Archive for the ‘God’s Word’ Category

11 Jan

Thoughts on the Lottery

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Gambling, God's Word, Stewardship, Temptation, Uncategorized, Wisdom.

Some of the big news this past week-end concerned the Power Ball jackpot. Those who know me are aware of my opposition to the lottery. Today, I want to share some reasons for Christians to avoid the lottery, from Pastor John Piper. He makes some very good points from scripture, along with other facts that you might not have considered.
First, playing the lottery can jeopardize your spiritual well-being. “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9-10).
Next, it is a kind of embezzlement. He writes, “Managers do not gamble with their Master’s money. All you have belongs to God. All of it.” The parable of the talents says Jesus will take account of how we handled His money. (Matthew 25:14-30).
The system is built on the necessity of most people losing. “Much like the casinos the ‘house’ controls the action; the players will all eventually lose.”
It preys on the poor. People with annual take-home incomes of $13,000 or less spend 9 percent or their income on lottery tickets each year according to a report from one consumer organization
There is a better way to invest your money. “If the $500 a year that that on average all American households throw away on the lottery were invested in an index fund or 20 years, each family would have $24,000. Not maybe. Really.”
A government that promotes and sponsors the lottery is preying on the citizens it is supposed to protect.
One more point from Pastor John: He says if you should happen to get rich from playing the lottery, don’t bring your winnings to his ministry, because; “Christ does not build His church on the backs of the poor. Pray that Christ’s people will be so satisfied in Him that they will be freed from the greed that makes us crave to get rich.” Something to think about.
Seeking His will,
Pastor Jerry

28 Dec

Thoughts On a New Year

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, God's Word, New Year, Uncategorized.

The New Year is upon us. Everyone always asks, where did the time go? The answer is, it moved along as it always does. Time doesn’t stop or slow down, it is steady and constant. We all get 24 hours in a day, seven days a week, and so on.
The problem is that most of us don’t use our time wisely. I would not volunteer the information that I am a time waster, but sadly, it is the truth. Having said that, I will promote the idea that we should all commit to better use of our time in the coming year.
Our prayer should be the same as the psalmist: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Wisdom comes from God and His Word. Most of us have to work to make a living, but outside of work and even sometimes in our work, we waste time. If we could just identify the time-wasters in our lives and turn those times to the study of God’s word, how much wiser we would be.
Again, in the Psalms, we are reminded, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding” (Psalm 111:10). And in Proverbs 9:10—“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Wisdom is a dominate theme in the Book of Proverbs. Here are a few examples. “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:10). “Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse” (Prov. 2:12). “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding” (Prov. 3:13). One more from Proverbs, “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them” (Prov. 4:5).
A favorite passage of mine is 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. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).
Can we put our wasted time to better use? How about beginning a daily time of Bible reading this year?
Happy New Year,
Pastor Jerry

30 Nov

Christmas is Coming

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Christmas, Eternal Life, God's Word, Gospel, Judgment, Second Coming, The Good News.

Thanksgiving is past, and now we look forward to the Christmas season. As we anticipate the first coming of the Lord Jesus as an infant in a stable, we can also rest assured that He will return again. However, when He returns to earth the next time, it will not be as a helpless baby, but as scripture tells us, He will come as a conquering King.

In the Bible, He is also described as a sacrificial Lamb. “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain” (Revelation 5:12). In addition, He is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), and King of kings (Rev 17:14).

As we celebrate the Christmas season, let us not just focus on the Baby in the manger, but as world events seem to spin out of control, let’s remember His promise to come again and set things right. He will come again, and He will bring judgment on the world. Those who have placed their faith in His finished work on the cross will go to spend eternity with Him in heaven, while all others are condemned to eternity in hell.

It is okay to celebrate Christmas. I enjoy the season as much as the next person, but His first appearance was just the beginning of the story. He grew to manhood, was hung on a cross as payment for our sins, was buried, rose from the dead, and today is seated at the right hand of God the Father. In God’s perfect timing, He will return to earth as victorious King, and we will see what John saw in Revelation 5:13…Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

The Christmas season calls us to make a decision. To accept the Lord Jesus as Savior and Lord, or reject this Gift that God given to us. What will your answer be?

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

23 Nov

Being Thankful

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Blessings, Faith, Freedom, God's Word, Gospel, Praise, thanksgiving, Uncategorized.

Rain! Who would have guessed we would have received so much rain in late November? Since I had taken the rain gauges inside for the winter, I don’t have an accurate measurement. All I know, is, I am very glad we didn’t get that much precipitation in the form of snow.

