24 Feb

Thinking of Eternity

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Eternal Life, Eternity, God's Word, Gospel, Salvation.

Dear friends,
Well, it seems our climate got a lot colder last week. I’m up for some warmer conditions for a change. Enough of this twenty below zero stuff! It is at this time of year I’m glad to be ‘retired’ and can stay indoors when it’s cold outside. Kudos to those still in the livestock business who are dealing with the weather daily.

In recent days I have been reflecting on the brevity of life and thoughts of where we will spend eternity. The Bible is quite clear, eternity is real and there are two destinations for the human soul. One way is to eternal destruction and the other is to forever fellowship with God and Jesus Christ our Lord. Our destination is centered solely on what we have done with God’s message of salvation. That message is this; believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. There is no other way.

I once thought l would see heaven because although I knew was not perfect, I was at least not a murderer and not as bad a sinner as some people I knew. I was depending on my good works as the key to entering heaven. We are told in Scripture that we are saved not by works, but by grace through faith in Christ. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The Word of God is not a cafeteria where we choose the things we like and leave the rest. No, it is a complete package, a guidebook on our journey to eternity. There is no part of it that is to be ignored. If we place our faith in our good deeds, we compare ourselves to others. If we compare ourselves to the Lord’s sinless perfection, we soon see how unworthy we are.

There came a point in time when I saw Jesus as He really is, and it changed my life. I was no longer setting myself up as an example through my own definition of goodness but seeing Him as the perfect example and the One I needed to imitate.

When we get to judgment, we won’t be asked about our good deeds, but what did you do with Jesus? How will you answer?

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

17 Feb

No Middle Ground

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, False teachers, Gospel, Truth.

Hello all,
You may have seen the TV commercial that proclaims, “He Gets Us”. It gives a feel-good message about serving others but leaves out the part about the need for a Savior. It is true that Jesus knows about our struggles and encourages us to minister to others as He did. But as we do, we need to explain our motivation, and that is to bring others to faith in the Lord.

“He gets us” doesn’t tell the truth of the gospel, that Jesus Christ came to die for our sins. It is fine to serve others, but more eternally significant to tell them their need for a Savior. Jesus knows us intimately and understands our struggles. He was tempted as we are, but his response to temptation was not to give in to it, but to resist it. “Then Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted by the devil… Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him” (Matthew 4:1,11).

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

In a recent message from a well-known pastor, he claimed Jesus will be found in the middle and used the crucifixion as his illustration. Jesus was crucified between two criminals, but this is not to make a point about His political leanings. Jesus wasn’t in the middle; he was totally on the side of truth.

Find a church that preaches the Word of God, not man-made ideas that twist the scriptures into something God did not intend. We cannot preach a watered down or politically correct gospel to try and increase church attendance. This is a large part of why the church has lost credibility in recent years.

What did Paul tell Timothy? “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2).

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Jesus didn’t come to find middle ground, He came to seek and to save the lost, wherever they are.

In Truth,
Pastor Jerry

10 Feb

Stay Connected

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Faith, Grace, Obedience, Relationships.

Dear readers,
I’m trying to get psyched up for some more winter-like weather. If the forecast holds true, we are in for some cold and snowy conditions. It seems harder to adapt to those changes as I get older.

The Bible tells us to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. We are to stay connected with Him through the reading of God’s word, so that we may know him in a personal way. In life, relationships go nowhere if we don’t get to know another person intimately. No one gets to truly know another person without spending time with him or her. What kind of marriage would it be if the couple only communicated for an hour each week?

There needs to be constant communication if a relationship is to be meaningful. Whether in our human relationships or in our fellowship with God, we need to stay connected. Spiritually speaking, Jesus tells us he is like a vine to which we are connected as believers. Here are His words from John’s gospel.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while very branch that does not bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful… I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:1-8).

It is much the same as using an electric appliance. The only way it works is to keep it connected to the power source. If there is no connection, there is no way said appliance will live up to expectations. Your car won’t start if the battery is disconnected, nor will your relationship with the Lord be complete if you aren’t connected with him through prayer and the reading of his Word. Remember to stay connected to your power source.

There is power in Christ,
Pastor Jerry

3 Feb

Who is Jesus?

