The Spirit of God is awakening the Church to the cry of the orphan. So, who is the orphan? The word 'orphan' might conjure up for you an image of a child in a third world country. Perhaps some think of a child in the U.S. Foster Care system. Still others enlarge the definition to include the baby being knit together in the womb of a woman experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Whatever you envision an orphan to be the Scriptures are clear: "This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." James 1:27 (NASB)
Act of Life wants you to be aware of a one-of-a-kind upcoming event in Houston. Come participate. Hear what God is doing in the United States and across the world. Worship, be inspired, and explore how the Lord might want to use you to care for the orphans in this world. We hope to see you there!
Working and serving together,
Julie
Announcement:
Legacy685 - Adoption & Orphan Care Ministry of Houston's First Baptist Church is hosting a special event on November 8 - Orphan Sunday from 4:00 to 6:00 pm in the chapel. Join voices with Steven Curtis Chapman, Jim Daly, and Dennis Rainey to reach the nation with God’s call to care for orphans. Through excellent music and the sharing of the heart of God, we hope to give a megaphone to the cries of the millions of orphans around the world. Other guests include Geoff Moore and the Children of the World Choir.
The concert will be broadcast LIVE via webcast and satellite. The broadcast will be a mixture of both musical performance and the sharing of the heart of God, and it will be appropriate for all audiences.
Where: Houston's First Baptist Church - 7401 Katy Freeway, at the corner of I-10 and 610 Loop West. Room: The Chapel - located near the worship center.
When: November 8, 2009 - Sunday Time: 4:00 pm - 6:20 pm
Refreshments and light snacks will be served.There will be a very brief time of testimony during the concert. For directions, questions or to RSVP contact Steve & Mary Klein at 281-246-9904 or email them at kleinfam6@entouch.net
Friday, October 9, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Abortion & Adoption, In The Spiritual Realm
The Senior Pastor at my church, Sagemont Church in Houston, never fails to amaze me with his insight into the things of this world that have a direct correlation with things in the spiritual realm. Dr. John Morgan, or Brother John, as he is also known, this past Sunday morning shared with the congregation how he had come to a realization in the previous days about how abortion in the physical - the cutting short of a physical life - is the same as abortion in the spiritual. "How so?", you might ask. I will use my own words to describe my understanding of Brother John's thesis.
In the same way that a physical life can be sadly cut short in the womb through abortion, and oh how we mourn that loss, so too can a spiritual life be aborted. When we introduce people to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are a conduit for the Holy Spirit to inject them with spiritual life support. Not that God needs us to do that, but it is perfectly clear in His word that we are to: "19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,even to the end of the age.” Amen." Matthew 28: 19-20.
When we see those who are spiritually lost, and we are not active in the Great Commission to bring others to Jesus Christ, do we mourn that loss in the same way we mourn for the aborted baby in the womb?
We could also use the same analogy for those who are new believers. As Christians, sometimes we do not have the patience and/or perseverance to continue on a path alongside baby Christians. Therefore, they may not grow spiritually, and may never develop into the mature Christian that he has the potential to be. That spiritual life has been stunted. We do know that all Christians, regardless of maturity, have a place in the Kingdom. It is a much debated topic - once saved always saved - but is quite elementary. Scripture says in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." My emphasis added. Whosoever, which is all Christians, not just those who read the bible every day, taught Sunday School, attended seminary and brought hundreds to salvation. Of course, there are our crowns at the Bema Seat of Christ, but that's another study all by itself.
So, what about adoption in the spiritual? Anyone who has attended an Act of Life Adoption Workshop or Primer will have heard myself or Julie talk about how adoption of a child into a new physical family is the same as when we are saved: we are adopted into God's forever family: "... He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ", Ephesians 1:5. Through physical and spiritual adoption alike, a person is given a new life.
Isn't that incredible that God gave us tangible analogies of life and death in the physical to help us understand life and death in the spiritual? He knows how our hearts break for every baby that is aborted, who could have potentially been adopted into the loving arms of a new family. As an adoption educator, I know how hard it is to help people understand that adoption into a physical family is a loving parenting choice that saves lives and creates families. Perhaps now we can understand how our heavenly Father's heart breaks for every spiritual life that is aborted, by not being adopted into His spiritual family.
Grateful for His continuous revelation,
Lynda
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