Daily Devotional for Saturday November 26, 2005
What Can I Do?
(James 2:17)
In dealing with the abortion issue yesterday, helping you to understand the reality of this blight on our nation both politically and spiritually, most people who emailed me had the proper response . . . ?What can I do?? Over 150 years ago our nation legally practiced another abomination to God, slavery. It was the people of God, those who knew Christ as their Savior who ultimately forced the abolition of this gross wickedness of one man to another. It was men and women of God who refused to sit back and watch unbridled sin exist despite the fact that it was ?legal.? So it will be with abortion as men and women of faith properly ask the question, ?What can I do??
In the Book of James, God tells us, ?Faith without works is dead.? Since this was written to the church, people who were already saved, it in NO WAY implies that works will save you. Ephesians 2:8,9 and many other passages clearly refute that notion. What that passage is saying, however, is that once you are saved your faith requires action. If you are truly saved, you understand that you have a God-given plan and purpose for your life that must be fulfilled. You understand that your life is no longer your own, that it belongs to Christ. Your life literally becomes an instrument in the hands of God to fulfill His Divine plan and purpose. To be used by God our Creator is the greatest use of our days on this earth there can be.
While we all have been called to serve God in different ways, we are all part of the same Body. We may have different jobs to perform but we are all on the same team. Being part of the Body of Christ also carries some shared responsibilities. We are all ambassadors of Christ and His representatives at all times. We are all called to share our faith with the hurting and lost, to give people a, ?Reason for the hope we have.? We all accept the absolute Truth and authority of God?s Word. Subsequently, we can?t simply sit back and see sin abound and do nothing. The existence of sin requires and DEMANDS action on the part of the child of God.
So when confronted with the sin of abortion, what should that action be? First, prayer. PRAYER CHANGES THINGS! I can only imagine the number of prayers that went up every day during the time slavery was legal in this nation, that this inhumane practice would end. Don?t ever underestimate the power of prayer and EVERY child of God must pray daily for this nation to get out of the business of killing babies.
Second, communicate to others the Truth of God?s Word. It is God Himself who calls abortion murder. Those who know Christ cannot sit back and be silent while people support this sin. Wherever the discussion of abortion exists, be it in your home with family members, at work or school, out with friends, or in the public square, a child of God MUST speak out for righteousness and call this sin what it is . . . MURDER!
Third, evangelism. Some of you may be confused how evangelism has anything to do with the abortion issue, but it is THE answer to this and every other issue. You see, when a person is saved, the Bible says, ?They become a new creature in Christ.? They literally are a new creation and the, ?old things pass away.? When a person is saved they get a new heart, they get new desires, they start to live their lives in obedience to God instead of in rebellion to Him. The ultimate answer to the abortion issue is to get people saved since they would no longer make the choice to kill their baby and the abortion mills would close down due to a lack of business.
AGAIN, EVERY PERSON WHO KNOWS JESUS HAS THE MANDATE FROM OUR LORD TO SHARE THE HOPE AND LOVE WE HAVE IN CHRIST WITH THE LOST. THIS IS NOT AN OPTION, IT IS A COMMANDMENT!
I love you and care about you so much. I know from the outpouring of emails I received on the Devotional Monday many people are frustrated and feel helpless. Let me remind you, as a child of God we have the greatest power there is, the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling within us. The Bible proclaims that NOTHING is impossible with God. That includes seeing the sin of abortion being performed daily with the full blessings and protection of our Federal Government.
Do you realize that less than 4,000 people were killed on 9/11. The United States properly responded, spending billions to defeat those who would seek to destroy our nation and kill each one of us if they were given the opportunity. However, more than that number of innocent babies are slaughtered DAILY! It is clear that the politicians have no guts to stop this practice of legalized infanticide, just like they had no guts to stop the evils of slavery. It was the people of God who brought slavery to an end and it will have to be the people of God to bring abortion to an end!
Every man, woman, and child that knows Christ as their Savior can pray, can communicate the Truth of God?s Word that abortion is murder, and can help bring the lost to faith in Christ. Remember, nothing you do for the Lord is in vain. If just these things were being done by those who have a personal relationship with Jesus, you would see a major shift on this issue over night. In addition, God will raise up key men and women to take a leadership position in carrying out whatever His ultimate plan is to see victory over the sin of abortion.
I will be praying for you today. Praying that you will realize you DO make a difference. Just like no one person got this nation to abolish the sin of slavery, it will not be one person to get this nation to abolish the sin of abortion. It is going to take all of those who know the Lord to make this happen. May we rise up in the power of Almighty God and take a stand for righteousness as we say to this lost world, no more killing babies. We either take action against this sin or we are no better than those who support it. You asked the question, ?What can I do?? Now I ask you the question, ? What will you do??