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Shoulder To Shoulder #1290 -- 5/9/22 ---- "What's Next on the Abortion Agenda?"

#1 · May 11, 2022, 8:01 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on May 11, 2022, 8:01 pm
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>

"Standing Together, Shoulder To Shoulder, As We Fight the Good Fight of Faith"

SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".

    "The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein

    “There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
    and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle

Shoulder To Shoulder #1290 -- 5/9/22

Title: "What's Next on the Abortion Agenda?"

My Dear Friend And Fellow Kingdom Seeker:

Greetings from a cooler May day in Yuma, AZ. For the past week temperatures have been in the upper 90's and into triple digits a couple of times, but today we have a three-day respite with highs in the upper 80's and low 90's. Then by Saturday it will hit 106 and remain in the triple digits for more than a week. I think it may be time to head to Greer up in the White Mountains for our Summer ministry, but we still have two or three weeks left before we do that.

I cannot recall many times in my life where my heart cried out for the presence and comfort of God as it has this past two months. I have found myself frequently in a state of perpetual despondency. Not discouragement, despair, or depression ---- but just a feeling of despondency. I know it is not the recommended disposition for any Christian -- and especially a preacher, -- but it is still true. Rather than being a burden to carry, however, I choose to see it as a burden calling me to pray -- and to act, if called to do so.

One thing that lifts our spirits these days is the incredible privilege Jo Ann and I have through our "Life Unlimited Ministries" to serve as a shipping dock for people who want to help Ukrainian refugees through prayer and financial gifts. When money comes in, we turn around and send it right out to different ministries that are providing shelter, food, transportation, and a Christian witness. Currently we are helping . . .
    + "Mo" from Prague who is passing our gifts on to churches, a seminary, and drivers taking aid into dangerous areas and bringing refugees out.
    + Two specific churches "Mo" works with as they do "all of the above".
    + Joel and Ira as they work with Convoy of Hope and also Ira's father (a pastor) and brothers through their distribution center southwest of Kyiv.
    + "Pasha" (a pastor) and his network of pastors south of Kyiv around the Brusilov area (we served them numerous times in the past).
    + "Oles" and his associates providing lodging for widows and other refugees, and driving into Donbas area with aid, bringing refugees out.
    + "V" and her husband as he helps transport people through the rail system to safer places.
    + "M" as she helps families of children needing kidney transplants from the Bucha, Irpin, and Kyiv areas.

Just this morning I received video links to the two pastors in L'viv whom we have helped through "Mo". Please take time to watch them. I am also including the links to a couple videos from Joel and Ira (see above) and their work. I hope you don't mind, but I want you to see some practical examples of the enormous needs that exist in Ukraine -- needs that will continue for a very long time.
    1. God's Design Church in L'viv -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA2GXU_rijs
        You might be able to access some church photos at https://www.facebook.com/groups/UpchurchesOnMission/permalink/5985606314799680/
    2. Second Church in L'viv -- https://www.facebook.com/messenger_media?thread_id=1749430534&attachment_id=1132707220630703&message_id=mid.%24cAAAAAEAgSQiG4DQU3GAru3MsEOZ7
    3. Joel and Ira providing supplies for Ira's brother -- https://www.facebook.com/UkraineGlobalAid/videos/1246735349489519
    4. Joel and Ira regarding most current need -- https://www.facebook.com/irena.savochka/videos/1135831160549666/

You have no idea just how blessed Jo Ann and I are to be able to help as people give to our "Ukraine Ministry" fund. We're really happy that in 1980 we decided to form Life Unlimited Ministries as 501.c.3 ministry. We will continue to give as long as God provides the resources and enables us to bear the burden of seeing Ukraine ravaged and our friends suffering.

In the meantime, take a look at . . . .

THIS 'N' THAT:

+   Showing True Colors: Here's an interesting op-ed from Family Research Council on the Senate's attempt to nationalize Roe v. Wade. Never has the Democratic Party moved to such extreme positions as now. It's certainly not the wise and thoughtful party of 30 years ago. Go to https://www.frc.org/updatearticle/20220511/beyond-roe.

+ Is Russia on the Verge of Losing: From a purely "ordinary citizen" perspective, it seems to me that Putin has made three major errors in his invasion into the free democratic country of Ukraine. First, he overestimated the readiness of his own army, both personnel, leadership, and equipment. Second, he underestimated the capabilities of Ukraine's modernized and well trained military. Finally, in light of those two factors, his third mistake was to spread himself dangerously too thin. The following link gives you a sweeping overview of the war as of May 11th.

It looks like the first significant setback -- besides losing twelve generals and two navy flagships -- is taking place as Ukrainian forces are forcing Russian troops back toward the Russian border in the northeastern front around Kharkiv. At this writing, Ukrainian troops have pushed Russian forces back to less than five miles from the border. See the details at https://euromaidanpress.com/2022/05/11/ukrainian-troops-advanced-to-within-10-km-of-the-russian-border/. A more specific report can be found at https://www.foxnews.com/world/russia-current-phase-invasion-cut-losses-kherson-referendum.

+ Disney's Downward Demise: You and I probably grew up loving Disneyland, Disney World, and all those great movies. Not so much anymore. For the past 20 years the moral fabric that made Disney "Disney" has become tattered, torn, and rotten. Disney World's recent refusal to abide by Florida's new sexuality and children law. And, in some ways, it not only stripped them of their special tax privileges and self-governing status, but Florida's action has been like an explosion on Wall Street and among major corporations. Disney's demise seems to have had a domino effect -- like a "shot across the bow" to other corporations. Read about it at https://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA22E25&f=WU22E08.