Posted by sandhillspastor in God's Word, jesus, Salvation, Truth.

Hello friends,
February has arrived. Each day brings us closer to spring and due to the dry weather pattern, we pray for moisture. It has been a very open winter so far, and most of us would even be glad for some snow, just not a lot of course.

As I write these articles, sometimes it seems I have nothing to share. I do find though, that if I’m paying attention God will give me something to say.

There is a passage of Scripture where the religious leaders ask Jesus, “who do you think you are?” In reality, the question is not who Jesus thinks He is, but who do you think He is? Stay with me on this one.

They asked, “Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” (John 8:53). “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone Him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds (verses 58-59).

Another time we read: The Jews gathered around him saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe… I and the Father are one”…do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father… Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp (John 10:24, 30).

Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him (John 12:37). Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the One who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the One who sent me. I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should not stay in darkness” (12:44-46).

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Again, the question remains. Who do you say Jesus is? How do you answer? He is the light of the world, have you allowed His light to shine in your life?

In His light,
Pastor Jerry

27 Jan

Jesus Will Return

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, End Times, Faith, God's Word, Truth.

Hello friends,
It is time again for our weekly visit. There were several hardy souls on the lake fishing through the ice this week. I am somewhat envious of modern ice fishing; in my experience we sat on a bucket exposed to the wind. These days there are portable shelters with heaters in them. Now that is roughing it!

I had the opportunity to share a message this week. I titled it ‘Be Ready’. Perhaps a better title would have been ‘He’s Coming Back’. I will share some points of that message with you here.

Jesus said He would return at some point future. I believe that day is coming; maybe soon. Looking at the world today, it is easy to see the signs He gave that indicate the nearness of His return.

Three of the gospel writers quoted Jesus: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All of these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21).

Some will deny the return of the Lord. 2 Peter 3:3-4; First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

Whether the Lord returns this week or next year matters not. What does matter is that we are prepared for that event. Jesus told a parable of ten virgins waiting for the groom to come for his bride. The virgins expected to be part of the wedding party. They all had lamps in case the groom came at night, but only five had prepared by bringing extra oil for their lamps. When the bridegroom came, those who did not have oil for their lamps were denied entrance to the wedding celebration. (Matthew 25:1-13).

Peter wrote, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise… He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:8-9).

Are you prepared for the Lord’s return? He has promised, and His word is true.

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

20 Jan

Return to Respect

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Christian Living, God's Word, Obedience, Politics, Stewardship.

Dear readers,
January is slipping away and before we know it, we’ll be leaving winter behind. This winter hasn’t been bad compared to some I remember and that’s okay. As I write this, it is windy and there is a cold spell forecast, but hopefully it will be short-lived.

As America transitions to a new president, let us remember that the future of our nation lies not in a new political leader, but in a return to Christian values and the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us we are to respect the leaders of government, also that our first allegiance is to the Lord and to the truth of the Bible.

Psalm 2 sums it up rather well: “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One. The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” (verses 1-3). At the end of the Psalm we read: “Therefore you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him” (Psalm 2:10-12).

In Romans 13:1, Paul wrote, “Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

Peter also spoke to this issue in his 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, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 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 to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God honor the king” (1 Peter 2:13-17). I believe it is proper to substitute the word ‘president’ in place of ‘king’ in this passage.

We need to return to showing proper respect for our leaders, and for each other.

God bless America,
Pastor Jerry

13 Jan

In all Things

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Creation, Faith, God's Word, Peace, Trials, Trust.

Hello friends,
The weather has taken a more winter-like turn. These temperatures remind us there are seasons. We don’t get to have just one kind of weather. That would get old after a while. We need to keep California in our prayers, along with the folks in Appalachia as they continue to recover from hurricane and fire disasters. There is much to be thankful for here in our little corner of the world.

As we see all the destruction from hurricanes and wildfires, earthquakes and other disasters, we wonder if God is really in control. However, we live in a fallen world. Because of sin, God’s creation is broken. To Adam, God said, “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field” (Genesis 3:17-18).

“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not be its own choice, but by the will of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pain of childbirth right up to the present time” (Romans 8:20-22).

Hear this word of God through the prophet: “I am the Lord and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and disaster; I the Lord, do all these things” (Isaiah 45:5-7).

