The Day God Showed Up at the Abortion Clinic

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.” Deuteronomy 30:15
 

Today is a day that I will never forget.  Today, for the first time, I stood in front of an abortion clinic with other Christians and prayed for an end to abortion.  Oh, I had prayed this before on my own privately, but there was something different about it this time, praying in unity with other believers right in front of a place where the most innocent of lives were being taken.  Something deep inside of me was awakened today.  I feel like someone who has been slowly dozing off to sleep, only to have cold water thrown in their face.  I’ve always considered myself to be very pro-life, but if anyone had asked me before today what I was doing about it, I wouldn’t have known what to say.  I’ve always known abortion clinics were bad news, but they were always something far away in the distance, something that I didn’t know too much about.  I had often wondered where they were located in my area, and what kinds of things they were actually telling the women who entered their doors.  Now I can no longer claim ignorance.  I’ve jumped into the pro-life battlefield with both feet, and what I am learning is absolutely shocking.  The deception and lies surrounding the abortion industry are enough to make your head spin.

 

But I’m getting ahead of myself.  Let me back up and paint a picture of what happened today….

 

After parking across the street in the church parking lot (we are strictly forbidden by the abortion clinic to use their parking lot or walk on their property), I grabbed my umbrella, crossed the street, and joined the line of Christians praying.  During the 40 Days for Life event, this is what women see as they drive into the building complex, heading to the late-term abortion clinic in Dallas: a line of people standing outside, quietly praying for them and the decision they will make.  Today, we were a sea of umbrellas, since it had been steadily raining all day. Sometimes, like today, there are sidewalk counselors there who try to speak to the women and give them information as they enter the complex.  One thing that stuck out to me was the fact that when you drive in, you see a post with two signs, one pointing to the left and one pointing to the right.  The sign pointing to the left directs women to the abortion clinic, while the sign pointing to the right directs them to a crisis pregnancy center.  The cold hard truth is that abortion clinics make their money by performing abortions, and many women claim to have been pressured into getting an abortion by these clinics.  On the other hand, crisis pregnancy centers are often faith-based, and provide their counseling and medical services (sonograms) free of charge.  Crisis pregnancy centers give out factual information about the development of the unborn child (all facts, backed up by medical science), as well as many resources on where a woman can obtain financial, medical, and emotional aid during this time in her life.  The difference between the two is like night and day.  It immediately made me think of Moses speaking to the Israelites, clearly laying their options out before them: “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.”  Obedience to God always leads to life.

 

As soon as I walked up and took my place, the first thing I felt was a heaviness all around me.  In the gently falling rain, there was a deep sadness and yet an indescribable hope, intermingling into one.  It quickly became apparent to me that God Himself was there among us, in a very real way.  I found that praying came easily – things were entering into my mind to pray that I had never even thought of praying before.  We were merely vessels, and the Lord was using us to pray mighty prayers on behalf of the unborn, young women, older women, fathers, doctors, nurses, and clinic workers.  There was no doubt in my mind that God was moving in that place in ways we ourselves couldn’t even fathom.  We were standing on the public sidewalk outside the clinic, next to a very busy street, and I noticed several times cars would honk as they drove by.  Honking in favor of us or against us, I’m not sure.  I kept my head down, trying to block out the traffic noise and focus on why I was there.  At one point, one of the sidewalk counselors came up to us and said, “A woman just chose life!!  Thank you for your prayers!”  Wow!!  God was already answering our prayers, even as we stood there on that sidewalk.  The woman had driven into the complex planning to get an abortion, but couldn’t bring herself to go through with it.  She was weeping as she spoke with the sidewalk counselor.  I prayed that the Lord would surround that tearful woman with His songs of deliverance, showing her a glimpse of the beautiful plan He has for her life.  The time flew by quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to leave.  Others had shown up since I had arrived, and still others would be coming later to pray through the night hours.

 

I walked away knowing I would be back.  It felt good being a part of something that is changing lives, one person at time.  Since the first year when 40 Days began in 2007, there have been at least 5,928 young lives spared from abortion, 69 abortion clinic workers have quit their jobs and walked away from the abortion industry, and 24 abortion facilities have completely shut down following local 40 Days for Life campaigns.*  Prayer is more powerful than we could possibly imagine, because the God who hears us is infinitely powerful!

 

I want to encourage everyone to read a book that has greatly opened my eyes to the abortion industry, as well as the pro-life movement.  The book is “Unplanned,” by Abby Johnson.  Abby worked for Planned Parenthood for several years, eventually moving up to the role of Director of one of their clinics.  She left shortly after assisting in an actual abortion procedure for the first time.  The book reveals her personal journey from “pro-choice advocate” to “pro-life advocate.”  I honestly cannot put this book down!  It has really helped me to better understand the thought processes behind those on the pro-choice side, and also given me a peek inside the world of an abortion clinic worker.  It makes it easier to know how to pray for them, as well as the women contemplating having an abortion.

