A Biblical Motivation For Sidewalk Ministry

WEBVTT100:00:00.560 --> 00:00:06.000I Am Yours, I am yours, I am yours, sin. Welcome200:00:06.040 --> 00:00:10.029to the Gospel Center prayer life podcast. There's various motivations that people have for300:00:10.189 --> 00:00:14.189getting involved in Ministry at our localabortion center, and this episode we examine400:00:14.269 --> 00:00:17.350some of those motivations and then welook at what we believe should be our500:00:17.350 --> 00:00:26.260primary motivation for ministry. Say tunedme, Lord. I felt show passish600:00:27.300 --> 00:00:39.409touch your heart. Welcome back tothe Gospel centered prayer life podcasts. Appreciate700:00:39.450 --> 00:00:42.810you guys joining us and, asalways, we appreciate if you guys would800:00:42.810 --> 00:00:47.490share this podcast with others on showthe social media, however else you would900:00:47.490 --> 00:00:51.560share things like that. We justwant to be a blessing to people.1000:00:51.560 --> 00:00:57.600Want to equip people and encourage people, specifically folks that are involved in sidewalk1100:00:57.679 --> 00:01:02.200ministry at abortion centers, but inany area of pro life ministry. We1200:01:02.439 --> 00:01:06.670want to want to help, equipand encourage people. Amen, this is1300:01:06.709 --> 00:01:11.430a necessary battle that we as believersneed to fight and we want people to1400:01:11.469 --> 00:01:15.870be well equipped to fight this battlein a way that honors the Lord.1500:01:15.870 --> 00:01:19.500Yes, and so we're going totalk in this episode about very important topic1600:01:19.659 --> 00:01:26.299as it pertains to any kind ofministry, but in particular the sidewalk ministry1700:01:26.340 --> 00:01:30.260in front of abortion centers. Okay, and that's our motivation for ministry,1800:01:30.659 --> 00:01:34.890because I think really this podcast,this episode, could apply to any area1900:01:34.010 --> 00:01:38.650of ministry, but since our areaof ministry is sidewall counseling and abortion centers,2000:01:38.689 --> 00:01:41.930we're going to focus on that.But Hey, was that if you2100:01:42.049 --> 00:01:46.650got other folks that you know?Maybe they're not ministering as of yet in2200:01:46.730 --> 00:01:49.680front of an abortion center, butthey're minister and other capacities. There's all2300:01:49.719 --> 00:01:53.959kinds of things that God calls hischurch to do, not just abortion center2400:01:55.000 --> 00:01:59.319ministry, although we feel like that's, I would say, the most important2500:01:59.359 --> 00:02:02.189ministry, just not because we're involvedin it, because children are dying.2600:02:02.230 --> 00:02:07.510Yeah, but not to go ina rabbit shaw with that. I think2700:02:07.549 --> 00:02:10.189this would be a blessing to peopleat all areas of ministry. So please2800:02:10.270 --> 00:02:14.909do share it and we'll give you, guys, as we always do,2900:02:14.949 --> 00:02:17.060our email addresses at the end ifyou have things that you want to add3000:02:17.099 --> 00:02:20.740or things that you subjects you wantus to cover. It may be a3100:02:20.780 --> 00:02:24.060different angle to this subject that youthink would be a blessing. We'd certainly3200:02:24.060 --> 00:02:28.180love to hear that from you,but let's jump into this, Vicky.3300:02:28.379 --> 00:02:34.770Yeah. Yeah, our desire isthat if someone decides they want to Minister3400:02:35.090 --> 00:02:37.770on the sidewalk of an abortion center, that they're in it for the long3500:02:37.849 --> 00:02:42.169haul. Yeah, and we seeso many people disappear so quickly. You3600:02:42.569 --> 00:02:46.479fall away because of discouragement, andI think a large part of that discouragement3700:02:46.520 --> 00:02:50.039arises from what was their motivation for? Yeah, for being out there.3800:02:50.199 --> 00:02:53.319Absolutely. So, if you canidentify early on what your motivation is and3900:02:53.400 --> 00:02:57.039if it's one of them, thatwhat we say is, okay, we4000:02:57.120 --> 00:03:00.030understand it, yeah, but it'snot going to be the one that's going4100:03:00.069 --> 00:03:05.590to sustain you. Maybe you canrealign your priorities of why you are out4200:03:05.590 --> 00:03:09.469there. Yeah, that was thepurpose of writing this article. So the4300:03:09.550 --> 00:03:15.219the first one that I think everyonecan identify with as a motivation, and4400:03:15.460 --> 00:03:19.379I think all these were going tomention, all of us have all of4500:03:19.460 --> 00:03:23.460these motivations if we're out on thatsidewalk. But I guess in a way4600:03:23.620 --> 00:03:28.569what we're trying to point out isit can't be your primary motivation until we4700:03:28.610 --> 00:03:30.289get to the last one. Thatshould be what and we're not going to4800:03:30.530 --> 00:03:32.729tell you what that is to theend. So listen to hope, to4900:03:32.770 --> 00:03:38.009stated kiss. That's right. Butso the first one is just the horror5000:03:38.250 --> 00:03:43.919and grief of abortion. Yeah,yeah, I mean we should be understanding5100:03:43.919 --> 00:03:46.639the truth of what abortion actually is. We should be horrified by it.5200:03:46.840 --> 00:03:51.240Yeah, it should. It shouldburden our hearts, it should grieve our5300:03:51.360 --> 00:03:54.199hearts because it grieves the heart ofGod. Yeah, I mean, what5400:03:54.319 --> 00:03:59.789are we actually talking about? Becausewe can get ourselves into all kinds,5500:04:00.590 --> 00:04:04.349I think I've shared this on podcastsbefore, because we can get ourselves and5600:04:04.389 --> 00:04:09.550all kinds of mindsets, and wecan, we could, we could forget,5700:04:09.669 --> 00:04:13.419like what we're actually talking about.And I had a situation a couple5800:04:13.460 --> 00:04:15.339of months ago, maybe a yearor so ago, where this kind of5900:04:15.459 --> 00:04:18.139came to bear for me, andit was when I was going through our6000:04:18.180 --> 00:04:21.420pamphlet, our hope is here pamphletthat we hand out of the abortion centers,6100:04:21.740 --> 00:04:26.449and I was kind of refining thepart in the middle that panel that6200:04:26.529 --> 00:04:29.930talks about abortion procedures. Write whathappens in it, what happens and an6300:04:29.930 --> 00:04:31.889abortion, and so we have,at different stages of development, also the6400:04:31.970 --> 00:04:35.689different types of abortions, the cost. Yeah, and so we have all6500:04:35.730 --> 00:04:39.600of that there. As I'm goingthrough, I get toward the end of6600:04:39.720 --> 00:04:44.759it when I'm doing third trimester abortionand kind of explaining what's going on there6700:04:44.800 --> 00:04:47.120and try to really be technical aboutit, because I think it's important for6800:04:47.160 --> 00:04:51.560us to know these things and usetechnical terms but also practical terms it people6900:04:51.600 --> 00:04:55.990can relate to it. All ofthat and I just stopped kind of in7000:04:56.389 --> 00:05:00.670mid sentence when I was kind ofrefining one point and I begin to think,7100:05:00.709 --> 00:05:03.870okay, what am I what amI writing about? Yeah, and7200:05:03.990 --> 00:05:10.300it came just fresh to my mind. I'm riding and I'm getting technical and7300:05:10.379 --> 00:05:12.860I'm not that it's bad or anythinglike that, but let's let me not7400:05:13.100 --> 00:05:16.339lose the reality what I'm actually talkingabout, that I'm not just talking about7500:05:16.339 --> 00:05:23.569abortion as a medical procedure, butI'm talking about the murder of innocent children,7600:05:23.730 --> 00:05:26.610right, and in that moment itwas and I think this is this7700:05:26.769 --> 00:05:30.209happens and shit happen to us ona regular basis where we're reminded, because7800:05:30.250 --> 00:05:33.730we can lose the grasp of whatwe're really dealing with and it can become7900:05:33.730 --> 00:05:39.399technical and it can become just justanother ministry or just another aspect of our8000:05:39.519 --> 00:05:43.920walk with God or something like that. Right, we need to be gripped8100:05:44.879 --> 00:05:47.360with the horror of abortion. Wedo. And if, but if we8200:05:47.639 --> 00:05:54.910stay there, if we stay rippedcontinually while we're on the