The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

John 10:10 ESV

Friday, February 15, 2013

Did George Washington Speak Prophetically?


In light of the facts showing that guns are not responsible for murder, people are, one should be concerned about the real agenda behind the Left's gun control efforts. Apparently it has nothing to do with loss of human life.  

Many of these same gun control advocates, willing to trample 2nd amendment rights, avidly support state sanctioned murder of the unborn, which constitutes a denial of the most fundamental of all constitutional rights, the right to life. The Left's consistent denial of transcendent truth and moral absolutes is clearly the greatest threat to America, not only to the individual personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, but the dignity and intrinsic value of human life itself. 

It is increasingly clear that there is not enough political will in either party to turn the ship. While there is a political fight to be fought, it should be clear that without a spiritual awakening, the battle will be lost. The 2012 presidential election is evidence of that.  

The gospel is our only hope, for it alone can change the heart and dispel the deception that is now so deeply entrenched in every institution of our society. When the gospel has lost its influence on a culture, as in America and the West today, it is inevitably replaced by secular humanism and moral relativism. When that worldview prevails, the experiment of America's representative form of government (a Republic) is doomed to fail.

Was President George Washington speaking prophetically when he said the following in his Farewell Address on September 17, 1796? 

"Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Preach About Abortion?


On May 15, 2013,I brought a Sanctity of Human Life Sunday message at New Hope Fellowship (Nazarene) in Palm City FL, "Abortion, the Devil & the Church - Exposing the Spiritual Forces Behind Abortion." You can read or watch that message HERE.


Can one preach about abortion in the church? Should one preach about abortion in the church?
I say an emphatic yes to both questions.  You can preach about anything if you wrap it in the gospel. In fact, we fail our people if we don't deal with everything they face from a gospel perspective, especially abortion since about 40% of women in the American church are post-abortive and annually 250,000 women in the evangelical church choose abortion. (Focus of the Family heart link.org) That's two good reasons to preach about abortion.

The post-abortive desperately need to hear that there is a way to resolve their guilt and shame through the gospel. This was part of my message introduction on Sunday,

If your life has been touched by abortion, while you cannot escape the truth about abortion nor some of the consequences of your abortion, please know that there is forgiveness, there is healing and restoration in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is a way to resolve the guilt, shame and hurt that abortion will bring to the human experience. And I want you to know that you are in the right place to hear that Good News. No one is here to condemn or judge you. On the contrary, we are here to extend love and compassion and a message of hope, healing and restoration available to you by faith in Jesus Christ. You are in a safe place in this church.

Later in the message, I shared these words posted on a Facebook discussion several years ago by a woman who had three abortions in her past,

“The consequences to women who have had abortions (and men as well) cut deep into the soul…The post-abortive women sitting in church on a Sunday morning need to hear about forgiveness for ALL SIN through Jesus Christ,….abortion is not the unforgivable sin so many think it is...women need to know there is healing and hope in Christ - that they may also forgive themselves.”  

That is why we in the church cannot afford to be silent on this issue. I hope you will take the time to watch the message on YouTube.