Staying Safe in the Battle

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:05.960 Their swords clanging against shields and and all of this battle stuff going on right. 2 00:00:06.360 --> 00:00:09.279 And what does the Lord do? He sets a table right there on 3 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:16.000 the battlefield. I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, and me, 4 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:22.519 Lord, I'm yours, I'm yours. I'm welcome to the Gospel centered pro 5 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:28.000 life podcast, a podcast designed to equip, encourage and challenge you in pro 6 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:31.920 life ministry, and always with a focus on the Gospel. Stay tuned. 7 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:46.200 I felt your past touch your hearty welcome to the Gospel centered pro life podcast. 8 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:49.960 Appreciate you guys joining us and we appreciate if you guys would share this 9 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:53.640 podcast episode with others, if you would leave us a review. Also want 10 00:00:53.640 --> 00:00:57.000 to keep you guys in on the fact that we revamped our website. That 11 00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:00.960 has to do with this podcast. It's called Gospel centered pro life dot Com. 12 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:03.000 So you get a gospel centered pro life dot Com. We made a 13 00:01:03.000 --> 00:01:07.799 website. Created a website some months ago. It just wasn't as good as 14 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:12.239 it could be, so I revamped that and it should be easily um accessible 15 00:01:12.280 --> 00:01:19.000 to you guys. Should easily excess episodes with certain subjects and certain keywords in 16 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:21.680 them, so you know if you wanted to see what we had done, 17 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:25.840 maybe episodes we've done about adoption or something like that. You can put that 18 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:30.120 keyword in there and or shave the episodes. Our previous website didn't really do 19 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:33.599 that very well, so this one does. There's also some other cool features 20 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:36.040 on there. Just so I encourage you, guys, take take a look 21 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:40.000 at that website, Gospel Center Pro Life Dot Com, and share the episode 22 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:42.239 from there. Yeah, that's great, because we put these out to equip 23 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:47.319 and encourage sidewalk counters. That's all we do. That's what the every one 24 00:01:47.319 --> 00:01:52.040 of those articles and podcasts that we put out are are to help you, 25 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:56.760 and so they're very they're really helpful, I think. I think so. 26 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:00.079 Yeah, that's why we do it. So wait, take advantage of that 27 00:02:00.680 --> 00:02:02.799 and again leave us a review. I think you can actually leave a review 28 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:06.959 on that website. Oh, that would be good, because I've heard leaving 29 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:10.520 reviews it's not super easy. Yeah, so I do that, guys. 30 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:16.080 We appreciate it. So let's jump into our episode. We know that we're 31 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:21.840 doing this after Roe v Wade has been overturned. So we're in the post 32 00:02:22.039 --> 00:02:27.159 row America, as many folks have called it and we just did an episode 33 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:30.800 about where we were kind of rejoicing in what the Lord has done, of 34 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:36.000 like remembering the day that Roe v Wade was overturned and that impact that had 35 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:38.120 on us. Many of you guys remember that too. We want to remember 36 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:44.840 that for generations to come. I'm sure it's amazing, really unprecedented and miraculous 37 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:49.080 what the Lord did, Um. But because of that there's certainly been an 38 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:53.080 escalation of threats from pro abortion people. There have been one group in particular 39 00:02:53.159 --> 00:03:00.400 that said that they were going to begin to vandalize churches pregnancy centers. Um, 40 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:05.159 they've been spray painting on the side of buildings and pregnancy centers and churches. 41 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:07.759 If abortions aren't safe, then neither are you, and so they want 42 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:12.439 to instill fear and a lot of it's just empty threats. We know that, 43 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:15.000 um, but there are some deranged people out there. I mean these 44 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:19.280 are the people that support the murder of children inside the womb. So there's 45 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:23.360 obviously things that are darkened in their hearts and they need Jesus. And so 46 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:28.759 we thought that we would do an episode about staying safe, in particular on 47 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:31.439 the sidewalk. What are some things that you can do to stay safe. 48 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:35.960 Now, first and foremost, start out with the fact that we do not 49 00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:39.080 operate in a spirit of fear. The Bible says God has not given us 50 00:03:39.080 --> 00:03:43.840 a spirit of fear, but power, love and a sound mind. Right, 51 00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:46.840 so we're not to operate in fear, but we are to operate in 52 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:52.240 wisdom. The Bible says that we should not be ignorant of Satan's devices. 