Archive for the ‘God’s Word’ Category

24 Nov

Give Thanks

Posted by sandhillspastor in God's Word, Praise, thanksgiving.

Dear friends,

Our unseasonable weather continues, with much sunshine and mild temperatures. In family news, we have a new great-granddaughter. Alex and Breanna welcome Raela June to their little family. We thank the Lord for her, she is truly something to be thankful for.

It being the season of thanksgiving, what are you thankful for and to whom do you direct your thanks? I know this is a question that is raised at this time of the year. It is good to reflect on past blessings and give the Lord credit for what He has done.

A verse of scripture that comes to mind is 1 Chronicles 16:34; “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Also, this: Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with the strings and pipe, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:1-6).

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name” (Psalm 100:4). “Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind” (Psalm 107: 8).

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Along this line of thinking, the day after Thanksgiving Day is Black Friday, when people rise early to stand in long lines, hoping to get the best deals on merchandise they might not ordinarily purchase. I wonder what it would look like if people were as excited to attend church on a Sunday morning? Would there be lines forming early in the morning in hopes of getting a front row seat?

Just thinking,

Pastor Jerry

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.

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

29 Sep

Slow to Speak

Posted by sandhillspastor in Anger, Body of Believers, Calling, God's Word, Obedience, Relationships, Words.

Hello friends,
October is arriving soon. Maybe it is my age, but the seasons seem to change more frequently than in past years! It won’t be long until our first frost and things will change. We are past the normal first frost date, so be ready.

There has been much violent speech in recent months and even years from some in our world. There are many who think minds will be changed by violent arguments and acts. Perhaps they need to turn to the scriptures and pay attention to what God says about our speech. I will share some passages from the Bible that would give God’s perspective on our words and our actions.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1). A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control (Proverbs 29:11). Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:9).

Speaking of love, Paul wrote, “It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered” (1 Corinthians 13:5).Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who are listening (Eph 4:29). Paul again, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger” (Ephesians 4:31). Then this, “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips” (Colossians 3:8).

James had this advice; My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 2:19-20). Everyone should take these words to heart: But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness (James 3:17-18).

Let us all pray for this wisdom as we engage in conversation with those who oppose us. We are called to a higher standard than those who are of the world and the Lord would have us reflect that fact in both our words and our actions.

Blessings to all,
Pastor Jerry

1 Sep

Contaminated Soil

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, False teachers, God's Word.

Hello friends,
Here we are at the beginning of September. Cooler weather brings thoughts of fall, although much of early September is many times as warm as July. This is the last big weekend for activities here at the lake. The population will increase greatly with families enjoying all the events that have been planned.

Our garden has been a challenge this year. To begin, there was a request to make a raised area for planting. After constructing the beds, I went to the composting area where grass clippings and leaves are stored and brought in several loads of this compost.

Tomatoes were planted and watered and seemed to be happy there. A short time later it was noted that the leaves on the plants were curling. Apparently, the compost was contaminated with the herbicides used on the lawns. We decided to leave things as they were and see what would happen.

In time the plants grew large and began to bloom. The tomatoes that resulted were small and misshapen, although the flavor seems to be okay.

Here is the application for our consideration today. Be aware of where you are sinking your roots. If we are to be productive in life, we need to be anchored in “good soil.” The places we go and the people we associate with may very well be contaminated with harmful ideas and other impurities.

I am reminded of Jesus’ parable of the seeds and the sower. The farmer sowed seed and it fell on different types of soil. As the seed fell to the ground, some fell on hard packed soil, some on rocky soil, some on weedy soil. Other seed fell on good soil, took root and produced a bumper crop. (Mark 4:8).

You have heard it said, “bloom where you are planted”, but be sure you are planted in good soil. Beware of the contamination of the world which will hinder your ability to be productive in life. In Psalms we read this: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers…, He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season…” (Psalm 1:1-3).

The apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

25 Aug

Two Destinations

Posted by sandhillspastor in Eternal Life, Eternity, God's Word, Gospel, Heaven, Hell, Judgment, Resurrection.

Hello friends,
I am sure a lot of people are enjoying the cooler temperatures. I like it cooler, but not if I’m going to have to wear a sweater or jacket. There will be time for that. In other news, the Lord has provided us with a vehicle to replace the one we wrecked in June. It is a bit older and has high mileage, but as Milrae says, we probably won’t need it for too many years!

Our adult Sunday school finished a series of lessons that took us through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. A statement that struck me in this is; every person will ultimately spend eternity in one of two places, heaven or hell.

Some folks believe that when this life is over, it’s over. They are of the mindset this is all there is. But the Bible is clear that there is an afterlife. Everyone who has ever lived will be resurrected to face final judgment. Those who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be ushered into heaven for eternal fellowship with God and with Jesus.

Those who rejected God’s offer of salvation will be condemned to eternal punishment in hell or the lake of fire, as it is called in Revelation 20:14. We are not all God’s children. The Bible clearly states that only those who have accepted God’s salvation as provided by Jesus’ finished work on the cross are His children. All are created by God but only become His children through faith in Christ. This is referred to as being born again. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3).

