Archive for the ‘Christian Living’ Category

6 Mar

Be Still and Know

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Blessings, Christian Living, Faith, God's Word, Praise, renewal, Uncategorized, Worship.

It’s sunny, but cool as we start the month of March. I do suppose this would be called a lamb-like start to the month. This is a month that is known for weather extremes. As we were living the ranch life, Mid-March was when spring calving began. What a time to expose newborn calves to every nasty kind of weather known to man and animal. From rain and snow, then windy and warm, and all the frozen ground from winter becomes mud and muck. I wonder how many miles I carried little calves through nearly knee deep mud on the way to the barn? Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about.

On a nicer note, Saturday morning was still and quiet. It was so still, I could hear the water rushing down the spillway at the dam, from our front yard. It reminded me that God calls us to be still and know that he is God. There is nothing like the stillness of the early morning to hear his sweet voice. We hear it not only in the rushing water, but in the songs of the birds and the call of the wild geese flying overhead.

The Psalms remind us of our need to hear God’s still, small voice, and the fact that the creation speaks of his glory. But, I wonder if we really make the effort to listen for and to Him?
“The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. (Psalm 97:6).
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands… Their voice goes out into all the earth.” (Psalm 19:1-4).

I know not everyone who reads this is an early riser, but I would encourage you to get up early occasionally, and experience the peace and quiet of a morning outdoors.

I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to Him,
as I rejoice in the Lord. (Psalm 104:33-34)

Remember, what we call nature didn’t happen by chance. There is a Creator—to Him be glory and honor and praise forever and ever. AMEN!

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

20 Feb

On Knowing Jesus

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Christian Living, Culture, Death and Dying, Eternal Life, Faith, Gospel, Heaven, Peace, Salvation, The Good News, Truth, Uncategorized.

Wow! The last few days have been very spring-like, and the ice is gone from the lake. I hope you have been able to get out and enjoy the warmer temperatures. Large numbers of geese have been passing overhead, their v-shaped flight pointing to the north. However, my weather app is showing a change in the works, with a forecast of significant rain, snow and wind. Oh, well, it is still February in Nebraska. We should know it can’t actually be spring yet, although it is coming.

Someone posted this statement recently on Facebook: “Knowing me and knowing of me are two totally different things. Don’t confuse the two.” I believe he was posting from a personal viewpoint, but more importantly, this statement also has a spiritual application.

It is not enough to know of Jesus, it is of great eternal significance that we know him intimately and personally.

We may have knowledge of a person, but until we spend personal one-on-one time with them, we will never really know who they are. What husband or wife could possibly know anything about their spouse without spending much time together?

When Jesus called his 12 disciples, he didn’t call them to follow, and then say, “I’ll see you in a couple of years.” When He called them, they dropped what they were doing, and spent the next three years in constant fellowship with Him.

It is not enough to know about Jesus, the devil and his demons recognize Jesus as God’s Son, but they do not think they have to obey Him. Just believing is not enough. Faith is more than belief. By faith, you accept what Jesus has done for you, receive him as the only one who can save you from sin, and live your faith by obeying his commands. It is called having a personal relationship with Him.

There are lots of people today who talk about Jesus and assume they are going to heaven, but they have no intimate knowledge of him. No one goes to heaven because they know of Jesus. Scripture is quite clear that one must confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, in order to gain entrance to God’s heaven. There is no other name by which we can be saved. Period. Do not be confused. Every day someone dies without Jesus. Please don’t be one of them.

Sincerely,
Pastor Jerry

13 Feb

On Civility

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Culture, Family of God, Fellowship, Grace, Obedience, Peace, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Witness.

Snow, wind, cold, and warm. All of these in one week. The snow turned out to be about 6 inches in our immediate area, but it was pretty fluffy and didn’t blow around, at least for the first day or so. The one breezy day, the temperature was near 30 degrees, so there was minimal drifting. Friday’s warm temperatures eliminated a lot of the snow.

Ice fishermen keep coming to the lake, but I feel that season may be nearing an end. As for me, I will
wait until ice out to do any fishing.

I will be returning to the dermatologist for removal of a bit more of my tissue. It turns out a biopsy taken last week returned a diagnosis of basal cell skin cancer, so more is required to be sure the cancer cells are all gone. Having gone through some of this before, it is a matter of trusting the Lord and my doctor. No worries for me.

The Bible instructs Christians to give proper respect to leaders, both secular and spiritual; in the family, in school, and in the workplace. These days there is almost a complete lack of respect for those in authority, and especially for those with whom we disagree.

There is a word we don’t hear much anymore. It is called civility. Here is an excerpt from an article found in The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity.

“Civility is not a biblical term, as such, but the idea is certainly present in the Scriptures. Indeed, taken as a way of describing respect for strangers, civility is a rather prominent biblical motif. In the Old Testament God regularly encouraged the people of Israel to show courtesy to those who were different from themselves. The theme is repeated in the New Testament. Christians are to “speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle and to show courtesy to everyone” (Titus 3:2).”

