The Bible presents the truth about who Jesus is and why He came.  If you don’t believe the Bible, then there is no proof to be offered.  You can believe whatever you like, but the truth never changes.

“Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed:  but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.”  Proverbs 13:13

Let us begin by identifying who Jesus is…

We can know that Jesus is God’s Son.  The Bible says so.  The writings of the gospel books written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John quote Jesus.  Matthew and John were with Jesus.  They testify of what they saw and heard.

The Bible says Jesus is God and was with God at the creation.  John wrote this explanation of Jesus’ presence at creation:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.  In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”  John 1:1-5 (KJV)

How do we know the “Word” refers to Jesus?

John recorded Jesus’ words of confirmation that He was present with God before creation in John 17:3-6, “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.  I have glorified Thee on the earth:  I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.”

In fact Jesus is the only begotten son of God.  John wrote this quote from Jesus about His purpose in coming as a man, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.  He that believeth on Him is not condemned:  but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  John 3:  15-18

John wrote when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and came up out of the water, God said, “…This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”  (John 3:17b)

Jesus proves His identity…

Matthew tells the account of Jesus’ forty days and forty nights in the wilderness.  He was tempted by the devil.  In one instance the devil took Jesus to the holy city (Jerusalem) and set Him down on a pinnacle of the Temple.  He said to Jesus in Matthew 4:6, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down:  for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee:  and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

These very words were written first in Psalm 91:11-12: “For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

Matthew writes that Jesus responded to the devil with these words, “Jesus said unto him, ‘It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”  Matthew 4:7

Again Jesus was quoting from the Torah in Deuteronomy 6:16:  “Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God…”

Why would the devil go to so much trouble to disprove Jesus was God’s Son?  The devil was casting doubt about Jesus’ identity.

Why did God send His Son Jesus?

If you remember the writings of Moses, just before the Israelites were released by the Pharaoh of Egypt, God commanded the Israelites to slay a perfect lamb.  This lamb had been with them in the home for four days.  It was to be watched to determine if there was any disease or lameness.  The lamb was to be unblemished, perfect.

On the fourteenth day, it was to be killed.  Its blood was to be placed on the doorposts; the two side posts and the upper door post.  The flesh was to be eaten.  This is a description of the first Passover.  For if the Israelites failed to obey God, their firstborn of both man and beast would be killed.  Those who had placed the lamb’s blood on the doorposts would be spared.

John the Baptist described Jesus as the Lamb of God:  “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”  John 1:29

God taught the Israelites about atoning for sin.  God instituted a special day of atonement for the Israelites.  It is described by Moses in the book of Leviticus 16, and instituted as a special day in Leviticus 23:26-32.  Clearly God had a plan from the beginning.

Paul provides a more detailed explanation about Jesus’ purpose.  He wrote in Romans 3:23-26, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness:  that He might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Since Jesus is the Son of God who is to be the Lamb slaughtered to pay for our sins, then He must be perfect.  He cannot be a sinner.  Keep in mind that while Jesus was tempted by the devil, He did not succumb to temptation.  He remained without sin.

The devil wanted to tempt Jesus to sin.  Yet Jesus never sinned, not even once.  He was perfect.  If Jesus had sinned once, He would have been unqualified to serve as the Lamb of God.  Clearly the devil has no desire to see sinners saved and reconciled to God.

The testimony of these witnesses affirms Jesus as the Son of God who came to take away the sins of the world.  There is no other who is without sin.  Mankind is condemned to eternal death because of each one’s personal sin.  God sent Jesus to redeem and reconcile sinful mankind with the Lord God Jehovah.

These words of Jesus recorded in John 12:23-33 are rather telling…

“And Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it bringeth forth much fruit.  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.  If any man serve Me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be:  if any man serve Me, him will my Father honour.  Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say?  Father, save Me from this hour:  but for this cause came I unto this hour.  Father, glorify thy name.’

Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorifed it, and will glorify it again.’

The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered:  others said, An angel spake to him.

Jesus answered and said, ‘This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.  Now is the judgment of the world:  now shall the prince of this world be cast out.  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.’

This He said, signifying what death He should die.”

The Problem with Doubt…

Doubt by its very meaning is a lack of faith.  Doubt is an expression of uncertainty.  By its very nature, doubt is unbelief.

Jesus could not have experienced doubt.  Since He was God’s only begotten Son, without sin, it was impossible for Him to have experienced doubt.  He knew His purpose was to die in the place of all sinners, taking the punishment of death every human on earth so richly deserves.

In His human-ness, He prayed for another way, but willingly submitted Himself to His Father’s will.  He fulfilled the purpose God sent Him to accomplish.  John reports in John 19:30, Jesus’ final words as He died on the cross, “…It is finished…”

The devil would like to hinder people from being saved from the punishment God will administer to unbelievers.  God is just.  He carries out the dictates of His Law.  Yet He is merciful, not desiring any to perish.  Peter testifies to this truth in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

There is no need to be doubt that Jesus is God’s only begotten Son.  The proof is in the testimony of many witnesses, recorded in the Bible.  Receive the truth gladly through faith in a just and holy God who keeps His promises.  Let no one rob you of your assurance.

Copyright © 2012 Linda Hull, Words of Encouragement

I love a story that circulated the internet for awhile because it accurately describes how it feels.  The story is about a man who had been told by God to push a huge rock.  It was so large, it was physically impossible to move it.  Yet, the man kept trying and trying.  He never gave up, until one day he began to doubt.  He questioned his purpose for it was obvious he could not move the rock.  God came to him and explained His intent.  You see the man thought God meant him to move the rock, but God only required that he push it, and push he did.  The rock never moved, but he was faithful to try to push the rock anyway, confident he was in God's will.

When things don’t follow our set plans we are quick to assume we must be doing something wrong.  We formulate our own understanding, completely ignoring the possibilities God has in mind, just like the man pushing the rock in the story.

There was a time not too long ago when I thought I was outside His will.  I spent much time in prayer struggling to find the answer.  Then it came to me unexpectedly in a sudden moment of understanding as I was reading in Proverbs 16.  Three verses reminded me of God’s faithfulness to respond to my seeking heart.

Consider these verses:

“The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” Proverbs 16:1(KJV)

“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”  Proverbs 16:3

“A man’s heart deviseth his way:  but the Lord directed his steps.”  Proverbs 16:9

These three verses held the answer I sought.

How do we prepare our heart in accordance with Proverbs 16:1?

Prayer is a vital element in determining God’s will.  The Holy Spirit reveals our heart to us, whether it is aligned with God’s will or our own.  It is up to us to confess and forsake known sin.  Then we can understand the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  He enables us to develop the proper mindset; that of being submissive to God’s will rather than our own.

The work of the Holy Spirit…

Believers, we have the Holy Spirit living in our heart (Romans 8:9).  Jesus promised us the Comforter and He did not let us down.  When we struggle to find God’s will, sometimes we need assurance that He’s listening.  The Holy Spirit assures us of God’s love and care and concern.  He makes intercession for us!  When we don’t know what to pray, He prays.  Consider these verses about the work of the Holy Spirit in aiding us in finding God’s will.

*The Holy Spirit “beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”  Romans 8:16

*The Holy Spirit “maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”  Romans 8:26-27

Solidifying our intent, Proverbs 16:3…

With our heart fully prepared to do His will, our minds will be purposed.  Prayer empowers us to suppress the will of our flesh, so we can yield to God’s.  We position ourselves to hear God’s direction with the intent to obey.  Our thoughts will then be turned toward discovering His will.  The Holy Spirit will direct our thoughts in the righteous direction.

