Archive for the ‘Assurance’ Category

21 Apr

Don’t Wait

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Cross, Eternal Life, Faith, Salvation.

Dear friends,
Spring seems to be just out of reach. Daytime temperatures just don’t quite reach the level that would be comfortable for me. However, the spring flowers are enjoying the season, and it is good to see signs of new life.

We celebrated another Easter season with our church family. As I sat listening to the Resurrection message this morning, I wondered how many times does it take for the message of the Resurrection to change a mind? I know it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict a person of their sins, but the message must be heard.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testified to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:1-3).

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

Could it be that a person needs to hear the message of salvation more than one Sunday a year for the truth to sink in? In my own experience, I had been attending worship at our little country church for a few years, until one Sunday morning it all made sense.

No one is righteous by their own “good works.” The scripture says, “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21-24).

We are told the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). For a gift to be of benefit, it must be received. Have you received His gift of salvation? How long will you wait?

Just wondering,
Pastor Jerry

17 Mar

Take Heart

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, Faith, Hope, Peace, Reward, Trials, Trust.

Dear friends,
Another week of late winter weather has passed. It has been interesting to say the least. Our prayers go up for those affected by the storms of last weekend. Also, our thanks to those dedicated volunteers who battled the wildfires of last week.

Everywhere we look it seems there is unrest or chaos of some sort. Also, persecution of God’s people is on the increase. I don’t think it is any different than in the past; perhaps we are made more aware through all the media sources available today.

The Bible tells us there will be trials in this life, and I believe it to be true. Jesus said to His disciples, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b).

We should not be disheartened by the troubles in life but, look to the Lord for assurance in those times. Nowhere in scripture does it tell us that life is a bowl of cherries. Peter wrote this to those suffering for their faith, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as tough something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).

In Romans we read this; “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:22-23).

In the Old Testament book of Jeremiah God told the prophet, ”Do not lose heart or be afraid when rumors are heard in the land; one rumor comes this year, another the next, rumors of violence in the land of ruler against ruler’ (Jeremiah 51:46).

Jesus said to his disciples, “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 yet to come” (Matthew 24:6).

James tells us to ‘hang in there’, so to speak: Consider it joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

In the words of Paul, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

24 Feb

Thinking of Eternity

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Eternal Life, Eternity, God's Word, Gospel, Salvation.

Dear friends,
Well, it seems our climate got a lot colder last week. I’m up for some warmer conditions for a change. Enough of this twenty below zero stuff! It is at this time of year I’m glad to be ‘retired’ and can stay indoors when it’s cold outside. Kudos to those still in the livestock business who are dealing with the weather daily.

In recent days I have been reflecting on the brevity of life and thoughts of where we will spend eternity. The Bible is quite clear, eternity is real and there are two destinations for the human soul. One way is to eternal destruction and the other is to forever fellowship with God and Jesus Christ our Lord. Our destination is centered solely on what we have done with God’s message of salvation. That message is this; believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. There is no other way.

I once thought l would see heaven because although I knew was not perfect, I was at least not a murderer and not as bad a sinner as some people I knew. I was depending on my good works as the key to entering heaven. We are told in Scripture that we are saved not by works, but by grace through faith in Christ. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The Word of God is not a cafeteria where we choose the things we like and leave the rest. No, it is a complete package, a guidebook on our journey to eternity. There is no part of it that is to be ignored. If we place our faith in our good deeds, we compare ourselves to others. If we compare ourselves to the Lord’s sinless perfection, we soon see how unworthy we are.

There came a point in time when I saw Jesus as He really is, and it changed my life. I was no longer setting myself up as an example through my own definition of goodness but seeing Him as the perfect example and the One I needed to imitate.

When we get to judgment, we won’t be asked about our good deeds, but what did you do with Jesus? How will you answer?

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

13 Jan

In all Things

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

Hello friends,
The weather has taken a more winter-like turn. These temperatures remind us there are seasons. We don’t get to have just one kind of weather. That would get old after a while. We need to keep California in our prayers, along with the folks in Appalachia as they continue to recover from hurricane and fire disasters. There is much to be thankful for here in our little corner of the world.

As we see all the destruction from hurricanes and wildfires, earthquakes and other disasters, we wonder if God is really in control. However, we live in a fallen world. Because of sin, God’s creation is broken. To Adam, God said, “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” (Genesis 3:17-18).

“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not be 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 glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pain of childbirth right up to the present time” (Romans 8:20-22).

Hear this word of God through the prophet: “I am the Lord and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and disaster; I the Lord, do all these things” (Isaiah 45:5-7).

In the middle of disaster, the Christian can be encouraged. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose… What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?… neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:28, 31, 39).

In His hands,
Pastor Jerry

6 Jan

New Year Thoughts

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, Faith, God's Word, Peace, Prayer, Trust, Wisdom.

Dear friends,
2025 has arrived. When I was younger, the idea of seeing the date “2025” seemed to be an impossibility, but here we are! On a side note, I have been writing these devotional thoughts for over 25 years. I had no idea this would be the case, but again here we are. I must thank the Lord for giving me the inspiration to write, and to you the faithful readers of my efforts, Thank You!

Looking ahead to the year before us, and the events of the day, we are sometimes overwhelmed by life. We see things that are out of our control and wonder how we will cope. I read an article this week by Chuck Lawless in which he lists some things for us to remember.