Here are some instructions: A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered (Proverbs 17:27). Honor one another above yourselves. Live in harmony with one another. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:10-18).

In other words, be nice!

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

6 Feb

Appointment With God

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, End Times, Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Heaven, Judgment, Obedience, Planning, Salvation, Second Coming, The Good News, Truth, Uncategorized.

The Super Bowl is over, and no matter which team you supported, you have to admit it was an exciting game. I can’t say I had a real favorite, none of my teams made it that far. Now, I must wait for baseball season.

Friday, I visited the dermatologist for my semi-annual checkup, and a strange thing happened. After I had filled out the mandatory paperwork, I sat down to wait (that’s why they are called waiting rooms). After while a lady appeared and called out “Jerry”. Three of us stood up. Apparently, we all had appointments at the same time. Now, I ask you, what are the odds of that happening? She had to go to last names to get the right Jerry.

This got me thinking about some scriptures that talk about the Lord calling his people. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them in also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (John 1:14-16).

Every person has an appointment with God, whether he believes in Him, or not. “Just as man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:27-28). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, 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 with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

As the old song says; “When the Savior calls, I will answer. I’ll be somewhere listening for my name.” Will you be listening, too?

Just thinking,
Pastor Jerry

30 Jan

Restoration

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Change, Christian Living, Eternal Life, Eternity, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Praise, renewal, Second Coming, The Good News, Truth, Uncategorized.

Dear readers,
We’ve had our second major weather event for this winter season. I’m sure others received more snow than we did, but that’s okay. I know we complain about the weather, but without some winter-time moisture, it would be a bleak picture when spring comes. And, we cannot ignore the beauty of the new-fallen snow. The snow seems to restore the beauty of creation, giving a picture of the purity and holiness of our Lord.

On the topic of restoration, there are many people today who are involved in various types of restoration. We restore old cars, old tractors, old houses, and even old landmarks. There are products to restore hair color and any number of other “restorations”. Some would like to restore our culture to an earlier, simpler time, but sadly, this is an impossibility.

There is good news, however. God is in the restoration business, too. Hear the word of God: “In that day I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name, declares the Lord, who will do these things” (Amos 9:11-12).
“He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5).
Psalm 23:1-3… “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul…”
In Acts 3:21, Peter speaks concerning Jesus: “He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

1 Peter 5:10… “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 and steadfast.”
Again, Peter writes, “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13).

There is more good news; God also does not merely restore people to a former state, he makes them into new creations. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In Truth,
Pastor Jerry

16 Jan

Music in Worship

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Blessings, Christian Living, Praise, Service, Uncategorized, Worship.

Dear friends,
Here is a lighter thought for the week. I like music. More specifically, I like good music. I prefer the old songs, although there is occasionally some good new music. However, to me, it seems no matter what the genre, the old music is much more comforting than the newer stuff. Maybe it is just a sentimentality issue from my perspective.

I took a trip into the past recently, via satellite radio, to listen to some of the songs that were popular when I was young. What I heard were songs reminiscent of what passes for music in many circles today. Apparently, songs with indistinguishable lyrics and non-melodic tunes, have been around longer than I thought. I found that some of the old-time stuff wasn’t all that good, musically speaking. I can understand my parents’ reaction to some of the ‘music’ I was listening to in the late 50’s and early 60’s.

God gave us music, I believe, and through it we have the blessing of using that music to worship Him. Scripture encourages us to use music in our worship, and because our worship is to bring God praise and glory, we would be wise to give our best. I’m not going to start a discussion of worship styles, or music preferences, but to draw attention to the praise aspect our music. Let’s look at some affirming scriptures.

Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy (Psalm 33:1—3).

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music (Psalm 57:7).

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands (Psalm 92:1-4).

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).

And, remember, even if you can’t sing, you can still have a song in your heart.

Musically yours,
Pastor Jerry

9 Jan

Purity of Speech

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Christian Living, God's Word, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Obedience, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Witness.

Dear readers,
Christmas is over, a new year is before us, and we can look ahead to 2017. My prayer is that 2017 will be a good year for all who read this. My other prayer is that you who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior, will choose to do so soon. Also, that we who believe, would more than ever live the life to which He has called us. What follows relates to this thought.

I am somewhat of a Facebook junky. I enjoy seeing photos and inspirational posts, and even some of the news items. It puzzles me, though, when I see profane posts shared by those who call themselves Christians. In the ‘old’ days, we would excuse our profanity by saying “pardon my French”, but it wasn’t French. Now, we apologize in advance by saying something like, “this is a good message, but beware of an occasional “f” bomb.”

My question is this. If, as a Christian, you have to apologize for language in something you post on Facebook, why post it?

What does the Bible say about our speech? I’m glad you asked. “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be” (James 3:9-10).

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children… but among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:1-4).

If I may paraphrase Philippians 4:8; “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–post, share, and tweet such things.”

Here is another thought: If you must repost or share those things that contain those words, why not take the time to edit out the inappropriate content? I think you will find the information is the same without the profanity, if it isn’t, it probably isn’t worth putting out there in the first place. “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart” (Jesus, in Matthew 15:18).

