Another Definition For ‘Planned Parenthood’

–By William K. Lewis, Lebanon

Lately we hear so much about “Planned Parenthood,” but isn’t this really a misnomer? What is usually referred to as planned parenthood seems to be the result of an unplanned parenthood, resulting in frustration, chaos, financial distress, heartbreak and guilt. However, an intentionally “planned parenthood” works. It has for years. A planned parenthood begins early in life and requires several stages:

1. When you are young, consider school an opportunity rather than a punishment. There are many in this world who long for just such an opportunity. Apply yourself for the serious challenges of life.

2. Seek meaningful employment. Develop a strong work ethic. Do not consider “work” just another four-letter word. Take pride in doing a job well. Begin to develop some financial security.

3. Consider sharing your life with someone with similar values, one with whom you are willing to make a life-long commitment. And with the blessings and witness of our Creator, make that commitment.

4. Work together to establish an emotionally stable home, where you will be able to financially care for children without depending on the government for assistance, nor from Grandma–she’s done her duty and deserves a rest.

5. Then, begin to build your family. That’s planned parenthood–a plan designed for success and happiness. Try it!

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We Make It, We Must Bear It

“WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE FAILS, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS”

We’ve all heard the above saying, and how true it is to life! As humans, we are prone to try everything else before we turn to and trust in the truth.

God’s Word is our instructions for life. It shows us where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. God’s commandments show us how to build our lives, how to live life, and how to outlive all the problems of this life by faith, unto gaining eternal rewards.

However, due to the flesh lusting against the Spirit of God, there is much living that abides not with the instructions of God’s Word. As is the case in other things, life not put together according to the instructions, develops many functional problems. As Dr. Phil says, even accidents can be attributed to factors not taken into proper consideration, which in turn, contributed to the circumstances that led up to the accident.

When the prodigal son (Luke 15) finally made his decision to cast aside the laws of his father to take his life into his own hands, at that moment he felt like the battle was over, having declared his independence from his father’s way. People may wrestle with the difference between what they want and what God’s Word says, unto finally coming out in the open with their decision to do what they want instead of the way God’s Word teaches. When they do this, they get the feeling that the battle is over, that now they can finally get on with living their life their way.

But rather than the battle be over when the prodigal son declared his position to his father, his battle had just begun! He had thrown aside the privileges, opportunities, and blessings that he could have had for living his life according to his father’s will, unto beginning to bear the burden of his life of sin.

God’s instructions do not prevent our having a good life. They rather prevent us from messing up our lives. Once we put our lives together contrary to God’s instructions, then we are left with the many and often unsolvable functional problems of life, that we will bear the burden of the rest of our lives.

Think about the importance of God’s instructions for life, before you make any decisions to put your life together contrary to His instructions.

“For every man shall bear his own burden.” Galatians 6:5

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21

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God Didn’t Do It (Job 1 & 2)

When the Sabeans came and took away Job’s oxen and asses, killing Job’s servants, God didn’t do it.

When fire fell from heaven consuming Job’s sheep and killing their keepers, God didn’t do it.

When the Chaldeans captured Job’s camels and killed Job’s servants, God didn’t do it.

When the great wind came that destroyed the house Job’s children were in, killing them, God didn’t do it.

When Job was smitten with boils from the sole of his feet unto the crown of his head, God didn’t do it.

WHO caused all of these terrible things to happen to God’s faithful servant? SATAN!

WHY? Satan said if these things were to happen to Job, that Job would turn against God and curse God to His face.

Therefore, God allowed it to happen, knowing Job’s faith would stand and defeat Satan’s purpose.

Job suffered severely under Satan’s all out assaults against him. But in the end, God delivered Job, not only replacing all his losses, but giving him twice as much as before.

When the adversities of life hit us, Satan will do his best to get us to blame and be embittered against God.

But to those who trust in and wait upon God through all of life’s storms, God will overrule it all for their good.

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:31-32

Unfortunately, not everyone chooses to cleave unto the Lord with unwavering faith like Job did. Not only does Satan win, thus destroying their testimony and their spiritual fellowship, but also deprives them of the recompense with which God would have rewarded their faith for enduring their trials and testings.

