Changing minds about abortion has often been linked historically to changing minds about slavery. Black slaves were people, although few would grant them that recognition or the accompanying rights. Black slaves were legally considered property, although in God’s eyes they were far more than that.

The parallels are endless… and in order for hearts and minds to be changed about abortion, the truth must be proclaimed. Even graphically. This is what it took for William Wilberforce and his allies to turn the tide in the war against the slave trade in England. I pray daily that another Wilberforce will step forward with the tenacity to endure for decades in the fight against those who would murder children for money, convenience, whatever. That the country would not rend itself apart as it did during the Civil War, or begin to abort itself into oblivion, as many European countries today are.

A round up of posts pertinent to today:

A rigorously researched defense of the biblical position on abortion by John MacArthur.

For over 20 years, John Piper has marked this date from his pulpit.

An interview on the real obstacles and goals in overturning Roe vs. Wade.

A plea to tear down apathy on the issue, and see it as the responsibility of the Christian church to speak out.

An interesting article on why so many abortion providers and those who work in the “industry” turn pro-life. The answer might surprise you.

“Would it bother us more if they used guns?” Check out Abort73.com, my favorite pro-life website.

Who is Norma McCorvey? The answer is ammunition in the fight against abortion.

Updated on 01/23/10:

Keven DeYoung notes the double standard apparent in state law vs. federal law on abortion.

Another interview on overturning Roe vs. Wade.

Let’s fight the good fight of faith, realizing that this fight against death and for life is the cause of Christ and the logical, righteous implication of the Gospel.

Big stuff. The whole article is well worth your time.

HT: Vitamin Z

The reminder to slow down strikes hardest when I lose something that is truly irreplaceable. Like Bibles.

I spent most of my high school and college years marking up various Bibles. Specifically, I had a TruTone ESV that I marked up in my morning devotions (middle Bible in this picture). For roughly 4 years, I would underline what stood out, circle what I memorized, and make bold the main propositions in each text. And then, on a camping trip two summers ago, I lost it.

Or another Bible… this time a journaling ESV. During my freshman year of college, Mr. Brent Belford told us in our Gospel survey class that we should buy a Bible with wide margins, and begin to make notes on the things we were learning. So I did that, too. Specifically I wanted nuggets of exposition that would be useful for future preaching/teaching. So for 3-4 years I wrote down comments, quotes, nuggets. As I continued to learn, I would cross out some things and put in new comments, or write what I thought about the passage. Draw huge lines across multiple pages, tracing the biblical arguments and themes. And then, this last Spring, I left the Bible at church one day, and never saw it again.

So, when I looked down yesterday evening while at Jean Jacobson’s funeral, and saw that my replacement for the above TruTone was gone, I remembered all the seeming agony I went through the previous two times I had lost my personal Bible. If God is the source, surely the Scriptures are the fountain head. The means we see and receive grace. But I had to remember… it’s not about my comments, or my thoughts. They are His thoughts that penetrate my soul and discern who I really am… and show me who I really am. I don’t need all my commentary to rightly read the Word. I need Him to read the Word.

So as I fought the urge to be disappointed last night in the wake of another bereaved Bible (I think I can use that word that way), I remembered that the Word dwells within me. I’ve spent so much time treasuring it, that the Words of Christ perhaps have began to dwell in me richly. It’s not about having the Bible, or reading the Bible. Those are just means to living the Bible… which means living as one who displays God’s own character.

It’s a means to an end… our sanctification and unification with Jesus Christ.

In this post I’ll summarize what the Friday night outreach will look like.

Worship/Singing

Michael Cassinari and Nate Cornett will be starting out our time each evening with a set of prepared and corporate music. The design of this is two-fold 1) to help the Christian students to see God as He is, so that they might worship Him in truth each evening. 2) For the non-Christian, we want to show them through the lyrics in each song why God alone is worthy of their worship. The prepared music is not designed to be merely performed for the audience’s appreciation; as Mike and Nate sing their prepared music, their desire is that the students would seriously consider the content of each song and the truth conveyed therein.