+ What's Ahead For Two Extremely Liberal States: Regardless of what happens with Roe V. Wade, both California and Maryland are set to enact some of the most liberal and heinous pro-abortion laws in America where a baby born alive could be killed up to 28 days after it had been born. Read the specifics at https://www.charismanews.com/politics/opinion/88967-child-sacrifice-california-and-maryland-lead-the-way-to-the-unthinkable.

ROE V. WADE DEMISE:

A familiar phrase by the Psalmist comes to mind throughout all of this -- "Why are you cast down, O, my soul???" It is used only three times in all of the 150 Psalms (42:5; 42:11; and 43:5), and it means the identical thing in all three occasions. The NASB used the phrase, "in despair". So maybe that KJV verse coming out of my memory bank from those early years when my mother taught me scripture doesn't quite describe my frequent state of burden, but it seems to be very close.

The Hebrew word is shâchach, pronounced "shaw-khakh'". It means either reflexively or causatively "to sink or depress, to bend, bow (down), bring (cast) down, couch, humble self, be low, stoop." It is not my intent to dig into those passages, but to point out a condition of the soul that can easily overtake the believer. The phrase itself in these texts is actually cradled between two profound principles -- 1) a craving for God ,and 2) a confidence in God. For example, the two occasions in Psalm 42 are preceded by a craving described like this: . . .

    1. "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. 2. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? 3. My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, 'Where is your God?' 4. These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival." (Ps 42:1-4).

The Psalm 43 passage is a bit more dramatic, reading, . . .

    "Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! 2. For You are the God of my strength; why have You rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3. O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places. 4. Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God." (Ps 43:1-4).

In both cases the awareness of needing God's presence and action is clear. However, in all three verses, that question, -- "Why are you in despair, O my soul?", -- is answered by the same person who asked it -- and with the same solution: . . .

    "Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence." (42:5). "Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God." (42:11). "Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God." (43:5).

So, it seems to me that the Psalmist in all three occasions is puzzled about his sense of despondency, curious about and perhaps even concerned about what it is that has caused such a condition. He acknowledges his need for God's presence, but still seems puzzled as to why he feels so "down" over the circumstances surrounding him. Yet, he still remains clear minded enough to recognize that he must put his hope and confidence in God -- not only for how he feels, but also for what he faces.

Recognizing that inner stirring that constantly cries out to God, even in the midst of difficult circumstances, he still asks the question. Perhaps it's actually a rhetorical question -- or perhaps it's a question coming out of confusion and puzzlement -- "Since God's presence is my hearts desire and He alone can deliver me, why, then, do I feel the way I feel???"

Whatever the nature of the question may be -- rhetorical or real -- the answer is the same -- "Hey, soul! Put your confident expectation in God, and He will lift your spirits!!!"

So, in a way, that's where I find myself often these days. Jo Ann and I are experiencing, I suppose, something of that "empty nest" syndrome what with our winter ministry having concluded and our Summer ministry still several weeks away from its start in a few weeks. We are indescribably burdened and concerned -- and angry, too -- over what is happening to Ukraine and the many dear friends we have there. We are burdened over the funds that we need so urgently to help provide aid to many of our friends there. We are appalled over the recent developments surrounding the Roe v. Wade ruling that SCOTUS is set to hand down. And, we are simultaneously angered and yet heartbroken over the glaring and blinding ignorance of the law and calloused disregard for human life.

It is, indeed, "enough to make you mad and sad at the same time!"

So, today I want to begin a series under the title, "What's Behind It All?", and deal specifically with the SCOTUS ruling that will officially be released sometime between now and probably no later than July. Think about it for a moment, my friend -- why in the world are people in such an uproar over this abortion issue??? -- at least those who are pro-abortion???

There has to be a reason behind why Roe v. Wade was ruled the way it was in 1973 in the first place. There has to be a reason why somebody within the SCOTUS closed network took upon themselves the unconscionable act of leaking that draft ruling. I can think of there being only a political reason. There has to be a reason why pro-abortionists are so upset with what they assume the ruling will be. There has to be a reason why demonstrators have the gall to violate federal law and demonstrate in front of justices' homes. There has to be a reason why President Biden and Attorney General Garland are not enforcing the law that is on the books and arresting demonstrators. There has to be a reason why SCOTUS is even considering overturning Roe v. Wade.

Sadly, almost nobody wants to take the time to objectively examine those varied reasons. And, maybe there has to be a reason for that, as well. Obviously I don't want to go back and rehash something I've written about extensively in the past -- particularly if I addressed it in recent months as I did the issue of abortion last Fall. Writing the series, "The Folly of Forgetting God", I took eight weeks dealing with the issue of abortion. If you happened to miss them or you want to go back and refresh your memory on what I wrote, here are the links to that series.

    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1397read.html -- Abortion Starts With Disobedience; ancient records of child sacrifice, abortion's twin.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1398read.html -- Five Reasons Abortion is wrong; Facts about When Life Begins; How abortion violates biblical truth.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1399read.html -- The real facts about abortion and Roe v. Wade.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1400read.html -- Founding Fathers & documents on abortion; liberal views on Roe v. Wade.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1401read.html -- Famous people who were NOT aborted; founding fathers' view of abortion.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1402read.html -- Testimonies from some who had abortions and some who performed them.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1403read.html -- Testimonies of some who had abortions, some who performed them, and Margaret Sanger.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1404read.html -- The origin of life, why it is sacred, and biblical principles for having children instead of aborting them.

SOME FACTS ABOUT ROE V. WADE WORTH KNOWING:

Several things about the Roe v. Wade SCOTUS purported ruling that most liberals are either woefully under-educated or extremely biased and simply refuse to acknowledge the truth.

1. Roe v. Wade is NOT "the law of the land"; it's not even a law. It is a precedent. Congress has never made it into a law. Our judiciary, no matter what level, cannot make law -- it can only rule on its constitutionality. You simply cannot rule on a law that does not exist. Without a law, any ruling would be hypothetical. Thus, SCOTUS should have never ruled on it in the first place.

