sermon notes 9-16-2012

PROVE IT    

If showing the love of God leads to repentance and promises fulfilled, would not the opposite (animosity, criticism, disdain,) repel the lost and work towards the enemies goal of keeping us defeated and unproductive in the things of God?

One of the LAST VITAL TEACHINGS

John 13:33-38 NLT

Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. ³⁴ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. ³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

1 Peter 4:8 NLT

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8 THE MESSAGE

 Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything.

THE BASICS ARE REQUIRED

Luke 11:42 NLT

⁴² “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,^[a] but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.

Luke 11:42 Message

…You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but manage to find loopholes for getting around basic matters of justice and God’s love. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required

Romans 13:8 NLT

[ Love Fulfills God’s Requirements ] Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.



LOVING OTHERS ASSURES OUR OWN HEART TOWARDS GOD!

1 John 3:18 NLT

¹⁸ Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

1 John 3:18 MSG

^18-20 My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

1 John 4:16 NLT

¹⁶ We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love - live in God,  - and God lives in them.

LOVE IS GREATER THAN KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE LOVE IS THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING KNOWLEDGE!  - Or Knowing God!

*Ephesians 3:18-19 NLT
¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Colossians 1:8-10 NLT
⁸ He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
⁹ So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

 

JESUS’S GOAL:

John 17:23 (MSG)

^20-23 I’m praying not only for them
but also for those who will believe in me
Because of them and their witness about me.
The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—
Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
So they might be one heart and mind with us.
Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.
The same glory you gave me, I gave them,
So they’ll be as unified and together as we are—
I in them and you in me.
Then they’ll be mature in this oneness,
And give the godless world evidence
That you’ve sent me and loved them
In the same way you’ve loved me.

^24-26 Father, I want those you gave me
To be with me, right where I am,
So they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me,
Having loved me
Long before there ever was a world.
Righteous Father, the world has never known you,
But I have known you, and these disciples know
That you sent me on this mission.
I have made your very being known to them—
Who you are and what you do—
And continue to make it known,
So that your love for me
Might be in them
Exactly as I am in them.

Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT

²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

 

LOVE NEVER LETS GO!

Romans 8: 33-39 NLT

³⁵ Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? ³⁶ (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”^[a]) ³⁷ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

MSG: None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.  – (never letting go!)

Conclusion:

*Love proves God is real to the world.

*Love enables us to be our brother’s keeper because it covers a multitude of sin.

*Love passes knowledge and understanding.

*The more love we operate in the closer we are to knowing him
and being like him.

*We are commanded to do all things that promote the Love of God because Love IS the goal to unity,  end time harvest,  and the catalyst to all faith and answers to your prayers.

*Love does not fail. 

Our example of loving others is Jesus.
Our ability to love like Jesus loves is in the person of the Holy Spirit

Christians are better at loving the world, then loving each other
We assumed that loving the lost is the commandment in John 13.
yet at the same time we bite and devour one another which in effect is
Hating the Lost!  


John 13:35 says..  Christians, Disciples, Brothers, Sisters:
  ³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Prove it!

The War of Women

Already a proud member of the mother of five, I thought it would be beneficial to join another group: "Women for the War on Women." Hoping you'll join me.

When Sandra Fluke argued that a Catholic University should pay for her birth control I was embarrassed for her and for the nation my daughters are living in. If sticking up for religious liberty, family values, innocent babies, traditional marriage, school choice, abstinence only, etc makes me part of a war on women, then so be it. If being against tax payer funded birth control is a war on women than sign me up.

Inquiring why my health insurance went up 300+ per month, I was told that it was the mandatory yearly check-ups for all of us and that my daughters, age 13 &15 were now (thanks to Obama Care) covered with maternity as part of our insurance. Really? When my husband and I planned our family we chose not to include maternity because simple math told us it was not beneficial. Now I'm paying for my daughters' maternity insurance? The smug agent replied "Well, you just never know". Well, I know a few things.

