Most of us begin a New Year with optimism! We hope it’s even better than previous years, and many of us seek to change our lives and do better in many areas: lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier, be kinder, stop looking at technology so much, read the Bible more, go to church more, etc.  All “good stuff”! And, doing any of that will make your life, and this new year, a little better!

But, did you realize that God wants to bless us with “great stuff” that is far better than that? Jesus tells us in Mathew 6:33 not to worry about all the stuff we see around us, but rather “seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”!  What “things” is Jesus talking about here? And what does it mean when we say, and pray, that God will “bless you”?

In Matthew 5-7, we read the “Sermon on the Mount”, given by Jesus probably over several days. Here Jesus lays out what it means to become part of his Kingdom, both now and in the future, when he returns to rule the entire earth and universe. In the beginning of this sermon, in Matthew 5:3-12, Jesus gives us eight distinct “Kingdom Values” to live by, and if we do live them out, there is a distinct “blessing” for each one from God that will only be given to those who live out these values, with God’s help. These values are also character traits that reflect the perfect life of Jesus. And, if we live them out daily, we will reflect Jesus to others, bring glory to him, and be blessed ourselves!

In this and some following blogs, I would like to highlight these eight Kingdom Values. I was inspired to do this by reading a wonderful new book by Dr. Tony Evans called “Kingdom Values: Character (Greater Than)  Chaos. I would encourage you to read this book and get a fuller understanding of what these values are and how God will “bless you” by living these out! You will notice 2 very important aspects to these Values: 1) they are almost always the opposite of what this secular world values most, and 2) you cannot fully live them out and receive God’s “blessing” for each one unless you surrender to God and let him help you! Let’s look at the first Kingdom Value:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” – Matthew 5:3

The Kingdom Value: Spiritual Poverty!

Here Jesus is saying he will bless those who recognize that they do not have the spiritual capacity to address their own spiritual needs. The Bible says that because we are all born sinful, we are already “spiritually dead” and separated from God because of that fact! We can do all kinds of things to improve ourselves in body, mind, and spirit, but they all fall short of what only God can do for us. Thus, to be “poor in spirit” is to in essence declare “spiritual bankruptcy”, to recognize all my best efforts cannot come close to what God wants to give me spiritually if I surrender to his rule over my life. Tony Evans puts it this way: “A person who is poor in spirit understands that if God doesn’t act out of charity and give them what they need to live life as it is meant to be lived, they are going to starve to death spiritually.”

What does that say about common New Year’s resolutions? You can join a gym, lose all the weight you want to, feel great physically, fill your mind with all the positive thoughts to make you “the best you you’ve ever been”, and in God’s eyes, you’re still spiritually dead and impoverished and will miss out on the all the real power and blessings that he wants for you, now and forever! (I’m not saying that’s not good stuff, and being healthy is great, but don’t you also want the “better things” that God wants to give you?)

The apostle Paul was a powerful, influential, respected Jewish spiritual leader when Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus and literally blinded him for a brief time so that he could spiritually “see” who Jesus was, and then follow him. Paul came to see all his worldly fame and knowledge was useless and even the antithesis to what Jesus wanted to give him. When he finally came to know, love, and follow Jesus the “light came on” in his mind and he could see his previous life as spiritual garbage compared to what he gained by surrendering his life to Jesus! He described it this way:

Philippians 3:4, 7-11 (NIV)
⁴  If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:

⁷  But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. ¹⁰  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹  and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

The Blessing: The Kingdom of God!

The “blessing” for spiritual poverty is that you get to be part of God’s Kingdom! And, it’s ONLY for those who recognize they are poor in spirit. Our culture values pride, personal success and strength, independence and control, a “self-made person”. We esteem those with power, control, and total self-reliance. Those are this world’s “winners”. In God’s upside-down Kingdom, he is basically telling us “If you think you have it all together and are the captain of your soul, go for it! But you will have no help from me, and you will never enter my Kingdom.” Just the opposite is true to enter God’s Kingdom:  he values humility, gentleness, and mercy, and only the person who sees they need Jesus as the source and sustainer of life is the “winner” and will inherit God’s Kingdom as a reborn and redeemed son or daughter!

