Archive for the ‘Salvation’ Category

27 Apr

A Cat Story

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Blessings, Eternal Life, Faith, Forgiveness, Freedom, Gospel, Praise, Salvation, Sin, Temptation, The Good News, Truth.

It was a busy weekend. Much time was spent driving and sitting in meetings, and I am glad to be home. More on that later. Today I want to give you a cat story.

We have a sliding patio door leading onto our back deck. The corner of the screen has been damaged and there is a square of cloth covering the hole. Over time, our cat and dog have used it for a pet door. Last week, a stray cat came through it into the house.

We tried several times to get him out. The first time he came to the door, he could not see how he came in. I opened the screen and we brought him around again. Still, he must have thought the screen was closed. He ran to the bathroom. We chased him back to the door. He hid under a bed. Finally, he took a chance and jumped out through the wide open door. He didn’t even come back and thank us.

Temptation many times seem harmless, so we take a small step into it, and find ourselves trapped. We cannot find the way out, even when loving, caring Christians try to help us see it. They show us from the Bible that Jesus is the way to freedom, but we refuse to believe them or to see their sincerity. Finally, out of desperation we take a chance, step through that door, and are set free.

Jesus says not only am I the door, I am the only door (or gate). I am the way, the truth and the life (John 10:9; John 14:6).

I visited with a young man this week, and found that he is a pastor to prisoners and people in recovery. He shared he had come to faith in Jesus out of that kind of background. Here are his words: There were people who tried to show me the way out of that lifestyle, but I would not listen. I wish I could find some of them, tell them what happened, and thank them.

If you have experienced that freedom, thank those who showed you the way. If you are one trapped in sin, Jesus is the way out. Place your faith in Him, your sins will be forgiven, and you will be set free. The Bible tells me so. (See John 6:37).

Free in Christ,
Pastor Jerry

23 Mar

Springtime Meditations

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Blessings, Christian Living, Easter, Eternal Life, Faith, Freedom, God, God's Word, Holy Spirit, Praise, renewal, Salvation, The Good News, Worship.

We are starting to see a green tinge developing in the grass. The prevailing breezes are shifting to the south, trees are budding, and spring is in the air. The only thing lacking in our area is rain. There have been numerous grass fires in recent days, and most everyone is praying for rain. If the forecast holds true, those prayers may be answered early this week.

At the lake house, I am getting very close to finishing the sun porch. Next, we will try to get some grass established before the weather gets to warm. I may seek professional help in that area, because Milrae would like to see some actual grass.

The church calendar shows Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Resurrection Day coming up very soon. The good thing is these observances have a message that is timeless. This sounds like a good topic for our devotional this week.

When we were ranching, spring was always a reminder of good things to come, and after becoming a Christian, it all held new meaning for me.

Things like the knowledge that through faith in Jesus, I was raised to new life by being born again. Given a new start. A new heart. Become a new creation. Renewed in my spirit. My broken relationship with God restored through faith in Christ and belief in His resurrection.

Follow me through these verses. In John 3:3, to Nicodemus, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” God makes a promise to his people; “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). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

New life. A new start. Salvation from sin and guilt. Eternity with my Lord and Savior. These are what Spring-time and the Resurrection mean to me.

In remembering the new little calves playing in the sunshine, I am also reminded of an Old Testament verse. “And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall” (Malachi 4:2).

Enjoying the Son shine,
Pastor Jerry

16 Feb

On Being Ready

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, End Times, Faith, Gospel, Persecution, Salvation, Second Coming, The Good News, Truth.

Hello all,
Sunday evening we held our 9th annual Valentine supper. I think it is safe to say everyone in attendance was glad they came. Thanks to those who decorated, took reservations, and helped out in any other way. Special thanks to the catering crew for a great meal, and to Pastor Don for his special brand of music and cowboy poetry.

In news from the lake house, the sun porch continues on its way to completion. We had hoped to get some siding on, but the colder temperatures have slowed those plans. Maybe I can get the kitchen remodel finished up instead.

As we see events in the world unfolding, I am once again reminded of the Bible’s teaching concerning the times and events preceding the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the 24th chapter of Matthew’s gospel, we read the words of Jesus. He is speaking to his disciples: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. These are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me” (Matthew 24:7-9). He goes on to say, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (verse 36).

What should be our response to this teaching? He follows with these words: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (verses 42-44).

How are we to be ready? By confessing our sin, asking His forgiveness, and turning from our sinful ways. I do not write these things to frighten you. My prayer is that all who read these weekly articles would answer the Lord’s invitation to receive His gift of salvation. It is by and through making Him our Lord and Savior that we are able to face tomorrow, and the challenges it may bring.

In His love,
Pastor Jerry

2 Feb

Finishing Well

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Eternal Life, Faith, Giving, God's Word, Gospel, Salvation, The Good News, Truth, Work.

