Live churches move out on faith. Dead churches operate totally by human sight. Jesus put it this way, "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of blind. And if blind leads blind, both will fall into a ditch." (Matthew 15:14) If we in church try to do all that we do totally by human sight, we will be like blind leading blind. We must step out on faith. We must seek those who need ministered to, then step out on faith and find a way to do God's will. And believe me, if we will do that, God will provide means to get job done!

Live churches focus on people and their lives. Dead ones focus on programs. What will God say to us when we enter Heaven and are giving an accounting for our work here on earth and we tell Him about all these "wonderful programs" we developed? Will He say, "But who did you win for my kingdom?" What will WE SAY when not one name comes to our lips? God's work is about people, not programs! God's work is healing broken lives and bringing them back to Christ. God's work is feeding poor both physically and spiritually. God's work is helping widow and orphan. God's work is helping single mother raise her children and provide for them. God's work is caring for homeless. How did Jesus put it? "And King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'" (Matthew 25:40) What are we, church, doing to these – least of brethren of Jesus? Whatsoever we are doing to (or for) them, we are also doing likewise to Savior.

Live churches are filled with tithers, dead ones are filled with tippers. Which are you? Just as we spoke of church as a whole must step out on faith to do God's work, same is true with us as individual Christians. How can we, as a body, say we must have faith and step forward with church's finances when we are not willing to make sacrifices personally. It is plain in Scriptures, we must put God first. That means with our money as well as our faith and talent. I have heard it said many times, "you can't out-give God", or "if you give sacrificially, God will bless you richly." Now really, is that why we should give of our tithe? It is true that God will provide for us! But our motivation for giving must be to bless others, not be blessed ourselves. Paul tells elders of church at Ephesus, "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support weak. And remember words of Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35) Let's not be giving of our tithes and offerings expecting to receive a blessing. Let's give freely with intent that our tithes and offerings will provide an abundance of blessing to those about whom we have been speaking.

Lofty ideas? Perhaps. But what do you think Jesus would have us do? Be like dead church which relives nightmares? Or live church which dreams great dreams of God and working FOR His kingdom? Are we to be like dead church which has word CAN'T as its most used word? Or like live one which does not even have that word in its vocabulary? Are we to be like dead church and respond to every new idea with, "We've never done it that way before."? Or will we say, "Here is a group of people who need our love and help. Let's find a way to minister to them."?

The choice is really ours. We can be part of a dead or dying church, or we can be part of a living, growing church which is on fire for God seeking out those who need our help, and then helping them. We can be part of a church which has a worship service which brings glory, praise and honor to Savior and our Heavenly Father. We can be part of a church which is a light in community shinning forth for Jesus Christ. Have you ever heard saying, "If you're not part of solution, you're part of problem."? How about you? How do you characterize YOUR congregation? Is it alive – or dying? Are you trying to be a part of solution, or are you part of problem? You will give an account some day to God for your part in kingdom. And when you stand there to give your account, you will stand ALONE!

Remember — live churches evangelize, dead churches fossilize!

All Scriptures quoted are from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Stephen Kingery is an author, preacher, teacher and founder of The Home Bible Study Institute.

Visit our site at http://www.james1-22.org

Percent of increase from 1950 to 1988

* Homicide 243% * Suicide 100% * Abortion 800% * Abortion (under age 20) 760% * Euthanized Patients 1,200% * Births out of wedlock 426% * Rape 230% * Divorce 212% * Child Abuse Cases 2,317% * Robbery 71% * * SAT Scores -8% (Notice that this is a decline!!)

These statistics should speak for themselves. Our nation — which should be "One Nation Under God" — is experiencing a steady decline in our Christian values. And now our President is trying hard to get Congress to agree to fund abortions out of federal tax dollars. If he succeeds, look for these numbers (except SAT Scores) to go even higher. If Congress of United States takes that kind of a stand to emphasize that LIFE IS CHEAP, all life (not just unborn) will also become even MORE CHEAP.

But what does Bible say about abortion? Actually, Bible does not say anything about abortion by that name. However, idea is there in Exodus 21:22-24; "If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no lasting harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as woman's husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as judges determine. But if any lasting harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe." Brother George Faull says this about this passage; "Scholars have believed that if a man (even by accident) caused an early birth, he was fined. If child or mother died, he was to die. This is interpretation of passage by not only modern Christian commentators such as Clark, Delitzsch, but also modern Jewish scholars, and ancient Jewish Talmud. The second century Christians also held this position on Ex. 21."

Brother Faull goes on to say that following Scriptures show that fetus is a person and has a spirit before birth:

"Why then have You brought me out of womb? Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me!" (Job 10:18)

"Before I formed you in womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; And I ordained you a prophet to nations." (Jeremiah 1:5)

"So woman came and told her husband, saying, ‘A Man of God came to me, and His countenance was like countenance of Angel of God, very awesome; but I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not tell me His name. And he said to me, "Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Now drink no wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean, for child shall be a Nazirite to God from womb to day of his death."'" (Judges 13:6-7)

"For indeed, as soon as voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, babe leaped in my womb for joy" (Luke 1:44)

Even though Bible clearly indicates that a person is a person at conception, I think that it is truly a shame that we have to go to Bible to PROVE that abortion is wrong. What of our Christian principles have we lost that makes us accept abortion? Have we lost our understanding of God's Word that all human life is precious? Have we lost our love for God and our fellow man? Have we lost our knowledge that God is our Creator and He gave us ability to procreate according to His will?

The Christians in America are facing a great temptation or test. This test is: Are we going to allow abortion to continue to grow in America and become funded by our tax dollars? Or will be start today to write our congressmen and President and tell them that we are opposed to abortion and will NOT support them in future elections REGARDLESS of their political affiliation? The choice is with each one of us that claim name of Christ and love Him as our Lord and Savior. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15) To me, keeping His commandments is much more than just writing down a list of do's and don't's and making some feeble attempt to follow them. We must take a stand against all kinds of evil. Brothers and sisters, ABORTION IS EVIL!!!

Thanks to:

Ohio Right To Life Society 8 East Broad Street 13th Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215

and

George L. Faull Summit Theological Seminary 6211 Constitution Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46804

Stephen Kingery is an author, preacher, teacher and founder of The Home Bible Study Institute.

Visit our site at http://www.james1-22.org