Today's verse

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

Psalm 4:5 (KJV)

Marvel at God's creation

Today's verse

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.

John 10:28-30 (KJV)

About the light blogging recently...

I usually try to write at least one post every day, just a Bible verse, so that anyone who comes by will at least hear the Word of the Lord.

Part of the reason about my not doing even that small step has been my work schedule. No, that is not a valid excuse. My Savior laid down His life for me, yet I cannot take a few minutes to praise Him? Pretty lame!

But a larger reason - much larger - for my recent blackout has been a picture I came across not too long ago.

The picture is not graphic at all, yet it speaks of horror and blind terror. There is no blood in the picture, yet it is a silent testimony to the bloodshed by slaughtered innocents. The picture is both prosaic and evil.

The picture, which can be found here, is a picture of some empty seats. Seats reserved for the media at the trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell. Seats that are empty because those who fancy themselves protectors of the innocent and downtrodden are in fact uninterested in anything that threatens their worldview. Many times in the last two weeks I have started to write something about Dr. Gosnell. Started - and stopped. Stopped because of the descriptions of the torture and murder of babies seemed to be something straight out of Nazi Germany. Live newborns fighting for life before having their necks cruelly severed. Babies tossed in the toilet and left to struggle while they drown in urine.

Kareema Cross, a “medical assistant” who worked at Gosnell’s Women’s Medical Society clinic for four-and-a-half years, testified in a Philadelphia court today, telling of the horrors of babies who survived abortions only to have their necks snipped with scissors.

“Did you ever see those babies move?” asked Prosecutor Joanne Pescatore.

“Yes, once in the toilet,” said Cross.

The baby “was like swimming,” she said. “Basically, trying to get out.”

Many self-styled pro-choice individuals have been horrified by Dr. Gosnell's private Auschwitz. All well and good, but have they ever stopped to consider what really goes on inside a "safe" abortion clinic? The torture, mutilation and murder of newborns that happened right in front of Dr. Gosnell's queasy aides goes on every day inside a typical average abortion clinics, conveniently hidden inside a womb. Does the fact that you can't see a newborn feebly struggle or hear it when it cries in agony really make abortion somehow ... ok?

That is why the picture of the empty seats at Gosnell's trial had such a profound influence on me. Just as there are those who believe that if they cannot see the violent deaths of others or hear their screams of pain then it somehow did not really happen, the media believe that if they ignore the trial it will somehow mean the crimes never took place. "All the news fit to print" has become "We create reality, and nothing exists unless we say so".

As a child many years ago I once waded out into the ocean up to my shoulders. All the time I was looking back at the shoreline or to the sides to see how far out others were going, and if I could go as far as they did. Then I turned around and was suddenly confronted by a dark wall of water breaking over me. The wave was not high - maybe three feet over my head - but I will never forget that feeling of terror as everything else was shut out and darkness engulfed me. The wave caused me to tumble head over heels; now scraping my knees on the sandy bottom, now feeling my face being shoved into the sand. Darkness everywhere.

When I saw the picture of the empty seats, I remembered that day in the ocean. Only this was not a puny water wave, but evil larger than a mountain, an evil so high I could not make out its peak.

Over these last few weeks I feel like I had a glimpse of what trying to fight the devil by myself is like. I got stamped flat. But remember that Christ will do battle for us. We cannot defeat our Adversary, but our Champion can.

Today's verse

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:6 (KJV)

Today's verse

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.

Proverbs 16:2 (KJV)

Today's verse

Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psalm 30:4-5 (KJV)

Just because....

Today's verse

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1 John 3:16 (KJV)

Today's verse

Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

Psalm 112:1 (KJV)

Today's verse

Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Daniel 3:13-18 (KJV)

Today's verse

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Isaiah 40:8 (KJV)

Today's verse

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Mark 16:9-20 (KJV)