"Go ye...."
RIO REVOLUTION CHURCH
Maryville, Tennessee
Truth Seekers Class
"Go ye...."
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"Go ye...." |
RIO REVOLUTION CHURCH
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"Go ye...." |
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| This lesson may be difficult or uncomfortable for some persons. Remember, though, that God forgives, heals, and loves all of His His children. Rather than finding the negative in these Scriptures and discussions, find the positive. A woman who has had an abortion may experience grief and guilt. Guilt follows a feeling that a sin has not been forgiven. God wants to restore all of us to fullness of life. Any woman who has had an abortion can— and should— seek full restoration from her loving Father. There are people in every community who will help a woman who is contemplating abortion or who grieves after an abortion. Use the following Scriptures and comments to form your own opinions on this most divisive issue. God loves you! |
COMMENT. Today is the anniversary of two of the most shameful decisions ever handed down by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Decisions in the Roe vs Wade and Doe vs Bolton cases were announced on January 22, 1973. Many American churches will observe SANCTITY OF LIFE SUNDAY today.
► The abbreviation SCOTUS, used in this lesson, stands for the Supreme Court of the United States.
The Sunday before January 22 is designated Sanctity of Life Sunday in America, and I am honored to bring you a Sanctity of Life Sunday School lesson. Because of these decisions, today:
• We grieve the millions of unborn American children who have been aborted since 1973.
• We are saddened by the post-abortion grief their mothers have experienced and still experience.
• We mourn the inestimable harm that has happened to the moral fiber of our country.
• We sadly acknowledge the estrangement of our people from God.
A relatively few verses are cited in this lesson, but these verses should demonstrate that a pro-life God loves all of us— both born and unborn. When we defend life, we walk in God's will and we defend His holy word!
This lesson only “scratches the surface” of this important topic. More pro-life Scriptures could be included, but I have tried to reduce the size of this lesson. Please think more about how precious your life is and how you should defend life at all times.
INTRODUCTION— WHY THE LESSON TITLE? A shameful event happened last century. The Third Reich (Nazi Germany) murdered six-million Jews, in an attempt to implement Hitler's fanatical hatred of Jews.
The murder (genocide) of European Jews has been called the “Holocaust.” I use this event as the title of this lesson, as I want us to understand an American Holocaust— the war against unborn American babies. Compare and contrast the two holocausts:
| FEATURE | NAZI GERMANY HOLOCAUST | AMERICAN HOLOCAUST |
| Governmental sanction: | Yes. Killing of Jews was sanctioned by the Third Reich (under Adolf Hitler). | Yes. Killing of unborn babies is sanctioned by the American government (through SCOTUS decisions and refusal to reverse these decisions by Congressional action and presidential leadership). |
| Citizen involvement: | Tolerated and accepted by apathetic German citizens and churches. Small number of citizens worked in the death camps, but most citizens did not want to think about what was happening. | Tolerated and accepted by apathetic American citizens and churches. Small number of citizens work in the abortion clinics, but most citizens do not want to think about what is happening. |
| Victims: | Innocent Jews and other “undesirable” persons. | Innocent unborn babies. |
| Legal charges lodged against victims: | None. | None. |
| Legal proceedings and protections afforded victims: | None— no representation by an attorney; no trial (court) appearance; no appeal to a higher court; all civil rights abolished. | None— no representation by an attorney; no trial (court) appearance; no appeal to a higher court; all civil rights abolished. |
| Killing place: | Usually, Nazi concentration camps. | Abortion clinics and some hospitals. |
| Method of killing: | Gas suffocation, starvation, shooting. | Ripping apart while alive (surgical abortion, with surgical instruments); chemical poisoning (salt water, RU-486). |
| Reason for killing: | Jews (and others) inconvenient, unwanted, and burdensome; few or no friends to speak on their behalf. | Usually, unborn babies inconvenient, unwanted, and burdensome; few or no friends to speak on their behalf. |
| Results: | 6-million Jews (and others) killed. | More than 54-million unborn babies killed. In 2012, 1.3-million unborn babies will be killed by abortion (one baby every 25 seconds). |
| Date Holocaust killing stopped: | 1945. | Killing continues, with no end in sight. More than 1-million unborn babies will be killed this year, even performing abortions on pregnant girls not yet 18 years of age. |
| Repentance: | Yes. Repentance has occurred. All concentration camps are closed, and Jews are no longer exterminated. | No. Repentance has not occurred. America defiantly, even boastfully maintains and protects her abortuaries, fully protected by the government and supported by millions of citizens. Few citizens and few pastors speak out against abortion. AMERICA IS UNREPENTANT, BECAUSE AS A NATION WE NO LONGER FEARS GOD! |
INTRODUCTION— BRIEF HISTORY OF ABORTION ON DEMAND IN THE UNITED STATES. For most of our nation‘s history, it was illegal and unethical for a physician to perform an abortion. When I graduated from medical school in 1964, I took the Hippocratic Oath, part of which stated that I would not perform an abortion, according to this statement: “I will neither give a deadly drug to anyone who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly, I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy.” The State of Tennessee reminded me every time I renewed my medical license of the offenses that would cause my license to be revoked. One of these offenses was the performance of an abortion. How times have changed!
