Archive for the ‘Judgment’ Category

20 Oct

The Lord’s Patience

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Culture, Eternal Life, Faith, Gospel, Judgment, Salvation, Truth.

Dear friends,

The weather seems to be moving toward the changing of the seasons. It has been much cooler in recent days. There were reports of frost in areas to our north Sunday morning.

Our local network of churches met on Sunday afternoon, and it was encouraging to hear how the Lord is working in each of those ministries. There were reports of increasing church attendance, and growth in the areas of youth groups and Bible studies. Small churches sometimes get overlooked in the grand scheme of things, but I believe they have a big part in God’s plan for getting the Good News out to the world.

In this age of anti-Christian thought, we must be reminded that the Bible is true, and that it contains the Word of God. The skeptics would have us think believing in a loving and just God is a myth. This is a lie from the devil and is designed to make us doubt.

I’m reminded of the words of Peter’s second letter. “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this ‘coming’ He promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:3-9).

The Lord desires everyone to come to Him, accepting His salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. If you have not done that, why are you waiting? He is patiently waiting for you to admit your sin, repent (turn from) it, and believe that Jesus came to save all who will believe. Do not reject His offer.

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

11 Nov

Respect Life

Posted by sandhillspastor in Children, Creation, Judgment, Sanctity of Human Life, Truth.

Hello friends,
It was an interesting week at our house. Tuesday, along with millions of other Americans voted for our favorite candidates in the general election. I trust everyone who reads this got out to exercise their right to vote. Wednesday, I took our car to the shop and found it would cost prohibitive to have it repaired. The shop recommended we just drive it until it won’t go anymore. Additionally, I had lost a hearing aid a couple of weeks ago and found it would cost almost as much to replace it as to get new ones.

The election is past, as stated earlier, but the work is not done. There are issues that have not been decided. Some of them deal with the right to life for all people from conception until death. The culture of death will not be satisfied until abortion and euthanasia are legal at all ages and stages of life. God’s people must step up and make their voices heard and proclaim God’s word in defending every life.

The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being (Genesis 2:7). So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).

You shall not murder (Exodus 20:13).
And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God has God made man (Genesis 9:5-6).

Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him, Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them (Psalm 3-5).

Psalm 139:13-16; For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well… All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

The U, S. Constitution guarantees the right to life for all. Period.

For the helpless ones,
Pastor Jerry

11 Mar

For the Innocent

Posted by sandhillspastor in Children, Culture, Evil deeds, Judgment, Sanctity of Human Life, Truth.

We have been shut in at home for the last week with a nasty cold, or some other virus. We are on the mend now but wondered a few times if we would survive. Weatherwise, it has been a mixed bag as is common in the month of March. We were spared the heavy snow that fell to our south and west.

I did not listen to what was called the State of the Union address last Thursday. From what I did hear and have read I am both saddened and angered at the total disregard for the unborn shown by our ‘President’, as he told of his support for the culture of death. The so-called right to abortion, or reproductive health, or whatever name is given to it does not exist. It flies in the face of not only common sense, but totally opposite God’s good purpose as written in His Word. I will let the Bible speak:

Exodus 20:13; You shall not murder.

When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your sons in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. (Ezekiel 20:31).

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).

And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man (Genesis 9:5-6).

Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them (Psalm 127:3-5).

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this”, does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done (Proverbs 34:11-12)?

When will people wake up to the horrible wrong that has been done in the name of women’s rights? Who is speaking up for the baby’s right to life?

In defense of the helpless,

Pastor Jerry

1 Jan

Look Ahead

Posted by sandhillspastor in Change, Eternal Life, Faith, Judgment, Salvation, Second Coming.

Hello friends,

The promised Christmas storm has come and gone. I have seen worse storms, and this one was less intense than forecast. I am alright with that. As we contemplate the new year before us, our thoughts at this time are filled with a sense of nostalgia, followed by the anticipation of what the new year will bring.

