Apathy

Who Cares About Apathy
 By Ray Comfort

I watched the TV monitor as the pastor of a church in West Virginia invited his congregation of 600 to join him, as he held a sign saying that abortion was wrong. He said that he stood on the side of the road for one hour the previous year, and asked who would join him this time. Twenty people raised their hands. I could sense his disappointment at their apathy. He then introduced me as the morning’s guest speaker.

I told the congregation that I felt passionate about the subject of abortion, for a good reason. Many years ago someone told me that a new Christian (named Fran) was about to take the life of her child through the procedure. I was horrified, and found out that she was due to have it done within a couple of hours. I sped to the hospital, praying all the way that God would give me the words to change her mind. I rushed in, ran up to the second floor and into her room. She was sitting on the bed, and had already had her preoperational medication. I pleaded, "Please don’t do this!"
To my surprise, she just looked at me, and smiled. Then she said, "It’s okay. I’m not going to have it. I just prayed 'God, if you don’t want me to have an abortion, make Ray Comfort come up and see me.'"

Two years later, I was at a church picnic when I saw a beautiful little girl playing in the grass. It was Fran’s child. As I knelt down by the cute toddler, it hammered home the issue that we are dealing with when it comes to abortion.

I told the congregation (with some passion), that I would never, ever, vote for a man who advocated the murder of a child in the womb. I don't care about his fiscal policies, because the blood of the innocents is on his hands. I also encouraged them to follow the wonderful example of their faithful pastor. I heard later that afternoon that between 400 and 500 turned out. God bless them.

However, the answer to the issue of abortion isn’t just to protest, although that's a start. A nation that kills 50 million of its citizens through abortion with no qualms of conscience needs more than a voice of protest. We are no different than Nazi Germany. We have given ourselves to the wickedest of sins, and that will eventually have terrible national consequences. We desperately need God’s forgiveness, and we need a new heart that can only come with conversion. Only the gospel can take a self-righteous, blaspheming, idolatrous, hypocritical, baby-killing nation, forgive it, and make it brand new:

"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them" (Ezekiel 36:25-27).

 

(http://raycomfortfood.blogspot.com/2008/10/who-cares-about-apathy.html)

AFA Ends McDonald's Boycott

Not sure if I'll be going back any time soon, but this is good news:

AFA ends boycott: McDonald's agrees to changes

October 9, 2008

Dear Kristina,

Great news! Because of AFA supporters like you, McDonald’s has told AFA they will remain neutral in the culture war regarding homosexual marriage. AFA is ending the boycott of McDonald’s. As you know, AFA called for the boycott in May after McDonald’s joined the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC).

McDonald’s said McDonald’s Vice President Richard Ellis has resigned his position on the board of NGLCC and that his seat on the board will not be replaced. McDonald’s also said that the company has no plans to renew their membership in NGLCC when it expires in December.

In an e-mail to McDonald’s franchised owners the company said, "It is our policy to not be involved in political and social issues. McDonald’s remains neutral on same sex marriage or any ‘homosexual agenda’ as defined by the American Family Association."

We appreciate the decision by McDonald’s to no longer support political activity by homosexual activist organizations. You might want to thank your local McDonald’s manager.


Thank you for caring enough to get involved. If you feel our efforts are worthy of support, would you consider making a small tax-deductible contribution to help us continue?


Sincerely,

Donald E. Wildmon,
Founder and Chairman
American Family Association

For Whom Should We Vote?

For Whom Should We Vote?

The "Heart" of the Issue

By Ken Ham, Answers in Genesis

Would you vote for someone like Eliab if he were running for office? He was an impressive Old Testament character. And he was a tall and handsome man! Surely we should vote for such a person? After all, when comparing him to his little brother David (the future king of Israel), the prophet Samuel did!

 

The Lord said to Samuel, however: "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

 

Many of us will soon be deciding whom to vote for in the U.S. presidential election (as well as congressmen, senators, and other offices.) This will be just the second opportunity for me to vote for the president of the most powerful nation on earth.

 

Just over four years ago, my homeland of Australia passed legislation to allow its citizens to obtain citizenship in another country, yet retain their Australian citizenship. My family and I (having lived in the USA for over 17 years at the time) immediately applied to become American citizens.

 

Not long after, there was a presidential election. My wife and I had to decide who we should vote for, and I learned a lot in the process. Here's how we came to our decision.

 

First of all, as a Christian, I recognized that I needed to seek God's direction, just as the apostle Peter and others did in Acts 1:24: "And they prayed and said, 'You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two You have chosen.'" So I now pray today: "Lord, please guide me as I take seriously this great responsibility to vote."

 

Second, we need to remember God's lesson to Samuel: it is not about how impressive a person is on the "outside"--it's what is on the "inside" that counts!

 

I was also reminded of Matthew 12:34: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" and how important it is that "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11).

 

So I recognized that as we consider candidates, we cannot see their hearts. Christians must evaluate them by their actions and words--judging those actions against the absolute authority of the Word of God.

 

Third, we need leaders who are wise and knowledgeable. How do we determine that? God's Word tells us that: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10) and also: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7). Do the exhibit a reverence for the Lord and His Word?

 

Fourth, and probably the most applicable to each of us on a personal level, I should not consider a person's politics in light of what might benefit me materially. After all, the Scriptures tell us: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in a steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither most nor rust destroys and where thieves do no break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).

 

As I ponder all these things, I also realize what King David said: "I know, my God, that You test the heart." Only God can really know a person's heart. I can certainly judge a person's actions and words against Scripture as a test of the heart--but then I'm suddenly reminded: "But what about my own heart?" And then I ponder: "Knowing my own heart, would I vote for me?" Well, frankly I could not!

 

Oh Lord, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my thoughts; And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24). "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24).

 

But how I should fall upon my face and thank God that He voted for me! You see, "God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). And: "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy..." (Hebrews 4:16).

 

Let this election time be a heart reminder!

 

(Answers Update - Volume 15 - Issue 10)