Unplanned Pregnancy

What could he do? His girlfriend was now carrying someone else's child. They both knew that was the truth, and he was confused. It was her choice. What a mess! What was she thinking now? Abortion wasn't an option for her. She was certain the baby deserved to live. But how could she walk this out?

People were talking, making the entire matter much harder than it had to be. But you know how people are! They love to gossip and slander and make themselves look better than others. Soon the news was everywhere, and people were looking at her growing belly. Even her relatives felt the need to comment on the situation. One woman even told her she knew this would happen. Can you picture yourself saying that to someone? Wow! What is it with people? God had been so gracious to this older woman in her own shame, taking it away, but she had to open her mouth and say something. The young woman's response to her was very gracious. She believed  even unplanned and unexpected events had a purpose. In an odd turn, the younger woman agreed to move in and help the older one who needed some special assistance. For three months, she stayed to help her. Imagine that!

Eventually, the couple both felt compelled to travel to his hometown. She was close to having the baby now. Flying wasn't an option, so they packed up their bags and took to the road. It was a long, hard trip. The countryside was beautiful, but then she went into labor. No one could help.  She delivered the baby, and they did the best they could to keep him warm and safe.

There were folks living in the fields nearby who worked in animal sciences. They'd heard about what had happened from someone they didn't expect. Even under the circumstances, the news hit that this was something to be glad about. 

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praying God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

(From the accounts in the books of Matthew and Luke. Copyright Mark Taft.)

Guilty of Murder and Set Free

I was so moved by this story of indifference to compassion, I knew I had to share it when I first read it. In our world of selfishness, chaos, depravity, and disillusionment, it's refreshing to read of a person brave enough to acknowledge and encounter their part in it and make a change.
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"I was an abortionist. The abortion industry isn't willing to prioritize patient safety. I was pro-choice for decades. I performed abortions and had an abortion myself. Can't we all at least agree on importance of safety in the industry?

I’ve killed more people than Ted Bundy.

Coming to terms with the fact that I was a professional mass murderer was devastating, but it compelled me to speak the truth.

I began my medical career believing the modern clichés that women must have total control over our bodies, and that it’s irresponsible and unethical to bring unwanted children into an overpopulated world. During my OB-GYN residency in Florida in the late 1970s, I went above and beyond the usual first-trimester abortion requirement and asked to learn to perform second-trimester dismemberment abortions. When faced with my own unwanted pregnancy before entering medical school, I chose abortion.

Abortions, I soon discovered, can be very profitable. When I got my medical license in Florida in 1978, I moonlighted as an abortionist on the weekends, making more money than I would have made working in the emergency room. I was amazed by the perfect little fingers and toes but treated fetal remains like any other medical specimen — with no emotion. I even performed abortions while I was pregnant. The difference was clear to me at the time: My baby was wanted; my patients' babies weren't. I saw no contradiction in that.

The only time I questioned my line of work was during my neonatal rotation, when I realized I was trying to save babies in the neonatal intensive care unit who were the same age as some of the babies I was aborting.

The path to life-

Three patients changed my professional trajectory.

I was preparing to perform an abortion on the first when I realized I had already performed three on her in the past — she was using abortion as birth control. I protested doing the fourth, only to be told by my boss that I had no right to deny it to her. “Easy for you to say, you’re not the one doing the killing,” I snapped back. I did the killing, but my response startled even me.

A sad choice, but the right one: I had a later abortion because I couldn't give my baby girl both life and peace

The second patient was a young woman there with a friend. Her friend asked whether she wanted to see the tissue when I was done, and she replied angrily that no, she just wanted to kill it. “What did this baby ever do to you?” I wondered, again surprised by my reaction. I don't think I had ever thought of them as babies before.

But it was a mother of four who felt she just couldn’t manage another child who brought me to tears. She wept before, during and after the procedure. It was the grief of a woman who knew the moral gravity of what she was doing that ended my abortion career.

I stopped doing abortions, but I remained pro-choice. Over time, I saw in my OB-GYN practice young girls flourish who had chosen not to abort, and older, more educated patients who had aborted struggle psychologically. Gradually, I began to see the feminist narrative that abortion empowers women as increasingly flimsy.

Ultimately, I could not shake the realization that the only thing that decided the fate of the baby was whether he or she was wanted or not. The former was born. The latter was killed. The life or death of a human being should not be so arbitrarily decided.

I became pro-life.

