Archive for the ‘Obedience’ Category
10
Jul
Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Blessings, Body of Believers, Christian Living, Faith, Family of God, God's Word, Gospel, Obedience, Peace, Repentance, Service, The Good News, Uncategorized, Witness, Work. 2 comments
As some of you know, we went “back home” yesterday, back to the neighborhood where we spent over 40 years of our married life. I had the blessing of sharing God’s word at our old church, and it was good to visit old friends. It was encouraging to see that the church is alive and well there, with young families making up a good part of the congregation.
My message concerned the call of God on the lives of individuals. I’d like to share a few highlights from that message for this week’s column.
There are at least two ways God calls people to himself. The first and most important is the call to salvation. This is a call to see our sinfulness, the need to confess that sin, to ask God’s forgiveness, and to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
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…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:9-13).
The second call of God to the believer, is to serve Him. For some, it might be a call to pastoral ministry, or to some mission field. But for the vast majority, it is to serve in the local church or maybe to just share your story with a neighbor or with your friends. I don’t believe anyone who has chosen to follow Christ has the option of sitting on the sidelines waiting for others to do the work.
Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). Jesus’ command to his disciples is, “Come, follow me.”
Oh, God won’t force you to do anything. He has given us free will, but he might make it uncomfortable to be disobedient. Jonah ended up inside a big fish until he agreed to obey God. I believe no one is completely satisfied in this life unless he has Jesus in his heart, and is willfully serving God in some way.
In His service,
Pastor Jerry
3
Jul
Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Blessings, Christian Living, Faith, Freedom, God's Word, Obedience, Praise, Service, Stewardship, Uncategorized, Work, Worship. 2 comments
Hello friends,
We are a couple of weeks into the official summer season. This means the days are getting shorter, but it will be awhile before we notice much difference. The Independence Day holiday is soon to be history, and we will get down to our summer routine. For some, it will be watering and mowing the lawn, or tending a garden. For others, it will be watering crops, and harvesting a hay crop.
God put us here to work and to make a living, in order to provide for our families, and in the end to bring Him glory through our stewardship of what He has given us.
It begins is Genesis 2. “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15).
“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God” (Exodus 20:9-10).
“A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God” (Ecclesiastes 2:24).
“Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways;
You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours” (Psalm 128:1-2).
To those who would take advantage of other’s work by stealing, Paul said, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his hands.” And more good advice from Paul: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23).
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17), and this includes our vocation, whatever it may be.
So, as you go about your daily work routine this summer, whatever it is, work as for the Lord, because after all, he is the provider of all good things, even the daily labor he has called you to do. In addition, here is a bit of advice from the apostle Paul: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Blessings,
Pastor Jerry
19
Jun
Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, Eternal Life, Eternity, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Obedience, Peace, Persecution, Reward, Salvation, The Good News, Trials, Uncategorized. Leave a comment
I had a new experience this week. I made a short journey down the Cedar River by kayak. I’m pretty sure I won’t be repeating that journey for a while. I now know that mode of river travel is for the young, as it obviously takes a bit more conditioning than I have. I don’t plan to abandon the kayak altogether, but I will definitely stay on the calm, still water for now.
Thinking about this experience reminds me of life. It is much easier going when things are calm and still, than dealing with strong currents and storms. There is another lesson here, and it is this; It is the storms that help us find our weaknesses and give us insight into changes we need to make.
God uses those storms for his good purpose in our lives. Paul, as he wrote to the believers in Rome, said this: “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering brings perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:2-4).
James wrote, “the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:3-4).
Here is a reminder; if anyone should tell you that placing your faith in Jesus Christ will end all your problems, don’t believe it! It is a lie from the devil. The believer will encounter trials. It is part of being a follower of Jesus. He said to his disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
As we persevere through those storms, and finally finish the race He has marked out for us, we will hear these comforting words; “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
Keep paddling, wear your life jacket, and don’t be afraid of a little rough water!
Pastor Jerry
5
Jun
Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Blessings, Christian Living, Culture, Eternity, God's Word, Obedience, Peace, Planning, Possessions, Stewardship, thanksgiving, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Work. Leave a comment
Dear readers,
I’m writing from a different location this week. We are in Grand Island for a couple of follow-up doctor’s appointments. Nothing serious, just keeping up with previous procedures. Now and then, we are able to combine these, and find it a good reason to bring the camper and hang out for a couple of days. Note: Window shopping may be a part of this experience.
The following statement comes as a result of our pastor’s sermon this week. It is interesting to observe people, and the things they do to entertain themselves and otherwise occupy their time. For some, it seems that work is their sole purpose and goal in life. Others work a steady job, but find time for recreation and other outside interests. I see people whose energy and resources are investing in owning and maintaining a home.