In the early 1970’s, Norma McCorvey was impregnated by her boyfriend in a consensual relationship. She sought an abortion. Her Texas physicians refused because such a procedure was illegal. Two attorneys concocted an untrue story that Norma was pregnant as the result of rape, and filed suit against the State of Texas. Norma was designated as “Jane Roe” — the plaintiff in a now world-famous lawsuit, Roe vs Wade.
At about the same time, Sandra Cano, a young mother of three who held pro-life views, sought a divorce from her abusive husband. She was renamed “Mary Doe” and unknowingly became the plaintiff in Doe vs Bolton, a companion suit to Roe vs Wade. Georgia law in the early 1970s permitted abortion only in the case of rape, severe fetal deformity, or severe or fatal injury to the mother.
These two cases percolated upward through the court system, until they reached SCOTUS. The cases were assigned to the newly seated Justice Blackmun. He wrote the infamous opinion that led to the deaths of millions of unborn babies.
Like many SCOTUS decisions, this was a “coin flip” (5 to 4) decision. The decision presented a concocted “right to privacy,” based on the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This provision was extended into a legal theory that would protect a woman's decision to have an abortion, without interference from the government. Many legal scholars have opined that these cases were wrongly decided. It appears a slim majority of SCOTUS justices wanted to find a way to legalize abortion, and this trumped-up decision was as good as any.
DOES THE BIBLE ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF ABORTION? Consider the first part of Genesis. Elohim (God) created the Universe from nothing. Then, He created man and woman and gave them to each other to form a family. He commanded mankind to be fruitful and multiply, declaring His creations good.
Some “theologians” may use Scriptures to defend abortion, but reading the Bible with an open mind conclusively shows that God, the Creator of all life, is pro-life. In the following sections, I will present some (but not all) Scriptures which demonstrate that God is pro-life.
WE ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. Humans— whether born or unborn— are God's special, unique creations. The very breath of life (literally, God's eternal spirit—
the soul) lives within every person. By what right and by whose authority can an abortionist take the life of an unborn baby, a person created in God's image?
Genesis 1:1, 26-28a: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. || Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have
dominion over... [every thing] on the earth. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them,....
Genesis 2:7, 22: And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. ||
... Then... He made a woman, and He brought her to the man.
Isaiah 42:5: Thus says God the LORD,... who gives breath to the people on [the earth], and spirit to those who walk on it;....
Matthew 10:30: [Jesus said] “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
Acts 17:25b: [Paul said] ... “[God] gives to all life, breath, and all things.”
Acts 17:28: [Paul said] ... “for in [God] we live and move and have our being,.... 'For we are also His offspring.'”
1 John 3:1a, 2a: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God! .... Beloved, now we are the children of
God;....
Psalm 127:3: Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward.
GOD, WHO KNOWS AND LOVES US EVEN BEFORE WE ARE BORN, HAS PLANS FOR US. God has known all things from the beginning of creation (
Isaiah 46:9-10). He has known, loved, and planned for each of us, even before our conception. In the following
Scriptures, note that the unborn are called “a child” or “children.” God would never refer to His children as “products of conception,” “fetuses,” or “clumps of cells.”
Psalm 139:13-16: For You [the LORD] formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous
are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being
yet unformed, and in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
Jeremiah 1:4-5: Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a
prophet to the nations."
Isaiah 49:1b, 5a: “The LORD has called Me from the womb; from the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. || And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the
womb to be His Servant,....”
Genesis 25:22-23a: But the children struggled together within [Rebekah]; and she said, "If all is well, why am I like this?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. And
the LORD said to her: "Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body;....”
1 John 3:1a, 2a: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! .... Beloved, now we are children of God;....
Matthew 1:18b, 22-23: ... After [Jesus'] mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. || So all this
was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is
translated, "God with us."
Luke 1:44: [Elizabeth said to Mary] "For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe [John the Baptizer] leaped in my womb for joy.”