Even though we cannot predict the events of the future with any accuracy, we know changes will probably come. An old song tells us, “The sun comes up and the sun goes down, the hands on the clock keep going around… Life gets tedious, don’t it?” Some days it seems everything goes on without change, but for those who are aware of the larger world, things are always changing.

The Bible tells us that the Lord will return at some point. We are not told the time, but we are told to be ready. His plan is moving toward the day he returns. Concerning the signs of his coming, Jesus speaking to his disciples said, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven” (Luke 21:10-11).

I understand that these things have been taking place for many years, but as God’s promises are true, the end will come in His time. As far as looking to the past and anticipating the future, here are words from the prophet Isaiah: “Do not remember the past events; pay no attention to things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19).

Peter in his second letter said this: “First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say where is this ‘coming’ he promised?” Peter goes on to say ‘The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise…l He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:3-8).

He will return in His time and according to His plan. Those who resist God’s call to come to faith are in danger of eternal punishment. Come to Jesus today.

In His love,

Pastor Jerry

16 Oct

Pray for Israel

Posted by sandhillspastor in Calling, God's Word, Judgment, Obedience, Truth.

Hello friends,

Rainfall total for last week at our address was 2.25 inches. Some places had more, others less, but it was well received. We moved the camper to Mitchell, SD last week in anticipation of the arrival of a new great-grandchild. It will serve as living quarters for great grandma as she helps with the new little one. I am sure there will be an update to this story soon.

Unless you have been hiding under a big rock, you know that Israel has been under attack from her enemies lately. There are those who wonder, what is the big deal with Israel? One has only to read the Bible record to see that God has a special relationship with the people he calls his own. Through Isaiah the prophet, God said this to Israel:

But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham, my friend—I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said to you: You are my servant; I have chosen you; I haven’t rejected you (Isaiah 41:9).

I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6).

Now this is what the Lord says—the one who created you, Jacob, and the one who formed you, Israel— “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine (Isaiah 43:1).

God’s good plan was for Israel to be His shining light to the rest of the world. He would bring salvation through the Lord Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross. Israel rejected the Savior, however and God sent Jesus’ disciples into the Gentile world with the message of salvation through faith in the promised Messiah. This did not mean God was finished with Israel. In fact, God promised to keep a remnant of Jews who would acknowledge Christ as the Messiah.

Those who would destroy Israel will be judged by God eventually. God’s words to Abraham: “I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3).

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

17 Apr

Why Does God Wait?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Culture, Evil deeds, God's Word, Judgment, Repentance, Salvation, Sin.

Dear readers, 

We rode a temperature roller coaster last week as winter just won’t give up it seems. As I reflect on seasons past, I know it is not unusual to see these extremes, but that is little consolation when we really want to see shirt sleeve weather.   

Every day we read news reports of violence on a scale unheard of. People doing damage to property and the breaking of laws are reported with increasing frequency. A friend of mine once said, “the world has gone mad.” That was a number of years ago, and his words ring truer today. The apostle Paul had much to say about this in his letter to the Christians at Rome.   

Paul wrote these words about the condition of mankind since the Fall: For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became useless, and their senseless hearts were darkened… And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right. They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. Although they know God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them. (Romans 1:21; 28-32). 

Here is a commentary on this passage: “You can know a person, or a culture has descended into ultimate corruption when people give public and legal approval to sin. This is a catalogue of societal breakdown, filled with greed, murder and deceit. We look around at our culture and say, “How did things get so crazy?” Paul answers: as a society, you asked to be free from God. This is what you get.” [The Tony Evans Bible Commentary]. 

The remedy for this situation is simple. We, as a society and as a country need to get on our knees, confess our sins, ask for God’s forgiveness and get back to living according to His Word. 

Don’t be fooled into thinking that since he has not judged our nation, he has forgotten us. His kindness is intended to lead people to repentance. That is why he waits. 

For Him, 

Pastor Jerry 

20 Mar

Turn Back Now

Posted by sandhillspastor in Attributes of God, Change, Culture, Evil deeds, God's Word, Judgment, Repentance, Salvation.