Shoddy, dangerous care

I now give expert testimony on the realities of abortion, like the testimonies the Supreme Court will soon consider in the case of June Medical Services LLC v. Gee.

For years, many abortion clinics have gotten away with shoddy practices that no surgery center would be likely to get away with. This is surely because abortion workers, legislators and law enforcement fear that they will be accused of restricting access to abortion if they hold abortion clinics accountable.

Loving abortion clinic workers, too:Pro-life movement should follow Abby Johnson's lead, turning abortion workers into allies

A former manager of an abortion clinic told me that she was instructed to use dish washing liquid to clean their instruments when their sanitizer broke down so they wouldn’t have to close while it was repaired. Inspection reports in multiple states have found clinics not properly sanitizing their instruments. 

A patient who came to me for complications from a late-term abortion said she was kept in a cold room overnight without a blanket during an induction abortion. She was forced to give birth in a toilet the next morning, only to watch her still living baby drown.

As a gynecologist on call in the emergency room, I personally treated women experiencing severe complications, including life-threatening hemorrhage and infection from abortions, because no one at the abortion clinic had admitting privileges. No abortion clinic personnel ever called to give me information on a patient they were sending to the ER. This is not a safe way to practice medicine.

When it comes to abortionists being required to have local hospital admitting privileges, the issue the court will consider in Gee, the fact is that many physicians on staff at ambulatory surgical centers are required to have hospital privileges to ensure that patient care is not compromised in the event of a complication.

Helping patients fight for their lives, and their rights:We met as doctor and patient, but a life-saving abortion was the start of our friendship

One of the reasons we are told these safety standards aren’t needed is because abortion is so safe, but we don’t know the true percent of women who experience complications.

Only 28 states require abortion providers to report post-abortion complications, and states are not required to submit abortion data to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Abortion clinics don't want this information to come out, and providers have taken states to court to try to avoid reporting. 

Recently, a former Arizona abortion clinic employee won millions of dollars in a wrongful termination lawsuit after she was fired for noting serious health and safety violations at her clinic.

Yet Americans were horrified when the unsanitary conditions and unsafe medical practices of convicted Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s abortion clinic were uncovered, and shocked when news broke about Dr. Ulrich Klopfer, an abortionist who, day after day, walked out of his office with bags of aborted fetal remains, accumulating thousands, and violating endless ethical, medical and legal standards. These are hallmarks of an unsafe industry.

I was pro-choice for decades. I performed abortions and had an abortion. I understand in a deep and personal way where the fault lines of disagreement over abortion in America lie. But can’t we at least all agree on the importance of safety in the abortion industry?" 

Dr. Kathi Aultman is an associate scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute and a member of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 

(Published by USA Today January 22, 2020.)

This Makes Me Sick to Death

We are a very sick society, and it sickens me to no end to even glance on this image! What would make me do such a thing? How could I ever live with myself for sharing this? It's impossible to understand, and yet I am motivated by love. This is the body of a late term aborted baby girl. Obviously she was injected in order to kill her, but normally there would be body parts. I just couldn't bring myself to show that...breaks my heart.

“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, 

defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:8–9)

Doesn't this apply to unborn children as well?

There are some good things we appreciate about each of our political parties, but that either side accepts or even encourages the violent dismantling of those children unable to speak for themselves is without excuse.

Founder Margaret Sanger's clear racist roots in forming Planned Parenthood and its strategically placed locations in lower income (usually Black) neighborhoods is not in dispute. Check out the facts for yourself.

But, boy, is this a big money issue! If the average cost for an abortion is $500 (the range can be zero to one thousand dollars) and if you multiply that by the 61 Million abortions that have occurred since Roe vs. Wade, that is a lot of money somebody is living very well on. (By the way, the image above is of a baby girl that was aborted by lethal injection and not in the usual manner of being torn apart piece by piece.)

God's heart grieves. He is the God of life, not death, and we've fooled ourselves into thinking aborting babies is reasonable, the lesser of two evils, or something we must put up with in order to further progress in other social ills. We are no better than the ancient peoples of old who used to throw their babies into the fire to worship their ancient gods. Certainly women (and their men) with unwanted pregnancies have a hard road ahead. But Our God is the God of the impossible! After losing almost everything, Job had a reason to despair, but he states,

“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (Job 33:4).

Thank God that the earthly mother of Jesus dealt wisely with a pregnancy she didn’t expect.

He steps in when we need Him- Here's the most significant success story of an unwanted pregnancy that didn't end in abortion.

