Sanctuary Ministries
For Life & Eternity
Sanctuary Update
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Orlando Women's Center abortion clinic
1103 Lucerne Terrace, Orlando
Missionaries: Allura & Ursula
"... who show the work of the Law written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness,
... their thoughts accusing them or excusing them ..."
.Romans 2:15
Allura reports:
A mom brought her 17 year old daughter to OWC today, just to get birth control. She also brought another younger girl. They were very surprised to find out that it was an abortion clinic. The mom stood outside for a long time & listened as Ursula & I pleaded with mothers who were going inside to kill their babies. Her 10 year old daughter told me, “I hate this clinic”. I said, “I do too, honey.” I gave the mom some literature on abstinence and encouraged her to read it with her older daughter, but she said; "My daughter won't listen to me."
I met Christina, a young lady from Trinidad, who’d aborted her baby at OWC 3 weeks ago. I asked how she was doing after killing her child, and she said, “Not good; I think about what I did all the time, but I asked God to forgive me & I know He has.” I gave her our special Sanctuary Ministries tract entitled: “Killing a Baby by Abortion is a Serious Sin” along with my phone # and asked her to call me. I saw hopelessness and despair in her eyes and was reminded again that God hates the shedding of innocent blood.
Keela & her boyfriend Treveson already have a 5 month old daughter together. They were there to kill their pre-born baby. The couple let me speak to them for over 5 mintues. I offered them financial support, counseling, whatever they needed, but in the end they said, "We have to do what we think is best" & walked into the killing place hand-in-hand.
Ursula talked to a young lady while I talked to the guy who said he was her 'brother'. We think he was lying. Neither of them wanted to listen to what we had to say, and as they walked past us, the guy was laughing. Ursula called after him, “Sir, this is not a laughing matter; there will be tears later on, not laughing.”
As we stood in the driveway praying for all the mommies before we left, I saw one of the girls Ursula had tried to talk to, sitting on the front porch watching us. We prayed for her & as we walked to our cars, I called out, “Ma’am, we just prayed for you.” She said, “I know; I saw you praying. I’m a Christian too! But I’m not going to raise another child in poverty!” Ursula challenged her with, “What do you think God thinks about abortion?” And she said, “I know it’s really bad. But I’ve asked God to forgive me and I know He will.” (How often we hear that at the killing place!) I asked, “Honey, do you realize how arrogant it is to presume that God will forgive you for murdering your own baby?” She shared that they have 3 children already & her husband didn’t want any more. We talked with Wanda for quite a while and she told us she’d had a previous abortion, and she believes God has forgiven her. I gave her a brochure, along with my contact info, and Ursula handed her a paper with Hebrews 10:26 written on it. ("If we sin willfully after receiving knowlege of the truth there no longer remains a sacrifice for our sins, just a certain, fearful expectation of judgment.") As we were walking to our cars, I said to Wanda, “I’m praying for you” & she smiled and said, “Thank you.” But then I said, "You know, Wanda, I’m not just praying for God to help you. I’m asking a Holy God to convict you of the horrible sin you’re planning to commit against Him, and to change your heart towards Him and towards your baby.”
About 2 hours later, I got a phone call that went like this: “Hi, Allura, this is Wanda. I just wanted you to know I didn’t do it! I couldn’t kill my baby! You were right; God hates abortion! I love Jesus and I can’t go through with this. Even though I’ve aborted one baby, I can’t do it again. It’s sin!” Wanda told me that after they did the pregnancy test, she sat in the waiting room, reading through all the brochures we’d given her. God spoke to her loud & clear through the words Ursula & I had spoken and the words she was reading. All of a sudden she knew she couldn’t kill her baby. She and her husband have decided to pursue adoption for their little one! Isn’t that amazing? I contacted a friend with First Life Center for Pregnancy to do follow up & I’m giving Wanda the contact info for the wonderful adoption counselors at Bethany Christian Services. Before we got off the phone, Wanda laughed out loud and said, “It’s wonderful; there’s such peace in my heart now! We know we can’t keep this baby, but we want to give him or her to a Christian family who isn’t able to have children.” I said, “Wanda, all God asks of His children is that we trust and obey.” Full of joy, I recited out loud the lyrics of the precious hymn which I sing often in my car on the way to & from the abortion clinic, especially when I’m feeling all alone or discouraged or just plain tired: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” Happy in Jesus! Wow! J
His Only by Grace,
Allura
Friends,
While it is true that in one sense fallen men & women have false understanding & distortions regarding truth about God & the preciousness of their preborn babies, the scriptures teach that all human beings do know God. This knowlege is called general revelation. The Geneva Study Bible notes how people experience this knowlege of God; 'in guilt, with uncomfortable inklings of the judgment they cannot avoid. Only the gospel of Christ can speak peace to this aspect of the human condition.'
Wanda's conscience brought her to a place of healthy shame & guilt, preventing her from murdering the child who is growing in her womb. Our mission at the killing place is to offer our compassionate help (like the Good Samaritan) & to address the conscience of the aborting moms & dads with the truth as it is in Jesus. The biblical gospel is THE instrument God has ordained to convict human beings of their sin & show them the way of salvation through repentance & faith. It is awful to consider the wrath that the impenitent are treasuring up for themselves in the day of judgment if they refuse to hearken to the command of God. Unless we repent, we will perish!
Today (Wednesday) is late term abortion day. Mothers (through all nine months of pregnancy) arrived at 7am this morning to begin the long, drawn out process of making their little babies come of of their womb into the toilet of Orlando Women's Center. (It takes anywhere from 6-36 hours for the infants to be born.) A wonderful missionary family has been faithful to be there pleading with the moms the way Allura & Ursula pleaded with the mothers yesterday. More mothers are arriving for the second round of child executions at 9am. These will be for earlier abortions.
Please pray that the Lord raises up more workers for the killing fields. At present we have no one committed to reach out to the mothers at the 9am Wednesday or Thursday times.
Together for Life & Eternity,
Scott & Patte Smith & Friends
Sanctuary Ministries
www.sanctuaryministries.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Sanctuary Ministries Update, July 8, 2008
Sanctuary Ministries
For Life & Eternity
Orlando Women's Center abortuary
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Missionaries: Allura, Ursula & Sarah Rose
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Romans 3:18
Allura reporting:
Dear Friends,
There were no mommies changing their minds about aborting their babies today…at least none that we know of. Sarah Rose came with me. It was her first time ever at an abortion clinc. Along with Ursula we attempted to talk to over 20 aborting women, as well as their boyfriends, mothers, and girlfriends. There were so many today that the policeman had to go inside the clinic to get people to move several of the cars around in the back of the building because they were blocking the driveway.
A young blond woman wouldn’t even look at us, and tried to hurry inside the building so she wouldn’t have to hear what we were saying. The man who accompanied her to the abortion clinic was willing to talk. He said; "I am not the father of the baby, just a friend. I believe in Jesus as my Savior; that’s why I’m trying to help my friend in her time of need.” ("Even the demons believe-and tremble! "James 2:19) We asked the professing Christian man to drive away from the killing place, because God hates the shedding of innocent blood, but he refused. His abortion-bound friend came out and demanded that he get back inside with her, so he complied. (Obeying the creature, rather than the Creator.)
A mother bringing her daughter for an abortion told us; "Mind our own business!" as she walked into the building, holding her frightened teenager’s hand. (Jesus told us to love our neighbor which includes our tiny neighbors & we cannot love the babies if they are dead.) We were witness to at least 2 other moms bringing their daughters in for abortions.