 

I prayed a simple prayer a few weeks ago, and it was this: “God, will You please use me?”  He has been answering that prayer in amazing ways, not only leading me to pray in front of abortion clinics, but also now allowing me to be trained as a crisis pregnancy center counselor.  The battle for life is a tough one, but one that is infinitely worthwhile.  I double dog dare anyone reading this to pray the same prayer I did, and watch to see what God will do.  It might not be pro-life ministry in particular – it could be any number of other things.  But one thing I know for certain… God WILL use you if you ask Him!  So buckle up and get ready for the ride!

 

“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” Matthew 25:40

 

*Statistics from: http://www.40daysforlife.com/.

When Is It Okay To Judge?

“Judge not lest ye be judged.” (Matt. 7:1)

 

This has become a very hot-button issue among Christians these days.  Most people seem to fall into one of two camps.  One camp says, “We are Christians; we are called to love people, not condemn them.  It’s not our job to judge, so why not leave the judging to God?”  The other camp says, “We are Christians; we are called to be the salt and light of the world.  How can we truly love people as Christ does if we leave them wallowing in their sin?”  Both valid points of view.

   
This whole subject struck me in a new way this past week, as I’ve read through the book of James.  I came to two different passages that seem to contradict one another.  As often happens throughout Scripture, though, I’ve come to realize that they are actually two sides of the same coin.
   
Consider these verses:

  

“Do not speak evil of one another, brethren.  He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law.  But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.  There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.  Who are you to judge another?”  James 4:11-12
 

“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”  James 5:19-20

 

Question:  How are we to “turn a sinner from the error of his way” if we are not allowed to judge his actions?  How can a person be converted or brought back into fellowship with the Lord if we are patting them on the back and assuring them that their sin is okay?

 

One thing is certain: the Bible never assures anyone in their sin, but always seeks to rescue people from their sin. 

 

Something else to consider is the fact that we are all naturally forming judgments every day.  The mother that refuses to allow just anyone to babysit her child is, in actuality, passing judgment on the person deemed by her to be unfit to care for her little one.  Why not give the homeless man on the street the job of caring for your child?  After all, you shouldn’t judge the motive of his heart, and he is desperately needing work.  And why should we put anyone into prison for breaking the law?  After all, we don’t know what brought these people to make the decisions they did.  It could have just been a very bad but temporary slip in judgment.  Everyone has a bad day every once in awhile – shouldn’t we cut them some slack?  These are obviously extreme examples, but they make a valid point.  We all judge, whether we realize it or not.  The question is, what kind of judgment are we using?

 

Check out these verses, which actually seem to promote judging:

 

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”  John 7:24

 

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?”  Matthew 7:15-16

 

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”  1 John 4:1

 

“Test all things; hold fast what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil.”  1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

 

“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?  And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?  Do you not know that we shall judge angels?  How much more, things that pertain to this life?”  1 Corinthians 6:2-3

 

“Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  Matthew 7:5

 

These verses seem to point to the idea that God expects us – even commands us – to judge rightly.  Context is always key, and there is a very telling verse preceding the “judgment” passage in the book of James.  Verse 6 of chapter 4 reads, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  You mean I can’t bash my King James Bible over someone’s head and tell them they’re going to hell?  No.  It is the humble in heart, the one who has already searched his/her own soul and removed the plank of offense buried there, that is in a position to judge rightly.

 

A repentant heart – the one that has been set free by the love of Christ – cannot help but long to see others set free as well.  Free people free people.  They don’t make people comfortable in their sin, just as Jesus never made people comfortable in their sin.

 

A good example to look at is how Jesus dealt with the woman caught in adultery.  Jesus didn’t bring condemnation down upon her, but neither did he excuse her sin.  People love to quote the words of Jesus to the mob that tried to stone the adulterous woman: “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”  However, they fail to include His words to the woman after everyone had laid down their stones and left: “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11).  Notice He didn’t pat her on the back and say, “Hey, you know I’m not here to judge anyone.  You do what’s right for you, and I’ll do what’s right for me.”  No, He set her FREE in the knowledge that she did not have to be a slave to her sin any longer.

 

I get the feeling the church has become intimidated by a society that screams, “Don’t you dare judge me, you religious right-wing fanatic!” (which, in itself, is also a judgment).  Some in the church today have bought into the lie that moral relativism is the way to go (“what is true for you, might not be true for me”), when in reality, God’s Word is crystal clear about right and wrong, good and evil, sin and consequences.  God commands us to judge rightly, to discern with wisdom, and to test all things.  Political correctness leads to tip-toeing around sin, for fear of offending someone.  But Jesus certainly didn’t seem to mind offending people – He wanted to see people set FREE, no matter how offensive His words may have sounded.  Only the TRUTH can set a person free!  Absolutely nothing good can come from sugar-coating sin.  Deception is one of Satan’s greatest tools, which is one of the reasons why I believe “thou shall not judge” has become such a popular mantra in today’s society.  The last thing Satan wants is to see people set FREE from their sin, so they can live the abundant life Jesus promised to those who come to Him.

 

These are some conclusions I have come to:

 

1)      Criticism is never okay.  We are not to criticize, but we are to discern right from wrong, and good from evil.  One definition of discernment is “the ability to judge well.”  Criticism=Bad.  Discernment=Good.

