Archive for the ‘God’s Word’ Category

30 Jun

True Freedom

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Eternal Life, Freedom, God's Word, Law, Praise, thanksgiving, The Good News, Truth, Worship.

Vacation is officially over. I have to admit, taking those three
Sundays off from my preaching duties was refreshing. However, the rest
of the time seemed a lot like a normal routine. Even so, we enjoyed
our trip out west, and the opportunity to see some things beyond our
regular circle of vision.

We intend to take some short (two or three day) sight-seeing trips
around the great state of Nebraska. Maybe we’ll even return to some of
the places we missed in my hurry to get back home. Now that we are
somewhat accustomed to traveling together in a relatively small space,
it should be easier, and even more fun!

On Friday, this week, we celebrate our country’s adoption of the
Declaration of Independence 238 years ago. On this day, we should also
thank God for allowing us to be born in a land that gives us the many
freedoms that others in the world can only wish for. Freedom also
brings responsibility. As citizens of the United States of America, we
are free to live pretty much as we want to, within the boundaries of
the law.

Christians should be thankful for their dependence on the Lord. In
giving Him control of our lives, we are provided with freedom from
sin, and the freedom to live our lives without fear for our eternal
future. It has been said that once we place our faith in Jesus for our
salvation and submit to his Lordship, we can do anything we want, as
long as it is within His will.

We are not under the law as given in the Old Testament, Christ died
to fulfill the Law. The Law, then, becomes our guide for living as His
followers. “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). “Live as free men, but do not use your
freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God” (1 Peter
2:16).

The previous verses apply to Christian living, but it seems to me that
they should apply to citizens of the greatest country in the world,
with respect to her laws.

Let us give thanks, for our country and to our Lord, as we remain
loyal and obedient to both. This, I believe, should be how we live
every day.

Free in Christ,
Pastor Jerry

23 Jun

A Time to Rest

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, God's Word, renewal, Rest, Work, Worship.

We are home again. Last week’s trip to Colorado was an adventure of sorts. The problem is we aren’t into adventure as much as we once were. And, once more I was reminded of the difference between husbands and wives. I preach communication between partners in a marriage, but I often fail miserably at putting that message into practice. There will be a time of planning and scheduling taken before our next journey, I am sure.

In spite of some differences of opinion, we did enjoy the new camper. It is smaller and lighter than our old one, and with some adjusting of our expectations, it will serve us well.
It was great to reconnect with our friends, and to spend several days catching up. We took some less traveled roads coming home, saw some things we hadn”t seen before, and passed by some places to which we will return.
Vacations always seem to be a good idea, until we return home and realized how tired the trip has made us. Another realization was that when we go toward the mountains, the air becomes thinner. I don’t remember being bothered by this when I was younger. In fact, in high school, I wanted to live in the mountains and be a forest ranger. This time, while I was there, all I wanted to do was sleep. Could this be a sign of aging? I suspect it might be. Still, I believe the Lord wants His people to take time away from work, for the refreshing of mind and spirit.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1, we are told there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Although not specifically mentioned, one of those might be a time to work and a time for recreation. It is interesting to me that if we hyphenate the word recreation, we get re-creation. Time away allows us to be re-created, revived, rested. They all give the same idea.
After an intense period of ministry, Jesus said to His disciples, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for awhile” (Mark 6:31). And, God has commanded us to observe a weekly day of rest (Exodus 20:8-11).
Are you feeling tire and beaten down? Find time to go to a remote place and rest for awhile.
Resting in Him,
Pastor Jerry

16 Jun

Windshield Time

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

Hello everyone,
I’m writing this morning from Livermore, Colorado. We arrived here Sunday afternoon and will spend a few days with our friends Ken and Dorothy. Yes, we are on vacation. We left home Friday with a new (to us) camper, driving into a stiff south breeze. We stayed overnight in Kearney. It was not a long distance from home, but with a late start and a couple of detours, it was the best we could do. I now understand those wind advisories for high profile vehicles.

Saturday, we headed west with a strong south wind at our side. I had increased the air pressure in the rear pickup tires, so the rig wasn’t driving as squirrely as the day before. Later in the day, the wind switched to the northwest at the same velocity. This gave me some variety in the driving experience. What with driving in the wind, and setting up the camper a couple of times in the space of an hour, the vacation began look like work, only with different scenery.

Our second night was spent in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming. I woke up feeling a bit chilly, so I checked the weather report and found it was 36 degrees outside. Now I know the camper furnace works.

Of the two RV parks we’ve stayed in, one was just off the interstate, and the other was about 500 yards from the railroad tracks. I wondered if the trains ran all night, but between the time I went to sleep and 4 AM, I didn’t hear any. It’s just an observation, but I wonder if these parks are located where normal people don’t want to live?I don’t have any great insight into spiritual matters this week, but it is good to get away and view God’s creation from a different window.

I’ll close with these verses from Psalm 96:1-6:
“Sing to the Lord a new song:
sing to the Lord all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise His name;
proclaim His salvation day after day.
Declare His glory among the nations.
His marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and glory are in His sanctuary.”
Seeing His glory,
Pastor Jerry

9 Jun

Honor God’s Name

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, God, God's Word, Hypocrisy, Service, Sin, The Good News, Truth, Worship.

