What say ye?

As a "child of the 60's and 70's" my anti-US government sentiments were fueled by the "counter culture" and a lot of drugs. I now am not very kindly disposed toward the Govt. for new reasons : abortion for example. I realize that until God says not, I must obey the all laws of the land. Without bitterness. Yet I believe that we must do more to oppose those laws which do violate God's laws. Abortion in particular, and also the permissive laws re pornography, the lax war on drugs, and the legalizing of gay marriage. But this may speak nothing new to you.

I may surprise some, but I think that the christian preoccupation with issues such as ten commandment monuments and even prayer in school do drain financial and spiritual resources from more important efforts in the public square. My decided opinion is that if I know the ten commandments and Jesus Christ, I don't need to see them in every court house, or a nativity scene in every courtyard.

They will know us by our fruits, not by our bumper stickers, monuments, displays, or any other (to them, if not to us) empty religiosity. They are offended by our displays of religiosity, especially when they discover us in our own hypocrisies of sin. It is not our job to offend them, but to pray and do good to them. Will we be willing to form our children in prayer- at home where others will not be offended? Or must we leave that also entirely up to their school teachers?

Of course it would be good if the pagan/athiest culture would be willing to have their children endure our prayers. They are not. And our insistence of these rights only drives unbelief further into their souls. Enough! Let your and your children's good behavior and good deeds testify of God.

I do draw the line at the point where they forbid house meetings and Bible/Tract distribution (public or private) We have a good constitution to guarantee religious freedom. Let's not cause the unbelieving world to change it by insisting they "eat from our troughs". Let's not rub their noses in what many of us don't yet comprehend about faith in God.

I say let them take the monuments down. Have three minutes of sincere prayer with your children before sending them off to school. Take the millions of dollars saved in legal fees and put it to work in better things. Let's let our light shine as Christ commands, and not be whiners over these stones (momuments), dare I say idols? I dare. Even the right to pray can become an idol. Yes? No?

Censored???

One of myfriends at myspace has sent a bulliten announcing a decision to delete any friend who displays nudity ("half naked" being sufficient) on their profile page. If I followed their example would I have to delete you?

We live in an age where innapropriate sex and pornography has become a consuming interest of most men and even many women. Sexual "addiction" is the fastest growing "addiction" in the USA. I think it is true in many many other countries as well.

I note the Thailand and the Phillipines particularly, where sex "workers" (prostitutes) abound and sex is a tourist attraction, being promoted in broad daylight. As one who has repented and continues to repent daily of immoral and unholy thought and behavior, I can say that the recent Tsunami in the Asian Pacific was explained as God's chastening for the largely unopposed operation of whoremongers (pimps).

I am honestly hoping for the chastizement of God to fall on a certain section of my home city: Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore has had a reputation for liscentiousness sexually (and likely otherwise) since 1773. That is right since seventeen seventy three! Remarkably, it is also the home of the first Roman Catholic Diocese, yet the presence of Roman Catholics (established as a diocese 6 April, 1789) has not seemed to slow down sin here.

Billy Graham once turned down an invitation to preach in Baltimore when his staff found no significant unity amongst the protestant churches here tThankfully he has been here twice since then.

Yet there is little progress toward the eradication of prostitution (on the street or in houses), drugs, or the sin of abortion. Can you see the connection between these three?

My sense is that God is still saving souls here one at a time. An awakening here must be preceded by a revival.

The enemy does continue to flood the homes of so many believers through his number one venue: the television. Turn it off, better yet throw it away. The internet gives you much much more choice and control that that one eyed monster. Even though the internet has pornography in seeming unlimited abundance you don't have to watch it. You may preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ instead. You can study the Bible with excellent Bible study tools like Bible Gateway, the Blue Letter Bible, E Sword and many many others.
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http://jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu/~grau_c/block.html

From the link above:

"This Baltimore Barbary Coast has the longest, continuous history of any honky-tonk area in the country. Chicago's North Clark Street Rialto dates back only to the latter years of the last century; and New Orleans' Bourbon Street was a respectable Vieux Carre thoroughfare 100 years ago. But marines, fresh from the shores of Tripoli, and the jolly jack-tars of Admiral John Paul Jones' navy roistered through the grog shops and dance halls of 'The Block," with soft-spoken, hard-drinking floozies from Fells Point on their arms, 75 years before the California goldrush and 35 years before Chicago had a single inhabitant."

James Marshal discovered Gold at Sutter's Saw Mill on January 24th, 1848. 1848 minus 75 years puts one around the year 1773.

winning

Hebrews 13
12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

We can’t count the hairs on our head, we can’t turn one white or brown. We can’t grow ourselves on inch taller. Even if we could, we couldn’t out run the day of our passing from our body into God’s hands. Why do we build our homes and our nations like they will last forever? Why does our pride require us and each other to build these pale imitations of the places God has prepared for those He receives by their faith in Him? He who wins souls is wise. I want to win the "soul" of the Savior.

