Abortion

I'm cutting right to the chase on this one with no introductory story or anything. Abortion is wrong. And as most of us reading this are Christians, we know this, or at least we think we do. We know it in our heads, but do we know it in our hearts? When was the last time we prayed about it out loud at a prayer gathering without feeling a tad bit like a fundamentalist whacko? When was the last time we heard somebody really attacking it at a prayer gathering without feeling almost embarrassed? I used to be this way... and sometimes I still can be. I remember one time at a 45, the prayer person of that particular set was really going after it. And I'm ashamed to say it, but I was embarrassed. My head knew it was wrong, but I just couldn't pour my heart into it, because my heart didn't know. But the Lord has really revealed to my heart of just how wrong it is. It's horrible, it's a monstrosity, it's an abomination, it's unbelievable! So why are we embarrassed? I think it's because "anti-choice activists" as we may have been labeled, or "anti-abortion" or "pro-lifers", seem to be out of touch. We're not cool. We're old fashioned. We have no idea what we're talking about. We're stupid. (And here's the big one) We don't care about anyone but us, we have no regard for the woman who has this "growth" in her body. Now I know what you're thinking. "Yes we do have regard! Abortion is harmful to her body AND her soul! It can really mess her up!" And this is true, but... She is the one who is pregnant at 16, with a boyfriend who won't take responsibility, living in a world of condemnation (true, in today's society it's not wrong to experiment, but there's still that whole pregnant in highs chool and out of wedlock condemnation going on), 2 years of high school to finish, still living in her parents' home, living off of her parents' limited income, etc. So, it's easy for us to say, "Don't get an abortion, it's wrong," as we're not the ones who are facing that mass of pressure. But, it is by no means an easy decision for them when under all of that pressure. And let's face it, if we were in the same situation, we would hardly be able to see past the short term either. It's a HUGE short term that still affects the long term. So let's face it, putting bumper stickers on our car, picketing at the capital, calling our legislature and wailing about the abortion rulings, is not going to do much. And people have already taken it a step further, with educating young girls about the life of their child and the huge ramifications abortion has, and with getting them help through out the pregnancy and after. But I think we need to take it even a step further, I think we need to give even more of our selves to this. We need to show them that we really do care. We need to be willing, and even follow through more often than not, to adopt. To go find the girls that absolutely DO NOT want their child no matter how much you educate them, and say, "I'll take guardian-ship of your child, just please endure the pregnancy. I will adopt it, just stick it out for a few months, please." and if we're financially able, offer to pay all medical expenses. Now the initial reaction to this is "yeah yeah yeah, that's good... for everyone else to do." And then we're back to square one of just knowing that abortion is wrong in our head, and not in our heart. But seriously, we cannot afford that kind of an attitude. There are lives at stake here. We're losing them as we speak! If every Christian family that was capable adopted a child that would otherwise be aborted, we could really put a dent in this thing. An average American family only has like 2 or 3 kids, may I be so bold as to say that they can handle another one... or two. And even if it's a huge 10 kid family, what's one more then? Now there is no condemnation here, but let's really take abortion to prayer, without embarrassment, and ask that God would convict our hearts, and show us what he would have us do to help. And let's be open to whatever he asks. Let's crush this great satan, now.

