Archive for the ‘God’s Word’ Category

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

14 Sep

The Real Thing

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, God's Word, Gospel, Truth. Tagged: , , , , .

Dear friends,
I continue to regain the strength I lost during my hospital stay. Recent days have reminded me that summer is almost over. In recognition of that, we will be taking the camper out for a couple of days.

Today, I want to share a devotional thought from the dusty archives of my journal. I call it the dusty archives, because I had to wipe the dust off the binder it is in.

I like to drink grapefruit juice for breakfast. At times, I will buy a small bottle at the convenience store, instead of a soda. There was a time I thought grapefruit juice was grapefruit juice; that is until I picked up a half-gallon of it at the local discount store.
I noticed that the label on the bottle was very similar to the label on the name-brand I had been purchasing. However, when I poured myself a glass the next morning and tasted it, I soon found out there was no comparison. The “real stuff” was much better tasting than the bargain brand in spite of the similarity in labels.

How do we apply this to spiritual matters? In our search for meaning in life, we try many things and seek answers in many places. We need to beware of imitation labels and false promises. The answer is to find the truth, so that we can easily spot the counterfeits and the “wannabes.” If we will be grounded in God’s Word; that is if we will read, study, and learn from the Bible what it says about Jesus Christ and the way to eternal life, we won’t be led astray by false teaching and popular thoughts and ideas. We must be able to distinguish between the authentic and the look-alikes.

In his letter to Titus, the apostle Paul give advice that should apply to us all. “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9). To the Ephesians, he wrote that we are to be mature in our faith so that, “We will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching (doctrine) and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14).

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

3 Aug

Repentance: The Missing Ingredient

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

As I read and observe comments made on social media and other sources, it occurs to me that in the conversation there are a couple of words that are missing. As people debate the issues of the day, the underlying theme seems to be that everyone wants things their own way. We excuse sinful behavior by calling it many other things, but the word sin never makes it to the top.
Another missing ingredient, if you will, is the idea of the need for repentance. My Bible Dictionary defines repentance as: “Change of mind; also can refer to regret or remorse accompanying a realization that wrong has been done…”
In the biblical sense, repentance refers to a deep seated and thorough turning from self to God. Much of what is presented from pulpits today is far removed from any idea of a change of life, or repentance from sin. It comes down to “believe and be saved, continue in your sinful lifestyle because Jesus loves you and wants you to be happy.” This is far from the truth.
John the Baptist began his ministry with these words: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2). Jesus said, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news”, and, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). He said to some who were questioning Him, “Unless you repent, you will all perish” (Luke 13:3).
There are enough New Testament references to repentance that it should be clear it is of great importance. In response to God’s call on one’s life, there must be repentance, that is, to turn from a life of sin and self-rule to a life ruled by God and lived in His righteousness. In other words, the call to repent means we must abandon sinful lifestyles and express sorrow for our sins.
Christians and churches are not exempt. We must be constantly involved in self-examination, allowing the Holy Spirit to point out areas where change is needed. To continue living in sin, with no thought of changing (repenting) can only lead to judgment.
In Him,
Pastor Jerry

27 Jul

Listen Closely

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, God's Word, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Obedience. Tagged: , , , .

In our Sunday school discussion yesterday, the point was made that people need to listen to the Lord Jesus. When Jesus walked this earth, He told people to listen to His voice. Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “Listen and understand” (Matthew 15:10). At the transfiguration, the disciples present heard the voice of God saying, “This is my Son whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5).

In our day, we can read the words of Jesus in the Bible, but as Jesus was preparing to return the Father, he taught his disciples to listen to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. These are Jesus’ words: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you” (John 16:13-14).

Then, in Revelation, as Jesus speaks to John concerning the seven churches, we read these words. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). Seven times in 2 chapters, he repeats this command, and when anything in scripture is repeated that many times, we need to pay attention.

Believers in John’s day had to deal with background noise from the culture around them that demanded careful listening to know what the Spirit was teaching. It is the same for Christians today. We must listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying, because the background noise can drown out His voice.

Few are those today, who actually listen to the words and commands of Jesus. Even fewer are those who obey Him.

Again, the words of Jesus: “If you love Me, you will obey what I command…Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me” (John 14:15, 21).

Simply His,
Pastor Jerry

20 Jul

Decision Time

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

We are enjoying some more time spent at our lake house. All the hard work on the house and yard is easing up, and it is nice just to sit and enjoy the view. We have a couple more camping trips in mind, but no specific dates or destinations yet. School starts in a month, and we will once more settle into a more structured routine.

Recent events in world and national affairs require we who are followers of Jesus Christ, and who believe in the Truth of God’s Word, to examine our commitment to the faith. One of those events is the ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States of America concerning same sex marriage. As one commentator said, “there is no longer any fence to sit on.” We must take a stand regarding what we believe on this topic. I’m reminded of the challenge of Joshua to the children of Israel as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.

“Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15).

The question for us is this: Will we serve and obey the Lord, or will we give allegiance to the secular philosophy of the culture around us? It is time to choose. There is no fence left to straddle.

Jesus’ apostles were commanded by the Jewish Sanhedrin not to speak or teach in His name. Their response was, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God” (Acts 4:19).

Serving Him,
Pastor Jerry

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