Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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“But Pastor, is it okay to protest?” “Did Jesus ever do it? Didn’t He just preach the Gospel and didn’t waste His time doing that kind of thing?” “Don’t you think we should stop wasting our precious time in distractions and just preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ?” “This is all politics.” These are some questions and comments we have heard during the last few weeks. Actually, some of these, we have heard for years. They come from pastoral colleagues, family members, brothers and sisters in our churches, and the community in general. Some churche...
M y wife, Andi, and I have 2 sons and 5 grand-children, with Matrix being the oldest at age 15. When he was around 6 or 7, Matrix would sometimes stay over at our house for the night. One Friday morning Matrix and I walked over to our church to get things set up for Sabbath worship. As I was getting things ready, Matrix decided he was going to have a sermon and went up to the pulpit to preach like Grandpa. He paused for a moment, wrote a little, paused, wrote a little, then he began to speak…“I love Grandpa, and I love Grandma.” Then he would...
Mothers are teachers. Mothers are disciplinarians. Mothers are cleaning ladies. Some mothers are gardeners and mowers of lawns. Other Mothers are expert bakers and window washers too. Mothers are nurses and doctors and psychologists and counselors and chauffeurs and coaches. Mothers are developers of personalities, molders of vocabularies, and shapers of attitudes. Mothers are soft voices saying, "I love you." Mothers are a child's first impression of God's love. Mothers are all of these things...
Well, we made it through January. How are your new year’s resolutions coming along? Yea, I feel your pain. There’s just something about making changes in my lifestyle that seems like a lonely project. Is there any help out there? Why don’t we consider the radical idea of making a NEW new year’s resolution this February? I resolve to make Jesus my personal shepherd and want to experience all of the benefits he provides for my living in 2016. With Jesus as our personal shepherd, there is assurance, peace of mind and great confidence. The 23rd Ps...
Some years ago, following fellowship dinner at church, the folks would gather together and have a good old fashioned testimony service with singing, sharing of blessings and telling what the Lord has done in their lives. The experience was like the words of the old song, “Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings, see what God hath done.” Singing for Jesus is all about the powerful sharing of our personal testimony, letting people know what the Lord has done or is doing in our life. I believe it would do us all wel...
My wife and I just recently received our annual fall flu shot, and it got me to thinking about how the vaccine and immunization program has played an important role in avoiding many harmful diseases. I would like to use the vaccination process as a spiritual illustration of God’s plan of salvation. As we all know, the Panhandle of Nebraska is well known for its cows and ranching. Who knew that cows would save the lives of countless people? In 1796, a physician named Edward Jenner decided to prove a theory that had been circulating for some t...
Considering Pope Francis’ recent world travels to South America, as well as, the soon anticipated September visit to the United States, to meet with the Congress and United Nations, I thought a little humor would be in order with some observations about discerning the times and seasons in which we live. Legend has it, that about a century ago the Pope decided that all Jews should leave Rome. But seeing the uproar in the Jewish community, and wanting to appear conciliatory, he came up with a novel idea. He would have a debate with any member o...
This past Father’s Day, my youngest son, Alan, and I played for the first time at Sidney’s Hillside Golf Course. It was a wonderful challenge with fast greens, lost balls and a healthy dose of sunshine. As you may know, there are many famous golf courses around the world that have some interesting ground rules because of their locations. One of those courses is found in the country of India. The Calcutta Country Club has this beautifully laid out and maintained golf course, cut directly out of a jungle, full of native magnolia trees, home to...
Today, I would like to examine the topic of God’s grace, with the endeavor of finding a good usable definition. There are many books on the market about this topic, but I have yet to find a really good practical definition. I did a word study on grace, with a good Bible concordance, and read all of the Bible texts that used the word grace, from Genesis to Revelation. To my surprise, I discovered the simplest revelation of grace is substituting Jesus in the place of the word grace. Jesus said it of Himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the lif...
