Come, Read the Bible with Me!

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Whatever.

1. Blogs

I used to like the BaylyBlog, out of our minds, too (http://timbayly.worldmagblog.com/timbayly/). While it looks boring compared to the new one (http://www.baylyblog.com/) and the address is more cumbersome, it was comfortable. Now, for some reason, when I read the new one, the words get all jumbled up in my mind. They are sticky and they don't make sense to me. Is it because they are while/grey words on a black field? Is there something different with the tone of the writing? I don't know. It is quite possible that I am an old fogey, and I cannot adjust as well as I did in the past.

2. Denominations

I read something on that blog with today's date and the title, "The Vatican shames Evangelicals." Discussions like this are disturbing to me. While I admire the Catholic church for the strength they show in opposing the murder of the defenseless and upholding church discipline and Biblical masculinity and femininity I cannot stand with them on even these issues, because even these issues are sinking sand. Therefore when I compare their stand against homosexuality with the falling of many Evangelical denomination, I cannot stand with them or sink with the rebellious denominations. I know that I sound simplistic in this, but II Corinthians 6 warns us again being yoked with unbelievers. If a church disbelieves in the saving power of Jesus Christ, and depends on rites and merits for favor in the sight of God, then how can I stand with them in defending the fatherless? Am I not then trading the power of the living God for the power of a long established church with powerful traditions and a wide base? If a church disbelieves in the inspiration of scripture and thinks that she can disregard the clear teaching of scripture regarding sexual sin without fear, how can I stand with them?

This kind of argument just blows my mind! Apples and oranges.

I have to stand on solid ground. I hope to understand, through clear reasoning and scripture, better how to respond to these issues. Come, let us reason together.

3. Face the Truth

There is a show on the radio that comes on during the week for just a couple of minutes. It is a pro-life show. A guy named Steve Veruka (sp?) is on it. He is a friendly sounding guy with a gruff voice. I like to listen to it. I have found that they have a longer version on Saturdays. I listened to it a couple of times this month while on the road with my husband. It turns out to be a catholic program, which, is not the problem, even after what I wrote above. The disturbing thing about it was a conclusion that they drew:

They were discussing "Pro-Abort Catholics" and how despicable they are. They concluded that is was one thing if they came a partook of the eucerist (which, I think is the Lord's Supper...communion), after all, God can take care of Himself. It is quite another thing, though if they come and try to preside over their prize bingo! This travesty should not, no cannot be allowed!

Which is sacred?

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

(This post actually includes two points: The root of our problems, and our reluctance to recognize and deal with it; and God's sovereignty in our suffering, and blase life situations)

Part 1:

We recently watched this nearly perfect movie again.

It is a really fun movie to watch, and it gives an opportunity to talk about relationships. The relationships between men and women, and the biblical requirement of purity before marriage, and the situations we allow ourselves to be in that weaken our ability to resist temptation (the couple in the movie get engaged while lying naked together under a blanket). Also the relationships between parents and children, both young and old. The main character, Tula, comes to realize the wonderfulness of having "meddling" parents/family.

The father of the household is a really fun guy; very greek of very greek. He challenges his children and everyone who comes into his house to give him a word, any word and he will tell them how this word originated with the Greek. One of the children in his daughter's carpool thought she had him when she gave him the word kimono (from the Hawaiian). He did it, though.

This morning, on my way to work, I was listening to Truth for Life with Alistair Begg (http://www.truthforlife.org/site/PageServer), who is doing a study on Biblical characters used by God. Yesterday and today it was about II Kings 5:1-14. This is the story of the healing of Naaman. I was thrilled because we had just talked about this Sunday in Sunday School. This is currently my favorite story in the Bible!