 

We've seen many suffer by making this choice to abort a child- and I've seen God's heart of forgiveness and healing for those who truly repent of this sin of murder (and every other sin as well). Just as with addiction to pornography, it’s more common in the church than you may want to believe, but this is the truth.

"There are six things that the Lord hates,
    seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood..."

(Proverbs 6:16-17)

So please don’t tell me that until more people step up to adopt that abortion is the best answer. Again, I’ve heard this from professing Christians. The answer is to do what is right in God’s eyes first and then participate in making a difference by letting God move and allowing Him to sort out the details. THAT is faith in action.  

"Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter!"

 (Isaiah 5:20)

Yes, we believers care about immigration reforms, caring for the poor, good healthcare for the population, racial equity, and more. But we cannot justify putting support behind ending the lives of babies. Even though it's not a good situation by any means - and God hates injustice- in every case of these other issues, the people affected are alive to fight for change. Even though mothers survive the abortion, victims of abortion are dead. They don't have a voice, a chance to grow up, a chance to stand up for themselves or a chance to change the world. We must speak up on their behalf and work for a better world that values life. That is the heart of Our God.

Notable and Quotable: Kathy Barnette

"I am the byproduct of a rape, My mother was 11 years old when I was conceived. My father was 21. I was not just a lump of cells. As you can see, I'm still not just a lump of cells. My life has value."

                    Kathy Barnette, Pennsylvania Senate Candidate

A New Baby and Hope in Our Abortion Crisis

You're looking at our new granddaughter. She was born happy and healthy just a few hours ago- about 24 hours after I wrote the article below. Another one of God's precious miracles!

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I should have been an aborted child. My Mom was 16 and pregnant; my father 18 and not wanting to be a father. Thank God, they chose life instead! (And after 60 plus years of marriage, they are one of the happiest couples I know.) So, abortion is a very personal matter for me.

My oldest daughter and her husband were told by doctors their second son would have Dandy Walker Syndrome, would never have a normal and healthy life, and they should abort him. Up until a month before his birth, all signs showed the doctors were correct in the diagnosis, but they insisted on supporting his life. Wouldn't you know, he was born totally healthy. Amazing.

I've heard some well meaning but misguided folks say until the adoption crisis is figured out, abortion is the best option. Imagine if we did that with COVID-19. Until we can conquer it, all senior citizens should be euthanized. Lunacy.

Check out this book, The Case for Life, a scientific study that proves live begins at conception.

Post abortion, I do know some women who have chosen to let God do a great work in them, and even though they never forget their choice, they have found forgiveness and freedom. Isn't that just like Him? That's the God I choose to serve. We're all broken in some way, and we all have done things we know are not right. A couple of women in my extended family have had abortions. And their lives have been filled with a sadness they never really get rid of until they looked to God. 

The other ironic thing about all this- it's hard for us to admit there really is a child in that womb. So, we justify it away and think our decision will affect no one else- but it always does. On one hand, we teach our kids that each one is special and of value, and on the other, we teach them that prenatal life is just a blob. Does anyone else see this as a strange thing?

I am always pleasantly surprised when a pro-abortion advocate gets pregnant and then, within a few weeks of pregnancy, sees their child via medical technology. It's hard to deny that really is an active little one made in the image of God. 

The heart of God, and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, was strictly out of love. It covers all sins and each is equal. Even this one which grieves me the most.

Lessons Learned from Presidents Biden and Trump

President Joe Biden gave one classy, and hopefully honest and heartfelt inaugural address. It was full of the proper decorum necessary to be President of the United States, and it showed respect to the office he now holds. Something that was missing from the Trump presidency. If Biden can truly accomplish what he has said yesterday, there's reason to be hopeful. I've learned some lessons over the last few weeks, but the application of them may surprise you.

I will not vote for Donald Trump or support his new third party. His actions in the last several months threatening our democracy will not be supported or tolerated by me. 

Freedom of speech must be sustained. It was disheartening at best to see Big Tech show their might by pulling communication channels of those they disagree with. I'd rather know what groups of people are thinking then have that hidden from me. Let me make my own mind up. Do not filter my media or news. Sadly, not a single prominent Democrat spoke up in disagreement with this move by Big Tech. This inaction does not communicate a desire for us to live in diversity but instead clearly diactates we must live in uniformity. The very opposite of what President Biden has just told us.

I am happy to see that the glass ceiling for women and women of color has been broken by Vice President Kamala Harris. She is the just wrong woman for the job. I am happy for the breakthrough as I was with the election of President Obama for the same reason. Her election communicates to the women of this world they are valued and any job is available to the most qualified person. But like him, she is the wrong person for the job. 