The concept of God’s “blessing” can be described as “a state of well-being where Kingdom followers of Christ both enjoy and extend the goodness of God in their lives”. This becomes a normal way of life for a Kingdom disciple, not just a momentary feeling of happiness or energy. It’s similar to the idea of “joy” in scripture, which is described as an inner river that keeps flowing even in times of drought. The Holy Spirit is the source of all this peace, joy, and assurance. These are INNER resources that only God can give you!  And, it’s only for those who humble themselves before God and allow him to give them a brand new life as sons and daughters of his Kingdom, now and forever!

So as you begin 2023, it’s OK and even good to want to eat more healthy food, lose some weight, read the Bible daily, play more & better golf (my resolution, lol), and whatever else is productive and healthy for you. But, I hope you seek more than that! I hope you want to experience the inner power, peace, joy, and assurance that only come from Jesus as you surrender to his rule and live as a Kingdom follower. And the good news is, you don’t have to be perfect (because you’re not), and you don’t have to perform and look good for others! You just have to humbly trust Jesus, and ask him to help you!

I will soon write some more blogs on the other seven Kingdom Values that God wants to give us, and the blessings that come with them. Have a wonderful 2023! I pray the circumstances of your life are good and enjoyable for the most part. But even when they are not, I pray you will seek God’s Kingdom above all else, and experience the inner resources that will sustain you and give you peace and joy, no matter what!

¹⁴  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵  from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶  that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸  may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. -Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)

Did you ever wonder why you feel so good when you are really thankful for good family and friends who love you and are always “there for you”, no matter what? Or, maybe you have similar feelings when you’re in a beautiful place in nature on vacation and you can truly relax and enjoy the beauty, rest, and reinvigoration of the moment with friends or family, and it feels so good that you never want to go back to “real life” of school, work, etc.? I’m writing this the day before Thanksgiving. Those of us who are wise will use this one day, at least, to slow down from this divisive, face-paced, out of control culture we all live in, and reflect for a little while on what is truly good and wonderful in our lives, and be thankful. Others, sadly, will continue to be angry about politics, the world, their family, etc. and leave the day more tired, bitter, and maybe more angry than when they started!

How can we find lasting joy, happiness, peace and blessing in life? Is it even possible?  If you are looking for circumstantial happiness or joy that is always there, you will never find it! We all live in a broken world, broken by the effects of sin on us all. We will all have illness, tragedies, loss of income or goods, people who dislike us or betray us, and we will all lose family and friends to death at some point, and all of these circumstances might cause us to feel awful, angry, and hopeless. Nobody’s life is “blessed” all the time, no matter what their Facebook page might falsely portray!

The good news is, God has shown us a pathway to find peace, joy, and blessing in spite of the sin and brokenness that weighs on us all. But if you really want what God is offering, it all begins with knowing Jesus! The apostle Paul shared his life story with us in Philippians. Early in his life, he “had it all”. He was a wealthy, well-respected religious leader, was very intelligent and probably could out-debate anyone. He was in the “elite” class, everybody loved or feared him, and he was probably the type of person who got first row tickets given to him to any concert or sporting event of his day. The envy of everybody… and yet, he was empty!

In Philippians 3:7-11, Paul tells us how that all paled in comparison to finally coming to know Jesus personally:

⁷  But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. ¹⁰  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹  and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. – Philippians 3:7-11 (NIV)

You see, when Paul surrendered to the call of Jesus on his life and became his follower, all the “cool stuff” of his past was meaningless and worthless compared to what he found in knowing Jesus personally! Now that doesn’t mean that everything went well or was easy for him; just the opposite happened! He lost most of his friends, he was ridiculed, he became poor, he was beaten often for his preaching and was even left for dead, and he was imprisoned many times for speaking the gospel. He actually wrote this letter from a prison in Rome, not too long before he was executed for his faith!

