“True Prayer Is Our Hope for America”


© 2022 Don Pinson | [Download]
(Link not working? Right-click and select “Save As”.)

It had been extremely hot and dry. There had hardly been any rain for twelve weeks. The corn and other crops had wilted and looked to be beyond reviving. This would mean starvation come winter. There was no hope in their own ability to fix this situation. But this group had learned to trust God, their Creator, as God, their Sustainer. Thus, they called for a day of fasting and prayer to seek God’s face as to why He had withheld the rain. After genuine repentance and worship that day in 1623, the rain began to fall that very night and to their astonishment, their corn revived and produced wonderfully that summer. The Pilgrims proved, once again, that prayer to God Almighty, the Father of Jesus Christ, is the way to move things in this world!

True Prayer is Our Hope for America 1In the midst of our current crisis, we must remember that it is not up to us, but the Lord Himself, to change our hearts and forms of government. While our part is to work with Him in what He’s doing, our praying will be what ultimately wins this battle. God stirs us to prayer, reminding us,

“…you have not because you ask not. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it on your own desires.” (James 4:2-3)

Others, beside the Pilgrims, have Continue reading

“Foundational Ideas of America”

Foundational Ideas of America 1


© 2022 Don Pinson | [Download]
(Link not working? Right-click and select “Save As”.)

Four generations of Americans have now been taught that this nation was birthed out of ideas from many different cultures:  That America is the great ‘melting pot’ of ideas.  While it is true America has descendants from many nations which make up her citizenry, the men who birthed this nation were very much alike in their basic view of life and the world.  The effort to hide from us their beliefs is designed to destroy the very liberty we cherish.

In 1843, Emma Willard, educator and historian, identified both the characteristics of the young republic of the United States and the reason for its emerging greatness.  Her words give us insight, which, if taught to our children, will Continue reading

“Repairing The Hedge”

Repairing The Hedge 1


© 2022 Don Pinson | [Download]
(Link not working? Right-click and select “Save As”.)

If you have a fenced in yard, and all the sudden you notice there are animals trampling your flowers and destroying your vegetable garden, you know there’s something wrong with your fence.  So you look for where the fence is broken, where it has a gap, and you fix it.  To stop the flow of intruders into your property, you must repair the gap in your fence.

God uses this very picture in the Bible to describe what happens when His people start to disobey Him.  God evidently places a “hedge” of protection (Isaiah 5:1-7) around each individual at birth.  As we grow in age and size we learn from parents, teachers and others about life.  If what we learn is the truth as revealed in the Bible, and we choose to consistently obey that truth, the “hedge” stays up.  But if what we learn either is not the truth, or if we choose to disobey the truth, then our “hedge” of protection starts to break down.  The more disobedience there is to God’s Word, the more our fence comes down; and the more satan and his evil spirits, who come to “kill, steal, and destroy,” (John 10:10) break into our lives.  Thus, the destruction in our lives will Continue reading

“Triumph Will Come Out of Tragedy”

Triumph Will Come Out of Tragedy 1


© 2021 Don Pinson | [Download]
(Link not working? Right-click and select “Save As”.)

While this has been the worst year in American history, God is yet at work.  The story He is writing through the course of time is filled with triumphs that came out of tragedies.  One of these was when the Jews were carried away to Babylon for seventy years.  Their temple was torn down and the palaces of their kings destroyed.  Nothing was left of their previous civilization.  And yet, in that darkest of all days in their history, God was still writing His-Story.  He promised them that this tragedy would be used to work their repentance, which would bring them back to His order—and, in His order, there is always the flow of His blessing.

At this, the lowest moment in all their long history, God gave them an encouraging word through the prophet Jeremiah.  He boldly declared to the nation that, out of this tragedy, He would,

“…give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart.” (Jeremiah 24:7)

He said, “I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord…”  They had gone into captivity because they had forgotten He was “the Lord”; that is, He was the Owner and Master of everything—including them!  He owned their possessions; and those should have been used for bringing their children and others into agreement with God’s way of thinking.  Instead, they had Continue reading

“The Christmas Story”


© 2021 Don Pinson | [Download]
(Link not working? Right-click and select “Save As”.)

Ladies and gentlemen, the following story is why we have Christmas:

The Christmas Story1 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away [privately]. But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for…he…shall save his people from their sins.’ Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us.’ And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS.” Continue reading

“Born to Raise the Sons of Earth”

Born to Raise the Sons of Earth 1


© 2021 Don Pinson | [Download]
(Link not working? Right-click and select “Save As”.)

At this time of year we probably hear the Name of Jesus spoken more often than at any other time.  We thrill to the story of His miraculous birth and the way He arose out of very humble surroundings to become a Man who helped so many hurting people.  But there, most people’s thoughts of Him stop.  And we miss the reason for all His background and upbringing.  We miss what the great hymn written by Charles Wesley captured so well when he wrote in the 1700s that Jesus was:

“…born to raise the sons of earth; born to give them second birth.” (Hark the Herald Angels Sing)

So how does Jesus raise the sons of earth?  Well, He starts by bringing us into what the next phrase of the hymn calls the “second birth.”  He has the Holy Spirit convince us that we have rebelled against God and His order for our lives; thus, the Bible reveals to us that we are each sinners.  Then the Holy Spirit convinces us that Jesus has Continue reading

“God Was Taking Care of America”


© 2021 Don Pinson | [Download]
(Link not working? Right-click and select “Save As”.)

god-was-taking-care-of-america1The date was December 7th, 1941. The time was 7:55am. To the complete surprise of American forces in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Japanese planes began to sweep down and drop devastating bombs onto our fleet and also our planes on the ground. When the attack was done, eighteen of our ships were sunk or sinking and nearly all of our planes were destroyed. Over 3,500 of our servicemen were dead. We were shocked at such a bold and devastating attack on our U.S Navy. Many wondered if the Navy would ever recover. Even worse, we wondered if our liberty would shortly be ended and we would be required to worship the Emperor of Japan as god.

In the midst of this despair, President Franklin Roosevelt replaced the commander of our Pacific fleet with an Admiral named Chester Nimitz. Nimitz arrived at Pearl Harbor on Christmas Eve, 1941. He immediately went for an inspection of the harbor. Sunken ships and twisted metal were everywhere. Once Nimitz had inspected the whole harbor, the young seaman at the helm of his boat asked him, “Well, Admiral, what do you think after seeing all this destruction?” Nimitz’ reply shocked everyone listening. He said Continue reading

“The Birth that Affected Civil Law”

The Birth that Affected Civil Law 1


© 2021 Don Pinson | [Download]
(Link not working? Right-click and select “Save As”.)

This time of year there’s a lot of reference to the Baby Jesus in the manger.  That’s a good thing.  We think of the Christ Child and hope comes to us that God literally invaded history and brought hope that there could be “peace on earth toward men of good will” (Luke 2:14).

And yet, for all this good feeling surrounding the Baby Jesus, few ever think beyond the manger.  And even of those who do think of His important life, death, and resurrection, even fewer ever come to understand His impact on all civilization; and particularly here in the western hemisphere.  Jesus was the most important Law-Giver in world history.  His influence over moral and civil law in this world makes Him, without question, the most influential person in all of history.  Yet, few law schools in America ever acknowledge His powerful impact.

Jesus’ birth came at a time when Rome ruled the world with crushing dictatorial power.  No one criticized Roman authority without placing their lives at great risk.  Into this oppressive realm Jesus was born.  The very place of His birth was Continue reading

“The Pilgrims — Overcoming the Hard Times”


© 2021 Don Pinson | [Download]
(Link not working? Right-click and select “Save As”.)

The Pilgrims - Overcoming the Hard Times 1Forefathers Monument, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, is dedicated to the memory of the Pilgrims: Specifically to the memory of, “…their labors, sufferings, and sacrifices in the cause of civil and religious liberty.” One of the five statues which make up Forefathers Monument is Morality. This statue reveals the Pilgrims desire to live conforming their actions to the Bible. They demonstrated how Christ could live His life through us if we were surrendered to Him as a living Master. And that was true in hard times as well as good times. Their story shows us this reality—even in the most difficult circumstances.

When they came together in a church covenant in 1605 to: “…walk together in all His ways…whatsoever it should cost them…” (Bradford, William. Of Plimoth Plantation), it would cost them dearly. Several times over the next three years, English deputies would burst into their worship meetings, hauling the men off to jail; fining them and keeping them locked up for thirty days. This cost them financially because they were unable to work their farms during those times.

When they moved to Holland in order to have the religious freedom to teach their children the ways of Christ, they were Continue reading

“Thankful for Biblical Civil Systems”

Thankful for Biblical Civil Systems 1


© 2021 Don Pinson | [Download]
(Link not working? Right-click and select “Save As”.)

In 1623 the Pilgrims celebrated a time of Thanksgiving with their Indian friends, Chief Massasoit and his Wampanoag tribe. The Pilgrims were grateful to God for their Indian friends. The peace treaty into which they had entered helped both peoples to go on with their daily lives in an ordered manner. This is, of course, the purpose of civil law; to protect the God-given rights of life, liberty, and property. When this is done, the resulting order allows society’s institutions to function without the interruption of chaos. The Pilgrims’ Pastor, John Robinson, had taught them that this order flowed from Biblically based civil government, and thus, the first thing they did when they arrived was to write the Mayflower Compact; which instituted this type of government. I believe their new civil government was one of the things they were most thankful for on those first Thanksgiving Days.

And the Pilgrims’ new civil government was working. Their original economic system failed because it was Continue reading