Luke 2:21: And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the
womb.
GOD PROHIBITS THE SHEDDING OF INNOCENT BLOOD. God commands us not to shed the blood of an innocent person. Murder, which is forbidden, is the premeditated or intentional
shedding of innocent blood. Self-defense, capital punishment, accidents, and military activity required by a government would seem to be exceptions to the prohibition of killing another human.
God— only God— should decide when a person's life ends. Different persons argue whether abortion is an intentional taking of life or a surgical procedure of no moral consequence. Form your
own conclusion.
Exodus 20:13: [God spoke] "You shall not murder.”
Psalm 31:15: My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
Exodus 21:22-23: [The LORD said] "If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished
accordingly as the woman's husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,....”
Exodus 23:7b: [The LORD said] “... do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.”
Psalm 106:36-42: They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and shed innocent blood, the
blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood. Thus they were defiled by their own works, and played the harlot by their own deeds.
Therefore the wrath of the LORD was kindled against His people, so that He abhorred His own inheritance. And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles, and those who hated them ruled over them. Their
enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.
Proverbs 6:16, 17c: These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: ... [one of which is] hands that shed innocent blood,....
JESUS LOVED, PROTECTED CHILDREN. Jesus had a loving, tender heart toward children. He compared those who would find God's Kingdom to little children coming before their Abba (their
Father). Although in the following Scriptures Jesus warned against leading innocent children into sin, is it not reasonable to believe that He would also warn against taking the lives of little children?
Children are special to Jesus, and they should be special to us.
Matthew 19:14: But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
[Similar Scriptures: Mark 10:14 and Luke 18:16]
Matthew 18:6: [Jesus said] "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck,
and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” [Similar Scriptures: Mark 9:42 and Luke 17:2]
IN CONFLICT OF LAW AND CONSCIENCE, GOD'S LAW IS SUPREME. Every American knows that the “law of the land” regarding abortion was set forth in the Roe vs Wade and Doe vs Bolton decisions. However, God's law supersedes man's law. For each person's life, God demands that we follow His law, as set forth in Holy Scriptures, over any conflicting law set forth in a court decision or a law enacted by any legislature. This statement is not a call for rebellion against the government, but, rather, a call for a Christian to hold him-/ her-self to a standard of morality higher than the morality of judges and legislators. At your judgment, you will be accountable only for your own deeds and words– not the deeds and words of governmental bodies or officials.
Acts 5:29: But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Romans 3:4a: ... Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar....
BEWARE FALSE KNOWLEDGE (FALSE SCIENCE). Some scientists argue that life only begins at some arbitrary age after conception (twenty weeks of gestation? birth? other?). Such argument is
sophistry (a false, misleading argument), and should be rejected. Life begins at that moment when the chromosomes of the father and mother unite to form the chromosomes of the next generation. From that
moment, a unique, irreplaceable child begins life. From that moment, a child who has been held in God's heart since the moment of creation begins his/ her eternal life. Many people worship at the altar
of science, elevating “science” to the status of a god and scientists as prophets of that god. There is only one Truth— that of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and God's Son, Jesus. Accept
science as a gift from God, unless scientific “knowledge” strays from the Truth.
1 Timothy 6:20-21: O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called
knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith....
Isaiah 5:20-21: 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!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
“MY BODY, MY CHOICE” — WHO OWNS A PERSON'S BODY? Feminists and politicians may use the slogan, “My body, my choice.” This slogan advances the argument that a woman's body is hers
and hers alone. Therefore, no person or no government should control what she does with her body. The obvious moral fallacy in this argument is that there is another body growing inside her body. Is it
moral for her to kill her unborn baby to make her own life happier? God owns the bodies of all persons— pregnant or non-pregnant women, men, and unborn babies. Anything a woman does with her body
(or her unborn baby's body) should honor God and obediently follow Him.
Romans 12:1: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy
him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were
bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
A CHRISTIAN'S DUTY TO SPEAK OUT FOR LIFE. We have had more than 54-million abortions in America since 1973 because of the cowardice and deafening silence of Christians. (I include
myself in this indictment.) Some of America's most cowardly people stand in church pulpits and sit in church pews. If Christians by the millions had shouted in 1973, “You are not legalizing abortion in
my country!” Congress would have overturned the SCOTUS decisions. American Christians collectively whispered to each other (if they noticed at all), “Isn't it a shame that abortion has been legalized?”
