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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THEN - In January 2002, First United Methodist Church of Weatherford, Texas, held a women’s retreat. More than 75 women were in attendance. Andrea Waitley (McWhorter) at that time had presented a three-session teaching from Psalm 86:11, “Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart to fear Your name.” Andrea had titled this teaching “Cross My Heart.” The Lord moved powerfully on the hearts of the women who attended. Immediately after the retreat, Pat and W...
The national news is peppered with headline stories of people losing their tempers, and committing horrific acts of violence against total strangers, fellow workers, or even more commonly, members of their own family. Due to a variety of social pressures and prejudices, hate crimes also seem to abound. Is this rage or anger just a part of our generation or is there a part of all of us that is ready to boil over at any given moment. I believe we are truly living in an age of rage and anger. Did you know? The first act of murder recorded in the...
In the Book of Esther in Chapter Mordecai and Esther are sending messages back and forth talking about the fate of the Jewish people, and Mordecai make the statement, That maybe Esther is in the position she’s in “FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS” So how does that effect us today? We the body of CHRIST, have a voice, we have always had a voice, but it seems of late that voice has been a Whisper. The Church (BODY OF CHRIST) should be standing on BIBLICAL principals, and when something is wrong according to the word of GOD not according to society we sh...
One time, Sarah and I were deer hunting in the Sandhills about 30 miles south of Mullen. Our friend Tim took us out to a huge pasture and pointed out a windmill in a valley about two miles north of us. He said, “Just hunt your way straight towards that windmill, and I’ll pick you up in a couple hours!” We shoulda known better! By the time we walked down through a draw, climbed back to the top, found our way around a blow-out, then climbed another hill, and then did that same thing over and over and over again, each time checkin’ for that wi...
The Nebraska Church Guys” set out to document the history and architecture of Catholic parishes in Nebraska. Written above the door leading into Ron Sack’s den is the quote, “When a person dies, a library is lost.” He uses that quote as inspiration. The quote is based on an old African proverb, but Sack heard it again while visiting with historian Alex Meyer of Snyder, Nebraska. “It’s so true,” explained Sack. “My grandparents recorded as much history as they could over their lifetimes in or...
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff — they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my who...
Are you having a good day? I surely hope you are! Nobody in their right mind would want to trade a good day for a bad day…….or would we?? As we look back over our lives, we can see how it was during our struggles that we were drawn closer to God. It is a time when what we have heard with our ears, we now see with our eyes, through our misery, as we cry out to God. (Job 42:5 paraphrased) Be our struggles physical, emotional or spiritual God does not abandon us. My favorite book of the Bible is The Book of Job. It is the oldest book of the Bib...
Freedom is at the heart of a lot of our country’s history and national holidays. There is Martin Luther Jr’s Day, and his, “I Have a Dream,” speech declaring freedom at last. Just a couple of weeks ago, President Biden signed into law the “Juneteenth Bill,” making June 19 a Federal Holiday, commemorating the freedom declared by the Emancipation Proclamation of 1862 for enslaved people in the US in the aftermath of the Civil. We experience religious freedom because of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. And we just celebrated...
Forgiving others when they have hurt you is difficult. But holding onto the hurt, breeds anger, bitterness and revenge works it’s way in there too. In Matthew 6:9-12 is the LORD’S prayer, in the prayer it states forgive us our Debts AS WE FORGIVE our debtors, and in verses 14&15 it states IF you forgive men (women) when they sin against you your Heavenly Father will forgive you when you Sin, But in the next verse it says IF you don’t forgive others when they sin against you , your Heavenly Father won’t forgive you of your sin. JESUS when ha...
More than 30 years ago, Doug Birky was finishing his degree at Dallas Theological Seminary when he was contacted about a church in Sidney. He was contacted after the midwest district of the Evangelical Free Church received his resume. He calls the delivery of his resume “another story.” What is real, he says, is he and his wife Carolyn and their family, have been blessed to be part of the Sidney community since 1986. “We had never imagined we'd be here this many years,” Birky said recentl...
In our own time, maybe no one has seen the social aspects of God’s Kingdom on earth quite like Martin Luther King, Jr. He stood toe to toe with the house of evil. He insisted in a number of his speeches that the key to the future was a certain “maladjustment…” In 1961, Dr. King gave the commencement address at Lincoln University, in which he talked about “The American Dream,” and he said this, “There are certain things within our social order to which I am proud to be maladjusted and to which I call upon all people of good will to be maladju...
Over the years since I was a child in church, in various worship services, we have sung the old hymn, "When We All Get To Heaven." The chorus of the hymn says: “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory!” This song was a constant reminder that Christians are looking forward to being in Heaven with Jesus Christ some day because of their faith in him. Like the Bible challenges us, we should be anticipating that day with great joy. Heaven will be our eternal home after...
When I was a little girl I went to Sunday School and sang “Jesus Love Me” and I knew he was always watching over me. However, I also knew that while watching over me, God also knew everything I did…good or bad! This made me fear Him. I often envisioned Him “making a list and checking it twice to see if I had been naughty or nice”. Sound familiar? I am sure many of you, as children, also had some of those same thoughts. Yes, there is a fear of God, meaning a reverence for His Person and authority, which is the heart of true Faith. However, we mi...
