Shepherd's View

What Do I Get For My Tax Dollars?

David — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:04:43 +0000

Cultural Commentary For May 13, 2012

I read a funny statistic the other day, and one I had trouble with. It said Americans, in general, pay more in federal, state, and local taxes every year than they spend on food and clothing. I found this difficult to believe. Then I looked at my taxes for 2011, factored in what taxes I pay on gas, prepared foods, property taxes, school taxes, etc, and started worrying about whether I was keeping my budget straight. There are several ways we are taxed that we don’t even think about, and I won’t go into all of them here.. They are readily available at several sites on the net. Suffice it to say that the consensus is that the average American pays out over 50% of his or her income in taxes. (54.4% in 2005, 57.9% in 2009) My pointed question is this: “What do the persons who pay taxes receive for their money?” There are other questions, but I really would like to know how my life is better by shelling out this whopping amount.

The controversial vote in N.C. is in… the one on the Constitutional Amendment to allow “gay marriage” or to prohibit it by amending the state Constitution. There was already a statute there, prohibiting “gay marriage”, but now over 61% of the people in N.C. have voted NO to “gay marriage”, and YES to a Constitutional Amendment, which defines marriage between a man and a woman, as “the only legally recognized domestic union in the state.” Billy Graham supported the amendment, while Bill Clinton urged voters to allow “gay marriage”, and the ability to promote adoption of children by such couples. I’m certain this will be challenged in court.

Our nation is in perilous shape.. like a sinking ship, or a battered fortress, with gaping holes in the battlements. We are being encouraged to adopt the “European Model” of laws and liberalistic thought, along with “tolerant” (read.. mine is as good as yours, only it’s really better.) attitudes towards religion, ethics, sexual mores, and governmental excess. We shouldn’t!!

Our nation needs to return to that “government of the people, by the people and for the people”, envisioned and made reality by Adams, Paine, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, and others. Our nation needs to return to prayer, as in the days of the Great Revivals, in which 1 million people received Christ as their Savior and made Him Lord of their lives. Perhaps we need to take a lesson from the Israelites and work with one hand on the wall, and the other on our weaponry. (See Ephesians 6.) Good soldiers keep their armor, weapons, and equipment well cared for. Have we… will we…should we… do we? Whaddayathink?

Bro. Bill

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War On Terror Over?

pastor — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:55:32 +0000

Cultural Commentary for May 6, 2012

The other day, our President declared that the war on terror was a done deal.. that it was over. I don’t just disagree, I vehemently disagree. AND, I disagree for not only military reasons, but for the ones which count most… Biblical reasons.

One of today’s headlines reads… “Blasts shatter Kabul, 3 hours after Obama’s Departure”. Doesn’t sound like terror is over… or the other stories about people arrested in the US who were planning to destroy a bridge, or the five arrested in the UK for suspected plots of terrorism. Heck, the President dare not announce scheduled trips and visits, for fear that terrorists will know and plan attacks. “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over!”

Terrorism is not just a military problem, it’s a spiritual problem. Many commentators in the Christian media, as well as pastors and professors, have said this. No one wants to take it seriously, because that would mean they should respond appropriately. No one likes warfare, yet Christians have been engaged in “spiritual warfare” since forever, and the “enemy” has not changed. He is not Episcopalian, a follower of Buddha, or a Moslem. He is Satan, Lucifer, the devil… and he is seriously after you and your family.

Jesus said, “the day is coming when those who would kill you will believe they are doing God a service.” Today is that day, and has been that day for centuries. However, today is more overt. Moslems read the Koran and believe just that. In reading, they understand they do not have to treat an “unbeliever”, the same as they would another member of the “faithful”. Satan is behind it all; he is a counterfeiter, a liar, a deceiver, and our worst enemy.

Jim Denison, and others, have stated that “more Moslems have been saved in the last 15 years than in the last fifteen centuries”. Most commentators have noted that these people are “seeing visions and dreaming dreams”, which lead them to question their faith and find faith in Christ.

Perhaps it is time for many to “put on the whole armor of God”, and engage in this spiritual war we keep talking about and fighting. Not just with Arabic peoples and Moslems, but getting to the source of the problem. BIBLE QUESTION: If the church can lead people to Christ in unprecedented numbers, and our society changes, and our culture changes… will the war on terror end then, or will it only end when we kill terror’s leadership and all of its adherents? Whaddayathink?