 

2)      God specifically commands us to not speak evil of our brother.  Slanderous gossip about another’s sin is itself grievous sin.  When we speak evil about a fellow Christian behind their back, this grieves the heart of God and breaks our own fellowship with Him. 

 

3)      We are commanded to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).  Telling someone the truth will sometimes involve pointing out an area of sin that needs to be dealt with.  But our motive must be love, never condemnation.

 

4)      We must first deal with the sin in our own life before we are in any position to point out sin in someone else’s life.

 

5)      Pride has absolutely no place in a Christian’s life.  We must approach others with a gentle, humble heart.

 

6)      Our goal and motive must never be to condemn a person, but to love them and bring them to repentance and freedom in Christ.  The most loving thing a person can do is to point another person to Jesus.

  

7)      We cannot judge the motive and intent of another person’s heart; only God knows why a person does the things they do.  We are not called to judge motives, but only to discern words and deeds (actual facts, not assumptions).

 

I love this quote:

 

"Among the gifts of the Spirit scarcely one is of greater practical usefulness than the gift of discernment. This gift should be highly valued and frankly sought as being almost indispensable in these critical times. This gift will enable us to distinguish the chaff from the wheat and to divide the manifestations of the flesh from the operations of the Spirit." – A. W. Tozer

  

The question I have to ask myself is this: how would I want to be treated, if the situation were reversed?  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Luke 6:31).  Would I want a friend or family member to point out to me an area of sin in my life that I may be blinded to, or that I’ve decided to ignore?  I can honestly say... Yes.  If, and only if, it is done in humility and love.  I don’t want anything to separate me from my Lord, and that includes unconfessed sin – either known or unknown.  Confession and repentance bring freedom, and there is no greater feeling in the world than freedom in Christ!

 

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free… Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave to sin… Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”  John 8:31-32, 34, 36

 

A Good Kind of Hate

A couple of things have been stirring in my heart lately, and I've been itching to get them down on paper.  The first thing happened on Easter Sunday, during the sermon at church.  My pastor preached on the “marring of Jesus” - something I'd never thought much about.  Isaiah 52:14 reads, “...His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness.”

I'd always assumed that the “marring” of Jesus took place during the physical beatings and scourging that happened prior to Jesus going to the cross.  But my pastor asked a question that literally made me stop in my tracks.  What if the marring actually took place while He was on the cross?  What if it happened during the very moment when the sin of the world was laid upon Jesus, and God the Father had to forsake His own Son because He could not look upon sin?  What if sin is even uglier than anything we could ever imagine?

The hatred one person feels for another – laid upon Jesus.  The haughtiness of pride, the bitter taste of unforgiveness, the burning of rage – all laid upon my Lord.  All the shame, the guilt, the filthiness of heart that sin brings... what if this is what marred Him beyond recognition?  “Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.” Matthew 27:45.  Jesus bore the sin of the world alone.  Without the fellowship of His Father.  In total darkness.  And it marred Him beyond recognition.  The thought of my sin marring my Lord does something to me.  It makes me look at it differently somehow.  Makes me hate it even more.  And also makes me wonder... how marred does my own heart become whenever I entertain sin?

This brings me to the second thing that happened.  In a devotional by Amy Carmichael, missionary to India during the early 1900's, I read the following quote for April 10:

“Do we hate enough?  I hate all evil ways the writer of Psalm 119 said in verse 104, and in verse 128 All false ways I utterly abhor.  Do we truly hate every false way?  Or are we covering up something which will one day come out to our shame before God and His holy angels?  There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known (Matt. 10:26).  Do we hate unkind suspicions, whisperings, backbitings, all unlove? ... Do we hate all weakening things, or are we sliding along in an easy kind of tolerance that is far removed from the “hate” of such verses as this?  Do we hate laziness and slackness and all kinds of selfishness?  See that you love all that God loves, but see that you hate all that He hates.  If we don't know how to hate, we don't know how to love.”

The question that came to me that pierced my heart like sword was this: Do I truly hate the things which marred my Lord?

Do I hate the pride that sneaks into my heart when I least expect it?  Do I hate the bitterness I feel toward people that have hurt me?  Do I hate all forms of gossip, all the words I've said in anger, the irreverence and carelessness that causes me to put other things before the Lord?

I truly want to loathe every form of sin that was laid upon my Jesus.  To hate it just as much as I love Him.  To realize that pride is as ugly as murder.  Unforgiveness is as ugly as drunkenness or sexual sin or lust.  Little white lies and a gossiping tongue put Him on that cross just as much as idolatry and adultery did.  I want to hate ALL sin, no matter what form it takes.  To hate it enough to run from it with every fiber of my being, refusing to flirt with it even for a moment.  To not allow its ugliness to sear and mar my heart, desensitizing me to its darkness.

“Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil.  Cling to what is good.” Romans 12:9.  The more I cling to Jesus, the more I hate the things that hurt Him.  So even now I'm clinging to my Lord for dear life, hating every scar I’ve inflicted upon Him, and seeing nothing but love in His eyes.