Archive for the ‘Faith’ Category

2 Mar

Plans: Fail

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Change, Christian Living, Faith, God, God's Word, Planning, Work.

Dear friends,
It is a bit cloudy this morning. There is a threat of winter precipitation in the forecast, but looking ahead we see signs of a warming trend. I am so ready for spring, and all that it brings. As I talk to people, I know I’m not alone in this.

We all have days when our plans for the future take unexpected turns. Saturday, we decided to go to Grand Island to get some more material for our lake house project. It seemed pretty simple; go get the things on our list, come home early and get some work done. As we pulled out on the highway, I noticed black smoke coming from the pickup exhaust. For a diesel, this is not a total surprise, but it continued all the way to the city, then as I stopped for a light, the smoke turned from black to white. This is not a good thing.

I knew son Ryan and Alex were somewhere south of York on another mission, so I called and they came to our rescue. I got someone to tow the pickup to the shop, Ryan and Alex met us at Menard’s, and with our purchases, took us back home. Now we will wait for the ‘good news’ concerning the pickup engine. As the poet said, “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

This all reminds me of what the Bible says about our making plans, and what God makes of our plans. Here are a few: “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).

This one from James about says it all: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:13-15).

Someone once said, “If you want to make the Lord laugh, just tell him your plans.” To this I can only say, “Amen!”

In His grip,
Pastor Jerry

23 Feb

On the Relevancy of Scripture

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, End Times, Evil deeds, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Sin, The Good News, Truth.

Here is one more article concerning false teachers present today, then we’ll move on. I think it is important to point out some of the ideas about the Bible that are floating around out there.

A preacher of some renown, named Rob Bell, several years ago wrote a book promoting the idea that there is no literal hell, and that Jesus would eventually save everyone. Let me tell you right now, the Bible nowhere teaches such heresy. Now, this same person, appearing on a popular television program, announced that the church was on the verge of total commitment to same-sex marriage.

He went on to say that if the church wants to be relevant in our day, she needs to stop depending on what he called “2,000 year-old letters”.

Personally, I will continue to depend on those old letters we call God’s Word, the Bible, for judging what is true, and what is false. Contrary to what this man promotes, I believe the Bible is totally relevant to this discussion.

In 2 Peter, chapter 2, we get a vivid picture of the destination of those who distort God’s Word, and deceive their followers. That place is called hell, and it is definitely not a place of enjoyment.

As a pastor, I understand that I have a great responsibility to correctly handle God’s Word, and to speak it clearly. The Bible is no less relevant that it has ever been. May it always be so!

“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1).

Finally, this: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:3).

In Truth,
Pastor Jerry

16 Feb

On Being Ready

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, End Times, Faith, Gospel, Persecution, Salvation, Second Coming, The Good News, Truth.

Hello all,
Sunday evening we held our 9th annual Valentine supper. I think it is safe to say everyone in attendance was glad they came. Thanks to those who decorated, took reservations, and helped out in any other way. Special thanks to the catering crew for a great meal, and to Pastor Don for his special brand of music and cowboy poetry.

In news from the lake house, the sun porch continues on its way to completion. We had hoped to get some siding on, but the colder temperatures have slowed those plans. Maybe I can get the kitchen remodel finished up instead.

As we see events in the world unfolding, I am once again reminded of the Bible’s teaching concerning the times and events preceding the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the 24th chapter of Matthew’s gospel, we read the words of Jesus. He is speaking to his disciples: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. These are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me” (Matthew 24:7-9). He goes on to say, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (verse 36).

What should be our response to this teaching? He follows with these words: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (verses 42-44).

How are we to be ready? By confessing our sin, asking His forgiveness, and turning from our sinful ways. I do not write these things to frighten you. My prayer is that all who read these weekly articles would answer the Lord’s invitation to receive His gift of salvation. It is by and through making Him our Lord and Savior that we are able to face tomorrow, and the challenges it may bring.

In His love,
Pastor Jerry

9 Feb

He Will Return

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, End Times, Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Second Coming, The Good News, Truth.

It is good to be enjoying some spring-like weather. We made a concentrated effort at the end of the week to get our sun room enclosed. As I write this, the roof is on and all the windows are installed. Now, if it rains or snows, no worries. I have lived in this state long enough to know that spring-like weather in February has nothing to do with spring.

Our devotional thought this week comes again from Peter’s second letter. In chapter three, he warns us of false teachers who deny the second coming of Jesus Christ. In his day, they were basically making fun of Christians who were looking for His return. They were saying, things have been the same forever, and if He was coming back, He surely would have done so by now.

