Archive for the ‘Marriage’ Category

7 Nov

Be Grateful

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Blessings, Christian Living, Contentment, Families, Humor, Marriage, Praise, thanksgiving.

Dear readers,
With the cooling of the weather pattern lately, I believe I can safely say that winter is coming closer. Not much exciting has happened at our place this week. We attended a party celebrating a 50th wedding anniversary Tuesday evening. There were just a few couples present, but it was a fun evening. There was much conversation and laughter, something we all need more of. An added bonus was the great variety of appetizers to sample. On the topic of lasting marriages, I heard this comment recently. A young man asked his father for some advice on marriage. Dad responded, “When you and your bride have an argument, and you are convinced beyond a shadow of doubt that you are right and she is wrong, just go ahead and be wrong.”

The next big holiday is Thanksgiving. I believe we are to be thankful on a daily basis for what we have. Each day is a gift, and we need to be aware of that fact. I was given a different perspective on this topic recently. It goes like this; What is your answer when people ask how you are? Most will say, “I’m doing okay”, or something similar. The answer as told to me is simply this; I am grateful!

Whether or not we understand it, everything we have is the result of God’s gracious provision. Here are some Bible verses that remind us to be both grateful and thankful for our blessings.

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done… Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:8, 34). The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. (Psalm 28:7).

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17). Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Praise is also a part of thankfulness; “Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens… Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord” (Psalm 150).

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

24 Oct

A Notable Event

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Culture, Families, Marriage, Praise.

Dear readers,
We still have no precipitation of any measure. Please continue to ask the Lord to send those soaking rains we so desperately need. We have cleaned up the garden in preparation for winter, and I was surprised to find the deer had eaten things I wouldn’t have expected; things like the tops of the tomato and pepper plants, along with rhubarb leaves. Who knew?

Saturday, we attended what is really a rare occasion; a 75th wedding anniversary. It was the celebration of a long lasting marriage, but also a time of visiting with old friends. We live in a time when it is becoming harder to find lasting marriage relationships. What a testimony of faithfulness to the marriage covenant! I am sure this couple would tell you it hasn’t always been easy, but obviously they took their marriage vows seriously.

Perhaps this would be a good time for a review of God’s plan for marriage and families. It started in the book of Genesis, as God was creating the world and everything in it. Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” On the sixth day, God created all animal life, then we read: “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number…” (Genesis 1:27-28a).

In chapter two, we read more of the creation of the man and woman. “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… The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” … So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:7, 18, 20-24).

The longevity of this marriage is rare, and worthy of recognition. Congratulations, friends!

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

13 Jun

Word

Posted by sandhillspastor in Attributes of God, Bible, Creation, Marriage, Truth.

Dear readers,
My teen bride and I passed another milestone in our life journey this past week. We celebrated our 58th wedding anniversary! I’m sure neither one of us could have imagined the many roads we would travel in those years, and the journey continues.

I’ve been thinking about the apparent confusion in our culture and the debate concerning gender identity. First of all, I believe if people were to read and understand what God has said concerning his plan for creation there would be no controversy. People have not only forgotten God, they have little knowledge of the Bible and what it teaches. I will go further and make this statement: There are great numbers of people who just don’t believe in the God of the Bible. They deny his existence, or see the Bible as a man-made document that has no bearing on our present situation.

The Scripture is not man-made; it is the Word of God as recorded by those to whom he gave it. “Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (1 Peter 1:20-21).

In the creation account from Genesis, we read; “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:27-28a). Jesus said this, “But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female… For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife.” (Mark 10:6-7).

Concerning the godlessness of his age, the apostle Paul wrote these words; “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Romans 1:18-21).
The evidence is there. He has revealed his existence. Only believe.

In His love,
Pastor Jerry

20 Jul

On Marriage

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Christian Living, Families, God's Word, Marriage, Obedience, Truth.

Hello friends,
It is a little cooler as I write this week, but it was rather warm earlier in the week. A little rain would be appreciated at this point. As my old dad said many years ago; It always rains when we need it worst!

This week, I feel I need to write on the topic of marriage. God planned for marriage to be a blessed union between a man and a woman. The man was to be the head of the household, with his wife to be a helper, one who made him complete. The two were to become a complete unit, not two separate parties in daily conflict. Sadly, the current sentiment in many relationships is, “it’s all about me”, but that is not what God intended.

Husbands and prospective husbands, I believe, need to hear these words more than the ladies, but they each have responsibilities in the relationship that aren’t talked about much these days. The Bible is quite clear in its description of marriage and the responsibilities that go with it. I will share some verses pertaining to marriage and God’s plan for it.

We begin with Genesis 1:27-31; “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them… And God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”
Sadly, Adam and Eve disobeyed God, and brought sin into the world. Even though, God’s perfect plan was disrupted, it is still his plan.

