Archive for the ‘Discipleship’ Category

10 Nov

Half a Loaf?

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

Dear readers,

The seasons are a changing. There has been snow in our state, but not in our immediate area as I write this. We are blessed more than we realize. I remember an early October snow when we had cows twenty miles from home. We drove them home with horses and it was far from an enjoyable task. It wasn’t just a little snow, it was about 6 inches deep, heavy and wet. Enough of the reminiscing, on to the present.

I have noticed that you can now buy half a loaf of bread. Who knew that would be a thing? It seems folks these days only take what suits their current needs. It is somewhat the same with spiritual matters. The world, if it acknowledges God at all, will take what they need from His word and leave the rest. They may go for half the loaf, or maybe just a few slices depending on their needs at the moment. There is no planning ahead.

In fact, the Bible needs to be taken in its entirety for it to be of any use at all. The tendency of the world, and many who claim Christ is to use the Bible as a cafeteria, taking only what appeals to them and ignoring the rest. In truth, the word of God always has been and is still applicable to each person.

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8). When Jesus was tempted by the devil he said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4).

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Finally this, “And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll” (Revelation 22:19).

Application for us: It’s okay to purchase a half-loaf of Sara Lee bread if that meets your needs, but please don’t treat the Bible as a buffet from which you can pick and choose. This will have eternal consequences.

For Him,

Pastor Jerry.

3 Nov

The Light of the World

Posted by sandhillspastor in Discipleship, Evangelism, Gospel, Salt and Light, Salvation, Witness.

Hello all,
Another month has rolled around. With it comes the change back to Standard Time. I, for one, would prefer to have it set one way or the other and stop this twice-yearly craziness.

It seems the world is becoming a darker place at a rapid pace. I’m not referring to the length of daylight hours, but to the sense of spiritual darkness. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the light of the world. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “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).

Isaiah, referring to the coming Messiah said, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in darkness, a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2). Jesus references this prophecy in Matthew chapter 4; “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (vs 15-16).

Speaking of Jesus, John wrote, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).

In writing to the church at Thessalonica, Paul said, “But you brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of the dark world, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

The good news is this: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:90).

As we share the gospel with others, we may hear these words that were spoken to me many years ago; “You pointed toward the light and I followed. I was confused and lost, and you pointed the way.” Words that warm my heart even today.

For Jesus,
Pastor Jerry

27 Oct

Who’s Number One?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Discipleship, Faith, God's Word, Obedience, Ten Commandments, Witness.

Dear friends,

This past Saturday we helped our great-grandson celebrate his second birthday. Being only two Maverick probably didn’t understand all the attention, but he enjoyed every minute, especially all the gifts that he acquired. He enjoyed being the center of attention. A lot of adults today enjoy being the center of attention, as well.

In this day of “me first” or “look out for number one”, I fear that many Christians have fallen into the same trap. The gospel message is not about me but taking up our cross and following Jesus. It is supposed to be Jesus first, not me first.

J.C. Rylie said this: “It costs something to be a true Christian. Let that never be forgotten. To be a mere nominal Christian and go to church, is cheap and easy work. But to hear Christ’s voice, believe in Christ, confess Christ requires much self-denial.”

The Bible says follow Christ. It is not about ‘me’ and it’s never easy but it’s necessary.

Dr. George Barna says, “We are reproducing church attenders, but we are not reproducing disciples of Christ.”

John, in his testimony about Jesus, said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). Jesus himself had this to say concerning His followers, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

Again, Jesus: Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am my servant will be” (John 12:36a).

In giving the Great Commission, Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Notice He said make disciples. He did not say go to church on Sunday and feel good about yourself the rest of the week. Making disciples requires a commitment to sharing the Gospel and teaching others to be obedient to Christ’s calling on their lives. It is sometimes difficult, but it is what our Savior wants from us. We are to draw attention to Jesus Christ in the way we live our lives. In doing so the focus is directed to Him, not to us.

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

18 Nov

What is a Disciple?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Discipleship, Evangelism, Fellowship, Obedience, The Good News.

Dear readers,
How about this weather for mid-November? From the forecast we can expect a change soon. This week will be a bit less busy than last, with only one doctor’s appointment compared to three last week.

Christians are expected to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Pastor J.D. Greear has some thoughts on this subject.