The Church is called in New Testament Greek ekklesia (“the called out [ones]”). We in the Church are called out for a purpose. We are commanded to defend those in need. In Jesus' absence, we are
appointed to be ambassadors for Him. We are called to be warrior-defenders of God's Holy word. In keeping with our church project in 2011, Project Bema
, you will be judged by your deeds and actions in defending— or, not defending— God's holy word.
Matthew 12:37: [Jesus said] "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Jude 1:3b: I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
Psalm 82:3-4: Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.
Proverbs 24:11-12: Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, "Surely we did not know this," does not He
who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
Proverbs 31:8-9: Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor
and needy.
Isaiah 5:20: 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!
John 8:12b || Matthew 5:14a: [Jesus said] ... "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
|| [Jesus said] "You are the light of the world....”
James 4:17: Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
James 5:16b: The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
WHAT ABOUT ABORTION FOR A PREGNANCY RESULTING FROM RAPE OR INCEST? Nothing tugs at the heart more than the dilemma of suggesting that a woman deliver a child which has resulted from
rape or incest. I have no good answer for this problem. Fortunately, pregnancies following rape or incest represent only a small fraction of abortions performed each year. Most
abortions are performed as a birth control measure (to terminate a pregnancy resulting from casual sex, without using effective birth control measures). Pregnancy following rape or incest should be
handled by the woman, her family, her minister (understanding that some ministers are outspoken champions of abortions), crisis pregnancy personnel, and others who can offer advice in a loving,
Christ-honoring manner. The Bible contains passages that may be helpful in arriving at a decision:
Genesis 50:20a: [Joseph said] "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people
alive.”
Exodus 23:7b: [The LORD said] “... do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.”
Deuteronomy 24:16: [Moses said] "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to
death for his own sin.”
Proverbs 6:16, 17c: These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: … [one of which is] hands that shed innocent blood,....
Ezekiel 18:4, 17c, 20: [Says the LORD God] "Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul who sins shall die.
|| ... He shall not die for the iniquity of his father; he shall surely live! || The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son.
The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”
WHAT ABOUT ABORTION FOR A MEDICAL REASON? Fortunately, obstetrical advances have made abortions for medical reasons relatively rare. If you are advised to have an abortion for a medical condition, discuss this advice with your family, physician (even obtaining a second opinion?), and God. I believe God will understand, if you must choose abortion in order to live to serve your existing family. God is probably much more forgiving and understanding than we give Him credit.
DEFENSE OF LIFE AS YOUR MISSION. Do you wish you could be more active in missions? Because of finances, family responsibilities, and work responsibilities, you may not be able to take one or two weeks to participate in a foreign mission. There are missions in this county and in this church which need you. Defense of life is one such mission. Consider:
The need: The need is great. Look around the sanctuary in your church's next worship service. If your church is statistically average, one out of every four women sitting in the pews has had an abortion, and one out of every four men has fathered an aborted child. Many of these men and women feel the pain of loss, and they need an understanding Christian to befriend them. Young people in your congregation are beginning to explore their sexuality and relationships with members of the opposite sex. Their view of sexuality is distorted by Hollywood, television, and popular culture. They need counseling and encouragement in matters of abstinence until marriage. What can you do to meet these needs? What is your church doing to meet these needs? Ministry to meet the needs of women seeking abortion or having had an abortion is especially a woman-to-woman ministry. Although not a requirement, if you have had an abortion in your past, you will bring special empathy to your ministry.
Love: Always remember that love is the essential ingredient of any pro-lifer's ministry. We should minister in love to any pregnant woman who is considering abortion and any woman who suffers guilt (emotional and spiritual distress) following an abortion. Men, who have fathered an aborted child, may also suffer and need your loving help. When you minister to a woman or her family, bathe your words and actions in the Christ's love, understanding, and compassion. Never be judgmental, condescending, or exhibit smug superiority. This woman is in a crisis, and she needs your love, prayers, and perhaps a shoulder upon which to cry. As you minister, face the realities of your own trial-and-error life and remember this well-known verse (Romans 3:23): ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,.... Also remember the rest of this sentence (Romans 3:24-26): ... being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. I have previously taught the Bible's formula for sin forgiveness. (See an earlier lesson about forgiveness of sin: Sin and Forgiveness.) Be humble— always remember that you may have sins as great or greater than the young woman who is considering to have or has had an abortion (Matthew 7:5): [Jesus said] "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." The "speck" could include the eye of the woman who is seeking or has had an abortion.
Appropriate and inappropriate ministry: Violence is not an appropriate response for a Christian:
• It is not a Christian act to kill an abortionist or abortion clinic worker, or to burn an abortion clinic.