When the Pharisees questioned Jesus about divorce, he answered, “For this reason a man will be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one” (Matthew 19:4-6). In Ephesians, chapter five, the apostle Paul gave specific instructions to husbands and wives. To wives, he said, “submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” He goes on to speak to the man; “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (verse 25). He continues, “In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who love his wife loves himself” (verse 28).

Finally; “However, each one of you must also love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband” (Ephesians 5:33). Submission follows respect.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

3 Jun

On Marriage

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Blessings, Christian Living, God's Word, Marriage, Witness.

Dear readers,
We have arrived at the month of June! Official summer is just a few weeks away, and we are so ready. June is traditionally the month of weddings. I’m not sure why this is so, but outdoor weddings obviously wouldn’t be nearly as practical in winter months.

The Memorial Day weekend was busy here at beautiful Lake Ericson, and busy weekends will be the norm until Labor Day. The lake level has been down, due to some trees and other debris in the tree guard at the spillway, but those will soon be removed and the lake filled to its normal level. If you get a chance this summer, stop by the lake and see the beauty of this place. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Back to the topic of weddings, this past Saturday Milrae and I attended the wedding of a young man we’ve known for many years. What a God-honoring celebration it was. This young man and young lady are committed Christians, and their lives reflect that commitment. The ceremony was a testimony to the blessing that come from two people following God’s plan and purpose.

In case we need reminded, God’s plan for marriage is clearly stated early in the Bible. After God made Adam, He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him…” So the Lord God took one of the man’s ribs, then He made a woman and brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man”.
For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will be one flesh (Genesis 2:18-24).

On a personal note, somewhat related to this, at the end of this week, we will celebrate our 55th year of marriage. Those vows we made then mean so much more to me, than they did on that day so long ago.

Duane and Jessica, if you happen to read this, I pray you have a long and happy marriage. And know this, you have begun your journey in the best possible way.

Blessings to all,
Pastor Jerry

4 Mar

True Word

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Culture, God's Word, Marriage, Obedience, Truth, Uncategorized.

And…. the deep freeze continues. When I awoke before dawn Sunday morning, the house was making some strange noises. I believe they were cold induced.

I am privileged to have been asked to officiate at a wedding later this year. Some of my most cherished ministry memories involve weddings. I am thankful there are still those who understand the meaning of marriage. How refreshing!

In light of the current redefinition of marriage, I wonder how can you read the Bible, and not see that marriage is designed for a man and a woman? Yet there are those who insist otherwise. Here is the problem as I see it. The debate over most of the issues of our day centers around one thing: It is first and foremost about whether you believe the Bible and the One who inspired it. When we stand for the truth of God’s Word, we are accused of being unloving, along with other charges.

Love is being misunderstood, also. We need to love people enough to lead them to Jesus and let Him show them the error of their ways. It is not loving to let people keep living in sin without change. The loving response to sin is to make the sinner aware of their sin, and lead them to the One who died to pay the penalty for that sin.

Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” I take this to mean we are to obey all his commands. The apostle John wrote, “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.”

In his letter, Jude urged his reader to ‘contend for the faith’ (verse 3), followed by these words… “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (Jude 18-22).

For Truth,
Pastor Jerry

9 Jul

God’s Family Plan

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Blessings, Creation, Families, Marriage, renewal, Truth, Uncategorized.

Dear friends,
Summer is here! When you live near a body of water, large or small, you can be sure there will be people celebrating summer. It is not any different here at Lake Ericson. Lots of people enjoying everything summer. Boats, beverages, bonfires, barbeques, and families playing together. Ah, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. The Ericson 4th of July tradition continued this year, with a parade and kid’s rodeo. Some things never change, and that’s good. Thanks to those who make it happen year after year.

Thinking of families, something that has been on my mind recently is the epidemic of fractured families, and the downplaying of the importance of marriage in general. The following commentary is distilled from a recent sermon titled “Families: A Gift from God.”

The Bible is quite clear in presenting God’s plan for the family, and its importance in how His world works. We read, “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable helper for him’” (Genesis 2:18). In Genesis 1:27-28, we read, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

A mom and a dad are always a woman and a man, no matter what the culture is promoting today. Each partner has responsibilities and gifts that complement the other. Together they are a complete unit. If one is absent, the whole system is unbalanced.

I believe the problem of broken marriages and all that goes with it, can be traced back to the abandonment of belief in God, and the complete rejection of his plan for marriage and families. However, it is not too late. Confession of our sin and repenting of it will bring a restored relationship with the Lord, and a return to his values and the resulting blessings.

Pastor Greg Laurie said this; Think of how different it would be if we just obeyed one of the Ten Commandments: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). It would mean that families would still be together. It would mean that children wouldn’t be conceived out of wedlock and would have a stable father figure in their lives. You can take almost every social ill in our nation and trace it to the breakdown of the family.

Praying for healthy families,
Pastor Jerry

23 May

The Answer

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Blessings, Culture, Eternal Life, Family of God, Fellowship, Freedom, God's Word, Gospel, Marriage, Obedience, Sin, The Good News, Truth, Uncategorized.