sidewalk, several8300:05:54.990 --> 00:05:59.589hours a day, sometimes several daysa week, for many people just one8400:05:59.589 --> 00:06:04.180day week. But nonetheless, ifthat's what we are experiencing predominantly while we're8500:06:04.220 --> 00:06:10.660out there, we will burn out. Oh Yeah, because you cannot sustain8600:06:11.060 --> 00:06:16.579that level of horror and grief forvery long without just being drained of everything8700:06:16.620 --> 00:06:20.970inside of you. So there hasto be something that. I think what8800:06:21.250 --> 00:06:25.649what you pointed out. I dothink that needs to be revisited on a8900:06:25.730 --> 00:06:30.649regular basis for anyone who's involved insidewalk ministry. But it can't be where9000:06:30.649 --> 00:06:33.560we live, right because if that'swhere we live, where we are going9100:06:33.600 --> 00:06:39.040to be just so sad all thetime. The first day most people come9200:06:39.079 --> 00:06:42.040out, they cry. They oftentry to fight their tears and I always9300:06:42.040 --> 00:06:46.199say no, this is appropriate.You should be crying, you should be9400:06:46.399 --> 00:06:50.829grieving, but but then you needto get to work. God has given9500:06:50.870 --> 00:06:58.310you a purpose out here and it'svery hard to complete that if you're overwhelmed9600:06:58.790 --> 00:07:02.019by grief. Yeah, yeah,and so, as we mentioned, we9700:07:02.180 --> 00:07:08.540should be horrified, we should begrieved by abortion, but it cannot be9800:07:10.259 --> 00:07:14.300our primary motivation and it cannot beand it is not a sustaining motivation.9900:07:14.939 --> 00:07:19.370And I will submit that people thatI have had experiences with in this world10000:07:19.449 --> 00:07:24.129of ministry that have kind of goneoff the rails and just become almost like10100:07:24.649 --> 00:07:30.959nutcases. Yeah, have been peoplethat they're motivation and there their daily thought10200:07:30.160 --> 00:07:34.040is the horror of abortion, right, and so I'll say we cannot be10300:07:34.800 --> 00:07:40.160motivated and should not be motivated bythe horror of abortion, but the beauty10400:07:40.199 --> 00:07:44.120of Jesus, abortion is a terriblething and I do think it needs to10500:07:44.160 --> 00:07:48.430be in say in the peripheral butat least a motivation, but it cannot10600:07:48.430 --> 00:07:53.550be the primary motivation, I evensay, for those that are involved.10700:07:53.589 --> 00:07:57.790We can become desensitized to the realityof abortion, and so I do think,10800:07:57.949 --> 00:08:00.660like you mentioned and like I mentionedearlier, that we need to revisit10900:08:00.740 --> 00:08:03.259this, we need to be grippedafresh by it. Yeah, and I11000:08:03.379 --> 00:08:07.899do think we need to. Imean I want I make myself on a11100:08:07.980 --> 00:08:13.930regular basis. Look at the graphicimages of abortion. I don't like looking11200:08:13.970 --> 00:08:18.850at those, but I need tobe reminded of what we are allowing as11300:08:18.930 --> 00:08:22.290human beings. Yeah, that itreally does grieve the heart of God.11400:08:22.689 --> 00:08:26.129But again, I cannot I cannotstay there, I cannot dwell on that11500:08:26.329 --> 00:08:31.120constantly, or my heart will beconsumed just with the horror of abortion rather11600:08:31.160 --> 00:08:33.960than the glory of Jesus. Right. And you speak out of in all11700:08:35.000 --> 00:08:37.600of these things, you are goingto speak out of what your motivation is,11800:08:37.840 --> 00:08:41.750and it does change your tone.I think your tone is dependent on11900:08:41.909 --> 00:08:45.789which one of these are your primarymotive, motivation, and we talked a12000:08:45.830 --> 00:08:48.269lot about how the tone is critical. Yeah, maybe more so than even12100:08:48.269 --> 00:08:52.629the words that we use as routeministering. Yeah. So let me come12200:08:52.710 --> 00:08:58.220to the second one, the desireto help the moms in heart circumstances.12300:08:58.460 --> 00:09:01.899Yeah, a great desire, absolutelygreat motivation. We're called to do that,12400:09:01.379 --> 00:09:05.700without a doubt. It's biblical.Yeah, it's a biblical motivation for12500:09:05.820 --> 00:09:11.929yeah. Yeah, but we knowone who ministers in front of an abortion12600:09:11.049 --> 00:09:16.090center is out there very long beforethey realize that quite often these MOMS really12700:09:16.129 --> 00:09:20.490don't even want our how? Yeah, they're they they are angry, they12800:09:20.570 --> 00:09:30.519are often very abusive towards us intheir language and even threatening, and their12900:09:30.600 --> 00:09:35.559stories are often very tragic. Yeah, but but most of the time what13000:09:35.720 --> 00:09:39.149I have found is, yes,there are in some cases things that they13100:09:39.230 --> 00:09:41.590could not prevent, that they couldnot help, but I would say in13200:09:41.710 --> 00:09:48.750the vast majority of the cases it'sbeen a series of very poor, anti13300:09:48.950 --> 00:09:52.019good choices, yeah, that haveled them to that place. Yeah,13400:09:52.419 --> 00:10:01.940and and their circumstances are often soterrible that it would take truly a trained13500:10:01.980 --> 00:10:09.129team of social workers community resources tobe able to help them. And if13600:10:09.169 --> 00:10:16.970your primary motivation is that get thesemoms out of these hard circumstances, you'll13700:10:16.009 --> 00:10:20.169fail. Yeah, you will fail. Yeah, I mean a lot of13800:10:20.210 --> 00:10:24.279times they don't want to be outof those hard circumstances. I think personally,13900:10:24.600 --> 00:10:28.360and I know you've experienced this before, about domestic abuse situation. Yes,14000:10:28.000 --> 00:10:33.559we've encountered those. We did podcastabout those and it's as strange as14100:10:33.600 --> 00:10:39.710it sounds, we have dealt withwomen who are in domestic abuse situations and14200:10:39.789 --> 00:10:43.470we've done everything we can to tryto get him out of those situations.14300:10:43.549 --> 00:10:46.429Even find like save houses and stufflike like that, and it's almost like14400:10:46.549 --> 00:10:50.700drug addiction when they go back tothe man. Yep, that didn't always14500:10:50.700 --> 00:10:54.740happen, but it happens often times. Yeah, and if your motivation,14600:10:54.860 --> 00:10:58.700your primary motivation, is to helpthese poor innocent women in their circumstances and14700:10:58.779 --> 00:11:03.220you find out very quickly that theydon't want your help, that they're even14800:11:03.259 --> 00:11:07.889though you got them out of thatdomestic abuse situation, they're just going to14900:11:07.929 --> 00:11:11.370go right back into it, you'regoing to get deflated real quick, you're15000:11:11.409 --> 00:11:16.889going to get discouraged real quick andyou're going to find yourself no longer involved15100:11:16.929 --> 00:11:20.600in ministry now again. It doesn'tmean that this can't be a motivation.15200:11:20.639 --> 00:11:24.200A love for other people should bea motivation as believers in Jesus, but15300:11:24.320 --> 00:11:30.000it can't be our primary and sustainingmotivation. Right, and I think love15400:11:30.159 --> 00:11:35.190life coming along has really helped inthis area, because they really are two15500:11:35.230 --> 00:11:39.990separate areas. Sidewalk, being outthere on the sidewalk trying to convince Mot's15600:11:41.029 --> 00:11:45.389not to kill the baby and andthen providing for the ongoing needs that will15700:11:45.429 --> 00:11:50.659help make an honest life change.And love life provides mentorship programs in training15800:11:50.779 --> 00:11:54.860for mentors so that the sidewalk countsare really doesn't need to be doing that.15900:11:56.019 --> 00:11:58.340Should in fact shouldn't be doing thatbecause it's too much. Yeah,16000:11:58.740 --> 00:12:03.649so burned out she you do.And you know, I know one story16100:12:03.929 --> 00:12:07.610of a woman that we've helped manytimes over the years, fully furnished.16200:12:07.809 --> 00:12:11.529It was before she started, beforelove life came along. So I was16300:12:11.610 --> 00:12:16.840kind of her mentor and I canremember at least three separate times when she16400:12:18.039 --> 