19 Sep

No Middle Ground

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Culture, End Times, Faith, God's Word, Obedience, Persecution, Trials, Uncategorized.

Those little showers keep coming, the grass keeps growing, and we mow. This time of the year, I begin to eagerly anticipate putting the lawn mower in storage for winter.

Now for some commentary on the time in which we live. Much of what I read and hear these days from Christian leaders is this; Our nation and the culture in general is becoming more and more secular. As Christian values and beliefs are being pushed into the background, believers must prepare to take a stand for Christ and the Bible. There can be no compromise, there will be no middle ground.

The Bible speaks plainly about the times in which we live: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such things come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron… Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourselves to be godly” (1 Timothy 4:1-7).

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

What are we to do? “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:23-25).

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:6-8).

This is something I read this week. “What we need above all in the church today is for each Christian to have a profound personal knowledge and experience of God himself and a deep knowledge of the Scriptures as his authoritative Word.” (Impossible People by Os Guinness).

Stand firm,
Pastor Jerry

12 Sep

Stand or Fall

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Christian Living, Culture, God's Word, Gospel, Great Commission, Judgment, Obedience, Persecution, Service, Trials, Truth, Uncategorized.

Dear friends,
I drove to Topeka, Kansas last week for a meeting of Southern Baptist leaders from Kansas and Nebraska. As I traveled from the Sandhills of Nebraska to the Flint Hills of Kansas, I saw green. Usually, by mid-September, the pastures and crops are beginning to show traces of brown. Not so this year. Obviously, the Lord has blessed this whole section of the country with timely rains, although some of those rains have been excessive in certain areas.

Part of the discussion at our meeting centered on the Great Commission, that is Jesus’ command to go into all the nations and make disciples. More specifically, there was information on what the Kansas-Nebraska Convention is doing to take the gospel to rural America. If you know me, you know my heart is for reaching those in our part of the world with the good news of Jesus Christ. The need for people to hear and respond to God’s message of salvation is not limited to metropolitan areas and foreign countries.

On another somewhat related topic, Christians are facing challenges we have not seen in this generation. The world is abandoning any thought of God, and those who claim allegiance to the God of the Bible are being marginalized and shouted down at every turn. It isn’t going to go away anytime soon. The question is, will we stay true to the gospel and the truths of the Bible? Will we take the Great Commission seriously, and continue to share Christ with those we meet, or will we sit quietly and let the secular world-view prevail.

Know this, if we take a stand for God and his Word, we will face adversity, trials, and even persecution. We are told in the Scriptures to expect these things. Those same scriptures also remind us of the danger of failing to confess Christ as our Lord.

These are the words of Jesus: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him… I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God…” (Luke 12:4-9).

In Truth,
PJ

5 Sep

Hear and Obey

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Change, Christian Living, God's Word, Great Commission, Obedience, Planning, Repentance, Service, Uncategorized.

The lake community was a busy place this past weekend. From turtle racing, football watching, and the annual Labor Day auction, there were plenty of things to do.

From my vantage point, I have the opportunity to observe many things. Some are amusing, some not so much, and some give me ideas for these articles. Just watching how people operate their vehicles sometimes will illustrate some spiritual truth.

Here is the thought for the week: You can turn the steering wheel in any direction you want, but if you’re not moving, you do not change directions. Intentions have to be followed by action. You may say, I want to go over there, and point your wheels in that direction, but until you engage the transmission and press the accelerator pedal, you aren’t going anywhere.

In the days before power steering, one could only turn the wheel with some effort. It was easier to steer the vehicle (or tractor) when moving forward. These days, you can turn the steering wheel effortlessly while sitting still, but there is still no change of direction unless you are moving.

It’s the same way with prayer, changing habits or lifestyle, or with following Jesus. Good intentions lead nowhere without a commitment to action. The commands of the Lord require action on the part of the one who is commanded. Here are a few of those commands:

Leave, and/or go. “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). What happened next? “So Abram left, as the Lord had told him” (verse 4).

Follow: Mark 1:17… “Come, follow me, Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” The command to follow usually preceded by the command to come. That is, to come to Jesus, and then to follow him. One cannot follow him without first coming to him in faith.

Give: Believers are to give to the poor. This command follows the command to sell our possessions in order to have resources to give.