  1. God is still in control. The world may seem chaotic, but God is still sovereign. “… present your requests to God. And the peace that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
  2. God is not worried. That is why it is a sin for me to worry: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself” (Matthew 6:34).
  3. God’s mercies are renewed every day. When the sun comes up it is a new day, no matter what I face. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
  4. God has never let me down in the past. He is faithful to his people. “Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies” (Psalm 36:5).
  5. God sees the bigger picture. I only see today. We should trust Him to work out His plan: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” (Proverbs 3:5).
  6. God has given us fellow Christians, so we don’t have to face these things alone: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…” (Hebrews 10:25).
  7. God is the story—not I. My responsibility is to trust Him: “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:4).

Last words: God is always awake, so you can sleep at night. He’s got this!

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

30 Dec

Finding Hope

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Eternal Life, Faith, Gospel, Hope.

Dear friends,
I trust you had a blessed Christmas season, although our weather seems to be anything but winter-like. I am not having issues with these temperatures at the end of December, in fact I can wait a few more weeks before we have winter weather. It will then be much closer to spring.
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As we enter a new year, it seems appropriate to write an article in the topic of hope. Much of the world today lives without hope. The Bible tells us there is hope of a future when there will be peace over the whole world. Many people view the idea of hope as something they wish for, but the Biblical idea of hope is of the sure knowledge that a promise is true, yet unseen. Hope can be defined as “The expectation of future fulfillment of God’s promises, as foretold by prophets, often involving themes of restoration and redemption.” In the New Testament, when we read that hope is something set before us, it always refers to Christ’s coming for His saints.

The apostle Paul spoke to hope in this way: “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has” (Romans 8:24)?

The angels who announced the birth of Jesus Christ proclaimed a time when there would be peace on earth. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests” (Luke 2:13-14).

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 Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3) Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible joy…” (verses 8-9).

I pray also that the eye of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints / believers (Ephesians 1:18). There is hope, but it only comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Have a happy and hope filled New Year!
Pastor Jerry

21 Oct

Don’t Stop

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Gospel, Obedience, Prayer, Trust, Wisdom.

Dear friends,
We are in the fall season. The sun shines, but the warming effect is short-lived. We did receive a few drops of rain on Friday. I believe everyone’s prayer is that we receive some beneficial moisture. In other parts of our country, they need drying conditions. In either case, we must trust the Lord to provide what is needed.

Regarding prayer, I am reminded of a passage of scripture in which Jesus instructs his disciples on the topic of prayer: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:5-8).

In John’s first letter we read; “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us” (1 John 3:21-23).

John concludes with these words: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (5:13-15).

Some good words from James: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind” (James 1:5-6).

Keep asking,
Pastor Jerry

14 Oct

Storms of Life

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Contentment, Faith, Rest, Trials.

Hello everyone,
Cooler weather is in the forecast again. Our first killing frost has happened, and the end of gardening season has come.

Parts of our country are still recovering from hurricanes and others are dealing with wildfires and drought. My problems seem trivial in comparison. You have heard it said there is always someone in a worse situation than you, and I believe it. In each situation, we need to remember God has a plan, even in hardship or good times.

In the Old Testament God told Moses, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Also, the Lord told Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

God, through the prophet, told his people Israel, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2).

As Jesus prepared to leave his disciples and return to heaven, he told them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

As we live our lives in the present, and if we have placed our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, we need not fear the storms of life or dread the cloudy days. I will close with 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 new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never spoil perish or fade—kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by God’s power” (1 Peter 1:3-5a).

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

16 Sep

Dealing with Uncertainty

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

Hello friends,
Another week of great fall weather has passed. The extended forecast is for more of the same, but we need rain, as the fire danger is elevated. I continue to adjust to my new “normal”, as the medicine is doing what it is supposed to do.

Uncertainty seems to be a recurring theme these days as we look at the unrest and strife around the world. We worry about the future, knowing that the future is out of our hands. I know there are things that we have control over, but in the big picture not so much. I have always seen myself as an optimist, but I must admit there are times when a note of pessimism creeps in. At those times I’m always drawn to the scriptures for encouragement.

“For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.
God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne” (Psalm 47:7-8).

Psalm 2 says it well: Why do the nations conspire, and the people plot in vain? The kings 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 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 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, lesCt 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 apostle Peter had these words, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:10).

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

9 Sep

Resting in the Lord

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Best Life, Peace, Rest.

Dear readers,

Another week has gone by, and I think I might be adjusting to the new medicine. I still have no appetite, but the food is beginning to taste a bit better. Weather-wise, we are settled into a more fall-like season as the temperature has moderated. This is good for me, since I seem to have become cold-blooded. Sitting in the sun is my favorite pastime recently.

The world keeps on turning, and each day it takes a turn for the worse. In times like these, it is important for us to remain focused on the important things, and to downplay those minor distractions.

I am reminded of a part of scripture that I memorized once. It is from the book of Isaiah. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal. He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground and casts it down in the dust. Feet trample it down—the feet of the oppressed, the footsteps of the poor. The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night, in the morning my spirit longs for you” (Isaiah 26:3-9).

Are the cares of the world weighing you down? Does it seem there is no hope? Hear the words of Jesus: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give your rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

As we sang in church this morning: O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Looking to Him,

Pastor Jerry

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