00:12:22.960got a new apartment, lost theold one, needed new furniture and we16500:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.240got it. We got her thefurniture, we got her Washer, dryer16600:12:26.240 --> 00:12:30.590and everything, and then she losesthe apartment and I have no idea what16700:12:30.710 --> 00:12:33.429happened to all those that stuff.Yeah, but it disappears and we're just16800:12:33.549 --> 00:12:37.590doing it over and over and overagain, and that is not unusual.16900:12:37.909 --> 00:12:43.230The cycle of poverty is very hard, yeah, to break out of.17000:12:43.070 --> 00:12:48.580So so anyway, so it's weshould desire to help moms but, like17100:12:48.740 --> 00:12:52.460you said, it should not beour prime reason for why we're out there.17200:12:52.500 --> 00:12:56.940Yeah, yeah, I know.I've experienced in just seeing new people17300:12:56.019 --> 00:13:01.210come along and some of the questionsI ask, and even in the applications17400:13:01.330 --> 00:13:03.610that we get people to fill outlike what do you feel, why do17500:13:03.690 --> 00:13:09.409you feel called to this ministry?And I don't. I don't marginalize people17600:13:09.450 --> 00:13:11.370and I don't write them all ifthey write certain things, but I can17700:13:11.450 --> 00:13:15.039tell if they write you know,why are you, why do you feel17800:13:15.080 --> 00:13:16.720called this ministry, that you know, I want to help these poor women17900:13:18.200 --> 00:13:22.240who need someone to be there.I think we kind of zero in on18000:13:22.360 --> 00:13:26.440that and we make sure that,yeah, that's a good motivation, it18100:13:26.519 --> 00:13:28.909might bring you out there, butit's not a sustaining motivation and we try18200:13:28.950 --> 00:13:35.190to direct them toward actually, ourprimary motivation is what we're going to talk18300:13:35.190 --> 00:13:37.429about the end. Going to givethat. We're gonna give you keep.18400:13:37.429 --> 00:13:41.779It's not a big keeping surprising.Yeah, but when I read that kind18500:13:41.779 --> 00:13:46.899of stuff, or even like mywife, who's a ultrasound nurse right she18600:13:46.100 --> 00:13:50.340has nurses that come along who wantto get trained up to do ultrasound and18700:13:50.379 --> 00:13:52.460they kind of have this idea thatthey're going to show up with the awesome18800:13:52.500 --> 00:13:56.009power of ultrasound and they're going tochange the world. All these women are18900:13:56.009 --> 00:13:58.649going to flock to them for freeultrasounds. Hey, they're going to choose19000:13:58.690 --> 00:14:01.690life because the ultrasound and all ofthat. It's like, well, that's19100:14:01.809 --> 00:14:03.490cute. Yeah, but you're goingto find out how you're going to do19200:14:03.529 --> 00:14:09.919ultrasounds on women who don't necessarily wantthe ultrasound but for whatever reason they came19300:14:11.039 --> 00:14:15.000on the board, the mobile ultrasoundunit. Yeah, and but they're not19400:14:15.120 --> 00:14:18.080very happy with you. Right,they're not really happy with some of the19500:14:18.159 --> 00:14:22.000things you're saying. Now. ThankGod that most of the time by the19600:14:22.080 --> 00:14:24.909time we get them on the ultrasoundunit their hearts are softened and all of19700:14:24.990 --> 00:14:26.350that. Right, but if youthink you're going to show up with the19800:14:26.389 --> 00:14:30.269power of ultrasound, you're going toshow up with the power of your your19900:14:30.389 --> 00:14:33.789voice, and these poor little innocentwomen are going to just flock to you,20000:14:33.309 --> 00:14:37.549I'm going to say you're going tobe sadly disappointed. You are going20100:14:37.590 --> 00:14:41.899to meet this here is. Theydon't necessarily they again, we've shared stories20200:14:41.940 --> 00:14:46.100where there are plenty of women thatcome that are just looking for someone to20300:14:46.259 --> 00:14:50.379share with them and they're praying fora sign and all of that. Yeah,20400:14:50.620 --> 00:14:56.009yeah, not not to discount that, but so many more are there20500:14:56.129 --> 00:14:58.730and they don't want to hear fromyou. You've got to have another you've20600:14:58.730 --> 00:15:03.929got to have a some other thingssustaining you to be out there rather than20700:15:03.009 --> 00:15:07.360just a love for the women,even love for the babies. Right,20800:15:07.679 --> 00:15:11.200right, and and we're actually goingto get to that as a motivation.20900:15:11.320 --> 00:15:13.559The love of the baby be assupposed to love it. But but not21000:15:13.679 --> 00:15:18.320yet. Our next one, andthis one I have seen maybe people burn21100:15:18.399 --> 00:15:24.110out the quickest this one. Politicalbeliefs. Your political beliefs are your motivation.21200:15:24.269 --> 00:15:28.870You belong to one party or another. Yeah, you feel that party21300:15:28.990 --> 00:15:33.309is the salvation. They it's it'sthat party is what's going to change the21400:15:33.389 --> 00:15:39.379face of abortion. And you're thetype that your political beliefs then make you21500:15:39.580 --> 00:15:43.860believe that if you can just changethe law, if you can just outlaw21600:15:43.899 --> 00:15:48.980abortion, abolish abortion, if youcan just limit abortion, whatever, and21700:15:50.289 --> 00:15:54.169you know, I don't want toget into the argument of abolishing versus incrementalism.21800:15:54.370 --> 00:15:58.929We have done a podcast on that. Yeah, but that you think21900:15:58.929 --> 00:16:03.690it belongs in the political realm.There is a political solution and you join22000:16:03.769 --> 00:16:08.480the political groups and your pres senton the sidewalk sometimes looks more like a22100:16:08.600 --> 00:16:15.799political rally then like a sidewalk NSTRY. Maybe you have tracks that you're handing22200:16:15.840 --> 00:16:21.629out, that are pointing you tocity council meetings or and none of those22300:16:21.629 --> 00:16:25.590things are bad, please understand.That's not what I'm saying. But if22400:16:25.750 --> 00:16:29.909that is your primary motivation, again, what happens when your party loses,22500:16:30.429 --> 00:16:33.460what happens when the laws don't gowith the way you want? And what22600:16:33.620 --> 00:16:37.820I have seen as a result ofthis kind of a motivation is great division,22700:16:38.700 --> 00:16:47.289bickering and name calling if you don'tfit the political agenda of whoever.22800:16:47.289 --> 00:16:53.529Yeah, so it again can becomegreatly discouraging and follows the cycle and the22900:16:53.610 --> 00:16:59.970flow of politics. Yeah, absolutely, and just practically speaking, listen,23000:17:00.289 --> 00:17:03.519if the especially here in Charlotte,but I think this is this rings true23100:17:03.799 --> 00:17:06.839across the nation. Yeah, thewomen that were reaching out to at the23200:17:06.839 --> 00:17:11.519abortion centers, yeah, are typicallyAfrican American women, low income people,23300:17:11.720 --> 00:17:15.279right, and they would typically notalign themselves. It's just face it.23400:17:15.400 --> 00:17:18.630What we're talking about is Democrats versusRepublican if your motivation is to advance the23500:17:18.710 --> 00:17:23.910Republican Party, right, and you'retalking about that on the sidewalk, that's23600:17:25.309 --> 00:17:29.269you know, you whatever, you'rementioning politicians names, you're going to shut23700:17:29.309 --> 00:17:32.900the conversation down real quick. Youcome and you show up add an abortion23800:17:33.019 --> 00:17:37.059center, we if you'RE DONALD TRUMPT shirt or your make America great again23900:17:37.140 --> 00:17:41.500hat, right. And Yeah,it's not going to go over so well24000:17:41.579 --> 00:17:44.259with the people that you're desiring toreach, if your desire is to reach24100:17:44.369 --> 00:17:45.609the women going into the abortion set. Yeah, and you know, the24200:17:45.930 --> 00:17:51.250the things that you hope to change. And but that's what I when I'm24300:17:51.289 --> 00:17:55.450saying political beliefs, I also meanwhatever you feel needs to be changed in24400:17:55.650 --> 00:18:02.680society, as sexual revolution, thethe black lives matter, the whatever it24500:18:03.119 --> 