A Haitian mother of 6 told Sarah and me that she has a fibroid tumor growing in her uterus, and her doctor recommended abortion. She said, “This isn’t something I want to do, but I’ve already given them my money and filled out the papers.” I gave the names of high risk doctors at Arnold Palmer Hospital, asking her to let God decide whether this baby should live or die. We begged her to leave the center but she shook her head sadly and walked inside to end the life of her baby, whom God had sovereignly placed in her womb.
From time to time Ursula, Sarah, and I would pray for one of the women or men we’d just talked to, pleading with God to have mercy and rescue the babies. Sarah, who has served as an assistant to a midwife, told me later that she wept on her way home. There were so many mommies killing their babies.
Updates:
*+* May *+* Yesterday I spoke to May (professing Christian Sunday School teacher I met at the clinic last week) She has NOT killed her baby yet, but is still considering it. I’m trying to get together with May for lunch in Lakeland this week. After our many conversations, I’m not convinced that she’s truly saved. It could be that the Lord is using this unplanned pregnancy (her THIRD time being pregnant as a result of fornication) to arrest May's heart and convict her of her great need for a Savior. Oh, that this glorious rescue would occur SOON!
*+* Ivana *+* I’m also talking frequently with Ivana (a Yugoslavian mother from June 10th); she’s still struggling over whether or not to abort, as well. The Lord has helped us to send many Christians to Ivana to offer her practical, emotional, & spiritual help & share the gospel with her. A local pregnancy center has also been involved in reaching out to Ivana. We have taken hours & hours of time to personally minister to Ivana & to encourage her to consider adoption since she does not express any love for the child in her womb. In spite of God's goodness of provision to her, Ivana continues to complain that 'nobody will help her'. This is simply a lie. I plan to challenge her with the fact that she has been offered much help; it is up to her what she does with those offers. Right now Ivana is spiritually blind. May God open the eyes of this poor lost woman’s heart, in time to save her & to save the baby in her womb.
A friend e-mailed me yesterday and said, “I’m praying for you and Sarah tomorrow… soft hearts and saved babies (and mommies)” I love it! Only God knows who may have been affected by our holy presence and YOUR prayers today, my dear friends. May God be glorified as we go forth with His Light into a dark and dying world.
His Only by Grace,
Allura
More UPDATES:
*+* Margarita *+* (A Mexican mother we met at the clinic & who delivered her dear little boy, whom she named Jesus, a few months ago.)
Margarita's newborn was very ill with a virus & fever recently. She was forced to call in sick to her two jobs. Both of her bosses FIRED her for calling in. Margarita was very worried. She didn't know how she was going to pay her bills & her rent without her two jobs. We were able to pay Margarita's rent. Here is an update from Sanctuary missionary Marian, who together with her husband Dale, daughter Mary Jo & son-in-law Ben have cared for Margarita since meeting her at the killing place:
Hi Patte:
Dale and I went to see Margarita Sunday evening. Little Jesus is the sweetest little baby full of smiles: ) He eats and sleeps and rarely cries. Margarita said he's different from how her other two sons were at this age.
Margarita told us she was able to get a job but it doesn't pay as well. She won't get paid for another month so the help with the rent this month was very much appreciated. I asked her if she would be able to afford rent after this month, and she said she thought she could manage. We paid for this month's rent, and have asked for a receipt from her landlord. We told her that Sanctuary was the organization that was helping her with this month's rent.
I spoke with Pastor Palacios in Winter Garden. Pastor Palacios said he would contact the Spanish congregation in Kissimmee to encourage them to reach out to Margarita. I'm hoping this will happen soon.
Margarita wants to go to church even though she would be working all night on Saturdays. This job is going to have her working 7 nights a week : ( Margarita said she wants to go to church for her boys' sake. We went over the Gospel again with her on Sunday, and she appeared to understand it clearly.
We continue to pray for her salvation.
Love and God Bless
Marian
*+* Silvia *+* is a mother we met at the clinic a few months ago. She is from Mexico. Silvia lives in the Winter Park (area of Aloma and 436), she is having a baby girl in early Oct. The gardners met Silvia at Orlando Women's Center in May. Pastor Felix Hernandez has reached out to Silvia, for which we are praising God. There was a stabbing in her apartment, where she lived with others. Silvia has moved into her own apartment & has need of many things, including furniture. If you would like to reach out to Silvia or help her with necessary items, please let us know.
*+* Carol *+* is a single mother we met at the clinic in the fall of 2006. She is from Colombia & currently lives in South Orlando. Carol had a beautiful baby in February 2007 & placed her infant in a loving adoptive home. We continue to minister to Carol & she has recently come to see the seriousness of her sin. Carol has just made a profession of faith. She asked for a Spanish study bible & we have ordered one for her. Carol needs to find a place to live with her son Giovanni. Would you be willing to open your heart & home to this young mom & her little boy?
*+* Silfa *+* is a precious 18 year old we met at the abortuary in the fall of 2006. Silfa was a virgin when she was drugged & raped at a company party & found herself pregnant a few months later. Silfa is from Guatemala & currently lives in Ocoee. Silfa choose to place her precious child with a wonderful adoptive couple in February 2007. Sanctuary missionary Gina continues to love this dear young lady, visiting with her almost every week.
Haiti, Yugoslavia, Mexico, Columbia, Guatemala. What a blessing to have an international mission field right here in our own backyard. Children are precious to God & we go with glad-hearted obedience expecting Jesus to help us reach abortion-bound mothers & visit the orphans in their affliction & peril. Our labor is a blend of both biblical evangelism & the ministry of mercy ... a perfect combination!
We still have need of mission-minded Christians to work in the harvest field ... As you have read, the sidewalk outside Orlando Women's Center killing place is ripe for the gospel. Please consider how you might be willing to serve there & beyond, in reaching those who are perishing with hope & truth that is only found in the work & person of Jesus Christ.
I'd like to ask for your prayers for my husband Scott. He was in a dirt bike accident & is recovering from serious burns to his right leg. It wil be a long & very painful time as I must cleanse & debride (remove dead skin from) his wounds twice a day. Pain medication is not relieving the excruciating pain during his treatments. It's very hard to watch Scott writhe & cry out when I am caring for his burns. Please pray for a speedy recovery, that the Lord would help Scott with the pain & that he will not need skin grafts.
We are thankful for the Lord's providence in allowing Scott to survive the accident. He actually had a collision with a truck, which certainly could have been resulted in life-threatening injuries or paralyzation. The wound care specialist (a surgeon) insisted that we cancel our two evangelism outreach to San Francisco & Los Angeles & a much anticipated visit with our oldest son & his wife. (We were supposed to leave tomorrow.) Although we are very disappointed, we are praising God for His goodness. We are going to remain recovering in the mountains until August 10. The Lord has given us a beautiful place to recover where we are surrounded by caring friends & neighbors.
"There must be alternations between the contemplative and the active life of a Christian ... but if He brings us into loving obedience, into joyful alacrity and sacred earnestness in doing His will, then it is that He will in all probability meet with us by the way, and manifest Himself to us. Sit ye down, then, ye who have come to the end of another day of holy service; and just pray,
'Jesus, Master, come and meet us now.'
~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
God be with you as you live in humble service to Him & to your neighbor,
Together for Life & Eternity,
Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries
www.sanctuaryministries.blogspot.com
Sanctuary Ministries
For Life & Eternity
We are so grateful for your prayerful giving to Sanctuary Ministries.
You may now send your generous tax-deductible donations payable to:
Global Missions
600 S. Orlando Ave Suite 301
Maitland, Fl 32751
Simply write: 'Sanctuary Ministries' in the check's note section.
