11 Aug

Victory

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Gospel, Praise, Worship.

Dear friends,
This week we are dog-sitting while Alex and family are on vacation. It is a bit of a change from our usual routine. I have discovered my ball throwing skills have deteriorated with age, while the dog’s willingness to retrieve it seems never to tire.

My devotional thought for this week comes from the realm of music. I love the old hymns and gospel songs. No matter what the subject, a song or line from a song will enter my mind. This morning it was “Victory in Jesus.”

It begins with the line, “I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory, how he gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me”.

I hear people say they have found Jesus. Guess what? Jesus was never lost; we are the ones who were lost. The chorus reads, “He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood.” Jesus was seeking us to save us. His purpose in coming to earth was to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10).

The song writer goes on, “I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing, how He made the lame to walk again and cause the blind to see, and then I cried , “Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit,” and somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory.

Victory over what, someone might ask. Victory over sin and darkness. The Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The one who believes in Jesus Christ as Savior is free from slavery to sin and has been set free from the guilt and shame brought on by his disobedience to God’s will. Our sin has separated us from God, but that relationship is restored through faith in the One who died to pay our sin debt.

The song concludes with these words, “I heard about a mansion He has built for me in glory. And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea; About the angels singing, and the old redemption story, and some sweet day I’ll sing up there the song of victory.”

If you have placed your faith in Jesus, you too, will join the angels in singing praise to Him. Remember, the shepherd went searching for the lost sheep. The sheep was not seeking the shepherd.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

4 Aug

Only One God

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Attributes of God, God, Praise, Truth, Wisdom.

Dear friends,
We have been back to cooler temperatures the last few days, and we’ve had some more rain. I was summoned into our spare room a couple of days ago and asked to investigate an unknown sound. It sounded like water running, so I went out to investigate, knowing there was a hose connection there. The hose was hooked up, but the nozzle was closed. I turned the valve off, and the sound stopped. I can only assume a major leak under the house. I’ll be calling a plumber soon.

In church this morning, we sang the old hymn, “Holy, holy, holy Lord God
Almighty”. This prompted me to wonder, how many people acknowledge who God is, and what our response to Him should be. Proverb 1:7 says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. To fear the Lord doesn’t mean we are afraid of Him. It means we are to have a healthy respect for Him. Respecting Him leads to obedience. The rest of the verse reads, “but fools despise wisdom and discipline”. A fool in the Bible is one who does not acknowledge God for who He is, nor does the fool desire to learn wisdom and discipline.

Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sist in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).

The hymn gives a complete description of who God is: Holy, merciful and mighty. It goes on; “Perfect in power, love and purity; merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity. Speaking of God the song says this, “Though the darkness hide thee , though the sinful human eye cannot see, only Thou art holy, there is none beside thee”.

In Isaiah we read, “For this is what the Lord says—He who created the heavens, He is God; He who fashioned and made the earth, He founded it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited—He says: “I am God and there is no other” (Isaiah 45;18).

Have you given God your respect? Have you received His salvation through faith in Jesus Christ? If so, you have the beginning of wisdom.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

28 Jul

Faith, Not Works

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Calling, Christian Living, Faith, Salvation.

Hello friends,
Warmer weather has returned. After a relatively cool week, we are back to summer heat. County fairs are in full swing around the area, and we are reminded that schools will be starting up soon.

There was a question in our Sunday school lesson this morning on setting goals in life. We all have had goals we hoped to attain. Sometimes they come to pass, and other times we end up far from where we had intended to be. As we reach one goal, we are off in search of the next one. Each time we believe we will find contentment. Why is that?

Pastor Greg Laurie has some thoughts on this subject. “From the day we are born, we have been searching. We were created in the image of God, so we are aware that there is more to life than mere existence. There is purpose. There is meaning. But they are not always apparent, so we search for them in moments big and small.

The apostle Paul give us invaluable insight into these ideas of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in Ephesians 2:10. ‘For we are God’s workmanship.’ We have a very high ceiling—the potential to accomplish some amazing things and experience soul-deep fulfillment.

Finding our meaning and purpose begins with the decision to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. When we do that, God creates ‘us in Christ to do good works. He unlocks our potential to ‘do the good things he planned in advance for us to do. He unleashed us to be change agents in a world desperate for them.

Some people try to find purpose in doing good deeds to earn God’s favor. But that is a dead end. In the two verses that precede Ephesians 2:10, Paul says, ‘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.’ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done. It is only when we acknowledge that we can never do enough to earn God’s favor that we start to find purpose.