As I view these things, I wonder how many people actually do what they do with a biblical viewpoint? What would they say is important from that world-view, and what legacy would they want to leave for their children and grandchildren?
A wise man named Solomon, who lived many years ago, had some thoughts on this topic. He wrote them down in an Old Testament book called Ecclesiastes. Solomon had it all, possessions, riches, wisdom. There was nothing he did not have, nor was there any pleasure in life that he did not experience. Then he wrote these words.
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and go, but the earth remains forever. The sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning to its course. All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again” (Ecclesiastes 1:2-7). Then he writes this: “I have seen all things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (verse 14).
Jesus gives us the proper perspective in this statement: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
Blessings,
Pastor Jerry
22
May
Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Culture, Faith, Families, God's Word, Obedience, renewal, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom. Leave a comment
After I posted the word monsoon on Facebook this week, one of my friends said they heard I was stockpiling pallets of gopher wood. There is no truth to that rumor. First of all, my name is not Noah, and second, the rainbow promises God will not send another flood (sorry). We did get a fair amount of rain, though, and I’m certain at some point, we will be wanting more. One thing is sure, God will provide for our needs.
Sunday, I was privileged to preach at a church up the road. The drive to and from there was quite enjoyable. It was good to see the hills turning green, and the valleys well-watered. I am always amazed at the way God works. The scripture text for my message this week was Proverbs 4:5; “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.” When I walked into the church, I picked up the bulletin and across the top were these words: Get Wisdom, Get Understanding. How cool is that?
I may as well share some highlights of that message with you. If you were there for it in person, you may skip this part.
There seems to be a lack of common sense in our world today. The Bible word would be wisdom. I believe one reason for this is that we are looking for wisdom in the wrong place. Secular thinking considers wisdom to be one of two things. One would be that wisdom is simply the art of learning how to succeed in life. The second, is that wisdom is a philosophical study of the essence of life.
Wisdom from the Bible’s perspective involves observation and instruction, but it really begins with God and one’s faith in Him as Lord and Savior. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” There is no lack of knowledge these days, but precious little wisdom, it seems.
From Proverbs 2:6, we read, “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” And our opening text: “Get wisdom, get understanding… Wisdom is supreme; therefore, get wisdom” (Proverbs 4:5-7).
Finally, a New Testament reference to wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
Be wise,
Pastor Jerry
24
Apr
Posted by sandhillspastor in Baptism, Bible, Blessings, Christian Living, Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Obedience, renewal, Salvation, The Good News, Truth, Uncategorized, Witness, Work. 1 comment
There is no fishing report this week. I hope to remedy that situation soon. Saturday, the lake community held its annual spring cleanup day. The weather was perfect for the projects that were planned, and if you were paying attention, you could see the Lord’s blessing on the day. I want to personally thank all who were involved. It takes a lot of cooperation and effort from everyone to keep everything nice for residents and visitors.
Sunday afternoon, I took a trip to northeast Holt County for a meeting of our local church association. This is an area with a recently installed wind farm. The approximately 200 wind turbines can be seen from a great distance, and were a reminder to me again, of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian.
In the Bible, the Lord Jesus speaks of the Spirit as unseen, like the wind, but working His power in the life of a believer. That power shows up in the changed life of a person who has given his life to Christ as his Savior and Lord. Let’s see what the Bible actually says about this.
First, in relation to salvation, and eternal life. A man named Nicodemus asked about miracles Jesus had been doing. Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again!”
Nicodemus has another question. “How can a man be born again when he is old?”
Jesus continues; “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit… The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:1-8).
Jesus, as he was about to ascend into heaven, promised to send the Holy Spirit. These are His instructions to his disciples: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised… In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit… You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:4-8).
This same Holy Spirit is given to every believer. His power is our strength, much as the wind powers those wind turbines.
Amen!
Pastor Jerry
17
Apr
Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Blessings, Cross, Easter, Eternal Life, Faith, Fellowship, Freedom, Gospel, Grace, Obedience, Prayer, Repentance, Resurrection, Salvation, The Good News, Uncategorized, Worship. 1 comment
For those who have been asking about fishing reports, I finally have something to report. I have been seeing fishermen on the lake recently, so I decided it was time for me to get serious. Thursday afternoon, I spent a couple of hours fishing from the lake shore. Having had no success, I was about to give it up as wasted effort, and decided to make just ‘one more cast.’ As soon as my lure hit the water, I thought I must have gotten snagged on a tree limb. As I reeled in the line it felt like dragging dead weight. About ten feet from shore, the “log” started trying to escape. It turned out to be a 31 inch, 7 ½ pound northern pike. After some deliberation, I put it back in the lake. Now you know there is at least one nice fish in Ericson Lake.