53 00:03:52.840 --> 00:03:58.080 The devil uses people. Bible says that the spirit, the spirit that's at 54 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:01.000 work in the sons of disobeing. It's this demonic spirit. Um, I 55 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:04.039 can't quote the scripture exactly because I don't remembered exactly, but basically, this 56 00:04:04.120 --> 00:04:10.039 demonic spirit does all kinds of demonic things and this spirit is at work in 57 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:15.719 those who don't know God. So the devil demons, they work through people. 58 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:18.839 And so these people are not our enemy. We don't war against flesh 59 00:04:18.839 --> 00:04:21.480 and blood, right, we have to remember that. But we do need 60 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:27.000 to be aware of their capabilities and we do need to be aware of their 61 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:30.040 tactics and we do need to be aware of our surroundings so that we can 62 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:34.160 not fall prey to any of their tactics. If they their tactics turn violent. 63 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:38.279 Yeah, I think if I could summarize in one word, be be 64 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:45.240 vigilant, be vigilant with because they there have been obviously threats throughout the nation 65 00:04:45.399 --> 00:04:50.040 and we are in a very exposed place and we're right on the front lines. 66 00:04:50.839 --> 00:04:56.160 So so we wrote this article and we're doing this podcast to kind of 67 00:04:56.199 --> 00:05:00.920 outline just some basic, major things that we thought were useful for people to 68 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:10.040 know in trying to Um, keep the environment peaceful, b peace makers and 69 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:14.879 Um and safe. Yeah, yeah, I want to define what it means 70 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:17.360 to be vigilant for you guys. What does that mean? To be vigilant, 71 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:20.319 because we've talked about that. You mentioned it before. Be Vigilant, 72 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:24.560 in essence, what it means? It's it's kind of a battle term. 73 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:30.120 Actually, it means to have your eyes wide open, peering across the horizon, 74 00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:33.800 being ready, right, not being in fear, but being aware. 75 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:42.160 It's it's this battle readiness, this battle awareness that if something's coming at you, 76 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:45.480 you need to be vigilant, you need to have your eyes wide open 77 00:05:45.480 --> 00:05:48.160 and aware so that you can respond appropriately. So that's kind of what we're 78 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:53.600 talking about. We're talking about being vigilant and all of these points sort of 79 00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:56.519 have to do with that, with being vigilant. Yeah, they do. 80 00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:00.680 Uh. And one of the first points, I think, is that we 81 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:02.959 don't want to be the problem, in other words, do not be the 82 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:09.959 source of escalating emotions. Emotions are heightened out there right now. I actually 83 00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:15.720 have not seen it so much, which is very surprising and actually raises my 84 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:18.839 radar a bit because I'm not seeing it and I definitely expected it. But 85 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:24.560 Um, but we should not be. We've talked another podcast. We should 86 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:30.319 not be gloating. We certainly should not be responding to their despair, anger 87 00:06:30.439 --> 00:06:34.600 whatever, with matching them with anger. Yeah, yeah, and so de 88 00:06:34.920 --> 00:06:41.639 escalating as much as possible. Because the atmosphere and because of this kind of 89 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:46.560 heightened angst and anger against pro life people, all the more we're gonna see 90 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:49.959 dads that come to the abortion center and yell at us you want to take 91 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:55.040 away my girlfriends or my wife's right to choose or whatever, and get in 92 00:06:55.079 --> 00:06:58.720 your face. Do the best you can just to de Escalate, and the 93 00:06:58.759 --> 00:07:02.160 way that we deescalate is we're not going to respond to anger with anger. 94 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:06.439 Normally I'll put my hands up and just say, man, I'm not your 95 00:07:06.519 --> 00:07:10.399 enemy. That's probably my most common phrase. I'm not your enemy. I'm 96 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:14.120 just here to offer help and also understand. You don't always have to respond. 97 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:17.079 You know, if someone comes at you angry, maybe they're angry. 98 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:21.560 Sometimes it's anger because we're trying to take away their their right to choose. 99 00:07:21.800 --> 00:07:27.480 A lot of times the anger does come from the boyfriend or a friend or 100 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:30.680 a parent. It's not always, as a matter of fact, it's almost 101 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:33.600 never the woman that's having the abortion. She's already broken, she's already you 102 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:36.040 know, there's a lot of confusion there. Sometimes it is, but for 103 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:40.639 the most part it's it's other people or it's pro abortion people. You know, 104 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:45.639 quote counterprotesters or whatever. But if someone comes at you and they're angry 105 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:49.240 because we're trying to take away their you know, somebody their cousins right to 106 00:07:49.319 --> 00:07:55.319 choose or whatever, and their cousin is going through a very difficult situation, 107 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:59.079 we want to respond with compassion. I'm sorry that she's going through that, 108 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:03.079 but we're here to all for help. We're not here to protests. We're 109 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:07.680 just here to a soft answer. Turns Away Round, it does, it's 110 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:11.560 and and it's