We have had a great week. It finally rained, and as I write this on Monday, it is raining again. Plans are moving forward to get our house at Lake George moved to Ericson Lake. We are excited about the move.

As noted last week, my wonderful wife and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary Saturday. Our church family hosted a carry-in dinner and helped us observe the occasion Sunday after church services. We were surprised by two of our very best long-time friends walking in the door, after they had called earlier in the day and informed us they wouldn’t be able to attend. They have been forgiven for their deception.

I will be taking a few weeks off from my church duties for a long overdue vacation, but will try to keep everyone informed of our activities through this newsletter. As it is with most preachers, it is hard to quit cold turkey, so I’ll continue to share God’s word in this way.
This week, we looked at the third of the Ten Commandments. “Your shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 5:11). We saw there are three categories covered by this commandment:
1) Using God’s name flippantly. That is, using the Lord’s name as a curse, or any other unworthy manner. This would include those “nice” ways we use his name, such as saying “gosh”, or using the media shorthand “OMG.”
2) Using God’s name untruthfully. This would be attaching His name to something that goes against His word. Examples would be Christians who try to justify slavery, abortion, or same-sex marriage by twisting scripture to their advantage.
3) Using God’s name hypocritically. This is when our public witness doesn’t line up with the name Christian. As people who bear Christ’s name, we are to reflect his character in our daily living. If we do not, we are misusing His name.
In our word and works we are to live so the world can see Jesus, the One who is the true image of God. To do anything less is to “take the Lord’s name in vain.”
Just thinking,
Pastor Jerry

2 Jun

Make No Idols

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, God, God's Word, Law, Sin, Worship.

The temperatures have been a bit warm over the past week, and still we need rain. Some areas around us seem to be getting the good moisture, but I guess it just isn’t our turn. I have no doubt rain will come at the proper time.

News Flash! Sunday afternoon, we received .30″ of rain, and more is forecast for later in the week.
On a personal note, my bride and I will reach a milestone in our marriage this week. Saturday, June 7th, we will celebrate 50 years on our way to forever together.
Our devotional thought for the week centers on the second of the Ten Commandments: “You shall not make for yourself an idol….” (Deuteronomy 5:8-10). The idea is that we are not to re-imagine God. This happens when we try to make God fit into our idea of who He should be. We say, “my God wouldn’t do”…whatever bothers us about God’s way. Or it might be, “I couldn’t worship a God who”… does this or that thing.
God doesn’t need us to define who He is. He has revealed Himself in the Bible, and the Lord Jesus is the manifestation of the Living God. Our opinions of what God should do, or how He should act, are of little importance to Him.
God is not one-dimensional. Anytime we try to make God into someone we are comfortable with, we inevitably leave out some part of who He is. God is jealous for our worship, and when we begin to dilute His holiness, His power, His glory, His love, His righteousness, or His judgment, He is rightly offended.
In addition to arousing God’s jealousy when we fashion these false views of Him, idolatry corrupts our behavior. Much of the immoral behavior in the world today is the direct result of the failure to know and obey God and His moral law. The Bible teaches that we become what we worship. Said another way, whatever we worship, we reflect.
The only image of God we need, is the Lord Jesus Christ, who scripture describes as the very image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). We worship God when we acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

26 May

Free to Obey

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Faith, Freedom, God, God's Word, Law, Memorial Day, Service, The Good News, Truth, Worship.

We are still in need of beneficial rains. I know there are some folks who would share if they could, because of their over-supply. I also know that God will provide in his good and perfect timing.

 

I trust you have taken time this long weekend to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great country. Did you also take time to pray for our current leaders and military personnel? Did you thank God for the privilege of living here and enjoying the many freedoms we have?

 

Our sermon this week asked the question, “Do we have too small a view of God?” I believe we do. How many of us contemplate the thought of meeting God in a personal way? What if we could get a glimpse of his majesty, his power and his holiness?

 

Let’s consider Israel’s response to the Lord’s appearance on Mount Sinai. Smoke, fire and earthquakes accompanied God’s coming to the mountain. The people were so afraid they asked Moses to intercede on their behalf. Here is their request: “Go near and listen to all that the Lord our God says. Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey.” (Deuteronomy 5:27).

 

The majesty of God showed in the thunder, earthquakes and lightning as He came down to the mountain. His power showed in delivering His people from Egyptian slavery. His holiness exposed the sins of Israel, and it does the same for us.

 

God is the same as He has always been. He has not changed, and he demands and deserves our obedience. This is not for salvation. Remember, the law follows salvation. Once saved, God wants us to be obedient to his commands. His law is not the ten suggestions, but the Ten Commandments. It is not there for our salvation, but as a guide to living a Christ-like life.

 

The real lesson here is this: We need to see God in all His glory, infinite in size, power, and holiness. We also need to see God in Jesus Christ humbling Himself on a cross for our salvation.

 

The redeeming work of a holy God redeemed Israel from Egyptian slavery, and led them to desire to obey Him, and it is the redeeming work of Christ on the cross that empowers us to obey God today.