00:18:07.200is. If that becomes your agendaout there and you start to wear t24600:18:07.440 --> 00:18:11.680shirts, for example, that thathave slogans, it is going to put24700:18:11.680 --> 00:18:17.390a wall up, yeah, betweenmost of the people that you're trying to24800:18:17.589 --> 00:18:23.430reach. Your your agenda maybe awonderful agenda, but it's not the time24900:18:23.470 --> 00:18:29.980or place for that on the sidewalkof an abortion center. Yeah, if,25000:18:30.140 --> 00:18:33.259especially if you examine, well,what do I hope to achieve out25100:18:33.259 --> 00:18:37.500here? Do I hope to achievesome sort of societal change in this movement25200:18:37.539 --> 00:18:41.410that I feel is going the wrongway, or do I hope to honor25300:18:41.490 --> 00:18:48.089God and speak for the unborn childrenright and change the minds and hearts of25400:18:48.250 --> 00:18:52.650people bent on abortion. Yeah,I've had just the kind of a funny25500:18:52.650 --> 00:18:55.799story. If you were there inthis happened. But we had somebody show25600:18:55.839 --> 00:18:59.920up on the side walk on aSaturday with a Donald Trump flag, oh25700:19:00.039 --> 00:19:02.839dear, like wave of the Donaldtrue flag and was hand. Imagine how25800:19:02.920 --> 00:19:04.400that went. Yeah, I'm notgoing to get into all of that.25900:19:04.640 --> 00:19:11.630I mean, Donald Trump whatever,right, but I don't care if Donald26000:19:11.630 --> 00:19:15.109trump was a greatest politician that everlived. Right being out in front of26100:19:15.150 --> 00:19:18.549an abortion center and waiven some politiciansflag, it's just not the place for26200:19:18.630 --> 00:19:22.990it. If you think about it, the difference, and we never say26300:19:22.150 --> 00:19:26.859protesting is bad. I don't thinkpolitical rallies, all that stuff that stops26400:19:26.059 --> 00:19:29.779great. Do that right. She'snot the place where, in front of26500:19:29.779 --> 00:19:32.660an abortion center, because with thosethings, what are you trying to do?26600:19:32.819 --> 00:19:37.859With political rally or with a protest? You're trying to appeal to people26700:19:37.940 --> 00:19:42.289in positions of power, people whocan influence society at large. Right,26800:19:42.369 --> 00:19:45.490that's what you're trying to do ina protest. You're trying to influence society26900:19:45.529 --> 00:19:49.009at large. At an abortion center, when you're doing sidewalk out reach.27000:19:49.450 --> 00:19:55.359You're not trying to influence the powersthat be, you're trying to influence individual27100:19:55.440 --> 00:19:59.160mothers to choose life for their babies. It's a really good point. Yeah,27200:19:59.160 --> 00:20:03.720that's a really good point, foryour motivation becomes very individualized it.27300:20:03.880 --> 00:20:07.390It needs to be looking at eachand every woman walking in there and how27400:20:07.470 --> 00:20:11.869can I best reach them? Yeah, it's definitely not going to be wearing27500:20:11.910 --> 00:20:15.829enough or get flat flying Donald Trumpflag. I guarantee that. Yeah.27600:20:15.990 --> 00:20:19.750Yeah, so, so you'll burnout. You'll burn out quickly if that27700:20:19.990 --> 00:20:25.619is your motivation, because you'll recognizeprobably right away what's going to happen is27800:20:25.700 --> 00:20:29.059you're going to insight anger. Yeah, she in fact fury. I think27900:20:29.099 --> 00:20:37.250if people's if the angriest I seethe pro abortion crowd and the mother's going28000:20:37.289 --> 00:20:41.089in is when people show up witha political motivation and they tend to be28100:20:41.250 --> 00:20:45.529the angriest people. Yeah, thatI have found in my experience being on28200:20:45.650 --> 00:20:48.730the sidewalk. Yeah, you don'tabout angerish people in our side, on28300:20:48.930 --> 00:20:52.240our side, on the pro lifeside, they tend to in my experience,28400:20:52.279 --> 00:20:56.759I could be wrong, but theyseem to be the most angry yeah,28500:20:56.960 --> 00:21:00.440because they have. You know,I think quite often I would agree28600:21:00.720 --> 00:21:03.549with what their anger is stemming from. I do feel that there are some28700:21:03.750 --> 00:21:08.869really terrible things happening to our society, not just abortion. Yeah, but28800:21:10.430 --> 00:21:12.630my anger is not going to drawthose women out of that place. Yeah,28900:21:12.829 --> 00:21:18.549sure, and and so that thenwe had talked earlier. So desire29000:21:18.579 --> 00:21:22.460to help the mom, but thenthe next big desire, which is an29100:21:22.500 --> 00:21:26.700outflow of that, is the compassionfor the baby. Yeah, and actually29200:21:26.700 --> 00:21:32.220the mom is sometimes your enemy.Well, I guess always in a sense,29300:21:32.420 --> 00:21:36.410because her being there is saying I'mgoing to kill the baby. Yeah,29400:21:36.690 --> 00:21:41.529and so she is your enemy interms of your agenda. If is29500:21:42.329 --> 00:21:45.930compassion for the baby, that's yourmotivation, right, which is I mean,29600:21:48.160 --> 00:21:51.000God bless you, you should havecompassion for the baby. What's going29700:21:51.079 --> 00:21:56.119to happen to them is terrible.Yeah, so I would say just these29800:21:56.359 --> 00:22:00.119two are very closely tied together,actually, the helping the MOMS and helping29900:22:00.200 --> 00:22:04.630the baby. Now, in thesituation with the MOM, obviously the mom30000:22:04.869 --> 00:22:10.309is ultimately that she's we've laid thisout before, she's the judge and when30100:22:10.349 --> 00:22:14.950that abortion takes place, if thatabortion takes place, then she's a perpetrator30200:22:15.029 --> 00:22:18.420of the crime as well, allright, not just the abortionist, but30300:22:18.539 --> 00:22:22.859she's guilty before God as well.But we have to of course have compassion30400:22:22.980 --> 00:22:30.329for her understand her circumstances. We'vetalked about that. But the innocent victim,30500:22:30.410 --> 00:22:33.650the innocent person in this whole scenariois the baby. That's sure right,30600:22:34.329 --> 00:22:37.769and so we have to have compassion, and this really is a biblical30700:22:37.849 --> 00:22:44.130motivation, compassion for the innocent.You look throughout the whole scripture and you'll30800:22:44.130 --> 00:22:48.599see very plainly God is for theinnocent, and those who are for God30900:22:48.759 --> 00:22:52.039should be for the innocence, shouldbe for protecting the innocent. The reason31000:22:52.079 --> 00:22:56.920why God judges nations is because theydon't take care of the innocent, they31100:22:56.920 --> 00:23:00.509don't take care of the orphan inthe widow. God Judge The Nation of31200:23:00.589 --> 00:23:04.029Israel for that very that very thing, hey. And so, as the31300:23:04.069 --> 00:23:08.509people of God, we certainly shouldhave as a motivation compassion for that baby.31400:23:08.670 --> 00:23:11.630Yes, no doubt about it.Yeah, I mean listen, Basic31500:23:11.750 --> 00:23:15.099Christianity, one hundred and one Luke, chapter ten, the parable, the31600:23:15.140 --> 00:23:18.059Good Samaritan, the man in theditch. Right this, this is this31700:23:18.259 --> 00:23:22.980baby, is the person in theditch and there they can't speak for themselves,31800:23:23.259 --> 00:23:30.089they can't run way they are.They unlike the other vulnerable people groups31900:23:30.289 --> 00:23:36.970in our past that have been annihilated. They truly have no avenue of escape.32000:23:37.650 --> 00:23:42.880Not that the other vulnerable groups dideasily have escape, but they were32100:23:44.440 --> 00:23:47.400out of the womb. They couldrun, you know, they could scream,32200:23:47.559 --> 00:23:51.559they could, they could it raisesomething in their defense, even if32300:23:51.559 --> 00:23:56.029it's just a scream. But thebaby can scream in the womb but no32400:23:56.150 --> 00:24:00.750one can hear it, right.And so it is. I mean again32500:24:00.869 --> 00:24:03.670it kind of goes back to thatfirst one, the horror of abortion.32600:24:03.710 --> 00:24:08.069Very similar. If your motivation isout of compassion for the baby, which32700:24:08.190 --> 00:24:11.339is an important motivation. It can'teat. That can't be