Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category

5 Jun

Responsibilities

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Culture, Obedience, Politics, Service, Stewardship, Work.

Dear friends,

How can it be that we are already five months into 2023? I must be having fun, because the time has flown by. In news from our little corner of the world, Milrae has recovered well from having two knee replacement surgeries. After her checkup Friday, she was told to come back in a year. I’m now married to a bionic woman!

We had very little rain this past week, and it appears we will be busy watering the lawn and the garden if it stays warm and dry. The vegetable plants are off to a good start, and we pray that trend continues.

It is interesting to read the news headlines from a Christian, or biblical worldview. After the recent passage of legislation allowing the federal government to raise the debt ceiling, there were comments concerning the idea that people need to work in order to receive some forms of financial aid. The media seemed to think that the idea was some antiquated saying that is not relevant to our current time.

I’m sure it will be a surprise to some that this concept of working to earn your food comes from the Bible. The apostle Paul writing to Christians waiting for the Lord’s return, was rather direct as he encouraged his readers to not just sit around looking up in the sky waiting for Jesus to come again. He stressed the fact that as we wait for the Lord to return, we are to keep on making a living and doing his work. He says to his readers, “In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat. For we hear that there are some among you who are idle. They are not busy but busybodies. Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and provide for themselves” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12).

In another place we read that we are to care for those who can’t help themselves. “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress… (James 1:27).

In summary, it is good to seek to care for those in need, but those who are able-bodied and healthy are to work for their food and other needs.

In His unending love,

Pastor Jerry

17 Apr

Why Does God Wait?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Culture, Evil deeds, God's Word, Judgment, Repentance, Salvation, Sin.

Dear readers, 

We rode a temperature roller coaster last week as winter just won’t give up it seems. As I reflect on seasons past, I know it is not unusual to see these extremes, but that is little consolation when we really want to see shirt sleeve weather.   

Every day we read news reports of violence on a scale unheard of. People doing damage to property and the breaking of laws are reported with increasing frequency. A friend of mine once said, “the world has gone mad.” That was a number of years ago, and his words ring truer today. The apostle Paul had much to say about this in his letter to the Christians at Rome.   

Paul wrote these words about the condition of mankind since the Fall: For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became useless, and their senseless hearts were darkened… And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right. They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. Although they know God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them. (Romans 1:21; 28-32). 

Here is a commentary on this passage: “You can know a person, or a culture has descended into ultimate corruption when people give public and legal approval to sin. This is a catalogue of societal breakdown, filled with greed, murder and deceit. We look around at our culture and say, “How did things get so crazy?” Paul answers: as a society, you asked to be free from God. This is what you get.” [The Tony Evans Bible Commentary]. 

The remedy for this situation is simple. We, as a society and as a country need to get on our knees, confess our sins, ask for God’s forgiveness and get back to living according to His Word. 

Don’t be fooled into thinking that since he has not judged our nation, he has forgotten us. His kindness is intended to lead people to repentance. That is why he waits. 

For Him, 

Pastor Jerry 

20 Mar

Turn Back Now

Posted by sandhillspastor in Attributes of God, Change, Culture, Evil deeds, God's Word, Judgment, Repentance, Salvation.

Dear friends,
As the ice disappears in Lake Ericson and migrating birds are the new thing to watch, we are more and more anticipating Spring! Warmer temperatures are in the forecast, with a chance of rain. This is good news for sure. The winter has been long, but better days are coming. Green is my favorite color this time of year; green as in grass and leaves, with colorful flowers to follow.

Milrae’s recovery from the knee replacement continues with no major issues. She will begin P.T. this week and we pray it goes well. Thank you all for prayers on this journey.

Each week we see evidence of what the Bible teaches about mankind’s rejection of God and the teachings of Scripture. There is a wholesale denial of the creation order and His plan for humanity. These range from demands for unlimited abortion to assisted suicide. From the destruction of the covenant of marriage to all kinds of deviant behavior, and the acceptance of all manner of sinful acts.

There is little respect for our fellow man, with assaults and murders being everyday occurrences. Along with those, we can throw in total disregard for the possessions of others. The Ten Commandments are not even seen as ten suggestions, they are ignored altogether.

What does God say about all this? In those Ten Commandments I mentioned, He says we are to have no other gods before Him. Next, He says we are not to make idols. Right away we see that God wants our total allegiance; nothing is to take His place in our worship. The truth is, man has made the self as his god, and earthly pleasures and possessions of all kinds to be idols.

When the self becomes most important, our relationships with other people are damaged, sometimes beyond repair. Think of abuses to spouses, children, or parents. What about disrespect for authority or for the possessions of others. One does not have to look far to see what has happened.

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness… For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:18-22).

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

13 Feb

Like or Love?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Attributes of God, Best Life, Christian Living, Culture, Love, Salvation.

