Archive for the ‘Assurance’ Category

16 Mar

Fear Not

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, Culture, Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Hope, Peace, Salvation, Trials, Truth, Witness.

Hello friends,
It has been an interesting week, to say the least. On a personal note, I saw the cardiac surgeon for a checkup. He says everything looks good, and to continue rehab. The weather continues to follow the pattern we have come to expect for the month of March.

Our topic for the week will be the Covid19 virus. A lot of people have written on this topic, but all have different platforms and different readers. So, here are my thoughts on the virus pandemic, and what our response should be from a biblical perspective.

As Christians, our view of this should be one of dependence on God’s word and His promises. Along with that, we must point people to Jesus. In the face of uncertainty, our message is that He is the One in whom we trust, not just for here and now, but for eternity.

Jesus had these words for those concerned with the future as recorded in Luke’s gospel. “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has the power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him” (Luke 12:4-5). He has more to say beginning in verse 22; “Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear… Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” (verses 22-26).

The promise of God is that those who trust Jesus for their eternal salvation will never be taken from Him. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?… “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, (including viruses), will be able separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39). Salvation is found in no one else, not governments, scientists, or political leaders.

Trusting Him completely,
Pastor Jerry

2 Mar

Prepare Now

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Assurance, End Times, Eternal Life, God's Word, Judgment, Peace, Second Coming.

Dear friends,
I hope you have been enjoying the warmer temperatures. I know I have. Wednesday, when I saw my cardiologist, he said to see him in six months. My cardiac rehab begins this week, so it is onward and upward from here, I guess. Again, thanks for all the prayers, cards, calls and visits. You are all a blessing to me.

Spring is coming, I know because the geese are pairing off, and will soon be nesting. I hope it is not like some years, when I have seen those geese sitting on their nests in a raging blizzard. By all reports, if the weather holds for a few days, Lake Ericson will begin filling up for the new season. The water level has been down in anticipation of final repairs at the spillway.

The news, if you watch it at all, is not very positive most days. From the political craziness to the virus that by some accounts is threatening civilization, one wonders where we are headed. In the Christian worldview, none of this is random or meaningless. God has told us there is nothing that is out of His control, and nothing that catches Him by surprise. Our responsibility, is to trust Him in all things, beginning with trusting His Son for our salvation. Once we know Jesus as Savior, He promises to hold us in his hands, never letting go no matter the circumstances.

You see, the whole world is to be judged for rejecting God. Only those who are His, will be saved from that final judgment. Much of what we are seeing is part of what the Lord spoke of as the last days. As his return draws closer, we will see more of the same.

Jesus’ disciples had many of the same questions that we have. They wanted to know when Jesus would return. He said they would hear of wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24:4-8). He went on to say, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (verse36). “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (verse 42).

I’m not saying he will return tomorrow, but I am saying we all need to be ready when he does come again.

Trusting Him,
Pastor Jerry

17 Feb

The Creative Creator

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Attributes of God, Blessings, Body of Believers, Creation, Gospel, Miracles, Praise, Prayer, Worship.

Hello friends,
Last week, I told you of my planned heart bypass surgery. I can now report the surgery went well, and I am at home recovering. I have no rehab schedule presently, but somewhere, someone is preparing a plan. I now know much more about the process than I might have wanted to know. Word like saws, titanium plate, tiny screwdriver, screws… you get the idea. There were tubes and all kinds of wires and assorted monitors.

As I heal, I have been thinking about the wonder of the bodies God has given us. I met a man while in the hospital who claimed to be an agnostic. As I understand it, an agnostic will claim it is impossible to know God, and an atheist denies the existence of God, or even of a supreme intelligent being. My question at this point is, how then do you explain the complexity of the human body? How can you not see the hand of God in creating his own?

Oh, some will say it is the result of some random accident through which life began, or that some primitive life form ‘evolved’ to a human being. I for one, am glad for a Creator God, who not only designed mankind in His image, but that he equipped some to perform amazing procedures and others to help us on our way to recovery. In the last week, I have experienced some wonderful medical progress, and met some amazing individuals. From the doctors, ICU staff, nurses, CNAs, to housekeeping and nutritional staff. You are all special people!

Jesus is called the Great Physician and Healer, but he has some very talented individuals involved in the process. Thank you, also, for prayers for me this past week, I know they had much to with my speedy recovery from the immediate effects of the surgery and my eventual dismissal from the hospital in record time. God is King, and He is still on His throne. Praise Him daily!