Taking action, Proverbs 16:9…

By faith, we accept the leadership of the Holy Spirit as we make our plans.  We check frequently in prayer, seeking guidance and confirmation from our Lord as we move forward, trusting Him to check us when we stray.

Our Lord is faithful to reveal His will if we will seek Him with the desire to obey.  As we study His word, seek His will in prayer, and commit ourselves to obedience, His will becomes known to us.

Copyright © 2012 by Linda Hull, Words of Encouragement

Early on in the quest for energy alternatives to the high cost of oil and gas, families started looking for ways to beat the system. They were considered a little eccentric and maybe we could even say oddball. It seems like a good idea, and with today’s technology, off the grid living is becoming even more feasible. Today, families can be off the grid and live in luxury! Pretty amazing!

We still seek to beat the system; in this case the system of dependence on our Lord and Savior. We still look for shortcuts, rather than submitting ourselves to Him and obeying His commands. Astoundingly, we are like the Hebrews who came out of Egypt and witnessed His miracles, yet refused to understand their need for God.

Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, taught us the Holy Spirit will come and abide with Believers after His resurrection. Even though Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God the Father in heaven (Hebrews 12:2), He has not disconnected Himself from us, His children. He sent the Holy Spirit to us so we would not be left alone and defenseless.

The apostle John recorded Jesus’ words in the New Testament Book of John:

“And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever;” John 14:16 (KJV)

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me.” John 15:26

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this is world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” John 16:7-14

Luke also recorded Jesus’ words to the disciples in the Book of Acts. Shortly before He ascended into Heaven, Jesus told the disciples again about the coming of the Holy Spirit:

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

In fact the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples and believers in Jerusalem a mere fifty days after the resurrection according to Bible scholars. Acts 2 records this momentous event:

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4

Jesus was the source of power for God’s will to be accomplished on earth until He was resurrected. We have read of His miracles of healing and the feeding of the thousands. We know He had the power of God. Then God passed on power to Believers through the Holy Spirit. In a sense, Believers have been plugged into the grid!

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” 1 Corinthians 12:7

This power is not self-serving, but was given so that we might carry out the Great Commission of witnessing, baptizing, and discipling new Believers. The power of the Holy Spirit was given to Believers so that we might know the truth, for He is truth (1 John 5:6). Through Him, we have the power of discernment and understanding of spiritual things in Christ.

We stay connected to God by reading His Word. His Word is the source of knowledge. The Holy Spirit brings understanding to our heart and mind so that we may grow in wisdom. To be too busy to read God’s Word or to spend time in prayer and supplication for others is a personal disconnect from God’s grid. In effect we are saying we can live apart from God.

Separating ourselves from the power of the Holy Spirit is not wise, and serves only to place us in tremendous isolation from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Believers, it’s time to get back on the grid and in tune with our Lord. Let’s not delay in repenting of sin, confessing, and seeking restoration with our Lord. Allow Him to have an active role in your life as you submit to His sovereignty.

Copyright © 2012 Linda Hull, Words of Encouragement

After a huge public outcry over being forced to violate religious beliefs, the Obama administration attempted to correct their position. The most recent adjustment to the federal health care law allows these same religious institutions to again become exempt from providing free contraceptives due to religious convictions. But there is a catch; women must still be able to receive free contraceptives, sterilization, and abortifacients. What changed exactly?

It didn’t make sense when I first heard about it. Now with an explanation given, it is exactly what everyone thought. While faith based institutions are exempt, their insurance plans must make birth control services available privately. In other words, women will contact their insurance provider directly for free contraceptives, including abortifacients.

In the meantime, employers in non-religious institutions are still mandated to provide these “preventive services” via company insurance plans. For a number of years, laws in some states have required insurance coverage to include birth control, but not necessarily sterilization or abortifacients. No one was allowed to opt out of certain services. Many, who wished to have insurance coverage, suffered the attack on religious faith. Some faith based institutions complied without a quibble.

