Where Is The Army?

Last night, I got an e-mail message from American Life League; which I would like to share with you. Even though I, and countless others, have been blasting the trumpet to tell the world about this issue, people are obviously still in the dark about this. What I am talking about is the fact that Planned Parenthood (the largest abortion chain in America) receives OUR TAX DOLLARS to fund their operations! Yep, that’s right, OUR MONEY helps keep Planned Parenthood in the business of silencing life and torturing women every day!!

So, what can we do to stop it? Well, if you haven’t done so already, please sign this petition: http://www.stopplannedparenthoodtaxfunding.com/ Also, keep the heat on your representatives. Do you REALIZE what would happen if we actually had a democracy in America? If this government really is for the people and by the people, why aren’t we taking an active role in it? Why aren’t we calling/e-mailing/writing our representatives to tell them what’s up? Why aren’t we jamming the phone lines and inboxes? WHY?!! What if EVERYONE did this just ONCE A MONTH - like with the call for life campaign (http://www.monthlycallforlife.com/ ). I know this really goes without saying, but I can’t make an impact all by myself!! Alone I am one, but together we are many!! WHERE IS THE ARMY???!! Sometimes, I feel like a lone soldier. Don’t I have ANYONE fighting with me???

I’m grateful that Mike Pence is fighting the good fight. He’s my congressional representative and is featured in one of the videos that you can view on ALL’s YouTube channel. Though, because I’m particularly proud of our man Mike (and because he hits all the points on the head!!) here is the link to his video segment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SpKvnIRmcI
I hope that Mike Pence never has to feel like a lone soldier. He’s got at least one person backing him up (ME!). I remember seeing him in a parade last year and I shouted out to him to keep up the good work in regards to this issue. He pointed at me and said, “we’ll get it done.”

Indeed, we shall “get it done.” We’ll get it done the more help and support we have and the more that the American people stand up and make their voices heard; the way it’s SUPPOSED to be done in a “democracy.” Even more so, I should hope that there would be more CHRISTIANS out there doing their part. Again, I say “where is the army?”

Please read this message that I got from American Life League and take time to watch the videos, get educated, and get moving!! Let’s mobilize!!!

****
American Life League is leading the effort to defund Planned Parenthood, and our federal representatives are fighting to make this happen! Last evening, New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith joined 10 other pro-life congressmen to spend an hour on the floor of the US House of Representatives, discussing the business of Big Abortion and the need to completely cut Planned Parenthood from YOUR money!

What they had to say is powerful!

"It's time for us to take a serious, and for some, a second look at Planned Parenthood, its origins, and the fact that since 1973, the year the US Supreme Court issued its famous Roe. v. Wade decision, and legalized abortion, that approximately 4.5 million babies, disproportionately African-American and hispanic, have died in Planned Parenthood clinics."

"Planned Parenthood ought to be called 'Child Abuse Incorporated' for the 4.5 million children it has already killed"

"For Planned Parenthood, business is good. Violence against children pays handsomely." -- Rep. Chris Smith, New Jersey

"The abortion industry is a billion dollar business." -- Rep. Joseph Pitts, Pennsylvania

"This organization has now become a big box retailer; big abortion in other words. It is a big retailer and it brought in a billion dollars in revenues."

"They are the Wal-Mart of Big Abortion." -- Rep. Michele Bachmann, Minnesota

"An accounting gimic masks the way for Planned Parenthood to use federal dollars to fund its (Planned Parenthood) abortion services."

"Lest there be any confusion, abortion is an industry." -- Rep. Bill Sali, Idaho

"Planned Parenthood is using your tax dollars to raise more money to run against your candidate to elect someone who will give them more tax dollars." -- Rep. Jim Jordan, Ohio.

You can view each representative's segment on this important topic ... DEFUNDING PLANNED PARENTHOOD .. by going to http://nvs.all.org/sendstudio/link.php?M=42671&N=347&L=1488&F=H.

"Butt" There's No Excuse!!

Don’t you just love cliffhangers?! The anticipation can just drive you nuts!! That’s how I have been feeling each and every Sunday for the last few weeks because our pastor has embarked on an exciting message series entitled “House.” And, the “house” that he is talking about is the “house” of Christianity.

So far, he has talked about getting in the door, waiting in the hallway, and now, we are starting to explore the “rooms.” This series is awesome; and I am LOVING IT!!! And, if you have been reading my blogs on this series for the past few weeks, I’m sure you’re just as eager to read about today’s message as much as I was eager to hear it today. Of course, since I just started this particular blog, you can just click on these links to go to my myspace page and read parts one, two, and three so that you can understand more about this series and what I'm talking about in some of my references. Also, you can now listen to these sermons for yourself at our church's website by clicking here. You can listen online, or download the free podcast. How cool is that??!! I highly recommend it, because I can’t possibly reiterate every single thing that Chad said. I just summarize it. Plus, he puts a lot of his personal testimony in there, and you would love to hear that for yourself!!