It is not always God’s will for healing, but we should not fail to always pray. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16)

Praising His goodness,
Pastor Jerry

10 Feb

Trusting Him

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, Faith, Peace, Praise, Witness, Worship.

Dear friends,
My computer lost several of your email addresses last week, so if you did not receive the weekly newsletter, I apologize. I discovered this after sending out last week’s article. I have since restored those and they are in a separate file, in case it happens again. If you fail to receive the emails, they are always available on Facebook and at sandhillspastor.com.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned having some medical tests. The results are in, and I will be having what is called CABG, better known as bypass surgery. After having a heart cath last Tuesday, my cardiologist said stents were not an option. This procedure will take place Monday, February 10. Prayers will be appreciated. I hesitate to share the following, but you who read these weekly messages are like family to me, so here goes…

In all the testing, which included much poking, prodding, ultra-sounding, CT scanning, etc., I have been given a new appreciation for Psalm 139:13-14; “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful; I know that full well.” I have gotten a glimpse into the wonder of God’s creation, and it is a wonderful thing.

I am also thankful He has equipped other wonderfully created persons to repair our wonderfully created bodies as needed. I have complete trust in my doctors, but most importantly, I have complete faith and trust in the One who saved me through His Son Jesus Christ.

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him
He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

That’s all for this week. God willing, I will be back next week. Until then I am…

In His grip,
Pastor Jerry

6 Jan

A Word to the Nations

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Culture, God's Word, Judgment, Politics, The Good News, Truth, Wisdom.

Hello friends,
Well, that was certainly some snow storm! I trust you were kept safe and warm while the snow and wind did their thing outdoors. My best estimate of snowfall here at beautiful Lake Ericson was 12 inches. With a wind gusting near 40 mph, there were some impressive drifts in the neighborhood. After the storm passed, we have had warmer temperatures with much melting of the snow. May it continue!

The world seems to move rapidly from one crisis to the next. One wonders, what will be the next thing to occupy the attention of mainstream and social media? We must not forget, in the midst of all the crises, that God is still on His throne and His perfect plan is still in place.

The world seeks solutions to all its problems in secular thinking and philosophy. The Christian knows the answer lies in trusting God and his Word. Here are words of warning and encouragement from Psalm 2.

Why do the nations conspire and the people plot in vain?
The rulers of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.
“Let us break their chains”, they say, “and throw off their fetters.”
The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

The message for the nations, and for individuals is very clear; serve the Lord with fear (respect and awe). Rejoice in his salvation. Give Jesus his proper place in your life, an all who trust (take refuge or shelter) in him will be blessed.

Standing on His promises,
Pastor Jerry

30 Dec

Resolutions

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Best Life, Change, Eternal Life, renewal.

Dear friends,
Happy New Year! The next one of these devotional articles will be dated January, 2020. The presents will be opened and probably the excitement over new things will have begun to fade. it is the time of resolutions made and broken in the space of a few days, or weeks. As you made those resolutions, have you ever anticipated a new you? Good news! God has a plan; you can be a new creation. I am speaking of a spiritual transformation.

It starts with the realization that you are in need of a remake. Remember, God’s word tells us we are broken, and in need of Savior. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.” (Romans 3:10-11).

A man named Nicodemus came to Jesus asking how to get right with God, and Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3). Jesus was not speaking of physical birth, but a spiritual rebirth. He went on to say in effect, you cannot experience fellowship with God unless you believe Jesus is the way to salvation. “For God so loved the world that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” It is important to know this new creation is to show outer change as the result of an inner transformation, i.e., a new birth.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-14).

Perhaps at the dawning of a new year, we can resolve to accept God’s offer of a transformed life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As the scripture says, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Here’s to a transformed life in 2020.

Love in Christ,
Pastor Jerry

23 Dec

It’s Christmas Time

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Assurance, Christmas, God's Word, Hope, Incarnation, Peace, Rest, Salvation.

Hello friends,
I’m writing early this week, because of early copy deadlines. I’m trusting the system to get season’s greeting to you in a timely manner, so here goes!

Merry Christmas! It is that time again, the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior. The day may, or may not, reflect the actual time of year for the event, but at any rate, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, as it was written in scripture, ‘just at the right time’.

