Archive for the ‘Bible’ Category

9 Dec

The Light of Christmas

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Bible, Christmas, The Good News, Truth, Worship.

Continuing the Christmas theme, I was noticing the many displays of Christmas lights soon after Thanksgiving. Actually, some were up and ready even before Thanksgiving, but that is another subject altogether.

My thought was this: All the festive lights of all the houses in the world cannot equal the Light we celebrate at Christmas. May I share a few verses concerning this Light?
The prophecy of Isaiah 9:2 is that God would send a Light. Read it with me: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.” He expands on the prophecy in verse 6; “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace”
In the New Testament we find these words: “There was a man named John who was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. The true light, who gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” (John 1:6-9)

Jesus testified about himself: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Finally, these Spirit inspired words from the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4: “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God…For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).

The light of the world is Jesus. May all the bright lights of the Christmas season remind us daily of this truth.

Walking in His light,

Pastor Jerry

25 Nov

Give Thanks

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Praise, Salvation, thanksgiving, Worship.

The last time I visited the house at Lake George, I came away feeling good about having drained the automatic sprinklers in the lawn, and doing some other preparations for winter. About the second day of our recent cold snap, my lovely wife asked if I had turned on the heater in the well house (so much for my self-satisfied feeling). My answer: “No, I forgot all about it!” We’ll be heading up there today to see how that turned out. The last time I forgot, I discovered my mistake when I saw water running out the door and down the hill to the lake.

I just realized it’s only one month until Christmas! However, since I believe the Thanksgiving holiday comes first, I’ll focus on it today.

As we observe Thanksgiving this week, let us first acknowledge the One to whom we give our thanks. Without a Creator, who created this world and everything in it, there would be no giving of thanks. So we first thank Him for Who he is. We then thank him for our very lives, and for the air we breath, the food we eat, the shelter he provides, and so on. Where do we stop? Could we ever stop? I think not.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations (Psalm 100).

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:4).

One last thing: We thank you God, for the Lord Jesus, and for the gift of salvation. I pray everyone who reads this has received that gift.
Happy Thanksgiving,

Pastor Jerry

18 Nov

Praying to Whom?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Faith, Prayer, Salvation, thanksgiving.

Here is a verse of scripture that caught my attention this week:1 Peter 3:12…” For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

I read, and sometimes hear, people promise to pray for a person or situation. I also know some of these who would pray, and I wonder, to whom do they pray? I hope it is the God of the Bible, because if it is any other god, those “prayers” are just wasted effort. The above verse from Peter’s letter indicates that God hears the prayers of his people, not those who deny his existence. Proverbs 15:29 reads, “The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.”

The word “righteous” indicates right standing with God. No one is righteous in God’s sight without having placed their faith in Jesus Christ. Only then are we in right standing with God, and only then does he hear our prayers. Romans 3:22 says this: “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” James tells us, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

As a footnote; as far as the prayer of an unbeliever goes, I believe the one prayer God is obligated to hear is when that person comes in confession and repentance, asking for forgiveness and inviting Christ into his or her heart. It is that person who God hears, and whose prayer he answers.

It is indicated in other places, that there are things that hinder the prayers of God’s people, but that will wait for another time.
In His amazing love,
Pastor Jerry

11 Nov

Religion or Relationship?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Eternal Life, Faith, Salvation, The Good News, Truth.

I admit to checking facebook more than I should. Every now and then, a post will just grab me and the only thing I can do is to comment on it from a Biblical perspective. This morning, I read a statement from someone I do not know. Here is a paraphrase of what he said: “I’m going to attend church today, maybe a little religion is what I need these days.”

The man who posted this, named the “church” he would be attending, and I can almost guarantee what he would find in that setting is “religion” that is totally dependent on man made ritual and tradition.