In spite of all that, Paul found an inner joy, peace, and hope that came from God and was unshakable in spite of outside circumstances! This joy and peace that God gives becomes a way of life, an attitude and viewpoint given to those who join God’s Kingdom and now see the world from His perspective. Being blessed and having joy are very similar concepts in the Bible, and may be described as “a state of well-being where Kingdom followers in Christ both enjoy and extend the goodness of God in their lives”.  (from Tony Evans, in his book “Kingdom Values”)

The Bible speaks of this inner state as a river that keeps flowing even in times of drought, and is given to us by the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Do you want that never-ending joy, peace, and hope in your life, no matter what the circumstances of the moment might be? I know I do!

Later in Philippians, Paul gives us a pathway and the results:

THE PATHWAY:

Philippians 4:4-6, 8-9 (NIV)
⁴  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

⁸  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. ⁹  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

This is pretty basic, but powerfully effective stuff:

– Be gentle with others, and rejoice in all circumstances, not because they are all good, but because God is near you and helping you through the circumstances

– Don’t be anxious about anything! Instead, take all your concerns and needs to God in prayer, being thankful that he hears you and has all the power you need to deal with life!

– Focus on all the good stuff in life!.. what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy! And then present that good stuff and the hope that is in you to the world around you. Life will be much more enjoyable and purposeful!

THE RESULTS:

⁷  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
¹¹  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³  I can do everything through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:7, 11-13 (NIV)

This is the results we are looking for!

– God will give us a deep and lasting sense of peace that is greater than we can even understand, and it will protect our thoughts and feelings and keep us focused on God’s presence, power, and hope for a wonderful future with him!

– It will enable us to be content in any circumstance in life, and therefore we won’t have to worry or be anxious about anything! God will give us strength to face every phase of life with him!

When we trust our lives to Jesus, he offers us:

– Joy in the midst of everything we go through

– A peace that is permanent and beyond our understanding

– Gratitude for all the goodness he brings into our lives

– Power to be content in all circumstances, and the ability to share the hope we have with others

I pray you find God’s permanent joy and peace, and gratitude in your life, now and forever!

I have been writing blogs for over 8 years now, and my main emphasis has always been to focus on God’s Kingdom and how to bring more people to trust in Jesus and enter his Kingdom and live forever in his presence! I have tried to stay clear of political discussions, because God’s Kingdom is much greater and better, and far above any political solutions from either the right or left. But I do want you to consider a Michigan proposal to change our constitution concerning abortion, Proposal 3. Abortion, while sadly used by politicians to garner votes, is not just a left or right issue. There are pro-choice and pro-life people in all political parties. Abortion is a moral issue, one of life and death, and one Christians cannot ignore or be silent on, especially since it has become a national discussion after the repeal of Roe v. Wade.

 My view on any issue is to first determine what God has said about a particular issue, and then obey and share what God has said.  My “opinion” is not that important on any issue, (and neither is yours), because I believe God’s view is always the real truth, and any other human opinion that differs with His truth is just therefore a flawed opinion.  My previous blog explains what I believe God clearly says on this issue. Because of that, I will be totally “up front” and say I am totally against abortion, and believe every abortion is the killing of a pre-born baby, made specifically in the image of God. I certainly understand there may be an occasional necessary exception to that, such as when the very life of the mother is at stake, and some may also consider rape and incest victims. I also know that there are some Christians who read my blogs who disagree with my view, and believe abortion should be legal, usually with certain restrictions. While I disagree with you on this, I respect you and pray your decision is made out of heart-felt motives to help and protect women from harm. While even Christians may disagree on this, we are called to work together to bring people closer to God’s will and his Kingdom agenda and bring reconciliation to a world broken and torn by sin, hatred, division, accusation, and destructive vitriol!

So, if we “Michiganders” (a weird label!) look at Proposal 3, and if you share my view that God is completely against abortion, then it is an obvious “no brainer” that you should vote NO on this proposal! As you shall see, this is an abortionist’s dream proposal and one that may actually be worse than Roe itself was.

