January 23, 2018

Well known pastor, speaker and author, Francis Chan, speculates on what could be facing believers and the Church in the coming years:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOZi0hNJ2vA

The Church of Jesus Christ was launched just a few months after His crucifixion. When the Holy Spirit fell upon the 120 in the upper Room, they were locked away uncertain of their future. It wasn’t as if they were playing defense, they were actually stalling because God had told them to “tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power by the Holy Spirit”. So, they did!“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47

I want to point to the Early Church as the example of how we should play when it is under pressure and the game is on the line. They went on offense and played to win!

1) They leaned on God – “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4

2) They learned of God - “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” – Acts 2:42

3) They lifted up God – “and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles” Acts 2:43

4) They loved like God – “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” Acts 2:44-45

5) They lived godly – “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” Acts 2:45-46

6) They led others to God – “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:47

These 120 believers, though they were under heavy opposition and attack by the religious establishment AND the Roman government, refused to play defense. Instead they launched an offensive of Spirit-filled love, obedience, fellowship and sacrifice.

How did it work?

Some historians speculate that as many as half of the city of Jerusalem became followers of Jesus Christ!

Because these emboldened believers were “clutch” under pressure, we are still in the game! But now the ball is in our court. It is up to you and me and our churches to decide how we are going to respond down the stretch as the pressure and opposition rises against us.

Are you game?

January 22, 2018

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." I Corinthians 13:6

The problem with sin is that it complicates life. It complicates life because it confuses your understanding of truth. When the line gets blurred between truth and lies, life gets tough in a hurry.

That is exactly what happened with Adam and Eve and it has become the story of humanity. It is essentially the story of history.

So, fast forward to your marriage and our truth for the day reminds us that love is directly and intricately connected with truth. The question then becomes, "What is truth?"

Truth is a Person!

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by me." When Jesus made that statement He was not saying He is a concept or a system of beliefs, He IS TRUTH! Truth starts and ends in HIM! If you want to know truth you must know Him! Nothing is true apart from Him! So, when this verse says that love rejoices in truth it makes a lot of sense when you understand that truth is not a thing it is a Person! Isn't it much easier to love a person? Especially when that Person is Jesus! Want love in your marriage? Get Jesus! Want truth in your marriage? Get Jesus!

Truth is Purity!

Because truth is a Person and that Person is Jesus, you need to get Jesus. In order to get Jesus you must repent of sin and renounce it in your life. You must cleanse your heart and mind of moral impurity. I John 1:8-9 affirms this: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." That's what I am talking about! Get rid of the impurity of sin and receive the purity of His righteousness. And righteousness is "rightness". Also, back up a couple of verses to I John 1:7 and it sheds more truth on truth: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." "Walk in the light". What is light but truth? As you walk in truth you walk in purity!

Truth Is Power!

When you have Jesus you have purity. When you have Jesus and purity you will have power. The power of truth! The power of holiness! The power of rightness!

Love rejoices in truth! Make that "truth" with a capital "T"!

January 21, 2018

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

I am proudly, purposefully, and passionately pro-life!

I am pro-life because I am pro-God and God is life! He is the beginning of life and at the end of life and everywhere in between! Where He is there is life and where He is not allowed there is death. I know that because I was once spiritually dead but through faith in Jesus Christ I have been made alive and given abundant life!

Loving God is demonstrated by keeping His commands and the commandments are wrapped up in this one Great Commandment! So, if I love God I will measure my choices, values and principles against this standard. There is no way I can reconcile abortion with the Great Commandment.

What do you think would happen to the abortion rate if every woman finding herself in a crisis pregnancy would factor the Great Commandment into her decision-making?

Is ending a pregnancy pleasing to God? Is it consistent with loving Him with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind?

What about the second part of the commandment? How does ending a pregnancy square with loving others as yourself? Is ending an innocent life consistent with the way you love yourself? Love requires you to desire the best for others. Can you honestly make a case for terminating a life being the best course of action for it?

Does having an abortion cause you to love yourself more? Can you end an innocent life and feel better about yourself as a person?

Abortion is a social issue, I could debate it on that basis. It is also a moral issue that could be argued from that perspective. And abortion is an emotional issue but emotional arguments usually don't end well. It has become a political issue and arguing politics is a tough win. But essentially abortion is a spiritual issue so I let God's Word speak to it and the Great Commandment summarizes the Word as well as any other Scripture passage. When the question of abortion is set against the answer of God's Word truth becomes evident.