At any rate, in today's talk, Alistair made the point that Naaman's problem was the problem of sin, and that God has the solution. Any of the world's problems is a problem with sin, and Jesus Christ is the solution! 'Aving a bit of depression are we, because of debt? Maybe then, you need to repent of your greed, and trust Jesus to wash this sin from your 'eart, then, eh? 'Aving trouble loving your 'usband, because 'e dusn't seem to understend you the way you'd like, eh? Maybe then you need to be on your knees, repenting of your foolish pride and asking God, the maker of your soul to give you joy as you submit to your 'usband, eh? Are you lonely and afraid? Pride, self-suffinciency.

Give me a problem, any problem, and I can tell you how the root of it comes from the sin, and how, ultimately, Jesus Christ is the solution, the only true solution to the problem.

How often do we tuck Jesus away and try to solve our own problems and the problems of others with whitewash? Depression got you down? Seek debt relief and smile! Don't love or feel loved by your husband? Teach him the five love languages, and smile! Are you lonely and afraid? You've got to love yourself, and build your confidence before you can love someone else! Smile!

Where is Jesus in this?

Part 2:

In our Sunday School class, we looked more at the little Hebrew slave girl. You know, the one who was wrenched from her mother's arms and her father's house by the marauding Arameans?

Do you believe that God has plans for good for you? Do you believe that God is in control of every thing that happens to you? Do you believe that God can, will, and does work everything together for good for the one who loves the Lord; the one called according to His purpose?

Then, what about this slave girl? She was torn by foreign invaders from the safety of her home and family. We are unaware of all that happened to her and all that she suffered. All of this looked bleak and bad. Did her circumstances change? We do not know. We have no basis to speculate that she ever returned home. We have no reason to believe that she was ever thanked or rewarded for her kindness. We have no reason to believe that she grew up to have a home of her own, a husband, or children.

What good ever came from her life? What good did God work through her circumstances? Naaman came to believe and trust in the only true God. Today, salvation came to his house.

Why are you where you are? Why does your neighbor live next to you? Why does that girl check groceries at the store where you shop? Do you believe that you are called according to His purpose? Do you believe that He works all things together for good for you?

Friday, April 20, 2007

Immaterial

By the way. Yesterday, before I went to work, I told the guard to keep track today. How many children will be killed; how many will he lead to the slaughter? He told me it was immaterial. "It's immaterial," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

In a sense, he is right, you know. One, ten, twenty-five, thirty-two... three thousand, five hundred sixty-two or four thousand. It is immaterial. The one that went in before I got there was the one that counted. If Cho, at Virginia Tech, had stopped shooting after killing the two people in the dorm, those two people counted. The news stations, though would have thought that it was immaterial. That he continued until he had killed thirty more is, as the guard at Planned Parenthood said, "immaterial." It is material though, to their parents. I am so sorry for them!

After the Supreme Court upheld the ban on Partial Birth Abortions, I read an article that said that 90% of the abortions are done before 12 weeks. Ninety percent of one million three hundred thousand is one million one hundred seventy thousand per year. "Only" one hundred thirty thousand babies are remotely effected by that "landmark" decision per year. That particular method was used in only about 2400 of them in the year 2000 (don't quote me on this. I had these numbers but the were nauseating to me, so I threw them out and cannot recall where I got them), more recent figures were not available.

These numbers are just too big! I cannot fathom them!

I do know that from 10 - 20 women come to Planned Parenthood in Bloomington Indiana each Thursday for the purpose of having their pre-born children torn from their wombs, and none of them that I have seen so far have been in the second or third trimester.

Ten to twenty children die at 421 South College Avenue in Bloomington Indiana each week on Thursdays.

Immaterial?

I've got issues

I really am annoyed that this blog appears to be a one-issue blog.

I really do ave other things on my mind. I just don't have that much time to do blog about them:

Daughters
Co-workers
Small Group
Online Class
Sisters in Christ
Diligence in Prayer
etc

Please keep these things in prayer

I Walk the Line

Yesterday, when Glen and I stopped at Planned Parenthood to pray and encourage, the realtor who owns the property and the property next door, and also has his office in a building to the rear of the property next door approached our group. That early, there are only CGS people there, but there were five of us there. It was somewhere around 7:30 or 7:40 am.