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Oh, No! Another Stewardship Talk!

pastor — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 22:24:57 +0000

When pastors or finance committee chairmen talk about stewardship, people in churches, and people outside the church, have a similar reaction. “The church just wants our money, so they can spend it on something we don’t need.” In the Old Testament, giving was regulated by the Mosaic Law, for God’s people, by a system of tithes and offerings. In Christian giving, based on love, and the desire to be obedient to God, we realize we should meet or surpass, the Old Testament standard.

The big question is “how much should I be giving”? (You also hear “do I tithe on the net or the gross of my income”? “How much can I keep for myself”?) Listen to these 5 “ifs” that you and I need to consider:

If I give nothing, I am voting to close the doors of my church, disobeying God, and suggesting other church members do the same.
If I give only to current expenses, I am voting against missions and Christian Education, and disobeying the Great Commission, to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
If I give grudgingly, or only when pressured, I will miss the joy of giving: I will not be a “cheerful giver”.
If I refuse to give regularly, I am not” seeking first the Kingdom of God.”
If I give only what I think is “required”, I am ignoring the words of my Lord, who called our attention to the “weightier matters of the law; judgment, mercy and faith. (Matthew 23:23) By the way, we don’t want to leave the tithing/giving undone, according to the Lord.

God grants His richest blessings to His children, only when they walk in obedience to His will. I have learned that faithful obedience in stewardship is an important part of God’s plan for my life. We all are flawed and imperfect before a Holy God; sometimes because we fail to understand, and other times because we know and understand, yet fail to obey. May I suggest you do as Malachi writes in Malachi 3:7-10. Listen to what the Lord says… “return to Me, and I will return to you”… and “try/test Me now in this”. When you do that, the Lord promises an abundant and overflowing blessing. On your life, and by extension… on your church. Whaddayathink???

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Easter Reflections 2012

pastor — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:48:27 +0000

No day is more precious to Christians than Easter is! I say that in all honesty, and with a sense of knowledge from the Lord. The reason is primarily this: No other day in the history of this planet has meant/does mean so much, as the Day of the Resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah-Christ, from the Tomb. Calvary is important, but without the Resurrection, it’s rather non-powerful.

Yet, they are inextricably linked together! Yes, Jesus would have died for our sins, but without the proof that He is God the Son, and that God the Father accepts His sacrifice, people would be more disbelieving than they are. They would have been then, and would be now. After all, there were other “mystery” religions, like the worship of Mythras, which included the bull-god shedding his blood for his people.

These are not the “rites of spring”, which were celebrated with rabbits and fertility celebrations, including harvest and sexual celebrations. This is about the PROOF of the “good news” of Jesus Christ. By rising from the dead, He absolutely proved that everything He said, every miracle He did, every prayer He prayed, was an indicator of the will of His Father. (Search scripture if you want the references for this statement. There is more than one.) His resurrection said death was powerless over those who were God’s children, related to Him by faith; having been adopted into the Family of God… grafted into the “root stock of Israel”, justified by the Father, by the sacrifice of His Son.

The Church has to become “Easter People”.. Resurrection people.. people without fear of the grave, people without fear of the “enemies of the Cross of Christ”.. without fear of what other people will say. If we understand the Resurrection is PROOF, what do we care about supposition, theory, or opinion? Those things will be dead and dust, and gone, and believers will live with Christ in Eternity, still praising Him (“He IS Risen!)

In other words, we will outlive and overcome them. Paul said “the last enemy to be destroyed is death”. Now all we have to do is become who we really are: Disciples of Christ, Learners from Jesus, , and practitioners of His Way. YUM! That’s a great Easter cookie! Whaddayathink?

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Walk Away

pastor — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:46:43 +0000

CULTURAL COMMENTARY for March 04, 2012

I really don’t know what to call the phenomenon. Perhaps “walk-away” is the best description. People today are continuing to walk away from relationships, marriages, children, houses, churches, and hundreds of other commitments. Jobs, which would seem to be something to cling to, and scrap for, are part of the phenomenon, as well. Abortion is walking away from the life implanted in the womb, and generally requires both mother and father to walk away. Throwing your children into the welfare system, because “you can’t stand it anymore”, is walking away. Wanting to divorce your mate, hold on to the emotional security of their love, and having an affair, is walking away.