unexpected. I think they do expect us to just be like 111 00:08:11.720 --> 00:08:16.120 them and the more that we are more like Christ and uh, you know, 112 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:18.920 and I think the more likely it is it's going to throw them off 113 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:24.160 their game and reduce, uh, the desire for violence. But one of 114 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:28.079 them that I wrote, Um, that I brought up that I don't think 115 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:31.399 I've heard you mentioned, Daniel, so maybe you don't agree with it. 116 00:08:31.440 --> 00:08:35.879 But, Um, I think that it's important that we re we remind them 117 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:41.799 in some way that we're human beings just like them. So I I phrase 118 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:46.600 that as remind those in opposition of our joint humanity. We're both groups of 119 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:50.799 humanity and we may have opposing points of views, but there's a lot that 120 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:54.759 we hold in common. We're both made in the image of a holy God. 121 00:08:56.440 --> 00:09:00.440 We all have struggles, Um, and we all hold a world view 122 00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:03.759 of viewpoint that, Um, it may be in stark contrast, but it 123 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:09.600 doesn't mean that we should devalue them or that they should devalue us as fellow 124 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:15.200 human beings. And I think if there's way, like just very simple ways 125 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:18.919 to do that, um, say good morning when when you see them. 126 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:22.000 I sometimes I think I should just ignore them, but I I and I 127 00:09:22.039 --> 00:09:26.159 do for the most part, because they're trained to distract us. But I 128 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:31.799 think I've I've maybe aired too much on the side of that Um that just 129 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:37.639 saying good morning is acknowledging there you're a fellow human being and you know, 130 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:41.799 and I'll often say lately I'll say nice to see you. Not Nice to 131 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:46.399 see you here, not nice to see what you're doing, but it's nice 132 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:50.039 to see you. You don't want to agree with what they're doing. Right, 133 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:54.679 right, right, yeah, I mean, I think reminding them by 134 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:58.759 being kind as much as you're able to, yeah, but also reminding ourselves 135 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:03.519 that they're also human beings exactly, even as misguided and as misdirected and as 136 00:10:05.559 --> 00:10:09.039 full of demons as they might be, they're still human beings made in the 137 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:11.159 image of God, and if they would repent and turn to Jesus, he 138 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:16.039 would save them in an instant. Right we at one time we're dead in 139 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:20.519 our trespasses and sins. Our minds are the Bible says. Our our minds 140 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:24.159 were darkened and so we were captive to our sin, just like they are. 141 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:28.279 We're no better than them, apart from Christ. And again, if 142 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:30.480 they would come to the Lord, he would save them an instant. So 143 00:10:30.679 --> 00:10:33.799 we need remind them of our humanity, but also we need to remind ourselves 144 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:37.440 in each other, of their humanity, I think exactly. The next one 145 00:10:37.559 --> 00:10:41.559 is a really important one. report any aggression, however minor, to the 146 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:46.919 police. If there is any aggression against a sidewalk team, it needs to 147 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:50.360 be reported. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And that's like threats 148 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:54.799 against you, like direct threats. I'M gonna come over there and beat you 149 00:10:54.200 --> 00:10:56.519 down, or I'm gonna I got a gun, I wanna shoot you, 150 00:10:58.039 --> 00:11:01.840 anything like that. Um, of course, any physical aggression, if they 151 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:05.080 push, if they take a sign out of your hand, whatever, you 152 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:09.039 need to report it. You need to call the police. Now there are 153 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:11.720 situations, many of these situations, of the police either won't or can't do 154 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:16.879 anything because they didn't see it, um or because it was not maybe a 155 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:22.159 direct threat. Communicating threats can be a little that can be some gray area 156 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:24.440 there and so, but it's still good to hold them accountable. It's still 157 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:30.240 good if there's something that's over the top aggression, it's good to call the 158 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:33.519 police. The worst that could happen is the police come out and do nothing. 159 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:37.080 At least it's been documented and they've been at least held accountable for that 160 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:41.600 moment. Right. And then the next thing that we wrote is press charges, 161 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:45.840 because the police sometimes won't do anything, but it is within your rights 162 00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:48.080 to say I would like to press charges. Yeah, yeah, and you 163 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:52.440 should. You should if there's especially if there's any touch, any physical aggression. 