As we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, let me share some things I am thankful for. First of all, I am thankful for still being here to write these columns. In relation to that, I thank the Lord for bringing me though my medical crisis back in August. I believe I am almost back to normal. I am reminded in writing this that we too often take good health for granted. It only takes a moment for that to change in a big way. I am now more aware of the need to thank God for each new day; another day to be with family, another day to serve Him.

The topic of thanksgiving, I believe, should always turn our thoughts toward God, who provides for our every need. After all, He is our Provider, the Giver of every good gift. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows” (James 1:17).

“For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (1 Timothy 4:4). Regarding our tendency to worry about the future: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).

The Psalms have much to say concerning being thankful to the Lord. Here are a few verses: “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30). “Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song” (Psalm 100:4). “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp” (Psalm 147:7).

Finally, the one thing for which we are eternally thankful, the gift of salvation through faith in Christ. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). “Thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15)!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone,
Pastor Jerry

16 Nov

God’s Judgment

Posted by sandhillspastor in Eternal Life, God's Word, Judgment, Sin.

We arrived home from our Colorado trip just ahead of the nasty weather. It was good to be home when the wind and rain/snow arrived. It was good to see friends and family again, but home is always a welcome sight.

Last evening (Sunday), our church held its annual pancake and sausage supper. It is our gift to the community in which we reside. It was well attended and everyone enjoyed the food and fellowship.

One topic which seems to surface from time to time, is, why did God allow all those people in the Old Testament to be killed? I will attempt to give an answer from God’s own word.

All through the Old Testament, we see God commanding his people Israel to destroy the pagan nations. At times, though, he brings pagan nations against Israel as the means of executing judgment on them. We might ask what is up with this. If we study these situations, God gives the answer.

In Ezekiel, as God pronounced judgment on Israel, the prophet asked the question, “Oh, Lord God! Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel when you pour out your wrath on Jerusalem?” God’s answer… “The iniquity (or sin) of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great… I will not show pity or spare them.”

God also used Babylon to punish Israel for her sin, but Babylon went beyond what God had planned, and as a result, God brought judgment and punishment against that nation. Every time God punished nations, including his chosen people, it was for their disobedience and rejection of Him.

In the New Testament, we are warned of the consequences of turning our backs on God, and failing to acknowledge Him as Holy God, creator of everything. When we reject God, it is called sin. Romans 3:23 tells us, “all have sinned and come fall short of the glory of God.” Further, Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death…”

In the book of Revelation, we see a time of final judgment, when God once and for all brings judgment on the world for all its sin. He then brings those who have been obedient to his call to salvation into the new heaven and earth, where they will spend eternity with God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In His love,
Pastor Jerry

2 Nov

God’s Playbook

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

Dear friends,
We have been enjoying some cool fall weather, along with a little rain. Daytime temperatures have been comfortable, to say the least. Later this week, we’ll be taking the camper out for a few days. We’ll leave Thursday, and probably return Tuesday of next week. We’ll be visiting friends and relatives in Colorado, so we won’t be filling the water lines. It will be ‘dry camping’ in a literal sense. As far as weather related problems, the forecast is pretty good for that time period.

On a recent road trip, a billboard caught my eye. It was promoting a popular brand of beer. Now, I gave up supporting that industry years ago, but here is the ad: “(Insert brand name) beer, helping you live life by your own playbook.”

I have followed that playbook. I can assure you, it doesn’t live up to its promises. I have found the Word of God to be a much more dependable guide for life, than any personal “playbook”. It gives practical advice on dealing with every-day life. By following it, you will be living a life that is pleasing to God.

Let’s look at a few verses that support my position. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word” (Psalm 119:9). “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11). “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Proverbs 30:5).

Here some more passages that speak to the benefits of following God’s Word: “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. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers (Psalm 1:1-3). “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

A word of warning to close; “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

In Truth,
Pastor Jerry

12 Oct

Blessed Assurance

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Eternal Life, God's Word, Gospel, Salvation, Truth.

Hello friends,
It’s time for another of our weekly chats. I realize these are somewhat one-sided, but you are welcome to respond at any time. I hope you have been enjoying the nice weather. It is quite a bit cooler this morning than yesterday, but 95 degrees in October is a bit too much.

In Sunday’s message, we discussed two topics that are closely related. They are the ‘assurance of salvation, and the ‘perseverance of the saints.’ There are those who believe a Christian can lose his or her salvation. Scripture teaches once saved, always saved, and the follow-up of that, is God will see to it that the saved person will persevere to the end.