 

Free in Him,

Pastor Jerry

19 May

Why the Law?

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

This week in church, we looked at three facts concerning God’s law. Our focus was upon the Ten Commandments. What was God’s reason for giving them to Israel, and by extension, to us?

First of all, we need to understand the law was not given to provide a means to salvation. Salvation was promised to Abraham as a result of his faith in God’s promise (Genesis 15:6); the Law came along some four hundred years later.

So, if the Law does not provide salvation, what is its purpose? Deuteronomy 10:12-13…”What does the Lord ask of you but to fear the LORD your God…and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

The Law is given for our own good. It provides guidelines for living. It is not a fence to deny us freedom. It is there to give us the freedom to live as God wants us to live.

The Law was given in love, because God loves and protects His people. The Law demands perfection, but due to the sin problem, we cannot be perfect. Jesus Christ took care of that on the cross, and His love empowers us to exhibit that same love in our relationships with other people.

The commandments concerning adultery, murder, stealing, and covetousness and… “Whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:8-10).

To sum it up; the Law was given in love. The Law demands perfection. The end of the Law is love.

In His love,

Pastor Jerry

12 May

Prayers, or Positive Thoughts?

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

I have seen and heard people make statements similar to this: “I’m sending love and positive thoughts.” If I may, I’d like to share some of my thoughts about this.

I understand the sentiment of “sending love”, which would convey the idea that the person making the statement did so out of love for the recipient. But what are “positive thoughts”, and what comfort do they bring? At other times, well-meaning people offer to pray for a situation and I wonder, do they pray to the God who answers prayer, or do they even know Him?

Let’s look at some scriptures concerning prayers that God hears.

Proverbs 15:29…”The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.”

1 Peter 3:12… “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” James tells us ‘the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

The righteous person, as defined in the Bible, is one who is in right standing with God. Right standing with God is obtained only by placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Romans 1:17 reminds us, “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written, “the righteous will live by faith”, also, in Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38, and others.

I believe the only prayer of an unbeliever God is obligated to answer, is the prayer of one who confesses his sin, asking God for forgiveness, and accepting Jesus as his or her Savior. My purpose in writing this devotional is to cause us to stop and consider whether or we have that relationship with God that makes our prayers truly effective.

As always, your questions or comments are welcome.

In His love,

Pastor Jerry

5 May

What’s New?

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

There are flowers, leaves on the trees, green grass and warm breezes, Can spring finally be here? I believe it is so! Now, as the Lord provides rain, things will really be looking up.
We celebrated some birthdays this past weekend. My wonderful wife and two of our dear friends were the birthday people, and we three couples got together for an evening of dining and fellowship. Our long-time Christian friends are just the best!
This time of the year always reminds me of God’s promise to someday bring renewal to the earth, in a grand and glorious way. There are so many scriptures that come to my mind in the spring. I’ll share a few, and I trust they are some of your favorites as well.
God, through the prophet Ezekiel, makes this promise to Israel regarding a time when he will gather them from among the nations: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26) Talk about a new beginning!
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
In Hebrews 10:30 we are told of a “new and living way”, made possible by the death of Christ on the cross. Though His death, burial and resurrection we are given new birth into a living hope (1 Peter 1:3).
In 2 Peter 3:13, we read, “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
And, finally, some verses from Revelation, as the apostle John recorded his vision of heaven: “He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” The He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5).
All of this, and we are also given a new song to sing (Revelation 5:9). And it begins with the new birth that occurs when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Praise His Name!
Welcoming spring,
Pastor Jerry
Note: As always, I welcome your thoughts on these weekly articles. Send them to: lakecitynews@gmail.com

28 Apr

Dusty Tools

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

We received a couple of showers of rain Sunday. It was not a large amount, but it was appreciated. Our prayers go up in behalf of those areas that experienced severe weather yesterday.
I had my regularly scheduled visit to the dental hygienist last week. At the end of our time she asked if I had a Water Pik. I admitted I did, and she said it would help to use it. I the asked her, “Oh, it doesn’t help to just have it sitting on the back of the sink?” Her reply– “No, not really.”
I’m reminded of some other beneficial tools in our house: The exercise equipment that no one uses, and other tools purchased with good intentions, still in their original packaging.

Here is a follow-up thought. What one item of great benefit to every person, is probably present in almost every home, yet is seldom used? Might it be the Bible? Just like the tools for healthy living mentioned above, the one tool we have available to us for improving our spiritual health is rarely put to its intended use.
If you have followed my thoughts for a period of time, you know I place much emphasis on reading and studying God’s Word. In a world that is becoming more antagonistic to the Christian faith, I believe it is imperative that we become people of the Word; that we must study the scriptures in order to know how to answer those who challenge our beliefs.
Here are a few verses in which we are encouraged, if not commanded to study our Bibles: 2 Timothy 2:15…”Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.”
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:16-17).
A final word concerning the need for Bible study. Do not take for granted everything some preacher says. Follow the example of the residents of a place called Berea. When the apostle Paul preached to them, the Bible says, “They welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
In His Truth,
Pastor Jerry
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