164 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:56.320 Yeah, if there's physical altercation, if there's something they did, you 165 00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:00.960 push, you hit you. We did have an end in it in California 166 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:03.480 a couple of weeks ago the young lady hit one of the sidewalk counselors out 167 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:07.360 there. Thank God, the team reacted pretty quickly. One of the team 168 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:11.559 members actually got in his car and followed the lady who got in her car 169 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:15.120 and left. Followed her and was on the phone with the police from understanding, 170 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:18.720 and ended up finding her and press charges against her and she's been held 171 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:22.200 accountable. Good, and you have to do that, if not for yourself, 172 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.840 I you know, we we've talked about this many times, if not 173 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:26.840 for yourself, for your team members. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, because 174 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:30.720 there can be this tendency. Of course we want to be forgiving. You 175 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:33.360 can forgive in your heart. You can say I forgive you for what you 176 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:35.679 did and not hold it against him, and you should. You should have 177 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:39.639 a posture of forgiveness toward anyone that does anything to you. Um, but 178 00:12:39.720 --> 00:12:43.799 that doesn't mean that you don't hold them accountable and you don't let the law 179 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:48.320 do its job hold the evil doers accountable. Romans Chapter Thirteen tells us that 180 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:52.320 it holds evil doers accountable. And also, again, it's not for your 181 00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:54.159 sake only, it's for the sake of those because you let that person get 182 00:12:54.200 --> 00:12:58.679 away with hitting you or smacking a sign out of your hand or whatever. 183 00:12:58.440 --> 00:13:01.879 Um, then the next time they come around, maybe it's a passer by, 184 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:03.960 maybe it's somebody going into the clinic, but either way, the next 185 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:07.519 time they come around they might do something even more violent to someone else who's 186 00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:11.679 not able to bear with him. Maybe it wasn't a big deal for you, 187 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:13.559 but it might be a big deal for someone else. So yeah, 188 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:18.919 it is. It's an accountability thing and it's also kind of a team morale 189 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:22.279 thing. Like your team, especially if you're in leadership, your team knows 190 00:13:22.360 --> 00:13:26.120 that you got their back when you press charges rather than just letting that stuff 191 00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:28.879 go. That's right, and one of the things that we did here in 192 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:37.919 Charlotte, our city director did contact the police department proactively regarding our concerns because 193 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:41.240 there had been nationwide threats of violence. We asked, could there be a 194 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:45.919 patrol? Could they could at least an officer do a drive by every now 195 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:48.200 and then, because we are concerned that there is going to be that there 196 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:52.519 could be violence? And I've noticed that they have been doing that. It's 197 00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:56.799 it's not constant, but I'll see usually once a day I'll see them drive 198 00:13:56.799 --> 00:14:01.279 by and that presence, I think is important and that any any city could, 199 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:03.080 could do that, anyone with a sidewalk team, and I think it's 200 00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:05.759 probably a good idea. Yeah, yeah, it's good just to reach out 201 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:09.639 to the local precinct and ask them. All they can do is say no, 202 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:13.879 Hey, can you have an officer out here these hours? We're out 203 00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:16.159 there from nine to twelve. Could you have an officer? At least have 204 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:20.080 an officer job by, because there's some heightened tensions because of the Rovie Wade 205 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:24.240 being overturned decision and so Um, yeah, you have not, because you 206 00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:28.679 asked not. Worst they can do to say no, that's right, and 207 00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:31.039 praying and fasting. Right. It's the next one. We wrote, and 208 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:35.519 that's so important. I really believe that. First of all, that is 209 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:39.639 a big part of why Roevie Wade was overturned, but I also believe why 210 00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:43.480 things have been, at least here, relatively calm. I know there is 211 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:50.639 a huge number of people that are praying and fasting for peace and our protection. 212 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:54.159 Yeah, yeah, absolutely, again remembering this is a spiritual battle. 