GO UPSTREAMOnce upon a time, there was a town where a teenager was found drowned in the nearby river. Of course this caused a lot of grief in the close-knit community. Counselors were dispatched, the school was closed. and virtually everyone turned out for the funeral. As people were leaving the cemetery, which was situated near the river, suddenly someone cried out, "There are two in the river; quick, get help!"
With so many people nearby, quickly a few EMS personnel jumped in and pulled the two out. They were also teens and with some timely CPR, both were revived. Unfortunately, they each suffered some loss of brain function. Within the next two weeks, twelve more teens were found floating in the river. Early on a 24/7 watch had been posted along the river so that 11 of the 12 were pulled out in time to prevent death. "What is going on?" was the question on everyone's mind.
At town meetings many proposals came forth, ranging from posting "No Swimming" signs to forming a commission to study the problem, to testing the water and the lunch menu at the high school, to applying for a federal grant for more sophisticated rescue equipment. Finally, one man posed the question that stopped everyone in their tracks. "Why don't we go upstream and and see what is pushing these kids in the water."
40 Days for Life just finished. Over 500 babies were spared gruesome torture and murder at the hands of the abortionists and their mothers were spared a lifetime of sorrow. One Planned Parenthood director in Texas quit her job and had a profound conversion to Christ after seeing an ultrasound. Praise God! At the same time a last minute effort is being waged by a Pro-Life confederation called "Stop the Abortion Mandate" calling for people to contact their congressmen this week. The radical Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, is doing all she can to stop even a vote on the Stupak-Hipps amendment to HB 3962. This amendment would prohibit federal funding for abortion in any health care reform. Because of a complicated scheme in the House, what is needed is a NO vote on the Rule.
I applaud all of these efforts, and i have participated in all of them. At the same time, I equate this activity to pulling kids out of the river. The church needs to go upstream and vigorously support the truth of God's Word. This has to be done by our actions as well as our words. Less passive entertainment; diligence to discern the spirit of the world operating in education, media, and even in some church activities. The gospel must be preached in word and deed, seriously, consistently, continuously. When we do that, the Holy Spirit is free to change hearts - upstream.
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