Introduction to Teaching

After the worship is done, Jeff and I will be introducing the topic for each evening. There will be much question asking and discussion, so come prepared to ask good questions and answer ours. We’ll also be complimenting the teaching with photos/videos/whatever seems useful. For instance, tonight we’ll have several photos showing different examples of worship in our society. You might be surprised at how universal worship really is!

The intention during this time is to show Christians and non-Christians the truths of the Word in such a way that its applicable to the way they think, feel, and act in their everyday lives. Obviously what the Word says to a believer will be different than a non-believer. Our intent is to address both; not ignore one or the other.

Discussion

After about 10-15 minutes of introductory teaching and large group discussion, we’ll break out into small groups. Kevin Zylka, Danny Cornett, and Judith Miller will be leading the junior high small group. Jeff Cornett will be leading the students in high school, and Natalie and I will be leading the college students. The intent of this time is to reinforce the main teaching in each age group; the way a junior high student views worship is different from a college student. Their circumstances are different. As such, we’ll be aiming to contextualize the teaching in the discussion time, as well as address any questions and concerns the students have.

Final Teaching

Finally, all of the groups will join back together for a final teaching time, where Jeff and I will continue the teaching. For instance, tonight I want to make a strong argument for the universality of worship (everyone does it), and then who or what should be given worship. This will lead into a time of Q&A where the students will be able to ask questions verbally or text questions into a number that will be displayed on the projector screen. Any and all questions texted to that number will be answered over the weekend, and certain ones will be chosen to be displayed and answered in front of the students.

Fellowship/Games

Following the Q&A time, we’ll have food for everyone and games for anyone that wants to participate. We’ll be around to talk and answer any more questions that the students have… I personally will be there probably an hour or two after the event ends to answer questions and just to chat.

Discipleship

The larger goal is not to have good events every other week, but rather to create a culture of discipleship among the students whereby they are encouraged to pursue Christ for themselves based on their own motivation and joy in Him. For the non-Christian, we want to be able to maintain contact throughout the week, form friendships, and answer any and all questions they might have about Christianity. A lot of this will involve Jeff and I texting like never before; hopefully we’ll get a chance to spend time with the students during the week, so that discipleship can continue.

We’re excited about this. And we realize that this is just as much for us as it is for any of the students. We will learn from the student’s questions, our own study, and our friendships beginning and growing deeper as time goes on. At a fundamental level, this is for everyone, both volunteers, students, adults that want to come and observe… everyone. Because the whole body needs to be encouraged and strengthened. We’re looking forward to serving the Lord Christ faithfully to be made into better disciples and help others do the same!

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in d the splendor of holiness. (Psalm 29:1-2)

At the conclusion of Bethel’s Teen Challenge during the summer of 2008, I was told by a young man that we should be “doing stuff more often.” I said to him if by “stuff” he meant Bible teaching and strengthening the teens at Bethel in their walk with Christ, then I was all for it. Having to think about it for a moment, he agreed with me. Now, 14 months after that conversation, his desire is becoming a reality.

Tomorrow night, after 2 months of intense preparation, prayer, and coordination we’re starting an outreach program on Friday nights. I want to explain in brief why Bethel is stepping forward with this.

The purpose of the outreach is two-fold:

1. To spiritually equip and challenge young adults to know God through Biblical teaching and discipleship; the goal of the teaching is both personal obedience to God and ultimate satisfaction in our relationship with God himself.

2. To reach out to the world around us, proclaiming Jesus Christ as the sole Savior from judgment and only Lord of the universe, leading them to discover the soul-satisfying relationship with Christ.

The goal is not merely to show the students what God requires of them; we want to display God as He is in the Scriptures, and what that means for every human being’s thoughts, emotions, and actions. We don’t want to just influence how we act; action without emotion quickly becomes hypocrisy; action without thought quickly becomes fear… or worse.

The Word has something to say about the way we act, feel, and think. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) It’s our whole response to who God is and what He’s done. Join us as we examine worship… as we take off all the hype and dig into God’s Word to prove that He is worthy and all-satisfying for anyone who will come to Him.