Concerning Jesus, John wrote the following, “He was in the world, and although the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:10-12).

All who have accepted Christ will live with Him forever. However, if anyone’s name is not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

Is your name written in the book of life? Are you born again?

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

18 Aug

Jesus, Lord of All

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Culture, God's Word, Obedience, Salvation, Witness.

Hello friends,
We keep getting those timely rains. There hasn’t been much watering of the lawn this summer, but plenty of mowing. There are blessings all around and we don’t have to look far to see them.

Sometimes I read articles from other sources that I feel are worth sharing. One of those came to me from Pastor J.D. Greear. He tells of efforts in the past to remove certain sections of the Bible.

He writes, “If someone did this today, they would probably cut out Jesus’ teachings on the sanctity of sex and marriage. They would keep the miracles and cut out large parts of the Sermon on the mount.

Our culture says it is fine to worship Jesus—just edit Him to fit their preferences so you can still bow where you need to bow.

For followers of Jesus, that is not an option. Jesus is Lord. If He is not Lord of all, then He is not Lord at all. People treat the Bible like a cafeteria, where you pick the food options that you like and ignore the rest.

People think you can do that with Jesus. You can accept the parts of Him you want and postpone the others until later. I once heard a college student explain that she had accepted Jesus as Savior now and planned to accept Him as Lord later.

You cannot divide Jesus! He is either Lord, or He is not. If God is the only God, and He is the only one who can save and the only revealer of mysteries, then we as Christians must make this clear to others. To not do so is not just cowardly, it is cruel.

Because Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood in faithfulness to God when everyone else bowed to a false god, even though they got thrown into a fiery furnace for it an entire empire got to see the reality of the God of Israel on display.

“Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

The eternal future of coming generations depends on our ability to stand firm in the present.”

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

14 Jul

God is In the Storm

Posted by sandhillspastor in Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Hope, Peace, Trials, Trust, Worship.

Hello friends,
We may see a return to a ‘normal’ life this week. It seems lately we have spent a good deal of time and energy with various appointments, but that may be ending. The weather has been summer-like, but there have been cooler temperatures the last few days. When we were in the ranching business, we looked forward to those sunny days when we could make hay.

Much of the news of recent days has concerned the flooding and loss of lives and property in Texas and other places. One wonders, where was God in all this? But rest assured He was not unaware, nor was He sleeping through it all. There is no situation that is not in His control, or that He cannot use for His purpose and His glory.

The loss of those campers and counselors is being used to bring attention to their faith in the creator God, and their witness to His goodness. There are many stories down through the years telling of people who have come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ through times such as this.

Some scriptures that encourage us are found in the lives of Jesus’ 12 disciples. “Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. Without warning, a furious storm came upon the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat, but Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed, and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him” (Matthew 8:23-27).

From the Psalms we read, “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed” (Psalm 571-2). Also, “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalm 91:4).

Finally, these words from Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me”.

In His grip,
Pastor Jerry

19 May

Awaiting the Day

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Creation, Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Heaven.

Hello friends,
If all goes according to the forecast, we may get some rain early this week. We can only pray for it to happen. Relating to the weather, we extend our prayers and sympathy to those who lost homes and loved ones last week in the tornadoes. Nature can be violent and deadly at times. Christians understand this to be a direct result of Adam’s sin in the garden of Eden.

We live in a broken world, but God is still in control, and He has a plan to restore everything to perfection. There is coming a time when there will be no more storms or illness or anything to bring about pain or suffering or tears.

Paul tells us of this promise of God: I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God,
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:18-23).

In the book of Revelation, we read: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4).

Looking for that day,
Pastor Jerry

5 May

GPS

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Faith, God's Word, Planning, Truth.

Dear friends,
We have goslings at the lake. These, along with fresh blooms of daffodils and tulips, are a sure sign that spring is here. Our weather the last few days is nothing less than delightful.

Another sign of spring is all the field work that is being done. As we returned from an errand late in the day, we observed a farmer in the field. Since it was after sundown, my bride asked how do they do that? My reply was, GPS. She said isn’t it interesting that people will depend on some satellite they can’t see for guidance, yet refuse to follow God? That was a profound observation.

For the Christian, there is another GPS. It is God’s Plan for Salvation, and it is called the Bible. From beginning to end, the Bible gives us guidance for life. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s plan for humanity is made plain. From the garden of Eden to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, that plan was carried out.

It is one thing to follow an unseen satellite at planting time, yet another to follow God, who has made himself known through His creation. The God who created the universe also holds that GPS satellite in its orbit.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have clearly been seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Romans 1:20).

For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16).

The psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105). This sounds like GPS to me, but infinitely more dependable. Many of us have stories of the man-made GPS leading us astray, not so with God’s directions.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1-2).

Come to Jesus and let Him be your guide. He will not let you stray, nor will He lead you down a wrong path.

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

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