Maternity insurance is mega expensive. It is much cheaper to mandate the morning after pill and get rid of the need for that coverage. Caring for a disabled child is mega expensive. It is much cheaper to pass a bill to post birth abort a less than perfect baby. It's usually always about the money.

But then there's Rush.

Let's face it men cannot be the ones to articulate the absurdity of a Catholic college student making a case for the government to pay for her birth control, morning after pill, abortion or whatever. In doing so the most popular advertisement magnet lost seven sponsors almost overnight. (Good Luck with your quarterly reports by the way!) When things have gotten so low that even money doesn't talk, it's time to speak out or shut up and give up.

Sure Rush should have not used those insulting words. But maybe we should be asking ourselves why should he think for even a moment that he needed to? Maybe, just maybe, it is pretty darn difficult to get the attention of the masses without something outlandish being uttered. After all the brainwashing began many decades ago and we are facing the generation who think it is pliable to force taxpayers to pay for services that we feel are sinful, destructive, and even murderous. Remember, murder is on God's top ten list.

Real women do not get excited about participating in the destruction of our society. We are nurturers by nature. The majority of this nation are pro-life. Who are these women that Rush (or anyone else) is at war with? Not me!

When we moved to Kansas we found a Catholic OBGYN and had our last three children in a Catholic hospital. After having my baby at age 38 I inquired about more traditional birth control. I was surprised to find out that my Doctor would not prescribe it. He took the time to explain why stating the stats on increased STD's, breast cancer, how the pill works as an abortifacient, future infertility concerns etc. This was a well respected Doctor stating facts. Sure his religion would not permit it but he showed me why he would not offer birth control purely with medical facts.  He was professional in his explanation kind of like Santorum without the hate mail and stuff.

We should not be surprised that the organized left has such power to persuade advertisers from leaving Limbaugh. Remember what they did to the Komen Foundation when it decided not to pump funds into an organization that doesn't even provide mammograms for women?  The Komen Foundation is about Breast Cancer. Abortions increase the risk for breast cancer. Why should they pump hundreds of thousands per year into Planned Parenthood who is the biggest abortion provider in the country?

The newly resigned head of the Foundation, Karen Handel, said, "Planned Parenthood launched a vicious attack on a nonprofit organization that fights breast cancer,” ...  "They unleashed Armageddon on an organization for $680,000." 

Armageddon was released on Rush. What or who will be next?

The fact is the Komen Foundation received emails running 3 to 1 in support for the defunding, and within two days of the news, online donations were up 400 percent. There was great support for the decision; it was just drowned out by the strength in the area of social media.

Speaking about social media...

I recently tried to post a time clock on facebook which counts up how many abortions are performed in a single day or year. The link was immediately flagged as "harmful to your computer" as to stop folks from clicking. My computer wasn't harmed. The fact that 93 babies were killed in the few minutes it took to view the time clock was a bit harmful!

Zukerman is Obama's bud.

New York Magazine reported about the latest cozying up between Facebook and the White House. Obama's agenda and Zukerman's brilliance and personal information access is a match made in hell.

Just think about it for a moment. It doesn't matter how superior the republican nominee is he will be destroyed. He will be fighting against Obama's machine which includes almost every social media group and all of the main stream media - twisting, distorting, cheating, lying and laughing at anyone who comes in their way. As women maybe we should consider not letting them portray us as all on the same page.

We are not on the same page as Maddow. We are not even in the same library!

Though it looks pretty bleak in terms of getting truth out there with all the lies, distortion, and now orchestrated bombardment, my husband did remind me of a truth that cannot be misconstrued... in the end, we win! Until then every time a women speaks out for religious liberty it matters.

Real women, like real men, are not looking for a government hand out. We feel pride in raising our children the way we choose to raise them. We are capable of working our way to increase just like any man. We can and should stand up and proclaim proudly that we have God given and at the time of this writing American given rights to live our lives freely.