Religion has been described as “man’s effort to reach God.” In the context of this idea, I have to return to the statement made by Jesus. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). In reality, the person needs Jesus, not religion. There are many “churches” that offer religion. What really matters is not religion, but a relationship with God, and that is only available by placing one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul warned of religion based on man-made tradition. These are his words in Colossians 2:8; “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” Proverbs 16:25 tells us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

Man’s efforts to save himself are futile. Salvation is not found in man-made religion, but in a personal relationship with the Son of God. “There is no other name given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Religion or relationship? Which do you claim today? I pray you have made the correct choice.

In His amazing love,

Pastor Jerry

4 Nov

Obey God

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, God's Word, Service.

From time to time, a verse or phrase from Scripture will prompt me to share the lesson I learn with all of you. One of those showed up in this week’s sermon, and I pass it on to you now.

Exodus 32:33…”The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. After further study, I saw a pattern develop. In John’s gospel, the man who Jesus healed of his blindness, said to the religious leaders, “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does His will.”

Who is the godly person? The person who God has declared righteous, by his or her belief in the shed blood of Jesus Christ to provide salvation and the forgiveness of sin. And, following this, to commit to following God’s commands. How do we think God is with us, when we refuse to obey Him? Scripture tells us he hears those he knows, and we are told that there is no fellowship with the Father apart from faith in Christ alone.

The problem, as I see it, is that we expect God to bless us, when we only give Him lip service. He desires to have unhindered fellowship with us, and we in turn, call on Him only when we need something. We hide sin in our hearts, and expect blessing from Him. The Psalmist had it right; we need to take a lesson. “Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek Him with all their heart” (Psalm 119:1-2).

Will you join me in renewing our commitment to follow Him wholeheartedly, without reservation? After all, that is his desire for us. Can we not obey?

In His Love,
Pastor Jerry

27 Oct

Are You Ready?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Salvation, Second Coming, The Good News.

Can you beat this fall weather? This is one of my favorite seasons. The down-side to this time of year is that winter is just around the corner, in fact, it may come this week. This leads to the realization that preparations need to be made for freezing temperatures. In light of this fact, I spent some time Monday at Lake George winterizing the lawn sprinklers. And, here at home, the camper has been made ready for storage.

The Bible has something to say about being prepared for winter: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest” (Proverbs 6:6). Preparing for winter is a good idea for all of us, and it involves storing up provisions for a long winter.

Perhaps the most important preparation is the one we make for our eternal destination. Jesus had this to say concerning his someday return: “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matthew 24:44). “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7).

If your preparation for eternity consists of doing good works, let me give you a tip. No one gains access to the throne of God by doing good works. Why? Because no one can earn their salvation; it is a free gift of God, made available to all who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This should be a familiar verse: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8). Referring to the Old Testament, the apostle Paul asked, “What does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). You see, even in the Old Testament, people were not saved by following the law, but by faith in the promised Messiah, just as people are today.

How are you preparing for your eternity? Are you storing up treasures on earth, or are you counting on the riches of heaven, made available through the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross?

“Jesus is coming back one day, ready or not.” (Passion Network)

Prepared,
Pastor Jerry

14 Oct

Working For the Lord

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, God's Word, Work.

I like to read. I blame it on being nearsighted at an early age. Outdoor activities didn’t appeal to me because I couldn’t see well, but I could see to read books. Today, I read, not only to study to prepare my sermons, but also to get ideas and inspiration for these weekly articles. I recently read the following in an article from a men’s ministry, concerning our God-given ability to work at a job or a vocation.

“And then he said something amazing, “I am an ordained math teacher.” Isn’t that great? Every vocation is important to God. If you’re a salesman, you’re an ordained salesman. Are you a truck driver? You are an ordained truck driver. A farmer (or rancher)? You’re ordained.”

Think about this. Every job, every career, every occupation is given to you by God. If we understand that truth, I believe it will change the way we think about our work, and our station in life. How much less complaining about our jobs would we do, if we understood that they are gifts from God? Would we see our work from a different perspective, if we really believed it?

The word ordain means to “appoint, consecrate, or commission persons for special service to the Lord and His people”. To view our work as ordained, then, would be seen as doing special service, first to the Lord, then to His people.

