25 May

Of Grass and Geese

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Evil deeds, Faith, God's Word, Sin, Temptation, The Good News.

I’m writing this Memorial Day. When I was growing up, it was never this early in the month. In those days, the holiday came on the 30th of May, no matter what day of the week it was. I guess we didn’t need three or four day weekends back then.

As you know, the new lawn is up and growing. Now, the geese have discovered it, and are making it a part of their diet. The new crop of goslings are fuzzy and cute, but as those goslings grow, they have very good appetites, and one of the things they really like to eat is tender, new grass seedlings. Now, they don’t seem nearly as adorable as before.

I’m reminded of the progression of sin in our lives. At first, it seem harmless enough. It may even appear to be harmless and entertaining. But as it grows, and gains traction in our lives, we realize it is not harmless or cute. Scripture warns us to stay away from the temptation to let sin gain a foothold in our lives, even if it seems to be a good thing.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death (Proverbs 16:25). Flee from sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18). Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14). Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace… (2 Timothy 2:22).

The apostle Paul, in his first letter to Timothy had this to say regarding sinful behaviors: But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11).

The Bible doesn’t tell me what to do about the geese on our lawn, but it does tell us how to keep sin from taking over in our lives. And, if we do sin, remember God’s promise in 1 John 1:9. Don’t blame it on God, either. James had this to say concerning temptation: When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed” (James 1:13-14).

In the case of the geese eating the lawn, it will not be to repent. Replant might be a better word.

Remembering,
Pastor Jerry

18 May

The Importance of Worshiping as Families

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Body of Believers, Christian Living, Faith, Family of God, God's Word, Truth, Worship.

Hello again,
If it seems we are stuck between the end of winter and the start of spring, you are not alone. When the overnight low is forecast to be in the thirties, I wonder. On the positive side, if you have planted a new lawn, this weather is about perfect. Our new grass is growing even better than we expected.

For several weeks, I have been preaching on the importance of being a biblical church member. We have learned that such a person is a functioning member, a unifying member, and one who loves and prays for the other members. Yesterday, we learned of the importance of leading our families to be healthy church members.

Number one: By praying together for the church. That is we pray in a family setting for the church’s leaders and all members. As families, we pray in these ways: For spiritual protection, and for protection from moral failure. We pray for the families of church leaders. For all members, we can pray for encouragement, wisdom, and discernment as they go through their day.

Number two: By worshiping together as a family. As church members, we are responsible for leading our entire family to worship together in the church. If you are married, include your spouse in your worship. Parents, include your children. Single Christians, you need to join others in worship. We need to be examples to others of people who love the church. Not the building, but the people who are part of the body of Christ.

If you happen to be the only believer in your family, don’t be discouraged. God has given your family to you for a mission field.

Finally, as leaders in our families we are to show our deep love for the church. We are not just to like our church or serve our church well. We are to fall deeply in love with our church. Unconditional love is not always easy, but we are to love other members of the church without wavering, and with an unconditional love.

Jesus has demonstrated this kind of love for us perfectly. He loves us, sins and all, so much that he died on a cross for us.

It is of great importance for us to include our families in worship at every level. As scripture says, “Let us not give up meeting together…” (Hebrews 10:15).

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

11 May

On Staying Close

Posted by sandhillspastor in Body of Believers, Christian Living, End Times, Family of God, Fellowship, Persecution, Salvation, Temptation.

It is 38 degrees here this morning, with a forecast low tonight of 31. I fear the global warming theory will be a hard sell in this area. Last week, I reported that we had sown the grass seed. After the rain this week, I see mowing in my future.

The local Canada goose population is on the increase. Goslings of varying sizes are making their appearance on the lake. I noticed one family with 4 little ones, three of them stayed pretty close to the parents, but one always seemed to be lagging behind. Lately, that goose family has only three young ones. I suspect the little straggler became lunch for some predator.

There is a lesson here for God’s people.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 3:8). 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 the you see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25).

Remember Paul’s words to the Ephesian elders, as he prepared to leave them: “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that when I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! (Acts 20:28-31).

Finally, from Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus: “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one…be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:11-18).