Why not let God's Word do your talking?

Why not let God's Word guide your decisions?

January 20, 2018

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

Abortion has been a poison to our American culture and cancer to our collective soul. You just cannot senselessly murder cand a half million unborn babies every year for 44 years without it taking a toll.

In my previous post I mentioned just six reasons you should oppose abortion and there are easily a dozen others.

So, what can we pro-life advocates do to oppose this evil, destructive and divisive practice?

In my message Sunday I will mention four things believers can do that will oppose the toxic spread of this vile practice.

1) Care for your soul

The battle against abortion is essentially a spiritual battle and can only be won with spiritual weapons and resources.

If you have miscarried a child, if you have lost an infant to death or if you chose to have an abortion you might find comfort in knowing the soul of your child is in heaven with Jesus.

By the grace of God through Jesus Christ, you can see your child again or meet your child for the first time IF you care for your soul. If trust Jesus to be your Savior for the forgiveness of your sins and if you then walk in obedient fellowship with Him, your soul will be ready for an eternity in heaven.

2) Contribute prayer and financial support to pro-life causes

When was the last time you prayed for the ministry of the Choice Pregnancy Center? It is on the front lines of the battle for life!

Today you will have the opportunity to take a baby bottle home with you and fill it with spare change or bills to raise money for this vital ministry.

3) Continue supporting pro-life candidates

I don't know about you but I would never knowingly vote for a political candidate who is pro-choice. Any candidate who is not outspoken in his support for life does not deserve my vote!

Do your research and inform yourself on this vital moral issue before you go to the polls this Fall!

4) Challenge their lies with truth

The pro-choice abortion movement is driven by lies and distortions. It has powerful political people pushing it because it is a giga-billion dollar industry trading of the souls of the most innocent among us.

You will have very little success in changing any of their opinions. They have hardened their hearts and closed up the minds to any moral appeals.

But person by person, friend by friend, family member by family member you can use your influence to confront them with the awful truth about abortion and perhaps change some minds.

Watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xWQHhqOAcg

Don't become weary in the task of doing right. Don't be overcome by the predominance of evil in our society. Overcome evil by doing the right thing every day every time!

You won't save everyone but you make save a few!

January 19, 2018

Some might ask, if over a billion unborn souls have been sent to heaven by abortion, why should we oppose it so fervently?

Before I answer that let me say this, "We should not worry as much over the souls of the unborn as we should over the soul of America."

Here are several reasons why:

1) Abortion grieves the heart of God

Abortion preys on the innocent and defenseless which goes against the plan of God.

Abortionists make life and death decisions that are to be reserved only for God.

When you combine those factors with the act of taking advantage of young women at a very vulnerable time that grieves God! 

2) Abortion is murder

We believe that life begins at conception because the Bible says so and science affirms it. So abortion stops a beating heart.

Abortion is a direct violation of the sixth commandment, "Thou shall not kill (murder)". And to do this vile act purely to make large amounts of money makes it even more reviling. And if those atrocities are not heinous enough body parts from aborted babies are harvested for sale.

3) Abortion has ushered in a culture of death

Since we started down this slippery moral and ethical slope in 1973, we have seen a discernible decline in respect for life. 

When unborn children begin to be seen as nothing more than an inconvenience that need to be disposed of it's not long until elderly people, the chronically ill or the terminally ill become targets of euthanasia or "assisted suicide".

4) Abortion is based on lies

In order to be able to justify an act as cruel as an abortion you have to lie and delude yourself. You must tell yourself, "It is my body! No one can tell me what to do with my body!"

The truth is there are many laws that tell you what you can or cannot do with your body. So that is a bogus argument.

Also, the Bible says your body is "the temple of the Holy Spirit" so it belongs to God not you.

To make the "it's my body" argument seem more logical you have to also believe the lie that it isn't really a baby it is just a fetus - an nonviable tissue mass.

Once you believe a couple of lies you can convince yourself of others!

5) Abortion is bad policy

One of the reasons that Abortion has remained such a contentious and controversial issue is because it became law not from debate in the Congress and then votes by the House and then the Senate but it was legislated from the bench by an activist court.

It is controversial because the court twisted and tortured the 10th and 14th Amendments into saying some things they don't say in order to get the ruling they wanted from a judge they picked.