Any politician who is bound to an organization founded to eliminate Black people through abortion is not worthy of my vote. Ever. Period. Yes, that is founder Margaret Sanger's Planned Parenthood. The sanctity of life is foundational in serving a God who loves the people he created. I heard a very misguided Christian tell me that until the adoption crisis can be fixed, abortion is the only viable option. That's humanism leading the way. Our call as believers is to trust God and be obedient, leaving the results up to Him. Imagine if we as a nation decided COVID-19 cannot be conquered easily, so until we could, it's best to euthanize the elderly and those most likely to be impacted. After all, that would follow the same pattern of thinking. Choosing extremist California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to lead Health and Human Services is not a good beginning to building bridges of unity. Pure and simple, until the Democratic Party puts to death their marriage to abortion, they will not win the votes of the majority of conservative, Bible believing Christians.  

That said, the church must step up its game and put into greater action what they say they believe. We as Christians have done much good in the world feeding the poor, building hospital and wells, and creating agencies that support adoption of orphans. There's more work to do. It's one thing to have the Biblical beliefs and even teach them. It's another to do something with them. For too long, only a few of us have served the underprivileged and bettered their lives and also shared the good news of Jesus. It's not an either or. They both go together. Too many of us have sat on the sidelines and let the government do our work. Look where it got us. The poor, the widow, the immigrant all need to be cared for. All the helpless do. And who is more vulnerable than those in the womb who have no voice?

I do want to see better guidelines and a more open inviting country when it comes to immigration. All are welcome, but come in legally. If you don't, do not expect to be treated with the benefits that come from citizenship. But regardless, do expect to be treated with respect.

Respect is a basic human right because all of us are created in the image of God, although not all choose to acknowledge Him or live by His standards. This is why Jesus came to earth to die in place of a broken people He loves. One by one. Freedom of religion and the ability to worship and live life in a manner that supports individual spiritual beliefs is paramount to a healthy society. 

There's much more to say, but this will suffice for now. As with all presidents, I will pray for my country's current leader. He is my president, but like all politicians and all humans- including you and I- he is imperfect, broken, and has areas of being misguided. As with those before him, God has allowed this president to be in power for His purposes be it correction or blessing or a mixture of both. Let's discover what they are and seek God's heart and will in all matters.

An Unplanned Pregnancy

What could he do? His girlfriend was now carrying someone else's child. They both knew that was the truth, and he was confused. It was her choice. Abortion wasn't an option for her. She was certain the baby deserved to live. But how could she walk this out?

People were talking, making the entire matter much harder than it had to be. But you know how people are! They love to gossip and slander and make themselves look better than others. Soon the news was everywhere, and people were looking at her growing belly. Even her relatives felt the need to comment on the situation. One woman even told her she knew this would happen. Can you picture yourself saying that to someone? Wow! What is it with people? God had been so gracious to this older woman in her own shame, taking it away, but she had to open her mouth and say something. The young woman's response to her was very gracious. She believed  even unplanned and unexpected events had a purpose. In an odd turn, the younger woman agreed to move in and help the older one who needed some special assistance. For three months, she stayed to help her. Imagine that!

Eventually, the couple both felt compelled to travel to his hometown. She was close to having the baby now. Flying wasn't an option, so they packed up their bags and took to the road. It was a long, hard trip. The countryside was beautiful, but then she went into labor. No one could help.  She delivered the baby, and they did the best they could to keep him warm and safe.

There were folks living in the fields nearby who worked in animal sciences. They'd heard about what had happened from someone they didn't expect. Even under the circumstances, the news hit that this was something to be glad about. 

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praying God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

(From the accounts in the books of Matthew and Luke. Copyright Mark Taft.)

Do Not Look at This!

 It sickens me to no end to even glance on this image! What would make me do such a thing? How could I ever live with myself for sharing this? It's impossible to understand, and yet I am motivated by love. This is the body of a late term aborted baby girl. Obviously she was injected in order to kill her, but normally there would be body parts. I just couldn't bring myself to show that...breaks my heart.

“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, 

defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Prov. 31:8–9)

Doesn't this apply to unborn children as well?

There are many fine things to appreciate about each of our political parties, but that either side accepts or even encourages the violent dismantling of those children unable to speak for themselves is without excuse. 