absent. But32800:24:11.420 --> 00:24:18.140if it's the primary motivation, thesad and horrific truth is most of those32900:24:18.180 --> 00:24:22.380babies are going to die. Yeah, so again you're going to be filled33000:24:22.460 --> 00:24:29.369with such overwhelming grief and sense offailure if that's your motivation, because no33100:24:29.529 --> 00:24:33.849matter how wonderful a counselor you are, most of the babies are going to33200:24:33.970 --> 00:24:37.529die. That is just the sadtruth, right of what happens out on33300:24:37.640 --> 00:24:41.000the sidewalk. Yeah, I'll giveyou an example of a kind of an33400:24:41.039 --> 00:24:45.960extreme example of where this can reallyderail you. Now again, where we33500:24:47.039 --> 00:24:51.519are not saying this shouldn't be amotivation. This absolutely should be a motivation.33600:24:51.599 --> 00:24:55.549Yeah, it just cannot be yourprimary motivation. Yeah, and in33700:24:55.630 --> 00:24:57.349all of these I think we're sayingin some measure, these need to be33800:24:57.430 --> 00:25:02.029a motivation, right, they justcannot be your primary motivation. Right.33900:25:02.549 --> 00:25:04.269So there was a story, andI believe I may have shared this several34000:25:04.349 --> 00:25:07.420times, but this is a storythat just kind of sticks out of my34100:25:07.500 --> 00:25:11.740mind, and this is maybe Idon't know, six seven years ago,34200:25:12.380 --> 00:25:17.059where there's a young lady who cameon board the mobiultra sound unit. She34300:25:17.180 --> 00:25:22.809was pregnant with twins, eighteen weeksalong. Wow, and the counselor and34400:25:22.130 --> 00:25:27.690the nurse poured into this mom everyreason why she came to the abortion center,34500:25:27.730 --> 00:25:32.250every struggle that she had. Theygave her a corresponding resource. We're34600:25:32.289 --> 00:25:34.210going to help you, you're notalone in this thing. So there are.34700:25:34.329 --> 00:25:37.880There is every reason for her tochoose life for and I'm sure they34800:25:37.880 --> 00:25:41.319saw the baby on the ultrasound which, as eighteen weeks I mean you can34900:25:41.519 --> 00:25:45.680see everything. Yeah. Well,again, she was a mother of twins,35000:25:45.920 --> 00:25:48.200and twins, so twins, shesaid so too, of those babies35100:25:48.759 --> 00:25:52.789on the ultrasound yeah, very clearlyat that point you could tell whether or35200:25:52.829 --> 00:25:57.069not there boys and girls. Allof that, they gave her again,35300:25:57.109 --> 00:26:03.150every reason to choose life, goingto walk with her and, of course,35400:26:03.190 --> 00:26:06.940out of compassion for those babies anda love for her, they're pouring35500:26:07.059 --> 00:26:10.299everything into her. Right, butat the end of the day, she35600:26:10.460 --> 00:26:14.220stepped right out of that mobile atrasound unit, walked right into the abortion35700:26:14.339 --> 00:26:18.529center and kill those twin babies eighteenweeks. Yeah, now you think about35800:26:18.569 --> 00:26:23.970that. How did that feel tothe counselor who poured everything they could into35900:26:25.009 --> 00:26:29.210that mother, who who visually wasin the room when those babies were in36000:26:29.210 --> 00:26:32.650the ultrasound screen? There's no denyingthat these are human beings, right,36100:26:32.690 --> 00:26:36.000there's no denying that for everyone whowas in that room, including the mother.36200:26:36.279 --> 00:26:37.839Yeah, does that feel for thenurse? Right, and tell you36300:26:37.880 --> 00:26:45.160what can happen in those situations isself doubt. Am I even called to36400:26:45.240 --> 00:26:49.069this ministry? Is this ministry eveneffective? Right, that's that's the things36500:26:49.150 --> 00:26:52.029that the devil wants to play inyour mind and our flesh plays in our36600:26:52.069 --> 00:26:55.869mind. All Gosh, I shouldhave said this. If I if I36700:26:55.910 --> 00:26:57.150would have did this, if Iwouldn't have did that, then she wouldn't36800:26:57.150 --> 00:27:00.430have walked out of this, thismobile. Just so on, you didn't36900:27:00.430 --> 00:27:03.380kill those baby. Here is allthese things that can come. Yeah,37000:27:03.500 --> 00:27:07.339and even like the potential to neutralizeyou from this battle. If you,37100:27:07.779 --> 00:27:11.579if you were only motivation or ifyour primary motivation is a love for those37200:27:11.619 --> 00:27:15.619babies and you're seeing things like thattake plays, then you're going to be37300:27:15.660 --> 00:27:18.049quickly neutralized and you're not going tobe on the sidewalk anymore. Yeah,37400:27:18.250 --> 00:27:23.049now, no matter what your motivationis, there's not a person alive who37500:27:23.049 --> 00:27:26.809wouldn't be grieving when that, whenthat, when that mom walks off of37600:27:26.930 --> 00:27:32.559that mobile. Ultra sound unit.I've been there, I know I've.37700:27:32.640 --> 00:27:34.640I'd had a similar situation. Ididn't, we didn't see the baby,37800:27:34.759 --> 00:27:40.880but I spent I don't know,half an hour pouring car side into someone37900:27:40.960 --> 00:27:47.670just last week and I really gaveeverything I knew to give, including descriptions38000:27:47.710 --> 00:27:49.750of the baby. They were fairlyfar along and talking about what that baby38100:27:49.789 --> 00:27:55.750could and couldn't do and the developmentof that child. And and they went38200:27:55.829 --> 00:27:59.579in any way. They drove awayat first and then circled back and and38300:28:00.180 --> 00:28:03.700so there was then the hope thatthey had changed their mind, and then38400:28:03.700 --> 00:28:06.539they circled back and they told methey'd change their mind, but they circled38500:28:06.539 --> 00:28:11.140back and and I just felt Ifelt like collapsing. Yeah, I was38600:28:11.299 --> 00:28:17.410so worn out from that battle,that spiritual battle, and that's a that's38700:28:17.450 --> 00:28:19.890a natural response in no matter whatyour motivation is, and we are all38800:28:21.009 --> 00:28:26.640going to be discouraged and sad whenthat happens. But because I hope and38900:28:26.799 --> 00:28:30.799pray my primary motivation is one ofthese ones, were going to get to39000:28:30.839 --> 00:28:33.759at the end. I was ableto recover from it. I was able39100:28:33.799 --> 00:28:37.599to get past it. Let itgo. Know, this was it.39200:28:37.880 --> 00:28:44.029It's what happens. It happens,and it wasn't my fault, anymore than39300:28:44.390 --> 00:28:47.589if they had chosen life, itwould have been my victory. Right.39400:28:48.190 --> 00:28:52.509So, so it's not a badmotivation and we should grieve when they walk39500:28:52.589 --> 00:28:57.500in there and that baby that wehave fought for so hard is killed anyway.39600:28:59.339 --> 00:29:03.740But you will you will be quickly. I love the word derailed.39700:29:03.940 --> 00:29:08.140They Satan will derail you from yourmission. Yeah, if that is why39800:29:08.259 --> 00:29:12.529you're out there. Yeah, yeah, but if that is the prim primary39900:29:14.009 --> 00:29:17.410yea out there. Yeah. Sothe next someone we're going to talk about,40000:29:18.329 --> 00:29:21.609and the Bible says be angry andsin not. So anger is not40100:29:21.730 --> 00:29:26.480a bad thing, right, inevery situation. But one of the motivations40200:29:26.519 --> 00:29:30.799that I've seen and I've seen otherscome out there, the primary motivation is40300:29:30.960 --> 00:29:34.400anger at the murder of the innocence. Yeah, and really a desire for40400:29:34.599 --> 00:29:41.190justice. Right, we should wantjustice. We should desire for people who40500:29:41.230 --> 00:29:44.789are doing evil to be held toaccount. Right, we should be angry.40600:29:44.910 --> 00:29:48.630Listen, Plan parenthood is a wickedentity. We should hate plant parenthood,40700:29:48.670 --> 00:29:52.430not the people, I don't thinkas believers we have the allowance to40800:29:52.509 --> 00:29:57.700hate people, but everything that theystand for. We should hate everything plan40900:29:57.740 --> 00:30:03.420parenthood stands for. We should hate, right, the fact that they're involved41000:30:03.619 --> 00:30:07.809in, just as an entity,the murder of more human beings in