Think about it,
Pastor Jerry

26 Dec

Cold Memories

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Blessings, Christian Living, Faith, God's Word, New Year, Praise, thanksgiving, Trials, Uncategorized, Witness, Worship.

A week ago, it was 25 below zero. It has been some time since it was that cold. I remember, just before Christmas in 1983, we had a cold spell that stayed well into January. On top of that, we had a lot of snow that drifted almost every day. It was a test for men, machines and livestock. I’m glad I don’t have to face that again, and I pray for those who do.

This sticks in my mind, partly because of what happened on that Christmas eve. Our neighbors had gone Christmas shopping with their young kids, and made it back to the school house, which was about a half-mile west of our place. It was 20 below zero with a vicious wind-chill. I don’t remember exactly how, but I was able to get in touch by phone with them and offered to bring them to our house. I took the tractor and snow-blower and went to get them. The wind was filling our tracks with snow as fast as we made them, but we made it safely. Our two families then spent all night together.

At 1:00 AM, I woke to find the power had gone off, and went to the shop to get a tractor to power our generator, only to find the tractor’s alternator had a bad bearing. Neighbor Dave held the light and I changed that bearing in record time. Did I mention it was very cold that night? We did get the stand-by generator connected and stayed warm the rest of the night. It was definitely a Christmas to remember. Others have their own memories of that winter.

In those years on the ranch, as I look back, there were many times things worked for good in the middle of some really stressful times. Each one was a reminder of God’s faithfulness to his people, even when they don’t immediately recognize it.

The Psalms speak much of the faithfulness of God. Here are some verses:
“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations (Psalm 89:1). The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones (Psalm 89:5).

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations (Psalm 100:5).

Happy New Year,
Pastor Jerry

19 Dec

Peace on Earth

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, Christmas, End Times, Eternity, God's Word, Gospel, Grace, Judgment, Peace, Praise, Rest, The Good News, Uncategorized.

We finished with painting some rooms in our house this week. I suppose this could be a Christmas gift of sorts. This is something my lovely wife has been wanting for some time, and I’m glad we were able to find someone to get the job done. I will have more on this in an upcoming article.

Where is the promised peace?
After the angel announced the birth of the Savior to the shepherds, we read this: “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 2:8-14).

The angel’s announcement to the shepherds was of peace on earth, and as we read the words, we see that this peace would come to those on whom God’s favor rests, meaning those who put their faith in this newborn babe.

Jesus himself did not promise that true peace would exist before his second coming. He said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34).

Another prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ is found in Isaiah 42:1-4. “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
til he leads justice to victory.
In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Two of the elements of the Advent season are hope and peace. For the Christian, this means hope as a settled assurance of things to come, and the peace that comes only from the Spirit of Jesus in our hearts.

Again, as he prepared to leave his disciples, Jesus promised to leave his peace with them. What did he mean, if he didn’t come to bring peace?

The peace he left us with is not peace as the world sees it (John 14:27), but instead, he leaves us with peace in our hearts because of our relationship with the Father through the Son. In this, we have hope.

Merry Christmas,
Pastor Jerry

5 Dec

Ready for Christmas?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Bible, Christian Living, Christmas, Eternal Life, Gospel, Incarnation, Planning, Second Coming, Uncategorized.

I’ll begin this week with a bit of reminiscing, prompted by something that happened to me a few weeks back.

It was an email I received, reminding me that I don’t use rancher type illustrations or analogies in these articles anymore; I must say the person was right. There is at least one reason for this. When this project began in late 1999, we were living on the ranch with no real thought of ever being anywhere else. Our perspective was from the ranch life, period.

Beginning in the fall of 2000, we started our ministry in Ericson. Over the years, our focus changed from full-time ranching to full-time ministry, ending with retirement from ranching around 2012, and from full-time ministry last May. We no longer view life from our earlier situations, so the things we see going on around us have taken on a different slant.

In all this, however, the message has not changed—the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and obedience to His Word. After all, it is possible to see illustrations of God’s truth in every situation and circumstance. As a side note, assuming I wrote an article a week for 16 years, that is a total of 832 devotionals. Amazing!

Now for this week’s devotional: As we traveled through some of our neighboring towns last week, we saw several people decorating houses and lawns for Christmas. The thought occurred to me, “I wonder how many of these folks are actually prepared to meet Christ, either at the end of their lives, or if he should return before they die?

A lot of time and effort is spent preparing to celebrate Jesus’ birth, much less is spent on preparing for eternity. This year, as you hang those lights, decorate the Christmas tree, and set up your nativity scene, why not reflect on whether or not you have Jesus in your heart?

There was no room for Him in the Bethlehem Inn; is there room for him in your heart? The answer to this question is much more important than all the Christmas decorations you can put up. After all, to quote a time-worn saying: He’s the Reason for the season.

Isaiah 6:9… For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

Prepare Him room,
Pastor Jerry

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