6) Abortion harms women

There is ample medical and scientific data proving the long-term risks of an abortion. Quoting statistics and numbers can make your eyes glaze over but they are plentiful on the internet.

Abortions can cause infertility for women making future pregnancies difficult.

Breast cancer, cervical cancer and uterine cancer have been traced to abortions.

Beyond the considerable physical risks caused by cancer are the emotional and psychological problems suffered by women who have had an abortion.

So, if you care about souls you MUST care about the considerable damage to the body, the soul, the mind and the spirit of a woman who chooses an abortion.

If you are pro-life you are pro-soul!

January 18, 2018

"And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick. David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” II Samuel 12:15-23

Few things could be more painful than losing a child to death. Perhaps there is nothing more painful than that. Only those who have lost a child can know.

Some of us have suffered a miscarriage and as hard as that was I'm sure it pales by comparison.

In this snapshot from the life of King David we get a glimpse of his grief over losing the child he had with Bathsheba.

That grief suddenly and surprisingly takes a 180 degree turn as he arises, freshens up and goes into the house of worship.

Not knowing what to make of this dramatic change his servants asked him about it. His reply was that God did not answer His prayer to spare his child so now he would have to prepare himself to someday go to rejoin his child.

This is a strong affirmation of his faith in God.

It is a strong affirmation of his hope in eternity.

It is a strong statement of faith that his child was living in eternity.

It is a confident assertion of his belief that he too would live eternally upon his death.

How can you be sure you and your child will be reunited in eternity? 

Do babies go to Heaven?

The Bible gives several hopeful verses to help you find assurance:

"And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it." Deuteronomy 1:39

This verse refers to the grace God would provide to the children of those Israelites who would die in the wilderness because of their failure to enter into Canaan at the Lord's command. They would not be judged for the sins of their parents.

"Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." I Corinthians 6:9-10

In this verse Paul lists sins that will keep people out of Heaven if they commit any of them. That implies there must be a willful decision to rebel against God and how can an innocent unborn child do that?

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." II Corinthians 5:10

Again, here's a verse from St. Paul asserting that judgment will be based on immoral decisions made while alive in the earthly body. But since an infant child is innocent and incapable of making moral decisions God will hold them free of sin and judgment.

"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books." Revelation 20:12

Once again there is reason for hope for the innocent child who dies in infancy or who is murdered in the womb by the abortionist. John's peek into the Judgment reveals once more that judgement is based on deeds done in the flesh. An unborn baby and a newborn child have no opportunity or awareness to commit a willful sin against God.

So, do babies go to heaven when they die?

Yes they do!

Do unborn babies who are murdered in the womb go to heaven?

There can be no doubt.

I'm sure this will be small consolation to someone who has lost an infant child. But it shines a ray of hope into the darkness of their grief and sorrow.

And it is all because of the mercy of God and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

She Will Never See Or Know...

"Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

I love the children of FredWes!

One of the things I love about them (or for them) is that they will grow up into adulthood and never be able to remember a time that they didn't go to church!

That is a tribute to their parents!

But I am thinking of a group of children, about 60,000,000 strong, that will never remember a time when they DID go to church. Or ever see a church. Or ever see their parents.

Why?

Because they will be destroyed within the womb before they ever draw a breath. They have been or will be an innocent helpless victim of an abortionist.

I understand that the decision to have an abortion is often made by a young woman who is under duress and who has not been told the truth about the procedure or the possible side effects of this life-altering decision she is about to make.  As a result, she will spend her life wondering if she did the right thing while deep inside she knows she didn't

She will never see or know the life she has carried in her womb for months but there will never be a day for the rest of her life that she won't think about it. She will wonder what her child would have looked like if he had been given the chance to be born. There will be a haunting regret that will never go away. She will see another child out in public places and her thoughts will turn to the child she allowed to 
be murdered.

Abortion is a heinous and hideous sin. There is no other way to look at it. To invade the sanctity and security of the mother's womb to cruelly tear apart a defenseless and innocent body can be considered nothing less than murder.

But as evil as the act of aborting a baby is, the grace of God in Jesus Christ is greater than this sin. There is forgiveness and restoration for the mother who will cry out to God for mercy.

And due to the grace of Jesus through His shed blood on the Cross, that child will never know anything other than Heaven. He will never remember a time when he wasn't in the arms of Jesus and finally in a safe and secure place!