Over the weekend, we participated in the wedding of a great young couple. I would describe it as a perfect example of marriage, as defined in the Bible. Two young people, committed first of all to their Lord, and then to each other. Congratulations to Adair and Anita Ballagh. You have set the bar high for those who are watching.

I enjoy the early part of the day; those first hours after sunrise are the best. Sunday morning, I was listening to a sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. He had some good thoughts that apply to current times, maybe even more so today than when he preached.

He related that in his time, people were asking, what is the reason for the violence and all the unrest that is going on? His one-word answer to the question was this: Ungodliness! We do not have to look very far today, to see that he is right. In a godless society, immorality rises, when men exhibit godly behavior, morality returns.

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, when people turn their backs on the Bible, its instruction concerning morals, and the gospel of Jesus Christ, immorality is rampant. I ask, is this not a picture of society in our day?

We are failing to see the real problem, and in doing so, we miss the remedy. People who behave badly are told to “just be good.” If that doesn’t work, some try medication, or someone suggests it is a psychological problem and they call in mental health people to find the cause.

Here is the truth: The problem is the same as it has been since the Garden of Eden. Sin! People just can’t be “good.” Do you remember what the scripture says about being good? “There is no one righteous (good), not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God…. there is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12).

John the Baptist introduced Jesus as “the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9).

So then, the answer to the problem of sin in the world is Jesus Christ!

Standing on His Truth,
Pastor Jerry

20 Apr

Marriage God’s Way

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Forgiveness, God's Word, Marriage, Sin, Temptation, Truth.

Finally, it rained! Now, it seems the wind takes center stage. At any rate, I guess it all goes with the territory. As someone said, it is part of living here.

I have not specifically addressed the issue of same-sex marriage and related topics in this column, but perhaps it is time I did so. Let me say first of all, I believe the concept is not even mentioned in the Bible. God established the institution of marriage as between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:18, 24; Genesis 5:2). I find no other description of marriage anywhere in His word.

This idea of people of the same gender having the right to enter into a marriage, is the furthest from what God intended. Those who believe the Bible is wrong in this area, or that it no longer is relevant, have believed a lie straight from the devil.

Now, I know there are those who will challenge me in this area, perhaps even quoting that scripture that says “judge not”. I cannot judge a person’s heart, that is God’s responsibility. However, I believe the Christian has the responsibility to call attention those things God has said are sinful. Remember, though, we are cautioned to deal with our own sin before attempting to help someone else.

I believe the Ten Commandments are commands, not suggestions, and they are not outdated. God’s word is true and He does not change. The things He calls sin are still sin. Just because the world is chasing after sensual pleasure and self-gratification of all kinds, doesn’t make it right or acceptable to God.

One more point that needs to be made here is this; being tempted to sinful behavior is not sinning. Giving in to temptation is sin. The good news is this: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9). The follow-up is that we turn from that sin (John 8:1-8).

The Bible is not hard to understand when it comes to what it calls sin. Most of the things we don’t understand are probably not that important in our daily lives. Here is a quote from Mark Twain; “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”

In His love,
Pastor Jerry

29 Dec

Christmas Reflections

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Christian Living, Christmas, Faith, God's Word, Marriage, Salvation, Worship.

We are in that spot between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Sometimes it seems like the “lost week.” We are still tired from all the activities of the Christmas season, and not quite ready to face the challenges of turning another page on the calendar. I think I’ll take the time to share some personal observations of the last few days.

There is much excess in our celebration of Christmas. Very few would argue the point. This is seen in commercial advertising of all kinds. Businesses and companies are in competition for everyone’s Christmas dollars. People with limited incomes are coerced into spending money they don’t have, because they don’t want to be seen as uncaring or unloving at Christmas.

The Christmas story in the Bible centers on a family who has very little, but to this family was born the Son of God. It must grieve God to see what Christmas has become.

One thing I see and hear over and over at Christmas time is this: “It’s all about family.” Let me tell you, it isn’t all about family. It is about the birth of the Savior of the world. It is about God taking on human flesh, living among us and dying for our sins. God gave us marriage and families as part of his divine plan, and we are grateful that He did, but that is not what Christmas celebrates.

There are a lot of people attacking the sanctity and meaning of marriage these days, and I will defend the biblical definition of marriage and family to the end, but let us not put it in the place of the celebration of Christ’s birth and God’s plan to save people from their sin.

It takes a man and a woman to make a marriage and to have a family, but Christmas can be celebrated by people of all kinds, whether or not they have family, or even have the opportunity to be with their family. Christ came for all people.

In the words of the announcing angel, “Behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people, today in the city of David, a Savior is born, Christ the Lord!”

Upon further reflection, I guess Christmas is about family…it is about the family of God. They are the ones who can truly celebrate the Savior’s birth.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

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