We often focus on what David did as he battled Goliath, but we don’t often stop and look at what he said. There’s three astounding statements that he makes that show how radically focused he was on God and His glory. 1 Samuel 17:25-27 shows us the first statement. Speaking about Goliath, we see David’s attitude contrasted with the attitude of those in the army.

And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

What did all the soldiers in the army look to? The material possession and personal glory that would come from defeating Goliath. But what was David’s response? “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God”… David didn’t focus on the personal fame, but instead on His Lord’s glory. He doesn’t start saying “show me the money!”, but instead his desire is to take away any reproach from Israel, God’s chosen people. He’s in it for His Lord’s glory. He is most impressed with God, not with himself.

Second, David makes another astounding statement concerning His Lord. David is brought into Saul’s tent, where he boldly claims that he (David) can defeat this giant. Saul’s response, found in 17:33…

And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

Again, we see that David is not trusting ultimately in his own skill in combat, but in the Lord’s omnipotent skill to protect him. David is impressed with God, not himself.

Thirdly, we see what David actually says to Goliath while on the field of combat. First, the giant sees this small shepherd boy coming… his response?

And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

Now, I’d be quaking in my boots at this point if I was impressed with myself… because honestly, Goliath could crush any human in one-on-one combat. But David isn’t impressed with himself…

Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.

We know the end of the story. But what happens then? At the beginning of the blog, Saul’s jealousy for his own glory clouded out his ability ability to see David in a gracious light, and later in the book we see him trying to kill David. But what about David? Even with all the glory ascribed to him, he didn’t cave in. It was still all about God’s glory. He didn’t believe the press reports being written about him, whereas Saul did.

So what about us? Do we believe the press reports about us? Or are we so focused on our Father that our own glory doesn’t matter? We want to seek God’s heart… as David did, and be so obsessed with His glory that nothing else matters.

What are we often impressed by? Last night there was a mix of answers… cars, creation, Barry Bond’s arms, etc. There’s so much in our culture that we see as impressive, from the latest innovation of science to the ability of men to accomplish great feats. I think about Erik Weihenmeyer, a world-renown climber. He climbed the 29,000 feet to the very top of Mount Everest… and never saw the view. Why? Because Erik has been blind since he was 13. That is indeed impressive… a feat of man that we can honestly say that there is no parallel to.

The people of Israel, in much the same way, were impressed with the nations around them. In 1 Samuel 8, they demand that Samuel appoint over them a king, so that they might be like the nations around them. God, rather than rebuking and punishing them… grants their prayer, and in doing so shows them that their heart is not with God. They were to be different… God Himself was going to be their King, and that’s how He would bring glory to Himself. But the people wanted their own glory.

The first king that God appointed was an Israelite that had no equal among his people. Look at how Samuel describes him in 1 Samuel 10:23-24:

And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?

Saul was impressive according to man’s standards, but as we read the story of his life, we discover that he was doing it all for show. He was in it for the glory… his own glory, not God’s. We basically see Saul’s life in a snapshot in the last 20 or so chapters or 1 Samuel, as his reign begins very promising, but slowly spirals into total oblivion. The point of no return for Saul is in chapter 15, where we find Saul going and defeating the Amalekites. In doing so, he spares their king, Agag, and the best of the Amalekite’s animals. He thinks he has obeyed God, but then Samuel arrives. We know of the famous “what means the bleating of the sheep?” where Samuel calls Saul on the carpet after Saul lied to him about it. Saul goes on to blame the people for taking the best animals for themselves, and then states that they were saving them to sacrifice to the Lord. What does Samuel say?

Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Saul realizes that he’s done wrong, and tells Samuel of his repentance. No dice, Samuel tells him in 15:26-29. God had made up His mind, and Saul was going to be replaced. But then we see what this is about in Saul’s own mind, probably what it was about from the beginning. 15:30…

Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.

Saul wanted to be honored in front of the people despite his sin. He wanted the praise of man, the glory for himself. He was indeed impressive, but he was impressed with himself… and God was not at all impressed with that. Next blog, we’ll look at Saul’s replacement… a man who was indeed impressive, but was himself impressed with God: David.