Founder Margaret Sanger's racist roots in forming Planned Parenthood and its strategically placed locations in lower income (usually Black) neighborhoods is not in dispute. Check out the facts for yourself.

But, boy, is this a big money issue! If the average cost for an abortion is $500 (the range can be zero to one thousand dollars) and if you multiply that by the 61 Million abortions that have occurred since Roe vs. Wade, that is a lot of money somebody is living very well on.

God's hearts grieves. He is the God of life, not death, and we've fooled ourselves into thinking aborting babies is reasonable and even the lesser of two evils. We are no better than the ancient peoples of old who used to throw their babies into the fire to worship their ancient gods. I've seen many suffer by making this choice- and I've seen God's heart of forgiveness for those who truly repent of this sin of murder. 

News agencies want to know why many White Evangelicals are tied to the Republican Party? Watch how many leave it when an honest to goodness Pro-Life Democrat runs for office. Than you'll see the real numbers change. Once the Democratic Party cuts its love affair with a pro-death culture, things will change. But not before. Not for me.

Don't give me the lame excuse that until more people step up to adopt that abortion is the best answer. The answer is to do what is right first and then participate in making a difference- and letting God take action and also sort out the details.

For me, I care about immigration reforms, caring for the poor, good healthcare for the population, racial equity, and more. I have Black, Brown, Asian, straight and gay friends. But I cannot justify putting support behind dismembering babies. Even though it's not a good situation by any means - and God hates injustice- in every case of these other issues, the people affected are alive to fight for change. Victims of abortion are dead. They don't have a voice or a chance to stand up for themselves. We must do it.

Control or Consent (Part Three)

In Part One of "Control or Consent?", we first discussed our desire to control our circumstances and then our image. In Part Two, we contrasted Christianity in the West with what God's view of how our faith in Jesus Christ should impact our lives. We've also looked at what the world says is the right way to live our lives. Now, let's slightly shift gears and look at what the Bible says is to be the view we hold of ourselves and others. Look at the Apostle Paul's letter to the new believers in Rome, starting at verses 3-5:

"3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."

It's an uncomfortable truth, but in order think more highly of ourselves, we have to think less of others! Ouch! We can fall into this easily! This view of people is in contrast to God who gives each person different roles and places in life but the same value! I'm not always successful at thinking more highly about others than myself, but I'd rather humble myself and change my attitude and actions than have God humble me.

Here's some good questions to think about:

   -   Can I train myself to give others the same kind of grace I give myself? I fall on my face often and don't want to live under my failures. Can I offer that to someone else?
   - Can I train myself to see people the way God sees them? Worthy of dignity and honor and respect?  
   -   Can I see people who don't know Jesus as God sees them? This can be difficult at times as Christians can be seen as the enemy or we can see them as an enemy. But the truth is no one will listen to a message about God's justice, love, and forgiveness, if we don't treat them with honor and respect.

Unfortunately, sometimes those of us in the church have the opposite problem! We think that God has failed us in the way He designed us and that we have no value! We may even think we are broken beyond repair and that He cannot use us His purposes. But that's not true! Why else would a powerful God send His Only Son Jesus to die on our behalf and in our place if we have no value or purpose. Hmmm...

We've now seen who we are and how God sees us and others. Let's keep reading in the book of Romans and continue onto verses 6 through 8.

"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. " 

This is what we are called to! Use the gifts God has given us for the benefit of people we loves. (Also look at 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 for additional lists of gifts God gives.) We are ambassadors of Jesus, making His appeal through us that others would be reconciled to Him. We are on a mission- and all of us are missionaries! We're all gifted differently for God's glory and His Holy Spirit gives us the power to use our gifts.

So, how are we to use our gifts? That's next up in verses 9-16. Paul doesn't miss a beat! :

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 

Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight."

I really have a problem with people who are phony! Our love for others has to be genuine. God defines what is good and evil. We do not. He is God and can do what He sees is best. Regardless of what we read or see in our world, God's standards are true and are the ones by which we will be judged. 

When we step out and use the gifts God has given us, we'd better be prepared for problems as well as words of thanks. We will go right up against people and ideas that don't appreciate we are bucking the stats quo. This happens inside and outside the church. But if we are doing what God has called us to, He is pleased- and that is the bottom line. Pastor, author, and now missionary Francis Chan once said these words that have stuck with me, "Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers.”  