any41100:30:07.890 --> 00:30:11.769other entity on the face of theplanet. All right, we should be41200:30:11.849 --> 00:30:15.410angered at that. The fact thatwe as a society moving on from plan41300:30:15.529 --> 00:30:19.049parenthood and abortion centers and all thatother stuff. But just as a society41400:30:19.089 --> 00:30:23.759and political systems. Talking of againabout a political motivation, the Democrat Party41500:30:23.799 --> 00:30:29.000being as wicked and pro abortion asthey are. We should be angry at41600:30:29.079 --> 00:30:32.839that. We should want justice,we should pray that God brings justice,41700:30:32.839 --> 00:30:36.910we should pray that God would grantrepentance to the people that are in positions41800:30:36.950 --> 00:30:42.549of power and Democrats and Republicans alikeright who are pro abortion. And so41900:30:42.589 --> 00:30:48.549I think it can be in somesense a motivation be angry and sin not42000:30:48.750 --> 00:30:52.819who should be angered? We shouldbe stirred up over injustice. Yeah,42100:30:52.819 --> 00:30:56.460will seek justice. Seek justice isover and over a praise in the Bible42200:30:56.539 --> 00:30:59.380with it. And we are madein the image of God and God is42300:30:59.660 --> 00:31:03.779a just God. He is agod of justice. So the desire for42400:31:03.980 --> 00:31:11.410justice for that child is is animportant biblical motivation. But again, just42500:31:11.609 --> 00:31:17.369like in all of those other ones, the reality is most of the time,42600:31:17.930 --> 00:31:22.640well, we're going to see onthat sidewalk, is injustice appearing to42700:31:22.759 --> 00:31:27.119win? Yeah, yeah, andso if our primary motivation is justice and42800:31:27.279 --> 00:31:32.160we're not seeing justice day by day, right, we're going to get derailed.42900:31:32.200 --> 00:31:33.710Yeah, we're going to get deflated, we're going to get discouraged.43000:31:33.950 --> 00:31:37.950Yeah, and so the reason whybitter. I think, what a word43100:31:37.990 --> 00:31:41.710we haven't used up to up tothis point, and I think it's critical43200:31:41.789 --> 00:31:45.549because I see it's I do seeit. I see it creeping in easily,43300:31:45.710 --> 00:31:52.460a root of bitterness at what youface because you're so angry, there's43400:31:52.539 --> 00:31:57.180so much injustice, there's so muchhorror that in you begin to be filled43500:31:57.539 --> 00:32:02.609with bitterness. Yeah, and ifyou're filled with bitterness, that's what comes43600:32:02.650 --> 00:32:06.690out of right. Yeah. Andif that's what comes out of you,43700:32:06.849 --> 00:32:12.130guaranteed that's what the women are hearingand that's not what they need to be43800:32:12.329 --> 00:32:15.329right. Yeah, that's not goingto change their hearts. Yeah. Yeah,43900:32:15.369 --> 00:32:19.000we're in in one sense, notoffering them anything more than they already44000:32:19.039 --> 00:32:22.279have. They're already better. Angry. Yeah, overwhelmed. They know,44100:32:22.519 --> 00:32:25.039they know life hasn't been just fordifferent reasons. They don't always connect that44200:32:25.119 --> 00:32:30.670they're being unjust right towards that child. But but, yeah, so,44300:32:30.069 --> 00:32:35.750so justice. Frankly, it's notgoing to be served here on earth.44400:32:35.869 --> 00:32:38.829Right. Yeah, I in someways it will be. In some ways,44500:32:38.869 --> 00:32:43.950our hope is, when abortion comesto an end, that these abortionists44600:32:43.950 --> 00:32:47.539are brought to justice. And peoplethat are involved in abortion to we we44700:32:47.700 --> 00:32:52.500want justice. We should desire justice. I believe that's a godly desire,44800:32:52.539 --> 00:32:57.099our desire for justice that even peoplethat are that are godless, even so44900:32:57.220 --> 00:33:00.849called atheist, Yep, there's asense of justice they desire. Yeah,45000:33:00.890 --> 00:33:02.769right, and we should never stopfighting for justice. Right, we should.45100:33:02.809 --> 00:33:07.089We should desire justice and the Biblesays seek justice, Love Mercy and45200:33:07.170 --> 00:33:10.609we'll comely with our God. Weshould seek justice. Yeah, as people45300:33:10.609 --> 00:33:15.000who believe in I believe in therule of law, I believe that God45400:33:15.039 --> 00:33:20.640establishes nations with a certain justice system. I'll believe all of that stuff,45500:33:21.319 --> 00:33:27.119but ultimate justice is not going tohappen until Jesus Christ establishes his kingdom and45600:33:27.630 --> 00:33:31.910and he's he's the just judge,he's the just king. Right. So45700:33:32.029 --> 00:33:37.029we should desire justice. We shouldhave as a motivation justice and desire for45800:33:37.230 --> 00:33:43.619justice for these babies, but itcannot be our primary motivation because, like45900:33:43.740 --> 00:33:45.940you said, we don't see itday after, day after day, we46000:33:45.980 --> 00:33:50.339can become embittered and I've encountered peoplelike that. Yes, I said to46100:33:50.740 --> 00:33:54.849look wonderful people who are committed Christianslove the Lord, but they're their focus46200:33:55.049 --> 00:34:00.049has derailed them. They have becomebitter rather than motivated what we think are46300:34:00.170 --> 00:34:05.009better motivation. Yeah, and I'veseen that not just kind of like a46400:34:05.130 --> 00:34:09.960bitterness against society, a bitterness againstgovernment entities or whatever, but I've seen46500:34:10.000 --> 00:34:15.559it manifest in a bitterness against thechurch. Like the church should be involved46600:34:15.599 --> 00:34:19.480in this battle, right, thechurch should be, like we should be46700:34:19.599 --> 00:34:27.349the the drivers behind pro life ministry, saving babies, ending abortion. And46800:34:27.469 --> 00:34:30.750yet the church has not been.Sadly, I think we can recognize that.46900:34:30.230 --> 00:34:35.070And I've seen people in this realmof ministry become bitter against the church47000:34:35.190 --> 00:34:39.739because of that injustice, because thechurch is not seeking justice and loving mercy47100:34:39.820 --> 00:34:44.739and walking home humbly before their Godin this area. Right, and it47200:34:44.940 --> 00:34:47.739manifests itself in bitterness toward the church. People withdraw themselves from the church.47300:34:49.460 --> 00:34:52.530All they talk and think about isabortion and how bad the church is for47400:34:52.650 --> 00:35:00.329not doing anything about abortion, andand they get theologically and then just experentially47500:35:00.530 --> 00:35:04.690derailed. Yeah, and they becomepeople that you just don't really even want47600:35:04.690 --> 00:35:08.119to be around. Right. Ithink the ultimate end of that, if47700:35:08.159 --> 00:35:13.960it it, if it, thatperson dwells in that too long becomes bitterness47800:35:14.199 --> 00:35:19.119towards God. Yeah, thanks,because ultimately they say why God? Why?47900:35:19.320 --> 00:35:22.429And and there are many, manygreat people of the Bible, great48000:35:22.469 --> 00:35:27.469saints of the Bible, who callout why God, why are you not48100:35:27.550 --> 00:35:31.670ending this now? But and theydo. I mean there's plenty of people48200:35:31.670 --> 00:35:36.940in the Bible that that that callout to God saying why? Yeah,48300:35:37.500 --> 00:35:44.780but if that's where they stay,then it just becomes a complaining, bitter48400:35:44.820 --> 00:35:49.579spirit and an anger at God,a bitterness towards God. All, honestly,48500:35:49.860 --> 00:35:53.610a lack of trust and faith thathe has a plan and we may48600:35:53.730 --> 00:36:00.090not like how we're seeing it playedout, but we do have to trust48700:36:00.250 --> 00:36:04.289that he ultimately is the one thatwill bring justice and is in control.48800:36:04.320 --> 00:36:07.519Yeah, and that bitterness is notgoing to serve as well. Yeah,48900:36:07.320 --> 00:36:10.239you see in some of the psalmsyou mentioned about people that cry out why49000:36:10.360 --> 00:36:14.360God? Yeah, and you seethe Psalms David does that very, very49100:36:15.639 --> 00:36:19.829frequently. Yeah, very frequently.Yeah, but typically in those psalms where49200:36:19.829 --> 00:36:22.429he starts out with