Peter says they (those who scoff at the idea of Jesus’ return) have forgotten that God formed the heavens and the earth. Then, in the time of Noah, He sent a flood to destroy the earth, excepting Noah and his family, because they were the only godly people on the earth at that time. God then repopulated the earth through Noah, with the promise that He would never destroy the earth with water, giving the sign of the rainbow that he would keep his word.

Because of sin, God will at a future date destroy the earth again. However, He is very patient, waiting until every person has had the opportunity to accept His gift of salvation. Peter says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9).

Make no mistake, God will not be mocked (Galatians 6:7). His promises are true and will not be broken. Scripture says the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear…the earth and everything in it will be laid bare (2 Peter 3:10).

These are Peter’s words of advice to Christians: “What kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives…, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.” (Verses 11-14).

How are we found to have these qualities? Only through faith in the One who died in our place.

Standing on His promises,
Pastor Jerry

2 Feb

Finishing Well

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

Winter has returned. Snow, wind, and sub-zero temperatures Sunday morning, caused many churches to cancel services.

Like millions of others, I watched the Super Bowl Sunday night. I had no strong preference of which team I wanted to win, but was somewhat surprised by the ending. In all, I thought it was a good game.

One of the big draws for the Super Bowl is all the new advertising that is debuted during the game. In kind of an ironic twist, at least one of those ads indicated that cheating was okay as a means to win the race.

As I remember the story, when the turtle and the hare had their race in the old fairy tale, the turtle won by taking a slow and steady pace, defeating the speedier rabbit.

We are told in the Bible the one who runs the best race is the one who keeps his eye on the finish line, not being distracted by things going on around him. The writer of Hebrews said, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).

The Apostle Paul said, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—“(Acts 20:24). Then, near the end of his life, Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

To the church at Corinth, Paul exhorted his readers to run in such a way as to get the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24).

In each of these examples, the emphasis is on finishing well, not so much being first across the finish line. How does a Christian finish well? Only one thing mattered to Paul: to finish the work God had given him to do. We do not have the same calling as Paul, but the following applies to all Christians.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

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

5 Jan

The Bible Stands

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

Hello again,
We are at the beginning of a new year; time to move into another stage of life, begin a new adventure, or even just continue on the path set before us. In any case, it seems with the turning of the calendar page, we get a fresh start.

The New Year may bring joy or sorrow, pleasure or pain, wealth or poverty. Whatever else it is, we can be certain it will not be exactly the same as last year.

In these times, it seems there are more people willing to publicly attack the Bible as outdated, and irrelevant for the times. False teaching about the meaning and importance of the Bible are everywhere. A recent front page article in Newsweek magazine insisted the Bible is “so misinterpreted it’s a sin.” The Bible warns us of false teachers and those who would twist the scriptures to the point of denying its truth and authorship.

Our devotional thought this week comes from 2 Peter 1:1-11. In it, Peter helps us learn how to recognize and avoid false teaching. We begin by understanding salvation. God is the source of our salvation. He provided the sacrifice for our sin in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty in our place. We then are saved by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross (verses 1-2).

Our salvation is sustained by God’s power, and His power is all that is necessary for “everything we need for life and godliness…so that we can escape the corruption of this world” (verses 3-4).

Our salvation is confirmed by certain characteristics of the true Christian. These are goodness, knowledge (of God), self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (verses 5-6).

Finally, having these things present in increasing measure, we will keep us on track in our spiritual lives, leading us to assurance in this life, and riches in heaven (verses 8-10).

This is from the Our Daily Bread devotional last week: “As the spiritual darkness of our world grows deeper, the light of Christ shines more brightly through all those who know and love Him. Jesus is our joy and hope—today, tomorrow, and forever.”

In these times, it is more important than ever for God’s people to be equipped to stand and defend what we believe and know to be the truth.

Standing on His Word,
Pastor Jerry

29 Dec

Christmas Reflections

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Christian Living, Christmas, Faith, God's Word, Marriage, Salvation, Worship.

We are in that spot between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Sometimes it seems like the “lost week.” We are still tired from all the activities of the Christmas season, and not quite ready to face the challenges of turning another page on the calendar. I think I’ll take the time to share some personal observations of the last few days.

There is much excess in our celebration of Christmas. Very few would argue the point. This is seen in commercial advertising of all kinds. Businesses and companies are in competition for everyone’s Christmas dollars. People with limited incomes are coerced into spending money they don’t have, because they don’t want to be seen as uncaring or unloving at Christmas.

The Christmas story in the Bible centers on a family who has very little, but to this family was born the Son of God. It must grieve God to see what Christmas has become.