We do not want to pay for any ones birth control, not ever. We do not want to pay to have someone's child killed. It is our CHOICE not to pay for it! We do not want to sit back and watch Sarah Palin, Laura Ingram and Michelle Malkin and others get verbally abused and threatened because they do not suck up to the elite media and elite Hollywood.

Yes it is true that in the last days, good will be called evil and evil will be called good. What was once noble (to stand for one's beliefs) is now looked upon as strange and harmful. It is not that we are outnumbered but more like overshadowed. The left is much louder attempting to destroy anyone who voices a contrary opinion. However, still consistent voices for traditional, moral values will prove to be an essential element  in seeing our nation return to it's conservative roots. There are more of us!

Many more!

So join me on the war against the fabricated twisted view of what they want us to believe women are in this country. Women either too brainwashed to know better or too lazy to do anything about it.

I am so proud of Karen Handel. She didn't compromise her stand by resigning from the Komen Foundation. I am so proud of Patricia Heaton who had the guts to ask for her tweets to call Rush's advertisers to show support for him. Sure she had to suspend her twitter account due to the outlash of disgusting, horrific, threatening (I'm guessing here) responses to her twitter account. Thankfully, she's back on Twitter now.

What also is back is the voice of what has always been the heart of a woman. Protection of our children. Freedom for our nation. And the right to call wrong wrong. No matter what the consequences.

We don't need any man to speak for us.

Thanks anyway, we'll take it from here.


pw

5 out of 5

Since I have been a proud member of the mother of five club since 1998, I thought it would be fitting to write about my 5 kids. My husband and I are currently batting 1000 with our five children. 5 out of 5 have turned out better than imagined or predicted in the norm of things. So different from each other yet similar in all the important stuff! From common sense and wisdom to nurturing, creativity, discipline, athletic and comedic ability our 5 are uniquely positioned for accomplishment. Some personality traits are strikingly similar while others are a stark contrast. But all 5 out of 5 are born again, God fearing Christians . . . 5 out of 5 are family oriented choosing to be around our home and each other. 5 out of 5 are in the ministry in some aspect. 5 out of 5 are insightful and thoughtful of other people. All 5 are good looking on the inside as well as the outside. I know that I am just a tad bit bias!

I also understand that the enemy continues to win all our kids over with various temptations, deceptions and lies. We all have heard of once innocent children falling away and forsaking the hopes and dreams their parents had for them. Broken families are a favorite pursuit of the devil. I have heard stories of parents who raise all their kids alike, yet end up with at least one bad apple. Some would say it is almost inevitable. Not so! The only inevitable thing is the reliability of a forgiving savior combined with the absoluteness of His uncompromising word, opportune wisdom, and unconditional love. I believe in second chances and miraculous combacks, yet, I also strongly believe in the power of preventative prayer!

Actually, in the case of our children we did not "raise them all the same" which may have helped toward the present outcome. Every child is unique and requires a somewhat specialized raising technique. We did not raise our kids by following a "how to" book. We did not even plan it out! It was simply adhering to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit for each individual child in each individualized and unpredictable situation. Flexible in the small things, yet firm in the absolutes in scripture.

One thing that has always been paramount to us is that we show love and respect to all 5 of our children equally. Some may require more time, some may require more training, but as the Bible says... there is no difference in His eyes or in our eyes and hearts.

It is also no secret that living the Christian life has rewards in varied ways. Favor, confidence, and power over temptation are a few of those rewards. Yes, we showed our children the way and believed for their salvation and commitment to Christ, but it is their choice and responsibility to serve him day by day. Our kids have never known anything but a busy life of full time ministry. Yet they have never felt left out or put aside for others which almost always leads to resentment towards God when ministers' children grow and mature.

How did all 5 of our kids never suffer from the infamous PK syndrome? What did we do as parents that caused the current success? Is there any advice or formula that I could share in this blog? Maybe. Early on there was a deliberate decision to put our family first while pursuing ministry. We did ministry together, all of us, all the time. Many times our small children would fall asleep on the pew or in a restaurant booth. In youth ministry they were just part of the equation. We had skinheads hold them as we vacuumed (saved skin heads!) and death punk rockers sing and play with them in the church van. We took them everywhere. They learned who we were in ministry by personal observation. We also didn't remove fun from serving God. We had fun in and out of church!

