Archive for the ‘Forgiveness’ Category

9 Jun

Come Home

Posted by sandhillspastor in Family of God, Forgiveness, Grace, Obedience, Relationships.

Hello all,
After a long dry season, we have had some nice rains. What a difference it has made in our surroundings. This past Saturday we celebrated another wedding anniversary. It sometimes feels like only yesterday we made those vows, but it has been 61 years!

I don’t know why, but it seems I spend more time reminiscing about the past as the years go by. I guess as I look back, I see more clearly the lessons I have learned. For instance I remembered a time when I left a gate open and a group of heifers escaped and went to where the cows and calves were being kept. I stressed over how I might get them back home, but the next morning those heifers were at the gate wanting to return to their own corral. I didn’t have to wonder how to get them separated because they did it all on their own. Apparently, they decided home was not such a bad place after all.

I was reminded in this of the story of the prodigal son Jesus told in the Bible. This was about a young man who left home to see the world, and who discovered the world wasn’t all it seemed to be from a distance. The young man came to his senses and returned home to his father, realizing that what he had at home was far better than what the world had to offer.

The young man convinced his father to give him his inheritance, and we read: Not long after that, the young man got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, he began to be in need… When he came to his senses, he said ‘I will set out and go back to my father” … So, he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:13-20).

When those heifers returned from their little ‘adventure’ they got no kisses, but I welcomed them home. Keep in mind if you find you have strayed away from God, He will welcome you back into his arms. He is there for you.

Safe in Him,
Pastor Jerry

29 Jan

Apology is Important

Posted by sandhillspastor in Forgiveness, God's Word, Grace, Relationships.

Dear friends,

The good news of the week has been the warmer weather. There were several consecutive days of fog and some icy roads, but the extreme cold temps are gone for the foreseeable future.

I don’t know who needs to hear what follows, but I feel there may be many. This is from a devotional by Pastor J.D. Greear.

He writes: Don’t underestimate the power to heal broken relationships in these two words: “I’m sorry.”

“Through the men’s ministry at our church, I heard of a guy named Ken who, when he was a teenager, was discussing his future plans with his father. There was some conflict: His dad wanted him to take a particular academic course, and he didn’t want to. In a moment of anger, Ken said, “What do you know, Dad? You’re just a dumb factory worker.” His dad had been a great father and always provided for his family, but he had never been to college, and those words crushed his spirit.

More than 20 years later, after hearing a message at church on the power of words to heal or destroy, Ken remembered what he said to his father. So, he called his dad and asked if he remembered what he had said to him 20 years earlier. To his shock, his dad began to cry. Ken told him, “I’m so sorry, Dad. I’m so grateful for you and so proud of you. All the things that matter in life, you excel at all of them.”

It was a turning point for their relationship and the beginning of healing, spurred by the simple act of acknowledging a hurt and apologizing.

Many of us need to apologize to someone, maybe for a hurt from last week or five, 10, or even 20 years ago. Start by saying you’re sorry. Then, speak blessing and encouragement and love into someone’s life, and watch the difference it makes in their life—and yours.

Another aspect of this is forgiveness. If we have been wronged and the other party apologizes, it is important for us to accept the apology and respond in love. I believe we are to forgive those who wronged us. Even if that person is no longer with us, we need to forgive their actions. It is for our good, and peace of mind. We are commanded by the Lord to forgive others.

In His grip,

Pastor Jerry

18 Jul

Look to Jesus

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Change, Faith, Forgiveness, God's Word, Gospel, Grace, renewal, Repentance, Temptation, Truth.

Hello friends,
It was another warm week. Our last good rain was a week ago, and we are ready for more. The heat is stressful for the cucumbers, but they are producing well with frequent watering. Small tomatoes are forming and we have been stocking up with bacon in anticipation of some BLT sandwiches! Disclaimer: Most of the work in this garden is done by my sweet wife.

Do you ever feel you are losing the battle against temptation? Here are some encouraging thoughts:
“As believers, we’ll struggle with indwelling sin for the rest of our lives. The greatest saints have experienced such bitter, unsuccessful struggles with sin, it almost drove them to despair. As the old hymn says, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above.”

Proverbs 24:16 reads, “… for the righteous falls seven times and rises again …” (ESV). The righteous fall often, but they get back up, looking heavenward. Put another way, we struggle a lot, but the trajectory of our lives should point heavenward; our lives are a cry for God to change our hearts.

But there are some who seem to just be going through the motions, participating in church like it’s a club or social organization. They don’t have evidence of a desire for God or a supernatural change. They’re not concerned about living in community or using their gifts to serve the body of Christ. And they’re content in not growing. It makes you wonder if they’ve ever really experienced the gospel.

When you struggle, do you get back up again, repenting and believing in faith that God is who he says he is, faithful to save you? Or do you go through the motions, unconcerned with how you’re living your life? The faith that saves is the faith that endures.” [Pastor J.D. Grear]

Remember these words from the apostle Paul: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins…” (1 John 1:9).

Looking up,
Pastor Jerry

5 Jul

The Price of Freedom

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Best Life, Cross, Faith, Forgiveness, Freedom, Grace, Praise, Salvation, The Good News.

