Tuesday, November 22, 2016

SMR #175

Smoky Mountain Reflections #175

We like to take sides. My dog is better than your dog, my dad can beat up your dad, my team is better than your team. It is appealing or desire to be on the winning side, have the winning team, that I think in many ways affects how we vote and choose our politicians. Sadly, for most of my adult life when I did my civic duty of voting I as most of us have been very disappointed with the options that were available. But if you compare even our worst leaders, even the current options are tame compared to some of the tyrant rulers in world history.

But to help ease your election hangover let me share a few things with you.
Jesus died for all sinners, of all political persuasions, no matter how they voted.
When you vote you are not saying you approve of any of that candidate’s sins.
Voting is simply saying that the political positions of that candidate are most in line with yours.
The sanctity of human life is a biblical principal so it should be high on your priority list.
Casting a vote for whom ever you think has the best chance of being in that office is important.
So they can protect life,
Protect and promote family’s.
Protect the free exercise of faith and conscience,
Protect and defend our nation and promote peace in the world.
            This in my humble opinion is the most God pleasing way to cast your vote.

But whoever you vote or voted for……The church will pray for President Clinton or President Trump and the world will not end because of this election. Trust in God, He is in charge…..Press on.  

In Christ Pastor Portier
           

              

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

#174 Who is forcing their views on whom?

Smoky Mountain Reflections #174

            We live in a society that has lost it connection with reality and logic while proclaiming to be scientific and factual in all its assertions. This leads to nonsensical realities that we must live with and endure everyday as we seek to speak the truth in love to our neighbor.
            Hormone therapy for aging men and woman is take caution!
            Hormone therapy for athletic performance is bad!
            Hormone therapy for treating whatever ails you bad!
            Hormone therapy for gender reassignment, good????

Our society has divide itself in to two parts
-Those who affirm the 6th commandment as Gods word and seek with God’s help to keep intimacy 
 between one man and one woman in marriage.
-And those who reject the sixth commandment and set self-pleasure above all else, evidence that they  
 have a conscience is the fact that they want to force their views on the first group,

LGBTQ is the new special rights group to which we all must surrender.
            To speak against this special group by calling them sinners like you and me…unacceptable.
            Your conscience and your faith can and will come under their scrutiny.
            Our Government has mandated that in public schools.
The places designed to receive human waste or wash sweaty athletes.
must in essence be genderless…..????????????????
with no regard for the male and female way God has created us.                       

There are those who want to regulate everything and everyone with the strong arm of government.
            Licensing and regulations for fishing, driving, hunting, gun ownership, bicycles, cars, pets…..
            But licensing and simple regulation of clinics that murder babies…..outrageous.
            Most abortion clinics function as a cash only business….they do not accept personal checks.
            Our nation’s largest provider was defunded by most states.
            But still receives 500 million of our tax dollars.
            How then are they able to donate as an organization to political campaigns?
            Why are the laws in our country applied selectively????
            There is a schizophrenic, bipolar nature to our nation.
            And at its source is human sin….

The great deceiver has us deceived into calling evil good and good evil.
            Now more than ever we must seek Gods will in our lives.
            As we go through another election season,
            Your pastor suggest that you pray and take seriously your responsibility as a citizen.
            We cannot save the world and have not been called to save the world, Jesus did that.
            We are called to obey the forth commandment and be good citizens.
            Loving God and our Neighbor as best we can with God’s help.
            Fear not, God is in charge, you have been redeemed.
            Trust in Him and press on.

In Christ Pastor Portier