why God,what have you forsaken me and all of49300:36:22.550 --> 00:36:25.869this, yeah, it will endwith sort of like a reconciliation in his49400:36:25.989 --> 00:36:30.630mind that you're good God and Itrust you. Yeah, and that's certainly49500:36:30.070 --> 00:36:35.139you know, as we're crying outthrough the Lord, any attitude of bitterness49600:36:35.179 --> 00:36:37.820toward God is unfounded, right,and they needs to be reconciled with the49700:36:37.860 --> 00:36:40.460truth of who he is and thefact that we need to trust him.49800:36:40.739 --> 00:36:45.219Yeah, and, like you said, we get in this kind of being49900:36:45.260 --> 00:36:49.289our primary motivation, this desire forjustice and anger against injustice and all of50000:36:49.409 --> 00:36:53.849that. Yeah, bitterness is ahorrible thing that spreads like a cancer throughout50100:36:53.929 --> 00:36:59.010people and it's designed to destroy peopleand it will destroy teams. I have50200:36:59.170 --> 00:37:04.440seen it where one bitter person speakingout bitterly can kind of poison the attitude50300:37:04.480 --> 00:37:09.880of everyone around them because everyone thebitterness, the injustice is there. All50400:37:09.920 --> 00:37:14.519of us are feeling it and allof us want it to end. So50500:37:14.800 --> 00:37:17.949that bitterness can spread like a canceramong your team members, and it can.50600:37:19.230 --> 00:37:22.550It can destroy a ministry. Yeah, if that becomes too prevalent,50700:37:22.710 --> 00:37:25.789and I think sometimes it does.Yeah, so now we're getting into the50800:37:25.829 --> 00:37:30.940good stuff. Yeah, now we'recoming to I separate them out. They're50900:37:30.940 --> 00:37:36.460really not separate, but I doseparate out the last two motivations, which51000:37:36.460 --> 00:37:39.860we think are the motivations that aresustaining. Yeah, and that will ultimately51100:37:40.019 --> 00:37:44.769really should be our primary motive andshould be our primary and all of the51200:37:44.889 --> 00:37:50.530other motivations should really come under theumbrella of these two. That's right.51300:37:51.010 --> 00:37:55.210And the first is biblical conviction.Right, as believers in Jesus, if51400:37:55.329 --> 00:38:00.559we can't point to scripture as towhy we do what we do and and51500:38:00.800 --> 00:38:05.280and how we do in every areaof life, right, every area of51600:38:05.400 --> 00:38:07.599life, then we're off base.That's right. We need to see.51700:38:07.760 --> 00:38:12.440What does the Bible say? Yes, and so if the Bible, like51800:38:12.679 --> 00:38:16.630some claim says nothing about abortion,then should I even be involved in in51900:38:16.829 --> 00:38:21.110this ministry? Yeah, does amatter of fact, that the Bible says52000:38:21.110 --> 00:38:23.510a whole lot about abortion. Doesn'tuse the word, but use the word52100:38:23.550 --> 00:38:28.300abortion, uses the concept over andover over again. I'm killing the innocent.52200:38:28.340 --> 00:38:31.500Yeah, and so we see thatand yeah, we're angered at the52300:38:31.659 --> 00:38:36.099injustice, because God is. Iwas actually talking to one of the pro52400:38:36.260 --> 00:38:39.300boards, which I don't do ona regular basis, or try not to,52500:38:39.699 --> 00:38:42.730and I don't let them be adistraction. You guys know that.52600:38:42.769 --> 00:38:45.489Don't say not our mission, butI was. I was sharing with one52700:38:45.530 --> 00:38:50.210of the pro boards just Saturday aboutmy motivation. I was talking to her52800:38:50.210 --> 00:38:54.210about her motivation, just pointing outto her your obvious motivation is not because52900:38:54.210 --> 00:38:57.639you love and care about these women. Are. You wouldn't be saying some53000:38:57.760 --> 00:39:00.400of the things that you're saying,acting like you're acting, because you're not53100:39:00.559 --> 00:39:04.159helping the women that are going intothe abortion center. And so you need53200:39:04.199 --> 00:39:07.079to check your motivation. And shetalked about motivation for me. I said53300:39:07.159 --> 00:39:13.309for her my motivation. Listen,if I wasn't a believer in Jesus,53400:39:13.989 --> 00:39:15.909I could care less about these babies, I could care less about these women.53500:39:15.909 --> 00:39:20.110In my selfishness and in my sin, I could care less about other53600:39:20.150 --> 00:39:23.420people. Yeah, because God hastransformed my heart and he's given me his53700:39:23.900 --> 00:39:29.780word, the revelation of who heis in his word and what he desires.53800:39:30.219 --> 00:39:32.739His desires, by His grace ofhave become mind. So I care53900:39:32.940 --> 00:39:38.650deeply about these women. I careddeeply about these babies, but only because54000:39:38.690 --> 00:39:43.050of who god is in my life. Apart from him, what do I54100:39:43.090 --> 00:39:46.409care? Yes, selfish individual,just like that pro board, because it's54200:39:46.489 --> 00:39:52.480really my point with her was yourmotivation is as really self righteousness. It's54300:39:52.519 --> 00:39:57.280really to try to cover up yourown sin and your own past and really54400:39:57.599 --> 00:40:00.679to push your own agenda. Youdon't care about those women, you care54500:40:00.719 --> 00:40:04.400about yourself. Right. That's mypoint there. And I would be just54600:40:04.639 --> 00:40:08.389like that if it wasn't for Godand how he changed my heart through his54700:40:08.510 --> 00:40:13.389word. Right. And and sowe look to his word when we're when54800:40:13.429 --> 00:40:16.750we're motivated by biblical conviction, weare looking to his word. So the54900:40:17.230 --> 00:40:22.139word is filled with action verbs.I think we've mentioned this before. Speak55000:40:22.260 --> 00:40:24.940for those who can't speak for themselves, hold back those on a path of55100:40:25.219 --> 00:40:30.619destruction. Yeah, you know,we've taught the parable of the Good Samaritan.55200:40:30.699 --> 00:40:32.659Get them out of the ditch,GE get them ongoing help. So55300:40:34.500 --> 00:40:38.570our motivation, our actions, followthat motivation of what does the Bible tell55400:40:38.610 --> 00:40:44.889us to do? Yeah, butthen that leads kind of inseparable from the55500:40:45.090 --> 00:40:52.320final motivation. Biblical conviction is absolutelya very good motivation. Yep, but55600:40:52.400 --> 00:40:54.960I think there's one I kind ofpart it a little and say there's one55700:40:55.400 --> 00:41:00.119that that you are certainly alluding to, that is the strongest motivation, and55800:41:00.320 --> 00:41:06.110ultimately that is the love of God. Yeah, yeah, and what we55900:41:06.190 --> 00:41:08.949mean by that is not just likegenerally, the love of God should be56000:41:09.030 --> 00:41:15.469your motivation, but a love forGod, Right, Matthew, Chapter Twenty56100:41:15.510 --> 00:41:20.900Two, verses thirty seven through forty. This is a man asking Jesus what56200:41:21.099 --> 00:41:23.539is the greatest command and Jesus saidto him you shall love the Lord your56300:41:23.579 --> 00:41:25.980God with all your heart, withall your soul, with all your mind.56400:41:27.539 --> 00:41:30.260This is the first in great commandment. This, this is it,56500:41:30.820 --> 00:41:35.409this is the thing above all things. If you want to know what what56600:41:36.050 --> 00:41:37.969God wants, here's what he wants. Love the Lord your God with all56700:41:38.010 --> 00:41:40.210your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all56800:41:40.289 --> 00:41:44.690your strength. M and then hesaid the second is like it. So56900:41:44.969 --> 00:41:49.199Jesus is saying these two are veryclosely tied together. Right, is a57000:41:49.239 --> 00:41:51.400matter of fact. I would say. You can't have one without the other.57100:41:51.800 --> 00:41:55.639You can't. You can't properly loveyour neighbor, those babies, those57200:41:55.679 --> 00:42:00.079women, you can't properly love yourneighbor until you love God first. Right,57300:42:00.550 --> 00:42:04.110because you'll get the cart before thehorse and things will be out of57400:42:04.150 --> 00:42:07.590whack. Right, but you can'tsay that you love God if you're not57500:42:07.670 --> 00:42:09.269doing any. John