Archive for the ‘Witness’ Category

20 Mar

Be Wise

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Blessings, Christian Living, Culture, God's Word, Obedience, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Witness.

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

13 Feb

On Civility

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Culture, Family of God, Fellowship, Grace, Obedience, Peace, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Witness.

Snow, wind, cold, and warm. All of these in one week. The snow turned out to be about 6 inches in our immediate area, but it was pretty fluffy and didn’t blow around, at least for the first day or so. The one breezy day, the temperature was near 30 degrees, so there was minimal drifting. Friday’s warm temperatures eliminated a lot of the snow.

Ice fishermen keep coming to the lake, but I feel that season may be nearing an end. As for me, I will
wait until ice out to do any fishing.

I will be returning to the dermatologist for removal of a bit more of my tissue. It turns out a biopsy taken last week returned a diagnosis of basal cell skin cancer, so more is required to be sure the cancer cells are all gone. Having gone through some of this before, it is a matter of trusting the Lord and my doctor. No worries for me.

The Bible instructs Christians to give proper respect to leaders, both secular and spiritual; in the family, in school, and in the workplace. These days there is almost a complete lack of respect for those in authority, and especially for those with whom we disagree.

There is a word we don’t hear much anymore. It is called civility. Here is an excerpt from an article found in The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity.

“Civility is not a biblical term, as such, but the idea is certainly present in the Scriptures. Indeed, taken as a way of describing respect for strangers, civility is a rather prominent biblical motif. In the Old Testament God regularly encouraged the people of Israel to show courtesy to those who were different from themselves. The theme is repeated in the New Testament. Christians are to “speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle and to show courtesy to everyone” (Titus 3:2).”

Here are some instructions: A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered (Proverbs 17:27). Honor one another above yourselves. Live in harmony with one another. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:10-18).

In other words, be nice!

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

23 Jan

A Life Changed

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Change, Culture, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Praise, Prayer, renewal, Salvation, The Good News, Uncategorized, Witness.

The first month of 2017 is almost over. I suppose it’s my age, but I’m already thinking of summer and spending time at some of our state parks. Maybe we’ll just hook up to the camper and have a summer adventure. Who knows, maybe I’ll find some new things to write about.

The inauguration of a new president was in the news this week. Whatever your thoughts might be on this, we know the country is headed in a new direction. I pray it is also a good direction. As I think about this, I’ll share a story about a man whose life took a new direction.

It is a true story. There was a young man, a rancher, who was living his life pretty much day to day. He had very little thought of where he was headed in life. He had taken over his family ranch upon the death of his father a few years before, and was more or less feeling his way along. Like a lot of self-sufficient rancher types, he had virtually no thought of spiritual matters, and he saw no need for Jesus.

This young man had a wife and two young sons. Eventually, at the suggestion of his mother, he started taking his family to the little country church down the road. He was doing this for his boys, because he thought it would be good for them. Then a funny thing happened.

After a time, he realized his own need for a Savior, and the necessity of turning his life over to Jesus Christ. After years of thinking he was in control of his life, it was clear he could do nothing without God’s help. In time, this man was led into ministry, eventually becoming the pastor of another little country church, which he served for over 15 years.

What was it that caused him to turn his life around? It was the preaching of God’s word in that little country church, specifically the following passages. First the words of Jesus: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Then from the apostle Paul; “If you confess you’re 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 Lord will be saved” (Romans 10: 9-13).

Now you know my story,
Pastor Jerry

9 Jan

Purity of Speech

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Bible, Christian Living, God's Word, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Obedience, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Witness.

Dear readers,
Christmas is over, a new year is before us, and we can look ahead to 2017. My prayer is that 2017 will be a good year for all who read this. My other prayer is that you who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior, will choose to do so soon. Also, that we who believe, would more than ever live the life to which He has called us. What follows relates to this thought.

I am somewhat of a Facebook junky. I enjoy seeing photos and inspirational posts, and even some of the news items. It puzzles me, though, when I see profane posts shared by those who call themselves Christians. In the ‘old’ days, we would excuse our profanity by saying “pardon my French”, but it wasn’t French. Now, we apologize in advance by saying something like, “this is a good message, but beware of an occasional “f” bomb.”

My question is this. If, as a Christian, you have to apologize for language in something you post on Facebook, why post it?

What does the Bible say about our speech? I’m glad you asked. “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be” (James 3:9-10).

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children… but among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:1-4).

If I may paraphrase Philippians 4:8; “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, share, and tweet such things.”

Here is another thought: If you must repost or share those things that contain those words, why not take the time to edit out the inappropriate content? I think you will find the information is the same without the profanity, if it isn’t, it probably isn’t worth putting out there in the first place. “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart” (Jesus, in Matthew 15:18).