Commands are meant to be obeyed. Intentions mean nothing if not followed by actions. It’s been said before, but God cannot direct your steps unless you are moving. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

29 Aug

Family Reunion

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Culture, Families, Family of God, Fellowship, Forgiveness, Gospel, Praise, Uncategorized.

Dear friends,
We spent the weekend reconnecting with family, some of whom we haven’t seen for most of twenty years. It was a good time, a perfect day, and an ideal location. It always interests me to see how well we have all aged (or not). I enjoyed the little kids and their exuberance for life. Then there are the older kids; they appear to be mostly bored and wishing they were home with their friends. And the old people? They just tell stories of how it used to be.

Family is one of those things the Lord has blessed us with, that too often we forget. It shouldn’t take a family reunion, wedding, or the funeral of a member of the family to get us together. In the “old days”, our families were not separated by distance as much as today, and yet with all the means we have available to stay in touch, it seems harder to stay connected. I don’t necessarily have any answers; I’m just thinking out loud here.

Time is fleeting. Life is short. We need to stay in touch, at least occasionally, because we have no guarantee that any of us will be here next week, or next year. This might be the time to remind ourselves if there is a broken or damaged relationship somewhere in our family, it is time to start the mending process. It would be better to have restored a relationship than a lifetime of regret for not doing so.

Today (Monday), I will check in at the hospital for a CT scan. It is just over a year since I had the medical emergency and night-time ride in the medical helicopter. The scan will tell the doctor if all is well, and if the medication is doing its job. This could be the reason for the thoughts on family and relationships this week.

I’ll leave you with two biblical references regarding our plans and the brevity of life: “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes… “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live…” (James 4:14-15). “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” (Isaiah 40:6-8).

Just thinking,
Pastor Jerry

22 Aug

Religion or Relationship?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Eternal Life, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Obedience, Repentance, Salvation, Service, Truth, Uncategorized, Work, Worship.

The sun is shining and the temperature is cool; a beautiful morning. I love these late summer days!

I hear a lot of people mention the fact that they are religious. There seems to be confusion on the part of many regarding the difference between what it means to be Christian, and what the term religion, or religious, means. Let’s look at these two terms today, and see if there is in fact, a difference.

A Christian is an adherent of Christ; one committed to Christ; a follower of Christ. A religious person is one who seeks to gain favor with God by their own effort. The term “religion” emphasizes conduct. Religious people base their salvation on good conduct, or good deeds. “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). This is God’s view of religion.

The Bible speaks of God-pleasing religion as helping others in need (James 1:27). A believer with this kind of religion is faultless (pure or undefiled), and keeps himself pure (clean). This is not a definition of religion but rather a contrast to mere acts of worship and ritualistic observances that are commonly called religion.

Make no mistake, religion will not get you to heaven. Only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will do that. The invitation is extended to all. In no way will he deny anyone who believes on him for their salvation (John 6:37). “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (The words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21). What then, is God’s will? “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life” (John 6:40).

Writing to Christians, Paul said this: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:3-5).

Salvation is by faith, not by works. Good works for the Christian are the result of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, allowing Him to work through you for his glory.

Religion or relationship, which will it be?

In His love,
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

8 Aug

On Possessions

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Blessings, Change, Christian Living, Faith, Freedom, Giving, God's Word, Possessions, Praise, Stewardship, Uncategorized, Wisdom.

We have appreciated the cooler weather of the last few days. I have no personal fishing report yet, although I did see some really nice largemouth bass that two ladies had caught Friday afternoon.

I find we are still having to deal with years of collecting things we thought we had to have. In fact, due to the amount of stuff we still possess, we have purchased another piece of property here at the lake. We will now have a place to keep our “overflow”, that is the tractor and its attachments, the little pontoon boat, golf cart, etc. This does not mean we have found the answer to the problem of having these things, downsizing must continue.

I am continually reminded of scripture that warns of letting material goods take first place in our lives. Note: It’s not my wife that keeps reminding me, she has stuff, too. Could it be the Spirit of God tapping me on the shoulder, saying “enough already”?

As I talk with other people, I find we are not the only ones dealing with the abundance of things not needed. Many of us are having this struggle. What is the answer to this? God’s word has some suggestions.

“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Jesus, speaking to the rich young man in Matthew 19:21). “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). In the follow-up to his story of the rich man who built more bins to hold his grain, Jesus had this advice for his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes” (Luke 12:22-23).