“A disciple is a:
Worshiper. A disciple seeks to know, love, and obey God above all else. It has been said, “Worship is not part of the Christian life; it is the Christian life.” Everything starts with this.
Family member. A disciple is not just a believer. They are a belonger. The church is not just an event you should attend but a community and family you belong to.
Servant. A disciple is one who has taken on Jesus’ posture of service to the world, who uses any power, position, or privilege they have to serve others.
Steward. A disciple manages God’s gifts for God’s purposes. Your money and time and talents were given to you not for your own purposes but to serve God’s kingdom.
Witness. A disciple recognizes that it is their responsibility to make disciples for Jesus. Matthew 4:19 says, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (ESV). That means when you accepted the call to follow Jesus, you accepted the call to bring people to Jesus.

Are you a disciple maker? Are you intentionally bringing someone else along as a disciple? In the New Testament, the verb “make disciples” applies to helping someone with the initial act of conversion as well as helping them grow spiritually the rest of their life. You are supposed to be involved in every stage of that.

You may think you don’t know much about the Bible and that you’re not super talented, but it doesn’t matter. Jesus doesn’t care as much about your natural ability as he does your availability to be used by the Holy Spirit. You may still be growing, or you may even be a brand-new Christian. Every disciple of Jesus can be a disciple maker. Every Christian is born to spiritually reproduce. Today can be the beginning of a whole new disciple-making lifestyle, where you intentionally walk with other Christians through every stage of spiritual growth and help them become a disciple making disciple.

That is the kind of life that has an impact on eternity.”

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

4 Mar

Planting Time

Posted by sandhillspastor in Calling, Christian Living, Discipleship, Gospel.

Dear friends,

Our weather continues to be pleasant for this time of year. I’m not complaining at all, just enjoying the blessing. The reality is we still have to navigate March and early April. And, we haven’t gotten our seed catalog from Gurney’s.

On the topic of planting, I want to share some thoughts concerning what Jesus said about sowing the seed of the Gospel. If you remember, He was speaking to His disciples about the need to share the salvation message with those around them. Here is what he said:

A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he scattered the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown (Matthew 13:3-9).

He explained to the disciples that the seed represents the Word of God, that is the Good News of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The response of the seed to the various soils illustrates the response of different people to the planting of the gospel message. Some will ignore it, some will accept it for a short time, some will start well, but turn away when times get hard, and others will persevere in the faith and in turn make other disciples who will plant more seed of the gospel message.

The apostle Paul wrote, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

Planting seeds, that is what these devotional thoughts have been about since the beginning of these devotional messages. My prayer has been that many who read these articles will respond to their message and seek the Savior. It is about sowing the seed of God’s Word and leaving the results to Him. My prayer is that you have received the message and allowed God to grow you in the faith.

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

lakecitynews@gmail.com

22 May

Life’s Purpose

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Calling, Christian Living, Discipleship, Gospel, Great Commission, Work.

Hello friends,

It is time once again for another visit. We have been taking advantage of the nicer weather to get outdoors as much as possible. There are those trips to town for appointments and to get groceries and other supplies, but there has been time for some yard work and the planting of the garden beds. After the rain of last week, mowing will take some of my attention for the rest of the growing season.

I do enjoy putting my thoughts in writing, and I pray they make a difference in someone’s life. I believe each person has been placed on this earth for a purpose, and God’s purpose for everyone is given in Scripture. Jesus said this concerning his reason for coming to earth, and the will of God: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, bur the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:38-40).

Did you get that? It is God’s will that everyone be saved. The one who is saved then has been given a divine purpose in life. This does not give the indication that everyone will be saved, but that everyone who believes in Jesus will have the gift of eternal life. Other scriptures tell us that we are saved. not to sit on the sidelines and wait for him to come for us. Quite the opposite is true.

We, as Jesus was, are to be about the Father’s business, not that we can save anyone, but that we spread the good news of Jesus to all those around us. To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

What are these good works? I believe they start with Jesus’ command in Matthew 28. His command to us is this: Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations…, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. (Verses 19-20).

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

26 Sep

Gone Fishing

Posted by sandhillspastor in Calling, Christian Living, Discipleship, Evangelism, Great Commission, Obedience, Witness.

Dear friends,

We have been enjoying some cooler temperatures, the only thing missing is a good soaking rain. I believe we will see those rains in due time, but we still need to be persistent in prayer that the Lord will send them. There is not much news on the home front, just a grocery shopping trip now and then.

The annual Lake Ericson fishing derby was held this past Saturday. After signing in, and after a pancake and sausage breakfast, the teams headed out to the lake. As I observed the preparations, I saw an illustration of what the church should look like. I’m speaking of the church as followers of Jesus, sent out into the world. The men and boys who entered the derby had come earlier in the week and spent time finding out where the fish were. On the day of the contest, they were prepared with the right tackle and a fair knowledge of the habits of the fish they intended to catch.