Love and spread of the Gospel are appropriate responses for a Christian:
• It is a Christian act to counsel a pregnant woman about God's plans for her and her unborn baby, and to show her alternatives to abortion.
• It is a Christian act to help and seek the help of others for any woman who suffers from post-abortion syndrome.
• It is a Christian act to spread the Gospel to abortionists and abortion clinic workers and encourage their repentance.
• Love for others is one of the two commandments we are to keep (Matthew 22:39): [Jesus said] "And the second [greatest commandment] is like [the first greatest
commandment]: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'”
• And (John 13:34-35): [Jesus said] "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will
know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
• In Paul's teaching of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians, chapter 12), he has a statement which ushers in his beautiful teaching of love (1 Corinthians, chapter 13), in which he teaches that love
is the greatest of all gifts from God (1 Corinthians 12:31): But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
• And (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 8a, 13): Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And
though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all
my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. || Love never fails. || And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of
these is love.
Vote: I would never suggest to you a candidate or party you should support. I will tell you, though, that your Paraclete (the Holy Spirit) enters the voting booth with you. How you vote is a testimony to your faith. If you are pro-life, should you not vote for a pro-life candidate?
WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? This lesson is emailed to many cities in America and countries in all continents (except Antarctica). To subscribers: I do not know the resources available in your community. If you live in or near Blount County, Tennessee, call me and I will help you with local resources.
If you are pregnant and are considering an abortion or if you have had an abortion and suffer from post-abortion syndrome symptoms, you may want to start in one of these places:
Your pastor: You may wish to contact your pastor. I am confident of the counsel you will receive from the pastor of this church (RIO Revolution Church). Unfortunately, pastors in
other churches may give false counsel. Whatever a pastor may advise, make certain it is consistent with teachings of the Bible. Follow God, not any man or woman.
Crisis pregnancy center: Many communities have crisis pregnancy centers. Trained, loving women counselors will share God's love with you and discuss alternatives to abortion:
• Assistance in this region: If you live in or near Blount County, the Pregnancy Resource Center, Maryville is staffed with outstanding Christian women who will serve you at no charge.
Contact the center as follows:
By telephone: (865) 977.8378; or,
By Email: www.prcbctn.com/Contact.htm.
Or, contact me, and I will try to help you: (865) 984.1424 or raymondfinney@ymail.com.
Pregnancy Resource Center services available for you include: pregnancy tests, ultrasound examinations, gifts of infant supplies, counseling of God's plan for you and your unborn baby, counseling
for options to abortion, parenting classes, and post-abortion counseling.
• Assistance outside of this region:
• Check your telephone directory (possibly under the heading of “Abortion Alternatives” or “Crisis Pregnancy Centers);” or
• Contact OptionLine for a crisis pregnancy center near you: 1.800.395.4357 or www.optionline.org/get-help .
About pastors. I recommended in a preceding paragraph to contact your pastor. I believe this church's pastor will give you Christ-honoring advice. I regretfully qualify
this recommendation because many present-day pastors preside over Laodicean-type churches (Revelation 3:14-21
. Some pastors are even the most outspoken “cheerleaders” for abortion. Such pastors serve man's social agendas, in my opinion, rather than the Body of Christ, according to Biblical principles.
They need to re-read Jesus' stern warning for pastors who do not follow God's will (Matthew 7:21-23). If
such a pastor gives you advice contrary to the Scriptures, you are not obligated to listen to him/ her anymore than randomly picking someone passing you on the street. We worship only God; we worship no
man, regardless of his title. We follow Biblical teachings, not the babblings of man, if these babblings do not reflect the will of God.
• Other persons: Possibly obtain advice from others. Have you discussed your problem with your husband or a family member (mother, sister, aunt, someone else)? Most importantly, have you
discussed your problem with God? God has already spoken to you through the Bible, but He may have another message for you through the Holy Spirit.
• KNOW THIS! There are people, probably in your community, who will help you work through an unplanned pregnancy or resolve post-abortion grief or depression. Do not suffer alone.
Find someone with whom to discuss your concerns, fears, and pain. Friends and professional practitioners in your community are waiting to help you now, and you may not even know their names— yet.
Your most wonderful and faithful of all Friends, Jesus, is waiting to help you (Matthew 11:28-30): [Jesus said] ""Come to Me, all [you] who labor and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light."
God already knows you are pregnant or have had an abortion. Do not be afraid to talk to Him. Forgiveness and restitution to the joy of life have been promised for you, and it is
yours merely for the asking.