The experience of God’s grace has been one of these controversial topics that has been debated, argued, abused, misunderstood, and caused many a rift between believers of all kinds. Throughout centuries past, and even in today’s theological discussions, there seems to be a tremendous tension within the Christian Church about God’s gospel gift of grace as it relates to law and love, faith and works, spirit and truth, grace and obedience. I ask the thought question: Why is there so much confusion concerning God’s Salvation through a relatio...
The school year was coming to an end and Margie and Tommy, best friends with Cindy and Denny, thought it would be a great idea to invite them to go with them to Grandpa and Grandma’s farm for the summer. After a long drive and a good night’s sleep, they all woke up to the farm sounds of the roosters crowing, cows mooing, and the great smell of breakfast. Everybody gathered around the table as Grandpa had a little devotional and prayer before breakfast. Following breakfast, Grandpa got everybody together for a little farm meeting, to go ove...
How many are familiar with the book, “Pilgrim’s Progress?” Written in the latter part of the 1600s, Paul Bunyan portrays an allegorical account of “Christianity.” I’m reminded of one of the most exciting events in the book when Christian, and his friend Hopeful, are both captured by the cruel tyrant, Giant Despair, and taken to his Doubting Castle, where they are imprisoned, beaten and starved. As they endure the uncertain ordeal, Christian realizes that a key he has, called Promise, will open the doors of the castle and free them from all th...
It happened a long time ago. There were nearly 100 kids attending the Adventist Junior Camp at Broken Arrow Ranch, located on the shores of Tuttle Creek Reservoir, near Manhattan, Kansas. The week long camp for 10-12 year olds involved a lot of water activities, because of its location on the lake. It was the afternoon swim time, following the craft activity, when three girl friends went down to the lake shore for some fun in the water. As I heard the story, the 3 girls were playing a little game of “Dare” by seeing who could stay under the wat...
Well, it’s Memorial Weekend. Some look at it as the first part of summer, with the annual trip to the Lake, fun in the sun, reunions and family fellowship, and a weekend of relaxation. Some celebrate it as a holiday from working, just a break in the monotony of making a living. But to most, it is a day to remember the loss of loved ones in death. Memorial Day, or originally called Decoration Day, was first officially observed on May 30, 1868, on the order of General John Alexander Logan for the purpose of decorating the graves of the A...
Prophecy can save lives if heeded. A merchant seaman, Morgan Robertson, wrote a novel called “The Wreck of the Titan.” Many publishers refused to publish it because the story was “too unbelievable.” But more than 13 years later, the Titanic would set sail and prove those publishers very wrong. Some of the eerie parallels of the voyage of the Titanic and the fictional vessel, the Titan, are almost beyond belief. Both vessels were about 800 ft. long and 90 ft. wide. Both ships could travel at a top speed of 24 knots, and carried approxi...
Well, the year 2013 has come and gone, and 2014 has begun. As a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, I believe that every year’s passing brings us closer to the Second Coming of Jesus. Here we are, more than 2,000 years after the first coming of Jesus with prophecy foretelling His soon return and the end of the world. Jesus, speaking about the signs of the times, said, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know tha...
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying, ‘Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Revelation 14:6, 7) With Christianity’s focus today on the Life, Death, and Resurrection ministry of Jesus, how are these truths of the Gospel and the Judgment woven together in the saving...
How many have heard that famous Nursery Rhythm entitled, “Humpty Dumpty?” You know… “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King’s horses, and all the king’s men, couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again.” Have you ever felt that your life was just falling apart or going to pieces? Sometimes when we get broken and we try to fix ourselves, no matter how good we are at fixing things, or even if we get the pieces back together, we will never be the same again. In reality, we are fragile beings, and we experien...
A man made a permanent move into a retirement home. It wasn’t long before he made friends with a special lady. They spent a lot of time together and finally one evening he proposed, asking her to marry him. The next morning he woke up remembering his proposal, but couldn’t remember her answer. So, he went to her and said, “I’m really embarrassed. I know I proposed to you last night, but I can’t remember if you said ‘yes’ or ‘no’.” “Oh, thank goodness!” she exclaimed. “I remember saying ‘yes’ but I couldn’t remember who asked me.” New Year’s res...