2. IF the leak proves to be the actual ruling, the ruling itself will NOT outlaw abortion at all. Abortions will still be carried out in almost every state. It doesn't even address the legality of abortion at all. It simply states that Roe v. Wade has no constitutional grounds which, then, reverts the issue back to the individual states for state legislatures to enact laws according to what they feel is best for their respective states.

3. Abortion is NOT a constitutional right. It never has been. There is not a single place in the Constitution where having an abortion is guaranteed as a right. In fact, just the opposite is true. There are three basic rights noted in the Declaration of Independence, and protected in the Constitution -- "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". Our constitutional rights are found in the Bill of Rights as indicated in the Constitution's first ten amendments. Abortion is not in the list. Regardless of one's opinion on abortion, it is not a constitutional right. It may be preferred by some, but it is not a constitutional right.

4. The 14th Amendment does NOT provide legal grounds to make abortion a constitutional right. Even the "right to privacy" is not a constitutional right, no matter how appropriate and desired it might be. You cannot apply it in one case and not in the other, because both cases pertain to the rights of a particular individual -- the mother, or the baby. If one is to use the "equal protection under the law" argument for protecting a woman's "right to privacy", then the same must be applied to the unborn child -- if not from the moment of conception or at the first sign of a heartbeat, then at least at the moment of viability.

5. Roe v. Wade should NOT have been presented to SCOTUS in the first place because there was no valid legal ground for it to begin with. Almost all of the legal analysts who are constitutional scholars agree that SCOTUS should not have even considered taking up the case in the first place.

6. SCOTUS does NOT pass laws. It rules on the constitutionality of existing laws. Since Roe v. Wade is not a law, it should not have gone to SCOTUS at all.

7. Congress has NEVER addressed the abortion issue and passed any kind of law about abortions. If it had, then SCOTUS would have had the right and authority to address the matter. Since it was never a law to begin with, SCOTUS addressed the constitutionality of Roe v. Wade, NOT abortion itself.

8. Since the Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973, major legal authorities -- including law professors and even several law clerks of liberal justices overwhelmingly agreed that the ruling was without legal grounds, was flawed, and was wrong. Before I close today, let me share with you the thoughts of some of those who felt Roe V. Wade was wrong and a perversion of the law from the very beginning.

LIBERALS' VIEWS ON ROE V. WADE:

Last November, as I wrote the series noted above, I was stunned over some interesting quotes I found on one website, www.Illinoisfamily.org. It had what seemed to be an endless list of quotes entitled, "Some Leftist Thoughts By Leftists About Roe v. Wade".

I could hardly believe what I was reading -- not because of what was being said (almost all quotes were what I have been convinced of for many years), but because of who said them -- outright liberals and those who worked for liberals. I simply must share some of them with you. These are worth reading, if for no other reason than amazement and shock. So, enjoy!

    > “[A]s a matter of constitutional interpretation, even most liberal jurisprudes — if you administer truth serum—will tell you it is basically indefensible." -- Edward Lazarus, (former clerk to SCOTUS Justice Harry Blackmun).

    > "One of the most curious things about Roe is that, behind its own verbal smokescreen, the substantive judgment on which it rests is nowhere to be found.” -- Laurence Tribe, (Harvard Law School professor, constitutional law scholar, co-founder of the American Constitution Society.).

    > “Blackmun’s [Supreme Court] papers vindicate every indictment of Roe: invention, overreach, arbitrariness, textual indifference” -- William Saletan, Slate magazine writer specializing in abortion and contraception).

    > “As a matter of constitutional interpretation and judicial method, Roe borders on the indefensible. I say this as someone utterly committed to the right to choose.” -- Edward Lazarus, (former clerk to SCOTUS Justice Harry Blackmun).

    > "[Roe] is not constitutional law and gives almost no sense of an obligation to try to be…. What is frightening about Roe is that this super-protected right is not inferable from the language of the U.S. Constitution, the framers’ thinking respecting the specific problem in issue, any general value derivable from the provisions they included, or the nation’s governmental structure. Nor is it explainable in terms of the unusual political impotence of the group judicially protected vis-à-vis the interest that legislatively prevailed over it.… At times the inferences the Court has drawn from the values the Constitution marks for special protection have been controversial, even shaky, but never before has its sense of an obligation to draw one been so obviously lacking.” -- John Hart Ely, (law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren).

    > "[Roe] is a lousy opinion that disenfranchised millions of conservatives on an issue about which they care deeply.” -- Benjamin Wittes, (legal journalist and Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, Research Director in Public Law).

    > "What, exactly, is the problem with Roe? The problem, I believe, is that it has little connection to the Constitutional right it purportedly interpreted. A constitutional right to privacy broad enough to include abortion has no meaningful foundation in constitutional text, history, or precedent—at least, it does not if those sources are fairly described and reasonably faithfully followed.” -- Edward Lazarus, (former clerk to SCOTUS Justice Harry Blackmun).

    > “[T]he very basis of the Roe v. Wade decision—the one that grounds abortion rights in the Constitution—strikes many people now as faintly ridiculous. Whatever abortion may be, it cannot simply be a matter of privacy…. As a layman, it’s hard for me to raise profound constitutional objections to the decision. But it is not hard to say it confounds our common-sense understanding of what privacy is. If a Supreme Court ruling is going to affect so many people then it ought to rest on perfectly clear logic and up-to-date science. Roe, with its reliance on trimesters and viability, has a musty feel to it, and its argument about privacy raises more questions than it answers…. “[Roe] is a Supreme Court decision whose reasoning has not held up. It seems more fiat than argument…. Still, a bad decision is a bad decision. If the best we can say for it is that the end justifies the means, then we have not only lost the argument—but a bit of our soul as well” -- Richard Cohen, (Washington Post syndicated columnist, co-founder of Positive Approaches to Healthy Sexuality (PATH), and the past director of the International Healing Foundation).

    > “Judges have no special competence, qualifications, or mandate to decide between equally compelling moral claims (as in the abortion controversy) …. [C]lear governing constitutional principles… are not present” -- Alan Dershowitz, (former Harvard Law School professor in U.S. constitutional law and American criminal law, the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law since 1993).

    > “In short, 30 years later, it seems increasingly clear that this pro-choice magazine was correct in 1973 when it criticized Roe on constitutional grounds. Its overturning would be the best thing that could happen to the federal judiciary, the pro-choice movement, and the moderate majority of the American people…. Thirty years after Roe, the finest constitutional minds in the country still have not been able to produce a constitutional justification for striking down restrictions on early-term abortions that is substantially more convincing than Justice Harry Blackmun’s famously artless opinion itself. As a result, the pro-choice majority asks nominees to swear allegiance to the decision without being able to identify an intelligible principle to support it” -- Jeffrey Rosen, (George Washington University Law School professor, former clerk to Judge Abner Mikva, former United States deputy Attorney General, and acting United States Attorney General).

    > “Liberal judicial activism peaked with Roe v. Wade, the 1973 abortion decision…. Although I am pro-choice, I was taught in law school, and still believe, that Roe v. Wade is a muddle of bad reasoning and an authentic example of judicial overreaching” -- Michael Kinsley, (attorney, political journalist, former editor of "New Republic" and "Harper's", former co-host of CNN's Crossfire, former managing editor of Washington Monthly, editorial editor of New York Times, founder of online magazine Slate).

    > “[I]t is time to admit in public that, as an example of the practice of constitutional opinion writing, Roe is a serious disappointment. You will be hard-pressed to find a constitutional law professor, even among those who support the idea of constitutional protection for the right to choose, who will embrace the opinion itself rather than the result. This is not surprising. As constitutional argument, Roe is barely coherent. The court pulled its fundamental right to choose more or less from the constitutional ether. It supported that right via a lengthy, but purposeless, cross-cultural historical review of abortion restrictions and a tidy but irrelevant refutation of the straw-man argument that a fetus is a constitutional ‘person’ entitled [sic] to the protection of the 14th Amendment…. By declaring an inviolable fundamental right to abortion, Roe short-circuited the democratic deliberation that is the most reliable method of deciding questions of competing values” -- Kermit Roosevelt, (University of Pennsylvania Law School professor, author, public speaker).

    > “The failure to confront the issue in principled terms leaves the opinion to read like a set of hospital rules and regulations…. Neither historian, nor layman, nor lawyer will be persuaded that all the prescriptions of Justice Blackmun are part of the Constitution” -- Archibald Cox, (JFK’s Solicitor General, former Harvard Law School professor).

FINALLY:

In light of these facts, what is it that drives the abortion industry? I cover this in more detail in those earlier "Shoulders" letters, the links of which I noted earlier. But, to summarize, . . .

+ Money: -- When it comes to Planned Parenthood and many abortionists, it's all about Money. We've seen the news media video clips and have heard with our own ears how selling baby parts is a major money raiser for doctors, plant parenthood, and body parts sellers. It doesn't help that you and I often have to add our tax dollars to Planned Parenthood's enormous profit margin.

+ Power: -- In the world of politics, abortion has much to do with power. If you will note the election of certain members of Congress, along with their voting records, you will often see a glaring link between their desire for or status of power and their support of abortion. This is particularly true among very liberal members of Congress. If they think it will get them votes, will please their wealthy constituents, and advance their position, they will vote in defense of killing babies through the abortion industry.

+ Personal Comfort: -- When you look at the ones having an abortion, it again is often either economically or power driven. Some mother feels she can't financially afford another baby, or it will impact her job hours, or perhaps a potential advancement or increased pay. So, the comforts of improved economics becomes more important than the life of an unborn child. In the same way, sometimes having a baby may restrict the freedom a mother or father wants, so in order to maintain the freedom, the baby must go.

+ Faith and Trust: -- This is particularly true for those who are professing Christians. Why is it that some Christians can claim to trust God for their needs, but cannot trust Him with a potential health crisis during pregnancy or at childbirth, or they cannot trust God to meet their material needs that will increase with another mouth to feed, or they cannot trust Him to protect them from criticism or guide them through an adoption process? It seems that an unexpected or unplanned pregnancy is beyond God's reach.

+ Satan: -- All of the above, of course, are built on Satan's lies and his ability to deceive. He has never gotten over the fact that God gave to mankind certain rights, power, and authority that had at one time belonged to him. He has never gotten over the fact that the family unit is the most precious thing to God that He had ever created. He has never gotten over the idea that it was the birth of that special baby that led to his own downfall and defeat. He also knows that, if he can entice a family or a potential mother to kill her own baby, it is a direct assault against the Kingdom of God.

I sometimes wonder how America is going to settle the account with God over the 63+ million babies murdered since the great fiasco of Roe V. Wade. Will there ever even be a national acknowledgement of this grave sin? When God settle the account with us, how will it be settled? What tragedies and hardships have we already suffered because of Roe V. Wade? Chances are, we'll probably never know.

We, however, can perhaps have an opportunity for repentance if indeed the leaked SCOTUS ruling turns out to be true. If it is true, then the task must be addressed by the individual states. That makes it much more personal. That means citizens -- including Christian citizens -- will be saddled with the responsibility of electing righteous representatives who will pass righteous laws.

Roe V. Wade is no small thing. It never has been. It appears to me that God is pulling out the ledger and about to lay it on the table to tally it up. Repentance is in order.

(And don't forget to pray for the people in Ukraine!)