Dear readers,

We continue to enjoy warmer temperatures and melting snow. This may change however; it is still winter in Nebraska. Some of us remember large amounts of snow much later than February. That said, I read recently that we are still in the grip of a major drought. We should be praying for the Lord to keep sending moisture, even if it is in the form of snow.

Valentine’s Day is this week, and everyone is thinking of love. Perhaps this would be a good time to consider the meaning of love. Many times people speak of love in ways that are just expressions of liking something to a high degree. For instance, I might say I love ice cream. I really don’t actually ‘love’ ice cream, I just like it a lot!

The Bible describes love in an entirely different way. Many people know of John 3:16; For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. In light of this love of God, we read, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

As a result of this, we who know and love the God who loves us are commanded to love our fellow believers. Jesus said to his followers, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

The result of this is found in John’s first letter. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:9-11).

I may have a strong liking for Ice cream, but I definitely would not die for it!

In Him,

Pastor Jerry

16 Jan

Lights in the Darkness

Posted by sandhillspastor in Body of Believers, Christian Living, Culture, Evangelism, Obedience, Salt and Light, Witness.

Dear friends,
Have you been enjoying the milder weather? I am content with high thirties and low forties for daytime highs at this time of the year. The snow lingers, but is slowly melting and this is good news. Every nice day means we are closer to spring, however there is plenty of time for more cold and snow. Here at the lake there are still those hardy souls ice fishing. The long nights are maintaining the ice quality needed for safety.

Over the years, I have stressed the need for Christians to be involved in everyday life.

Pastor Greg Laurie shares this: “Commentator G. Campbell Morgan wrote, “Organized Christianity which fails to make a disturbance is dead.” Wherever the apostle Paul went, there was either conversion or a riot. In Thessalonica, religious leaders complained to the city council, “Paul and Silas, who have turned the world upside down have come here, too” (Acts 17:6 CSB).

It seems that there was never a dull moment with the first-century followers of Jesus. They didn’t have modern technology at their disposal. Thomas didn’t tweet. Paul didn’t have a television show. Peter didn’t use social media. Yet, in a relatively brief period of time, these disciples changed their world. They permeated their culture.

Tertullian, a Christian leader who was a contemporary of these early followers of Christ, made this statement about the first-century Church: “We have filled every place among you—cities, islands, fortresses, towns, marketplaces, camps, tribes, town councils, the palace, the senate, the forum; we have left nothing to you but the temples of your gods.” Tertullian was pointing out that the Church had permeated everything, even Caesar’s palace.

Today, we need Christians who will go out and make a difference. We need more Christians involved in the arts, making great films, and creating graphic design. We need Christians in politics, godly men and women in places of authority, because the Bible says that when the righteous rule, the people rejoice (see Proverbs 29:2). We also need Christian doctors, Christian lawyers, and Christian businesspeople.

In the first century, all believers understood that they were called to do their part. So they left their comfort zones and took risks. In the same way, the believers today need to go out and let their light shine in our present culture. We need believers who will turn the present world upside down.”

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

9 Jan

Carry On

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, Culture, Faith, Gospel, Hope, Politics, Truth.

Dear readers,
January has been interesting in the weather department. So far, we’ve had rain, sleet, snow, lightning and thunder, all in the same night! We had no issues with power outages here, but some were off for a short time. The volunteers here at the lake were out cleaning off the streets early after the storm, and did a great job. Thanks for your effort, guys.

As we prepare for this year of 2023, I’m prompted to go to God’s Word for some encouragement. Sometimes, the thought of what lies ahead is a bit scary…especially in our current situation and culture. A favorite Bible passage of mine is Psalm 62:1-8.

Psalm 62:1–8… My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse. Selah
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

These are encouraging words in uncertain times, and they have helped me many times in the past. A lot of attention has been focused on congress in recent days, and we pray our leaders will get back to the task of governing. Romans 13:1-. We are to pray for our government officials, that they would come to Jesus, and that they would govern justly. God has placed those in government because he wants them there, but make no mistake, government is not the answer to the mess we are in. God is the only one who can heal our land.

There will come a time when Jesus will set up His kingdom on earth and the prophecy of Isaiah 6:9 will be fulfilled. “For to us a child is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.” Until then, we carry on.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

14 Nov

The Word of the Lord

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Culture, Freedom, God's Word, Politics, Truth.

Dear readers,

It seems cold weather is here to stay, at least for the next several days. Deer hunting season has arrived, and we are days away from Thanksgiving. Just beyond that is Christmas and the New Year. My, how time flies.

The election is over, and votes are still being counted in some places. There have been winners and losers, as is always the case. Whatever your viewpoint is in all of this, we can still be thankful to live in a country where we can make our choices in these matters. My prayer is that we might become united in our effort to make the United States an even better place to live. Perhaps an appropriate scripture would be Romans 12:3; “For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

The divisiveness in our country these days is concerning. People are taking sides on issues that are in direct opposition to what the Bible says is right and just. Two things come to mind here: Number one, there are untold numbers of people that do not know what is written in God’s Word. There are more Bibles printed than ever before, yet most are on a shelf collecting dust.