Philippians 3
7 …what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

BEST Story of the decade

(used with the authors permission)
PLANNED PARENTHOOD CELEBRATION CRASHED BY ABORTION SURVIVOR

by Ted Harvey, assistant minority leader, Colorado House


She sings the anthem to applause, then her secret is revealed to stunned silence.

I want to share with you an awesome experience I had in the Colorado House of Representatives on May 8. It is a humbling experience to look back and realize that God used me to play a role in His divine orchestration.

I was leaving the House chambers for the weekend when our Democrat speaker of the House announced that the coming Monday would be the final day of this year's General Assembly. He went on to state that there were still numerous resolutions on the calendar which we would need to be addressed prior to the summer adjournment. Interestingly, he specifically mentioned that one of the resolutions we would be hearing was being carried by the House Majority Leader Alice Madden, honoring the 90th anniversary of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

As a strong pro-life legislator I was disgusted by the idea that we would pass a resolution honoring this 90-year legacy of genocide. I drove home that night wondering what I could say that might pierce the darkness during the debate on this heinous resolution.

On Saturday morning, I took my 8-year-old son up to the mountains to go white-water rafting. The trip lasted all day. As we were driving home, exhausted and hungry, I remembered that I had accepted an invitation to attend a fundraising dinner that night for a local pro-life organization. One of my most respected mentors had personally called me several weeks earlier and asked me to attend, so I knew I'd have to clean up and head over.

After our meal, the executive director of the organization introduced the keynote speaker. I looked up and saw walking to the stage a handicapped young lady being assisted to the microphone by a young man holding a guitar.

Her name was Gianna Jessen.

Gianna said "Hello," welcomed everyone, and then sang three of the most beautiful Christian songs I have ever heard.

She then began to give her testimony. When her biological mother was 17 years old and seven and a half months pregnant, she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to have an abortion. As God would have it, the abortion failed and a beautiful 2-pound baby girl was brought into the world. Unfortunately, she was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors thought that she would never survive. The doctors were wrong.

Imagine the timing! A survivor of a Planned Parenthood abortion arrived in town just days before the Colorado House of Representatives was to celebrate Planned Parenthood's "wonderful" work.

As I listened to Gianna's amazing testimony, the Lord inspired me to ask her if she could stay in Denver until Monday morning so that I could introduce her on the floor of the House and tell her story. Perhaps she could even begin the final day's session by singing our country's national anthem!
To my surprise she said she would seriously consider it. If she were to agree, she wanted her accompanying guitarist to stay as well. A lady standing in line behind me waiting to meet Gianna overheard our conversation and said that she would be willing to pay for the guitarist's room. Gianna then said that she would think about it.

As I was driving home from the banquet, my cell phone rang. It was Gianna, and she immediately said, "I'm in, let's ruin this celebration." Praise God!
When Monday morning came, I awoke at 6 a.m. to write my speech before heading to the Capitol. As I wrote down the words, I could sense God's help and I knew that this was going to be a powerful moment for the pro-life movement.

Following a committee hearing, I rushed into the House chambers just as the opening morning prayer was about to be given. Between the prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, I wrote a quick note to the speaker of the House explaining that Gianna is an advocate for cerebral palsy. I took the note to the speaker and asked if I could have my friend open the last day of session by singing the national anthem. Without any hesitation the speaker took the microphone and said, "Before we begin, Representative Harvey has made available for us Gianna Jessen to sing the national anthem."

Gianna sang the most amazing rendition of The Star Spangled Banner that you could possibly imagine. Every person in the entire chamber was completely still, quiet and in awe of this frail young lady's voice.

Due to her cerebral palsy, Gianna often loses her balance, and shortly after starting to sing she grabbed my arm to stabilize herself, and I could tell that she was shaking. Suddenly, midway through the song, she forgot the words and began to hum and then said, "Please forgive me; I am so nervous." She then immediately began singing again and every House member and every guest throughout the chambers began to sing along with her to give her encouragement and to lift her up.

As I looked around the huge hall I listened to the unbelievable melody of Gianna's voice being accompanied by a choir of over 100 voices. I had chills running all over my body, and I knew that I had just witnessed an act of God.

As the song concluded the speaker of the House explained that Gianna has cerebral palsy and is an activist to bring awareness to the disease. "Let us give her a hand not only for her performance today, but also for her advocacy work," he said. The chamber immediately exploded into applause -- she had them all in the palm of her hand.

The speaker then called the House to order, and we proceeded as usual to allow members to make any announcements or introductions of guests. For dramatic effect, I waited until I was the last person remaining before I introduced Gianna.