For the rest of you, some who “don’t give a rip” what God says about anything, or those who do care what God says but disagree with me about what you think God says, I still ask you to look carefully at Proposal 3. You might find that this is NOT an abortion proposal that you agree with at all, and may be much more extreme than what you really want!

When Roe was overturned this summer, it sent the decision about abortion back to the states, allowing each state legislature to debate all views and possibly come up with a compromise solution  that fits their state and reflects where most people are in that particular state. While this is never a perfect solution, it at least allows for ongoing debate and the opportunity to change the laws as our culture changes on this issue, and as the “other” party then comes into power they can vote to adjust what they view as overly extreme legislation from the other side. This at least allows more time and a process where people can more deeply look at the moral, medical, and humanitarian views on this issue, as well as look around the world to see what other cultures are doing as well. From my Christian perspective, I would prefer to live in a state and nation that bans abortion and also values women and babies (and all people) as infinitely valuable. (A “Womb to the Tomb” or “Whole Life” approach) But, none of us get what we want in this sinful and divided world, so how can we work together to draw people closer to what God desires for us all, as he seeks to heal, forgive, restore, and redeem this fallen world?

If you believe in abortion with limitations, what should those be, and how does Roe and Proposal 3 compare? Many folks like to say the United States should be more like Europe on social issues, somehow thinking that because those countries are older they are somehow more sophisticated and humane than some here may be. Most studies of people in the U.S. who want legal abortion show that the majority of them always want limited abortion, usually within the 1^st trimester (12-15 weeks). After looking at 5 different sources on abortion in Europe, that is exactly where most European nations fall. Two or three prohibit abortion except for death of the mother, rape, or incest. 47 out of 50 European nations limit it to 15 weeks or less, while one or two go as high as 24 weeks. NONE of them go the full term of pregnancy (36 months)! On a world-wide basis, one study said that of 198 countries, only seven allowed abortions past 20 weeks (except, again, for the life of the mother, rape, or incest). And of those 7, a few were still limited to 24 weeks. So, what about the U.S.? For the past 50 years, Roe has allowed abortions up until the time of birth itself (36 weeks). This has allowed for late-term abortions and the horrific practice at times of partial-birth abortions. On a world-wide scale, the U.S. has ranked alongside North Korea and Communist China as the most extreme places for abortion in the world. Proposal 3 would continue Roe’s legacy, and WILL be even worse!

What about Proposal 3?

It is NOT a law that is legislated by the state, where both sides could debate the issue. It is a Constitutional proposal that would amend the state Constitution, and would invalidate all present laws that are on the books that conflict with it’s stipulations, and would also prohibit lawmakers from making any new laws or regulations that conflict with what it says. This is a hastily written proposal after the Roe decision that is totally one-sided and is all the things the abortion industry wants. It was written by lawyers for Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, and it is cleverly and deceitfully written in a vague and general way. Many legal scholars believe it would not only eliminate or prevent any restrictions on abortion at all, but would change the relationship between parents and their children, as well as women and their doctors.

Proposal 3 goes way beyond Roe in that it seeks to create a brand new “right” to “Reproductive Freedom” that does not exist in this state or in the nation. This is a vaguely defined new right for “EVERY INDIVIDUAL” (with NO age limits), to make and control “ALL DECISIONS ABOUT ALL MATTERS RELATING TO PREGNANCY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO PRENATAL CARE, CHILDBIRTH, POSTPARTUM CARE, CONTRACEPTION, STERILIZATION, ABORTION CARE, MISCARRIAGE MANAGEMENT, AND INFERTILITY CARE.”

 Because of no age limitations and “every individual” having this new right, laws protecting children and their parent’s rights are eliminated, meaning a young girl can have an abortion without her parents knowledge, and the same idea can be applied to children’s “gender reassignment treatments” (including sterilization), again without parental consent and knowledge.