The problem with compromise is a loss of credibility. A small compromise always leads to a much bigger compromise later on.

Real change is needed here. This latest rule expands the types of preventive services insurance companies are required to provide. For those who do not want to participate in insurance plans that provide these types of services, there has been no recourse. Thankfully there are some Congressmen who have a plan. They are working to ensure people, i.e. employers, health care providers, and individuals can exercise their conscience. The bills are currently in Committees for review. I encourage you to read and support these bills. You can track the progress of all bills at: GovTrack and The Library of Congress Thomas.

The most current bill was introduced January 30, 2012, by Sen. Rubio. Bill #2043 is called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and is an amendment to the Public Health Service Act. This is a must read because it provides some background about what’s going on.

Rep. Fortenberry’s Bill #1179:
Respect for Rights of Conscience Act of 2011

Senate bill #1467 sponsored by Sen. Blunt:
Respect for Rights of Conscience Act of 2011

If I were an employer I would not want to provide these kinds of extras for my employees. Health care is something all of us need. Contraceptives and preventive services do not fall into this category. Abstinence solves the problem completely.

I’ve tried to reason this through… Why isn’t the individual responsible to pay for her own choices? Why does the world have to be a part of the decision to use birth control? It’s not a health issue, so why the fuss? It’s a profitable business.

As a Christian I have strong views over doing what pleases my Lord, and to be a participant in providing drugs that induce abortion is not acceptable.

Another point to consider… Why is the federal government giving orders to private insurance companies? These are not government owned. Forcing private companies to provide free health care is ludicrous. The private individual who owns insurance as a policy holder or a stock holder is still paying the bill.

There is also the matter of violating our United States Constitution. Freedom to exercise our religion is imperative. The first amendment reads:

*Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

To tell you the truth, I never thought our nation would come to the point where religious views are so callously dismissed. Who should be obeyed God or federal law? In this case, God's Law and the United States Constitution are being violated.

What kind of legislation forces people to choose between God and the Law? The God I am referring to here is the Lord God Jehovah, Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of the Bible.

Abortion rights, rights to contraception, aka reproductive rights belong to the individual, because it is a God-given right to obey or disobey God’s Law. When I talk about “choice” that’s the only choice there is. The concept of right and wrong is engraved on our hearts, so we are without excuse. We don’t have to debate the semantics. Forcing others to participate is unconscionable. This is why we must have conscience laws.

Thankfully when we make the wrong choice, the Lord God Jehovah is quick to forgive and restore the repentant one. He knows us so well. Remember He loved us before we loved Him. How it must grieve and anger Him to know we place so little value on life, particularly the life of the unborn. The unborn child isn't just something to throw away. We need to change our thinking.

The ultimate choice must always be to obey God’s Law first.

*Bill of Rights is found at http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html

Copyright © 2012 by Linda Hull

What is the Biblical perspective on personhood?

Consider this verse from Exodus 21: 22 (KJV)...

“If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

To me this is pretty plain given the context of this verse. If a woman is injured so that her unborn child is born and lives, the person who caused the injury is to be fined. However, the text continues to say that if there is mischief, then the person who caused the situation will forfeit his life.

The word, “mischief” in Strong’s Concordance translates to “rah” meaning bad or evil: adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, plus displease, distress, evil, plus exceedingly, multiplied by great, grief etc. This definition extends to other verses in the Bible where (taken in context) it is used to signify death. A specific case would be in the account of Genesis 42 when Jacob decides not to send Benjamin along with Joseph to find the other brothers “lest peradventure mischief befall him.”

This is a very important Bible verse because it demonstrates the penalty for killing a child. The word “depart” in the verse means “to go out” so it implies the baby came out of the womb, but it does not indicate if the baby was born alive or born stillborn. It seems to mean the baby was born prematurely because the man who hurt her caused the baby to leave the womb. The baby’s life at this point depends on its age in the womb and its development. If it was not sufficiently developed to survive a premature birth, then the man must die-one life for another.

