ABORTION

"I was 16 years old when I found out I was pregnant. I hadn’t had my period and I was so scared. I told my 15-year-old boyfriend, and he said we should get a pregnancy test. When I walked out of the bathroom I started crying, and he knew that meant I was pregnant. I did not tell my mom. I told my aunt, but my aunt told me I was going to have to tell my mom so I could get help. "

"When my mom finally found out I was 8 weeks pregnant. She set up an appointment for me at Hope Clinic for Women. My boyfriend and I did not want to have an abortion, but my mom refused to let me live in her home with a baby, so at the time I thought I had no other choice. "

"When I got to the clinic I had my ultrasound, and that is when it hit me that I was pregnant!! It was so emotional for me. After the abortion I was so depressed, and I could not believe that I killed my own flesh and blood. I asked God to forgive me and to bless me with another child in the future, and I promised to love it and care for it. It is now two years later, and I still go to sleep dreaming of what it would have been like to wake up at 4:00 AM to feed my baby, to love it, and for my baby to love me. The father and I are no longer together. I broke up with him three months after my abortion. I was depressed and angry and was taking it all out on him. "

The short story above I found on the net, this story was the very first reference about abortion I came to when beginning my search for more information about abortion, it is doubtful I should proceed any further. My search about abortion was prompted by an article that appeared in the USA Today newspaper

Here are some quotes from the article. Dated November 21, 2008 “COMPROMISE EQUALS BETRAYAL” By Joseph M. Scheidler, national director of the Chicago-based Pro-Live Action League.

“I challenge anyone who wants to help pregnant women to actually go to an abortion clinic.”

“You will see the young girl who doesn’t want an abortion, but whose family doesn’t want to be burdened with a baby. She is not making her own choice; she is making someone else’s choice."

“There is no evidence that increasing social programs-such as low-cost health care and daycare, college grants and maternity homes-will impact a woman’s abortion decision”.

It’s the law, abortion is legal, let’s simply work on reducing the number of abortions.

The writer goes on to say, “ABORTION IS INTRINSICALLY EVIL, SO SEEKING COMMON GROUND IS FUTILE.”

I have had my own juggling with the abortion issue. Years i.e. decades after I became a Christian I let the issue of abortion fly by, right over my head, I had little interest and definitely no opinion on the subject.

1973 was the year abortion became legal in the United States, by then I had been a Christian for 15 years, when the subject came up, “I thought, so what” not out loud of course. Little by little I heard the term “abortion” generally from preachers. “We don’t believe in abortion they would say.” After a time, I didn’t believe in abortion either with no reason except Christians don’t believe in abortion. During this time I struggled, what about the birth of a crippled, deformed, sickly child, is it more humane to abort? If possible no one should live with a deformity, I reasoned. I let all this go for a long time not giving much thought. After all I am not involved, what is all the fuss about I thought to my self. Can’t we just all get along?

Then came the first encounter forcing me to make a decision. I read Dale Evans Rogers book “Angel Unawares” (everyone get this book) Amazon.com has several copies (used) from $1.99-$10.00. (EVERYONE NEEDS TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT ABORTION!!)

After reading Angel Unawares, I discovered my need to make a decision about the abortion issue. The argument against abortion is not “I am a Christian; therefore, I don’t believe in abortion” (don’t be thrown by this statement please read on). I now began a quest for a conviction one-way or the other.

In my study, I first considered the arguments of the abortionists.

1. A woman has a choice over her own body. This is not an argument for anything; if a woman has a choice over her body, she had a choice not to get pregnant. This is quite logical. So, what is the choice? The choice is Abortion is a contraceptive. This argument is a lie; it’s not about a choice over the woman’s body.

2. I believe in abortion in the case of incest or rape. (Interestingly many Christians believe this argument is valid.)After researching many books and articles by doctors on the rape and conception issue, doctors stated unanimously it was nearly impossible for a rape victim to conceive due to the trauma of the rape. This does not include claimed rape of a non-traumatized situation in this case a D&C is usually immediately preformed. In the case of conception from rape, doctors claimed it is so rare it is not worth considering in the abortion argument.
What about incest, this is a non-argument also since what woman is going to rush to the Abortion clinic (women’s health centers) after an ancestral incident? This would come under the heading of rape not incest any way. Unless I live in a fictional world I cannot believe this is the normal everyday event. I discount this as an argument.

3. For the health of the Mother. (Most Christians really believe this lie)
This is a real dumb reason especially today. I doubt there is a woman in the US in the last year who has died in childbirth. Some don’t even give birth in hospitals as my daughter can attest to. Her last two children were born at home. When this argument is mentioned, my mind goes back to all our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. How did they do it? They had children (more than one) with out the fear of death. Some did die but there were few . My wife and I researched death certificates of the county of Iosco in Michigan for the years 1900, 1953, 1973 and 2,000; there was not one mother who died during childbirth in any of these years. Now here is a question: has anyone ever heard of an animal dying in the birth of her babies?