In an age when Christianity is being challenged and attacked, I believe it is more important than ever that we remain in close fellowship, encouraging each other in our faith. As the old saying goes, there is strength in numbers. The enemy’s strategy is to divide and conquer. We must stay in close fellowship with our God and with each other.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

4 May

The Body of Christ

Posted by sandhillspastor in Body of Believers, Christian Living, Family of God, Fellowship, Giving, God's Word, Service, Truth, Worship.

Finally! We have seeded the lawn at the lake house. Now we’ll try to keep it wet with the hose, and pray for some gentle rain to help out. Someday soon, we will have actual grass instead of just dirt for a lawn.

In our current sermon series, I have been examining what a biblical church member looks like. These sermons are built around a book called “I Am a Church Member” by Dr. Thom Rainer. As I study and look at the biblical texts concerning how members of the body of Christ (the church) is supposed to function, I see application to much of life and how people should interact. Today we will look at three ways we can be better members of His church. I also believe these attitudes would benefit society as a whole.

Number One: I will be a functioning member. This gives the idea that everyone has a part in the working of the body. Each one of us is uniquely gifted to serve in the body, and only when every part does its job, is the body healthy. Concerning the church, the apostle Paul wrote, “The body is one unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12).

Number Two: I will by a unifying member. Everything we do in the body of believers should be done with a view of working as one unit, with a common purpose and goal. Unity in this context is a result of unconditional love on the part of everyone involved. Read 1 Corinthians chapter 13 with the body of believers in mind. “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14).

Number Three: My preferences must be put aside as I serve others. We are to serve others, not expecting anything in return. Jesus’s words go counter to the ‘me first’ attitude of our current culture. “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35). Again, the words of Paul; “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:4-5).

Serving Him,
Pastor Jerry

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

20 Apr

Marriage God’s Way

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, Forgiveness, God's Word, Marriage, Sin, Temptation, Truth.

Finally, it rained! Now, it seems the wind takes center stage. At any rate, I guess it all goes with the territory. As someone said, it is part of living here.

I have not specifically addressed the issue of same-sex marriage and related topics in this column, but perhaps it is time I did so. Let me say first of all, I believe the concept is not even mentioned in the Bible. God established the institution of marriage as between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:18, 24; Genesis 5:2). I find no other description of marriage anywhere in His word.

This idea of people of the same gender having the right to enter into a marriage, is the furthest from what God intended. Those who believe the Bible is wrong in this area, or that it no longer is relevant, have believed a lie straight from the devil.

Now, I know there are those who will challenge me in this area, perhaps even quoting that scripture that says “judge not”. I cannot judge a person’s heart, that is God’s responsibility. However, I believe the Christian has the responsibility to call attention those things God has said are sinful. Remember, though, we are cautioned to deal with our own sin before attempting to help someone else.

I believe the Ten Commandments are commands, not suggestions, and they are not outdated. God’s word is true and He does not change. The things He calls sin are still sin. Just because the world is chasing after sensual pleasure and self-gratification of all kinds, doesn’t make it right or acceptable to God.

One more point that needs to be made here is this; being tempted to sinful behavior is not sinning. Giving in to temptation is sin. The good news is this: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9). The follow-up is that we turn from that sin (John 8:1-8).

The Bible is not hard to understand when it comes to what it calls sin. Most of the things we don’t understand are probably not that important in our daily lives. Here is a quote from Mark Twain; “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”

In His love,
Pastor Jerry

13 Apr

On Christian Fellowship

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Blessings, Body of Believers, Christian Living, End Times, Family of God, Fellowship.

The larger blessing of the past week has to be the rain that fell. Amounts vary over the area, but it was all greatly appreciated. It is good to see the daffodils, and tulips and now the wild plums are near to blooming. As mentioned before, spring has to be my favorite time of year.

Now to our devotional thought for the week. I often encounter people who say they are Christians, yet they do not think it is important to go to church. The usual reply is they can worship in the outdoors, while they are at the lake, in the hunting blind, or wherever they find themselves on a Sunday morning. In fact, in the days before I came to faith in Christ, I used the same argument for why I did not “attend church.” It is not just a Christian excuse.

