Archive for the ‘Christian Living’ Category

1 Jul

Bringing Up Children

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living.

Dear friends,
Surveys and the statistics they produce are indicating that more and more, fewer and fewer young adults are attending worship services on an regular basis. Not all churches are experiencing this, but very many are. It seems there is a general feeling that “religion” is not relevant to the times, or that it is simply unimportant.

I believe for one thing, that there is a mindset among our young and not-so-young men that says “church is for women and little kids”. I wonder then, if it hasn’t filtered down to where young mothers consciously or not, have decided if Dad isn’t going to take part in the spiritual nurturing of the family, then why should she give up her “precious hours”, to do work they should be sharing?

Our church conducted a Vacation Bible School last week. The majority of children who attended were brought to the church by their grandparents. In another time, mothers brought their kids to VBS, and stayed to help out with various activities and to provide snacks for the kids. Not so anymore.

I thank the Lord for godly grandparents who will take the initiative to take their grandchildren to Sunday school or to Vacation Bible School when mom and dad are too busy with their own lives.

The Bible instructs parents, and specifically fathers, to teach children the ways of the Lord: In Mark 10:14, Jesus said, “Bring the little children to me.”

Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:4 are, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

I’m not here as a prophet of doom, but I believe parents must bring up children in the knowledge and instruction of God’s moral law and his truth. If we continue down the path we are on, not only is the church in serious trouble, but the culture as well. I do not believe it is too late, but that time is coming.

Praying for revival,
Pastor Jerry

24 Jun

Weed Control

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, God's Word, Holy Spirit, Sin, Temptation.

I was able to get back to finish spraying last week. The good news is the cost of repairs for the Arctic Cat were minimal. A guy needs a break once in awhile, and I thank the Lord for that blessing.

The weed spraying thing always brings to mind what the scriptures say concerning our battle with sin. In the case of this weed called Leafy Spurge, we probably will never see it eliminated, but with the properly applied herbicides, we can keep in under control.

It is very much the same when it comes to the temptation to sin. Temptation will always be with us, because our enemy, the devil, will not give up trying to ruin our witness for the Lord. However, properly applied, the Word of God will help us to keep him and sin under control.

Our weapons against the tempter are a working knowledge of the Bible, backed up by the work of the Holy Spirit, who not only gives us strength to resist the devils schemes, but he also defends us in the courts of heaven. “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26).

Finally, I direct you to the following; It begins with this… “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…” (read Ephesians 6:10-18 for the full armor list).

The temptation to sin will always be with us, but God’s word tells us we have the tools to resist. The secret to control is to put these tools to use.

In His care,
Pastor Jerry

10 Jun

Weed Control

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Evil deeds, God's Word, Sin, Temptation.

It is time once again for the semi-annual leafy spurge tour at Lake George. It is different this year in that I will be driving a different spray rig. We’ve moved from riding an ATV horseback style, to one with side-by-side seating for two. I hope this will prove to be a more comfortable ride. Time will tell if this is true.

I don’t know how many years we’ve been dealing with leafy spurge here on our place, but I doubt we’ll ever completely eliminate it. It will look like we’ve gotten rid of it for awhile, but one day you ride past a spot, and there it is again. I’m reminded then of the characteristics of sin.

Sin, as described in the Bible, is the result of our willful disobedience to God’s commands. It is a little like a noxious weed. It infiltrates our lives, and causes all kinds of trouble. We may confess it to Him, and turn from it, but somewhere, somehow, it will reappear and we have to deal with it again.

There are chemicals for spraying noxious weeds that are effective, but they must be applied to the problem.

To deal with sin, we must use proper procedures. Know first of all, that once we put sin away from us, the devil will not be satisfied to leave us alone. We will be tempted again. To be prepared is a large part of the battle. We need to be able to recognize temptation and stay away from it. How is that done?

Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8). The Bible also tells us this: “But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

The way we deal with noxious weeds, is to know what chemicals are effective, and how to use them. The way out of temptation is knowing God’s word and how to apply it in each situation.

The tools are available. It is up to us to choose whether or not to put them to use.
Just thinking,
Pastor Jerry

3 Jun

What’s In Your Mind?

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

Some time ago, I made the decision to join Facebook. I sometimes wonder why I ever did such a thing? Some of the things posted there make me want to leave and never return. On the plus side, I often find material for these weekly articles.