When we became senior pastors of WOL back in 1989 our two children at the time were just 1 and 3 years old. We made it a practice to not ignore them when they wanted to show us their Sunday School page or ask us a question, even if we were talking to a new visitor. It was pretty basic knowledge to us that if we ignored them or put them off even at that early age, they would feel that church or ministry was more important than they were. So we made a conscience effort not to.

It may be a shock to some that we missed church services for important out of town events that meant a lot to our kids. One time a successful guest minister spent a week in our home and witnessed one of those times. He was very successful and my husband asked advice from him, "What is the secret to your success"? He replied without hesitation, "Well, "I would never miss a service for a ballgame for one thing." Wow! Thankfully, we let that advice fall by the wayside and left it there all these 29 years. Sadly, that successful international minister ended up losing his family, his wife, his kids and his ministry. People may not agree or understand, but the scripture is crystal clear that to not take care of your own family makes you worse than an infidel or unbeliever. And what good would it do to gain the whole world, grow a vast soul winning ministry and loose the very ones that God expects you to daily raise up to follow Him? The answer is obvious, but those following that advice are few. And it is the future (the children) as well as the ministry who ultimately loose.

People have asked us how our children have turned out so well even during difficulties in ministry. The best way I can share my insight on that is to share the following story.

Recently, one of our children was brought aside to help an old friend with his problem. During the conversation the subject turned to how our child's Dad and brother were the reason for this persons' fall. After sitting and hearing some of the most far-fetched satanic twisted hogwash, our adult child simply said "This was the first time I ever heard anything negative about Dad." The key word here is "first". Too many times in the ministry or even in secular jobs, bad stuff is being said about Dad. True or untrue, your kids need not be a part of that cancer. The other thing that came out of this story is how our other child, who was falsely accused, handled the situation. Instead of being bitter, his heart was towards the person who had fallen into the hands of the enemy. Although it is hurtful especially to me as mom, it is God's acceptance and truth that allow unfairness to be viewed in perspective to the overall picture. Seeing hurting and hurtful people with the eyes of compassion is redemptive as well as felicitous with scripture.

Training up a child in the way he/she should go includes more than just an introduction to God and His rules. It includes attributes and character only revealed during hardships and unjust times.

Observed reaction is more vital than observed action. Attention is more vital than praise. Although praise is important! A sense of family security along with individual honor will hold up when the signs point elsewhere and the odds are against you. Anyone can force your kids to put down the iPod and have some family time. But when they choose to spend time with you, such as it was for my recent birthday celebration, full of unique and special presents, it becomes the greatest gift of all.

Our youngest child just turned 13 and so for us there are still some years left for child rearing. But looking ahead I can see the writing on the wall. 5 out of 5! All fulfilling the call on their lives and passing this great success story on to their own children. Even to a thousand generations! A-men!
Deuteronomy 7:9



pw

CURL: The truly dismal state of the union - Washington Times

CURL: The truly dismal state of the union - Washington Times

Lessons from Lily

We did not have a spare bedroom, not even close... but something moved upon us to welcome a foreign exchange student this year. It was our first time doing it. A little scary.

The best way to describe Lily is adorable. I use to call someone like her, when I did the radio show, a "cry er".  A "cry er" is someone my husband and I thought was so cute that you could just cry thinking about them. My son's girlfriend (from Brazil) says, "Lily is so sweet I want to bite her". A little break in the translation for us in America. Not popular to say we want to bite her... especially since Isabella works in a Daycare. Lots of the kiddies are bitable - and some of them bite back! Still it means the same thing. Lily is someone that you fall in love with the moment you meet her. It may be her Micky Mouse voice or her nervous hugs, but whatever it may be it be... Lily is a cry er, first class.