Memorial Day, 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 American Civil War dead. Arlington National Cemetery, filled with all those white grave markers, is probably the most symbolic of the cost of war and a revelation of our heritage and troublous times in American history.Historically, Memorial Day was expanded to include all who died in World War 1, and further expanded to include those of World War 2, better...
Grace is the unmerited favor of GOD, Grace was poured out on mankind with the Death and Resurrection of His Son Jesus. So Ive heard it explained this way Grace is GOD giving us something we don’t deserve, and Mercy is God not giving us something we do deserve. We are Saved by Grace and Faith, not by anything we do, so we can’t boast about what you did, salvation comes because Jesus sacrificed himself for us so we could recieve what GOD has for us, which is a relationship with him. The Grace of GOD helps us through this life and through Grace we...
Jesus said, “I am the Vine, you are the branches…” What Jesus was sayin’ was this: it’s good to be part of a larger group, workin’ towards larger goals – but at the same time, we gotta be connected to a center before we can actually be productive! Our lives are all about relationships. Scripture says we’re to love God and to love one another – that’s networking – that’s relationship building – that’s reaching out to one another for mutual support and accountability – that’s all about becoming family! ‘Cuz listen – in the end, relationship...
Janice and Faye Rostvit, identical twins from Colorado Springs, Colo., will share in song and testimony at 10:30 a.m. May 23 at the Church of the Nazarene, 1445 Jackson St, Sidney. For more than 40 years the Rostvit Twins have had an extensive world-wide music ministry. Often they would be overseas for six months of each year and singing in churches in the USA the other months. Their travels have taken them to over 90 countries where they always learned a repertoire of songs in the local...
Houses of worship do not always come with an abundance of finances. Some are as the poet describes, the church in the wildwood. As the poet, songwriter describes, this church is a small fellowship in the vale. It is a church likely small enough building it took a lot of volunteers and time. Maintaining it took just as long. The Panhandle has many churches where the Word of God is shared with the faithful few, and when an emergency occurs, they have to rely on their brothers in faith. That is the...
The end of the school year is rapidly approaching, and once again many of our children will be receiving school related awards. Students of various ages will be rewarded for their accomplishments in academics, as well as in music, sports, and a variety of other extra curricular activities. They will be acknowledged and commended for their hard work and overall commitment to excellence. This kind of recognition is appropriate and important in the life of our children. However, there are other kinds of award recognition that are also important....
Do you pray in generalities or do you “zero in” on a specific concern? Do you sometimes pray the wrong prayer? Are there times when you don’t know for what to pray? A few years ago, I fell and broke my hip. I vividly remember the prayer I prayed as I was falling. “Lord, please don’t let me fall!” It was a little late to pray that prayer…I was already falling! … and, yes, it was in slow motion. I should have been praying, “Lord, please don’t let me break anything”!!!! Many times short prayers are better than a few long ones. It is often the...
Grandma used to tell me “ the devil rides on an idle horse”, and it’s true, but as I walk in this Christian life, it is clear, he also delights in the “ busy Christian.” In fact, that is one of the most common statements for Christians these days. I am too busy. “ I would like to spend more time with God, but I can’t find the time.” This isn’t new however, Jesus addressed this very issue in Luke 10:38-42. In the text, Jesus goes to Martha’s home and is teaching. Martha is so distracted with serving and taking care of everything else, th...
I believe it was Benjamin Franklin, who, after signing the Constitution of the United States, touted the phrase, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” With the usual tax deadline being tomorrow, April 15, this part of the quote hits home for sure. But what about death? Is death an absolute and sure thing? We just ended our Easter Season with an emphasis on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. So, is death as certain as taxes, or is there a hope of a future resurrection? In my personal study of God...
We live in a world that seems angry and confusing, and without GOD it is exactly that, without GOD there is no hope. GOD has and is the answer to all of that anger and confusion. Philippians 4:4-9, speaks about looking to GOD and trusting GOD, and HE will give you peace. This scripture give you direction for your life, it give you HOW you can have peace in a world full of turmoil and confusion. It may sound to good to be true, but GOD didn’t make it hard to find the answers we are looking for. In Psalms 23, the WORD of GOD speaks about about G...
There’s a 1988 song by the Christian rock group, Petra called “First Love.” Let me quote you the lyrics: 1) Sometimes I feel I’m pulled in so many wrong directions Sometimes I feel the world seducing my affections It’s not that I don’t know the way It’s just a heart that’s prone to stray But with my weaknesses admitted You will keep all that I’ve committed So I commit my heart to You, my First Love 2) It’s taken me some time to try to comprehend A love that doesn’t change - a love without an end A love that keeps forgiving A love of s...
This coming Sunday is known as Palm Sunday to Christians around the world. It is a day when we remember and celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ into the city of Jerusalem the week before his death and resurrection. It is also referred to as his “triumphal entry” as he was officially presented to the nation of Israel as their Messiah. It was a day of public celebration and excitement about the future as Christ was welcomed by great crowds of people. We remember their shouts of: “Hosanna… Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord… B...