ORGANIZATIONS YOU SHOULD KNOW. I mention a few national organizations you need to know:
Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood Federation of America is America's largest abortion provider.
Planned Parenthood comes from the eugenics work and ideology of Margaret Sanger, work which dates to nearly one century in the past. Sanger, a eugenicist, desired to stop genetically “unfit” persons from reproducing. In her book, Woman and the New Race (1920), Sanger described her mission as: “Nothing more or less than the facilitation of weeding out the unfit, of preventing the birth of defectives or those who will become defectives.” In Birth Control Review, Sanger wrote: “The most urgent problem today is how to limit and discourage the overfertility of the mentally and physically defective.” Sanger also championed coercion: “Possibly drastic and Spartan methods may be forced upon society if it continues complacently to encourage the chance and chaotic breeding that has resulted from our stupidly cruel sentimentalism.”
A past president of Planned Parenthood, Alan Guttmacher, warned: “The mentally retarded and mentally defective... are insidiously replacing the people of normal mentality.”
People argue over whether Sanger was a racist. Planned Parenthood today seems to target black neighborhoods (a black client base). Although probably not a Nazi sympathizer, her writings were readily adopted by Hitler and his Nazi thugs, as they imposed their “Final Solution” to sanitize the Third Reich of Jews and other “undesirables.”
Your tax money generously flows to this organization, the nation's leading provider of abortions. In Fiscal Year 2009-2010, 487.4-million dollars of federal tax money was given to Planned Parenthood. During that same year, Planned Parenthood performed 329,455 abortions. This sum does not include grants from state governments. Many corporations also contribute to Planned Parenthood. Years ago, I started compiling a list of corporations donating to this organization. I personally boycotted their stores. There were so many stores on my list, that I had trouble shopping. Every time your federal and state governments and the stores at which you shop give money to Planned Parenthood, you unknowingly are supporting this organization.
”Billionaires' club” a.k.a. “The Good Club.” I will mention another tactic in the war against unborn children— efforts to prevent or fail to sustain pregnancies, without the knowledge of affected people.
In 1968, a global think tank, the Club of Rome, was founded. This group of elitists seeks to solve world problems, especially by “limiting population.”
I will mention another “club.” This group is usually called the “Billionaires' Club,” but its members prefer to call it “The Good Club.”
| IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: If I misrepresent this “club” in any way, I apologize. I am still researching this self-appointed group. I may teach an entire lesson on this group and related issues in the future. |
This “club” is composed of seven billionaires— Bill Gates, David Rockefeller, Ted Turner, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, George Soros, and Michael Bloomberg. These elitists first met in 2009 to improve (re-make) the world. They decided to use their fortunes to impose a solution for what they viewed as the world's most pressing problem— population control.
Frightening developments are coming to light:
Health authorities have been concerned for the past few years about avian influenza (“bird flu”). This influenza strain can be deadly, and can easily be spread by birds because of their fly paths
(migratory paths). Thus, an infection in one continent could be spread by birds to another continent, making possible a pandemic. This virus has not been easily transmitted to humans and between humans.
Researchers, though, have recently been able to change this virus to be readily transmitted from one species to another and within a species. Research, said to be desirable to make vaccines more
effective, could potentially make a dangerous virus even more dangerous and infectious.
There are allegations that genetically modified crops and intentional adulteration of vaccines, especially those used in Third World countries, may be leading to sterility. Allegations include:
(1) Certain genetically modified crops may be used to decrease the motility of spermatozoa (sperm cells), rendering males incapable of impregnating women. (For example, see:
Genetically Modified Foods— Safety, etc.)
(2) It has been reported that a hormone required to maintain pregnancy, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), has been secretly placed in tetanus toxoid (vaccine), intended for use in poor countries.
(For example, see: Population Control Using Vaccines, etc.) The hCG-tetanus toxoid mixture would cause two antibodies to be
formed— a desirable antibody against the tetanus bacillus, affording protection against tetanus (lockjaw); and a "secret" antibody against the hCG hormone, causing inability to maintain a pregnancy
to term (that is, producing an “immunological abortion”).
Millions of persons voluntarily and with full knowledge and consent use contraception or undergo sterilization. “I-am-smarter-than-God” attitudes of rich and famous elitists to induce
sterility involuntarily and without knowledge and consent is immoral and intolerably unethical. Such actions would show how close we are to a one-world government prophesied for the
Tribulation. I intend to research this issue more thoroughly. I may present a lesson on this topic in a few weeks.