We are learning what it is to host an exchange student. I have seen a few subtle shifts in the normality around our home. How can a 14 year old travel across the globe to live with total strangers? Maybe the things we thought were scary are really not at all.  When you see how happy she gets over such tiny blessings, such as a tiny pink notepad, you can't help but admit how stuffed we all are with things and how scarce we all are with appreciation. Personally, I can not ever remember jumping over any gift, certainly not a note pad.

Our family is large even huge for someone like Lily. She has no siblings and as it is with most girls from China, her grandmother, not her mother, raises her. She struggles with English and wants very much to let us know that she is glad to be here. I, on the other hand, instinctively want Lily to have everything she needs and to make sure she is not sad or lonely. I mention lonely because though our house is full, Lily prefers to be alone in her room. She stays in there until someone lets her know it is time to go somewhere. She politely says OK and dresses in less than a minute - or so it seems. Kind of unusual for a teenager around here.

I've noticed that Lily wants us to walk ahead. She giggles when we do not and instead hold the door for her gesturing for her walk before us. She loves salad but is not too hip on spaghetti. She would rather sit alone at the island to eat than watch TV downstairs. She eats methodically slow, makes her bed without asking and gives the best, howbeit short, neck massage to whomever happens to be in the room.

Today we went to Dillions after volleyball practice to get each of us girls a salad. Since this most likely was her first time at a salad bar, I showed her all the different kinds of lettuce and the rows and rows of items to choose. "Get whatever you like Lily". As we slowly walked around one end to the other I noticed something that almost took my breath away. Did she realize that she could really have whatever she wanted? Was she comfortable enough to choose only what she liked? Was she just being safe??? Whatever the reason, I looked at her salad as we closed the lids simultaneously and she had made an exact duplicate of my own. Down to the number of tomatoes it was the same. It is possible that when I told her to get whatever she wanted, she thought I wanted her to get what I show her... but I don't believe that to be the case. If  imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then I was blushing. Blushing along with a few tears.

Lily went outside to our backyard deck tonight. She had something in her mouth like a plastic stick and was staring up at the darkened sky. I said "Hello Lilly are you OK?" She said, "Yes" and began to tell me of a phone call from her older friend, also a student, from China. I could only make out a little but it seems like she was wanting to tell me all about the conversation. I wish I could have understood everything. Actually, her English has improved dramatically already. She said, "Father gave me the phone and I was able to speak to Susan"... It took me a little bit to figure out who "Father" was. It was my husband. He is Father and I am Mom.

So much intimacy and so much attachment we have for this cry er.

And in two days she will only have been with us for one week..


PW

True Humanitarians

When I lived in South Florida there was a lot of press from the "Save the Manatee" foundation. The precious manatee were subject to extinction due to humans "encroaching" on their natural habitat. Every time you turned on the TV you heard pleas to "Save the Manatee". School Children were programmed to make sure their parents were aware of the proposed danger of dying Manatee. From nursery coloring book pages to High School "Save the Manatee" fundraisers, the Manatee were the thing in Florida. Second only to "Where's the Beef?", "Save the Manatee" was heard everywhere! It was really pretty pathetic.

Interestingly a recent report by the Aireil Survey this winter revealed over 3500 manatees on the coasts of Florida.  The manatee population is increasing in that area as well as a couple more areas. Though still on the endangered list, not so much is heard anymore about the poor manatee. I suppose the Bluefin Tuna, Magellanic Penguin, and the Polar Bear have become more popular to protect. Millions are raised annually to do so. Sadly, the recent east coast blizzards and record low temperatures have hurt the melting ice cap foundation a bit. It has become a hard sell to protect the Polar bears. Just not enough time I suppose to spread the word that freezing temperatures are actually caused by global warming. Huh?

Good planet, bad people, send money.