The Apostle Paul ends the chapter addressing the opposition we will get as we are faithful. These verses 17-21, speak a truth I don't always want to hear:
  
"Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

This may be one of the hardest tests in the "Faith vs. Control" battle. How will we react when opposition comes our way? I bet at one time or another, every one of us has been opposed, slandered, betrayed, overlooked, or treated poorly. I know I have. What will we choose to do? It needs to be forgiveness.

Forgive, move on, and keep doing what God has told you to do!

   -   Will we choose to pray for those who hurt us? Even do well by them?
   -   Will we continue to work through the process of forgiveness? 
(By the way-Forgiveness doesn't always mean restored relationship!)
  -   Will we choose to continue on with what The Lord has called us to?      We must!

Biblical forgiveness is something the world doesn't not understand, but they are intrigued by it. This creates an open door for the Good News. Why? Because true forgiveness reflects the heart of God. 

So, how do we live? How will you live? Will you allow God to hit the reset button in your life? Whose view of our world and the people in it will you hold too be true?   

Maybe you've said "no" to God in the past when He was directing you. Those opportunities are gone, but He has new ones waiting for you. Take the risk!  

Perhaps those natural plans and dreams are just a foreshadowing of what God intends for your life. Offer them up to Him. It means taking a chance and putting your faith in action.

Don't Ask: “WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I OFFERED UP MY PLANS AND DREAMS TO GOD?”

Instead Ask:  
“WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF I OFFERED UP MY PLANS AND DREAMS TO GOD?”

God created  you with a specific design. Wouldn't it make sense that by offering up your plans would bring you the greatest satisfaction and fulfillment and bring Him the most glory?

Control or Consent? (Part Two)

With an upside down world, a world of COVID-19, rioting, and unleashed rebellion, one where evil is often considered good and visa versa and there are so many voices clamoring for our attention- especially in a presidential election year- the most important question we must answer is “Whose voice will we listen to?”  

The world’s? Our own? Our favorite political party? Perhaps our favorite news outlet? Or that of God? The voice we listen to will tell us how we should live. Will we choose Fear or Faith? Panic or Peace? Helplessness or Hope? Control or Consent? Death or Life?

A while back, we talked about human nature and our active desire to fully control our circumstances. And the high price we pay! (See it here.) When that wasn't possible, we move on to desperately trying to control our image. Beginning all the way back in the Garden of Eden and the real First Couple, from their story we learned:

• Our enemy Satan is working against us! When we give in to pride and control, we play right into his plans! He loves prideful people. Who will win?
• Going our own way reveals our lack of faith and our fear that God has forgotten us! Which route will be choose?

If we call ourselves people that are chasing after God's heart and His ways, pursuing our desire for control takes us places we never want to go. Pressing into this leads to a loss of integrity, a loss of relationship as people become objects to be used,  and this results in a damage to our witness of Jesus Christ and his power to change us from broken sinful people into men and women who are still imperfect but saved and changed by our loving God.

In addition to all this, insisting on and getting our own ways sacrifices the good God intended had we waited on Him patiently. Trusting He knows what is best for us versus rushing ahead without Him. It's a cheap substitution we take in place of what He planned. Most importantly, we fail God by taking His place in our lives. What a high price we pay for this! 

Big egos bring down kings to commoners, presidents to press secretaries and everyone in between. Thankfully, God is merciful to all of us when we return to Him. We don't always get the full consequences of our sin although there are always natural consequences to our actions.

Now that we’ve seen it’s better to trust in the Lord than ourselves-  How will we live our lives? In days like this, where there’s much change and turmoil, Our response as Jesus followers is crucial!

This difficult season in life isn't what causes our tendencies to react poorly. The truth is, this season just reveals what is already inside us- good or bad. It also reveals what foundation we have truly been building our lives on.

The world says “Our hope is in a return to normal!” As Jesus Followers, this is not our foundation.  Our God says, “Our hope is in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to us and in His Triumphant return” (Titus 2:11-14). This is our foundation- Jesus will be faithful, and He will return in triumph to judge the world.

What does this mean for God's people, His church? Maybe at least in America, where we've had centuries of blessing and freedom, maybe God is hitting the reset button. Is He killing the American Dream of a carefree life where we get to do as we please? Or could He just be making us rethink how we are to live as those who love God and are called according to His purposes?  

In the midst of an ever changing world, how do we live? How do we recapture what God intended? The answer is to be found in the Bible's book of Romans, the letter the great Apostle Paul wrote to the young church there. Specifically, chapter 12.