The more closely we align our daily lives with what God created us to be, the more we will experience the sense of adventure, purpose, fulfillment and joy that comes from our walk with Christ.”

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

21 Jul

Differences

Posted by sandhillspastor in Eternal Life, Faith, False teachers, Gospel, Salvation, The Good News.

Dear readers,
It is amazing how quickly we can go from being dry all winter to the place where people are complaining about the rain. Let us remember, it can get from wet to dry in a very short time.

Our devotional thought this week concerns the difference between religion and faith. There is a marked difference between the two. Religion is the number one substitute for genuine faith. Religion convinces you are worthy and then gives you a list of things to make yourself more worthy.

Religious people would rather have a religion that just teaches you to live a good life, to be a social activist, to be generous, to be a better you, to be better a dad and husband and partner, to live strong. As Christianity has gone mainstream, people have corrupted it to say just that.

That is not the gospel. The gospel is that you have no worthiness. All your righteousness is like a filthy rag. Isaiah says it best, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”

We have no righteousness of our own. God created us, and we have precious worth in his sight. But sin caused us to be separated from God. We need to be saved, rescued, born again. Those words may sound backward and uneducated and even old fashioned to the world, but they are the words of eternal life.

The religious almost always reject those truths because they like to see themselves as respectable. Jesus points out that religious people will miss the party, that is, heaven, because they refuse to acknowledge that they are unworthy. That’s why they don’t take Jesus seriously.

Jesus says in Matthew 5 that only the poor in spirit will inherit heaven. The poor in spirit say, “Maybe I’ve done some good things, but even my good things were done for bad motives. My kindness was mixed with self-righteousness and selfishness. Oh, wretched man that I am! Every part of me is stained with sin.”

The poor in spirit see Jesus’ invitation for what it is; something they are desperate without.

The bottom line is this: It is not about our “religion”, it is a relationship with the Lord Jesus that saves us.

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

14 Jul

God is In the Storm

Posted by sandhillspastor in Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Hope, Peace, Trials, Trust, Worship.

Hello friends,
We may see a return to a ‘normal’ life this week. It seems lately we have spent a good deal of time and energy with various appointments, but that may be ending. The weather has been summer-like, but there have been cooler temperatures the last few days. When we were in the ranching business, we looked forward to those sunny days when we could make hay.

Much of the news of recent days has concerned the flooding and loss of lives and property in Texas and other places. One wonders, where was God in all this? But rest assured He was not unaware, nor was He sleeping through it all. There is no situation that is not in His control, or that He cannot use for His purpose and His glory.

The loss of those campers and counselors is being used to bring attention to their faith in the creator God, and their witness to His goodness. There are many stories down through the years telling of people who have come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ through times such as this.

Some scriptures that encourage us are found in the lives of Jesus’ 12 disciples. “Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. Without warning, a furious storm came upon the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat, but Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed, and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him” (Matthew 8:23-27).

From the Psalms we read, “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed” (Psalm 571-2). Also, “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalm 91:4).

Finally, these words from Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me”.

In His grip,
Pastor Jerry

7 Jul

Faith Brings Freedom

Posted by sandhillspastor in Eternal Life, Faith, Freedom, Gospel.

Dear friends,
Here we are in the month of July already. It was a wonderful weekend of celebrating our independence here at the lake. There were many families present to enjoy the activities. As usual, the fireworks display was the “best ever”.

Celebrating our freedom here in the good old USA reminds me to celebrate what the Lord has done for us. We are told in the Bible that as believers, we have been set free from slavery to sin. As we receive the gift of salvation through His finished work on the cross, we are promised eternal life in the presence of God. This is truly something to celebrate; not just one weekend a year, but every hour of every day.

In Paul’s letter to the church, he says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery… You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:1,13).

Peter wrote, “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16).

Jesus, speaking to the Jews, had this to say, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34-36).

Romans chapter six reminds us, “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness…When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness…but now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life” (verses 18, 20, 22).

Paul writes in Colossians 3, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4).

That, my friends, is true freedom!

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

30 Jun

It’s His Plan

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Blessings, Faith, Miracles, Planning, Trials, Trust.

Hello all,
We continue to recover from our car wreck. The bumps and bruises are healing, and we continue to attest to God’s providence and protection in all of this. Weather-wise, in the past ten days we have recorded 6.5 inches of rain in our high-tech gauge. After what was a long, dry spell, we are grateful for abundant moisture.

In feedback from last week’s column, it was pointed out that it sounded like I was promoting the idea that God protects us from everything all the time. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that. What it does say is that in this world there will be hardships, including death and dying. There is sickness and disease, pain and sorrow. Sometimes He protects us from harm, but sometimes He doesn’t. Whatever the outcome, God is never surprised and His perfect plan is being carried out.