After breakfast, did they sit around talking about fishing? No, they got in their boats and went fishing. Catching fish is the reason they are fishermen. It would be silly to just sit around the table and tell fish stories.

Jesus gave his disciples instructions, using fishing as an illustration of what they were being sent to do.

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed Him” (Mark 1:16-18).

Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus appeared to his disciples and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:18-19).

Christians are called to go, that is they are sent by their Lord to go out into the world and be his witnesses; to present the good news of salvation to all people, in order to bring them into His “boat”.

It is pointless for Christians to just sit around after church and talk about the need for evangelism. Let us go out and fish for those who need to hear of Jesus.

In Him,

Pastor Jerry

17 Jan

Therefore Go

Posted by sandhillspastor in Body of Believers, Calling, Discipleship, Gospel, Great Commission, The Good News.

Dear friends,

We have been enjoying every nice day that has come along. In days past, we have looked for a January thaw, but haven’t needed one yet. The nice days have outnumbered the cold ones, I am sure.

As I look at the way the world is going, I am reminded anew of the urgency of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. In a time when the culture is rebelling against God and the Truth of his Word, it is imperative that His people, the church, take seriously the Great Commission, as it is called.

Jesus’ final words to His disciples were, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

We, his followers have been given the order to take the gospel to the whole world. The message we have been given is specified in Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome. “But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, “that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame… For, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:8-15).

We have the Good News. We are called to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. Let us go and make disciples of all nations.

In His love,

Pastor Jerry

10 Jan

Back to Basics

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Christian Living, Discipleship, God's Word, Obedience, renewal.

Dear friends,
There is enough ice on the lake for fishing. With the changing temperatures, it has been a guessing game as to how thick the ice might be on a given day. I grew up spending a lot of time on the ice, and found out early you can’t tell just by looking if it is safe. There have been several fishermen this weekend, and no one fell through. I see some warm up for the next week, so caution is still in order.

Sometimes it is good to go back to the basics. It is no different as we experience the Christian life. I was looking through some early issues of this devotional project, and came across the following. It reminded me of the need for some plain old-fashioned gospel teaching.

This is what I wrote: For the past few weeks, I have been studying some important topics pertaining to the Christian life. Things like sin, repentance, confession, self-denial, discipline and the like. This is the kind of stuff that makes the preacher examine his life as he prepares to teach others about the truth of the Christian walk. It is not a pleasant experience at times, but what joy to find that Jesus is the one who enables us to overcome the things that hinder our walk. I will briefly tie these things together, in order that we may see how they are all connected.

Sin is disobedience to God; repentance is turning from sin and back toward God. Confession is agreeing with God that we have sinned. Self-denial means forgetting self and giving oneself over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Discipline means self-control which is empowered by the Holy Spirit and which enables us to resist the temptation of sin, and to live a life pleasing to God.

My prayer is that we can put these truths to work in our individual lives, and begin anew to live as Jesus would have us to live. Then, those who do not have a relationship with our Lord Jesus would see him in us and have a desire to know him as well. He is still the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except by him. (John 14:6).

May God bless each one in the coming days, and may you feel his presence in a special way.

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

4 Oct

What Is Jesus Doing?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Body of Believers, Christian Living, Discipleship, Gospel, Great Commission, Obedience, Witness.

 Dear friends,

Another week has slipped away from us. Fall is definitely in the air. The colors of the season are as spectacular as any I have seen. What a great blessing to live where God has placed us. I can think of no other place I would rather be. Short fishing report; I caught a nice-sized bass one morning last week, and had it for supper Friday evening. It was even better than I had anticipated, it makes me want to catch another one or two!

On Saturday, I attended a conference for rural Christian workers. I was reminded of some things for Christians to focus on in our current reality, and thought they were worth sharing. A popular question from a few years back asked, “What would Jesus do?” Our speaker asked, “What would Jesus do today?” The following is a brief outline of his answer.

First, Jesus is still building his church. He said, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). We (believers) are the church, and He is still adding to it. As His people, are we helping build the church or are we tearing it down?

Second, He is still making disciples through his church. He commands us to make disciples. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).  As more people come to faith in Christ, we are to be discipling those new believers, teaching them how to follow Him.

Third, He is still seeking and saving the lost. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). As followers of Jesus, one of our responsibilities is to point others to Him. We are to introduce the lost to the Savior. According to Acts 5:42, speaking of the early church, “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”

In summary; we are to love people the way Jesus loves them. Share the good news of Jesus’ salvation. Invite them to respond to His offer of salvation and be saved. We are not to be mere spectators.

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

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