For Life & Eternity
Orlando Women's Center abortuary
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Missionaries: Allura, Ursula & Sarah Rose
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Romans 3:18
Allura reporting:
Dear Friends,
There were no mommies changing their minds about aborting their babies today…at least none that we know of. Sarah Rose came with me. It was her first time ever at an abortion clinc. Along with Ursula we attempted to talk to over 20 aborting women, as well as their boyfriends, mothers, and girlfriends. There were so many today that the policeman had to go inside the clinic to get people to move several of the cars around in the back of the building because they were blocking the driveway.
A young blond woman wouldn’t even look at us, and tried to hurry inside the building so she wouldn’t have to hear what we were saying. The man who accompanied her to the abortion clinic was willing to talk. He said; "I am not the father of the baby, just a friend. I believe in Jesus as my Savior; that’s why I’m trying to help my friend in her time of need.” ("Even the demons believe-and tremble! "James 2:19) We asked the professing Christian man to drive away from the killing place, because God hates the shedding of innocent blood, but he refused. His abortion-bound friend came out and demanded that he get back inside with her, so he complied. (Obeying the creature, rather than the Creator.)
A mother bringing her daughter for an abortion told us; "Mind our own business!" as she walked into the building, holding her frightened teenager’s hand. (Jesus told us to love our neighbor which includes our tiny neighbors & we cannot love the babies if they are dead.) We were witness to at least 2 other moms bringing their daughters in for abortions.
A Haitian mother of 6 told Sarah and me that she has a fibroid tumor growing in her uterus, and her doctor recommended abortion. She said, “This isn’t something I want to do, but I’ve already given them my money and filled out the papers.” I gave the names of high risk doctors at Arnold Palmer Hospital, asking her to let God decide whether this baby should live or die. We begged her to leave the center but she shook her head sadly and walked inside to end the life of her baby, whom God had sovereignly placed in her womb.
From time to time Ursula, Sarah, and I would pray for one of the women or men we’d just talked to, pleading with God to have mercy and rescue the babies. Sarah, who has served as an assistant to a midwife, told me later that she wept on her way home. There were so many mommies killing their babies.
Updates:
*+* May *+* Yesterday I spoke to May (professing Christian Sunday School teacher I met at the clinic last week) She has NOT killed her baby yet, but is still considering it. I’m trying to get together with May for lunch in Lakeland this week. After our many conversations, I’m not convinced that she’s truly saved. It could be that the Lord is using this unplanned pregnancy (her THIRD time being pregnant as a result of fornication) to arrest May's heart and convict her of her great need for a Savior. Oh, that this glorious rescue would occur SOON!
*+* Ivana *+* I’m also talking frequently with Ivana (a Yugoslavian mother from June 10th); she’s still struggling over whether or not to abort, as well. The Lord has helped us to send many Christians to Ivana to offer her practical, emotional, & spiritual help & share the gospel with her. A local pregnancy center has also been involved in reaching out to Ivana. We have taken hours & hours of time to personally minister to Ivana & to encourage her to consider adoption since she does not express any love for the child in her womb. In spite of God's goodness of provision to her, Ivana continues to complain that 'nobody will help her'. This is simply a lie. I plan to challenge her with the fact that she has been offered much help; it is up to her what she does with those offers. Right now Ivana is spiritually blind. May God open the eyes of this poor lost woman’s heart, in time to save her & to save the baby in her womb.
A friend e-mailed me yesterday and said, “I’m praying for you and Sarah tomorrow… soft hearts and saved babies (and mommies)” I love it! Only God knows who may have been affected by our holy presence and YOUR prayers today, my dear friends. May God be glorified as we go forth with His Light into a dark and dying world.
His Only by Grace,
Allura
More UPDATES:
*+* Margarita *+* (A Mexican mother we met at the clinic & who delivered her dear little boy, whom she named Jesus, a few months ago.)
Margarita's newborn was very ill with a virus & fever recently. She was forced to call in sick to her two jobs. Both of her bosses FIRED her for calling in. Margarita was very worried. She didn't know how she was going to pay her bills & her rent without her two jobs. We were able to pay Margarita's rent. Here is an update from Sanctuary missionary Marian, who together with her husband Dale, daughter Mary Jo & son-in-law Ben have cared for Margarita since meeting her at the killing place:
Hi Patte:
Dale and I went to see Margarita Sunday evening. Little Jesus is the sweetest little baby full of smiles: ) He eats and sleeps and rarely cries. Margarita said he's different from how her other two sons were at this age.
Margarita told us she was able to get a job but it doesn't pay as well. She won't get paid for another month so the help with the rent this month was very much appreciated. I asked her if she would be able to afford rent after this month, and she said she thought she could manage. We paid for this month's rent, and have asked for a receipt from her landlord. We told her that Sanctuary was the organization that was helping her with this month's rent.
I spoke with Pastor Palacios in Winter Garden. Pastor Palacios said he would contact the Spanish congregation in Kissimmee to encourage them to reach out to Margarita. I'm hoping this will happen soon.
Margarita wants to go to church even though she would be working all night on Saturdays. This job is going to have her working 7 nights a week : ( Margarita said she wants to go to church for her boys' sake. We went over the Gospel again with her on Sunday, and she appeared to understand it clearly.
We continue to pray for her salvation.
Love and God Bless
Marian
*+* Silvia *+* is a mother we met at the clinic a few months ago. She is from Mexico. Silvia lives in the Winter Park (area of Aloma and 436), she is having a baby girl in early Oct. The gardners met Silvia at Orlando Women's Center in May. Pastor Felix Hernandez has reached out to Silvia, for which we are praising God. There was a stabbing in her apartment, where she lived with others. Silvia has moved into her own apartment & has need of many things, including furniture. If you would like to reach out to Silvia or help her with necessary items, please let us know.
*+* Carol *+* is a single mother we met at the clinic in the fall of 2006. She is from Colombia & currently lives in South Orlando. Carol had a beautiful baby in February 2007 & placed her infant in a loving adoptive home. We continue to minister to Carol & she has recently come to see the seriousness of her sin. Carol has just made a profession of faith. She asked for a Spanish study bible & we have ordered one for her. Carol needs to find a place to live with her son Giovanni. Would you be willing to open your heart & home to this young mom & her little boy?
*+* Silfa *+* is a precious 18 year old we met at the abortuary in the fall of 2006. Silfa was a virgin when she was drugged & raped at a company party & found herself pregnant a few months later. Silfa is from Guatemala & currently lives in Ocoee. Silfa choose to place her precious child with a wonderful adoptive couple in February 2007. Sanctuary missionary Gina continues to love this dear young lady, visiting with her almost every week.
Haiti, Yugoslavia, Mexico, Columbia, Guatemala. What a blessing to have an international mission field right here in our own backyard. Children are precious to God & we go with glad-hearted obedience expecting Jesus to help us reach abortion-bound mothers & visit the orphans in their affliction & peril. Our labor is a blend of both biblical evangelism & the ministry of mercy ... a perfect combination!
We still have need of mission-minded Christians to work in the harvest field ... As you have read, the sidewalk outside Orlando Women's Center killing place is ripe for the gospel. Please consider how you might be willing to serve there & beyond, in reaching those who are perishing with hope & truth that is only found in the work & person of Jesus Christ.
I'd like to ask for your prayers for my husband Scott. He was in a dirt bike accident & is recovering from serious burns to his right leg. It wil be a long & very painful time as I must cleanse & debride (remove dead skin from) his wounds twice a day. Pain medication is not relieving the excruciating pain during his treatments. It's very hard to watch Scott writhe & cry out when I am caring for his burns. Please pray for a speedy recovery, that the Lord would help Scott with the pain & that he will not need skin grafts.