In another section, the proposal gives all control to the individual as well as the attending “health care professional” (NOT necessarily a physician) and will not allow the state to regulate or infringe upon that procedure. Neither can the state take any legal action against the individual or anyone aiding them or assisting them in these procedures, even when things go wrong. This means that a botched abortion or even if a woman dies in the procedure, the state cannot prosecute against them as long as the individual gave their consent to the procedure.

There are many other concerns about this proposal as well, and I encourage you to check them out for yourself. The bottom line is that this is not a state law that can be changed or improved upon; it is a hastily-written and reactionary proposal that would become constitutional and would eliminate many laws we have now to protect not only unborn babies, but those women who seek abortions as well as laws protecting parental and children’s rights. If you do want abortion to be limited but legal, and can see the dangers of Proposal 3,  I encourage you to work with state legislators to work on such a bill that may better reflect a more balanced view of all people on this issue. No one will get everything they want! I would never vote for any bill that promotes abortion, but if I have to live in a state or nation that legalizes abortion, I would hope to live in a place that at least limits it to the 1^st trimester or less.

It is my hope and prayer that we people can do better than this as we deal with this volatile issue of abortion and unborn children. If you are a Christian and a follower of Jesus, please take time to pray and listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance for you as you consider this and all other issues we face. We are here as believers to present God’s love and care for all people, and we must be careful to discern what is being said in this world from every side around us.

Politics today, and in every generation, is an art of saying things that are partially true and sound really good initially, but can end up hurting us and others later on. This is true of both political parties today, especially in this day of non-stop news cycles and sound -bytes. Focus first on God and what his agenda is, and vote as well as you can in a way that you think honors God and his Kingdom above party line or any other allegiance. And let’s continue to pray for and love each other, even though we may disagree on issues at times!

I close with some good warning and advice from Paul in Colossians:

¹  For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, ²  that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, ³  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴  I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. ⁵  For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. ⁶  Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷  rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. ⁸  See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

– Colossians 2:1-8 (ESV)

Abortion is one of many social issues that are causing great division, hatred, and confusion in our culture today! While you won’t find the word “abortion” in the Bible, God’s Word addresses every issue we face in life either directly or indirectly. I’m writing this primarily for believers in Jesus, those who have surrendered their lives to him and who, through the leading of his Holy Spirit, are trying to live in obedience and service to the life he has called us to. So, how should we as Christians be talking about this and relating to others?

Understand there is always a spiritual battle for our hearts and minds playing out in everything that happens to us!

Imagine that above any issue or problem we struggle with, there is a spiritual battle going on in the unseen spiritual realm between God and Satan. God wants to bring us forgiveness, hope, truth, and a new life, while Satan will lie, deceive, and do anything to distract us from Jesus and lead us away from God into confusion, darkness, hatred, and eventually into death and separation from God! Jesus confronted the religious rulers of his day who had closed their minds and hearts to him by saying, ⁴³ Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.⁴⁴  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  -John 8:43-44 (NIV)

What this means is that ALL of us are in constant danger of being deceived on this and any other issue by Satan, who always makes his lies and deception look appealing and seem reasonable.  So please remember that even though you may strongly disagree with those on the “other side”, they may sincerely think they are right and caring in their approach. Remember, the enemy is not each other, it is Satan who desires to destroy us all! As Paul says in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

THE ABORTION DEBATE COULD BE DESCRIBED FROM 2 OPPOSING VIEWS TODAYS, OFTEN CALLED “PRO-CHOICE” VS. “PRO-LIFE”, EVEN THOUGH FOLKS ON BOTH SIDES MAY CLAIM SOME OF THE OTHER’S TERMINOLOGY.

Rather than re-hash cultural talking points, I would like to share what I believe the Bible, God’s written Word to us, actually says about the issues.

Let’s begin with the “Pro-choice” arguments:

A) The Pro-Choice approach:

Many of us remember that when Bill Clinton was running for President, part of his platform was to make abortion “legal, safe, and rare”.  While that appealed to many back then, it has certainly not been “rare” since that time, and today has become celebrated by many. It has now morphed into a women’s rights issue, as well as more recently a women’s health issue and a reproductive rights issue. Many believe a woman has the right to “choose” what happens to her body and has bodily autonomy, and since women are the ones who get pregnant, some even say the men have should have no say or opinion on this! So, what does the God say about this in the Bible?