On assurance of salvation, we have these passages of scripture: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:5-6). “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

On the perseverance of the saints. Paul writes to the believers at Philippi, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). Believers persevere to the end, not by their own effort, but because God has promised to preserve the saints, that is, those who believe on the Lord Jesus.

If a person appears to have lost their salvation, the Bible teaches they were never saved. They either were never really saved, or they had a false assurance based on false doctrine. Concerning those who appeared to have lost their salvation, the apostle John said this: “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (1 John 2:19).

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves…” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Saved forever,
Pastor Jerry

5 Oct

The Wrath of God

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

Last week, we looked at the good news of the gospel as presented by Paul in Romans 1:16-17. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” Today, in the verses following, we are reminded of God’s wrath. That is, the fact that sin angers God. “For the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18).

God’s wrath is not a popular topic these days. People would rather hear about God’s love. The fact is they go together. Understand this: God’s attributes are perfectly balanced. If he had no righteous anger and wrath, He would not be God, just as He would not be God without his gracious love. He perfectly hates just as he perfectly loves, perfectly loving righteousness and perfectly hating evil.

Preaching that fails to teach the wrath of God and the condemnation it brings upon all with unforgiven sin, fails to teach the whole counsel of God. Even the New Testament, which many people hold up as only teaching about the love of God, has something to say about God’s wrath.

The often quoted John 3:16, which says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”, is followed in verse 36 with these words. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”

God’s wrath and judgment are real. The only way to escape his righteous judgment is to accept his offer of salvation by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. “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” (Romans 9:9). This is the good news of the gospel.

“For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

In Truth,
Pastor Jerry

28 Sep

Not Ashamed

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, God's Word, Gospel, Witness.

Christians today are facing opposition to their faith in ways not seen in recent times. In an earlier time, they were criticized for believing the Bible; today they are seen as bigoted, narrow minded and intolerant for standing by the truth of Scripture. The apostle Paul suffered greatly for the cause of Christ and the message of the gospel, yet he was able to say to the Christians in Rome, “I am not ashamed of the gospel” (Romans 1:16a).

The reasons he would not be ashamed of the gospel are given in the rest of his statement: “because it (the gospel) is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” He goes on—“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

We can summarize the message of these two verses in this way: 1) God’s power alone is sufficient to save men from sin and give them eternal life. 2) There is no greater show of God’s power than that of bringing men to salvation, of transforming their nature, and giving them eternal life through His Son. Perhaps the greatest miracle of our day occurs at the moment of a person’s salvation. 3) Eternal life is both gained and lived by faith from God in Jesus Christ. 4) Faith activates the divine power that brings salvation, and in that sovereign act of salvation the righteousness from God is revealed. Finally, there is emphasis on the continuity of faith. It is not a one-time act, but a way of life. The true believer made righteous will live in faith all his or her life.

Believers may be shamed for their beliefs, but we must never be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must stand firm. Our message must be salvation through Christ alone. He is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Him. (John 14:6).

As His followers, we must not be ashamed of the gospel, but boldly, with compassion, and in love, share its message with all.

Standing on the promises,
Pastor Jerry

21 Sep

Your Best Life

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Christian Living, Faith, God's Word, Trials.

I am a fan of late summer/early fall weather. I enjoy the cooler temperatures most of all, and in my youth it was my favorite time of year because of hunting season.

Last week, we spent a couple of days camping near Grand Island. We spent part of our time there shopping, and enjoying eating out. In one particular fast food place, there was a sign on the soft drink dispenser that said, “Live for the fizz. Live for now!” Along that line, a book was written a few years ago entitled “Your Best Life Now.” It promoted what is known as the prosperity gospel, which claims God will give you all the stuff you want, if you just have faith. According to the Bible we are not to just live for now, and now is not our best life, even if a popular TV preacher wrote a book promoting that idea.

Scripture reminds us that in this world we will have trials and troubles. Jesus clearly says as much. “You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world” (John 16:33). We are encouraged not to focus on the here and now, but to consider our eternal destiny. That is, to understand that this life is not all there is, and that we are here for only a short time, which is followed by an afterlife that lasts forever.

Jesus came to provide the means by which we may enjoy eternal life with God the Father. He paid the debt for our sin, so that we might have real life. To those who truly believe in Him, he gave these promises: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full“(John 10:10). “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28). “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies” (John 11:25). “The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25).

If this life is our best life, we don’t have much to look forward to. Eternal life with Jesus, that is what really counts. That will truly be our best life.

Resting in Him,
Pastor Jerry

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