We are thankful for the Lord's providence in allowing Scott to survive the accident. He actually had a collision with a truck, which certainly could have been resulted in life-threatening injuries or paralyzation. The wound care specialist (a surgeon) insisted that we cancel our two evangelism outreach to San Francisco & Los Angeles & a much anticipated visit with our oldest son & his wife. (We were supposed to leave tomorrow.) Although we are very disappointed, we are praising God for His goodness. We are going to remain recovering in the mountains until August 10. The Lord has given us a beautiful place to recover where we are surrounded by caring friends & neighbors.
"There must be alternations between the contemplative and the active life of a Christian ... but if He brings us into loving obedience, into joyful alacrity and sacred earnestness in doing His will, then it is that He will in all probability meet with us by the way, and manifest Himself to us. Sit ye down, then, ye who have come to the end of another day of holy service; and just pray,
'Jesus, Master, come and meet us now.'
~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
God be with you as you live in humble service to Him & to your neighbor,
Together for Life & Eternity,
Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries
www.sanctuaryministries.blogspot.com
Sanctuary Ministries
For Life & Eternity
We are so grateful for your prayerful giving to Sanctuary Ministries.
You may now send your generous tax-deductible donations payable to:
Global Missions
600 S. Orlando Ave Suite 301
Maitland, Fl 32751
Simply write: 'Sanctuary Ministries' in the check's note section.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Sanctuary Ministries Update, 7/1/08
For Love of Christ & Our Neighbors
For Life & Eternity
Sanctuary Ministries Update
Orlando Women's Center killing place
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
11:15-1:30pm
Missionaries: Allura & Ursula
Prayer warriors: None
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord...
But we have this treasure in jars of clay,
that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2 Cor. 4:5,7
In much fear & trembling, with no strength of their own nor confidence in their flesh, Allura & Ursula went to the Orlando's most notorious abortuary today. Here is Allura's amazing story of what the Lord Jesus did with their mustard seed of faith & obedience to "Go". 'Faith working through love' ... It's a beautiful thing!
Allura reports:
WOW! My heart is overflowing with praise and worship for my King! I watched Him work in a young lady's life today, and once again I'm overwhelmed with His grace and mercy!
After about 30 minutes of pleading to all the abortion-minded women & men in front of OWC (without any apparent success) I handed a young lady a flyer with abortion information & my contact info on it (which she later admitted she had thrown away). A little while later I saw her sitting in her truck, filling out the paperwork for the abortion. More than $400 in cash lay on the seat next to her. She was so sweet, and was willing to answer my questions about what's going on in her life. May is 28 years old, a Registered Nurse & 2 months pregnant. When I asked if she had any spiritual background, she told me; "I'm a Christian." May explained that she lives in Lakeland and is very involved in her church where she teaches Sunday School to little children every week! She came to Orlando to have the abortion because: "I can't stand the thought of everyone finding out that I've been sexually involved with this guy." May said: "The women in her church tell their daughters, "I want you to grow up to be just like May." She went on: "I know God hates abortion. It was really hard to make this decision, but it's what I have to do. I've already talked with the Lord about it so He'll forgive me." As she was talking, May continued to fill out the paperwork so she could murder her child.
Oh, the presence of the Lord just fell all over me as she spoke. My precious Savior gave me words to say that I never, ever would've thought of on my own. I confronted May with the hypocrisy of living in sexual sin while attempting to lead little children to Jesus every Sunday. I shared the Law with her. I talked about the holiness of God and the sinfulness of her heart, and the arrogance of committing a pre-meditated sin that she had already asked forgiveness for. May nodded in agreement with everything I was saying, from time to time sadly admitting, "I know, I know". I reminded May that she could die while she was having the abortion. I asked her: "What would you say if you stood before God, and He asked you: 'May, how could you have killed the baby I gave you? You knew that it was wrong. You knew that it was sin. How could you presume that I would forgive you?'" May was silent for a moment. Then she said, "There's just nothing I could say to Him…nothing." In the quiet that followed, I prayed for wisdom, and then went on; "May, I'm just sensing one word over your whole life…torment." Her eyes filled with tears and May nodded her head. (I'm telling you, I just wanted to reach into the truck at that point, wrap my arms around her, and HUG her into everything being okay…sounds crazy but you moms will understand J) Instead, I gently shared that her greatest problem right now isn't having a baby out of wedlock, or what everyone in her church thinks about her. "Your greatest problem, May, is that you have sinned against the Holy God of the universe and you needs to be restored to fellowship with Him through repentance and surrender." We talked about how, with God's help, she can do raise this child on her own, without the baby's father if necessary, but that she'll need the ongoing care and the counsel of older, wiser women in the church. I told her I knew how difficult it will be for the church to find out she's been committing sexual sin, but that the greatest thing she can do is to humble herself before each one of those mothers and daughters, and say, "Don't look to me to be your Savior. I'm a wretched sinner. There's only one Savior! Look to Christ who bore all your sin, and mine, on the Cross." May tearfully agreed, and made the difficult decision to save her baby's life! I held May's trembling hand and prayed for my new little friend, and her unborn son or daughter. I gave her a copy of "Devotions for Mothers" and the pregnancy book;"What to Expect When You're Expecting". I encouraged her to spend some time in repentance, allowing the Lord to refresh her soul through honest confession of sin. Oh, it was a holy, holy moment…I can't believe God allowed ME to be a part of this work He did in May's heart today.
Why me? After the way I mocked Him and rejected Him…instead of being the recipient of His wrath, I get to watch Him do a miracle in someone else's life??? AMAZING LOVE!! How can it be? J
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
If you are willing to help provide a ministry of presence to mothers like May, we would like to hear from you! At the present time we do not have any missionaries who are committed to reach out to abortion-bound moms on Wednesdays & from 8:15-9:30 & Sundays. I'm sure you'll agree that desperate mothers like May & their dear innocent babies should never enter the killing place without a Christian to lift up his or her voice to intevene.
Together for Life & Eternity,
Scott & Patte Smith & Friends
Sanctuary Ministries
www.sanctuaryministries.blogspot.com
www.abortionNO.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOAPleF1t0
http://www.youtube.com/user/FrFrankPavone
Remember Baby Rowan
http://www.worldmag.com/articles/10597
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43962
The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself.
~ Charles Spurgeon
Who Saves?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxX3kEJT88g
For Life & Eternity
Sanctuary Ministries Update
Orlando Women's Center killing place
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
11:15-1:30pm
Missionaries: Allura & Ursula
Prayer warriors: None
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord...
But we have this treasure in jars of clay,
that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2 Cor. 4:5,7
In much fear & trembling, with no strength of their own nor confidence in their flesh, Allura & Ursula went to the Orlando's most notorious abortuary today. Here is Allura's amazing story of what the Lord Jesus did with their mustard seed of faith & obedience to "Go". 'Faith working through love' ... It's a beautiful thing!
Allura reports:
WOW! My heart is overflowing with praise and worship for my King! I watched Him work in a young lady's life today, and once again I'm overwhelmed with His grace and mercy!
After about 30 minutes of pleading to all the abortion-minded women & men in front of OWC (without any apparent success) I handed a young lady a flyer with abortion information & my contact info on it (which she later admitted she had thrown away). A little while later I saw her sitting in her truck, filling out the paperwork for the abortion. More than $400 in cash lay on the seat next to her. She was so sweet, and was willing to answer my questions about what's going on in her life. May is 28 years old, a Registered Nurse & 2 months pregnant. When I asked if she had any spiritual background, she told me; "I'm a Christian." May explained that she lives in Lakeland and is very involved in her church where she teaches Sunday School to little children every week! She came to Orlando to have the abortion because: "I can't stand the thought of everyone finding out that I've been sexually involved with this guy." May said: "The women in her church tell their daughters, "I want you to grow up to be just like May." She went on: "I know God hates abortion. It was really hard to make this decision, but it's what I have to do. I've already talked with the Lord about it so He'll forgive me." As she was talking, May continued to fill out the paperwork so she could murder her child.