Solomon spoke of this in Ecclesiastes: “A man can do nothing better than to…find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God.” (Eccl. 2:24). The apostle Paul puts it this way: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

Can you praise God for your job? Even if it is sometimes difficult?

Something to think about,
Pastor Jerry

7 Oct

Service or Seashells?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Service, Work.

As I have celebrated another birthday, may I have the luxury of passing on some thoughts on getting older, and how we might spend our later years?

I am reminded of a story Pastor John Piper told in his book “Don’t Waste Your Life.” The story was about a couple who took early retirement, moved to Florida to “cruise on their 30 foot yacht, play softball and collect shells. Then he adds this… “Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: ‘Look, Lord. See my shells.’ That is a tragedy”
How many Christians look to the day they can retire and “enjoy life”, only to find themselves with a feeling that there must be more? What if that something more is to spend those years not doing nothing, but having time to “wholeheartedly serve the Lord?”

I find only one reference to “retirement” in the Bible, and it is that the Old Testament priests were to retire at age 50, and then to assist the younger priests. (Numbers 8:23-26 NIV).

Here is some perspective from scripture: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree…they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.” (Psalm 92:12-14).
Solomon, to whom God gave more wisdom than any other man, said this at the end of Ecclesiastes: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

From the apostle Paul, we get the idea that the Christian has a responsibility to keep on until the end. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7) “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus”(Philippians 3:14).

At the judgment, will you hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant”, or will you have only seashells to bring to the throne?

Just thinking,
Pastor Jerry
“It is a sad contentment to be content without Jesus.” (Mark Dever)

30 Sep

What’s the Big Deal?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Forgiveness, God's Word, Marriage, Sin, Truth.

I don’t know what kind of response to expect from this next commentary, but I’ll take my chances: Milrae and I went to the hair salon recently to get our hair cut, and group of young women were discussing some pastors who had refused to marry couples that were living together. At the end of the discussion, one young lady wondered aloud, “What’s the big deal?”

I couldn’t keep silent, so I said this: As a pastor, I would have to take the side of those other men, and I believe that a couple should live apart until marriage. Needless to say, the conversation came to a rather abrupt end. I would like to take this opportunity to expand on my statement.

First of all, God’s word says couples living together outside of marriage are living in sin. This is not news, and this sin is no more or less a sin than any other. As with any other sin, it is forgivable. Also, statistics have proven that living together before marriage leads to a greater possibility that the marriage will fail. Most pastors I know who choose not to bless that kind of relationship, would be glad to conduct the ceremony if the concerned parties would confess the sin, repent of it, and live apart for a time as evidence of that repentance. You see, in God’s eyes, and in his plan for marriage, it is a “big deal”, even if the culture we live in tells us it doesn’t matter.

Speaking the Truth in love,
Pastor Jerry

23 Sep

The Least of These

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, God's Word, Hypocrisy, Sin, Temptation.

Occasionally, I will hear someone make a comment something like this: “I just don’t think I could stay in the same room with a “certain person.” Even worse, they might be talking about someone who might join them in church, or Bible study. However, that person might overlook their feelings for a certain other person for what they might gain because of that one’s high position in society or their perceived wealth. In the letter of James, we read, “as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism…if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (James 2:1-8.)

Where do we get off deciding what church related event we will attend, or any other activity we will be involved in, based on whether we can be in the same room with a person or persons? Do we not remember the Lord’s teaching concerning treatment of the “least of these?”

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). I believe this applies first to our Christian brothers and sisters, but also to our fellow-man in general. Or what about this admonition?….”Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).

This not to say we should accept everyone at face value, but that we are concerned enough about their eternal destiny to welcome them in the name of Jesus, sharing the good news of salvation through faith in him.

By the way, I’m not pointing fingers. These scriptures convict me of my own sinful attitudes every time I read them. It is as the old saying goes: “if the shoe fits….”

Is this easy? No. Can we do it in our own strength? No, but the Bible says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13). And, Jesus says to us, “Apart from me you can do nothing!” (John 15:5).
In His power,

Pastor Jerry

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