213 00:14:54.799 --> 00:15:00.759 We need to be in prayer. I encourage you guys like on your way 214 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:03.480 to the abortion center. I say you don't need to be listening to country 215 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:07.200 music, you don't need to be listening to talk radio, you need to 216 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:11.000 be in prayer and fasting. Maybe have some worship music on, worshiping the 217 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:13.840 Lord, but you need to be in prayer, putting on the armor of 218 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:16.279 God, understanding that this is a spiritual battle. This is not just an 219 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:20.840 ideological battle, this is not just a Democrat Republican battle, this is not 220 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:26.120 a pro life pro abortion battle, this is a light in darkness battle and 221 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:28.639 because of that we need to be in prayer. We need to employ the 222 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:33.720 tools that God has given us to fight this spiritual battle. Prayer and fasting 223 00:15:33.799 --> 00:15:39.799 are key. Worship, proclamation of the word, those are other keys to 224 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:43.759 really waging this warfare. And so, Um, yeah, be in prayer 225 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:46.519 and fasting. God can do what you cannot. God can see what you 226 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:50.080 can't. There may be some pro abortion person on their way to the abortion 227 00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:54.039 center planning some kind of evil, some kind of you know, whatever evil 228 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:58.480 they might plan against you, and somehow, because you've been in prayer, 229 00:15:58.679 --> 00:16:02.600 prayer and fasting, God's supernaturally behind the scenes made it where their car wouldn't 230 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:06.799 start or whatever. Who knows? But God can work behind the scenes. 231 00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:10.039 We just need to be in prayer and fasting and kind of giving it over 232 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:14.679 to him and put it in his hands and let him cover US and protecting. 233 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:18.639 Yeah, and I've been very specific in my prayers, praying for protection 234 00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:22.039 for our teams, which is something I probably had not done a lot prior 235 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:26.600 to Roe v Wade, but but now I'm I'm very intentional about praying that 236 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:30.559 our teams would be protected. Next one is a pretty common sense one. 237 00:16:30.679 --> 00:16:33.759 Have a camera going all the time? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, we 238 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:37.720 have cameras that we use pretty much nationally. All of our teams use these 239 00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:41.360 cameras that we get off Amazon. There kind of expensive, about a hundred 240 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:45.240 and fifty hundred sixty bucks. But they have a battery inside of it, 241 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:48.720 so you charge it overnight, you get it out and the battery last probably 242 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:55.799 three four and you can have shift. Yep, you can have it continuously 243 00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:59.759 recording and recording on a loop, so it kind of records over the previous 244 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:03.480 thing if you haven't stopped the camera. Um, I won't get into all 245 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:07.240 the kind of ways that you use that and as far as all the ways 246 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:11.559 that it works, I'm sure it comes with an instruction booklet Um, but 247 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:15.680 it's a very useful tool. If an incident does take place, you can 248 00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:18.519 stop record on that. You can call the police, show it to them 249 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:22.960 and, Um, they can the person that did whatever they did that you 250 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:26.359 recorded can be held accountable, right, and it can be a deterrentent and 251 00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:30.160 of itself if they see the camera going. And if you don't have one 252 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:34.400 of those, always at least have your own phone camera ready to record if 253 00:17:34.440 --> 00:17:37.839 you're seeing something that looks like it could, you know, boil over. 254 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:41.799 Yeah, absolutely, and I do. Just as a little side note on 255 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:47.559 the camera, always encourage people not to have it on your body because it 256 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:51.079 can be a deterrent from people going into the abortion center actually coming and talking 257 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:52.279 to you. You know, these women want to hide their scent. They 258 00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:56.000 don't want to be recorded doing it. So if you have a camera in 259 00:17:56.079 --> 00:18:00.000 your chest or a camera on your whatever, yeah, and it's right there, 260 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:03.279 are clearly visible, they're gonna be less likely to approach you. But 261 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:06.079 you have to weigh that out. Maybe maybe that's how you need to do 262 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:08.920 it. I always encourage you to put it maybe kind of back, maybe 263 00:18:08.920 --> 00:18:12.319 even across the road, like here latrobe we have it across the road on 264 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:18.440 the vehicle, oftentimes kind of taking a view of the driveway. That's where 265 00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:21.279 most of the engagement takes place and these things have a pretty wide angle on 266 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:23.920 them. So you know, you figure that out. I do think it 267 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:29.119 is good to have it away a little bit um so that it doesn't mess 268 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:32.799 up the engagements that you would otherwise have, but also pointed toward the area 269 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:34.720 whether it's going to be the most engagement. You can never have a camera 270 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:38.279 pointed in every direction right. You can have fifteen cameras out there and still 271 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:41.559 you could miss some things, Um, and so you have to kind of 272 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:47.160 