In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,

Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11

    "Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
    examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)

    "A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy

Life Unlimited Ministries
LUMglobal
lifeunlimited@pobox.com

Copyright April, 2022

    "If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill

    "The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon


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Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>

"Standing Together, Shoulder To Shoulder, As We Fight the Good Fight of Faith"

SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".

"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein

“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle

Shoulder To Shoulder #1290 -- 5/9/22

Title: "What's Next on the Abortion Agenda?"

My Dear Friend And Fellow Kingdom Seeker:

Greetings from a cooler May day in Yuma, AZ. For the past week temperatures have been in the upper 90's and into triple digits a couple of times, but today we have a three-day respite with highs in the upper 80's and low 90's. Then by Saturday it will hit 106 and remain in the triple digits for more than a week. I think it may be time to head to Greer up in the White Mountains for our Summer ministry, but we still have two or three weeks left before we do that.

I cannot recall many times in my life where my heart cried out for the presence and comfort of God as it has this past two months. I have found myself frequently in a state of perpetual despondency. Not discouragement, despair, or depression ---- but just a feeling of despondency. I know it is not the recommended disposition for any Christian -- and especially a preacher, -- but it is still true. Rather than being a burden to carry, however, I choose to see it as a burden calling me to pray -- and to act, if called to do so.

One thing that lifts our spirits these days is the incredible privilege Jo Ann and I have through our "Life Unlimited Ministries" to serve as a shipping dock for people who want to help Ukrainian refugees through prayer and financial gifts. When money comes in, we turn around and send it right out to different ministries that are providing shelter, food, transportation, and a Christian witness. Currently we are helping . . .
    + "Mo" from Prague who is passing our gifts on to churches, a seminary, and drivers taking aid into dangerous areas and bringing refugees out.
    + Two specific churches "Mo" works with as they do "all of the above".
    + Joel and Ira as they work with Convoy of Hope and also Ira's father (a pastor) and brothers through their distribution center southwest of Kyiv.
    + "Pasha" (a pastor) and his network of pastors south of Kyiv around the Brusilov area (we served them numerous times in the past).
    + "Oles" and his associates providing lodging for widows and other refugees, and driving into Donbas area with aid, bringing refugees out.
    + "V" and her husband as he helps transport people through the rail system to safer places.
    + "M" as she helps families of children needing kidney transplants from the Bucha, Irpin, and Kyiv areas.

Just this morning I received video links to the two pastors in L'viv whom we have helped through "Mo". Please take time to watch them. I am also including the links to a couple videos from Joel and Ira (see above) and their work. I hope you don't mind, but I want you to see some practical examples of the enormous needs that exist in Ukraine -- needs that will continue for a very long time.
    1. God's Design Church in L'viv -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA2GXU_rijs
        You might be able to access some church photos at https://www.facebook.com/groups/UpchurchesOnMission/permalink/5985606314799680/
    2. Second Church in L'viv -- https://www.facebook.com/messenger_media?thread_id=1749430534&attachment_id=1132707220630703&message_id=mid.%24cAAAAAEAgSQiG4DQU3GAru3MsEOZ7
    3. Joel and Ira providing supplies for Ira's brother -- https://www.facebook.com/UkraineGlobalAid/videos/1246735349489519
    4. Joel and Ira regarding most current need -- https://www.facebook.com/irena.savochka/videos/1135831160549666/

You have no idea just how blessed Jo Ann and I are to be able to help as people give to our "Ukraine Ministry" fund. We're really happy that in 1980 we decided to form Life Unlimited Ministries as 501.c.3 ministry. We will continue to give as long as God provides the resources and enables us to bear the burden of seeing Ukraine ravaged and our friends suffering.

In the meantime, take a look at . . . .

THIS 'N' THAT:

+ Showing True Colors: Here's an interesting op-ed from Family Research Council on the Senate's attempt to nationalize Roe v. Wade. Never has the Democratic Party moved to such extreme positions as now. It's certainly not the wise and thoughtful party of 30 years ago. Go to https://www.frc.org/updatearticle/20220511/beyond-roe.

+ Is Russia on the Verge of Losing: From a purely "ordinary citizen" perspective, it seems to me that Putin has made three major errors in his invasion into the free democratic country of Ukraine. First, he overestimated the readiness of his own army, both personnel, leadership, and equipment. Second, he underestimated the capabilities of Ukraine's modernized and well trained military. Finally, in light of those two factors, his third mistake was to spread himself dangerously too thin. The following link gives you a sweeping overview of the war as of May 11th.

It looks like the first significant setback -- besides losing twelve generals and two navy flagships -- is taking place as Ukrainian forces are forcing Russian troops back toward the Russian border in the northeastern front around Kharkiv. At this writing, Ukrainian troops have pushed Russian forces back to less than five miles from the border. See the details at https://euromaidanpress.com/2022/05/11/ukrainian-troops-advanced-to-within-10-km-of-the-russian-border/. A more specific report can be found at https://www.foxnews.com/world/russia-current-phase-invasion-cut-losses-kherson-referendum.

+ Disney's Downward Demise: You and I probably grew up loving Disneyland, Disney World, and all those great movies. Not so much anymore. For the past 20 years the moral fabric that made Disney "Disney" has become tattered, torn, and rotten. Disney World's recent refusal to abide by Florida's new sexuality and children law. And, in some ways, it not only stripped them of their special tax privileges and self-governing status, but Florida's action has been like an explosion on Wall Street and among major corporations. Disney's demise seems to have had a domino effect -- like a "shot across the bow" to other corporations. Read about it at https://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA22E25&f=WU22E08.

+ What's Ahead For Two Extremely Liberal States: Regardless of what happens with Roe V. Wade, both California and Maryland are set to enact some of the most liberal and heinous pro-abortion laws in America where a baby born alive could be killed up to 28 days after it had been born. Read the specifics at https://www.charismanews.com/politics/opinion/88967-child-sacrifice-california-and-maryland-lead-the-way-to-the-unthinkable.