Just as Peter denied the Lord three times, it can happen to any of us. But if it does, we need to do what Peter did, by humbling ourselves before God, and seeking forgiveness and spiritual restoration, thus being converted unto strengthening our brethren.

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Memorials

In Joshua 4, God ordered that twelve stones were to be taken from the midst of the Jordan River bed as the Israelites crossed through, God having parted the waters for their passage on dry land, to be set up at Gilgal for a memorial for future generations. When their children would inquire as to the meaning of these stones, they were to tell them how God had parted the waters for Israel to pass over. “That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.” Joshua 4:24

Genesis 6:3 refers to the work of God’s Spirit striving with man. 1 Peter 3:19-20 speaks of God preaching unto spirits in prison with longsuffering in the days of Noah. For anything to be undertaken, there has to be a starting point. This is where the testimony of a Christian life (1 Peter 3:1-2), Christian convictions being maintained in an ungodly time (Matthew 5:13), and Christian testimony in word and deed (Matthew 5:15-16) become starting points for the Holy Spirit to work with upon the hearts and minds of lost people. We must not concede Godliness to appease an ungodly world. If so, we have lost our salt and quenched the light. “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14

Christmas-time still affords a memorial for the Spirit of God to use to strive with the hearts of men. I have learned that rather than critique the excess of the season, it is best to raise up the testimony of the truth of the season. Give the Holy Spirit a testimony to use to strive with mankind. As people focus on the truth, error will be diminished. Christmas is still a memorial in our society that makes an allowance for Christ in the thinking of people.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11

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Have You Thanked Him Lately?

“The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17

“And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel” 1 Chronicles 21:1. Satan is the author of sin. Put any sin under a microscope and you will see Satan’s virus. It is very hard to keep Satan’s hand off the scales of our lives. No matter what or when, he seems to sneak in as a little fox to spoil the vines.

But thank God, we have One who knows what the Devil is up to all the time! And as a loving Father, “He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust” Psalm 103:14.

The greatest indebtedness we have with God, is that He has redeemed us from our sins. Remember, it is our own sins we must be redeemed from or we will perish. The second indebtedness is that God redeems us from our transgressions against our brethren. There is no one who doesn’t owe God big time on this one. And the third and least of the three is that God delivers us out of the troubles that others cause for us. While we usually make the biggest fuss over someone else’s transgression against us, it is the least of the transgressions that we should be concerned about. In terms of my sins against God, the transgressions of others against me is pittance.

In view of the magnitude of our own transgressions against God, dwarfing the transgressions of others against us, we have the great teaching of Matthew 18:21-35. We might be inclined to forgive our brother or sister if they do us wrong on an occasion. But if two or three things happen to us, we begin to think of ourselves as a martyr that has become everyone’s fair game, that there is some great conspiracy out to get us, and that we are being abused beyond what Christian fellowship should tolerate.

Brethren and sisters, please observe the discourse between Christ and Peter on this painful subject, Matthew 18:21-22 “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” Apparently they had problems back then, too! JESUS SAID, not seven times, not seventy times, but seventy times seven, which is FOUR HUNDRED NINETY! WOW! This is the standard of Christian fellowship! This is what makes enduring Christian fellowship. And may I point out, this is what gives the needed depth to Christian fellowship. For it takes the grace of God working in our hearts to mortify fleshly passions and tempers, unto finding real spiritual grounds to respond to our brethren on these certain occasions as God responds to us on a regular basis in forgiving us our sins. Unless we follow Christ in doing this, we will not find a fellowship that is deep enough with our Christian brethren, but we will just be constantly uprooted by the winds and waves of human relations (imperfection). Aren’t you glad Christ forgives us more often than seventy times seven?

Christ requires that we forgive our brethren–“But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespass.” Mark 11:26 If we don’t do this, we are making a lot of trouble for ourselves and everyone else! Just as we can appreciate how essential God’s forgiveness of our sins is, we must appreciate how necessary and meaningful our forgiveness of our brethren is unto the cause of Christ. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35

THANK GOD FOR HIS FORGIVENESS BY FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER!

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