Last week, apparently someone in that building complained to the protesters that they should keep quiet.

He came up and told us that the property next door is private (It holds the Bloomington Hospital Community Health Education extension office) and that while we are here, we would need to stay off this property. When we asked him where that property ended and the alley began, he began to show us, but had to refer to the driveway at the end, really to make an imaginary line that we could not cross.

Do you remember the Star Wars episode where they are in the garbage compartment and the walls begin to move toward them? Well, the walls are beginning to move. He told us that the alley is a twelve foot alley.

Glen, dear Glen, asked him if, if a car is heading toward us, could we step onto the property then to prevent impact. He said that this is a one way alley and there should be plenty of room for us to stand and not get hit. When asked which way the one way is, because there are no arrows at either end or on the pavement, he pointed vaguely toward Walnut, which would make each of the College Avenue access drives to Planned Parenthood entrances; but there are no arrows.

So I asked him what the answer to Glen's question was. He vaguely implied that the answer is no, not really ... sort of ... after all ... the alley is twelve feet wide ...

So, have a good time, he said. I introduced myself and got his name...Tim Ellis. He said that his brother comes to join us from time to time, JD, you surely know him. Of course this was name dropping, and politicking; an easing of his discomfort.

After he left I participated as our conversation turned to grumbling and projecting and worrying, and fretting. God called to mind those things He has taught me here, in preparation for this day: Jesus said we will have trouble in this world. Jesus has overcome the world. God will make our feet firm and not allow the foot of the proud to come against us, or the hand of the wicked to drive us away. We are standing on the firm ground and solid foundation of Jesus Christ, and do not depend on the worn blacktop of the area between Walnut and College to stand. Although there were butterflies in my stomach, I tried to encourage my brothers and sisters with these promises.

I still think that they will need to paint lines and put up signs. I still mull over words that did not come to mind at the moment. But I must stand on the true Word of God. I must know that this happened at His command.

Monday, April 16, 2007

The Women at the Well

It has been a while since I have posted....

Last week at Planned Parenthood:

I asked God Wednesday night what on earth He wants me to do there. What, of Jesus' life and love could I take to the women there? Why are they there? Why am I there? Why?

Jesus met a woman at the well. She was a Samaritan woman and was living with a man out of wedlock. She came to the well for water. He offered her the living water.

Have I been her? Yes. Did Jesus love me? Yes. Do I ever meet any one like that? Yes, yes, yes.

Women come to Planned Parenthood looking for what? A solution to a "problem." The problem looks different to them than to God, and the solution is misunderstood as well. They think the problem is the pregnancy. I could take it back a step and say that it is their understanding of sexuality or relationships, freedom and love. God, though understands perfectly their problem: they are sinners. I have been given the solution to their problem; it is the same as mine. It is Jesus Christ and a correct undertanding of our sin and His holiness.

God, help me to remember this!

Last Thursday was cold and windy. It was a cold that stayed with me all afternoon too. It was just a yucky day, and the wind shoved the cold deep under the skin.

In the morning, Glen and I stopped by on my way to work. When we prayed, I didn't mean to be the only one to pray. I shouldn't have prayed. I should have left it for the men there to pray. I don't want to offend God or any man. I don't think my words are so important that I must say them.

Later when Glen and I were there, no one would approach me; but a man who was there with a woman came out with her and sat in their truck for a long period of time. We talked to them, but they wouldn't talk to us. We offered them hope in Jesus, and he offered us his finger.