Think about it,
Pastor Jerry

26 Dec

Cold Memories

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Blessings, Christian Living, Faith, God's Word, New Year, Praise, thanksgiving, Trials, Uncategorized, Witness, Worship.

A week ago, it was 25 below zero. It has been some time since it was that cold. I remember, just before Christmas in 1983, we had a cold spell that stayed well into January. On top of that, we had a lot of snow that drifted almost every day. It was a test for men, machines and livestock. I’m glad I don’t have to face that again, and I pray for those who do.

This sticks in my mind, partly because of what happened on that Christmas eve. Our neighbors had gone Christmas shopping with their young kids, and made it back to the school house, which was about a half-mile west of our place. It was 20 below zero with a vicious wind-chill. I don’t remember exactly how, but I was able to get in touch by phone with them and offered to bring them to our house. I took the tractor and snow-blower and went to get them. The wind was filling our tracks with snow as fast as we made them, but we made it safely. Our two families then spent all night together.

At 1:00 AM, I woke to find the power had gone off, and went to the shop to get a tractor to power our generator, only to find the tractor’s alternator had a bad bearing. Neighbor Dave held the light and I changed that bearing in record time. Did I mention it was very cold that night? We did get the stand-by generator connected and stayed warm the rest of the night. It was definitely a Christmas to remember. Others have their own memories of that winter.

In those years on the ranch, as I look back, there were many times things worked for good in the middle of some really stressful times. Each one was a reminder of God’s faithfulness to his people, even when they don’t immediately recognize it.

The Psalms speak much of the faithfulness of God. Here are some verses:
“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations (Psalm 89:1). The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones (Psalm 89:5).

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations (Psalm 100:5).

Happy New Year,
Pastor Jerry

26 Sep

On Etiquette

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Culture, Family of God, Freedom, God's Word, Obedience, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Witness.

Hello everyone,
For those who have been asking, I did do some fishing last week. Early in the week, I went out, but I was told the “fish were biting yesterday.” Later, I actually caught some fish that were big enough to eat. In the process, I experienced a late summer rain shower and got really wet. The lesson is this: when it looks like rain is coming, don’t take time for a few more casts, take shelter.

More food for thought. Etiquette is something that has been left behind in our rush to equality. Those who choose to kneel at the playing of our National Anthem are not breaking any law, but they are ignoring what is called ‘flag etiquette.’ Men used to open doors for ladies, and tip their hats to the ladies when meeting them on the street. When have you seen either of these actions lately? Table etiquette, also, is basically ignored these days, but in doing so we break no laws. We live in a country where we are free to do many things, including speaking our minds, and peacefully protesting. This, I assume, means kneeling instead of standing for the presenting of our nation’s colors, or ignoring the rules of common etiquette. As for me, I will continue to open doors for ladies, and stand for the National Anthem. It’s my right, and I will respect your right to choose how you will respond to these things.

A search for the word etiquette yielded this: “There are no hard and fast rules or laws on the subject of etiquette. In a nut shell, having good manners is showing courtesy and consideration for other people at all times in all circumstances, putting yourself in their shoes and thereby not being offensive, rude or disrespectful.”

Here is some biblical advice from Peter’s 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…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 for everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king” (1 Peter 2:13-17).
This should be seen as good advice for all.

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

15 Aug

Testify!

Posted by sandhillspastor in Baptism, Bible, Blessings, Christian Living, Eternal Life, Faith, Family of God, Freedom, Gospel, Obedience, Praise, Repentance, Salvation, The Good News, Uncategorized, Witness.

I hope you are enjoying these late summer days. We have had some nice rains here, and the crops and pastures are in great condition. God is good, but not just in the good times, He is still good in whatever bad times we might go through. We were blessed this past Sunday, to attend a baptismal service at one of our area rivers. I had the privilege several years ago, of hearing a young lady ask Jesus Christ into her life. On that day, she and two others followed the Lord’s example, being baptized by immersion in the river. What a blessing it was to be there and see their obedience to God’s word.

On a somewhat related topic, do you remember the guy in the commercial who, when asked if he had ever done heart surgery, answered, “No, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night!” How many people know the terminology of a process or procedure, but have no personal experience in that thing?

I fear there are some who claim to be Christians, and know all the right words, but have no personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus or of his teaching. They have some idea that they need to do good deeds, or get their lives in order, before they are acceptable to God. They learn from their Christian friends some of the terminology, and how a Christian is to live, but they are depending on these things for their salvation.

The simple truth is, God will only accept us on His terms, that we take by faith the gift of salvation provided by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. There is no way to the Father except through Jesus Christ the Son of God. (John 14:6).

The apostle Peter preached a sermon at Pentecost that had people asking “brothers, what shall we do?” Peter’s answer was, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:38).