Dear friends,
It was a busy week for us. We finished up our short camping trip on Wednesday, arriving home mid-afternoon. Thursday was spent catching up on mowing and other yard work. Friday there was decorating for the Fourth of July observance and baking for the Lake Ericson bake sale. Friday evening, I attended the rehearsal for a wedding I was to perform on Saturday. Ericson Lake Corporation’s annual meeting was Saturday morning, with the wedding taking place at 4 PM an hour away. It was a fun wedding (aren’t they all?), and I made it back home in plenty of time for the annual fireworks display at the lake. Sunday morning, our church provided a free pancake, sausage and egg breakfast to all who could come. Retirement is busy, not boring!

As I thought of the Independence Day celebration, I was reminded again that the freedoms we have in our country are often taken for granted by a large part of the population. We forget the sacrifices that many have made, so that we can be a free people.

There is another freedom that is available to us, and that is freedom from the penalty of sin. Born sinners, we owe a debt we cannot pay. Jesus, going to the cross of Calvary paid our sin debt once for all. It was for all who would believe in Him, those who do not believe will not escape the penalty they deserve. God, in His grace and mercy provided the Lord Jesus as the perfect payment, but only by believing in his death and resurrection can we be saved.

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. (Romans 10:9).
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8).
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (John 1:12).
Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God. (1 John 1:9)
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1).

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

22 Feb

A Picture of Purity

Posted by sandhillspastor in Creation, Forgiveness, God's Word, Praise, Salvation, The Good News, Worship.

Dear friends,
Warmer weather has finally returned. I trust everyone is enjoying it. Official spring is coming up soon, I can hardly wait!

There have been a few fishermen here at the lake. I guess there are still some hardy souls that aren’t afraid to venture out in the cold. I do realize that a heated hut might make it more attractive than sitting on a bucket out in the elements. That is how we did it in the ‘old’ days.

In spite of the extreme cold and snow, the Creation shows God’s glory through its beauty. If we can overlook the cold and the inconvenience, we can appreciate the picture of purity and serenity the snow brings.

The new fallen snow reminds me of the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus, and the sacrifice he made for the forgiveness of our sin. Scripture reminds us that without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness for sin. Salvation comes through the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone.

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

Before we observed the Lord’s Supper in church Sunday morning, we sang the hymn ‘Nothing but the Blood’. What great words of hope and encouragement the hymn has for a forgiven sinner.
“What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

O precious is the flow that makes me white as snow,
no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Scripture is clear; there is no other way to fellowship with God than placing our faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Jesus himself, in his last words from the cross said, “It is finished.” There was nothing else to be done for the salvation of lost sinners. Christ paid the debt of every sinner for all time. His invitation to every person is “come.”

Nothing but the blood, Jesus has paid it all. It isn’t Jesus plus anything. Christ alone can save. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” Acts 4:12).

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

17 Jun

Confession, Not Celebration

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Culture, False teachers, Forgiveness, God's Word, Judgment, Repentance, Sin, Truth.

It was a good week here at the lake. The lake is nearly full, after some hardy souls got the logs and trees out of the gates at the dam. We can now maintain a proper water flow through the spillway, and keep the lake level steady. It is good to see people enjoying what Lake Ericson has to offer.

Now for some devotional thoughts. This is not an easy topic, but I believe it is the responsibility of Christians to point people to God and His Word. Whether the message is well received or not, it must be told. I have had to ask, how is it that we got to the point of celebrating flagrant sin against a holy God? Sin is to be confessed, not celebrated.

Our culture is celebrating behaviors that God has described in His Word as abominable (or detestable). According to dictionary.com, the definition of abomination is, “anything greatly disliked or abhorred; intense aversion or loathing; a vile, shameful, or detestable action, condition, habit, etc. Things like homosexuality, murder (abortion), adultery, and same sex marriage would be included. Sin, in other words.

These are the words of the Lord in His Word, the Bible: Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming (Colossians 3:5-6).

The first chapter of Romans speaks plainly to this issue. “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 know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:18-32).

Rather than celebrate the sin, let us instead pray that those caught up in these sinful behaviors would come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, who can free them from their bonds of sin.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

In Truth,
Pastor Jerry

12 Mar

God, Our Hope

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Culture, Families, Forgiveness, God's Word, Judgment, Obedience, renewal, Repentance, Sin, Truth, Uncategorized.

Hello friends,
We spent some time last week shopping for home improvement projects. We have installed new flooring in the kitchen and dining areas of the house, with new carpet to be laid in the master bedroom this week. I am reminded once again, that as we get older we are less flexible and it takes longer to recover from the effects doing physical labor. Nonetheless, it is satisfying to see the end result.

I have observed that it is no wonder young people of the day have little knowledge of what it means to live a moral life. First, there is no real understanding of the moral teachings of the Bible. This is partly due to the fact that few have had any exposure to the Word of God. Second, there is very little in the way of personal examples of moral living in the general population.

I suppose I started down this line of thinking as I was skimming the “for sale” posts on Facebook. There was a post in which a man was selling a washing machine. It read, “Selling for my mother, because she is moving in with her fiancé, and doesn’t need it.” Really.

This is not an isolated incident. Everywhere we look, there are these kinds of relationships, many of them among even those who are senior citizens, and who grew up with a shared understanding of moral values. Some say they cohabit because of finances, or for any number of other seemingly rational reasons. But to the person with a Christian worldview, these are just not right.

There are other examples of the lack of morals in our society. We see them in politics, sports, business, even in ‘churches’. There must be a return to common sense, Bible based values, or I fear our society will self-destruct. There is an answer, it is found in God’s instructions to Israel: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Also, in the New Testament; “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

In His love,
Pastor Jerry

11 Dec

Answered Prayers

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Blessings, Body of Believers, Christian Living, Eternal Life, Faith, Forgiveness, God's Word, Grace, Obedience, Praise, Prayer, Repentance, Salvation, The Good News, Uncategorized, Witness, Worship.

Dear friends,
My good wife and I have been dealing with colds this week and to be honest, I just haven’t felt like writing. I have this article I recently came across, and would like to share it with you.

God hears and answers every prayer, but there are a precious few to which he always says, “Yes.” The prayers always answered positively are the prayers which explicitly ask God to deliver on his promises to us. God will always say Yes when we ask him to do his work through his word.
I have found at least six basic prayers God will always answer.
1. Glorify yourself through me.
The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).

2. Forgive me.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
3. Reveal more of yourself to me.

I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord (Jeremiah 31:33–34).

4. Give me wisdom.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him (James 1:5).

5. Strengthen me to obey you.
As you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure(Philippians 2:12–13).

6. Spread your gospel to the lost.
This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).
How do we know God will answer these six prayers? Because he says he will in the first place, and then, even more, because these prayers sum up what God has promised to do through the gospel. This is what God has said he would most surely do.

Be blessed,
Pastor Jerry

30 Oct

Anger Management

Posted by sandhillspastor in Anger, Bible, Change, Christian Living, Culture, Faith, Forgiveness, God's Word, Gospel, Grace, Obedience, Repentance, Service, Sin, The Good News, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Witness.

We’ve had some really wide swings in weather conditions this past week. We’ve had balmy days with no wind, and some really windy (think gale force) days. There have been temperatures in the 70’s for daytime, and below freezing nights. In all this, there has been no moisture of any kind. We had planned another short camping trip, but Saturday morning I found ice in the water lines, so camping will resume in the spring.

I wrote the following paragraph recently during a recent devotional time. A few days later I received a very timely email on the subject.

I’m angry today. I can’t exactly put my finger on the reason. I’m angry at people who have no respect for human life, whether it be abortion, the killing of infants and toddlers, or people of any age. I’m angry because of liberal politicians and others who promote intolerance in the name of tolerance. But, today, I’m just plain angry. The Bible tells us God is angered by sin, and His anger is righteous. But it also indicates that there is a place for righteous anger on our part. Jesus said misplaced anger is sin, and I believe it. So, I want to be able to sort out sinful anger from justifiable anger. God will be the judge in the end.

In a recent episode of the Break Point radio program, there was a commentary by Eric Metaxas, titled “Anger Mismanagement”, which spoke directly to me. I’ll quote parts of it here: He starts out by saying that Americans are an increasingly angry lot. And the sad fact is, too often we Christians are rolling around in the muck with the rest of the nation. The following points are made: 1) We sin with anger because we lack faith in God’s ability to provide for or protect us. 2) We sin with anger because we lack hope. Is it possible we are expecting too much from this world and too little from the next? 3) We sin in the realm of anger because we lack love. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 says, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast…” “Speaking as a sinner to other sinners, we all can do our part to address America’s anger mismanagement crisis. And for us Christians, it starts with a little more faith, hope, and love.”

Convicted,
Pastor Jerry

7 Aug

On Pure Speech

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Body of Believers, Christian Living, Culture, Forgiveness, Gospel, Obedience, Praise, renewal, Repentance, Sin, Stewardship, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Worship.

The cooler temperatures of this past week have been welcomed and appreciated by most folks I know. From crops to livestock, pets to humans, there has been relief from the heat. There are many tasks we all have to do outdoors, and most are more enjoyable with moderate weather conditions.

Milrae’s little garden is doing well. We had our first tomatoes this week, and cucumbers and green beans came along earlier.

Now for a few thoughts on what I see as the proliferation of profanity in the everyday conversations of very many people. I know I have written on this topic before, but I’m going to do it again. I’m reminded of the story the new pastor who preached the same sermon several weeks in a row. When asked why, he said, “I’m going to keep preaching it until the people get it.”

When I hear “grown up” people, even those who claim to be Christian, speaking words in public that were taboo for years, I think, “They still don’t get it.”

The Bible tells us in many places to clean up our speech. I’ll give you some examples, so then we may, “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)? “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27).

Jesus had this to say about our speech, relative to our heart attitude: “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart… For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).

“But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips” (Colossians 3:8). “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be” (James 3:9-10).

My point in all this is to encourage one and all, to consider the words we speak, and those we post to social media, and ask, are these words beneficial to our hearers and readers?

Let’s work to keep our speech pure.

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

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