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

We should remember that there were hundreds of prophesies that related to First Coming of Jesus Christ. Although religious leaders of day didn't see it, they certainly should have because it was clearly written down in black and white. If you doubt me, please read up on subject. I'm not a theologian and my objective is not to expound Scripture for you. My objective is to get you to think for yourself - beyond little box of your "comfort zone." You need to stretch your mind, your imagination, world view you have always believed in. If you don't, you may miss it altogether just like most Jews did first time around. So it stands to reason that if First Coming was so clearly foretold, Second Coming should be evident to those who are looking for it, especially since Jesus Himself spends so much time talking about subject and it is dealt with extensively in whole Bible. At least one fourth of entire Bible deals with “end times”, so doesn’t it seem logical that it was written for a good reason? Does God have a purpose in letting us know what is going to happen? Could it possibly mean that we should do something?

So why hasn't Jesus returned yet? The answer is simply that there are a couple of things clearly foretold that have to happen first. One relates to Church.

See rest of article at: http://www.the-tribulation-network.com/denemcgriff/Issues/are_these_the_end_times.htm