Do you remember when Princess Diana died? Do you know how she lost her life? Most everyone does. The outpouring of shock and sadness was widespread. I remember being caught up in the media coverage and the Elton John tribute to Diana. Total strangers cried at her massive funeral and for her two boys that she loved so much. Who can forget? Ironically, another famous person died the day before Diana’s funeral. In contrast, her passing was as quiet and humble as the life she lived in the remote villages of Calcutta.

A simple tribute was written, “Missionary and Humanitarian Mother Teresa, after finishing her dinner and prayers, gave way to a weakened heart and passed on to the God who was the very center of her life”. Her life was a life given to children and her passing was almost completely unnoticed. More tears, I suppose, were shed for the Princes then for the orphans during that September in 1997. What a rare and selfless soul was Mother Teresa.

When one is given the title "Humanitarian" they are regarded as a good and kind person. We've all read about loved ones donating one of their kidneys to a relative. And when a total stranger donates a kidney, that kindness receives even more deserved attention. Who would do that? Giving of oneself to add a few more years to another, someone they do not even know. Wow! Those generous people end up on Oprah. No one would think of calling a person who just donated one of their kidneys a "domestic terrorist". The term "Oxymoron" doesn't give justice to that embarrassing misstatement. True, some people may not give it a lot of thought, but no one in their right mind would send death threats to the donor of a kidney. How insane would that be? Giving up a kidney to save the life of another is a good thing.

 A "hero" kind of thing.

I have had the awesome privilege of meeting several true humanitarians in the two decades I have lived in Wichita. People who spend hours a day, for years on end for a cause dear to their hearts. These are men and women, teens, and children who have a passion to save the lives of babies not yet born. I have observed business men alongside moms with strollers - holding signs, singing hymns, and peacefully protesting what they believe was the horror and shame of our city - late term abortion. Abortion so graphic it is hard to even think about.  So horrifically graphic like the image of Malachi, an aborted nine month fetus, found in a dumpster, then pieced together and photographed.

Baby Malachi lived an extremely short life, yet because of the reality of his image, hundreds of babies all over our country are saved from a similar torture. The people who protest abortion are not scary. They are not angry and deranged. Yet they are the only people who are equated with Al-Qaeda on a regular basis by the liberal media and then parroted by those who regularly tune in to their propaganda.

Anyone listening?

Thank God there are clear minded people left with enough inner judgment to see the outrage of this character assassination. As Mother Teresa dedicated her life for children, Pro-life Wichitan's simply agree that enough blood has been shed in our city, and are mindful that not one innocent life of a pre-born child has been slain since the incinerator was removed from 5101 East Kellogg. The dead center of a city infamously known for decades as the abortion capitol of the world, my city - Wichita, Kansas.

As Wichitans we have all breathed our fare share of ashes from the remains of beautiful, precious, innocent babies, like Malachi. The fact is that most of those late term abortions were not from residents of our city at all. I personally witnessed on numerous occasions cars and taxi's from Wisconsin, New Jersey, North Carolina, California etc etc. pulling into the one location that routinely profited from using vacuuming like devices (via TV monitor) to suck out screaming children's brains until they finally stopped moving. Just saving one of those babies from such a horrific, excruciatingly painful death should have made at least a short segment on Oprah!

Apparently not.

Are there really people in Wichita, Kansas who are resisting a new abortion doctor from opening up shop? Yup! These true humanitarians are just that, true. They are honest, God fearing, selfless people who abhor the shedding of any innocent life. They do not deserve to be equated with the killing of George Tiller, or the bombing of buildings, or of Islamic Extremism. That is more than just a diversion, fallacy, and lie. It’s strategic. People who protest abortion are portrayed as such on purpose as a strategy. A strategy meant to ultimately protect the mega lucrative industry of abortion. No doubt about it, it's about the money.

Tons of it.

Pro-life activists have simply decided to peacefully protest any opening of any clinic that performs abortions at any trimester in Wichita. They have simply decided to protect the baby human which is the most precious, yet most unprotected endangered species in America.