Girl Scouts. The Girl Scouts of America has partnered with Planned Parenthood to teach young girls about abortion, shifting gender preferences (lesbianism), masturbation, feminist activism, and similar topics which parents may wish to have taught in the home or church. With exposure of the Girl Scouts' programs and agenda, many girls are leaving this organization. To take its place, the American Heritage Girls has been formed and is growing rapidly in popularity. The stated purpose of the American Heritage Girls is to be “dedicated to the mission of building women of integrity through service to God, family, community, and country.” I could not recommend that any girl in my family join the Girl Scouts, but, I wholeheartedly endorse the American Heritage Girls. The nearest troop to our church meets every Thursday afternoon at First Christian Church of Maryville, 400 S. Court Street, Maryville 37803.
POST-ABORTION SYNDROME. I mention briefly post-abortion syndrome.
It has been said that abortion leads to at least two victims— the baby (who dies) and the mother (who may experience this syndrome for years after the abortion). Other grieving victims may include the baby's father, the baby's grandparents, and others. Post-abortion syndrome, which affects most (all?) women who have had an abortion, is a form of post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Symptoms of post-abortion syndrome may not all appear at one time, but may progress from one symptom to another. Not all women who have an abortion will experience all of the symptoms. Common symptoms
include:
Guilt: Guilt may occur when a woman violates her moral code. It is unnatural for females of most animal species (including humans) to kill their young. Not only is this
protection of young— this maternal instinct— part of a woman's DNA, but it is also part of a Christian's moral teaching.
Anxiety: Anxiety (“nervousness”) is unpleasant emotional and physical distress. Symptoms vary from one woman to another, but may include irritability, inability to relax,
dizziness, pounding of the heart, worry about the future, difficulty concentrating, inability to sleep, etc. The woman may refuse to go to baby showers or go through grocery store aisles containing baby
products.
Psychological “numbing:" Withdrawal from family, church, and community is common. The woman retreats to herself, vowing never to become this vulnerable and abused again.
She may over-compensate for her emotional heartache by working very hard, guarding against speaking to others, and keeping her emotions behind a “fortress” built within her own mind.
Depression/ suicidal thoughts: Any woman may experience grief (loss) after a natural miscarriage, but grief may be even worse if the woman feels she is responsible for her
baby's death. A number of symptoms may appear because of this depression:
• Sad mood (feelings of melancholy, hopelessness, and unworthiness);
• Sudden uncontrollable crying for no apparent reason;
• Deterioration of concept of self (no longer acting like the “normal woman” she was before the abortion);
• Abnormal changes in sleep, appetite, and sexual activity;
• Decreased motivation;
• Disrupted interpersonal relationships (especially with males, which she may view as having been responsible for her past pregnancy or a risk for future pregnancies);
• Impaired (diminished) motivation; and
• Thoughts of suicide (which may be severe in one-third of women having an abortion).
Anniversary syndrome: A woman may have an increase or reappearance of the symptoms outlined in the preceding paragraphs at a date associated with the aborted pregnancy
(such as, the date of the abortion, the due date of her aborted baby, or the birthdays of her aborted baby).
Re-experiencing the abortion: Abortion may be so psychologically traumatic that the woman may have “flashbacks” of the experience. She may have such flashbacks during a
routine gynecologic examination (not related to another abortion) or in the form of grisly nightmares.
Preoccupation with becoming pregnant again: A woman may seek to become pregnant shortly after an abortion. This baby, often called an “atonement baby,” may be an attempt
to compensate for (to replace) the lost (aborted) baby.
Obsession with fertility issues: A woman may become obsessed with the question of whether she can again become pregnant. (This concern is not completely unfounded. A woman
may become sterile or infertile after a “routine” abortion.) A woman may fear that her subsequent babies will be deformed (often feeling God will/ should punish her because of her abortion).
Inability to bond with children: A woman may have such strong guilt that she did not have “her” child that she cannot bond with other people's children. Reaction to her
own children (older children resulting from earlier pregnancies) is variable, ranging from becoming emotionally cold toward “the lucky ones” who were not aborted to becoming overly protective, not
wanting another child to die.
Survival guilt: A woman may submit to an abortion for reason(s) that seem significant, even overwhelming. A woman may, then, develop “survival guilt,” in which she feels
guilty of choosing her own life and comfort over that of her aborted baby's life.
Eating disorder: A woman may starve may herself (anorexia nervosa or bulimia). She may view extreme weight loss as making her less attractive sexually or she may welcome
the cessation of menstrual cycles, both reducing the chance of future pregnancies.
Abuse of alcohol and other drugs: Abuse of drugs is common. At first, the self-medication may reduce a woman's mental anguish, but later the abuse adds to her psychological
distress.