ROE V. WADE DEMISE:

A familiar phrase by the Psalmist comes to mind throughout all of this -- "Why are you cast down, O, my soul???" It is used only three times in all of the 150 Psalms (42:5; 42:11; and 43:5), and it means the identical thing in all three occasions. The NASB used the phrase, "in despair". So maybe that KJV verse coming out of my memory bank from those early years when my mother taught me scripture doesn't quite describe my frequent state of burden, but it seems to be very close.

The Hebrew word is shâchach, pronounced "shaw-khakh'". It means either reflexively or causatively "to sink or depress, to bend, bow (down), bring (cast) down, couch, humble self, be low, stoop." It is not my intent to dig into those passages, but to point out a condition of the soul that can easily overtake the believer. The phrase itself in these texts is actually cradled between two profound principles -- 1) a craving for God ,and 2) a confidence in God. For example, the two occasions in Psalm 42 are preceded by a craving described like this: . . .

1. "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. 2. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? 3. My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, 'Where is your God?' 4. These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival." (Ps 42:1-4).

The Psalm 43 passage is a bit more dramatic, reading, . . .

"Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! 2. For You are the God of my strength; why have You rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3. O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places. 4. Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God." (Ps 43:1-4).

In both cases the awareness of needing God's presence and action is clear. However, in all three verses, that question, -- "Why are you in despair, O my soul?", -- is answered by the same person who asked it -- and with the same solution: . . .

"Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence." (42:5). "Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God." (42:11). "Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God." (43:5).

So, it seems to me that the Psalmist in all three occasions is puzzled about his sense of despondency, curious about and perhaps even concerned about what it is that has caused such a condition. He acknowledges his need for God's presence, but still seems puzzled as to why he feels so "down" over the circumstances surrounding him. Yet, he still remains clear minded enough to recognize that he must put his hope and confidence in God -- not only for how he feels, but also for what he faces.

Recognizing that inner stirring that constantly cries out to God, even in the midst of difficult circumstances, he still asks the question. Perhaps it's actually a rhetorical question -- or perhaps it's a question coming out of confusion and puzzlement -- "Since God's presence is my hearts desire and He alone can deliver me, why, then, do I feel the way I feel???"

Whatever the nature of the question may be -- rhetorical or real -- the answer is the same -- "Hey, soul! Put your confident expectation in God, and He will lift your spirits!!!"

So, in a way, that's where I find myself often these days. Jo Ann and I are experiencing, I suppose, something of that "empty nest" syndrome what with our winter ministry having concluded and our Summer ministry still several weeks away from its start in a few weeks. We are indescribably burdened and concerned -- and angry, too -- over what is happening to Ukraine and the many dear friends we have there. We are burdened over the funds that we need so urgently to help provide aid to many of our friends there. We are appalled over the recent developments surrounding the Roe v. Wade ruling that SCOTUS is set to hand down. And, we are simultaneously angered and yet heartbroken over the glaring and blinding ignorance of the law and calloused disregard for human life.

It is, indeed, "enough to make you mad and sad at the same time!"

So, today I want to begin a series under the title, "What's Behind It All?", and deal specifically with the SCOTUS ruling that will officially be released sometime between now and probably no later than July. Think about it for a moment, my friend -- why in the world are people in such an uproar over this abortion issue??? -- at least those who are pro-abortion???

There has to be a reason behind why Roe v. Wade was ruled the way it was in 1973 in the first place. There has to be a reason why somebody within the SCOTUS closed network took upon themselves the unconscionable act of leaking that draft ruling. I can think of there being only a political reason. There has to be a reason why pro-abortionists are so upset with what they assume the ruling will be. There has to be a reason why demonstrators have the gall to violate federal law and demonstrate in front of justices' homes. There has to be a reason why President Biden and Attorney General Garland are not enforcing the law that is on the books and arresting demonstrators. There has to be a reason why SCOTUS is even considering overturning Roe v. Wade.

Sadly, almost nobody wants to take the time to objectively examine those varied reasons. And, maybe there has to be a reason for that, as well. Obviously I don't want to go back and rehash something I've written about extensively in the past -- particularly if I addressed it in recent months as I did the issue of abortion last Fall. Writing the series, "The Folly of Forgetting God", I took eight weeks dealing with the issue of abortion. If you happened to miss them or you want to go back and refresh your memory on what I wrote, here are the links to that series.

    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1397read.html -- Abortion Starts With Disobedience; ancient records of child sacrifice, abortion's twin.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1398read.html -- Five Reasons Abortion is wrong; Facts about When Life Begins; How abortion violates biblical truth.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1399read.html -- The real facts about abortion and Roe v. Wade.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1400read.html -- Founding Fathers & documents on abortion; liberal views on Roe v. Wade.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1401read.html -- Famous people who were NOT aborted; founding fathers' view of abortion.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1402read.html -- Testimonies from some who had abortions and some who performed them.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1403read.html -- Testimonies of some who had abortions, some who performed them, and Margaret Sanger.
    https://welovegod.org/groups/shoulders/0::1404read.html -- The origin of life, why it is sacred, and biblical principles for having children instead of aborting them.

SOME FACTS ABOUT ROE V. WADE WORTH KNOWING:

Several things about the Roe v. Wade SCOTUS purported ruling that most liberals are either woefully under-educated or extremely biased and simply refuse to acknowledge the truth.

1. Roe v. Wade is NOT "the law of the land"; it's not even a law. It is a precedent. Congress has never made it into a law. Our judiciary, no matter what level, cannot make law -- it can only rule on its constitutionality. You simply cannot rule on a law that does not exist. Without a law, any ruling would be hypothetical. Thus, SCOTUS should have never ruled on it in the first place.