Thank God for the churches who are sending representatives to protest any future opening of an abortion facility in Wichita. You have already saved lives. You are true humanitarians. And yet instead of honor, you receive threatening letters and ridicule and are labeled Nazi's. How strange? I know History books have been altered in our country, but didn't Hitler kill innocent life, not pray to save it?  Such gibberish belongs in insane asylums, not on the nightly news.

Hundreds of Florida manatee were saved by the outcry of animal rights groups with clever marketing. Thousands of children were fed, cared for, and removed from life on the streets by the vision and mission of Mother Teresa. Each year people are moved upon to donate either one of their own kidneys or an organ of a loved one who passed away to give sight to or save the life of a stranger. We applaud you.

It is normal to be touched by the caring generosity of another.
However, let us also pay tribute to the nuns and ministers, moms and attorneys, policemen and politicians who set aside a portion of their busy lives to do what they can to protect the lives of innocent babies in Wichita, Kansas and around the world.

You are true humanitarians.

pw

Gone Too Soon

I just finished reading LIFE Magazine’s special addition. "Gone Too Soon" which was full of stories about famous people such as Anne Frank whose lives were not long, but mattered.

My thoughts returned to the life that mattered the most to me growing up … my mother. It has been as long now since her death as the number of years she lived, yet I still see new evidence of just how much she mattered. I see her in the way I parent. I see her in familiar gestures and inherited talent.  I see her in my daughter’s eyes.

The magazine spoke about how lives cut short left behind so much potential, so much loss. How true it is. I have lived 40 years without her and yet sorrow remains over the loss of what could have been.

And so it is, as written in the closing statements of  the “Gone Too Soon” LIFE magazine special addition - My mother also “Had so much more to give and, just as important, wanted so much to give it!”

What a colossal rip off.

I then thought about our church family some of whom have also lost

loved ones due to premature death. Gone too soon!

From a pure emotional standpoint, it is unbearable to even think about it. That is what we do; try not to think about such things.

But for those who have been visited by premature death, especially recently, it is all they can think about.

I understand, in a way, how mean it is for life to go on all around them. Even kind words meant to help can wound. Seems that only time holds the hope for any inkling of relief.  A long, long time at that.

My heart aches for the mom who lost her only son right before the holidays and for a fellow Pastor’s wife who lost her sister on Christmas day, and for the man who included a photo in an on-line album of his late wife as a young woman, holding her first child,
and of the friend who relives a tragedy much too difficult to address.

God help them.

So much lied ahead that they would have wanted to be a part of!

Premature death .  .  .  Gone too soon indeed.

So what is the good news about this whole premature death thing? What good thing can come out of it? Any fatalistic suggestions?

Never mind.

God’s Word is pretty clear that the only death that glorifies (Other than laying one’s life down for another) is dying to one’s self. Paul said, it is far better to be with God in heaven, but for those on earth, it is BETTER that I stay.  Better because the apostle could continue to bless the followers with spiritual insight. He could be there for them when they needed or just wanted him to be. Paul could serve Jesus by serving His people – not in heaven, on earth!

Thank God Paul’s mindset was not one of fatalism, but of faith. A freed man who had a free will. Because of those who would be blessed by his longer life, he chose to stay. Although, he did make it clear that dying and being with Christ was far better for him – for anyone.   Phil. 1:21.

That is a fact to hold on to.

Unfortunately, there remains a constant need to be reminded of the fact that only good things come from above. It’s a real theological stretch to include premature death as one of those good things, yet people still try.

It is not. 

And so we are left with some questions for certain and a few unknowns.

On the other hand we do have several for sures that we can rest our faith on.

Here are a few…

God is a good God. He gives life and life abundantly.

John 10:10.

Life of any length is but a vapor when compared to eternal life.

James 4:14

A glorious guaranteed permanent reunion is on the calendar… 

1 Thes. 4:13-18; Heb. 12:1

Tragedy does not have to happen again. Scripture provides divine protection as part of the blood covenant.