Sunday, we celebrated the Resurrection of our Lord. It was a great time of fellowship and worship, and I trust your Easter was the same. I really believe, that many times we fail to adequately understand the significance of this most important event in Christian history.
Have you ever considered, of all the religions in the world, Christianity is the only one with a living Savior? Every other religion’s founder is dead, and his followers can name the place he is buried. God raised Jesus from the dead, and He resides in heaven today.
In dying, Jesus paid the penalty for all the sins of all people. Yours and mine. Past, present and future. In doing so, He gave us the opportunity to spend all eternity with Him. Salvation from sin and its penalty, is available to all who believe this, and who by faith will accept the gift offered.
“For God so loved the world, He sent his only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:16-17).
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
He Lives! Praise be to God for His indescribable gift!
In Him,
Pastor Jerry
10
Apr
Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Blessings, Christian Living, Easter, Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Obedience, Persecution, Praise, Trials, Uncategorized, Witness. 4 comments
Sunday, I had the pleasure of preaching at two small rural churches. I was helping out a fellow pastor, who recently had surgery. The churches are about a 40-minute drive from each other. It is good to see small congregations in out-of-the-way places contending for the faith (Jude 3).
This week, as we contemplate the events leading up to the death, burial, resurrection of our Lord, here are some thoughts related to our time.
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great numbers of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3).
In our day, it seems anytime Christians speak or act in a way that reflects Jesus Christ, they are criticized by many. Such as, when the Vice President of the U.S. makes a commitment to never be alone with any woman other than his wife, and is verbally attacked by the liberal media. Anyone who points out that God calls sexual immorality sin, is labeled intolerant, or judgmental. If anyone holds to biblical values and morality, they are shouted down or persecuted in some way. If we say Jesus is the only way to a relationship with God, we are called narrow minded and intolerant.
These are the words of Jesus. “All men will hate you because of me” (Matthew 10:22; Mark 13:13). “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets” (Luke 6:23).
There is good news! Godless men may accuse and abuse us, but victory is ours through the power of God, who raised Jesus from the dead! Recall the words of Peter and John, when commanded not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus: “Judge for yourself whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).
Truth,
Pastor Jerry
27
Mar
Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Culture, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Obedience, Persecution, Trials, Truth, Uncategorized, Witness. 1 comment
I am the eternal optimist, and I don’t want to be seen as a doomsday prophet, but the world is becoming more and more hostile to Christian beliefs and thinking. We are not to be surprised, because the Bible tells us this will happen. The world hates Christians, just as it hated Christ. It is happening today.
Every day, I am reminded of the words of Jesus in John, chapter 15, where Jesus speaks to his disciples, warning them of trials to come: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world…that is why the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).
The culture would suppress Christian thought and belief, and demand we not voice our views in public. Here is a recent quote from Dr. Albert Mohler: “These are days that will require courage, conviction, and clarity of vision. We are in a fight for the most basic liberties God has given humanity, every single one of us, made in his image. Religious liberty is being redefined as mere freedom of worship, but it will not long survive if it is reduced to a private sphere with no public voice. The very freedom to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ is at stake, and thus so is the liberty of every American. Human rights and human dignity are temporary abstractions if they are severed from their reality as gifts of the Creator. The eclipse of Christian truth will lead inevitably to a tragic loss of human dignity. If we lose religious liberty, all other liberties will be lost, one by one.”
The time has come to take a stand for Christ. Silence is not an option for the true believer.
Standing on the Word,
Pastor Jerry
20
Mar
Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Blessings, Christian Living, Culture, God's Word, Obedience, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Witness. Leave a comment
The calendar tells us the spring season is here. The last few days would tell us that, also. Time will prove the truth of this evidence. I suspect there may be some more weather that will remind us of winter for a while.
As I observe the behavior of people these days, it seems that common courtesy and truth have been thrown out the window and there is an attitude that anything goes, as far as the treatment of others. Where has decent behavior gone?
It is no wonder we as a people have lost our moral compass. Hardly anyone reads the Bible, much less studies it. People speak lies, say all kinds of nasty things about other human beings, and disregard God’s Word concerning wisdom and how to attain it. The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful” (Proverbs 12:23).
I believe much of this happens, first of all, because there is a wide-spread lack of belief in God. Secondly, those who have some idea of God, have little or no respect for him or for his Word. Why should this matter? Let’s look at some Bible passages that speak to this issue. A verse that caught my attention this week is Proverbs 12:15… “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.”
So how do we become wise, according to Scripture?
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10).
“The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom” (Proverbs 15:33).
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding” (Proverbs 3:13).
“Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands” (Psalm 112:1). “Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord” (Psalm 119:1).
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17).
Be wise, not foolish. Get to know God and his commandments. Allow him to guide your thoughts and your speech. Speak truth, not lies. You will be blessed.
In His Truth,
Pastor Jerry
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