2. IF the leak proves to be the actual ruling, the ruling itself will NOT outlaw abortion at all. Abortions will still be carried out in almost every state. It doesn't even address the legality of abortion at all. It simply states that Roe v. Wade has no constitutional grounds which, then, reverts the issue back to the individual states for state legislatures to enact laws according to what they feel is best for their respective states.

3. Abortion is NOT a constitutional right. It never has been. There is not a single place in the Constitution where having an abortion is guaranteed as a right. In fact, just the opposite is true. There are three basic rights noted in the Declaration of Independence, and protected in the Constitution -- "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". Our constitutional rights are found in the Bill of Rights as indicated in the Constitution's first ten amendments. Abortion is not in the list. Regardless of one's opinion on abortion, it is not a constitutional right. It may be preferred by some, but it is not a constitutional right.

4. The 14th Amendment does NOT provide legal grounds to make abortion a constitutional right. Even the "right to privacy" is not a constitutional right, no matter how appropriate and desired it might be. You cannot apply it in one case and not in the other, because both cases pertain to the rights of a particular individual -- the mother, or the baby. If one is to use the "equal protection under the law" argument for protecting a woman's "right to privacy", then the same must be applied to the unborn child -- if not from the moment of conception or at the first sign of a heartbeat, then at least at the moment of viability.

5. Roe v. Wade should NOT have been presented to SCOTUS in the first place because there was no valid legal ground for it to begin with. Almost all of the legal analysts who are constitutional scholars agree that SCOTUS should not have even considered taking up the case in the first place.

6. SCOTUS does NOT pass laws. It rules on the constitutionality of existing laws. Since Roe v. Wade is not a law, it should not have gone to SCOTUS at all.

7. Congress has NEVER addressed the abortion issue and passed any kind of law about abortions. If it had, then SCOTUS would have had the right and authority to address the matter. Since it was never a law to begin with, SCOTUS addressed the constitutionality of Roe v. Wade, NOT abortion itself.

8. Since the Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973, major legal authorities -- including law professors and even several law clerks of liberal justices overwhelmingly agreed that the ruling was without legal grounds, was flawed, and was wrong. Before I close today, let me share with you the thoughts of some of those who felt Roe V. Wade was wrong and a perversion of the law from the very beginning.

LIBERALS' VIEWS ON ROE V. WADE:

Last November, as I wrote the series noted above, I was stunned over some interesting quotes I found on one website, http://www.Illinoisfamily.org. It had what seemed to be an endless list of quotes entitled, "Some Leftist Thoughts By Leftists About Roe v. Wade".

I could hardly believe what I was reading -- not because of what was being said (almost all quotes were what I have been convinced of for many years), but because of who said them -- outright liberals and those who worked for liberals. I simply must share some of them with you. These are worth reading, if for no other reason than amazement and shock. So, enjoy!

> “[A]s a matter of constitutional interpretation, even most liberal jurisprudes — if you administer truth serum—will tell you it is basically indefensible." -- Edward Lazarus, (former clerk to SCOTUS Justice Harry Blackmun).

> "One of the most curious things about Roe is that, behind its own verbal smokescreen, the substantive judgment on which it rests is nowhere to be found.” -- Laurence Tribe, (Harvard Law School professor, constitutional law scholar, co-founder of the American Constitution Society.).

> “Blackmun’s [Supreme Court] papers vindicate every indictment of Roe: invention, overreach, arbitrariness, textual indifference” -- William Saletan, Slate magazine writer specializing in abortion and contraception).

> “As a matter of constitutional interpretation and judicial method, Roe borders on the indefensible. I say this as someone utterly committed to the right to choose.” -- Edward Lazarus, (former clerk to SCOTUS Justice Harry Blackmun).

> "[Roe] is not constitutional law and gives almost no sense of an obligation to try to be…. What is frightening about Roe is that this super-protected right is not inferable from the language of the U.S. Constitution, the framers’ thinking respecting the specific problem in issue, any general value derivable from the provisions they included, or the nation’s governmental structure. Nor is it explainable in terms of the unusual political impotence of the group judicially protected vis-à-vis the interest that legislatively prevailed over it.… At times the inferences the Court has drawn from the values the Constitution marks for special protection have been controversial, even shaky, but never before has its sense of an obligation to draw one been so obviously lacking.” -- John Hart Ely, (law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren).

> "[Roe] is a lousy opinion that disenfranchised millions of conservatives on an issue about which they care deeply.” -- Benjamin Wittes, (legal journalist and Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, Research Director in Public Law).

> "What, exactly, is the problem with Roe? The problem, I believe, is that it has little connection to the Constitutional right it purportedly interpreted. A constitutional right to privacy broad enough to include abortion has no meaningful foundation in constitutional text, history, or precedent—at least, it does not if those sources are fairly described and reasonably faithfully followed.” -- Edward Lazarus, (former clerk to SCOTUS Justice Harry Blackmun).

> “[T]he very basis of the Roe v. Wade decision—the one that grounds abortion rights in the Constitution—strikes many people now as faintly ridiculous. Whatever abortion may be, it cannot simply be a matter of privacy…. As a layman, it’s hard for me to raise profound constitutional objections to the decision. But it is not hard to say it confounds our common-sense understanding of what privacy is. If a Supreme Court ruling is going to affect so many people then it ought to rest on perfectly clear logic and up-to-date science. Roe, with its reliance on trimesters and viability, has a musty feel to it, and its argument about privacy raises more questions than it answers…. “[Roe] is a Supreme Court decision whose reasoning has not held up. It seems more fiat than argument…. Still, a bad decision is a bad decision. If the best we can say for it is that the end justifies the means, then we have not only lost the argument—but a bit of our soul as well” -- Richard Cohen, (Washington Post syndicated columnist, co-founder of Positive Approaches to Healthy Sexuality (PATH), and the past director of the International Healing Foundation).