weigh out is all of the stuff that has to do with buying the camera, 273 00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:49.359 setting the camera up, Um, making sure it's charged. All that 274 00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:53.279 stuff is the juice worth the squeeze, as I say often, and I 275 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:56.680 think it really is. But you have to weigh out how strategically use that 276 00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:00.119 camera. But it is important to have a camera going the whole time you're 277 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:04.240 out there. I agree. And another thing that is often not possible because 278 00:19:04.440 --> 00:19:07.640 men tend to work during the day. We have a lot of a lot 279 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:11.319 more women. There are, you know, of course, many women that 280 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:15.480 work outside of the home, but we have for sure our teams are mostly 281 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:19.440 women and there is really no doubt when there's a man who can keep the 282 00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:22.519 piece, who is calm, he can't be someone given over to anger. 283 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:26.319 But if there's that type of man out on the sidewalk with us, it 284 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:32.519 does seem to reduce the likelihood of aggression. Yeah, absolutely so, if 285 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:36.200 possible, have men on your team. M Yeah, one that we have 286 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:41.799 here is if you see a gun, yeah, and we have people. 287 00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:45.480 I don't I've never had a gun like directly pointed at me at the abortion 288 00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:48.519 center, but I have had a couple of times where someone brandishes a gun. 289 00:19:49.880 --> 00:19:52.920 Had as he was pulling out of the driveway, he pulled it up 290 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:56.559 at the window and I had it like the you can't see me because you're 291 00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:00.000 listening to this podcast. We had it kind of up against the window, 292 00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:03.519 not pointing at me, but kind of pointing up, and I called the 293 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:07.319 police on that. I didn't feel threatened by it necessarily, but he was 294 00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:11.480 obviously brandishing the gun to let me know he had a gun. And actually 295 00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:15.240 the law here in North Carolina says that you can't have a gun if you 296 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:19.160 go to a protest at a medical facility. And so, you know, 297 00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:22.559 maybe his little gray area there because it wasn't coming to a protest, but 298 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:27.759 we're supposedly protesting and he's involving himself and that when he's engaging with us. 299 00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:30.440 So anyway, I called the police. They didn't really do much, but 300 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:34.079 he did hold him accountable. So if you ever see a gun, call 301 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:37.160 the police. Whether you feel threatened or not, you still should call the 302 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:41.960 police to hold him accountable because you don't want him ultimately using that gun. 303 00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:45.519 Right. Yeah, yeah, never minister alone. Yeah, for for so 304 00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:49.200 many reasons. Say, it's Biblical. We were sent out, Jesus sent 305 00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:53.319 but disciples out two by two. But you always have a witness with you, 306 00:20:53.400 --> 00:20:57.599 then and and someone that can, you know, help you and if 307 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:03.079 there's an emergency. So I would say in this day and age, all 308 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:07.119 the more like this, this should be a hard and fast rule. Never 309 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:11.799 be out there by yourself. And I know the temptation, if you don't 310 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:15.400 have someone with you, to be out there alone, because I'm often very 311 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:19.079 tempted. I'm not really given to fear, strangely enough, when I'm out 312 00:21:19.079 --> 00:21:23.119 on the sidewalk. But it is just wisdom. Don't be alone. Don't 313 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:29.319 be alone. And then, of course, if there are direct threats or 314 00:21:29.480 --> 00:21:34.400 active violence, if you can, our suggestion is that you leave. Don't 315 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:38.720 try and fight it out. In other words, if you feel a direct 316 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:44.880 threat and imminent danger to you or to your team, it's okay to leave 317 00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:48.640 now. We don't want to, of course, pack up and leave just 318 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:51.599 on a whim, and you guys would never do that. But if you 319 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:55.480 feel that there's an imminent threat, there's someone here that has a gun and 320 00:21:55.559 --> 00:22:00.039 they look angry and violent or God God knows more we do. He can 321 00:22:00.039 --> 00:22:03.359 speak to our hearts. If there's several members of your team that kind of 322 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:07.359 test for like something's off here, something's not quite right. We need to 323 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:11.720 leave. I would say from the mouth of two or three witnesses. If 324 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:15.680 your whole team is kind of in agreement that we need to leave because something's 325 00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:21.200 off here, then probably should leave, probably should pack it up. Yeah, 326 00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:23.039 we we don't want anyone to feel like they're not a hero or they're 327 00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:26.720 