Archive for the ‘Evil deeds’ Category

26 Jan

Post Only These Things

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Evil deeds, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Great Commission, Hypocrisy, Salvation, Sin, The Good News, Truth.

Dear friends,
The month of January has had its ups and downs. I think this would describe the temperature fluctuations we have experienced. I, personally, am glad for the warm-up of recent days. In news from the remodeling at the lake house, the kitchen project is winding down, and work is progressing on the sunroom that started out as a deck. I hope to get the walls up and the roof on it before it rains or snows again. Prayers appreciated.

For our devotional thought this week, I would like to address an issue that concerns me. It is the quality of some of the things Christian people post on social media. I am not opposed to social media. In fact, most of you get these articles by way of email, Facebook, or a link to one of my blogs. Even the newspaper version is sent weekly by email. If God’s people are to be light and salt to the world, and if we are to live in a way that reflects the holiness of God, why would we post these most profane and innuendo laden memes, comments, and photos for the whole world to see?

Not everyone does these things, but I see enough of it to be concerned. Is it any wonder so many people don’t see a reason to invite Jesus into their life? If Christian behavior isn’t any different from the rest of the world, why join them?

Here are some scriptures that just might cause us to think twice about those things we put out there on social media.

“Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6).

“But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips (and Facebook pages) (Colossians 3:8).

“But among you, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity…because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place…” (Ephesians 5:3-4).

“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 these things” (Philippians 4:8 Pastor Jerry’s version).

It would benefit all of us to consider these things before posting anything.

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Jerry

19 Jan

Identifying False Teachers

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

The January thaw is under way in our part of the world. The snow is melting away and everyone just has a better outlook. We were able to get some outside work done on the lake house, including the construction of steps, so we don’t have to climb on concrete blocks to get to the front door. This will greatly reduce the risk of injury, especially for someone getting along in years…

My current sermon series is from the Apostle Peter’s second letter. In it, he addresses the issue of false teachers in the church. You see, the presence of false teachers in the church is nothing new. They were present in the Old Testament in the form of false prophets; men who claimed to speak for God, but did not. Later in New Testament times, men came into the church with teaching that downplayed the importance of faith in Jesus, and obedience to his commands. Much of their false teaching was centered on immoral behavior and the idea that because of grace, they could engage in all kinds of immorality without fear of judgment.

Those false teachings are present in churches today. Some are preaching and teaching a “new morality”, much of which is disguised as “civil rights” along with other misleading definitions of sin. Let’s be clear about this. There is no new morality, it is only the old immorality repackaged. God’s judgment awaits those who teach this false gospel, and those who follow them.

Peter writes concerning false teachers: “They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute” (2 Peter 2:2-3).

There are four things to learn from our study: First, the church is not immune to false teachers. They are among us today. Second, promoting sexual immorality is heresy. It goes totally against God’s word. Third, Gods judgment is coming upon those who deny or reject the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Last, and most important, all sinners will be saved from judgment if they repent (that is turn from their sin), and trust the Lord Jesus, who bought them by His blood.

To Him be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.

In Truth,
Pastor Jerry

15 Sep

The Response to Persecution

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, End Times, Evil deeds, God's Word, Holy Spirit, Prayer, Second Coming, The Good News, Truth.

Hello friends,
We are experiencing some fall-like temperatures lately. If nothing else, folks are reminded that winter is not too far away. There is a sense that we need to get busy finishing up those summer projects.

You are all aware of the events taking place around the world. Christians in other places are facing persecution and even death for their faith. Other people who are not Christian are being killed just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. What are we to think of these things?

The Bible is clear that these things will be present in the world because of sin. Someday, the Lord will return and make everything right, but in the meantime, what are we to do?

I know there are those who think there is a political solution to everything that is going on, but the problems of the world will never be solved by political means. Politics cannot change the human heart, only God, working through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit can change the heart of man.

In Matthew, chapter 24, Jesus answered his disciples’ question concerning the end of time. Space does not allow me to quote it here, but you can read it in your Bible.

Persecution will come to the Christian. It is a fact. The apostle Peter wrote, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). John wrote in his first letter, “Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you” (1 John 3:13).

