Links & Quotes

link quote

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

“The Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation. … [God] ordered the Jews to preserve and propagate to all mankind the doctrine of a supreme, intelligent, wise, almighty sovereign of the universe… the great essential principle of morality, and consequently all civilization.” —John Adams, in a letter to Judge F. A. Van der Kemp, February 16, 1809

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man. (Hosea 11:9) 

The Lord thus makes known His sparing mercies. It may be that the reader is now under heavy displeasure, and everything threatens his speedy doom. Let the text hold him up from despair. The Lord now invites you to consider your ways and confess your sins. If He had been man, He would long ago have cut you off. If He were now to act after the manner of men, it would be a word and a blow and then there would be an end of you: but it is not so, for “as high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are His ways above your ways.” 

You rightly judge that He is angry, but He keepeth not His anger forever: if you turn from sin to Jesus, God will turn from wrath. Because God is God, and not man, there is still forgiveness for you, even though you may be steeped up to your throat in iniquity. You have a God to deal with and not a hard man, or even a merely just man. No human being could have patience with you. You would have wearied out an angel, as you have wearied your sorrowing Father; but God is longsuffering. Come and try Him at once. Confess, believe, and turn from your evil way, and you shall be saved. —Charles Spurgeon, Faith′s Checkbook (February 16) 

Stomach-churning: Former Planned Parenthood Nurse Speaks Out

“It was not an easy task which the Church faced when she came down from that upper room…. Left to herself the Church must have perished as a thousand abortive sects had done before her, and have left nothing for a future generation to remember. That the Church did not so perish was due entirely to the miraculous element within her. That element was supplied by the Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost to empower her for her task. For the Church was not an organization merely, not a movement, but a walking incarnation of spiritual energy. And she accomplished within a few brief years such prodigies of moral conquest as to leave us wholly without an explanation—apart from God.” —A.W. Tozer

Links & Quotes

link quote

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

“The truest and most acceptable repentance is to reverse the acts and attitudes of which we repent.” —A.W. Tozer

The so-called religion of peace: Christian Girl Abducted, Converted & Forced To Marry A Muslim

On the week of Bonhoeffer′s birthday: 12 Essential Bonhoeffer Quotes

Very touching: A Letter & Poem To My Baby On The 5-Year Anniversary Of My Abortion

Stop judging by outward appearances: One Biker′s Response To A Mother′s Rudeness

Links & Quotes

link quote

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

Christians need to learn church history: 10 Reasons To Know A Little Bit Of Church History

“If I am not so much at ease as I ought to be, because my faith is dim, yet I am equally safe because the Lord’s eye is not dim, and He sees the blood of the great Sacrifice with steady gaze. What a joy is this!” —Charles Spurgeon

“Labels, labels, labels. I’m glad Jesus referred to people as people. He never mentioned His friend being a coward; He simply called him Peter. He never referred to the woman who loved Him deeply as a prostitute; He just called her Mary Magdalene.” —Joni Eareckson Tada

David Wilkerson wrote, “A person’s countenance is the outward expression of what is in his heart.”: More And More Like Jesus

Amazing! Anonymous Customer Leaves Waitresses $15,000 Tip

Planned Parenthood is embarrassed about abortions: Read about their donation appeal letter

[VIDEO] Benedict Cumberbatch On Sesame Street

Danger! How Obamacare Will Drive People Out Of The Workforce

Great news! Missing Children Rescued From Super Bowl Sex Trade In FBI Sting

Sunday Recap

In remembering Sanctity of Human Life Sunday we looked at some sobering, heart-breaking stats—

Planned Parenthood reported:

  • They performed 327,166 abortions in the course of one year and only 2,197 adoption referrals.
  • That’s 149 abortions for each adoption referral (149:1).
  • In order to hit this astronomical number they had to perform approximately one abortion every 96 seconds.
  • That means they killed more than the population of Grand Rapids AND Lansing. Combined!
  • They did all of this while receiving over $540 million in government grants and reimbursements.

But we also learned some happier stats from Alpha Family Center of Cedar Springs

  • Alpha has been providing pro-life, pro-family services in Cedar Springs for 22 years.
  • 11,300 baby and toddler related items were given out in 2013. That includes 1000+ packs of diapers, 214 cans of formula, 900 jars of baby food & baby cereal, and nearly 5200 articles of clothing for babies, toddlers and pregnant women.
  • Alpha’s counselors provided over 1000 peer counseling sessions, taught 850 parenting classes, and gave 70 free pregnancy tests.
  • And they did all of this without one cent of government aid! 

Please support Alpha with your prayers and financial support.

In our series on prayer, I shared this great quote from Charles Spurgeon:

“Why do I not call on God’s Name? Why do I run to this neighbor and that when God is so near and will hear my faintest call? Why do I sit down and devise schemes and invent plans? Why not at once roll my self and my burden on the Lord?”

Great questions! In answering those we learned this great truth: How we pray is how we will live!

Pray = Live

A Story About Choice

What an amazing story about Ryan Bomberger!

