Tag Archives: child

Applauding The Deaths Of Our Little Ones

What a sad day. People stood and applauded. Buildings were lit up in festive pink to celebrate the event. New York State now allows abortions up to birth for any reason.

Considering the gravity of such a move, deciding whether a human being will be violently robbed of life, one might expect more somber looks. One might expect a sad-but-necessary attitude. No. They were happy.

The picture of the signing which circulated in the media shows people filled with joy. They look like a group who just declared a new holiday, another chance for fun and recreation. If this is a holiday, it is a holiday from sanity and common sense.

To add insult to injury, the New York bill is titled the “Reproductive Health Act.” The only accurate word in that title is “act.” This heinous act is an enemy to reproduction. Reproduction, new human life, will be extinguished because of this bill.

And there is nothing healthy about violently denying a baby its right to life. It is not healthy for the mother, her family, for the medical professional, for the community, and certainly not for the baby.

Advances in science over the past 20 to 30 years have consistently supported the fact that a fetus is a life. Successful surgeries on babies before they are born, amazing survival rates of children born long before their due dates, and other astounding medical treatments on little boys and girls developing inside their mothers’ wombs all place the burden of proof squarely on those who would de-humanize the fetus.

Perhaps even more powerful than the voice of science is the testimony of images. Imaging technology has enabled us to see with astonishing clarity the life of our unborn. And seeing is believing. The images are not of disease or random tissue, but of individual lives.

The persuasive power of these images is admitted by those who wish to kill more babies. More than 15 yeas ago a photographer was in the operating room when doctors were performing surgery on a little boy in his mother’s womb. The child stunned the world by reaching up and grabbing the doctor’s finger. The picture was taken, but almost destroyed.

By a strange turn of events the man who snapped that picture stood in my office several years ago. He told me about the outrageous efforts that were made to keep his picture from being published. Why? Because in this case one picture is worth millions of words and perhaps millions of lives.

As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we stand for life. Each and every boy and girl is made in the image of God and deserves a chance to grow up and walk with God and enjoy his blessings.

We believe in more than just physical birth and life. We believe in spiritual life. Every person deserves to hear that God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, Jesus, so that anyone trusting in him will not perish (hell) but have eternal life (heaven), to be born again.

The voice of truth will not be denied. God’s Spirit will raise up men and women to courageously stand for life. Let’s answer that call. If our children see us retreat, then they will be more likely to retreat and our grandchildren will suffer. If our children see us stand firm, then they will be more likely to stand firm, and our grandchildren will benefit.

May God’s Spirit inspire and empower us to speak the truth in love,

Brother Richard

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What Is A Great Christian?

Jesus’ disciples asked him who is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens. In other words, who is greatest among Jesus’ followers? If they expected him to choose one of them, they got a surprise.

Jesus called a child and had him stand among them. He told his disciples that unless they changed and became like children, they would certainly not enter God’s kingdom. Notice the switch: not just fail to be great in God’s kingdom, but fail to enter God’s kingdom!

So, Jesus said that the one who humbles himself like a child is great in God’s kingdom. But why is humility so great?

The Bible tells us that Jesus emptied himself of his heavenly glory and became not just a man, but a servant. In another place Jesus says that whatever we do to the least of these brothers of his, we do to him. So Jesus humbled himself and he identifies personally with those who are humble.

To be great in God’s kingdom one must be like Jesus: humble and willing to identify with others who are humble.

Jesus goes on to say that anyone who causes one of these little ones who believe in him to stumble would be better off if they had a large millstone tied around their neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. That’s harsh!

He also says that if our hand or foot causes us to stumble then we should cut them off and throw them away because it’s better to enter life maimed than go to hell with both hands and feet. Jesus is calling for radical action to keep from sinning, not literal dismemberment, but his figure of speech gets our attention.

Our personal sin can lead others astray, especially the “little ones.” Christian humility demands that we live holy lives not just for ourselves, but for one another. Christian humility is not just words. It is actions. It is putting others before ourselves.

Finally Jesus says, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones because their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Popular opinion values the “big ones”: the big celebrities, the big politicians, the big money makers, and so forth. So we may be tempted to look down on the “little ones.”

Sinful pride tries to convince us that we are better than the “little ones.” But when we lift ourselves up by putting others down we are not acting like citizens of God’s kingdom, much less great citizens. And sinful pride comes before a painful fall.

Jesus did not rebuke his disciples for wanting to be great in God’s kingdom. But he did make sure that they understood God’s criteria for true kingdom greatness. The one who humbles himself like a child is great in God’s kingdom (see Matthew 18:1-10).

May God’s Spirit enable us to be great Christians,

Brother Richard Foster

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