The second is this, if those bibles are read, people only want to believe or accept the parts that appeal to them. It is like going into a cafeteria and selecting only the items you like and leaving the ones that you dislike. If we really believe the Bible is God’s unchanging word, then we would know that every word is there for a purpose. It has been said that the Bible will change our opinions, but our opinions will never change the Bible.

I love these words from Isaiah; “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

In closing, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever” (1 Peter 1:34-25).

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

31 Oct

Your Vote Counts

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Culture, Freedom, God's Word, Politics, Stewardship.

Hello friends,
Rain! This week, we had a nice gentle rain. My gauge showed .40’ when it was over; not a huge amount, but very much appreciated. This is only the beginning of what we need to get back to normal. Now is not the time to ease up in asking the Lord to bless us with more moisture.

We started a project this week that has been waiting all summer for me to get motivated. When we had the big windstorm last spring, the outside pane on our entry door was broken. This defeats the purpose of an insulated door, so a new one was ordered. It stood on the porch for months, but has been installed just as the weather begins to cool off. Now to get the window replaced that was broken by an unidentified flying object; either a stick or a rock thrown by the mower.

Vehicle repairs were a part of our week, also. First, there was a new alternator in our pickup, then I found the battery was defective as well. I guess a ten-year-old battery has outlived expectations.

November 8 is election day. The most important thing we can do that day is to get out and vote. Much of what we see happening in our country won’t be solved politically, but we can vote for the candidates that hold to traditional Christian values. The real problem in our country is not political, it is spiritual. The citizens of America must turn back to God, and obey His commands.

These are God’s words to the prophet Zechariah, “The Lord was very angry with your forefathers. Therefore, tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you’, says the Lord Almighty. Do not be like your forefathers, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord….

“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.” (Zechariah 1:2-6).

Therefore, you kings (presidents, governors, mayors, senators, etc.), be wise; be warned you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:10-11).

God bless America,
Pastor Jerry

24 Oct

A Notable Event

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Culture, Families, Marriage, Praise.

Dear readers,
We still have no precipitation of any measure. Please continue to ask the Lord to send those soaking rains we so desperately need. We have cleaned up the garden in preparation for winter, and I was surprised to find the deer had eaten things I wouldn’t have expected; things like the tops of the tomato and pepper plants, along with rhubarb leaves. Who knew?

Saturday, we attended what is really a rare occasion; a 75th wedding anniversary. It was the celebration of a long lasting marriage, but also a time of visiting with old friends. We live in a time when it is becoming harder to find lasting marriage relationships. What a testimony of faithfulness to the marriage covenant! I am sure this couple would tell you it hasn’t always been easy, but obviously they took their marriage vows seriously.

Perhaps this would be a good time for a review of God’s plan for marriage and families. It started in the book of Genesis, as God was creating the world and everything in it. Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” On the sixth day, God created all animal life, then we read: “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number…” (Genesis 1:27-28a).

In chapter two, we read more of the creation of the man and woman. “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being… The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” … So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:7, 18, 20-24).

The longevity of this marriage is rare, and worthy of recognition. Congratulations, friends!

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

19 Sep

Stand Firm

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

Dear friends,
It has rained again. Our gauge showed very close to a half-inch, and we are thankful for it. We will not let up in praying for more, trusting the Lord to answer those prayers in His perfect timing. We visited Alex, Breanna and little Maria on Saturday. It was a good day, but we were glad to get back home after helping with some projects in their home. We are reminded again that we don’t have the staying power we used to have.

As we read the news, we are constantly reminded of the fact that the Christian values we grew up with have fallen out of favor with the current culture. Bible based truth is looked upon as outdated, old fashioned, out of step with reality and even man-made or racist.

There is a sharp dividing line between those who would proclaim the truth as seen in God’s word, and those who write it off as irrelevant to today’s society. In the modern mindset, those who stand by God’s word are increasingly on the “wrong side of history.” No matter the topic, if you proclaim God’s word as truth you are seen as being hopelessly out of the mainstream. To the world’s way of thinking, the truth is whatever the individual sees as truth. To them, absolute truth doesn’t exist.

I have shared these verses many times, and they never grow old or out of date: Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). “But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger” (Romans 2:8).

Jesus, praying for his disciples said, “Sanctify them (believers) by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, God says, “I the Lord, speak the truth, I declare what is right” (Isaiah 45:29). Also, in Isaiah, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever’ (40:8).

We Christians must stand for the truth, no matter what the world may perceive as “truth”, even though we may be persecuted for it. In the words of Carl F. H. Henry; the alternatives are clear: either we return to the God of the Bible or perish in the pit of lawlessness.

In Truth,
Pastor Jerry

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