less of a Christian if they're going to stick it out in the midst of 328 00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:33.000 of escalating violence, and we want you to know it would be wise and 329 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:36.480 it would protect each other for you, for you to leave. Here's one 330 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:40.880 that you may or may not agree with me. Um, using social media 331 00:22:40.920 --> 00:22:44.279 to your advantage. In other words, what I mean by that is take 332 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:51.839 photos and videos. If you're seeing, UM, the opposition being aggressive in 333 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:56.880 a way that that you know is going to reflect poorly on them, I 334 00:22:56.039 --> 00:23:02.119 think it might not be a bad idea to bring so show pressure on them 335 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:07.799 not to behave that way. Now you can backfire because some people want that 336 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:12.119 attention. So when do you decide to do one or the other? I 337 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:15.519 don't know. Yeah, yeah, maybe pray and seek the Lord. I 338 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:21.200 think it is good to expose these pro abortion people, these angry people, 339 00:23:22.119 --> 00:23:26.480 to the larger public to see what these folks that people can see what these 340 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:30.960 most people are horrified when when my friends see what we endure, they cannot 341 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:38.200 believe it. They can't believe that like civilized human beings would act that way. 342 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:42.160 And so that helps, I think, to change the heart in the 343 00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:47.039 mind of a nation. Yeah, it can so. I mean the Gospel 344 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:51.279 ultimately is what does that. But I think seeing the face of evil and 345 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:55.799 what they do is really sometimes very powerful. Yeah, yeah, I think 346 00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:59.200 it can be. So definitely seek the Lord for wisdom about that. Of 347 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:00.920 course, if you put them on social media, they're likely to put you 348 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:06.839 on social media and there's been some threats from pro abortion people to docs pro 349 00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:11.240 life people, which means put out your information for the public so that people 350 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:14.319 come to your house and all this other stuff. You got to weigh those 351 00:24:14.359 --> 00:24:17.480 things out. Um, I certainly want to seek the Lord. Yeah, 352 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:21.119 and so just a little Um F Y, I don't give personal information. 353 00:24:21.160 --> 00:24:23.160 If at all possible, don't. Don't let anyone know your last name, 354 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:26.680 your address, your phone number, all of that stuff. Just really important. 355 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:32.400 Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Um, using scripture, we already talked 356 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:34.759 about that a little bit, to help any other pro life groups to escalate 357 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:37.960 and what I mean by that? Oh, actually, we didn't talk about 358 00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:41.960 this. Sometimes the escalation is coming from someone who's not with your group but 359 00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:47.160 they're pro life, and we actually have seen that this this week and last 360 00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:52.240 week, and it puts us in danger. And the MOMS and the abortion 361 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:59.759 proponents really don't care which pro life group is being jerks are aggressive. They're 362 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:04.240 going to lump us all together and and so sometimes pulling those other pro life 363 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:08.400 groups aside and saying hey, man, you're you are actually putting us in 364 00:25:08.519 --> 00:25:11.599 danger with this and and can can we bring it down a notch, because 365 00:25:11.640 --> 00:25:15.680 this is not helpful. Yeah, because, like we've said, oftentimes I'M 366 00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:21.079 gonna keep beating this drum in our ministry at the abortion center. We're not 367 00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:25.000 out there protesting, we're not out there trying to appeal to the powers that 368 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:27.160 be. We're not out there to go back and forth with pro abortion people. 369 00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:32.960 We're not out there to state our calls to the pro abortion you know, 370 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:36.799 contingency. We're out there to appeal to those mothers. So getting in 371 00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:40.640 a back and forth with some pro aboord and just getting in a shouting match 372 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:44.880 and proving your points so that their point is proven wrong. That's not helpful 373 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:47.920 there. It's just not the scenario for it. If you want to do 374 00:25:47.960 --> 00:25:51.720 that stuff, go to the courthouse. I think a lot of these pro 375 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:55.200 abortion groups are doing these. Yeah, you'll find them there. Yeah, 376 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:59.240 you'll, you'll find them. They're doing these protests, you know, never 377 00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:03.400 again turning back with the their signs, with the coat hanger on them, 378 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:07.759 not turning back to, you know, these so called dangerous abortions. Every 379 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:10.319 abortion is dangerous. What are these people talking about? Anyway? If you 380 00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:12.599 want to argue with those people, go and argue with him at the courthouse 381 00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:15.640 