In the middle of disaster, the Christian can be encouraged. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose… What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?… neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:28, 31, 39).

In His hands,
Pastor Jerry

6 Jan

New Year Thoughts

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Christian Living, Faith, God's Word, Peace, Prayer, Trust, Wisdom.

Dear friends,
2025 has arrived. When I was younger, the idea of seeing the date “2025” seemed to be an impossibility, but here we are! On a side note, I have been writing these devotional thoughts for over 25 years. I had no idea this would be the case, but again here we are. I must thank the Lord for giving me the inspiration to write, and to you the faithful readers of my efforts, Thank You!

Looking ahead to the year before us, and the events of the day, we are sometimes overwhelmed by life. We see things that are out of our control and wonder how we will cope. I read an article this week by Chuck Lawless in which he lists some things for us to remember.

  1. God is still in control. The world may seem chaotic, but God is still sovereign. “… present your requests to God. And the peace that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
  2. God is not worried. That is why it is a sin for me to worry: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself” (Matthew 6:34).
  3. God’s mercies are renewed every day. When the sun comes up it is a new day, no matter what I face. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
  4. God has never let me down in the past. He is faithful to his people. “Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies” (Psalm 36:5).
  5. God sees the bigger picture. I only see today. We should trust Him to work out His plan: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” (Proverbs 3:5).
  6. God has given us fellow Christians, so we don’t have to face these things alone: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…” (Hebrews 10:25).
  7. God is the story—not I. My responsibility is to trust Him: “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:4).

Last words: God is always awake, so you can sleep at night. He’s got this!

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

30 Dec

Finding Hope

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Eternal Life, Faith, Gospel, Hope.

Dear friends,
I trust you had a blessed Christmas season, although our weather seems to be anything but winter-like. I am not having issues with these temperatures at the end of December, in fact I can wait a few more weeks before we have winter weather. It will then be much closer to spring.
.
As we enter a new year, it seems appropriate to write an article in the topic of hope. Much of the world today lives without hope. The Bible tells us there is hope of a future when there will be peace over the whole world. Many people view the idea of hope as something they wish for, but the Biblical idea of hope is of the sure knowledge that a promise is true, yet unseen. Hope can be defined as “The expectation of future fulfillment of God’s promises, as foretold by prophets, often involving themes of restoration and redemption.” In the New Testament, when we read that hope is something set before us, it always refers to Christ’s coming for His saints.

The apostle Paul spoke to hope in this way: “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has” (Romans 8:24)?

The angels who announced the birth of Jesus Christ proclaimed a time when there would be peace on earth. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests” (Luke 2:13-14).

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 Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3) Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible joy…” (verses 8-9).

I pray also that the eye of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints / believers (Ephesians 1:18). There is hope, but it only comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Have a happy and hope filled New Year!
Pastor Jerry

23 Dec

His Story

Posted by sandhillspastor in Advent, Christmas, Faith, Gospel.

Hello friends,
We have entered the early copy season. It’s interesting when holidays come in the middle of the week and my schedule gets upset. I’m a creature of habit it seems. It will be Christmas when some of you read this and I hope you are blessed by it.

The Christmas season is the time of year most people are made aware of the first coming of the Lord Jesus. They may not give much thought to His appearance the rest of the year, but it is impossible to ignore Him with all the nativity displays and Christmas greetings everywhere.

The people of Bethlehem, if they were aware of His birth certainly did not think it of much importance. I suppose they were more concerned with all the people in town due to the census that was being taken. Mary and Joseph obviously knew He had arrived. The angel had given them the news of his impending birth some nine months before.

Those shepherds got the news in a dramatic fashion with a bright light in the sky and an angel announcing, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

To accent the announcement, “Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors.” Those shepherds couldn’t wait another minute to hurry to Bethlehem and see for themselves. (Luke 2:8-16).

Scripture tells us after the shepherds had seen the newborn Messiah, they told everyone they met what they had heard and seen. (Luke 2:17-18).

Where are you in this story? Have you experienced the Lord Jesus in your life? Have you heard the story of His birth and the reason He came, but have dismissed it as a fairy tale? It is not too late to place your faith in Him and the salvation he brought to earth. For God so loved the world, he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16).

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

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