And don’t forget about October Baby opening in theaters on March 23 (you can read my review of the film here).

October Baby (movie review)

Betsy and I were privileged to see an advanced screening of October Baby last night, and I’m still trying to process all of my thoughts.

It was emotionally moving, but not sappy nor sentimental.

It was thought-provoking, but not philosophically deep.

It was laugh-provoking, but not a comedy.

It addressed a woman’s struggle, but it’s not a chick flick.

It addressed parenting, but it’s not a dry documentary.

It is just a GOOD movie.

The script was good, the acting was good, the cinematography was good, even the soundtrack was good. The message that all life is precious comes through clearly, but not in an in-your-face, shove-it-down-your-throat way.

The movie is rated PG-13 because of the subject matter (a girl on a quest to find her birth mother, after discovering that she’s the survivor of a failed abortion attempt). But because of the purity of the movie (not a single swear word, zero sexuality), I would recommend families see this together.

This is a story that needed to be told, and the Erwin brothers did a phenomenal job telling that story.

Send a message to Hollywood, go see October Baby on opening weekend, March 23-25.

unPlanned (DVD review)

One of the most courageous stories I’ve read comes from an admission that few people will ever make. Abby Johnson, after working for years
as a director of Planned Parenthood, did an abrupt about-face by admitting, “I was wrong.” Her dramatic story is captured in a book and DVD called unPlanned.

In a moment I’ll tell you how you could win a free copy of this powerfully moving DVD.

Although I have heard Abby’s story before, I sat memorized by the story I watched on the DVD. Abby was sucked into the lies that Planned
Parenthood tells themselves and the unsuspecting young women who come to them for advice. The “advice” that is typically given is for these young ladies to have an abortion. Abby tried to reconcile what her employer was telling her with what her parents had taught her, and with what she was seeing in the lives of the pro-life groups praying on the sidewalks outside of her office.

With so many thoughts swirling in her head, it was the love of a pro-life volunteer and a horrific experience as a doctor performed an
abortion at which Abby was assisting, that woke Abby up and led to her staunch pro-life stance. This is a story that deserves all of the attention it can get!

Check out the trailer for this DVD —

I also want to encourage you to be a part of the Unite For Life webcast with Abby Johnson on May 17.

Okay, here’s how you can win a copy of this DVD. To be entered in the drawing (which will take place tomorrow, May 3, at 5pm EDT), do one or both of the following:

  1. Leave a comment below about what you may have already heard about Abby Johnson’s story.
  2. Send the following message via Twitter: Check out “unPlanned” about how @AbbyJohnson left Planned Parenthood …  http://wp.me/pmy10-17d #unplanneddvd

If you are the winner, you will be notified after the drawing on May 3.

I am a Tyndale reviewer.

Rescue The Innocent

As we approach Sanctity of Human Life Sunday on January 23, I want to encourage you again to stand up for life. All life is sacred because all life is created in the image of God. From the moment of conception until the last breath, life is God’s masterpiece.

Especially at this time of year when we reflect on the devastation that abortion has left in its wake, it’s time to pray and to speak up for the innocent who cannot speak up for themselves.

“On this 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I urge you in the strongest terms possible: pray. Pray and fast. And then roll up your sleeves and get involved in the effort to rescue these innocent children.”

Join us this Sunday as we celebrate life, and as we let our light shine for life.

Light For Life

This week is Sanctity Of Human Life week. I’m passionate about this issue; in fact, it’s one of the main issues in politics in which I really get involved.

We’ll be celebrating Sanctity Of Human Life this Sunday, January 23, at Calvary Assembly of God. We’ll have an update on 38 years of pain since the infamous Roe v. Wade decision, and a presentation from Alpha Family Center, an organization in Cedar Springs that I wholeheartedly support.

This Sunday evening, I’m encouraging everyone to shine a light in support of life. We’ll have some special candle bags to hand out on Sunday, and we’re encouraging everyone to line their driveway or carport or sidewalk with these “I Support Life” bags. Even if you can’t come to Calvary on Sunday, you can put a small candle in a paper lunch bag. Let’s light up the darkness and speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves:

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.

Stand Up For Life

It’s a sad reality that Christians are known more for what we’re against than what we’re for. But we can change this perception if we’ll find some positive things to support.

Here’s a great opportunity:  Focus On The Family has helped to get a commercial on the air during the upcoming Super Bowl. The commercial will feature a woman named Pam, a mother who will tell how doctors recommended that she have an abortion after discovering some complications with her pregnancy. She refused to have an abortion.

Pam then gave birth to Tim—Tim Tebow, that is, who went on to become one of the most successful college football quarterbacks ever.

Pro-abortion groups are already lashing out. They are trying to bully and intimidate CBS into pulling the ad from the Super Bowl. Even though they haven’t even seen the commercial yet they are convinced that airing it will be a bad thing.

Here’s what you can do to help. Email Sean McManus, the President of CBS News and Sports, and tell him, “I want to see this ad during the Super Bowl.”

Don’t let a vocal minority intimidate CBS.

Stand up for life.