Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

20 Jan

Return to Respect

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Christian Living, God's Word, Obedience, Politics, Stewardship.

Dear readers,
January is slipping away and before we know it, we’ll be leaving winter behind. This winter hasn’t been bad compared to some I remember and that’s okay. As I write this, it is windy and there is a cold spell forecast, but hopefully it will be short-lived.

As America transitions to a new president, let us remember that the future of our nation lies not in a new political leader, but in a return to Christian values and the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us we are to respect the leaders of government, also that our first allegiance is to the Lord and to the truth of the Bible.

Psalm 2 sums it up rather well: “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One. The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” (verses 1-3). At the end of the Psalm we read: “Therefore you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him” (Psalm 2:10-12).

In Romans 13:1, Paul wrote, “Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

Peter also spoke to this issue in his first letter: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God honor the king” (1 Peter 2:13-17). I believe it is proper to substitute the word ‘president’ in place of ‘king’ in this passage.

We need to return to showing proper respect for our leaders, and for each other.

God bless America,
Pastor Jerry

5 Jun

Responsibilities

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Culture, Obedience, Politics, Service, Stewardship, Work.

Dear friends,

How can it be that we are already five months into 2023? I must be having fun, because the time has flown by. In news from our little corner of the world, Milrae has recovered well from having two knee replacement surgeries. After her checkup Friday, she was told to come back in a year. I’m now married to a bionic woman!

We had very little rain this past week, and it appears we will be busy watering the lawn and the garden if it stays warm and dry. The vegetable plants are off to a good start, and we pray that trend continues.

It is interesting to read the news headlines from a Christian, or biblical worldview. After the recent passage of legislation allowing the federal government to raise the debt ceiling, there were comments concerning the idea that people need to work in order to receive some forms of financial aid. The media seemed to think that the idea was some antiquated saying that is not relevant to our current time.

I’m sure it will be a surprise to some that this concept of working to earn your food comes from the Bible. The apostle Paul writing to Christians waiting for the Lord’s return, was rather direct as he encouraged his readers to not just sit around looking up in the sky waiting for Jesus to come again. He stressed the fact that as we wait for the Lord to return, we are to keep on making a living and doing his work. He says to his readers, “In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat. For we hear that there are some among you who are idle. They are not busy but busybodies. Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and provide for themselves” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12).

In another place we read that we are to care for those who can’t help themselves. “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress… (James 1:27).

In summary, it is good to seek to care for those in need, but those who are able-bodied and healthy are to work for their food and other needs.

In His unending love,

Pastor Jerry

9 Jan

Carry On

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, Culture, Faith, Gospel, Hope, Politics, Truth.

Dear readers,
January has been interesting in the weather department. So far, we’ve had rain, sleet, snow, lightning and thunder, all in the same night! We had no issues with power outages here, but some were off for a short time. The volunteers here at the lake were out cleaning off the streets early after the storm, and did a great job. Thanks for your effort, guys.

As we prepare for this year of 2023, I’m prompted to go to God’s Word for some encouragement. Sometimes, the thought of what lies ahead is a bit scary…especially in our current situation and culture. A favorite Bible passage of mine is Psalm 62:1-8.

Psalm 62:1–8… My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse. Selah
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

These are encouraging words in uncertain times, and they have helped me many times in the past. A lot of attention has been focused on congress in recent days, and we pray our leaders will get back to the task of governing. Romans 13:1-. We are to pray for our government officials, that they would come to Jesus, and that they would govern justly. God has placed those in government because he wants them there, but make no mistake, government is not the answer to the mess we are in. God is the only one who can heal our land.

There will come a time when Jesus will set up His kingdom on earth and the prophecy of Isaiah 6:9 will be fulfilled. “For to us a child is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.” Until then, we carry on.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

14 Nov

The Word of the Lord

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Culture, Freedom, God's Word, Politics, Truth.

Dear readers,

It seems cold weather is here to stay, at least for the next several days. Deer hunting season has arrived, and we are days away from Thanksgiving. Just beyond that is Christmas and the New Year. My, how time flies.