It is clear that God values life. The penalty of death that God commands for causing the death of a baby is fitting.

Copyright © 2012 by Linda Hull

I have read that thousands peacefully marched all over the country!  Hurrah for them!  I salute their faithfulness!

Instead, on Monday I read in my local paper that Governor Andrew Cuomo (NY) is promising to pass pro-choice legislation by pushing the passing of the Reproductive Health Act (Bill #A06112).  This bill was submitted back in 2007, and now Gov. Cuomo has decided it needs to be passed.  The bill allows abortion after 24 weeks if the baby is not viable or if the mother’s life is in danger.  The worst part of the bill is the section that redefines “person” in the event of a homicide.  Here’s the particulars…

This bill says:

1. EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS THE FUNDAMENTAL  RIGHT  TO  CHOOSE  OR  REFUSE

CONTRACEPTION; AND

2. EVERY  FEMALE HAS THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO DETERMINE THE COURSE OF

HER PREGNANCY, WHICH INCLUDES THE RIGHT TO CARRY A PREGNANCY TO TERM OR

TO  TERMINATE  A  PREGNANCY:  (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF FETAL VIABILITY; AND

(II) AT ANY TIME IF SUCH TERMINATION IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE PREGNANT FEMALE'S LIFE OR HEALTH.

S  1701.  AUTHORIZED  PERFORMANCE  OF ABORTIONS.

THE PERFORMANCE OF AN ABORTION BY A QUALIFIED, LICENSED HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER,    ACTING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF HIS OR HER PRACTICE, IS AUTHORIZED:

1. IN THE ABSENCE OF FETAL VIABILITY; AND

2. AT ANY TIME, IF IN THE GOOD FAITH MEDICAL JUDGMENT OF A PHYSICIAN,

SUCH TERMINATION IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE FEMALE'S LIFE OR HEALTH.

This part explains what “viability” means:

6. "FETAL VIABILITY" MEANS THE POINT IN PREGNANCY WHEN, AS  DETERMINED

BY  A  PHYSICIAN  OR  OTHER  QUALIFIED PRACTITIONER ACTING IN GOOD FAITH

WITHIN THE SCOPE OF HIS OR HER PRACTICE  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  GENERALLY

ACCEPTED  MEDICAL  STANDARDS APPLIED TO THE PARTICULAR FACTS OF THE CASE

BEFORE THAT PRACTITIONER: (A) THE GESTATIONAL AGE OF THE FETUS IS TWENTY-FOUR

WEEKS  OR MORE, AND (B) THERE IS A REASONABLE LIKELIHOOD OF THE

FETUS'S SUSTAINED SURVIVAL OUTSIDE THE UTERUS WITHOUT THE APPLICATION OF

EXTRAORDINARY MEDICAL MEASURES.

This part explains where the abortion is to be performed...

1.[When  an  abortion  is  to be performed after the twelfth week of

pregnancy it shall be performed only in a hospital and only on an in-pa-

tient basis.] When an abortion is to be performed after  [the  twentieth

week of pregnancy,] FETAL VIABILITY, AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED BY SUBDIVI-

SION SIX OF SECTION SEVENTEEN HUNDRED THREE OF THIS CHAPTER, IT SHALL BE

PERFORMED  BY A PHYSICIAN IN A FACILITY WHICH IS LICENSED BY THE DEPART-

MENT PURSUANT TO ARTICLE TWENTY-EIGHT OF THIS CHAPTER  AND  a  physician

other  than the physician performing the abortion shall be in attendance

to take control of and to provide immediate medical care  for  any  live

birth  that  is  the  result of the abortion, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT AN

ABORTION SHALL NOT BE DELAYED FOR THE PURPOSE OF  SECURING  SUCH  SECOND

PHYSICIAN'S  ATTENDANCE  IF, IN THE JUDGMENT OF THE PHYSICIAN PERFORMING

THE ABORTION, SUCH DELAY WOULD POSE A  RISK  TO  THE  FEMALE'S  LIFE  OR

HEALTH.   The commissioner [of health] is authorized to promulgate rules

and regulations to insure the health and safety of the  mother  and  the

[viable child] LIVE BIRTH, in such instances.