Psa. 4:8; Prov.18:10; Psa. 91:16; Psa. 91:11-13; Prov. 3:1-2; Psa.90:10.

When Jesus left this earth he told us that he is sending a comforter, the Holy Spirit, to live inside of each believer.  His comfort works.

It heals if we allow it.  John 14:16.

The sting of death has been eliminated. When a person passes only their earthly house remains which becomes an empty shell. Man’s spirit is eternal; therefore they really have not died at all, but were merely transformed. 1Cor.15:55.

Sadly, the longer a person lives the more opportunity to hear about premature deaths. This is especially true if you are associated with a lot a people over a long period of time such as Pastors of the same church for 21 years.  Personally, each time I hear of a premature death my reaction is always the same, colossal rip off - advantage Satan. Any death is tragic, but premature death is especially so.

Just as certain, however, as the fact that the devil is snickering in hell over each tragedy, is the Lord’s supernatural comfort and ability to gently bring those left behind through.

When speaking about “the late” Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Bible teaches that God is the Lord of the living not of the dead.  That denotes those patriarchs are still alive!  Alive in Heaven.

Such a confirming, comforting verse.

Matt. 22:32.

In this temporary earthly realm, however, we need to concentrate on those around us who have not passed. We need to cherish each day with them and to fulfill our time as God intended. It is so important not to complete the package that the enemy started which would be our spiritual crippling or demise. It is by God’s Spirit, His Word and Power alone that carries us to the other side of grief.

1Chronicles 29:10-12; Isa 25:8; 1 Cor. 15:54. 

What a short life we have to live here on earth! Shorter by the second. The only way to live out our days, especially if we have experienced a premature death, is to live with eternity in mind.

Daily.

Considering eternity and the power that promise has within it, results in Satan’s weapons crumbling before they detonate. Unfortunately, many fall prey to the final blows the enemy has planned for them.

Blows of depression, finger pointing, or guilt.

How foolish it is to hold grudges or bitterness toward anyone especially loved ones.   What a deception to allow the enemy to come between us and all the comforting promises in God’s Word. It is not possible to turn back time but it is within our reach to help form the future for us and others by living out His will in our lives.

Living with eternity in mind turns our attention away from the past and concentrates on the present which creates a much anticipated future.

Are we living our lives today the way we wish we would if it were our last? Who is around us that would benefit from our heartfelt prayers before it is too late? How many future plans of Satan can we help destroy by preventative prayer combined with unmovable faith that what He says in His Word, He will do?

Psa. 91:16

Unlike the tragedy of premature death, which is noted by all, the vast majority of our intercessory prayers will not be celebrated or even noticed until Heaven. One day we will grieve no more and we will become aware of what our prayers accomplished.

Matt. 6:4-6; Isa. 25:8; Rev. 19:9

When you truly love someone, that true love never fades. And for those who would do anything, even give up their own life for the safe return of another, remember there is one who has already done that for you. Jesus pushed you out of the way of your certain demise and took your consequences, pain, and punishment. He did it because His love for you is that strong. He took your place because He wanted you to fulfill your days on earth and live forever with Him in Heaven. He died in your place because he could and because he wanted to. No man took the life of Jesus, He laid it down freely.

Love covers it does not reveal mistakes or faults. Love is unearned and unconditional. Love comforts when nothing else can. And love never ever fails. God is that love.

If you have suffered a premature death in your family, it is important to know that is not the final chapter. Rely on the comfort of the Holy Spirit, not your own ability to comfort yourself. Trust in the truth that time will bring relief and that it will one day get easier. Understand that due to your weakened state, the enemy wills to finish you off. Be determined to not allow Satan to add to his spoils.

We can also remind people of the specialness of the one we lost, far too early, because though they may not have been famous as those in Life’s “Gone Too Soon” addition, their life however short, mattered.

Every life does.

And lastly, we can do for them what they cannot do for themselves –

Cherish and enjoy the moments of our own life - for them, for us, and in spite of their premature passing.

pw