People whose homes no longer are market-valued high enough as an investment, are defaulting on their mortgages, because the payments don’t match an investment profile. That’s walking away. When your life doesn’t match your dreams and expectations, when it’s not like you want it to be.. walk away, that’s the thing now. Especially in churches, people walk away because there isn’t a big enough youth program or children’s program provided (Read babysitters) OR, perhaps it takes too much time from all my activities, and I can’t sleep late. OR, the people really expect me to keep my commitment to follow after Christ in all things, like clean living, supporting ministries and missions, offering testimony to what God has done in me. Don’t like that…. Just walk away. Hundreds of thousands of people “drop out” or “walk away” from church every year, and pastors sometimes pull their hair out, trying to figure how to close the back door. The fact is… You can’t!

YET, walking away doesn’t solve anything. Guilt will be prevalent, depression, broken lives, broken homes, scarred children. Churches aren’t meant to take over or replace parenting responsibilities, education, child and teen care. Churches are for something else.

What if God walked away, because of our attitudes, lack of compassion, outright sinful choices, “walk away” culture, or any of the myriad other things we see in 2012? See, people believe you can walk away, but everyone else is supposed to understand it, support you in it, and believe that it may be the best thing for you, AND swallow the pain, hurt, responsibility and guilt you have made them feel. Oh, goody!

The Lord Jesus Christ has a remedy for the “walk away”. It’s called repentance, admission of wrong and sin, and turning away from that; turning in another direction.. a direction that promises good, that promises and delivers a listening ear, and a loving heart, and a fabulous outcome. Turning towards Him. If you have to “walk away”, walk away from sin and failure; not your spouse, not your children, not your dreams, not your church and not your Lord. The only place you find greener grass is in the Good Shepherd of Psalm 23, and Peace. Praise Him!! Whaddyathink?

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More Starbucks and Standards

pastor — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 05:21:01 +0000

While I wrote last week, on the establishment of “standards“, and the “standards” being non-binding, I thought I would clarify some things and add a few thoughts, sort of tongue-in-cheek. For something to be a “standard” means it is established, like pi=3.1415 ad infinitum; you can’t just say it equals 3. (My father in law says pie are round, but that’s another story.) Standards are enforceable, and binding, and while some of them may change (speed limits), while they are in force, you are held accountable for conforming to those standards. The sex education standards I wrote about last week, are said to be non-binding, unenforceable, and non-accountable. That’s good for the moment, but I’m sure that later, say within the next five years, NEA is going to try to make them enforceable for all schools in the US.

Let me share with you a REAL set of standards. Find them in Exodus 20:1-17. What.. you can’t do that, obey all those things, be held accountable for all those things? No you can’t obey them. Sin and desire, lust, and your choices to be your own ruler, will prevent that (AND if you break one, you are guilty of breaking all of them.) Are you held accountable for being in compliance? YES, you are… and by a Holy God! These are life-long lessons to make you understand your personal sinfulness, and seek to escape the consequences of that sinfulness. In other words, as “a schoolmaster to bring you to Christ”. There is where you find forgiveness, pardon and fulfillment. [Then you can start living... really living.] Will those standards ever change? NO! Can you or I get a “pass” on them without receiving Christ as our personal Savior and Lord? NO! Therefore, to speak of “non-enforceable standards” is nonsense, inadequate and a misuse of the English language; not to mention calling God a liar. (Something you really, really don’t want to do.) Others may take issue with that statement, but, it is Biblical, and enforceable, because God is God “and there is none else”, and “there is no other name, under heaven, given among men, whereby we may be saved”.

On a lighter side, yet still serious; let me share with you some “Rules“. #1.. The world is not fair. Get used to it! #2.. The world does NOT care about your self-esteem. It is expected that you will accomplish something, before you can feel good about yourself, or anyone will tell you “you done good.” #3.. TV is not real life. In real life you do have to leave Starbucks, or get off the couch, or out of the bed, and go to work. That is, you have to go to work if you want to [a] have a bed [b] a couch, or [c] drink over rated expensive coffee. #4.. if and when you mess up, it is absolutely no one’s fault but your own. SO don’t whine about your mistakes, learn from them! Whaddayathink?

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Shepherd's View

What Do I Get For My Tax Dollars?

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