Note it says that an abortion performed after the 12^th week must be performed only in a hospital and only on an inpatient basis.  But after fetal viability (the 20^th week), it can be performed in a licensed facility by a physician and it stipulates another physician not performing the abortion must be present to provide medical care to the baby in the event of a live birth.  However the abortion is not to be delayed for the purpose of getting the second physician in attendance (paraphrase) unless the mother’s life is in danger.

My concern here is if an abortion is being performed, we must assume the mother’s life is at risk or the unborn child is no longer alive in the womb.  Doesn’t it make sense to perform this in a hospital rather than a "licensed facility" if the mother’s health is at risk?  If the argument to abort is because the mother's life is at risk, then she must certainly need special care at a hospital equipped to deal with the life risks she is facing.  Saying a licensed facility is an acceptable venue minimizes her health risks or is it merely another word for an abortion facility?  The bill does not mention what health risks to the mother would warrant having an abortion.

Another important point; perhaps the worst...

This bill redefines the definition of a person.  In the event of a homicide, “person” is now defined as having been born and was alive.  This is terrible.  This seems to mean if a woman is assaulted and her unborn child is killed as a result, the perpetrator will not be considered guilty of a homicide.  Under this bill, the unborn child’s death would be irrelevant.

Thoughts...

When we as a nation devalue human life, even the life of the unborn, we have lost a bit of our humanity.  When life means nothing, we have come to a place where no life is sacred.  If bills such as this are passed into law, we open the door to writing more laws that allow us to acceptably snuff out a life if is convenient and good for the masses.

This a terrible bill because it devalues the life of the unborn.

Copyright 2012 Linda Hull

When people reveal their heart, it is easy to see why the abortion issue is so fraught with conflict.  The dispute is not really about whether a baby should live or die.  It’s about whether a woman has a right to allow her unborn child to be killed.

It’s very plain that sin is at the root of abortion.  That sin is the demand to control.  For a Christian, there is no conflict.   More to the point, the struggle for control over our lives should not be a conflict.  We Believers know that Jesus paid the price for our lives—heart, mind, body, and spirit.  He paid with His life.  If we choose Jesus and His gift of forgiveness and eternal life, the question is settled.  We gave up our rights to “self”.  We no longer control anything, but have yielded all to our Savior.  He is our Lord and Master.

People are often yielded to the lies of Devil who asks the question, “when does life begin?”  The doubt is cast when the question evolves to become, “Does life really begin at conception?”  Ultrasound technology allows us to know the truth to these questions.  Yes, life does begin at conception.  The Devil continues to deceive women, just as he did with Eve long ago in the Garden.  He plants doubt, and we fall for it.  People have sought an excusable way out of an unplanned pregnancy, and thought they had found it in Roe Vs. Wade.

It is the Devil who says to the heart and mind of women, “Do you really want a baby?  A baby requires so much care, time, and effort.  You’ll be trapped and your life will be ruined.”

It is the Devil who casts the doubt in a woman’s mind that she is unfit to raise a child, particularly if she didn’t want it in the first place.

It is the Devil who whispers to a woman that her life is more important than that of her child.

The more we listen, the easier it is to convince ourselves that we have the right and responsibility to end a life.  I heard these excuses from the Devil so many times, as women tried to convince themselves to follow through on an abortion.

One thing I learned while counseling is that women have a conscience, the one God gives to all of us so we can discern right from wrong.  When we violate that conscience, we feel the guilt and the shame.  Life is valuable to God.  Each life has a purpose God has determined.  When we cease to value life, we have violated God’s Law.