or the city square, but not in front of the abortions, because it 382 00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:19.640 just it takes away from the actual reason we're there, to reach those moms 383 00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:26.160 going into the abortion center right and we've actually found that that mindset is true 384 00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:30.599 reaching the women. If you're just argumentative, screaming at them for you know, 385 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:34.880 trying to prove your point in a very argumentative and loud way, it 386 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:40.279 usually doesn't end well and they rarely come and talk with us. Yeah, 387 00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:45.480 so I think our final point here is we'll just talk from Psalm twenty three, 388 00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:48.920 something we've talked about. It's such a good one. In today's age 389 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:52.680 isn't it? That's always good. But Yeah, well, Psalm Twenty three, 390 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:55.440 you guys know. Yeah, though, I walk through the Valley of 391 00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:56.960 the shadow you know. You know the scripture. We know it in King 392 00:26:57.039 --> 00:27:02.960 James English. But David's walking there about walking through the Valley of the shadow 393 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:06.279 of death. He's talking about this, this place of darkness, this place 394 00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:10.480 of death, and I think you all would agree if you've ever been in 395 00:27:10.519 --> 00:27:15.240 front of an abortion center, there is no place it could be more um 396 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:21.799 readily identified as the Valley of the shadow of death, more clearly evident as 397 00:27:21.880 --> 00:27:25.799 the Valley of the shadow of death than the abortion center and being in front 398 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:29.119 of the abortion center. And so what does that Psalm say, though? 399 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:33.200 We're there in that Valley of the shadow of death. The Lord is with 400 00:27:33.319 --> 00:27:37.079 us, right, that's what it says. It says I fear no evil, 401 00:27:37.079 --> 00:27:40.160 though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death. I fear 402 00:27:40.200 --> 00:27:44.000 no evil. Why? Because you are with me, guys. Remember, 403 00:27:44.279 --> 00:27:47.640 the Lord is with you. We don't walk in fear. Yeah, we 404 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:51.319 need to be wise, we need to be aware of Satan's devices. We 405 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:52.759 need to have a camera going, we need to not be out there at 406 00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:56.559 the out there alone by ourselves. Right, we need to hold people accountable 407 00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:00.319 all of that stuff, but at the end of the day we walk in 408 00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:03.039 faith. We walk by faith and not by side. We don't walk in 409 00:28:03.119 --> 00:28:07.960 fear, because it says I will fear no evil for your with with me, 410 00:28:07.559 --> 00:28:11.319 your Rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table 411 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:18.599 before me in the presence of My Enemies. I love that. The picture 412 00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:23.079 there is a battlefield where there's arrows whizzing by, flaming arrows, and their 413 00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:29.880 swords clanging against shields and and all of this battle stuff going on, right. 414 00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:33.160 And what does the Lord do? He sets a table right there on 415 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:37.519 the battlefield. You and the Lord share a meal together in the midst of 416 00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:41.599 that battle. You can have peace in the midst of that battle. You 417 00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:47.799 can have fellowship and union with Jesus in the midst of that very real spiritual 418 00:28:47.799 --> 00:28:51.119 battle of the Erian on the sidewalk. So we don't need to be afraid. 419 00:28:51.720 --> 00:28:53.279 We need to have communion with God, we need to be in fellowship 420 00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:56.440 with the Lord. That's all. We need to be in prayer and fasting 421 00:28:56.160 --> 00:29:03.480 and we need to walk in faith as we use God's wisdom to give a 422 00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:07.400 voice to the voiceless. Amen. That's a that's a great way to end 423 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:11.920 this sort of scary, I guess, podcast. We don't want us all 424 00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:15.599 to now be afraid. We want to remind all of us God is with 425 00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:18.599 us and, honestly, well, bad things happen, they might, but 426 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:23.680 he's still with us, even even in those hard and bad things. He's 427 00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:29.200 right there with us. Well, guys, we hope this was an encouragement. 428 00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:30.400 Do you, and we hope that you, guys, will reach out 429 00:29:30.440 --> 00:29:34.759 to us if you have any suggestions for other episodes, maybe any questions about 430 00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:37.960 previous episodes or this episode in particular. We'd love to hear from you. 431 00:29:38.359 --> 00:29:41.039 You can reach me Daniel at Love Life Dot Org. You reach her, 432 00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:45.440 Vicky, with a why, at Love Life Dot Org. Again, check 433 00:29:45.480 --> 00:29:48.960 out our website, Gospel centered pro life dot Com. And Uh, you 434 00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:52.519 can check out all of the episodes. All of our episodes are on that 435 00:29:52.640 --> 00:29:56.720 website. And until next time, God, bless God, bless you all. 436 00:30:00.279 --> 00:30:10.079 Give me out left for love, give me our lift for gratitude. 437 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:21.960 I know it will cost me my life. Nothing's too precious. Since I 438 00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:32.119 met you, M M M