The apostle John wrote in his gospel, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14. The Word was Jesus, Son of God, the promised Messiah.

Isaiah prophesied His coming this way;
For to us a child is born, to us a child is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever. (Isaiah 9:6-7)>

The apostle Paul reminds us of this in Galatians chapter four; But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full right of sons. Galatians 4:4-5).

Finally, from Colossians 1:15-18… “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

Our world today seems to be out of control, and we often wonder where it will all end. Take heart, God is in control. His plan will be brought to its completion. As we come to the end of the year, let’s remember, God’s got this.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

25 Nov

Going Up?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Blessings, Eternal Life, Eternity, Faith, Heaven, The Good News, Worship.

Hello friends,
I have been enjoying my visits to other churches, meeting new friends, and preaching God’s word. I find it amusing that not having taken speech class in high school, I have spent so many years speaking to groups of people on a weekly basis. One more proof that God equips those he calls to His work.

When attending our denomination’s annual meeting last month, we stayed in a two story hotel. As I age, I am less inclined to use stairs (that sounds strange). Anyway, since two of us had second floor rooms, we rode the elevator instead of using the stairs. On one of our elevator rides, I commented that it might be a preview of the rapture. My friend said, “I am sure it will be faster than this.”

The word rapture is not found in the Bible, but it refers to the return of the Lord Jesus in the air to gather his church. 1 Corinthians 15:52; “Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, we read: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep (or died). For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

Our hope, that is our belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead assures us of our place in heaven. The apostle Peter puts it this way; “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”

Trusting in Him,
Pastor Jerry

28 Oct

Real Hope

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Peace, Rest, Reward, The Good News, Trials, Truth.

Hello friends,
Well, our fall weather has taken a decidedly winter-like turn. This is most noticeable in the dropping temperature. As we drove to O’Neill on Saturday, and as the wind changed to the northwest, we experienced a change from seventy-three degrees to sixty-three in a little over 60 miles. By Sunday morning we were at 34 degrees!!

It is not a new thing to say that the world has trials and trouble. It seems in recent days that those things are being multiplied. People in our little corner of the world are no exception. Everywhere, we see tragedy and heartache, and many people are wondering if there is really hope for the future. The belief of the Christian is that there is hope. Our hope comes through our faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord.

These are the words of the apostle Peter: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from 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 salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice…” (1 Peter 1:3-6).

The hope of which the Bible speaks is not some type of wishful thinking, but a sure knowledge of the fulfillment of a promise made by God, that whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will spend eternity with him. Therefore, we who have faith in Christ, even in our heartache and loss can say with the apostle Paul, “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep (or die), or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.”

We have the assurance from God’s Word that we who know him as Lord and Savior, will be reunited with our loved ones who have gone before.

These are words from an old hymn; “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

Standing on the Rock of Ages,
Pastor Jerry

23 Sep

Held In God’s Hand

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Christian Living, Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Peace, Rest, Salvation, Service, Trials, Worship.

Hello friends,
Another week of retirement has passed. We made two trips to Albion for appointments, had one wedding rehearsal, a lake association board meeting, a wedding, and I traveled to Valentine on Sunday to preach for a pastor who needed a day off. I am finding this retirement thing does not allow for a lot of down time if you are willing to be involved in your community.

As I am involved with people, and as I visit with different individuals, I find that most are dealing with, or have at some point dealt with issues of one kind or another. No one is immune to trouble. I also find that Christians in general, have a much more positive outlook in times of trouble than those who don’t know Christ on a personal level. This doesn’t mean that the Christian has no doubts, or that his or her faith doesn’t waver at times. However, as the Bible states in several places, the righteous will live by faith. Keep in mind that the righteous person as described in Scripture, is one who has received God’s gift of salvation, paid for by Christ on the cross.

In the Bible, we find examples of people who lived by faith in God, and in His promises. Noah built an ark, although he had never seen rain. Abraham packed up and moved to a place he had never heard of because he had faith. Joseph endured all kinds of hardship, always trusting God in the worst of times. The apostle Paul endured much hardship, faithfully preaching the gospel in many difficult situations.

If you are in one of those situations, here are some of God’s promises. “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 in my righteous right hand… For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you’” (Isaiah 41: 10, 13).

Finally, Jesus said this, concerning his followers; “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29).

In His grip,
Pastor Jerry

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