Let me share some informative scriptures with you: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds (James 1:2). Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of glory that God has promised to those who love Him (James 1:12). Notice that James said when you face trials, not if you face trials.

Peter wrote this, concerning trials, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1: 6). Also, Peter said, “Dear friends do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).

The words of Jesus after telling His disciples of trials to come: “I have told you all 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).

In Romans 12, Paul reminds his readers to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12).

We may say, If I had done this or that, taken a different road, or chosen a different route, this would not have happened. But as I have said before and continue to say, it is all in God’s plan and through it all He is fulfilling His purpose in each life and in each experience.

Trusting Him,
Pastor Jerry

23 Jun

God’s Protection

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Faith, Milestones, Miracles, Praise, thanksgiving.

Hello friends,
We had one of those weeks you remember for a long time. The weather has been very warm, but we also had some rain. My opening sentence has nothing to do with the weather but with a memorable happening. It started as a normal week, with a couple of doctor’s appointments.

On Wednesday, after our appointment, we decided to tour around and check out some local campgrounds. We had been talking about taking the camper out for a few days but wanted to look around first.

Our first stop was Davis Creek, south of North Loup. Then, we took some dicey back roads, courtesy of Google maps, to Sherman Reservoir. After lunch in Loup City, we went to Ravenna with the idea of visiting Buffalo County Park. We have been there before and wanted to check out the improvements since we last visited.

As I started to turn onto the road to the park, we collided with a pickup I had not seen. Airbags in the car deployed with a loud bang and we came to a sudden stop. I never want to have that experience again!

The car was totaled, but neither we or the other driver had life-threatening injuries, although we were bruised and sore. Over the next few days, we found more bruises, but we are slowly healing. Know this though,
airbags are great but work better if used with seatbelts also.

In all this we are thankful to God for His protection. This could have turned out much worse without it. As I reflected on this, scriptures came to mind that assured me of His guiding hand upon us.

Psalm 121:7-8 reads, “The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever more.”
Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. And let us not forget Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…”

Our experience last Wednesday was not “luck”, but the Lord taking charge for his plan and purpose. He’s not done with us.

All praise to Him,
Pastor Jerry

16 Jun

Waiting For Heaven

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Body of Believers, Eternal Life, Faith, Heaven, Second Coming.

Dear friends,
It’s a beautiful summer day as I write this. Looking out at the lake, with the sunlight glistening on the water, I am reminded how blessed we are to be living here. I trust you can say the same in the place the Lord has put you. The old saying is “bloom where you are planted.”

We have lived in several locations and situations in our married life, but no matter what the location, it was always home. As Christians, we know this world is not our final home, but a stop along the way in our journey to heaven.

“But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). Referring to the faithful believers in Hebrews, the Bible says this, “If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:15-16).

Speaking of heaven, the apostle Paul wrote, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Corinthians 4:17-5:1).

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1:3-6).

Finally, Paul’s words from Romans 8, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (verse 18).

Just passing through,
Pastor Jerry

9 Jun

Come Home

Posted by sandhillspastor in Family of God, Forgiveness, Grace, Obedience, Relationships.

Hello all,
After a long dry season, we have had some nice rains. What a difference it has made in our surroundings. This past Saturday we celebrated another wedding anniversary. It sometimes feels like only yesterday we made those vows, but it has been 61 years!

I don’t know why, but it seems I spend more time reminiscing about the past as the years go by. I guess as I look back, I see more clearly the lessons I have learned. For instance I remembered a time when I left a gate open and a group of heifers escaped and went to where the cows and calves were being kept. I stressed over how I might get them back home, but the next morning those heifers were at the gate wanting to return to their own corral. I didn’t have to wonder how to get them separated because they did it all on their own. Apparently, they decided home was not such a bad place after all.

I was reminded in this of the story of the prodigal son Jesus told in the Bible. This was about a young man who left home to see the world, and who discovered the world wasn’t all it seemed to be from a distance. The young man came to his senses and returned home to his father, realizing that what he had at home was far better than what the world had to offer.

The young man convinced his father to give him his inheritance, and we read: Not long after that, the young man got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, he began to be in need… When he came to his senses, he said ‘I will set out and go back to my father” … So, he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:13-20).

When those heifers returned from their little ‘adventure’ they got no kisses, but I welcomed them home. Keep in mind if you find you have strayed away from God, He will welcome you back into his arms. He is there for you.

Safe in Him,
Pastor Jerry

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