Recently, I’ve notice two trends. One, there are a lot of really interesting recipes being posted, and two, it seems a number of people are concerned about healthy eating, and what they may or may not be putting into their bodies.

The question then arises, “how many people are as concerned about what they are putting into their minds”? From a pastor’s perspective, I suppose it is only natural to wonder about that. The scripture says “man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Jesus rebuked the devil with this verse when he being tempted in the desert (Luke 4:1-4).

The apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, “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–think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). By doing these things we will be following Paul’s instructions to the Romans: “Do not conform any longer to the patter of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

What’s in your mind?
Feeding on His Word,
Pastor Jerry

—
“Christianity isn’t all that complicated, it’s Jesus.” — Joni Eareckson Tada

27 May

Remembering

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Eternal Life, Faith, Salvation, The Good News.

Today is Memorial Day here in the U.S. It is a day set aside to stop and pay our respects to those who have served in our country’s armed forces. As we pause today to remember those who have given their lives to defend our freedom, let us remember also, the One who died to free us from the bondage of sin.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). He said these words just hours before he was to die on the cross. I believe this kind of love can also apply to love of country and of one’s fellow man, as evidenced by the willingness of many in uniform to give their lives for their country and for their comrades in arms.

Jesus took this to the extreme when he chose to die, not only for his friends, but for his enemies. In Romans we read: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Reading on, we find that when Christ died for us, we were God’s enemies (verse 10). But his death reconciled us to God. By placing our faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, we become children of God (John 1:12).

We thank God for all those who have served our country, and especially those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. And even more, we give thanks and praise to our Lord Jesus Christ, who died so that we might live.

Remembering,
Pastor Jerry

6 May

Famine In The Land

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

In preparing for Sunday’s message, I was reminded that as a society, we in America have neglected our spiritual heritage so long, that we are now in what the Bible defines as a “famine of hearing the words of the LORD.”

“The days are coming,” declares the sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land–not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it. In that day the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst” (Amos 8:11-13).

I believe in many of our churches today, there is a famine of hearing the words of God. I also believe there are millions of people searching for the Word of the Lord and they are not finding it.

In truth, God gave parents the responsibility of seeing that children are brought up with a real knowledge of the Lord and of his Word. I fear that unless we begin to take charge of our families and their spiritual health, we are headed for disaster.
From the apostle Paul we read, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). The word “exasperate” can mean to “provoke to anger.” Could it be that the reason for so much anger in our society is the famine of the Word of God?

Although the command is directed at fathers, in today’s family the mother can be seen as equally responsible for bringing up the children in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Finally, although this famine, or lack of knowledge of the Word of God is real, I believe it is not to late to turn it around. If we parents (and grandparents) will take back our God-given authority in the family, and return to the reading and study of the Bible, we can make a difference. And maybe, just maybe, we will again become people of the Word, and followers of the Lord.

Love in Christ,
Pastor Jerry

29 Apr

The New Man

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

In my sermon this week, I spoke on the topic of spiritual rebirth, and pointed out that when we are born again spiritually, we become a new creation. As I studied this past week, the following illustration came to mind.

A short time back, I purchased a tablet computer for my dear wife. She’s not totally into technology, but is learning. Everything has to work about right, or she’s done. Wouldn’t you know the new tablet was defective right out of the box? The company offered to repair the old one, or send me a refurbished one as a replacement. Well, I didn’t want the old one repaired, and I didn’t want a refurbished one. What was needed was a completely new device.

When we come to the teaching in the Bible that says as believers, we are new creations, I really don’t think this means God merely restores us to our original condition, nor are we just updated. It is more like a complete rebuild. In our world of computers, it would be removing everything, including the hard drive, and installing a new operating system, using only the original case.

People are born with a sin nature. Being restored to original condition would mean nothing had changed. Even an update would only give us a newer version of the old man. We are talking about a complete reprogramming, including a new way of processing information, a new way of life, and a new hope for the future.

God says when we trust Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are a new creation: “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).

In summary, becoming a new creation means a transformed life. It is not possible for a genuine follower of Jesus Christ to continue in a life of sin, as if nothing happened.

By the way, we did get a new replacement for the old tablet, and it works just as its maker intended.
In His Love,
Pastor Jerry

22 Apr

Are You Ready?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Eternal Life, Evil deeds, Faith, Salvation.