First, God IS pro-women! When Jesus was on earth in the Roman Empire, men were dominant, controlling, and ruled over women and children. Men even had the right at times to have their own children put to death if they desired! Jesus countered that by treating women with dignity and respect.  He broke all cultural protocols by talking with a scandalized Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), resulting in her becoming his follower and even bringing many in her village to faith him as well. He healed Mary Magdalene of 7 demons, and she followed him and was the first person to see him resurrected! He befriended prostitutes and other outcasts and brought them the hope of new life, salvation, and a new identity and hope. And as for children, when his disciples rebuked parents for bringing children to him, he said, ¹⁴ “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”- Matthew 19:14 (ESV)

The early church leaders, led by God’s Holy Spirit, were empowered to see ALL people, whether male or female, Jew or Gentile, slave or free, as precious and of equal value to God! (Galatians 3:28) In marriage, God created men and women equal, but with distinct roles and responsibilities. Women alone were given the awesome, miraculous role of nurturing a developing baby in their womb, and men were given the responsibility of protecting, encouraging, and doing all they can to help the wife become the fulfilled person God intends them to be. In the abortion debate, many women are afraid, alone, and hurting in many ways because the “father” of the child, the boyfriend or husband, is negligent, abusive, or just leaves, and in many cases is actually the one who pressures and  insists that they get an abortion. No wonder the rise and appeal of “women’s rights” issues! Men have too often miserably failed at being the men God designed them to be! Too many men in our culture are weak, self-centered, abusive, and controlling of their wives and sometimes children as well. This is the cause of most broken families, and often leads to poverty, more abuse, divorce, young people involved in crime, and the overall destruction of our society. And the burden is often left to single mothers who often do wonderful jobs but still need more love and support!

Men, the problem of abortion today lies mainly in the failure of men to be what God calls us to be! In Ephesians, 5, Paul lays this out clearly:

²⁵  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. ²⁸  In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰  because we are members of his body. ³¹  “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” – Ephesians 5:25-31 (ESV)

What Paul is saying to men is that it is our first priority in marriage, or even dating, to be willing to give up our rights and interests in order to love and encourage the woman we are committed to! Jesus literally gave his life for each of us so that we could have the opportunity to be forgiven and given new life, and men are distinctly called to give up our “lives” in the sense of putting the interest of the woman we love above our own desires or agenda. If men were as spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially supportive of women as Jesus is for all of us, I believe there is no woman that would not respond positively to that sacrificial love! One of the greatest needs today is for Christian communities to make a major priority of teaching men how to be biblical, Kingdom men as God designed.  (and girls and women as well!) And after that, for those adult men to become mentors to younger men. This could do more to change and heal our culture than all the laws and programs we see today, which are only band aids to cover the results of our sinfulness. If your church or men’s ministry would like to pursue this, I suggest a great book I read and used recently by Dr. Tony Evans called “Kingdom Men Rising”.

So, what about “my body, my choice” ideas? While it’s true that part of being made in God’s image involves moral choices, there is also great consequences for making the WRONG choices! The original wrong human moral choice in the Garden of Eden to disobey God resulted in physical death for ALL human beings. Thus, the idea that a woman has the moral choice to kill her own baby in her womb has no biblical support. As a matter of fact, the Bible teaches that once we surrender our lives to God, everything we are, including our bodies, belongs to God now. Not only that, but as you trust in Jesus, God’s own Holy Spirit now dwells within our bodies, empowering us and helping to become more like Jesus. Paul explains this in I Corinthians 6:

¹⁹  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.-  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)

B) The Pro-Life Approach:

But what about abortion itself? Is that biblical? What does God say?