Self-punishing/ self-degrading behavior: A woman may enter into destructive activities, as she wishes to punish or degrade herself. Such activities include: tolerating
abusive relationships, sexual promiscuity, and failure to take care of herself and her health.
Reactive psychosis: A woman may experience a brief psychosis (break with reality), following an abortion.
| By the grace of God and through the help of many people standing by to help you now because they love you, you will recover— you will be restored to the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). The best of your life is still ahead of you! If you understand grace and forgiveness, God is not God of your past; no, He is God of your present and your future. |
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Dear Heavenly Father: I am pregnant. I feel so alone. My soul and heart break with sadness and confusion. I need Your comfort. I need You to speak to me through the Holy Bible and the Holy Spirit. My friends and I have grown apart. I need to have Jesus, my eternal Friend, bear my heavy burden— to take my heavy yoke on His shoulders and help me with my cares. Please bring persons into my life who will love me unconditionally and who will not judge me for any mistakes I have made. Please speak to me through these persons. I am in turmoil now, Father. I need Your guidance. I have been told that I should have an abortion. Is this what You want for me and my unborn baby? I am hurting badly in the depths of my being. Help me find Your will so that I may ease the pain, fright, and helplessness I now feel. Help me resolve all doubts. Restore laughter and happiness to my life. Let me live the life You desire for me, because this is my heritage. I seek the peace that surpasses all understanding. I know You have loved me, even before I was born. I know You love my unborn child. I am confident that You can give me the answer You want for my life. Hear this prayer of Your loving daughter. Amen. |
Dear Heavenly Father: I have had an abortion. I know You promise to forgive and forget any sin. I confess to You that I did not cherish the little life entrusted to me, and I ended that life. I am so sorry that I did this. I ask Your forgiveness, and I claim Your promise that you will be faithful to forgive me. I know that Jesus taught us that I must forgive others, before You will forgive me. This is a hard commandment, Father, but I forgive— and I will continue to work on forgiveness for— all persons who have wronged me, including the father of my child, the abortionist, and others. I can forgive them of their sins against me, because I know You will forgive me. You have promised to forget any sin, if You forgive it, and I ask that my sins be covered by Jesus' blood shed on Calvary's cross. I stand on Your promise of forgiving and forgetting my sins. I believe You have now forgiven me, and I can start a new life. I wish to repent. Help me to lead a virtuous life from this time forward, reserving sex only for one man— and only one man— my husband. Let me avoid alcohol and drugs, which could cloud my judgment and behavior. Please bring joy into my life. Let me smile and laugh again. Let me join into full fellowship with my family, church, and community. Father, You placed me in this place at this time for a purpose. Help me find that purpose and serve You with a full and joyous heart. I ask that I be healed of my grief and sadness, that I may reach out to others and help them. I love You, Father. Amen. |
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Dear Heavenly Father: Thank you for my life. Thank you for the lives of my family and friends. You are the Creator of all life. Life is precious to You. I will make life precious to me, too, because I love You and I want to follow You. Father, grievous sins are being committed in my country. Unborn children are being killed, always for the profit of the abortionists and commonly for the convenience of the mothers. Forgive us, Father. My nation needs healing. As a Christian, I am called by Your name. Help me to do my part by humbling myself, praying, seeking Your face, and turning from my wicked ways. I ask You to forgive my nation's sins and heal my nation. Father, may I ever be sensitive to anyone who is contemplating abortion or who suffers from having had an abortion. Help me to say the right things. Help me to show her Your will and heal any wounds in her heart and soul. I know my words will always be inadequate, but I trust the Holy Spirit to speak through me. In the name of Him who died that I may live, I pray. Amen. |
Dear Heavenly Father: Thank you for my life. Thank you for the gift to mankind of marriage, children, and family. I pray, Father, that you have already chosen my future mate. I ask your protection for my future mate. I ask that you keep my mate and me from sexual immorality, until we can give ourselves to each other as husband and wife. I pray that I will remain abstinent until my marriage. I wish to preserve my body holy to you and present a special gift for my mate. I pray that my mate will share my morals, and that our marriage bed will never be defiled by adultery. When I am tempted, please remind me of Your Holy Word and Your desire that I be a pure vessel to bear any children with which You grace me. I will trust You every day. I look forward to that day when I may accept the responsibilities of marriage and building a Christian home. May I hide Your words in my heart, that I may ever glorify and praise Your Name. May I always make You proud of me in everything I do. In love for You— who ceated the Universe, my future mate, and me— I pray. Amen. |
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