Where do we get the idea we can be lone wolf Christians? Scripture does not indicate that this is a great idea. In fact, quite the opposite is taught by Jesus and the apostles.

Romans 12:5… “In Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
1 Corinthians 12:27… “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
Hebrews 10:24-25… “And let us consider how we may 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.”

I believe we are living in a time when it is becoming more and more important to spend as much time in Christian fellowship as possible. We are increasingly under attack for our Christian beliefs, and we must band together to stand strong.

There is a story about a man who stopped going to church. His pastor visited him on a cold day, and as they sat in front of the fireplace, the pastor took a hot coal from the fire and set it aside, where it began to cool and eventually went out. After a bit, the pastor moved the coal back closer to the live coals, where it immediately began to burn again. The man got the message and returned to church the next week.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

6 Apr

On Blessings and Trials

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Christian Living, Easter, Faith, Gospel, Praise, Rest, The Good News.

You may have noticed there was no article from me last week. I had one of those springtime colds that left me no desire to do anything, except to survive. I am much better now, thank you.

I’ll give you a brief recap of the missing week: It started Monday with a trip on to Grand Island to get some things for the lake house. On my way home from Grand Island with the little trailer behind the van, I stopped for gas and realized I had lost the trailer. To say I was surprised, would be an understatement. On examination, I discovered the receiver hitch pin was missing, as was the hitch and trailer.

It was a little like the Bible story of the woman who had ten coins and lost one. She went to great lengths to find the lost one. I have several trailers, and I was not one bit concerned about the ones left at home, but was very interested in finding the lost one. I did find the trailer and its cargo sitting upright and in great condition, parked in the edge of a cornfield beside the highway. This was cause for celebration and praise to the Lord for keeping it safe and out of the way of others on the road.

Tuesday, there was a visit to the tax man. The blessing of that was, in spite of a fairly large amount of tax due the IRS, it could have been much worse.

In the middle of the week, came the beginning of the aforementioned cold or flu, whatever it was. I even stayed home from church that Sunday and let someone else preach in my place.

Last week was spent regaining my strength and motivation, and it ended yesterday celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus with many of our church family. I also had the privilege of conducting a baby dedication service just prior to the Easter message.

It was a couple of weeks of blessing and trial, with the several blessings making the trials seem less important. Looking back, I see that the happenings of the last 14 days allowed me to pause and see what matters most. It begins with my faith in the Risen Lord, and knowing that He is in charge of every situation, good or bad.

In His grip,
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 Mar

On Updates

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Change, Christian Living, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Prayer, renewal.

Dear readers,
Thursday, I went to Topeka, Kansas for a meeting. As I drove down highway 281, I saw power company workers stringing new wires along a line of new poles. This is being done to update the system in order to meet projected demands for electric power. Just last week our immediate area experienced a 6 hour outage, so work could be done on the new lines. It was a reminder how dependent we are on our electric system.

I believe we Christians, people who look to Jesus as our source of power for living, sometimes neglect our power source. By that, I mean we do not stay close to Him in our daily walk. It seems we get into maintenance mode, and just do the basics. We may attend church occasionally, or maybe think about reading a few verses of scripture now and then.

At our meeting Friday morning, we were challenged as pastors to update our technology, with a thought that neglecting those updates would be detrimental to our ministries. The idea is to keep current on ways to communicate the gospel to the people. There is a real danger of becoming stagnant and ineffective as God’s servants, if we neglect those periodic updates.

Have you been tapping your power source to its full potential? What about updating your relationship with the Lord? Have we slipped into maintenance mode? Has our connection to the church become a random post of a ‘religious’ sounding meme on Facebook?

Verses that come to mind include Hebrews 10:25. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…”
“Come near to God and he will come near to you…” (James 4:8a).
“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being” (Paul in Ephesians 3:16).
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father…encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

In our world of electronic communication, we need to stay updated. Why should it be any less important to update the connection to our Source of spiritual well-being?

Could it be time for a spiritual update? Do we need to get out of maintenance mode and rebuild that connection to our Father in heaven?

Just thinking,
Pastor Jerry

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