Talks about this. And First John, how you how57600:42:09.269 --> 00:42:12.989you're going to say you love Godand don't love your brother? Practically right,57700:42:13.070 --> 00:42:15.710so to say that you love God. That's what the Pharisees did.57800:42:15.739 --> 00:42:17.940Yeah, we love God above allthings, and they rejected their neighbor.57900:42:19.099 --> 00:42:22.619They neglected their duty to their neighbors. So these are very closely tied together.58000:42:22.659 --> 00:42:25.179So he says. The first,this is the first and great commitment,58100:42:25.260 --> 00:42:28.900Love God, and the second islike it. You should love your58200:42:28.940 --> 00:42:32.210neighbor as yourself. On these twocommandments hang all the law and the Prophet58300:42:32.289 --> 00:42:36.369so all that that God has written. If you wanted to sum it up,58400:42:36.369 --> 00:42:39.250it'd be summed up in this loveGod and love your neighbor. Right,58500:42:39.889 --> 00:42:46.880but notice that there is a primarymotivation here. There's motivations. Love58600:42:46.920 --> 00:42:52.280your neighbor is a motivation. Weshould but the primary motivation is love God.58700:42:52.559 --> 00:42:54.880That's right, because a true again, a true and a proper love58800:42:54.960 --> 00:43:00.349for your neighbor will float out ofa love for God. And that's really58900:43:00.389 --> 00:43:04.710I think. When you get intopeople who are okay with violence against abortionists,59000:43:06.150 --> 00:43:12.349it's because likely they've they've put thecar before the Horse. They've thought59100:43:12.349 --> 00:43:16.099about those babies, they've thought aboutwhat those babies suffer more than they've thought59200:43:16.099 --> 00:43:20.539about what God actually says, becauseGod never gives us an allowance to commit59300:43:20.579 --> 00:43:23.980acts of violence, to to makethings right in the way that we think59400:43:23.980 --> 00:43:28.250we should. We have the Gospel. We're supposed to bring the Gospel,59500:43:28.889 --> 00:43:31.690and that's that's what God, inhis words, called us to do and59600:43:31.809 --> 00:43:36.250because we love him, that's goingto be the weapon that we willed,59700:43:36.570 --> 00:43:38.889the Gospel, the word of God. Right, you get the car before59800:43:38.889 --> 00:43:42.559the horse. In the same wayyou can get the car before the horse.59900:43:42.679 --> 00:43:47.079It manifests itself and really two ditchesand the other ditches. Let's just60000:43:47.280 --> 00:43:52.280let's just not talk about God andlet's just really be women focused. Let's60100:43:52.320 --> 00:43:55.269be woman focused, because that's beingyour burs with some people would say that's60200:43:55.309 --> 00:43:59.309loving your neighbors. Let's just meether kneed. Let's just think about her,60300:43:59.349 --> 00:44:02.789yeah, or let's just think aboutthe baby even and it really manifest60400:44:02.909 --> 00:44:07.630itself, and just let's not talkabout the hard truths of the Bible,60500:44:07.670 --> 00:44:12.539let's not talk about God's judgment andall these other things and repentance, none60600:44:12.579 --> 00:44:15.260of them repeaus. I'll make herfeel bad, that'll make you feel bad.60700:44:15.340 --> 00:44:17.860I don't you. And so yousee how I can manifest itself in60800:44:17.940 --> 00:44:22.659two extremes. Yeah, violence,and this is going to this is going60900:44:22.699 --> 00:44:25.449to solve the issue of abortion,or just completely going solved and not even61000:44:25.530 --> 00:44:29.289talking about sin. This is howit's gonna this is how we're going to61100:44:29.409 --> 00:44:32.449really help those women. Yeah,we God, and having the things that61200:44:32.610 --> 00:44:37.170God has put in place in orderproperly helps us to walk that tight rope61300:44:37.369 --> 00:44:43.599that we're supposed to be walking ofTruth and grace. That's exactly what I61400:44:43.760 --> 00:44:46.239was thinking there, which is whyI think, honestly, not to our61500:44:46.239 --> 00:44:51.000own horn, but I do thinkthat our ministry has that balance and I61600:44:51.119 --> 00:44:55.670think it's because the focus is loveGod, and out of that motivation you61700:44:55.789 --> 00:45:01.110will speak with a tone of love. But it is not loving to deny61800:45:01.150 --> 00:45:06.869truth and justice. So you'd soyou have both and it's attention and and61900:45:07.030 --> 00:45:09.940you're constantly moving back and forth betweenthose two. But but if love of62000:45:10.099 --> 00:45:19.860God is your primary motivation, theneverything that happens there is something that no62100:45:20.139 --> 00:45:24.010one and no result can take awayfrom you. Yeah, because you love62200:45:24.250 --> 00:45:28.409God and you're acting out of alove of God, and no matter what62300:45:28.530 --> 00:45:32.530happens, if you're in your head. I'm doing this because I love you,62400:45:32.730 --> 00:45:38.519Lord. Then every moment you're standingbefore God, loving him, he62500:45:38.679 --> 00:45:44.400has gained the victory, he hasbeen glorified and you feel like you can62600:45:44.480 --> 00:45:47.960come back to continue in that battle. Yeah, yeah, because it's practically62700:45:49.000 --> 00:45:52.150speaking, if you're standing out theirday after day, right and you're not62800:45:52.190 --> 00:45:54.989seeing baby saved, yeah, you'renot having interactions, or the only interactions62900:45:55.030 --> 00:46:00.230you're having are negative interactions. Whatif, if these other things are your63000:46:00.269 --> 00:46:02.269primary motivation, you are going toget the real right, kind of get63100:46:02.349 --> 00:46:07.460discouraged right and listen, I'm notsaying that there isn't times of discouragement.63200:46:07.500 --> 00:46:08.980There are, even in we're tryingto keep the love of God as the63300:46:09.019 --> 00:46:12.380chief. This is a tension thatwe live in. Yeah, this is63400:46:12.460 --> 00:46:15.460why we really need to be aroundother believers. If you're if you're out63500:46:15.460 --> 00:46:16.619on the sidewalk and you're going toserve in that capacity, is kind of63600:46:16.659 --> 00:46:22.489like a lone wolf. That itselfis going to derail you and discourage you63700:46:22.769 --> 00:46:24.809need other believers with you. Youneed to be a part of a church63800:46:24.849 --> 00:46:29.289where you get encouragement and that sortof thing. You need to feast on63900:46:29.329 --> 00:46:32.400the word of God, because otherwiseyou you won't have anything to offer anyone.64000:46:32.559 --> 00:46:37.679Yeah, so we do want encourageyou, guys. We do want64100:46:37.679 --> 00:46:42.920to just help you guys alone.We hope that this was helping you guys,64200:46:43.039 --> 00:46:45.800and just reminded you just keep alove for God. You're out there64300:46:45.840 --> 00:46:50.510because you love God and whether yousee results or not, you're out then64400:46:50.789 --> 00:46:53.869they're in obedience to him because he'sthe king of Kings, he's the Lord64500:46:53.909 --> 00:46:58.550of Lords, he's the one thatsaved you and redeemed you and you're speaking64600:46:58.869 --> 00:47:01.500out of a love for him.And all these other things that are good64700:47:01.579 --> 00:47:07.179motivations don't compete for that. Thatgreatest of all motivations. I love for64800:47:07.260 --> 00:47:09.940God. Right. Yeah, sowe hope this was an encouragement to you,64900:47:10.019 --> 00:47:13.980guys. We want to encourage youto reach out to us. You65000:47:14.059 --> 00:47:15.650can reach me, Daniel at LoveLife Dot Org. You reach her,65100:47:15.690 --> 00:47:20.690Vicky at Love Life Dot Org,if you have suggestions for other podcasts.65200:47:20.730 --> 00:47:23.210We'd love to cover subjects that youwould like for us to cover. We'd65300:47:23.250 --> 00:47:27.530love to hear some feedback from youon these podcasts and again, we'd love65400:47:27.570 --> 00:47:30.119for you to share these podcasts withothers. But until next time. God,65500:47:30.159 --> 00:47:44.159bless God. Bless our love forlove. Give me our love for65600:47:44.389 --> 00:47:55.510gratitude. I know it will costme my life. Nothing's too precious,65700:47:55.829 --> 00:47:58.190and some that you