One thing I see and hear over and over at Christmas time is this: “It’s all about family.” Let me tell you, it isn’t all about family. It is about the birth of the Savior of the world. It is about God taking on human flesh, living among us and dying for our sins. God gave us marriage and families as part of his divine plan, and we are grateful that He did, but that is not what Christmas celebrates.

There are a lot of people attacking the sanctity and meaning of marriage these days, and I will defend the biblical definition of marriage and family to the end, but let us not put it in the place of the celebration of Christ’s birth and God’s plan to save people from their sin.

It takes a man and a woman to make a marriage and to have a family, but Christmas can be celebrated by people of all kinds, whether or not they have family, or even have the opportunity to be with their family. Christ came for all people.

In the words of the announcing angel, “Behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people, today in the city of David, a Savior is born, Christ the Lord!”

Upon further reflection, I guess Christmas is about family…it is about the family of God. They are the ones who can truly celebrate the Savior’s birth.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

8 Dec

Christmas Preparations

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Bible, Christmas, Faith, God's Word, Praise, Salvation, The Good News.

Dear Friends,
What great weather we have been having! I’ve been enjoying these mild temperatures. It seems the older I get, the less cold tolerant I become. But, I also say the same thing about the heat in summer. Maybe I’m just becoming harder to please.

Work is progressing on the house at the lake. The kitchen sink needs to be installed, and then I will try to take a more relaxed approach to the rest of the work.

I return to the topic of Christmas this week. It just seems right for this time of year. Today, I want to share some thoughts about how we might prepare for Christmas, and the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Here are four things to consider.

First, meditate on the need for a Savior. Do this from a personal standpoint. Without the recognition of sin in our life, the season is meaningless. We cannot earn favor with God, we need a Savior and His name is Jesus. Christmas will not have its full effect until we realize our helplessness.

Second, spend time in sober self-examination. King David in Psalm 139:23 said, “Search me O God and know my heart.” In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul writes, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” Peter’s admonition is this: “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord” (1 Peter 3:15). Those without a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus have no basis for celebrating His birth.

Third, get excited about Christmas. Expect and anticipate the things of the season. Eagerly look forward to the holiday and all things Christian that it represents. Take a lesson from the shepherds. After the angel’s announcement, they hurried to find the Christ-child and left the stable in a state of wonder and rejoicing, telling everyone they met.

Fourth, be much in the Word. Meditate and memorize. Read and re-read the passages of prophecy and their fulfillment in Jesus’ incarnation. Read the Christmas story with your family as if you were hearing it for the first time. Here are a few suggestions: Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:1-20; Matthew chapter 1: through 2:12.

Christmas gives us cause for celebration, but it is also a time for reflection. In the words of the familiar Christmas carol: “Let every heart prepare Him room!”

Contemplating Christmas,
Pastor Jerry

22 Nov

Lesson From a Leper

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Change, Christian Living, Faith, thanksgiving. Tagged: , , .

Dear readers.

Have you enjoyed these warmer days? Me, too. I suspect we had better appreciate them, because it is a long time until spring weather returns.

We’ve been working in the house this past week, getting some new cabinets installed in the kitchen. I’m looking forward to the day I can finally say, “it is finished,” and I can sit down, look out the window and really enjoy the view. Now for some thoughts on Thanks Giving.

In Luke’s gospel, we read a story about ten men with leprosy, who encounter Jesus. They called out to Him, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.” He told them to go and show themselves to the priests, and as they went, they were healed.

We are told that one of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back, threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him. It was noted in the text that he was even a Samaritan.

Jesus then asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? The only one to come and thank me is this foreigner.” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:11-19)

What made the one different? He noticed.

All ten were healed, but this Samaritan noticed. He returned to Jesus to give thanks for his healing. It’s hard not to say something, when something spectacular has happened.

Genuine thanksgiving is spontaneous, even involuntary—you recognize you have been blessed and can’t help but share your joy through thanksgiving.

By returning to Jesus, he is given a second gift. He leaves Jesus not only healed but also blessed in his own recognition of healing, blessed at being drawn into a deeper relationship with the one he thanks, blessed at hearing himself commended for having great faith.

That’s the way thanks-giving always works—in giving thanks for a gift given, we are blessed again.

Be grateful for blessings. That is called gratitude.

Be thankful, that is, give thanks for blessings of all sizes.

Notice your blessings. For those with eyes to see, God’s blessings are all around us. And as we give thanks for them, we notice even more and are blessed over and over.

In this season of Thanksgiving, are you thanking the Lord for His many blessings? After all, He is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).

Praise Him,

Pastor Jerry

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