A MUST READ-- or Sermon opener

[Duane]

Volume III Number 15-December 15, 2011
   
Pam's Story

In a recent email, I read about a woman named Pam, who knows the pain of considering abortion. More than 24 years ago, she and her husband Bob were serving as missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink. She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they discovered she was pregnant.

Doctors urged her to abort the baby for her own safety and told her that the medicines had caused irreversible damage to her baby. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted. Pam said the doctors didn't think of it as a life, they thought of it as a mass of fetal tissue.

While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times but refused to consider abortion. She recalled making a pledge to God with her husband: If you will give us a son, we'll name him Timothy and we'll make him a preacher.

Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy August 14, 1987. Pam's youngest son is indeed a preacher. He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves with his father's ministry in the Philippines. He also plays football. Pam's son is Tim Tebow.

The University of Florida's star quarterback became the first sophomore in history to win college football's highest award, the Heisman Trophy. His current role as quarterback of the Denver Broncos has provided an incredible platform for Christian witness. As a result, he is being called The Mile-High Messiah.

Tim's notoriety and the family's inspiring story have given Pam numerous opportunities to speak on behalf of women's centers across the country. Pam Tebow believes that every little baby you save matters. I pray her tribe will increase!

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always!

https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/569145/f62a8b33a30c0634c571a83fa7f65808/image/png

Dr. Gerald B. (Jerry) Kieschnick
President Emeritus, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Presidential Ambassador for Mission Advancement, Concordia University Texas
   

[Duane]

John--did you forget to take the spoon out of your coffee cup and poke yourself in the eye??
It was like a Paul Harvey story!  :-)

[Mbongiseni]

What a story!
I wish all mothers-to-be do read it.

[Kat]

A point to think about is that Tim Tebow was not 'almost' aborted, his mother did choose to keep the pregnancy as it was in God's plan for her to do. So when something is in God's plan to happen, there is no way that it cannot happen. Just like it is in God's plan for all those precious little babies that are aborted to not be born. In other words Tim's mom really didn't save him. All glory goes to God.

What I am saying is that's why we should not judge anyone, as it is just not for us to say what is to be or not.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[onelovedread]

Amen to that Kat. True dat

[Duane]

John---Aren't we SUPPOSED to LOVE everyone ESPECIALLY our "brothers and sisters" in the Lord???
I could more understand your "loathing" Michael Vick for abusing animals for sport and profit.
John --lets see a HAPPY face.  I KNOW you can do it--I've talked to you many times before and even tho we are both "ol' timers" we can still fake happiness--between our trips to the bathroom!  ;-)

[DougE6]

Posted by: Kat
« on: Yesterday at 08:47:40 AM »

A point to think about is that Tim Tebow was not 'almost' aborted, his mother did choose to keep the pregnancy as it was in God's plan for her to do. So when something is in God's plan to happen, there is no way that it cannot happen. Just like it is in God's plan for all those precious little babies that are aborted to not be born. In other words Tim's mom really didn't save him. All glory goes to God.

Very true, Kat, but I would like to add THAT the struggle, the faith, the effort, in all these works, ARE required.  Just because it was a lock that Gods plan was to go through, all the DEEP emotions, the prayers, DIFFICULT decisions, the challenge, the struggle required to accomplish this plan is still required of us.  For this struggle, this faith, this praying, all the energy and effort done in faith believing; this we WILL be rewarded for, if done in love.  Just because God plans HAVE to go forward doesn't change one iota that we are called to participate and strive and struggle and have faith ALWAYS;  even if the answer we desire doesn't come forth.  Can anyone be refined by God without giving deeply of their blood sweat and tears? I would say NO. And the scriptures testify to that.

That is why I like this story, Duane. Thank you for providing it.  Would everyone that thinks they have greater knowledge and greater wisdom and serving the correct Lord give of themselves in such complete ways. We will leave it to God to either proclaim.."well done my good and faithful servant" or "enter into the joy of the Lord as you visited me when I was in prison, in sickness etc; or if contrawise, sadly, "Depart from me I never knew you."

As far as I am concerned, it is not my greater knowledge that is important, it is whether I have the love of God. To have the knowledge and understanding of all mysteries, but not enough love to do what Tebow does? God forbid, my judgement awaits. For whom much is given, much is required.  I wonder how God is going to weigh that out, in the end.  I will leave it up to Him. Can anyone be so sure anyones' motives (Tebows) are not motivated by love? Love from God?

I won't go there. But this only speaking for myself. At face value, I think his parents did a wonderful and godly thing.

[Kat]

That's right Doug we all have to go through this life's struggles, whatever they make be, that develop us into the unique person we are. So yes all these things that happen in this world are required to build character traits, good one to keep, bad ones to be burnned out. I think in the mist of 'life,' people doing this and that, sometimes we forget it all comes down to all glory goes to God 

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[onelovedread]

Just a quick question DougE6. Did you come to think this way through your own efforts or did God put this desire in you?

[DougE6]

Hi Onelovedread,

quick answer (if that is possible with me) LOL

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God put the desire in me, by His grace.

[onelovedread]

I don't understand.  Your earlier post to Kat seems incongruous with this last response.
Maybe I need to read it again.

[DougE6]

Hi Onelovedread

I hate using myself as an example, talking in the third person is always best. But just for the sake of clarity, here goes...

I DESIRE to have all my sinful habits and longings to DIE
I DESIRE to please God in my thoughts, heart and actions
I DESIRE to to do good works, WHICH IS the VERY POINT OF BEING HIS WORKMANSHIP...to do good works that God has ordained that we are to walk in

THESE DESIRES ARE NOT OF MY CARNAL SELF, THEY ARE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND CAUSED BY HIM.

Do these good works take effort? Of COURSE!!!  Does resisting the flshly pulls of this body take effort!! OF COURSE!! Why else should we put on the full armor of God?  We put on the full armor of God because we are being called to do BATTLE. tHIS life is serious business. Attaining the First resurrection is a VERY HIGH honor and the goal of our faith.  Even though God is doing the work, do not think your blood sweat and tears not are required. They are. Your full participation, your full heart and effort is required.

If one thinks that the Sovereignity of God means that we don't have to do our best, that we can just exercise our every carnal impulse until God changes us, that we do not have to DO good works...well, I likewise do not understand that line of thinking at all.  As i get closer to God I become more aware of my sinfulness, my DESIRE to resist sin and my HATRED of it grows. I am completely AWARE that this life changing power in me is not of myself. It is POWERFUL, it is LIFE changing, IT CAUSES ME to weep at my sinfulness, it causes me to want to do good, to help others, to do and fulfill the good works that Jesus intends to do through me.

If I did not feel this change, if I was not convicted of my sinfulness, if I was content to not press on, I would believe I am NOT called to be part of the kingdom of God. I would be very very crushed. I want to be different! I want to love righteousness even MORE than I do now. I want to be pure in heart and mind and action, and I know all of this is impossible in my own strength, but with GOD, ALL THINGS are possible.