I didn't get arrested, but I was tempted once. Two women arrived in a large vehicle. One (dark haired) got out on the driver's side and made eye contact with us. The other (blonde) got out on the passenger side (closer to us). She started moving around the vehicle and toward the entrance. She wasn't moving smoothly. She stopped and looked at us and asked us to repeat what we said. She looked as if she considered coming over to us, but walking seemed very difficult and she turned and went in. What would a hug and a softly-spoken word done? Flesh touching flesh and eyes meeting... ? We prayed for them. Yesterday, Kim (who returned for a second time that day, to stand with Annie) said that she saw her come out later and that she looked broken and was crying.

Lane came. Next week he is planning to join Jeff M. at noon.

Josh said that Steve M. preached. Did you get to hear him?

I wonder what the sherriff's name is. I believe that God calls us there and that His Word goes out and accomplishes that for which He sends it. As many Thursdays as I have talked to that guard, I have never heard his voice directed at me. Last Thursday, I asked him how many, how many today? How many children, just today has he assisted to kill? Finally, he turned to me and said something, and got something out of his car. No one understood what he said, so when he turned around, I asked him what he said. He said, "I don't know." You know, it's not much, but it's something.

Pray for the staff, the doctor, the escorts, the guard, and the protesters. God, touch our hearts!

The day PP gave away free Morning After Pills

On April 3 (a Tuesday), Planned Parenthood gave away the Plan B "Emergency Contraceptive" away, free to anyone. A prescriptionn is atill needed for anyone under 18, but their nurse practitioner would be available to write the script. Josh C. made up a flyer to present the facts about this pill, and our objection to it. The weather was unstable most of the day, and we had a severe thunderstorm later in the day, but we encouraged each other to be there to speak to people about this, and about God.

About stepping onto the Planned Parenthood property: I have mixed thoughts about that still.

There was a young woman and an older woman (mother?) who came out of Planned Parenthood. Since they came out together, and the young woman carried some papers, I asked if they had come for an appointment, and if she thought she might be pregnant. (Yes to both)

Then I told her that I had some information about unborn children and abortion for her that I thought they didn't give her there. The young woman cheerfully came to me and I gave her the flyer with the 10 facts on it. I asked her name, and encouraged her to read it. Her name is Ashley, and I asked her to call me if she had questions or just wanted to talk. I stepped onto the property to write my name and phone number on the flyer.

Then she got into her car. They did not drive away, but sat for a while. Then the mother got out and went back into the building. After a while, the manager and the mother came out. The manager approached me and told me that I had every right to stand out here, and even to hand out these papers (there was my flyer, with my name and phone number on it, wadded up and smoothed back out, in his hand), but that I can't step onto the property to do so, that he has a long standing agreement with the protesters to that effect, and that if I do it again, he would not hesitate to call the police and have me arrested.

I told him that I was aware of this and that I stepped on the property in a gesture of kindness, and that I will be careful, but that if he felt like he needed to arrest me, that was OK. (I was very careful to have a humble and respectful tone.)

I told him that we had not met before and my name. I asked his name (John; I don't remember the last name), and as I shook his hand, he looked at my feet. I don't know for sure if they were on or off.

On the Thursday following this incident, a man came out of Planned Parenthood and sat in his SUV for about 20 minutes, talking on his cell phone. When he got out and went in, we said something to him. Then he emarged with a woman and a teen-age girl. I felt great disappointment that it was too late, and began to tell them about hope and forgiveness in Christ and ask them to come talk to us when he shouted at me, "You need to be on the other side," and waved his hand as if I should be on the other side of the alley. He used a voice like a coach; very authoritative. I let myself be distracted, and looked at my feet, which were clearly on the right side of the faint line on the parking lot, and said "I am!" Then he was in his car and pulling out. The opportunity was gone. Since then, I have felt fear when approaching the field of battle. I need to remember the words of the hymn:


Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

It is easy to become distracted. The issue is not which side of the line on the pavement I am on. The issue is not the more shocking one that the customers were being briefed on where the evil protesters are allowed to stand. The issue is what side of justice and mercy are you on? What side of Jesus are you on: Is He your righteousnes or your judge?