Here's some background:
• Paul wrote this during his third missionary journey in about 57AD- during the time of Nero.
• Rome was an influential city of about one million people from all over the world. 
• Highly diverse, a center of commerce. Known as a place of worshiping multiple gods.
• It was also a place where the church was growing- where God had work for His people!

Now the opening verses, 1-5:

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.   

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."  

As you can read, human nature hasn't changed at all! The people of Israel in the Old Testament had this strange cycle in their worship of God. He would bless them. They'd enjoy His blessings and take life easy until they got bored. Then they'd worship other gods. The One True God would then bring punishment and correction, sometimes for generations, until they cried out to Him. Then He would answer their prayer and redeem them from their enemies. And the cycle would start all over again.

We in the West who are Christians seem to be no better.  We feel right into Satan's trap of complacency. We pursued our goals, our dreams, a lifestyle we wanted- all while under the banner of God's name. 

Of course, this is everyone or all churches, and it's a generalization. Yet it does apply for the majority of those who claim to follow Jesus as over time, Christians are looking more and more like the world. Our love of money, our pursuit of a culture of death and rebellion, etc. In all too many ways, we are not too different. The price for living like this is very high!

• Our hobbies became extreme but our faith became low risk! Comfort became our primary goal and idol.

• We became more desirous of maintaining a Christian culture than we did about personally reaching out to others and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with them. 

• We the church transitioned to a culture of inviting people to church instead of inviting them into our lives so we could tell them what Jesus accomplished through His Death and His Resurrection. 

• We allowed those in the world to take lead on responsibilities God entrusted to His people. So, the world seized the opportunity and twisted the original intent.  Where have we fallen short?
   - Stewardship of His beautiful creation.
   - Caring for the unborn- providing care and mercy for those who   are unable to do so for themselves.
   - Social justice and creating a culture of unity and brotherhood between all races.

Isn't the way the church has acted in the 21st century just the opposite of what we read about in the New Testament. Absolutely! Is God pleased? Absolutely not. No only is God not pleased as His children in the West are forgetting so many important pieces- the balance of our words and our actions working together to bring God glory- He understands we are missing so much fulfillment and joy. Just look at the consequences of this "incomplete faith" on the church:

• “Ministry” eventually became a job for professionals. Just another career choice.  
• Were you more serious about Jesus' words? This meant you had to end up on a church staff
or overseas on an international missions field.
• Sunday service became the day when professionals put oil a performance for those who attended.
• Our lives became safe as they became under our control. We no longer needed God's empowering to do the work He called us to. We could rely on our own strength and wisdom as we managed our safe, secure, and ultimately empty lives.  

After years and years of living this way, our faith became boring as we ripped out its original, passionate, God-focused intent! So we moved onto other things that interest but ultimately leave us empty and unsatisfied in the deepest places.

I've fallen into this trap at times! Have you?

How do we recapture the life God intended? It begins by how we look at our lives. Here's the beginning of that chapter:

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. "  (verse 1)

• We belong to Him if we claim to be His! 
• The system of Old Testament sacrifices – offering up dead animals on the altar- were completed in Jesus at the cross. Once and for all! (See Hebrews 7:27)
• Believers there in Rome understood the sacrificial system- but they needed to know how to live in a brand new way!
• Offering the way we live as our sacrifice means we are following Jesus' example! He gave all for God's glory and His purposes. Our call is no different.

In the letter to the Galatian church, Paul says- 
“ I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”” (2:20)


THAT IS GOD’S VIEW OF WHO WE ARE!

Worship is more than avoiding sin! It's more than a pursuit of holiness! It's a life focused on God's plans, with God's heart, for God's purposes. The truth is when we are focused on these things and doing the work of God's Kingdom, sin avoidance and the pursuit of holiness in the way we live is far easier. God desires we live for Him and not just be willing to die for Him.

People that think as the world does view life very differently. 
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  (verse 2)

Not thinking like the world must be an important truth as Paul had to warn the believers in Colossians of the exact same things (in Chapter 2 of that book) and the same warning went out to the church in Ephesus in Chapter 4 of that letter.  What is the world's view? "Live for today and satisfy every desire for whatever you want! Your body is yours to do with as you please with whoever you wish." But God says the wisdom of the world is foolishness (I Corinthians 1:25).

How are we to be transformed? Renew your mind with God's truth. Read the Bible for yourself and not just someone's interpretation of it. Pray and ask God to do His work in you. It's a prayer He wants to answer! Wait for Him to speak top you and show you what He wants from you. Get with a small group of believers on a regular basis for a time of Bible study, prayer, and personal encouragement. Christianity has never been a solo sport. It's always been a team competition although each of us are judged and rewarded individually. 