As far as I know these are the arguments for abortion. I accept them as nonsense (garbage); there is no logic to these arguments. It makes me wonder what the real motive of the abortionists is?

In my quest for a conviction in the abortion argument, I discovered I had no argument for the performance of an abortion. I conclude Abortion is illogical; there are no sound arguments for the procedure under any circumstance. Logically, when I read about a 16-year-old girl, the horror she endured how can there be any logic in that abortion? She is more the norm of mothers that have aborted than the exception; I have yet to heard a mother testify she was glad she had an abortion.

The logic above is for everyone. What about Christians. Why should Christians be opposed to abortion? It’s much more than “The preacher says it’s wrong.”

"Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” (Acts 19:28; See also for context Acts 19:23-41 ) [Diana the god of the Ephesians was worshiped, the Gospel threatened this worship, the same is true of the abortionists who are of the city of destruction, their belief systems are not found in Scripture]. They are threatened by the Christian’s Biblical position

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone" (Luke 11:42). Christians must exercise justice and love of God. Christians cannot act with a lack of concern. Christians must act on the subject of abortion i.e. practice justice.

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. A workman [Christian] that needeth not to be ashamed" (2Tim. 2:15). A man faithfully performing his duty, so that when he looks over what he has done, he may not blush.

"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Gen. 1:27). God creates man for Himself.

“Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man" (Gen. 9:6). God condemns taking another person’s life. The capital punishment argument is for another time.

“You shall not murder" (Ex. 20:13). Don’t depend on philosophers i.e. when life begins, depend on Scripture to answer that question.

“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death" (Ex. 21:12).

“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” (Jer. 1:5).

Check this Scripture out: “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, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe" (Ex. 21:22-25).

Glorify God in our bodies. "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" (1Cor. 6:19-20).

This is my story, this is not the whole story however there is much more in Scripture that insists life begins at conception and God is in charge of life and death. The issue of abortion is not a legal one or a women’s rights issue or even a constitutional issue. The abortion issue is a spiritual issue: it’s about Godliness and ungodliness. Remember, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit" (Rom. 8:5).

" Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:12). The Christian must abhor (regard with disgust) abortion. A good book to get on the subject is Abortion by R.C. Sproul. Available at Ligonier Ministries, Orlando, Fla. www.ligonier.org/

The 16 year old girl should have been shown the love she deserved. I just cannot image being her. How horrible! How irresponsible! We as adults are to our children sometimes.

In our Christian community the Abortion subject needs to be addressed Biblically. We don't get involved in politics it is said, well this is not about politics, it's about righteousness and unrighteousness a worthy criteria for preaching? So far it's pretty much left off the list of teachings of the protestant church (some kind of pro-testant): this may not be true of Roman Catholics though. Roman Catholics really are out in front on this issue. With this I end, may we all follow God's word and "be ye holy for I am holy."

Ken Clouse

A Memorial Service

As most of you know, Pastor Tom Burbridge's wife Joanne is now at home with the Lord after her battle with cancer.

This Sunday afternoon, November 23, Grace Community Church in Oscoda will have a memorial service in honor of Joanne. The service will begin at 2:00pm with refreshments following the service. Grace Community Church is located at 6021 Skeel Ave., Oscoda, MI.

Please, pray for our friend Tom and his family.

"May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with... you" (2 Thess. 3:16 NIV)

In Christ We Can Choose to Rejoice Always!

Philippians 4:4,6 commands us as believers in Christ, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!...Be anxious for nothing...”

“But what if my candidates all lose? (and they did!) What if the country continues to morally decline? (and it is) What if I lose my job or get laid off? (that could realistically happen in the near future) What if I am not sleeping well and not feeling well? (and at times I'm not) How can I NOT worry or be anxious? How can I NOT be more irritable and restless…even depressed? How do I rejoice then?"

But is joy/rejoicing merely a feeling—a feeling that depends on our outward circumstances? Or is joy a state of mind that in the Lord we can choose at any time to enter into—based not on our outward circumstances, but based on spiritual realities, on what the Lord Jesus Christ has bought for us at the cross?

Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” That’s an amazing promise Jesus makes! Knowing the truth about Jesus Christ and what He has done for us, knowing His plan and His promises, will set us free from anger and anxiety and depression--and enable us to rejoice always.

John Piper has often said, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” And we must CHOOSE to be most satisfied in Him, like the psalmist in Psalm 73 who chooses to desire God more than anything on earth and be satisfied in Him. And God is glorified especially when we choose that in the midst of suffering, loss, and hard times. Rejoicing in the Lord always in our duty, our calling, and our privilege. It is a choice we can make through Christ who strengthen us.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 simply says, "Rejoice always." How, Paul? For one, Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose...” (and keep reading!). There is something we can always rejoice in, that even the most difficult and trying times in our lives have a good purpose in God’s plan for us. And this is only one of many promises of God to His elect people, purchased by the blood of Christ.

So on this day after the election, REJOICE, BROTHERS!

Pastor Jeff Ryan
Calvary Bible Church
Rogers City, MI