Oh, the presence of the Lord just fell all over me as she spoke. My precious Savior gave me words to say that I never, ever would've thought of on my own. I confronted May with the hypocrisy of living in sexual sin while attempting to lead little children to Jesus every Sunday. I shared the Law with her. I talked about the holiness of God and the sinfulness of her heart, and the arrogance of committing a pre-meditated sin that she had already asked forgiveness for. May nodded in agreement with everything I was saying, from time to time sadly admitting, "I know, I know". I reminded May that she could die while she was having the abortion. I asked her: "What would you say if you stood before God, and He asked you: 'May, how could you have killed the baby I gave you? You knew that it was wrong. You knew that it was sin. How could you presume that I would forgive you?'" May was silent for a moment. Then she said, "There's just nothing I could say to Him…nothing." In the quiet that followed, I prayed for wisdom, and then went on; "May, I'm just sensing one word over your whole life…torment." Her eyes filled with tears and May nodded her head. (I'm telling you, I just wanted to reach into the truck at that point, wrap my arms around her, and HUG her into everything being okay…sounds crazy but you moms will understand J) Instead, I gently shared that her greatest problem right now isn't having a baby out of wedlock, or what everyone in her church thinks about her. "Your greatest problem, May, is that you have sinned against the Holy God of the universe and you needs to be restored to fellowship with Him through repentance and surrender." We talked about how, with God's help, she can do raise this child on her own, without the baby's father if necessary, but that she'll need the ongoing care and the counsel of older, wiser women in the church. I told her I knew how difficult it will be for the church to find out she's been committing sexual sin, but that the greatest thing she can do is to humble herself before each one of those mothers and daughters, and say, "Don't look to me to be your Savior. I'm a wretched sinner. There's only one Savior! Look to Christ who bore all your sin, and mine, on the Cross." May tearfully agreed, and made the difficult decision to save her baby's life! I held May's trembling hand and prayed for my new little friend, and her unborn son or daughter. I gave her a copy of "Devotions for Mothers" and the pregnancy book;"What to Expect When You're Expecting". I encouraged her to spend some time in repentance, allowing the Lord to refresh her soul through honest confession of sin. Oh, it was a holy, holy moment…I can't believe God allowed ME to be a part of this work He did in May's heart today.
Why me? After the way I mocked Him and rejected Him…instead of being the recipient of His wrath, I get to watch Him do a miracle in someone else's life??? AMAZING LOVE!! How can it be? J
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
If you are willing to help provide a ministry of presence to mothers like May, we would like to hear from you! At the present time we do not have any missionaries who are committed to reach out to abortion-bound moms on Wednesdays & from 8:15-9:30 & Sundays. I'm sure you'll agree that desperate mothers like May & their dear innocent babies should never enter the killing place without a Christian to lift up his or her voice to intevene.
Together for Life & Eternity,
Scott & Patte Smith & Friends
Sanctuary Ministries
www.sanctuaryministries.blogspot.com
www.abortionNO.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOAPleF1t0
http://www.youtube.com/user/FrFrankPavone
Remember Baby Rowan
http://www.worldmag.com/articles/10597
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43962
The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself.
~ Charles Spurgeon
Who Saves?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxX3kEJT88g
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Ministry Report Saturday, May 17, 2008
Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 7:12
m) Which declares that they did not only rebel against the Prophets, but against the Spirit of God that spoke in them.
God's judgements upon Israel of old for their sins, were written to warn Christians.
The duties required are, not keeping fasts and offering sacrifices, but doing justly and loving mercy, which tend to the public welfare and peace.
The law of God lays restraint upon the heart. But they filled their minds with prejudices against the word of God.
Nothing is harder than the heart of a presumptuous sinner. See the fatal consequences of this to their fathers.
Great sins against the Lord of hosts, bring great wrath from his power, which cannot be resisted.
Sin, if regarded in the heart, will certainly spoil the success of prayer.
The Lord always hears the cry of the broken-hearted penitent; yet all who die impenitent and unbelieving, will find no remedy or refuge from miseries which while here they despised and defied, but which they then will not be able to bear.
~ Matthew Henry on Zechariah 7:8-14
Friends,
Following is a compilation of many updates from the last few weeks. Scott & I are away for the summer & would like to urge you to read these testimonies as you have time & prayerfully consider allowing the Lord to use you to help reach the lost & equip people to seek & save them. If your desire is to know Christ & to make Him known, our ministry has a place for you!
We have to kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight.
~ Bruce Chochburn Love in a Dangerous Time
Together for Life & Eternity,
Patte & Scott Smith
Sanctuary Ministries
www.sanctuaryministries.blogspot.com
www.abortionno.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOAPleF1t0
http://www.youtube.com/user/FrFrankPavone
Orlando Women's Center abortion clinic
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Patte reporting:
Charmaine & her friend Eddie came all the way from Auburndale to kill her baby. I sat on the grass next to Charmain, who was seated in the passenger seat. She rolled down her window when I introduced myself & offered her our pre-abortion ministry packet. She had murdered a child by abortion before & admitted; "I knew it was wrong". When I asked Charmaine why it was wrong, she couldn't say. All she could think was; "I just knew". But here she was, pregnant with a precious gift from God & determined to murder her son or daughter. I spent almost 30 minutes reasoning, pleading & preaching to young Charmaine. I made certain that she understood that God had given her the child she carried as His gift to her. I told Charmaine that her baby was made in the image & likeness of God & therefore, was sacred. I used several scriptures of God's holy commandments to address Charmaine's conscience. (This is what is commonly called 'Law work' & is essential to proper biblical evangelism because it prepares the sinner to hear about the Savior.) I taught Charmaine that murder was a serious sin & that the Bible insists that all murderers have their place in the lake which burns with fire & brimstone. (For a thorough view of how we minister at the killing place see the attached biblical treatise: "What does God say about the sin of abortion?") I explained the process of open adoption so that she would know that she could personally choose a loving mommy & daddy to raise the child that she herself, did not really want to raise. Charmaine never appeared to be touched by the thought of her precious baby moving inside her or the way that the child would suffer when her arms & legs were torn from her body during the abortion process. She & Eddie took all of my ministry materials & told me that they really needed to get inside. They rolled the window up & I began to weep softly. Even though I have been reaching out to aborting mothers & their babies for over 15 years, I am still incredibly touched by the plight of the poor little helpless infants. I stood outside the car & prayed out loud for Charmaine & for her baby. I lifted my hands to heaven & pleaded with God to intervene. Charmaine began to wail inside the car. She leaned into Eddie & he comforted her with a gentle pat on her shoulder. I opened my eyes & saw Charmaine rocking back & forth, continuing to sob loudly. Eddie rolled down Charmaine's window & spoke to me: "We would like information on adoption." I gave Charmaine additional adoption brochure & I gave her my personal card with my cell phone on it. They were anxious to leave but I asked them if they would be wiling to wait a few minutes so that I could run to my car to get a gift for Charmaine. Charmaine was still weeping but Eddie said: "Sure." I hurried across the street, praising God out loud & put together a special blessing bag of pre-natal vitamins, a Gospel of John, a True Repentance tract, a "Are you good enough to get to heaven?" & a mother's devotional that we like to keep on hand for moms who change their mind about aborting. I asked Charmaine if I could take a minute to pray over her. She nodded her head & Eddie said; "Of course". I poured out my heart to the Lord, thanking Him for preserving the life of the child He had given to Charmaine. I asked Him to revealed Himself as Savior & grant Charmaine repentance unto life. I asked the Lord to help Charmaine find a good adoptive couple if His will was for her to place her baby for adoption. Charmaine's relaxed under my hand, but she continued to wimper quietly as I finished praying. As they drove away Charmaine & Eddie smiled & waved at all of us. We knew that they were thankful that God had sent us there for them.