What is our response? Pray first of all for the enemies of God and His people. Pray for their salvation and for God’s Holy Spirit to work in their hearts and bring them to faith in the One True God. In the words of Jesus, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

Then, pray for our leaders. Paul, writing to Timothy said this: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority…” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Praying for our enemies is not an easy thing to do, but I believe we must pray fervently and without ceasing for God to bring about the heart change they so desperately need.

Praying,
Pastor Jerry

4 Aug

Frying Bacon

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Evil deeds, Forgiveness, God's Word, Law, Marriage, Sin.

Dear readers,
We’ve been glad for some cooler temperatures. At least, we haven’t had any of those hundred degree days. We had a couple of small rain showers toward the end of the week. In other news, progress is being made toward moving our house to Lake Ericson.
Now to our devotional thought for the week: The  sixth commandment says we are not to commit murder. The Lord Jesus said anger out of control can result in murder. The lesson is that we need to keep angry thoughts and attitudes under control. The following story may cause us to pause and reflect on our attitudes concerning those we love.
Frying Bacon: One morning recently, while still harboring a bit of anger over a perceived slight the day before, I was frying bacon for breakfast. My dear wife was beside me frying the eggs. She likes her bacon crisp, while I like mine less so. I was determined to give her crisp bacon for a change. My attitude was “I’ll show her I can do this!”
As the bacon began to get crisp, it also took on a burnt look along the edge. I said, “Is this crisp enough?” Her response was, “Why are you being so naughty?”
Well, I denied any such motive, but she was right, and later I apologized for being so childish…after all, I am much too old for that kind of immature display…
The moral of the story: Don’t hang on to those angry thoughts, words, and attitudes. If you pay attention to the teachings of scripture, those are the very things that if left unattended, can lead to more than burnt bacon. Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother (or wife, or husband) will be subject to judgement.”
Let’s ask the question of ourselves; Are there words, attitudes or actions we need to confess and ask forgiveness for? By doing so, we will restore our relationships with those we love, and with our Lord, as well.
One more thought for the married men out there: “Husbands…be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect…so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (1 Peter 3:7).
Forgiven,
Pastor Jerry

21 Jul

Word Games

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Evil deeds, Faith, Forgiveness, God's Word, Salvation, Sin, Truth.

Hello friends,
I wonder if these are the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer? Do you
remember 1963? That’s when the song was popular. Things were much
simpler then.  I wonder, could those lyrics apply to our present time?

We will be taking the camper for a short trip this week. We want to
enjoy some of our home-grown scenery, without the distractions of
everyday life. Who knows? There may be a few lazy, hazy, crazy days
left out there!

For our devotional thought this week, I’m going to borrow from a
publication we have at our church. Here goes: What would you think of
a doctor who, upon discovering a tumor buried deep in your body,
responded, “take two aspirin, and you’ll be just fine”? How about a
fireman,who responded to a three-alarm fire by saying, “It will
probably burn itself out soon enough”? Or a policeman who after
arriving at the scene of a burglary, shook his head and said, “Boys
will be boys”?

In each case, the response is inappropriate to the situation. Tumors
demand surgery; fires need to be extinguished; lawbreakers must be
punished for their lawless deeds.

Ours is a day in which we have lost sight of the seriousness of sin.
Character defect, error in judgment, slip of the tongue, moment of
weakness, or mistake–call it what you will, God’s Word does not play
these word games. Any transgression of God’s law is sin (1 John 3:4),
and the payment for sin is death (Romans 3:23; 6:23).

I fear that if we continue to ignore God’s moral law and the teachings
of scripture, we will find ourselves in danger of judgment, as well.
It’s time for us to heed the words of the apostle: “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 the prophet Jeremiah’s day, God looked in vain for one person in
the city of Jerusalem who stood for justice and godliness (Jeremiah
5:1). If God were to look in your town, what would he find?

Just thinking,
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

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

11 Mar

Sin’s Definition

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Evil deeds, Forgiveness, God's Word, Sin, Truth. Tagged: , .

Dear friends,
On the home scene, life remains busy. If there is a time in life when we are not busy anymore, it hasn’t appeared on my horizon. The change to daylight saving time supposedly gives us more daylight hours, and I’m going to need every minute.

I think it is clear to most people that it is not popular these days to talk about sin. Sin, as described in the Bible, is minimized, glossed over, white-washed, or ignored, but few people are willing to call it disobedience to God’s commands.