The proper sequence it this: Admit you are a sinner. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Repent; that is turn from your sin. Then be baptized as a public witness to a changed life. Died to sin, raised to new life in Christ. It’s that simple. Is this your testimony, as well?

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

27 Jun

Proof of Change

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Change, Christian Living, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Grace, Obedience, Politics, renewal, Repentance, Salvation, Truth, Uncategorized, Witness.

The month of June is almost over, and I haven’t spent any serious time fishing. Along with that, we have only had the camper out once this year, and that was mostly to see if everything worked. Maybe living beside the lake is a hindrance to both fishing and camping. Could that be it? Note: If you have ever wanted to know more about this place called Lake Ericson, check out the current edition of Nebraska Life Magazine.

It is being reported on some media sources that a certain presidential candidate has recently become a Christian. It is not my place to judge a person’s heart, but I can go to God’s word and read verses that help us to know if a person is truly a follower of Jesus Christ. We can pray these reports are true, and the Bible tells us we can know if a person is a Christian. I will share some of the evidences of true belief this week.

A new Christian is not perfect. Neither are older Christians. We all have the tendency to sin, even after being spiritually reborn. But here are things we should see in one who calls himself a follower of Jesus Christ.

The first step, confession, is found in Romans 10:9; That 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. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Confession is to first confess to God that I am a sinner, followed by confessing that Jesus is Lord of all.

Confession is followed by repentance. This is a change of direction. To repent is to stop going away from God, and to turn toward him. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17)! The evidence of this change shows up in what is called the fruit of the Spirit. It consists of these: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). There are others, but space here is limited.

Finally, we know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands (1 John 2:3).

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

8 Feb

The Culture and God’s Word

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Change, Christian Living, Culture, God's Word, Gospel, The Good News, Truth, Uncategorized, Witness.

Hello friends,
Now we know how the stormy weather forecast from last week played out. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen a blizzard like that, and I can wait awhile before I see another one. The much advertised Super Bowl has been played, and we know who the winners and losers are. As I write this Monday morning, the wind is blowing hard for the second day. It is a good thing the snow melted yesterday, or it would all be in the air.

Now for some thoughts on the current culture, and its effect on the church at large. These days there is a trend among mainline churches to water down the Gospel. Many are moving away from the time-tested truths of the Bible, and the idea that God’s Word is without error. There seems to be an intentional movement toward changing the message of the Bible to “current cultural” interpretation.

There is a warning in the book of Revelation for those who would add to, or subtract from God’s word. You can look it up for yourself in Revelation 22:18-19).

Other verses include the following: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-18). And this; “Above, all you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”) 2 Peter 1:20-21).

Our responsibility is not to change the words of the Bible to fit the cultural understanding of what it should say, but to proclaim its truth, allowing the Word of God to speak to the culture. As we share His Word, we are told He will not let it return empty. It will bring about His intended purpose. “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth…so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

4 Jan

A Turning Point

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Change, Christian Living, Obedience, Persecution, Salt and Light, The Good News, Trials, Truth, Uncategorized, Witness.

Dear friends,
Are you excited about the New Year? To me, it is good to think of a new year as an opportunity to make some course corrections, and to reevaluate where I am headed. However, I think at this point I am more motivated by the thought that spring is coming. I’m just not dealing with the cold this winter, and yes, I know this hasn’t been a particularly hard winter.
In our Sunday school lesson this week, it was suggested that an encounter with Jesus Christ is a turning point; a new beginning. When a person becomes a Christian, he or she has a change in priorities. In fact, a true conversion experience creates change.
In the passage of scripture known as the Beatitudes, Jesus clearly identified the characteristics He expects His followers to exhibit. They are not options; they are Jesus’ expectations for all His followers.
There are eight of these characteristics, and they are found in Matthew 5:1-16.
The poor in spirit: True happiness comes when we realize we are spiritually bankrupt and must rely on God’s strength. Those who mourn: refers to those who have true sorrow for our sins, which leads to repentance. The gentle: This implies humility and trust in God rather than a self-centered attitude. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: Those who yearn for true justice, personal righteousness, and salvation.
The merciful: The word merciful implies generosity, compassion, and forgiveness. It is second nature for those who have experienced God’s mercy to show the same mercy to others. The pure in heart: Purity of heart is single-minded devotion to God. The pure will see God and experience intimate fellowship with Him. The peacemakers: Peace describes a state of wholeness and completeness in our relationship with God and all others. Those who seek to make peace do the work of God and will be called sons of God.
Finally, the persecuted: It is an inevitable fact of life that true followers of Christ will be persecuted. Those who are persecuted because they serve Christ can rejoice, because their reward is great in heaven.
Those who possess a genuine Christian character are going to make a difference in the world. As salt, which both flavors and preserves, and as lights shining from a hilltop, they will have an impact on the culture in which they live.
Blessings,
Pastor Jerry
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »