

September is half over already. The good news is the temperatures are beginning to moderate. I’m all for warm days, but there are limits even for me.

On Friday we observed Patriot Day. It was the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. I clearly remember what I was doing that morning, as I’m sure many of you do. We all have points of time that we cannot or will not ever forget. I well remember the day JFK was assassinated. I was working the window at McDonald’s in Ogden, Utah and one of my co-workers’ mother came to the window crying and saying, “the president has been shot!” There are others that I will not take the time to share.

On a positive note, I also remember what I was doing when I met my future wife, although not the exact day. Next to that is my memory of the day I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior. Standing in a pew in a little country church on a Sunday morning, I responded to His invitation to follow Him. The year was 1982 in early spring, and I can attest that my lifestyle began a slow transformation over the next few years. No, it wasn’t an immediate bright light moment, but I knew I was going to let Him take control of my life.

I am convinced that the most important event in our lives we can share as a memorial and historical fact is to share our Christian testimony. It may not be an important event in the eyes of the world, but it is of eternal significance.

“Suppose one if you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” … “I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents: (Luke 15:3-7,10).

In His grip,

Pastor Jerry

7 Sep

Do Not Worry

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, End Times, Gospel, Salvation, Second Coming.

Dear readers,

September has arrived with some very warm temperatures. This is not unusual, as this month can contain a variety of weather conditions. This weekend was the final busy weekend here at the lake. There were activities for all ages enjoyed by all. Things will be much slower now until next spring when the summer season begins.

Labor Day is one of those events that calls for early copy for the newspapers, and I am challenged to put my mind in gear a little sooner than normal. So here goes…

There are crazy things going on in our country and around the world. I am drawn to the scriptures that tell us of things concerning the end times of which Jesus spoke. He told us despite these signs, we are not to be alarmed. It is easy for us to be anxious about things we don’t understand, but He is in control and we need to trust Him.

His disciples asked at one point, “Tell us when this will happen, and what will be the sign of your coming at the end of the age?”

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ, and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:3-8).

It does no good to speculate on the timing of His return. Many individuals over the years have predicted His second coming, but they have all been wrong. Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthews 24:36).

The Lord wants everyone to accept His salvation, but some day He will keep His promise and return. We are told, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:8-9).

For Him,

Pastor Jerry