In addition to this series, Chad also decided to conduct a little experiment. Last week, he said that we were going to have a plant onstage and that the only time that it was going to get any light, attention, or water, was on Sunday mornings. So, how long do you think the plant will last? This morning, everyone could plainly see - as Chad put it - that it was already showing signs of “want.” One of the leaves has already turned yellow. So, there is a whole other sermon just in that plant alone - obviously. ;) If you’re only getting your spiritual food on Sundays and not filling yourself up every other day of the week, your “plant” will start showing some desperate signs of “want.” That plant is your soul, and if you don’t nurture your soul with some soul food, you’re going to start dying inside. Don’t wait for your leaves to turn yellow before you start quenching yourself with some soul food/living water!! Being a Sunday morning Christian just won’t cut it people!! Anyways, I won’t elaborate more on that right now. I will just dive in to the next part of the series.

Today’s door leads us into the “church” room. I can already visualize your eyes rolling!! “Church.” Maybe you’re like Chad and it was one of those doors that your parents dragged you through as a kid. Maybe you have been hurt by a church, or maybe you have never been to one for some reason. Maybe it’s because so many of us think of “church” as being a building, denomination, or something like that. But, that’s not what “church” is. Even in the Bible, when God talks about his “church” he isn’t talking about a place, building, or denominational branch. When God is talking about his “church” he is talking about “PEOPLE!”

Chad said that church isn’t a place you “go.” Church is PEOPLE “on the go.” AMEN TO THAT!!! The church is the body of Christ. Christ is the HEAD (Colossians 1:15-18) and we are the body. And, as Chad put it, the church body isn’t a “collecting body,” it’s a “sending body.” The church is (and SHOULD BE!) an equipping center. We come to our places of worship to learn and grow spiritually, and then, we should take that knowledge and use it as fuel for our souls to grow in our faith and share it with others by using our unique talents. EVERYONE has a talent and EVERYONE makes up the church body. We all need to be using our talents for the common good. Though, as Chad pointed out, sometimes we don’t think we have talent, or that our talent isn’t as important as someone else’s. Not so!! It’s just like what 1 Corinthians 12:14-18 says: “For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.” In other words, there is no “I” in the word “team.” We all need to do our part and no part is any less significant than another!! The whole body needs to work cooperatively in order to function completely and efficiently to its full potential!! EVERYONE is important!!

So, what is YOUR part in the body? I think the key is service. We all use our talents for some kind of service for the common good. I think, for too long, the church has had an overabundance of one body part: the butt. Chad said that he thinks the church has a really big butt - we just sit in the pews and that’s about it. Not to say that the church body doesn’t need its “butt.” After all, every part is important right? And, in all honesty, we all have the capacity to be a “butt” sometimes!! LOL Though, I think we are called to a higher degree of functionality. We can be a better “butt” than just a self-serving stationary one. A butt acts as a “cushion” and everyone needs that right? But if all we are doing is just being a cushion too much for our own selves and all we do is lazily sit down and only care about our own comfort and relaxation, then we are a bigger “butt” than we realize!!

Ok. No more “butt” jokes! LOL The point I am trying to make is mobilization. It like when Chad talked about the ministry the churches have at our city’s annual Street Fair. Usually, they set up a prayer tent and hand out cups of water to people. Though, when you are relying on people to just come to YOU, you aren’t going to be able to serve them as well. If you are going TO the people, you will have a lot better results!! That is why, this year, they sent out the churches to clean the streets and pick up trash; which was met with much appreciation and gratitude. People respond to service. Chad said that they helped and prayed for more people THAT WAY than they ever did in the prayer tent!

Let’s “catch the vision” as Chad put it. Let’s start understanding what it really means to be the church body of Christ! Don’t wait around for someone else to do what you know you should be doing. Quit being the “butt” of the church and get mobilized! This especially needs to be done in cases where only a small percentage of the church is actively serving, and all the pressure is put on THEM to do all the work because no one will let them rest on their own cushions for a while!! Come on people!! Let’s work together and share the burden!!!

Well, that’s my take on the sermon today. I can’t wait for next Sunday!! “Butt” (sorry, I had to! LOL) I guess I will just have to wait, and continue watering my soul each and every day so I don’t end up like the plant at church. ;) So, until next time, remember this phrase that a friend once told me: “Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death!” Feed your soul, and help others feed their souls too! Do your part! God bless all who read this!!