Melissa arrived to kill her baby. Her friend Donna drove her to the clinic. Donna walked with Melissa as far as the driveway, but then she hesitated. Loving Christians were appealing to them. When Donna lagged behind, Melissa turned to her friend & begged her to hurry. She was visibly upset & already crying. We could tell that Melissa wanted to avoid interacting with the very people who wanted to help her. Donna went inside with Melissa but then quickly came back out. As she walked to her car, Paula came alongside her & began to appeal to her. She told Donna that she was a nurse & offered to explain the abortion process with the use of a medical illustration that she held in her hand. Donna said: "Look, I'm a nurse & I'm a Christian. You don't have to tell me about this. I had a miscarriage recently & this is already very hard for me. I tried to convince my friend not to do this, but she insisted that this is what she wanted." When Paula told Donna that as a Christian it is important for her to do everything she can to prevent the shedding of innocent blood. Paula said: "This is a very serious sin & you have become an accomplice to the death of your friend's child." Donna defended her complicity in the murder: "All I am doing is dropping her off & picking her up. There is nothing wrong with that." Paula corrected her. "Oh yes, there is something very wrong with taking your friend here. You are making it easier for your friend to sin. This is the opposite of what a Christian is supposed to do." It was obvious that Donna was very disturbed by the scene at the clinic & Paula's words rang true to her conscience. She was shaking when she got into her car and drove away, leaving her friend there. Paula called after her; "Please, don't leave your friend here. Go back inside & get her!" but she didn't look back.
About 10 minutes later Melissa walked out the front door of the clinic. She walked slowly, as if she was in a daze. When I introduced myself to her she explained; "I'm leaving. I'm not going to do it." I tried to be as gentle & encouraging as possible. Melissa was polite & soft-spoken & very lady-like. When I asked what made her change her mind about killing her baby Melissa said: "Well, it was my friend. When I got inside the clinic my friend Donna called me. She was crying hysterically & it was hard to understand her. She had to hand the phone to her fiance. He said that she wanted me to get out of there. They would adopt my baby. I could hear Donna sobbing. I just couldn't go through with it. You see, Donna lost a baby recently. This was really awful for her." Melissa seemed truly grieved to have caused her friend so much sorrow. We gave Melissa some gifts & exchanged contact information. It turned out that Melissa attends Northland Church. Since she wasn't married I asked Melissa whether she knew that having sex outside marriage was a serious sin. I said that the Bible forbids sexual immorality & calls it the sin of fornication. Melissa looked confused & admitted that she didn't know that. I urged Melissa to make an appointment with a counselor at Northland & confess both her sin of fornication & her temptation to kill her baby by abortion. Melissa thanked me & said that she would call them on Monday. It appeared that Melissa was serious about allowing Donna & her fiance to adopt the baby she was carrying. Since Melissa lives in Altamonte Springs I gave her information about Adoption By Shepherd Care & told her that they can help her with the legal aspects of an assigned adoption.
A van with a Z 88.3 (a Christian radio station) bumper sticker drove into the clinic parking lot. Sadly, we see a LOT of these on the cars of aborting women. When we asked the driver, an older woman named Debbie, about her bumper sticker she said; "It's a Christian sticker. What's the matter with that?" We answered; "This is an abortion clinic. They murder little babies here." Debbie pointed to her teenage daughter, who was carrying a cute little baby & said: "I'm only here to get her a pregnancy test." We were very happy to be able to refer Debbie & her daughter
It has been a source of grief to us that so many professing Christians who regularly attend worship services have never really had the seriousness of sexual sin (or any other sins for that matter) explained to them. Most have never heard a sermon or even had a conversation at church about the sin of abortion murder. (In fact, two of the clinic workers have Christian symbols on their cars & even arrive to murder infants through all nine months of pregnancy with WORSHIP music playing on their car stereos!) Some churches refrain from using scriptures in their services & a large percentage of pulpiteers do not preach exegetically so that their congregations are full of people who practice sin & have no idea that 'no fornicator will inherit the kingdom of heaven'. Isn't that shocking? Most church-goers have never heard the call to genuine repentance (confessing AND forsaking sin) & through the poor instruction of their 'ministers' they become false converts who are comforted IN their sin rather than warned to turn FROM their sin. Northland (www.northlandchurch.net)
was named one of “America’s 50 Most Influential Churches” by Church Growth Today. A number of very nice Christian friends attend Northland, but after having gone to a number of the worship services I have to say that I never heard the gospel "Repent & Believe" preached when I was there. I am very sorry to say that this is not the first aborting mother from Northland we have met at the killing place. I'll never forget the two teenage sisters, Terry & Diane. Terry had come to have a pregnancy test & to abort if she was pregnant. Diane had come to provide her sister with (im)moral support. The girls explained to us that they went to Northland because their mom's live-in boyfriend Carl made them go! Apparently their mother had met her shack up boyfriend at a Northland singles ministry & they have been living together & attending Northland for many years. Another aborting mom named Dana (who attended Northland) swore at me when I called her at home a few weeks after meeting her at the killing place. She had returned to the abortion clinic & killed her baby & screamed; "Leave me the f--- alone!" Emil Felski has been a notorious abortionist in Central Florida for many, many years. He was seen attending Northland week after week. When I asked him what he was getting out of the sermons Felski flipped me the finger. Let us pray that pastors begin once again to preach the sinfulness of man & the eternal consequences of their sin. Instead of avoiding the bloody offense of the Cross let us pray that these churchmen would come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit & be faithful to their calling to be clear in the necessity of a genuine repentance so that the way of salvation would not be shrouded in modern therapeutic quackery.
Please pray for Michelle & for Charmaine as they probably will be faced with continued temptations to sin against God & their babies by returning to the killing place in the days & weeks to come. Pray that they reach out to those of us whom God has put in their path. Pray also that Michelle does confess her sin to someone at Northland & that the person is faithful to share a biblical gospel with her.
Orlando Women's Center abortion clinic
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Many gentle Christians gathered to pray & witness as mothers & their companions streamed into the killing place. Try as we might, our earnest pleas went unheeded & the babies were dismembered alive.
The police officer who is on the killing place payroll gave Mark a hard time about having his RV with ultrasound available for the mothers to see their babies. It is obvious that there is a serious conflict of interest where Orlando Police Officer Williams is concerned. There is no room for life-saving efforts to SAVE infants but no interference to murder innocent babies.
Orlando Women's Center abortion clinic
Sabbath Day murders of babies (happens every week now)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Sanctuary Missionaries: Francile & Larry
When Francile & Larry saw the van with the logo "Restoration Church" approaching the abortion clinic, they figured that Christians were coming to pray & witness or perhaps protest against the Sabbath Day slayings at the abortion clinic. They rejoiced. Their joy soon turned to disgust when they realized that the man & woman had brought a young mother to murder her little baby. Larry approached the couple who brought the aborting mom & said: "Couldn't you at least have had the decency to cover up the name? Why drag your church into this?" The couple was incensed & shouted; "Our pastor knows all about this." The aborting mom screamed expletives at the missionaries. Then, the 'family' called the police. They said that Larry was 'harassing them'. When the police officer arrived she explained that the people felt 'threatened' by Larry's presence. Larry said; "No, officer. It is not me who is threatneing them. It is their conscience. They are murdering their baby. It's their God-given conscience that is harassing them."