The Pro-Life crowd would say abortion is killing of pre-born babies, and biblically, that is undoubtedly true. While there is great support for women in the Bible, there is absolutely nowhere in the Bible that remotely suggests that God would think the act of abortion is ever justified. (Except in a case that would result in the mother’s death).  In Genesis 1:26-28, God indicates that humanity is unique among all creation, because we alone are made in the image of God himself, to reflect and bear that image as we live. Even though sin has scarred us all, we still bear that unique divine image from conception!

What we Christians SHOULD be doing, and don’t always do well, is to have a “Whole Life Agenda”, often described as respect for life from the “womb to the tomb”!

One of the best known passages to describe God’s love and involvement for pre-born babies is Psalm 139:13-16:

¹³  For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ¹⁵  My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

 -Psalm 139:13-16 (ESV)
(other similar verses are Job 10:8-12, Job 31:15, Psalm 22:9-10, Jeremiah 1:4-5, and Matthew 1:20, which refers to Jesus himself in the womb!)

Notice that in Psalm 139, it not only says that God is intricately involved in our development in the womb, but that in verse 16 it says that God has ALREADY determined a destiny for each of us and has determined a set number of days for each if us. Sadly, abortion, disease, tragic accidents, murders, wars, etc. (the effects of sin) can cut short those days God has planned for us. But the great hope is that he uniquely created each of us with a destiny to pursue, and we have a purpose and God behinds us, if we will surrender to him and let him help us! Thus, a “whole life agenda” seeks to care for human life and dignity from the womb up to the grave. We are to care for, love,  be a voice for, and work for dignity and justice for the pre-born babies, fearful pregnant women, orphans, widows, homeless, poor, sick, mentally ill, elderly, immigrants, etc., literally EVERYONE! Jesus died for every human life, from the womb to the tomb, and he has called his church, the body of Christ on earth, to be his hands and feet to offer redemption, hope, and power for a new life forever to ALL.

SO, what can WE do?

1) Begin your discussions and action with God’s love and hope, NOT with condemnation. Jesus came to bring, forgiveness, new life, and hope, not to condemn (John 3:16-17, Romans 8:1)

2) Find common ground with those you disagree with, especially in helping the hurting young women (and men) who are fearful and feel they have no resources to deal with in having a baby. Volunteer when you can, and certainly financially and sacrificially  support groups and ministries that aid young women (and fathers) not only through the birth process, but then help them find support financially and emotionally to begin as successful parents (or, in some cases, go through a helpful adoption procedure).  Invite them to your church and form groups you can invite them to that includes other young parents going through the same struggles.

3) Work in your families, churches, and communities to teach and encourage young men and women how to become responsible, caring, humble, other-centered individuals, based on God’s values for Kingdom living.

4) PRAY for YOUR attitude and for your actions, that God would be able to use you in this cultural battle to reflect his true image of humility, love, and compassion for the hurting people in EVERY stage of life! And never stop ceasing to pray for your family, your church, your community and especially for those you disagree with! God will use the prayers of a humble, God honoring person in powerful and effective ways, and will use you to turn others back to God and redemption and hope that will take us all the way into eternity with Jesus! (James 5:13-20)

FINALLY, REMEMBER THAT JESUS HAS ALREADY WON THE BATTLE OVER SIN IN EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES AND CULTURE, FROM THE WOMB TO THE TOMB!

God has “got this” in every area of life, if we trust him and let him empower us to be part of his HIS agenda and plan. Although many will refuse his offer of forgiveness, redemption, and hope, God can use each of us to bring many others into his Kingdom of eternal hope and a new amazing life forever! My late wife Claudia put a saying on our refrigerator that says “God’s part I cannot do; my part He will not do”! (It’s still there.) Don’t try to tell God how to deal with this issue or any other; his plan is better than yours! Are you willing to do YOUR part in his agenda for life, from the womb to the tomb, for ALL people? I pray and hope so!

I close with a great prayer from Ephesians that seems to relate well to this issue, and reminds us that God is all-powerful and can do more than we can ever imagine!

¹⁴  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵  from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶  that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸  may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.  -Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)