Winter has returned. Snow, wind, and sub-zero temperatures Sunday morning, caused many churches to cancel services.

Like millions of others, I watched the Super Bowl Sunday night. I had no strong preference of which team I wanted to win, but was somewhat surprised by the ending. In all, I thought it was a good game.

One of the big draws for the Super Bowl is all the new advertising that is debuted during the game. In kind of an ironic twist, at least one of those ads indicated that cheating was okay as a means to win the race.

As I remember the story, when the turtle and the hare had their race in the old fairy tale, the turtle won by taking a slow and steady pace, defeating the speedier rabbit.

We are told in the Bible the one who runs the best race is the one who keeps his eye on the finish line, not being distracted by things going on around him. The writer of Hebrews said, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).

The Apostle Paul said, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—“(Acts 20:24). Then, near the end of his life, Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

To the church at Corinth, Paul exhorted his readers to run in such a way as to get the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24).

In each of these examples, the emphasis is on finishing well, not so much being first across the finish line. How does a Christian finish well? Only one thing mattered to Paul: to finish the work God had given him to do. We do not have the same calling as Paul, but the following applies to all Christians.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

26 Jan

Post Only These Things

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Evil deeds, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Great Commission, Hypocrisy, Salvation, Sin, The Good News, Truth.

Dear friends,
The month of January has had its ups and downs. I think this would describe the temperature fluctuations we have experienced. I, personally, am glad for the warm-up of recent days. In news from the remodeling at the lake house, the kitchen project is winding down, and work is progressing on the sunroom that started out as a deck. I hope to get the walls up and the roof on it before it rains or snows again. Prayers appreciated.

For our devotional thought this week, I would like to address an issue that concerns me. It is the quality of some of the things Christian people post on social media. I am not opposed to social media. In fact, most of you get these articles by way of email, Facebook, or a link to one of my blogs. Even the newspaper version is sent weekly by email. If God’s people are to be light and salt to the world, and if we are to live in a way that reflects the holiness of God, why would we post these most profane and innuendo laden memes, comments, and photos for the whole world to see?

Not everyone does these things, but I see enough of it to be concerned. Is it any wonder so many people don’t see a reason to invite Jesus into their life? If Christian behavior isn’t any different from the rest of the world, why join them?

Here are some scriptures that just might cause us to think twice about those things we put out there on social media.

“Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6).

“But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips (and Facebook pages) (Colossians 3:8).

“But among you, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity…because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place…” (Ephesians 5:3-4).

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—post these things” (Philippians 4:8 Pastor Jerry’s version).

It would benefit all of us to consider these things before posting anything.

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Jerry

19 Jan

Identifying False Teachers

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Evil deeds, God's Word, Gospel, Salvation, Sin, Temptation, Truth.

The January thaw is under way in our part of the world. The snow is melting away and everyone just has a better outlook. We were able to get some outside work done on the lake house, including the construction of steps, so we don’t have to climb on concrete blocks to get to the front door. This will greatly reduce the risk of injury, especially for someone getting along in years…

My current sermon series is from the Apostle Peter’s second letter. In it, he addresses the issue of false teachers in the church. You see, the presence of false teachers in the church is nothing new. They were present in the Old Testament in the form of false prophets; men who claimed to speak for God, but did not. Later in New Testament times, men came into the church with teaching that downplayed the importance of faith in Jesus, and obedience to his commands. Much of their false teaching was centered on immoral behavior and the idea that because of grace, they could engage in all kinds of immorality without fear of judgment.

Those false teachings are present in churches today. Some are preaching and teaching a “new morality”, much of which is disguised as “civil rights” along with other misleading definitions of sin. Let’s be clear about this. There is no new morality, it is only the old immorality repackaged. God’s judgment awaits those who teach this false gospel, and those who follow them.

Peter writes concerning false teachers: “They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute” (2 Peter 2:2-3).

There are four things to learn from our study: First, the church is not immune to false teachers. They are among us today. Second, promoting sexual immorality is heresy. It goes totally against God’s word. Third, Gods judgment is coming upon those who deny or reject the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Last, and most important, all sinners will be saved from judgment if they repent (that is turn from their sin), and trust the Lord Jesus, who bought them by His blood.

To Him be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.

In Truth,
Pastor Jerry

5 Jan

The Bible Stands

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

Hello again,
We are at the beginning of a new year; time to move into another stage of life, begin a new adventure, or even just continue on the path set before us. In any case, it seems with the turning of the calendar page, we get a fresh start.

The New Year may bring joy or sorrow, pleasure or pain, wealth or poverty. Whatever else it is, we can be certain it will not be exactly the same as last year.