Do you know anyone at Restoration Church?
Restoration International Church - restorationintlchurch.org5235 Hoffner Ave, Orlando - (407) 851-4799
Zechariah 7:12
m) Which declares that they did not only rebel against the Prophets, but against the Spirit of God that spoke in them.
God's judgements upon Israel of old for their sins, were written to warn Christians.
The duties required are, not keeping fasts and offering sacrifices, but doing justly and loving mercy, which tend to the public welfare and peace.
The law of God lays restraint upon the heart. But they filled their minds with prejudices against the word of God.
Nothing is harder than the heart of a presumptuous sinner. See the fatal consequences of this to their fathers.
Great sins against the Lord of hosts, bring great wrath from his power, which cannot be resisted.
Sin, if regarded in the heart, will certainly spoil the success of prayer.
The Lord always hears the cry of the broken-hearted penitent; yet all who die impenitent and unbelieving, will find no remedy or refuge from miseries which while here they despised and defied, but which they then will not be able to bear.
~ Matthew Henry on Zechariah 7:8-14
Friends,
Following is a compilation of many updates from the last few weeks. Scott & I are away for the summer & would like to urge you to read these testimonies as you have time & prayerfully consider allowing the Lord to use you to help reach the lost & equip people to seek & save them. If your desire is to know Christ & to make Him known, our ministry has a place for you!
We have to kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight.
~ Bruce Chochburn Love in a Dangerous Time
Together for Life & Eternity,
Patte & Scott Smith
Sanctuary Ministries
www.sanctuaryministries.blogspot.com
www.abortionno.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOAPleF1t0
http://www.youtube.com/user/FrFrankPavone
Orlando Women's Center abortion clinic
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Patte reporting:
Charmaine & her friend Eddie came all the way from Auburndale to kill her baby. I sat on the grass next to Charmain, who was seated in the passenger seat. She rolled down her window when I introduced myself & offered her our pre-abortion ministry packet. She had murdered a child by abortion before & admitted; "I knew it was wrong". When I asked Charmaine why it was wrong, she couldn't say. All she could think was; "I just knew". But here she was, pregnant with a precious gift from God & determined to murder her son or daughter. I spent almost 30 minutes reasoning, pleading & preaching to young Charmaine. I made certain that she understood that God had given her the child she carried as His gift to her. I told Charmaine that her baby was made in the image & likeness of God & therefore, was sacred. I used several scriptures of God's holy commandments to address Charmaine's conscience. (This is what is commonly called 'Law work' & is essential to proper biblical evangelism because it prepares the sinner to hear about the Savior.) I taught Charmaine that murder was a serious sin & that the Bible insists that all murderers have their place in the lake which burns with fire & brimstone. (For a thorough view of how we minister at the killing place see the attached biblical treatise: "What does God say about the sin of abortion?") I explained the process of open adoption so that she would know that she could personally choose a loving mommy & daddy to raise the child that she herself, did not really want to raise. Charmaine never appeared to be touched by the thought of her precious baby moving inside her or the way that the child would suffer when her arms & legs were torn from her body during the abortion process. She & Eddie took all of my ministry materials & told me that they really needed to get inside. They rolled the window up & I began to weep softly. Even though I have been reaching out to aborting mothers & their babies for over 15 years, I am still incredibly touched by the plight of the poor little helpless infants. I stood outside the car & prayed out loud for Charmaine & for her baby. I lifted my hands to heaven & pleaded with God to intervene. Charmaine began to wail inside the car. She leaned into Eddie & he comforted her with a gentle pat on her shoulder. I opened my eyes & saw Charmaine rocking back & forth, continuing to sob loudly. Eddie rolled down Charmaine's window & spoke to me: "We would like information on adoption." I gave Charmaine additional adoption brochure & I gave her my personal card with my cell phone on it. They were anxious to leave but I asked them if they would be wiling to wait a few minutes so that I could run to my car to get a gift for Charmaine. Charmaine was still weeping but Eddie said: "Sure." I hurried across the street, praising God out loud & put together a special blessing bag of pre-natal vitamins, a Gospel of John, a True Repentance tract, a "Are you good enough to get to heaven?" & a mother's devotional that we like to keep on hand for moms who change their mind about aborting. I asked Charmaine if I could take a minute to pray over her. She nodded her head & Eddie said; "Of course". I poured out my heart to the Lord, thanking Him for preserving the life of the child He had given to Charmaine. I asked Him to revealed Himself as Savior & grant Charmaine repentance unto life. I asked the Lord to help Charmaine find a good adoptive couple if His will was for her to place her baby for adoption. Charmaine's relaxed under my hand, but she continued to wimper quietly as I finished praying. As they drove away Charmaine & Eddie smiled & waved at all of us. We knew that they were thankful that God had sent us there for them.
Melissa arrived to kill her baby. Her friend Donna drove her to the clinic. Donna walked with Melissa as far as the driveway, but then she hesitated. Loving Christians were appealing to them. When Donna lagged behind, Melissa turned to her friend & begged her to hurry. She was visibly upset & already crying. We could tell that Melissa wanted to avoid interacting with the very people who wanted to help her. Donna went inside with Melissa but then quickly came back out. As she walked to her car, Paula came alongside her & began to appeal to her. She told Donna that she was a nurse & offered to explain the abortion process with the use of a medical illustration that she held in her hand. Donna said: "Look, I'm a nurse & I'm a Christian. You don't have to tell me about this. I had a miscarriage recently & this is already very hard for me. I tried to convince my friend not to do this, but she insisted that this is what she wanted." When Paula told Donna that as a Christian it is important for her to do everything she can to prevent the shedding of innocent blood. Paula said: "This is a very serious sin & you have become an accomplice to the death of your friend's child." Donna defended her complicity in the murder: "All I am doing is dropping her off & picking her up. There is nothing wrong with that." Paula corrected her. "Oh yes, there is something very wrong with taking your friend here. You are making it easier for your friend to sin. This is the opposite of what a Christian is supposed to do." It was obvious that Donna was very disturbed by the scene at the clinic & Paula's words rang true to her conscience. She was shaking when she got into her car and drove away, leaving her friend there. Paula called after her; "Please, don't leave your friend here. Go back inside & get her!" but she didn't look back.
About 10 minutes later Melissa walked out the front door of the clinic. She walked slowly, as if she was in a daze. When I introduced myself to her she explained; "I'm leaving. I'm not going to do it." I tried to be as gentle & encouraging as possible. Melissa was polite & soft-spoken & very lady-like. When I asked what made her change her mind about killing her baby Melissa said: "Well, it was my friend. When I got inside the clinic my friend Donna called me. She was crying hysterically & it was hard to understand her. She had to hand the phone to her fiance. He said that she wanted me to get out of there. They would adopt my baby. I could hear Donna sobbing. I just couldn't go through with it. You see, Donna lost a baby recently. This was really awful for her." Melissa seemed truly grieved to have caused her friend so much sorrow. We gave Melissa some gifts & exchanged contact information. It turned out that Melissa attends Northland Church. Since she wasn't married I asked Melissa whether she knew that having sex outside marriage was a serious sin. I said that the Bible forbids sexual immorality & calls it the sin of fornication. Melissa looked confused & admitted that she didn't know that. I urged Melissa to make an appointment with a counselor at Northland & confess both her sin of fornication & her temptation to kill her baby by abortion. Melissa thanked me & said that she would call them on Monday. It appeared that Melissa was serious about allowing Donna & her fiance to adopt the baby she was carrying. Since Melissa lives in Altamonte Springs I gave her information about Adoption By Shepherd Care & told her that they can help her with the legal aspects of an assigned adoption.