Here is a final thought on this subject. I read this statement a few years ago, and it comes to mind now. “Someday, all your valued possessions will fit in a small drawer in some nursing home.”

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

1 Aug

Potted or Planted?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Change, Christian Living, Family of God, Freedom, God's Word, Gospel, Obedience, Service, Truth, Uncategorized.

Once again, I can report some nice rains. The total here in our gauge was nearing 2 inches. A little rain certainly helps with watering the lawns and gardens.

Speaking of gardens and such, we completed construction of a new flower bed this past week. The flowers have been sitting in pots beside the house waiting to be planted in the ground. Here are a few observations connecting potted plants and Christian living. Stay with me on this one.

Plants meant to be planted in the ground do not do well in pots. Some of the plants we brought from the store were needing help. Coming from the nursery in what is called “potting soil”, they dry out too soon, and left in that environment, they get root bound, leading to stunted growth. They need to be taken out of those pots and planted in the ground where they belong, so they can flourish. I wonder sometimes if Christians might be subject to a similar condition?

The new Christian is a bit like a new seedling plant. He needs a certain amount of protection and care, before he is planted in the world. But keeping him in the greenhouse environment, so to speak, is not going to be beneficial to him in the long run. As we disciple a new believer, there is a point where we get them out of the pot, and plant them where they can begin go grow and live out God’s plan for them.

The psalmist said this about the man who reads and meditates on God’s word: He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither” (Psalm 1:3).

Just as the potted plant from the nursery cannot feed or water itself, so also does the new Christian need to be fed and watered by the Word of God. The writer of Hebrews tells us to move on from spiritual infancy, that is needing milk, to the taking in of solid spiritual food that leads to spiritual maturity. (Hebrews 5:11-14). Then we read: “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…” (Hebrews 6:1).

My advice to stunted Christians? Get out of that greenhouse pot, get growing, and bloom where God has planted you!

Feeding on His word,
Pastor Jerry

25 Jul

Pleasing God

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Blessings, Eternal Life, Eternity, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Salvation, The Good News, Uncategorized.

It’s been a hot week, but there are cooler days ahead. I was able to spend a little time fishing one day last week, but had no success. Maybe I can get serious this week…one can only hope. We would like to spend some time exploring some of our state parks before winter. Cooler weather might provide the incentive to get started.

Every now and then, the question is posed on Facebook, “Do you think our nation has forgotten God?” I don’t think it takes a lot of study to answer a resounding YES! The world at large has no concept of God as creator and sustainer of life.

We have indeed forgotten God. Romans 1, beginning at verse 18 describes the culture of today. As I read these verses, Paul is painting a picture of today’s society. Let’s look at this passage together: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:18-20). The rest of the chapter describes these godless people in words that are descriptive of people today.

In addition to those who deny God altogether, are people who are trying to please God by doing good works. They will not acknowledge Him for who He is, but try to gain His favor through good deeds. It is a little like trying to win the lottery by buying more tickets in the hope of improving your odds of winning, except that the odds of winning God’s favor are zero.

Hebrews 11:6… And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Acknowledging and obeying God are not only beneficial in this life, there is an eternal element. In this life, the Christian has the assurance of heaven, but also there are rewards that will last for eternity.

It’s been said before, no one is guaranteed tomorrow. Choose God, trust Christ, be saved today.

In His love,
Pastor Jerry

18 Jul

Real Peace

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Culture, Faith, God's Word, Peace, Rest, The Good News, Truth, Uncategorized.

Again this week, there have been incidents of violence, both in our country and in others. It seems the more pleas there are for peace, the further we get from any kind of real peace. This, I believe would be a good time to see what God has to say about what constitutes true peace.

First, we read in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, “You (God) will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:2). It starts with placing our trust in God. Trusting God will bring peace that will help us persevere (hang in there) in times of trouble. Isaiah goes on to say, “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the Rock eternal” (verse 3).

King David wrote this: “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).

Jesus, in John’s gospel, said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Further in John’s gospel, as he prepared his disciples for his death, he said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.” (John 16:33).

Regarding the world, and unsaved persons, the apostle Paul said, “the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:17-18).

Paul wrote this to the church at Philippi: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Finally, this benediction: Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

In summary, only faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can bring genuine peace. I pray those who sow unrest would come to Him, and experience the peace that exceeds all human understanding.

Resting in Him,
Pastor Jerry

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