The election is over, and votes are still being counted in some places. There have been winners and losers, as is always the case. Whatever your viewpoint is in all of this, we can still be thankful to live in a country where we can make our choices in these matters. My prayer is that we might become united in our effort to make the United States an even better place to live. Perhaps an appropriate scripture would be Romans 12:3; “For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

The divisiveness in our country these days is concerning. People are taking sides on issues that are in direct opposition to what the Bible says is right and just. Two things come to mind here: Number one, there are untold numbers of people that do not know what is written in God’s Word. There are more Bibles printed than ever before, yet most are on a shelf collecting dust.

The second is this, if those bibles are read, people only want to believe or accept the parts that appeal to them. It is like going into a cafeteria and selecting only the items you like and leaving the ones that you dislike. If we really believe the Bible is God’s unchanging word, then we would know that every word is there for a purpose. It has been said that the Bible will change our opinions, but our opinions will never change the Bible.

I love these words from Isaiah; “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

In closing, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever” (1 Peter 1:34-25).

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

31 Oct

Your Vote Counts

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Culture, Freedom, God's Word, Politics, Stewardship.

Hello friends,
Rain! This week, we had a nice gentle rain. My gauge showed .40’ when it was over; not a huge amount, but very much appreciated. This is only the beginning of what we need to get back to normal. Now is not the time to ease up in asking the Lord to bless us with more moisture.

We started a project this week that has been waiting all summer for me to get motivated. When we had the big windstorm last spring, the outside pane on our entry door was broken. This defeats the purpose of an insulated door, so a new one was ordered. It stood on the porch for months, but has been installed just as the weather begins to cool off. Now to get the window replaced that was broken by an unidentified flying object; either a stick or a rock thrown by the mower.

Vehicle repairs were a part of our week, also. First, there was a new alternator in our pickup, then I found the battery was defective as well. I guess a ten-year-old battery has outlived expectations.

November 8 is election day. The most important thing we can do that day is to get out and vote. Much of what we see happening in our country won’t be solved politically, but we can vote for the candidates that hold to traditional Christian values. The real problem in our country is not political, it is spiritual. The citizens of America must turn back to God, and obey His commands.

These are God’s words to the prophet Zechariah, “The Lord was very angry with your forefathers. Therefore, tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you’, says the Lord Almighty. Do not be like your forefathers, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord….

“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.” (Zechariah 1:2-6).

Therefore, you kings (presidents, governors, mayors, senators, etc.), be wise; be warned you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:10-11).

God bless America,
Pastor Jerry

9 May

Elections Matter

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Culture, Freedom, Obedience, Politics, Truth.

Dear friends,
Isn’t it amazing how a little rain transforms the landscape and gives people a better outlook on life? Grass is growing, the flowering trees are in bloom, even the dandelions are a welcome sight after a long dry winter. Those recent rains were definitely an answer to many prayers. Let’s continue to thank the Lord for the blessing of rain.

Don’t forget to vote this Tuesday, May 10. It is our right as citizens to go to the polls and elect those who would represent us in the government. Pray that God would allow those in office who will stand for truth, and for biblical principles. Also, that those who do not know Him would see the light of His salvation, and be changed. Scripture commands us to pray for everyone. Paul wrote to Timothy, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings (governors and presidents included), that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Christians are called to acknowledge those in authority as sent by God. The apostle Paul wrote these words: Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment upon themselves. (Romans 13:1-2).

Those who lead will also be held accountable. “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.
“Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.”
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
“I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill…”
I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession…
Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:1-6, 8, 10-11).

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

11 Jan

The Source of Truth

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Culture, God's Word, Gospel, Politics, Prayer, Truth, Wisdom.

Dear readers,
It has been a week of cloudy skies, with a bit of fog, mist, and a snowflake or two. The best part is there has been no big snowstorm, and the temperature has remained cool; something I can live with. The news of the past week has been all about the situation in our country, with all the political upheaval and its related headlines.

I have always considered myself an optimist, but sometimes it is difficult to retain a sense of optimism. I’m learning to spend less time with the so-called mainstream media, and also most social media. There is so much misinformation out there that it is nearly impossible to discern the truth. The one exception would be World magazine, which brings news from a Christian perspective (world.wng.org). There are others out there with a Christian worldview, but sadly, they are not well known. And, yes, that was a plug for the magazine.

The one source of absolute truth is the Bible, but far too few people are informed about what it says about the human condition and the solution to healing a broken world.

Answering Pilate’s question about whether Jesus was a king, Jesujs said, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37).