One of the hardest things to figure out is God's will. The foundation is the Bible, but other parts also come into play. the Bible is God's revealed will for all believers. You can read it for yourself. Love the LORD God with everything in you and Love others as yourself. Straightforward beginnings. 

The personal will of God for your life has to be sought out. And it takes time. 

   -   Reading the Bible 
   -   Hearing His Voice through your private prayer 
   -   Wise counsel of others
   -   Sometimes dreams and visions  
   -   Lastly, circumstances

None of these will ever conflict with the Word- but His answer may conflict with our own thoughts and preferences. When you think God has given you something to do, how do you check it?

The great theologian Dr. Wayne Grudem says there are four dimensions in discovering God's will. He says Consider the action itself. Consider your attitude about it; be honest about your motives, and think about the end result. What will happen and who will get the glory?  

The world might look at earthly success as a mark of an important and accomplished life. God looks for an obedient, humble, heart. 

This is a good place to stop for now. In Part Two, we'll look at how we are to treat others as we go about being involved in God's work. Stay tuned...

Can You Look Him in the Eye?

Can you look him in the eye? Can you? It's quite a haunting question that has to be answered. Unfortunately, this was censored by Fox! It's too bad. After all the trashy commercials during the Super Bowl, here was one that makes America think. See it below and the text that follows.

Botched Abortion survivors make their point, don't they? Lest you think abortion doesn't have a dirty underside, a foundation of hatred and racism, consider the quote below from it's founder:

"We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population..."

          Margaret Sanger, 
               Founder of Planned Parenthood

-- in her letter to Dr. Clarence J. Gamble, December 10, 1939.

The full letter is here (- with my screenshots below it):

https://libex.smith.edu/omeka/...

We will all have to give a report to God for our choices:

"So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." (from the Apostle Paul in the book of Romans 14:12).

What will you say? Will you be able to look Him in the eye?

Notable and Quotable: Alabama State Representative John Rogers

"Some kids are unwanted, so you kill them now or you kill them later. You bring them into the world unwanted, unloved, you send them to the electric chair. So, you kill them now or kill them later."

             Alabama State Representative John Rogers

At least he admits that abortion is murder. He also advocates for abortion including children that are special needs. As a friend of a couple of families with precious special needs kids, I say "No Way."  

Do we even hear what we are saying anymore???

Barbaric New York Politicians Lose Their Minds

"New York legislators cheered and applauded Tuesday night after the state Senate removed restrictions on late-term abortions, allowing unborn babies to be aborted on the day of birth. (Emphasis mine.)

The Reproductive Health Act passed with a 38-28 vote and was signed into law by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D). 

"Today we are taking a giant step forward in the hard-fought battle to ensure a woman's right to make her own decisions about her own personal health, including the ability to access an abortion," Gov. Cuomo said."

Is this what bigot Margaret Sanger wanted when she started Planned Parenthood or was it just the extermination of Black America? (Read that post at your own risk.)

New York politicians have lost their minds- and the rest of America is not far behind. God forgive us for this sin!

Read the full article here.

Racist to the Core

"We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population..."

          Margaret Sanger, 
               Founder of Planned Parenthood

-- in her letter to Dr. Clarence J. Gamble, December 10, 1939.

The full letter is here (- with my screenshots below it):

https://libex.smith.edu/omeka/...

Second Day of Firsts- My Miracle Boy Enters Kindergarten

Even though it came a day late, here is another sweet young boy and his first day at school. You might remember an earlier post, years ago actually, when I shared my daughter was pregnant. The doctors knew something wasn't right and did a scan. The child was suffering from Dandy Walker Syndrome and as a result of many complications and factors would be born with at least a quarter of his brain missing. Naturally, they suggested abortion.

My daughter and her husband refused, and instead the entire family began praying. Months later, with just a week or so before delivery, they scanned him again. No change. We all prepared for the baby to be born with special needs, accepting what God had chosen to allow.

Surprise! The day of delivery, our little guy was born 100% normal and healthy! The doctors did more tests and more scans. They confirmed that he was normal in every way. (And of course, he's adorable!) Some on the medical staff rightly and honestly attributed it to God's intervention. Others, of course, decided they must have misdiagnosed. What some people will go through to deny the existence of God! Incredible.

But here he is, 5 years later now in kindergarten. I call him my "Miracle Boy". So proud of him- and so thankful to God!