In these times, it seems there are more people willing to publicly attack the Bible as outdated, and irrelevant for the times. False teaching about the meaning and importance of the Bible are everywhere. A recent front page article in Newsweek magazine insisted the Bible is “so misinterpreted it’s a sin.” The Bible warns us of false teachers and those who would twist the scriptures to the point of denying its truth and authorship.

Our devotional thought this week comes from 2 Peter 1:1-11. In it, Peter helps us learn how to recognize and avoid false teaching. We begin by understanding salvation. God is the source of our salvation. He provided the sacrifice for our sin in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty in our place. We then are saved by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross (verses 1-2).

Our salvation is sustained by God’s power, and His power is all that is necessary for “everything we need for life and godliness…so that we can escape the corruption of this world” (verses 3-4).

Our salvation is confirmed by certain characteristics of the true Christian. These are goodness, knowledge (of God), self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (verses 5-6).

Finally, having these things present in increasing measure, we will keep us on track in our spiritual lives, leading us to assurance in this life, and riches in heaven (verses 8-10).

This is from the Our Daily Bread devotional last week: “As the spiritual darkness of our world grows deeper, the light of Christ shines more brightly through all those who know and love Him. Jesus is our joy and hope—today, tomorrow, and forever.”

In these times, it is more important than ever for God’s people to be equipped to stand and defend what we believe and know to be the truth.

Standing on His Word,
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

8 Dec

Christmas Preparations

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Bible, Christmas, Faith, God's Word, Praise, Salvation, The Good News.

Dear Friends,
What great weather we have been having! I’ve been enjoying these mild temperatures. It seems the older I get, the less cold tolerant I become. But, I also say the same thing about the heat in summer. Maybe I’m just becoming harder to please.

Work is progressing on the house at the lake. The kitchen sink needs to be installed, and then I will try to take a more relaxed approach to the rest of the work.

I return to the topic of Christmas this week. It just seems right for this time of year. Today, I want to share some thoughts about how we might prepare for Christmas, and the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Here are four things to consider.

First, meditate on the need for a Savior. Do this from a personal standpoint. Without the recognition of sin in our life, the season is meaningless. We cannot earn favor with God, we need a Savior and His name is Jesus. Christmas will not have its full effect until we realize our helplessness.

Second, spend time in sober self-examination. King David in Psalm 139:23 said, “Search me O God and know my heart.” In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul writes, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” Peter’s admonition is this: “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord” (1 Peter 3:15). Those without a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus have no basis for celebrating His birth.

Third, get excited about Christmas. Expect and anticipate the things of the season. Eagerly look forward to the holiday and all things Christian that it represents. Take a lesson from the shepherds. After the angel’s announcement, they hurried to find the Christ-child and left the stable in a state of wonder and rejoicing, telling everyone they met.

Fourth, be much in the Word. Meditate and memorize. Read and re-read the passages of prophecy and their fulfillment in Jesus’ incarnation. Read the Christmas story with your family as if you were hearing it for the first time. Here are a few suggestions: Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:1-20; Matthew chapter 1: through 2:12.

Christmas gives us cause for celebration, but it is also a time for reflection. In the words of the familiar Christmas carol: “Let every heart prepare Him room!”

Contemplating Christmas,
Pastor Jerry

27 Oct

Finding the Way

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

Dear friends,
I detect a return to cooler weather this morning. Those northwest winds just sound different.

When we were waiting to get the concrete work started for our house, I got a call from the contractor telling me that since it rained where they were working, his crew would be at our place the next day. We saw this as a work of the Lord. Last week, after wondering how long it would be before we could get the foundation completed, another call came. It was the contractor saying, “The rain is good to you. It rained almost an inch where the block layer is working, and he’ll be at your place in the morning.” Our God is good!

Getting ready for my trip to Kansas, I brought up a map app on my phone, set my destination and plugged in the headset, listening for the voice of instruction to show me the way. I was startled a couple of times by the voice in my ear, but it was very effective in getting me where I was going.

We are becoming dependent on things like GPS devices and map programs on our phones to give us directions. In order for these to work we must turn on the power, then listen and obey the directions to reach our destination.

I saw these words on the back of a truck a few weeks ago: “Lost, but having fun.” I’m sure the person who put them there did so for a smile, but what a commentary on the lives of many people today. From a spiritual perspective, lost, but having fun has eternal consequences. In biblical terms, being lost is having no relationship with the Lord, headed for judgment and hell. This is not having fun. This is deadly serious.

We have the direction manual available, it’s called the Bible. It will keep us on the right road. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). However, for it to be effective in guiding us, we must open it, read it, and obey its instructions. There is one major difference…God’s GPS never fails.

A final word of caution as we follow God’s directions; be prepared to be startled by the voice of the Lord as he speaks through His word.

Listening,
Pastor Jerry

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »