Thoughts For Anzac Day

Psalm 33:10-12 "The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed [is] the nation whose God [is] the LORD; [and] the people [whom] he hath chosen for his own inheritance."

Psalm 11:2-3 "For, lo, the wicked bend [their] bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

Psalm 7:9 "Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins."

Prov. 14:34 "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

Job 34:30 "Godless men should not rule, nor be snares of the people."

Prov. 29:2 "When the righteous become great, the people rejoice, when wicked men rule , people groan."

II Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

These thoughts apply to Australia and America and any other Judeo-Christian nation:

It seems we have tried everything else in recent years. Political parties have come and gone. New political movements blossom and flourish and then fade into history. New financial fads appear and then pass away. New social schemes come and go. Relativism and permissiveness have led to the pursuit of pleasure as a national preoccupation. We have gone off the gold standard and abandoned God’s standards. Hundreds of books on New Age Religions of ancient origin replace the few Christian books on the shelves of our bookstores.

Hope And Help For Today

If man has ever lived in time when he needs help and healing, that time is now. We are assailed on every hand. Insoluble problems plague nations and individuals. National debts multiply at speeds approaching the speed of light. No politician or potentate presents a trustworthy proposal to place international budgets back into balance. The fabric of the very souls of nations is being torn to shreds by economic, social and political upheaval. Child molestation and sexual perversion threaten to destroy a whole generation. The traditional Christian family seems to stand on the very verge of extinction. Add to all this the very real and present danger of militant, violent and savage Islamic terror that threatens to subjugate the whole world under brutal sharia law and establish a dictatorial Islamic Caliphate.

Where is the politician or leader who can truly call men and nations that were once called Christian to repentance and back to their Christian heritage? Where is the philosophy or the philosopher that can bring help and healing? Did David speak for us when he poured out his heart to God and said, "Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. And I said, Oh that I had the wings of a dove! For then I would fly away and be at rest."

Is there any hope, help or healing for our contemporary frustration and despair? Were our antecedents in the faith merely engaging in meaningless superlatives when they spoke of the great God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? Just how great is He? Was John exaggerating later when he concluded that, "...greater is He that is inure than he that is in the world." (I John 4:4) Was Paul deluded when he said, "I ,can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."? (Phil!. 4:13) Is there help today for all our troubles, trials and tribulations? It would seem so.

Surely those wonderful words He spoke to His disciples when He said, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest," are meant for our day and time as well.

Someone has likened the tender, loving compassion and care of God for His children' to the ancient king sitting on his throne, surrounded by his council of wise and important men, deliberating on high affairs of state involving the destiny of nations. Suddenly he hears the sorrowful cry of his little child who has fallen down and been hurt. He rises and runs to his relief, soothes his pain and relieves his fears. Is this out of character with his high and kingly estate? Not in the least. His action does not deny His sovereignty, but demonstrates it.

Our King of Kings and Lord of Lords numbers the hairs on the head of his little children. He engraves their name in His hand. He cares, oh yes, He cares. His heart is touched with our grief! The loving compassion expressed in His rescuing us from the fearful doom and destruction of sin, confirms His greatness.

Once an ordinary boatman was rowing a college professor across a stream. When they were in midstream the professor said to the common man, "Do you know anything about philosophy?" "No," the boatman replied. "Well," the professor replied "You've lost out on a large portion of your life." Just then the boat capsized and boatman cried out to the professor, "Can you swim?" The professor gasped, "No!" The boatman yelled back, "Then you've lost your life!"

The professor had been so concerned with the academic and the theoretical, he was not practically prepared to survive in a real life crisis. It's all a matter of what is the most important in life.

Jesus said He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. If we are going to function and cope with life to the best degree, we must know the life giver and the life sustainer. He stands ready to impart to us not only the spiritual survival skills necessary, but will provide is with the wisdom and power to apply them to our everyday existence. Hope, peace and happiness head the list of the spiritual help He wishes to provide for His children as they wend their through this world. Yes, our Lord knows the way through the wilderness of this world and all we have to do is follow! - Pastor John G. White

46 Years

At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, we began our 46th year in the great land of Australia! Since at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve 1975 we joined hands with a little flock to organize Sherwood Hills Baptist Church, we thought what better way to celebrate the New Year than to travel to Sherwood Hills Baptist Church in Campbelltown, New South Wales to participate in their celebration of their 40th Anniversary. As some may know, we had been thrilled to receive a gracious invitation from the church and their Pastor, Donald Stewart, to not only attend but to participate as guests of honour - with all travel and expenses paid! One might imagine our disappointment when at the last moment I came down with a severe infection; accompanied by very discomforting chills and fever. My Doctor said I shouldn’t go and I do not believe I could have physically made it in any case. 

We were gratified to receive exciting reports about the Anniversary Celebration.. We were pleased that our two sons, John and Danny, were able to represent our family. Danny worked hard as a 10-12 year old to help construct the first building. It is a testimony of God’s grace and guidance that so many different people are used by Him at different stages in the planting and growing of a church.
I understand that a number of these helped celebrate this occasion. Four men come immediately to mind. Frank Evans, Chris Van Dijk, John Fearne and Frank Thomas. When I resigned in order to  return to the church planting mission field, I asked the church to select these men as a pulpit committee and leaders into the future. They did so. Anyone connected with and knowing the history of the church could attest to their strong and steady leadership through the years that followed. In my opinion, the growth and strength of the church can in no small measure be attributed to these families and others like them, as well as the families of their children and now their grandchildren.  I posted some fifty photos on my Facebook Page of the early history and families involved. Below are some comments of those who were involved and who responded to the photos:

Pastor White at Sherwood Hills Baptist Church

Ray Perry served as Church and School Accountant for a number of years and His wife, Joan served as full time secretary. Here is her comment:
“My most memorable time was the day I was baptised. On that day, Ray, our three children, Bruce, Neil and Annette and I entered the waters of baptism and proclaimed our faith and love in the Lord. On that day the Parrott family were also baptised. Nine or ten of us. What a joy, and what a blessing. Praise God through whom all blessings flow. 

Margaret Greenhow:  Thanks for the beautiful photos Pastor White. I pray you are feeling better now. We missed you on Sunday. One more thing I would like to thank you for was following the leadership of the Holy Spirit and teaching me about salvation. It is a gift that I would never be able to repay. God bless both.  

Janne Peterson: Thanks for the  beautiful photos.  When I saw the one of my mum and I it brought a tear to my eye. It was so  precious to see us together at church. Thanks for all your hard work, thorough doctrinal teaching and for being such a kind and fun pastor to us. 

 Leon Jasper: Thank you for sharing all these pictures
which brings back lots of memories. Thank you for introducing me to these great people. I pray God will continue blessing this Church. I also count it a blessing to have known and worked with you and your family these many years. God Bless