I praise our Lord for forgiveness for sin.  He alone can provide the absolution so many seek.  The Bible tells us that He puts our sin “as far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalms 103:12, KJV).  He doesn’t remember our sin:  “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12) Believers, this is why we can believe our sin has been taken away.  He doesn’t keep a record around so He can bring it up from time to time.  He frees us from that awful guilt and shame.

Unbelievers can also be forgiven and cleansed from sin by turning to Jesus in repentance, asking forgiveness and seeking Him to be your Lord and Savior.  If abortion is your sin, please know that if you will accept the righteousness of Jesus, you can be saved from the punishment of your sin.  He has already taken your punishment for you when He died on the cross.  All you must do is receive it.

Abortion is a hideous crime against women and it is an attempt by the Devil to defeat God’s plan.  Do not be fooled.  There are many married couples who would be willing to adopt and love an unwanted child.  There are many who will help someone in a crisis pregnancy.  Seek them out.  There is much knowledge available about the in uterine child.  Get knowledge to know the truth.  If you need to talk about this, contact me.

January 22^nd is Sanctity of Life Sunday.  Let us defend the life of the unborn.

Copyright © 2012 by Linda Hull

I received a special gift like this in December, 1969. The funny thing about it is that I’m not that special. I wanted it, but I hesitated.  Foolishly I had to think about it a little while before I actually accepted it. Thankfully, the gift was still there, waiting for me to take it for my own.

This special gift will not be in any price range we can afford. Sure, some gifts are more expensive than others, but price is not what makes this gift so special. Great thought and care is used to select some gifts, but no, this isn’t what makes this gift special, although we know care was taken to implement it. We know duty gifts aren’t particularly special. They are given because it’s expected or to make an impression that brings favor. You won’t find this gift in any store, yet it’s available to all.

I’m sure each of us would like a gift such as this. But how can one be a recipient of such a wondrous gift?

When I received this gift, I did so, knowing the giver gave everything for it. Who was the giver? Jesus Christ. He gave His life so that I might have eternal life and be forgiven of all my sin, past, present, and future. I didn’t deserve this gift, nor did I earn it in any way. This was a special gift from God to me.

To receive it, I only had to accept Him as my Savior and Lord. You see the Lord God Jehovah sent His Son, Jesus to live on this earth. We read the account of His birth to a virgin in the Book of Luke in the Bible. We celebrate His birth on Christmas and His death and resurrection on Easter.

Why is this gift so special? Under God’s Law, I am condemned because I have violated God’s Law. How so? If you’ve ever broken one of the Ten Commandments, then you are in violation of God’s Law.

I was humiliated to realize how sinful I was. I had not understood that my ways were displeasing to God. I was humbled with shame and grief that my sin alone was enough to cause Jesus to allow Himself to be crucified on a cross so that I might have forgiveness of sin and eternal life in Heaven.

Think about it...Someone else paid for my sin. Someone who knew me for what I was. I wasn’t even good enough to take responsibility for myself. Only Jesus was worthy to pay the price required by God’s Law.

Through Jesus my sin is forgiven and I have a personal relationship with Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Celebrating the birth of Jesus is a natural outpouring of love and thanksgiving to a Holy God who came and died for me. It is His gift to me and to all who would accept Him as their Savior and Lord.

Humbled? You bet! Without Him, I would be lost forever.

Copyright © 2011 Linda Hull, Words of Encouragement

God went on to speak further with Moses, explaining how He would motivate Pharaoh to let the people leave. In verse 6:3, God continues, “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”

Earlier Moses was having some trouble with his God-given mission to deliver the Hebrew people from the oppression of the Egyptians. Moses was afraid the Hebrews wouldn’t follow his leadership. Yet God had already told Moses to tell them who He was with these words in Exodus 3:14: “And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM: and He said, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

According to Strong’s Concordance, in the Hebrew language “Jehovah” means “eternal, the self-existent”. The words “I AM” mean “to exist” in an emphatic sense. More interesting, the Hebrew word for “I AM” and “LORD” and “JEHOVAH” are the same. God revealed His identity to Moses.