Awareness

The more I interact with the world outside of my family and friends I see more and more people talking about awareness. I met a girl the other day who had pink in her hair for breast cancer awareness, so that's the first one (and actually the only organized one) that comes to mind right now. But I'm sure there are all kinds of other disease awareness groups out there, and either I haven't heard of them yet or they're called something different. There is probably an AIDS awareness, diabetes awareness, ms awareness, cb awareness, downs syndrome awareness, and the list could go on and on. So which diseases are you supposed to be aware of? The ones you're inflicted with, the ones your family is inflicted with, the ones your friends are inflicted with? Or maybe just the one that really sticks out in your mind for some reason? Why not all of them? And why just be aware? Granted, most of the time we're not aware, but is it enough to be aware? You can be aware that if your stand in the middle of a highway you're gonna get hit, but not do anything about it. You can be aware that your diet is poor and that you will have critical health issues in a few years and still not do anything about it. You can be aware of an artery on your person that has been cut into and that is bleeding profusely and not do anything about it. So what does happen when you don't do anything? Well...... YOU DIE!!! That's what happens. Think about it, is it really enough to just be aware? And is it enough to be aware of just a few things? You could be aware that you've got indigestion and take some tums or something but not be aware the the tums are old and stale and diseased (if that's possible, I don't have a clue about tums's shelf life). Or how 'bout this? You could be aware that you are out of money and food so you go work to make money to buy food, but not be aware that the IRS didn't get as much of your money as they wanted and your not saving enough for whenever they penalize you. You could be aware that you have a brain tumor that is gonna kill you sooner or later and have it removed, but not be aware that you also have a blood clot that's going to kill you. You could be aware that your mother has breast cancer and help her and everyone else who has it, but not be aware of the dude at walmart that always gives you a cart and smile, while his wife is at home suffering from ms. Of course, then there is the popular argument that you can't help everyone who has problems so it's better just to focus your energy on one group. I disagree. I'm not sure why, but I just do. Maybe it's because that argument seems selfish, I don't know. But, what I do know is this. We need to be aware of as much human suffering as possible, but we can't stop there. We need to do something. Now I'm not saying you have to go looking for every possible ailing person that there is and try to help them (of course, that might not be a bad idea). But at least keep your eyes open for struggling sufferers, and do all you can to make their struggle easier in the short time that you have contact with them.

Human suffering awareness, be more than aware.

Faith: extreme or just general?

I was having lunch the other day with a friend of mine we got on the topic of healing. He expressed that if God made us smart enough to heal ourselves with modern knowledge and medicine, then we should do it. Now, I personally have a biased opinion against modern medicine, so that already tainted my train of research and thought, but anyway. I got to thinking, "Doesn't God want us to rely on him for all of our needs and not our own knowledge or understanding?" So I proceeded to look up all kinds of scriptures addressing the issue of faith and trust, the best one was Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." But then that presented me with another question. If we rely on God alone for our physical healing shouldn't we rely on him alone for our living and our money and our food? Why should we have to go to work if we rely on God for our every need? Now that can't be right. We aren't just supposed to lay around waiting for God to send us a pizza man with free pizza. Well if we rely on ourselves to bring the bacon home, then why can't we rely on ourselves to heal our sicknesses? Well, isn't working and toiling with your hands normal, and sickness isn't? Maybe that's it? Or is it? Is work normal? Isn't work a result of the fall of man the same as sickness is? If so, then we're back to thinking if we rely on God for healing then we should rely on him for our survival. But wait, if those two things are the result of our sin then maybe we are just supposed to fen for ourselves, and look to our own means for healing and food. But wait!! Didn't God himself work when he created the earth? Didn't Adam work naming the animals before the fall? Ok there was work before the fall it was just a little more enjoyable. God did tell Adam that he would work by the sweat of his brow, so that does imply that work wouldn't be as easy, but who said it couldn't be enjoyable? Not everybody loves their job and not everybody can get a job they love, or can they? I think a lot of how much you enjoy your job is your attitude. Which this is finally bringing back around to my faith thing. If you put complete faith and trust in God to direct you and supply your needs you should enjoy your job, cuz you're doing it believing that God is recieving it as worship. In everything do it as unto the Lord. And you don't have to worry if your company is downsizing cuz God's in control. I don't have all the answers, or really any for that matter, whether or not we should trust in God or modern medicine. But I think we really need to begin to put more of our faith on God in every area and seek his answers for every single one of lifes issues. Don't doubt, only beleive.

Concerning The Rastafarians

So Josh got me thinking when he put a post on his blog asking if the Rastas and Jews could get to heaven. I need to do some more biblical research on this, but here is what I think. The Rastas do believe Jesus is a God incarnate, but they also believe Haile Selassie 1 was an incarnate of Him too. Now I know that the Bible says Jesus is the only way to heaven, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to Father but through me." but I couldn't tell you exactly where that's at, that's why I need to do some more biblical research. The Rastas say that God's incarnation into Selassie was prophesied in the book of revelation, but I couldn't find anything that said where they said it was in Revelation. If they're looking to Jesus as their savior and Him only, I believe that they are truly Christians. If they credit Selassie as a savior too, then I think not. If they don't credit Jesus as they're savior at all, then definitely no, they aren't going to heaven. I need to go home and read up on Revelation and also figure out exactly where it says that Jesus is the only way. As far as the Jews go, I don't think they'll get into heaven either as long as they deny Jesus as the Messiah.

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