Dear friends,
As the ice disappears in Lake Ericson and migrating birds are the new thing to watch, we are more and more anticipating Spring! Warmer temperatures are in the forecast, with a chance of rain. This is good news for sure. The winter has been long, but better days are coming. Green is my favorite color this time of year; green as in grass and leaves, with colorful flowers to follow.

Milrae’s recovery from the knee replacement continues with no major issues. She will begin P.T. this week and we pray it goes well. Thank you all for prayers on this journey.

Each week we see evidence of what the Bible teaches about mankind’s rejection of God and the teachings of Scripture. There is a wholesale denial of the creation order and His plan for humanity. These range from demands for unlimited abortion to assisted suicide. From the destruction of the covenant of marriage to all kinds of deviant behavior, and the acceptance of all manner of sinful acts.

There is little respect for our fellow man, with assaults and murders being everyday occurrences. Along with those, we can throw in total disregard for the possessions of others. The Ten Commandments are not even seen as ten suggestions, they are ignored altogether.

What does God say about all this? In those Ten Commandments I mentioned, He says we are to have no other gods before Him. Next, He says we are not to make idols. Right away we see that God wants our total allegiance; nothing is to take His place in our worship. The truth is, man has made the self as his god, and earthly pleasures and possessions of all kinds to be idols.

When the self becomes most important, our relationships with other people are damaged, sometimes beyond repair. Think of abuses to spouses, children, or parents. What about disrespect for authority or for the possessions of others. One does not have to look far to see what has happened.

“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 claimed to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:18-22).

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

23 Jan

God Knows

Posted by sandhillspastor in Evil deeds, False teachers, God's Word, Judgment, Sanctity of Human Life, Ten Commandments.

Dear readers,
Well the big snow has come. The storm Is gone, but the snow will be with us for a while. It has been a good long time since we have dealt with this much snow. I am glad machinery has improved over the years, but even with that a snowfall of that depth leaves us with the realization that we are pretty puny in light of the power of storms.

Today we see people dismissing the Word of God as mere superstition, or a manmade list of rules, even denying that God exists. If they acknowledge Him at all, they say the Bible is irrelevant and does not apply in our time. It seems they are just laughing at God and He is doing nothing to defend Himself.

Those who promote the taking of human life as “health care” are ignoring God’s command against committing murder. Others insist that marriage can be anything other than a life-long covenant between a man and woman. They are basically thumbing their noses at God. Although it appears they are evading judgment, God says there is a final judgment coming which no one can avoid.

The psalm writer Asaph had an enlightening moment, and he wrote these words:
“For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore, pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves in violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth…
They say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”

“When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their destiny.
Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!”

He closes with these words: “Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge” (Psalm 73:3-19, 27-28).

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

30 May

The Presence of Evil

Posted by sandhillspastor in Evil deeds, False teachers, Gospel, Judgment, Sin, Spiritual Warfare.

Dear readers,
It’s another of those early deadline weeks, so this is being written on Saturday. The lake community was busy this weekend. Fun and games were enjoyed by many, and there was a family friendly movie after sunset. Summer, I believe, is officially open for business.

Once again, evil has reared its ugly head in our country, there is nothing else to call it. If a person murders children, or any human being, that person can be called nothing but evil. It is satanic. People come up with all kinds of excuses for this behavior, but the main reason is the presence of evil in the world.

I believe the evil that is so often in the news is a direct result of the lack of knowledge of God and his will for mankind. We have taken God out of the schools, and out of much of the public square. Churches are teaching that if we love everyone, it will be a world of peace.

Scripture has a different view. In Genesis chapter six, there were only a handful of people who acknowledged God for who He was. Scripture records that “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time (verse 5).

Paul said, “As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one… There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10-12, 18).

John calls Satan the evil one. “We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Paul reminds us that “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

What we must do is return to teaching biblical values and morality to our children, in order to turn them from disobeying God to trusting in His commands as set out in His Word.

The full solution to evil awaits the coming age. God will vindicate His children and wipe away their tears (Revelation 21:4).

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

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