Familiar passages in the Old Testament speak if the importance of knowing and obeying God’s Word:
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 (verse 11).
Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens (verse 89).
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path (verse 101).
You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word (verse 114).
Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me (verse 133).

Finally, Jesus’ words in John 14:6. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The result of ignoring God’s truth is found in Romans 1:18-32. I encourage you to read it for yourself.

For Truth,
Pastor Jerry

14 Dec

Christmas Hope

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Assurance, Christmas, Contentment, God's Word, Politics, Salvation.

Hello all,
Our Christmas decorations are up, and now we can enjoy them. The lake community has taken on a festive look with all the lights on display and you are welcome to drive through the community and take a look. The lack of snow doesn’t give that “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” look, but in checking the forecast, this might change.

In the aftermath of the election, there is much discussion over what the future looks like. There are many opinions, but very few solid facts. The one thing that comes to me is this; if anyone is depending on politicians to save the world, they are placing their faith in the wrong thing. Don’t waste your time and energy on this one. Government will not save you, neither will a president, governor or king. Politics is not the savior of anyone. Only Jesus Christ can save. The Bible clearly states that the world is broken because of sin, and He is the only remedy.

In the Psalms we read, “Some trust in chariots and horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).

At Christmas time, the old carols remind us of the reason He came, and they give us joy and a hope for the future.
Joy to the world, the Lord has come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing….

One of my favorites is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Written in a dark time, it speaks of future hope. I’ll begin at verse three;
And in despair I bowed my head; “There is no peace on earth,” I said, “For hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then ringing, singing on its way, the world revolved from night to day—a voice, a chime, a chant sublime of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Do not despair. God is still on His throne. He is not sleeping. He is fulfilling his plan and purpose. Jesus said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working” (John 5:17).

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

2 Nov

Our Hope

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Culture, Faith, God's Word, Politics, Rest, Trust, Truth.

Dear friends,
The weather continues to be more fall-like again. We have taken advantage of the warmer temps to work on the carport/garage project. If all goes well, we will have it enclosed before the cool-down next week.

The big event of this week will be the election on Tuesday. Some of you will receive this column after the fact, but whatever the outcome, we can be assured of the fact that no matter who is in the White House in January, God will still be on His throne, and Jesus Christ will still be Lord of all. We who know Jesus will take comfort in that knowledge.

In times like these, I am drawn to the Psalms; especially those Psalms that proclaim God’s rule over every aspect of life, including governments of nations and states. There are those who believe human governments have the solutions to our problems; that all our problems can be solved if we just elect the right people. I submit that our problems are first of all spiritual, and I truly believe that unless we turn back to God as a nation’ and as a people, our problems are just beginning.

Read the words of Psalm 2:
Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and his Anointed One: “Lets tear off their chains and throw their ropes off us”

The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them. Then he speaks to them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath: “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain”
I will declare the Lord’s decree. He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession.
You will break them with an iron scepter; you will shatter them like pottery.”

So now, kings, be wise; receive instruction, you judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling.
Pay homage to the Son or he will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion,
for his anger may ignite at any moment.
All who take refuge in him are happy.

“Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

6 Jan

A Word to the Nations

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Culture, God's Word, Judgment, Politics, The Good News, Truth, Wisdom.

Hello friends,
Well, that was certainly some snow storm! I trust you were kept safe and warm while the snow and wind did their thing outdoors. My best estimate of snowfall here at beautiful Lake Ericson was 12 inches. With a wind gusting near 40 mph, there were some impressive drifts in the neighborhood. After the storm passed, we have had warmer temperatures with much melting of the snow. May it continue!

The world seems to move rapidly from one crisis to the next. One wonders, what will be the next thing to occupy the attention of mainstream and social media? We must not forget, in the midst of all the crises, that God is still on His throne and His perfect plan is still in place.

The world seeks solutions to all its problems in secular thinking and philosophy. The Christian knows the answer lies in trusting God and his Word. Here are words of warning and encouragement from Psalm 2.

Why do the nations conspire and the people plot in vain?
The rulers of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.
“Let us break their chains”, they say, “and throw off their fetters.”
The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

The message for the nations, and for individuals is very clear; serve the Lord with fear (respect and awe). Rejoice in his salvation. Give Jesus his proper place in your life, an all who trust (take refuge or shelter) in him will be blessed.

Standing on His promises,
Pastor Jerry

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