We pass people by on the street, in the mall, and at our workplace, but we don’t always know who they are. Our names do not identify our character or explain our existence. They are merely labels. Further study of the various names of God reveals His character.

When we introduce ourselves to people, we tell them our name. We usually tell a little about our self as an explanation of who we are, not just what we are called. So too did God tell us who He is and what He is called. God revealed Himself.

After God revealed Himself, centuries later, He reached out to mankind. How? He sent His Son, Jesus to be born as a man. Jesus was born. God was now flesh. Jesus reveals Himself as well. In John 10, there are several verses that begin with “I am” that tell us about Jesus:

“I am the door of the sheep” John 10:7
“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved...” John 10:9
“I am come that they might have life…” John 10:10
“I am the good shepherd” John 10:11

All these “I am’s” mean the same thing, “to exist”. The word used here is different from the Hebrew word, for the word used in the New Testament is Greek. To me it is clear. God came down to interact with man in a physical way, demonstrating His power and His might. Jesus explained quite succinctly: “I and my Father are one.” John 10:30

As you celebrate the birth of Jesus, remember that we are celebrating far more than the birth of a baby who would one day give His life that we might have eternal life. God fulfilled His plan to redeem us and we rejoice in His forgiveness and deliverance. Let us not forget we are also celebrating God; the One who came down to be with mankind and to interact with us, to demonstrate His love for us.

God reached out to us! That's love!

Copyright © 2011 Linda Hull, Words of Encouragement

These words by the Apostle Paul are powerful words! If you're seeking the victory over trials or time of testing, these words are meant for you. We have the ability to endure through the power of thanksgiving to the Lord God Jehovah. Being thankful changes our attitude and outlook on our circumstances.

I can imagine the Separatists praising God for seeing them through that first hard year in the new land and every year afterward. These Believers who came from England to escape religious persecution, seeking a new land where they could worship freely, struggled and suffered and died. Yet they persevered. If they had not endured through that terrible first winter, and stayed in the new land, our country might not have become a nation under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah.

Learning to endure is a key element of Christian life. There are often trials and testing of our faith that we must endure. Granted it is not easy to endure sufferings and hardships alone. The true test of faith is whether or not we will seek to endure through our own strength, or surrender our fate to our loving Lord. To endure, we must rely on our Lord God Jehovah. For only He can help us when we falter.

When those trials come, we can bolster our faith by reading the Word. Remembering His faithful intervention of the Hebrews of the Old Testament, and the new covenant with the early Church fosters renewed hope. We have the testimonies of countless Believers through the centuries of God’s faithfulness to care for His children.

Singing songs of thanksgiving lift our spirits. We are buoyed by the praise of our Lord. Praising God forces us to remember His deeds. Offering our thanks for Him and all that He does for us is humbling, for it is then that we realize our own frailties. We understand as we give thanks that all that we have and are comes from Him.

Honoring and glorifying our Lord is so powerful! The enemy can’t stand it and flees I think. How could the jealous, coveting enemy withstand God’s glory? He can’t. He must gnash his teeth and beat his chest in frustration. Call upon the name of the Lord--“Jesus”. The Bible tells us there will be a time when “every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:10) at the name of Jesus. He is Lord!

Placing our trust in Jesus takes a huge amount of faith and a conscious effort of our will. It is natural for us puny humans to struggle with Him for control. But we will lose that battle. Who is greater than the Lord? When we are focused on Him, waiting for Him to act in our behalf, and watching what He will do, we will be certain of the outcome.

Let us rejoice and give thanks for our Lord who makes all things possible. There is none other worthy of our praise and worship.

© 2011 Linda Hull, Words of Encouragement