Tragedy struck our nation again last week. From the atrocity of the bombing in Boston, to the tragic explosion in Texas, many people have questions; from why do these things happen, to does God care? And some may even be questioning God’s existence.

If anything, the events of the past week remind us of the need to be ready to meet the Lord. Rather than try to fix blame or to ask why, let us be reminded that life is fleeting and that man knows not his time. Instead of asking why the Lord would allow these things, perhaps our first thought should be, “If I was taken suddenly from this life, where would I spend eternity?

In Luke’s gospel, we find some people questioning Jesus about some folks from Galilee who had been killed by the Roman ruler Pilate. Here is the conversation: “Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them–do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:1-5).

In other words, he says our concern should not be whether there was some underlying reason for the tragedy, but to consider whether the questioners were ready, should their lives suddenly end.

I believe Jesus’ message is clear. The priority established is not to determine guilt or innocence, but to first make sure of our eternal destination. When death comes, whether through tragedy or natural causes, are we ready to face our Creator at the judgment day? That is the question.

Again, we are reminded, “Now is the day of salvation!, Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” There may be no tomorrow..

Just Thinking,
Pastor Jerry

15 Apr

Saved!

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Eternal Life, Salvation, The Good News.

When I began this weekly devotional, I would write it in Word, then paste it into my e-mail client. These days I just compose it in Gmail. In an earlier version, if I left without saving my work, the work would be lost, and I would have to try to remember what I had written and do it over. I constantly worried about whether it was saved. I now have the updated version, and it is continually saving the copy as I’m writing. If leave the program to do something else, when I return it is still there. It is comforting to know my document is saved without any extra effort from me..

I could compare this to our salvation as believers in the Lord Jesus. When we come to Him, confessing our sin, and place our faith in Him, He says “Saved”. When we wander off the path, he says “Saved”. When we return to him, still he says, “Saved.” Nothing further is required of us. In other words, the person who has genuinely taken Jesus Christ as his Savior cannot lose his or her salvation.

I am convinced of this because of what I read in the teaching of the New Testament. Jesus, speaking of those who believe in Him, says this: “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).

Also, the apostle John, in his first letter, wrote this: “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” (1 John 5:13).
 
I believe also, that the true Christian will not use this knowledge as a license to sin. Our belief in eternal security allows us to persevere as we run the race, that is, to live the Christian life in every situation, whether it be easy or hard. As the song says, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.”
Saved!
Pastor Jerry
 

25 Mar

Seeking the Lost

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Easter, Faith, The Good News.

Spring is officially here, but someone forgot to turn up the thermostat. We just don’t seem to be able to get any warm days, but with April coming, we have hope. I saw a photo taken by one of our friends this week that reminded me of other March days when we would be out feeding and checking the cattle. It made me think of the following:

I was reading Luke 15 where Jesus was talking about the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7), and I had a flashback to my days of calving out cows. I remembered some times when I spent hours looking for a missing baby calf. Some were at night, when it was almost totally dark, some in the pouring rain, other times it would be snowing and blowing. There might have been a time or two it was doing all the above.

It was what we did, and what some of you are still doing. When a calf was missing, we searched until we found it. The missing one might have crawled through the fence into a shelter belt, and we would find it asleep under a cedar tree. Others would wander off behind a hill, and the cow would be searching with us. Once, with the help of my horse, who stopped to sniff at a snowbank, I found the missing one under the snow. It is all about seeking and saving the lost, and we celebrated when we reunited the calf with its mother.

In Ezekiel 34:16, we read these words of the Lord, “I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.” It’s a picture of why Jesus came. In Luke 15:4, Jesus said “if a shepherd loses a sheep, does he not look for it until he finds it? And after he finds it he calls his neighbors to rejoice with him? He then went on to say, “in the same way there will be rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner.” He is describing someone who has been lost in sin, but who has turned to the Lord to be rescued from his sin. Then, in Luke 19:10, we read these words of Jesus, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
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Jesus Christ came to rescue the lost. Heaven celebrates each one who is found and brought into the safety of the Lord’s care. Not only did he come to seek and to save the lost, he paid the penalty for our sin, and was raised from the dead so that we might live.

Something to remember this Holy Week, as we contemplate the reason Jesus came, and as we look toward Resurrection Day.

Because He Lives,
Pastor Jerry

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