> “Judges have no special competence, qualifications, or mandate to decide between equally compelling moral claims (as in the abortion controversy) …. [C]lear governing constitutional principles… are not present” -- Alan Dershowitz, (former Harvard Law School professor in U.S. constitutional law and American criminal law, the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law since 1993).

> “In short, 30 years later, it seems increasingly clear that this pro-choice magazine was correct in 1973 when it criticized Roe on constitutional grounds. Its overturning would be the best thing that could happen to the federal judiciary, the pro-choice movement, and the moderate majority of the American people…. Thirty years after Roe, the finest constitutional minds in the country still have not been able to produce a constitutional justification for striking down restrictions on early-term abortions that is substantially more convincing than Justice Harry Blackmun’s famously artless opinion itself. As a result, the pro-choice majority asks nominees to swear allegiance to the decision without being able to identify an intelligible principle to support it” -- Jeffrey Rosen, (George Washington University Law School professor, former clerk to Judge Abner Mikva, former United States deputy Attorney General, and acting United States Attorney General).

> “Liberal judicial activism peaked with Roe v. Wade, the 1973 abortion decision…. Although I am pro-choice, I was taught in law school, and still believe, that Roe v. Wade is a muddle of bad reasoning and an authentic example of judicial overreaching” -- Michael Kinsley, (attorney, political journalist, former editor of "New Republic" and "Harper's", former co-host of CNN's Crossfire, former managing editor of Washington Monthly, editorial editor of New York Times, founder of online magazine Slate).

> “[I]t is time to admit in public that, as an example of the practice of constitutional opinion writing, Roe is a serious disappointment. You will be hard-pressed to find a constitutional law professor, even among those who support the idea of constitutional protection for the right to choose, who will embrace the opinion itself rather than the result. This is not surprising. As constitutional argument, Roe is barely coherent. The court pulled its fundamental right to choose more or less from the constitutional ether. It supported that right via a lengthy, but purposeless, cross-cultural historical review of abortion restrictions and a tidy but irrelevant refutation of the straw-man argument that a fetus is a constitutional ‘person’ entitled [sic] to the protection of the 14th Amendment…. By declaring an inviolable fundamental right to abortion, Roe short-circuited the democratic deliberation that is the most reliable method of deciding questions of competing values” -- Kermit Roosevelt, (University of Pennsylvania Law School professor, author, public speaker).

> “The failure to confront the issue in principled terms leaves the opinion to read like a set of hospital rules and regulations…. Neither historian, nor layman, nor lawyer will be persuaded that all the prescriptions of Justice Blackmun are part of the Constitution” -- Archibald Cox, (JFK’s Solicitor General, former Harvard Law School professor).

FINALLY:

In light of these facts, what is it that drives the abortion industry? I cover this in more detail in those earlier "Shoulders" letters, the links of which I noted earlier. But, to summarize, . . .

+ Money: -- When it comes to Planned Parenthood and many abortionists, it's all about Money. We've seen the news media video clips and have heard with our own ears how selling baby parts is a major money raiser for doctors, plant parenthood, and body parts sellers. It doesn't help that you and I often have to add our tax dollars to Planned Parenthood's enormous profit margin.

+ Power: -- In the world of politics, abortion has much to do with power. If you will note the election of certain members of Congress, along with their voting records, you will often see a glaring link between their desire for or status of power and their support of abortion. This is particularly true among very liberal members of Congress. If they think it will get them votes, will please their wealthy constituents, and advance their position, they will vote in defense of killing babies through the abortion industry.

+ Personal Comfort: -- When you look at the ones having an abortion, it again is often either economically or power driven. Some mother feels she can't financially afford another baby, or it will impact her job hours, or perhaps a potential advancement or increased pay. So, the comforts of improved economics becomes more important than the life of an unborn child. In the same way, sometimes having a baby may restrict the freedom a mother or father wants, so in order to maintain the freedom, the baby must go.

+ Faith and Trust: -- This is particularly true for those who are professing Christians. Why is it that some Christians can claim to trust God for their needs, but cannot trust Him with a potential health crisis during pregnancy or at childbirth, or they cannot trust God to meet their material needs that will increase with another mouth to feed, or they cannot trust Him to protect them from criticism or guide them through an adoption process? It seems that an unexpected or unplanned pregnancy is beyond God's reach.

+ Satan: -- All of the above, of course, are built on Satan's lies and his ability to deceive. He has never gotten over the fact that God gave to mankind certain rights, power, and authority that had at one time belonged to him. He has never gotten over the fact that the family unit is the most precious thing to God that He had ever created. He has never gotten over the idea that it was the birth of that special baby that led to his own downfall and defeat. He also knows that, if he can entice a family or a potential mother to kill her own baby, it is a direct assault against the Kingdom of God.

I sometimes wonder how America is going to settle the account with God over the 63+ million babies murdered since the great fiasco of Roe V. Wade. Will there ever even be a national acknowledgement of this grave sin? When God settle the account with us, how will it be settled? What tragedies and hardships have we already suffered because of Roe V. Wade? Chances are, we'll probably never know.

We, however, can perhaps have an opportunity for repentance if indeed the leaked SCOTUS ruling turns out to be true. If it is true, then the task must be addressed by the individual states. That makes it much more personal. That means citizens -- including Christian citizens -- will be saddled with the responsibility of electing righteous representatives who will pass righteous laws.

Roe V. Wade is no small thing. It never has been. It appears to me that God is pulling out the ledger and about to lay it on the table to tally it up. Repentance is in order.

(And don't forget to pray for the people in Ukraine!)

In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,

Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11

"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)

"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy

Life Unlimited Ministries
LUMglobal
lifeunlimited@pobox.com

"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill

"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon

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