Archive for the ‘Christian Living’ Category

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

21 Oct

God Is My Guide

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living.

As advertised, the annual meeting of our two-state Convention of Southern Baptists was a blessing. We were treated to great preaching and teaching, an uneventful but important business meeting, and much good fellowship. I came back re-energized and very much encouraged to press on in the Lord’s work.The trip to Lincoln was interesting, to say the least. It rained for most of the trip, and combined with my relative inexperience with the city, there may have been some doubt of our safe arrival. Then, as darkness came, the adventure took on a whole new challenge. We did manage to stay out of serious trouble and arrive at our destination on time. If I was to write a title for the experience, it would be “Twists, turns, missed opportunities, and dead ends.” In fact, there were even a few U-turns thrown in the mix.

This sounds a lot like the journey many of us have taken in life. We think we have a plan, but along comes the realization that it is not an easy road. For some reason, we believe life will be pretty simple and straight forward. Then when our plans are changed, or we reach some dead-end or detour, we want to throw our hands in the air and return to comfortable surroundings.

Here is something to remember, God has a plan, even though the road takes us into unfamiliar territory. When we encounter those detours, or maybe fail to understand some direction, or miss a turn now and then, He is still with us, guiding our steps back to the right way. As I look back on my own walk with the Lord, I can see how he has guided my steps, even in the dark times.
Here are a few verses that give encouragement: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).
And from the Psalms: “He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3). “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way” (Psalm 25:9).
Is God your guide, or are you still trying to find your own way? Something to think about.
In his guidance,

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

9 Sep

No One Else

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

It was a very good week for me. Thursday, I drove to Topeka, Kansas for a meeting, with my traveling partner of the last 49 plus years by my side. We spent the night in a nice motel, went to the meeting, and drove six hours home. It was a rare opportunity for some quality time together. It was great to see old friends and make some new ones.

Yesterday (Sunday), I was privileged to baptize a young lady from our church. She invited Jesus into her life a couple of years ago, and recently felt led to publicly express her faith by way of water baptism. Congratulations, Autum!!

The following has some bearing on the meaning and significance of baptism to the the Christian.

Along the highway Friday afternoon, there was a sign that said, “Jesus saves as no one else can”. I would rephrase that to read, “Jesus saves. No one else can.” I might even go so far as to have it read, “Jesus saves. No one, or nothing else can.”

Some folks believe salvation comes from doing good works, or joining a church. Or, they might have the idea that holding to some tradition is important to gain eternal life. And, I know of some who have the belief that baptism saves.

Here is the truth from the scriptures. Salvation is by faith in Christ alone. In the book of Acts, we are told “there is no other name by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). When Peter preached the message of salvation through faith in Christ, it says “those who believed his message were baptized” (Acts 2:41). Belief in the message of the gospel comes first, baptism follows, and is a public testimony to that faith.

Please don’t depend on anything for your salvation except faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. He died for our sins, once for all. There is no other who can save us. Praise God, who raised Him from death to eternal life!
Once again, I welcome your comments and questions. Send them to me at lakecitynews@gmail.com.

In His Love,
Pastor Jerry

12 Aug

New Owner

Posted by sandhillspastor in Change, Christian Living, The Good News.

Summer is winding down. Schools are starting soon. Our plans of taking some serious time off are fading fast. At least, next year we will have all the issues with the camper solved, and hopefully be able to enjoy the experience even more.

In other news,we have purchased a mobile home / RV park. I don’t know if this is wisdom, or just a sign of advancing senility. At any rate, it is a new thing for us. Usually, with a change of ownership, things don’t stay the same. So, as we take possession of this property and begin to make some needed improvements, people in the neighborhood are noticing those changes.

I see this as an illustration of what happens when a person comes to faith in the Lord Jesus. That person has a change of ownership. He goes from being a servant of the devil, to being a servant of the Lord. At that moment, the new “owner” begins to make changes and improvements in that person. These are noticeable changes, and others will see them.

In Ezekiel 36:26-27, God says to His people Israel, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17). We also are given a new attitude of our mind, and a new self, created to be like God (Ephesians 4:23-24).

There are many other passages of scripture that define the changes that occur in the life of a believer as he or she grows and matures in faith. Just know this, if you have had this change of ownership, change is coming. It is change for the better, and it will be noticed by those around you.

A note of caution is needed here. If you think you are under God’s ownership, and there is no change evident in your life after a period of time, it might be good to take the apostle Paul’s advice: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
In His amazing Love,
Pastor Jerry

29 Jul

Come.Follow.Go.

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Faith, God's Word, The Good News.

I’ve been reading some good books this summer. More than one of them addresses the tendency of western Christians to downplay the importance of the lordship of Jesus Christ. Most want to claim Him as Savior, but few want to let him be Lord of their life. They may give lip service to His lordship, but are unwilling to let him have complete control.

We seem to say, “it’s alright to ask Jesus to save me, but I want to retain control of my life.” It’s the idea that, “I’ve got my ‘fire insurance” to keep me out of hell, but as far as actually following Jesus, no, thank you.”

When will we finally quit playing games, and get down to living out the commands of Jesus?

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he tells his disciples, “Come, follow me”. For three years, then he taught them how to live as his followers, and as he is about to be taken up to heaven, he says, “Go, and make disciples….” (Matthew 28:19). The biblical text could read, “Go, and while you are going, make disciples of all nations.”

Everyone who claims Jesus as Savior, has not only the responsibility to respond to His invitation to “come, follow”, but also to obey the command to “go and make disciples.” What did He say about how people would know those who are his disciples? If we obey his commands (1 John 2:3). It follows then, that the Christian will be sharing the gospel, making disciples and teaching those who come to faith in the Lord because of their obedience to His Word.

It has been said we are to “preach the gospel, and use words if necessary.” I don’t believe very many people have ever placed their faith in Jesus because of the actions of a Christian. Scripture says “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

Let’s be about the business of telling folks about the Lord Jesus. It is a command, not an option.

In His Love,
Pastor Jerry

22 Jul

Believe the Book

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

We’ll be taking a couple of days off to try out the camper. This is a trial run, the first since we acquired it last fall. It’s been awhile since we have gone camping, so we’ll see how it goes. I can tell you we aren’t going far, just in case it doesn’t work out.

As I was learning the ins and outs of getting the camper ready, I found the owners manual to be almost useless. There are references to procedures that do not apply to that particular piece of equipment. And, nowhere does it give specific instructions on how to connect the supply hose to either use city water, or to fill the supply tank. Even more important, there is no label identifying the connection to flush the “black water” tank. In a few days, I’m sure I’ll be able to rewrite the manual with more than general information.

I’m glad God’s instruction book gives us clear instructions about how to live, and about the way we are to maintain our relationship with Him. The ten commandments leave no doubt about His will for us. Read through them. They are quite specific, and notice–they are not called the “ten suggestions.”

Commands given by Jesus, and in the writings of the apostles leave no doubt about Christian living, though many people today claim the Bible is not clear on many issues. I don’t think the Bible could be any more clear when it speaks of how a Christian is to conduct themselves. Here are just a few examples:

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). “We should not be idolaters…We should not commit sexual immorality…and do not grumble…” (1 Corinthians 10:7-10). “Carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5).

I could give a more complete listing, but our space here is limited.

Using the reasoning, “the Bible isn’t relevant to our times”, some folks are even “rewriting” the Bible, but I can tell you they are going to be in trouble someday. God has specifically addressed this issue in Revelation 22:18-19… “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book…”

Unlike the owners manual for our camper, you can believe the Bible, it is God’s inspired, unchanging Word.

Trusting His Word,
Pastor Jerry

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