As I waited for my turn, I nervously paced back and forth praying to God that he would give me the peace, confidence and the courage necessary to pull off what I knew would be one of the most dramatic and controversial moments of my political career.

While I waited, a prominent reporter from one of the major Denver newspapers walked over to Gianna and told her that her rendition captured the spirit of the national anthem more powerfully than any she had ever heard before.

Finally, I was the last person remaining. So, I proceeded to the microphone and began my speech.

Members, I would like to introduce you to a new friend and hero of mine -- her name is Gianna Jessen. She is visiting us today from Nashville, Tennessee, where she is an accomplished recording artist.

She has cerebral palsy and was raised in foster homes before being adopted at the age of four.

She was born prematurely and weighed only 2 pounds at birth. She remained in the hospital for almost three months. A doctor once said she had a great will to live and that she fought for her life. Eventually she was able to leave the hospital and be placed in foster care.

Because of her cerebral palsy, her foster mother was told that it was doubtful that she would ever crawl or walk. She could not sit up independently. Through the prayers and dedication of her foster mother, she eventually learned to sit up, crawl, then stand. Shortly before her fourth birthday, she began to walk with leg braces and a walker.

She continued in physical therapy and after a total of four surgeries, she was able to walk without assistance.

She still falls sometimes, but she says she has learned how to fall gracefully after falling for 29 years.

Two years ago, she walked into a local health club and said she wanted a private trainer. At the time her legs could not lift 30 pounds. Today she can leg press 200 pounds.

She became so physically fit that she began running marathons to raise money and awareness for cerebral palsy. She just returned last week from England where she ran in the London Marathon. It took her more than eight-and-a-half hours to complete. They were taking down the course by the time she made it to the finish line. But she made it, nonetheless. With bloody feet and aching joints, she finished the race.

Members would you help me recognize a modern-day hero -- Gianna Jessen?

At this point the chamber exploded into applause which lasted for 15-to-20 seconds. Gianna had touched their souls.

Ironically, Alice Madden, the majority leader and sponsor of the Planned Parenthood resolution, walked over to Gianna and congratulated her.

As the applause began to die down, I raised my hand to be recognized one more time.

Mr. Speaker, members, if you would allow me just a few more moments I would appreciate your time.

My name is Ted Harvey, not Paul Harvey, but, please, let me tell you the rest of the story.

The cause of Gianna's cerebral palsy is not because of some biological freak of nature, but rather the choice of her mother.

You see when her biological mother was 17-years-old and 7-and-a-half months pregnant, she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to seek a late-term abortion. The abortionist performed a saline abortion on this 17-year-old girl. This procedure requires the injection of a high concentration of saline into the mother's womb, which the fetus is then bathed in and swallows, which results in the fetus being burned to death, inside and out. Within 24 hours the results are normally an induced, still-born abortion.

As Gianna can testify, the procedure is not always 100 percent effective. Gianna is an aborted late-term fetus who was born alive. The high concentration of saline in the womb for 24 hours resulted in a lack of oxygen to her brain and is the cause of her cerebral palsy.

Members, today, we are going to recognize the 90th anniversary of Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood…"

BANG! The gavel came down.

Just as I was finishing the last sentence of my speech -- the climax of the morning -- the speaker of the House gaveled me down and said, "Representative

Harvey, I will allow you to continue your introduction, but not for the purposes of debating a measure now pending before the House."

At which point I said, "Mr. Speaker, I understand. I just wanted to put a face to what we are celebrating today."

Silence. Deafening silence.

I then walked back to my chair shaking like a leaf. The Democrats wouldn't look at me. They were fuming. It was beautiful. I have been in the Legislature for five tough years, and this made it all worthwhile.

The House majority leader wouldn't talk to me the rest of the day.

Was it because I introduced an abortion survivor, or was it because we touched her soul? She could congratulate an inspirational cerebral palsy victim and advocate, but was outraged when she discovered that the person she congratulated was also an abortion survivor.

The headline in The Denver Post the next day read "Abortion Jab Earns Rebuke." The majority leader is quoted as saying, "I think it was amazingly rude to use a human being as an example of his personal politics."

Yes, Representative Madden, Gianna Jessen is a human being. She was when she was in her mother's womb, and she was when she sang the national anthem on the floor of the Colorado House of Representatives.

The paper went on to quote Gianna, stating she was glad I told her story.
"We need to discuss the humanity of it. I'm glad to be able to speak up for children in the womb," she said. "If abortion is about women's rights, where were my rights?"

All I can say is, "Glory to God!" He orchestrated it all, every minute of it, and I was so honored to have been chosen to play a part. May we all continue to be filled with and to fight for the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
If you'd like to contact Ted Harvey, you may e-mail him at ted@tedharvey.com
For the fuller story and more : www.TedHarvey.com and www.tedharvey.com/gianna.htm