We need to pray for our nation.  We need to pray for God to watch over us.  We need to ask God to give our national leaders some good sense and wisdom.  And, we need to look to God for our strength.  Also, in November, we need to remember who it was that tried to lead our country into socialism and bankruptcy.   At the next Presidential election, we all need to remember who it was that caused our nation to take such a drastic step in the wrong direction.  We need to remember who these people were who wanted our tax dollars to fund abortions.  We need to remember the ones who wanted our country to make this big change in direction towards socialism, and higher taxes, and more government control over our lives.  I will remember.  Will you?

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Below are links to the items we discussed during the podcast:

Manhattan Declaration

Georgia Baptist Convention action

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Below are some links to the items we discussed in this episode. See you next week on the podcast.

• Trevin Wax’s blog discussion with Romanian Baptist leaders
• Oklahoma’s ultrasound law struck down
• Tornado warnings
• Richard Dawkins equating evolution skeptics with holocaust deniers
• Southwestern prof resigns to retain membership in Broadway Baptist Church
• National health care as moral concern

While civil rights took a big jump forward on election day, it also took a greater jump backwards concerning the rights of the unborn. On inaugural day, executive orders that helped protect unborn children around the world will be reversed by our newly elected president. Federal money will be allowed to flow to abortion mills around the world.

I find it disturbing that someone who had previously said that defining when human life begins was “above my pay grade” has now reached the pay grade that allows him to define it much later for millions of innocent babies who will be slaughtered. Knowing that God will judge us all, wouldn’t it be better to be on the safe side and give the benefit of the doubt on behalf of the unborn?

This is truly a dark time for unborn who cannot speak for themselves. Federal and Supreme Court positions will be open and President-Elect Obama will choose people who are pro-abortion to fill those positions. Because of this, I will leave you with the wise words of CB Scott that reflect what my heart is feeling:

Therefore, I challenge all men and women who call themselves followers of Christ to pray with me that President-elect Obama turns from this wickedness and abomination and that he seeks the face of God as he leads this nation. Abortion is our national sin. May God change the heart of Barack Obama even before he becomes President Obama of the United States.

My celebrations have ceased, now is the time for all Christians to heed the words of CB and pray for those who are being denied the right to life.

Since I had the privilege of preaching in the chapel at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary on October 7, 2008 I have received many emails and phone calls from students, faculty, and others outside the seminary offering both appreciation and concern over what I said during my exposition of Psalm 127. The response has allowed me the opportunity to elaborate on my views and sharpen my position by hearing those who disagree. In fact today I spoke with a reporter from the Associated Press on the subject. You can view the AP article here.

For the sake of clarifying further both what I said and what I believe, I have provided the following few paragraphs. Also, you may view the sermon in its entirety here.

During the exposition of Psalm 127 approximately a 6 minute segment discussed some of my personal decisions regarding birth control and my support of life as a gift from God. I could not address every issue and left many questions intentionally unanswered including the appropriate size of each person’s family.

To clarify, I do not believe all birth control is murder. I do believe that human life begins at the moment of conception. I am opposed to abortifacients which prevent the progression or continuation of life. The third function of most birth control pills prevents a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall and this function is what I referred to as murder. I am opposed to abortion, the morning after pill, and the third function of most birth control pills.  This is part of what I attempted to communicate in my sermon.

We live in a society which largely feels that children are a burden but the Bible tells us that children are a blessing. We live in a society which largely feels that children will make a rich man poor, but the Bible tells us that children will make a poor man rich.

I don’t speak for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary on this matter but my view is consistent with the confessional statement of the institution. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 article 15 titled “The Christian and the Social Order” states, “We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death.”

Here are some websites that you may refer to for more information on the birth control pill. I do not endorse everything on these websites, but they will help you begin researching the issue for yourself.

• http://www.epm.org/artman2/publish/prolife_birth_control_pill/Birth_Control_Pill_Abortifacient_and_Contraceptive.shtml
• http://www.prolife.com/BIRTHCNT.html
• http://www.gateway.org/content/pdf/Combo%20and%20Mini%20BC%20Pills.PDF

http://www.orthoevra.com/orthoevra/about_how.html#how

We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death.

I have seen Southern Baptists use this statement as an argument against capital punishment (see here and here), and I have seen Southern Baptists characterize the argument that life begins at conception as “moralistic and quaint” (here).

But I have never read a more poignant, hope-giving treatment of this subject than this letter from a husband to his grieving wife after the death of their unborn child.