Here is a case in point: The television series “The Bible” is airing this month. I did not see all of the first installment, but I will. I did read a review of that episode. In it the reviewer stated that people watching it would get the idea that Sodom and Gomorrah were judged and destroyed for their lack of hospitality. When I read the account in the Bible, I come away with the understanding that those two cities were destroyed because of rampant sexual immorality, including the sin of homosexuality, and others. There were not even 5 people in the cities who met God’s standard of righteousness.

I believe the lesson here for us is this: If we don’t preach and teach that every word in his Book is faithful and true, we are setting ourselves up for a similar judgment at some point. Those ten commandments are not the “ten suggestions.”

Sin is sin. To call it anything else is to call God a liar (1 John 1:10). The good news is Jesus Christ died on the cross to provide forgiveness of sin, no matter what the sin. God forgives all who come to him on the basis of the shed blood of his Son. The end result of this, according to the apostle, is that the one who trusts in Christ will not continue in his or her sin. “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9).

Let us call sin what it is. Follow that up with confession. Confession is agreeing with God that we are sinners. Then, ask his forgiveness, trust his Son Jesus to save you, and as Jesus said, “Go and sin no more.” And if you should sin again, which you may very well do now and then, do as we are instructed in 1 John 1:9… “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Forgiven,
Pastor Jerry

25 Feb

The Unchanging Word

Posted by sandhillspastor in Evil deeds, God, God's Word, The Good News, Truth.

In our day, as has been the case since the beginning of the church, there are those in pulpits who claim to speak for God, yet “prophesy” falsely. They come with a message that isn’t found in the Bible, claiming they have a “new word” from the Lord. Let’s remember, every word intended for us to have from Him is recorded in the Bible. There is no “new word” from the Lord. If you hear of such a person, distance yourself from him.

The scripture is explicit in its command concerning the adding to, or the subtracting from God’s Word. “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. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19). Although this passage is in Revelation, it, by association would indicate that all of the Bible is to be seen as God’s unchangeable and final word.

“Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you” (Deuteronomy 4:2).

“Every word of God is flawless…Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar” (Prov. 30:5-6).

2 Peter, chapter 2 gives more details concerning false teachers (prophets), their ways, and their destiny. You can look it up.

We must examine the teaching of anyone who claims to speak for God, and that includes your pastor. (Acts 17:11). I appreciate those who hold me accountable for the words I speak and write, although I may sometimes not show it right away….

In His Love,
Pastor Jerry

21 Jan

An Unhappy Anniversary

Posted by sandhillspastor in Evil deeds, Forgiveness, Prayer, Sanctity of Human Life, Sin.

This week (Tuesday) marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in America. I want to say a few words concerning the sin of abortion. I believe we must call it sin, because God created humans in his image, and to destroy human life is murder. It is murder at any stage of life. Nowhere in scripture is the murder of a human being at any stage of life condoned, especially the lives of innocents.

Much is made in the news media of the murder of young people in a school, or the slaughter of people attending a movie, but there is no outcry, no sorrow over the millions of lives terminated by abortion in the last 40 years. In the most recent report from Planned Parenthood, we find the organization performed 333,964 abortions in 2011. This amounts to 915 abortions per day. Where is the media uproar over this?

There has been much talk recently from the president and others about stricter gun laws, but I have heard nothing about the clear and present danger to the unborn in the form of abortion. I believe the issue is not one of taking guns from law-abiding citizens. Instead it is about a country, a government that breaks God’s moral law by sponsoring abortion (murder).

God is not mocked. Whether as individuals or as a nation, we will reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). When the Israelites were sacrificing their children to pagan gods, God judged them (Leviticus 20:2-5).. Why would we think he will not do the same when our country is in effect sacrificing our unborn children to the “god of convenience”, or to the “god of choice?”

I believe that our country will be judged for this sin, if in fact we are not being judged already. Sin has consequence, and even if America would confess her sin and repent of it, she will surely suffer some consequence of her past actions.

The Bible is God’s Word, and if God’s Word says murder is a sin, who are we to try to tell Him He is wrong? In my mind and in my understanding of the Bible, there can be no justification for abortion for any reason.

Praying for America,
Pastor Jerry

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