A van with a Z 88.3 (a Christian radio station) bumper sticker drove into the clinic parking lot. Sadly, we see a LOT of these on the cars of aborting women. When we asked the driver, an older woman named Debbie, about her bumper sticker she said; "It's a Christian sticker. What's the matter with that?" We answered; "This is an abortion clinic. They murder little babies here." Debbie pointed to her teenage daughter, who was carrying a cute little baby & said: "I'm only here to get her a pregnancy test." We were very happy to be able to refer Debbie & her daughter
It has been a source of grief to us that so many professing Christians who regularly attend worship services have never really had the seriousness of sexual sin (or any other sins for that matter) explained to them. Most have never heard a sermon or even had a conversation at church about the sin of abortion murder. (In fact, two of the clinic workers have Christian symbols on their cars & even arrive to murder infants through all nine months of pregnancy with WORSHIP music playing on their car stereos!) Some churches refrain from using scriptures in their services & a large percentage of pulpiteers do not preach exegetically so that their congregations are full of people who practice sin & have no idea that 'no fornicator will inherit the kingdom of heaven'. Isn't that shocking? Most church-goers have never heard the call to genuine repentance (confessing AND forsaking sin) & through the poor instruction of their 'ministers' they become false converts who are comforted IN their sin rather than warned to turn FROM their sin. Northland (www.northlandchurch.net)
was named one of “America’s 50 Most Influential Churches” by Church Growth Today. A number of very nice Christian friends attend Northland, but after having gone to a number of the worship services I have to say that I never heard the gospel "Repent & Believe" preached when I was there. I am very sorry to say that this is not the first aborting mother from Northland we have met at the killing place. I'll never forget the two teenage sisters, Terry & Diane. Terry had come to have a pregnancy test & to abort if she was pregnant. Diane had come to provide her sister with (im)moral support. The girls explained to us that they went to Northland because their mom's live-in boyfriend Carl made them go! Apparently their mother had met her shack up boyfriend at a Northland singles ministry & they have been living together & attending Northland for many years. Another aborting mom named Dana (who attended Northland) swore at me when I called her at home a few weeks after meeting her at the killing place. She had returned to the abortion clinic & killed her baby & screamed; "Leave me the f--- alone!" Emil Felski has been a notorious abortionist in Central Florida for many, many years. He was seen attending Northland week after week. When I asked him what he was getting out of the sermons Felski flipped me the finger. Let us pray that pastors begin once again to preach the sinfulness of man & the eternal consequences of their sin. Instead of avoiding the bloody offense of the Cross let us pray that these churchmen would come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit & be faithful to their calling to be clear in the necessity of a genuine repentance so that the way of salvation would not be shrouded in modern therapeutic quackery.
Please pray for Michelle & for Charmaine as they probably will be faced with continued temptations to sin against God & their babies by returning to the killing place in the days & weeks to come. Pray that they reach out to those of us whom God has put in their path. Pray also that Michelle does confess her sin to someone at Northland & that the person is faithful to share a biblical gospel with her.
Orlando Women's Center abortion clinic
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Many gentle Christians gathered to pray & witness as mothers & their companions streamed into the killing place. Try as we might, our earnest pleas went unheeded & the babies were dismembered alive.
The police officer who is on the killing place payroll gave Mark a hard time about having his RV with ultrasound available for the mothers to see their babies. It is obvious that there is a serious conflict of interest where Orlando Police Officer Williams is concerned. There is no room for life-saving efforts to SAVE infants but no interference to murder innocent babies.
Orlando Women's Center abortion clinic
Sabbath Day murders of babies (happens every week now)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Sanctuary Missionaries: Francile & Larry
When Francile & Larry saw the van with the logo "Restoration Church" approaching the abortion clinic, they figured that Christians were coming to pray & witness or perhaps protest against the Sabbath Day slayings at the abortion clinic. They rejoiced. Their joy soon turned to disgust when they realized that the man & woman had brought a young mother to murder her little baby. Larry approached the couple who brought the aborting mom & said: "Couldn't you at least have had the decency to cover up the name? Why drag your church into this?" The couple was incensed & shouted; "Our pastor knows all about this." The aborting mom screamed expletives at the missionaries. Then, the 'family' called the police. They said that Larry was 'harassing them'. When the police officer arrived she explained that the people felt 'threatened' by Larry's presence. Larry said; "No, officer. It is not me who is threatneing them. It is their conscience. They are murdering their baby. It's their God-given conscience that is harassing them."
Do you know anyone at Restoration Church?
Restoration International Church - restorationintlchurch.org5235 Hoffner Ave, Orlando - (407) 851-4799
What Does God Say About Ministering At The Abortion Clinic
Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor & needy.
Proverbs 31:8-9
The Sixth Commandment
You shall not murder
Exodus 20:13
Each holy commandment of God reflects a sin forbidden & a duty required.
"The person who does not repel an injury from another when he can is a much to blame as the one who commits it."
Each holy commandment of God reflects a sin forbidden & a duty required.
"The person who does not repel an injury from another when he can is a much to blame as the one who commits it."
Duties required in the Sixth Commandment
The duty to preserve our own life. (Eph 5:28-29)
The duty to preserve the life of others. (I Kings 18:4)
The duty to resist all thoughts & purposes & subdue all passions which tend to the unjust taking away of anyone's life. (Jer 26:15-16)
The duty of just defense against violence. (Ps 82:4; Pr 24:11-12)
The duty to comfort the distressed & protect & defend the innocent. (Job 31:19-20,22; Matt 25:35;Pr 31:8-9)
Sins forbidden in the Sixth Commandment
The sin of neglecting or withdrawing the lawful & necessary means of the preservation of life. (Matt 25:42-43;James 2:15-16;Eccl 6:1-2)
The sin of unjustified anger (as with aborting mother against her pre-born baby) (Matt 5:22)
The sin of hatred (a aborting mother hating her baby without cause) (I Jo 3:15;Lev 19:17)
The sin of striking & wounding (as with a mother killing her infant by abortion) (Numbers 35:16-18)
"Negatively, [the Sixth commandment] forbids every ... injury inflicted upon our own or our neighbor's person.
Our neighbor may be injured by neglecting him or by not assiting him according to our ability. ...
The, positively, this commandment requires the preservation of our own & our neighbor's life & safety.
This is done by rendering assistance to others or by protecting them from injuries, in a way of humanity, mercy or friendship."
~ Ernest Reisinger, Whatever Happened to the Ten Commandments?
...when we are but few and feeble
then to believe that God can not only save us, but save by us ...
Let this strengthen the weak and encourage the timid:
let it be pleaded with God for the enforcing of our petitions and with ourselves for the silencing of our fears:
It is nothing with God to help, whether with many or with those that have no power, 2 Chr. 14:11.
... He that can use us for His glory ...
We may encourage ourselves with hope that God will appear for us ...An active faith will venture far in God’s cause ...
~ Matthew Henry
For Life & Eternity,
Scott & Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries
www.sanctuaryministries.blogspot.com
www.abortionNO.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOAPleF1t0
http://www.youtube.com/user/FrFrankPavone
We are called upon to draw a straight furrow in a crooked world.~ Edwin LutzerTruth becomes hard if it is not softened by love;love becomes soft it is not strengthened by truth.~ John StottA church that has made its peace with the worldis incapable of changing it.~ Edwin Lutzer
Those are best prepared for the life to come,
that sit most loose to this present life.
~ Matthew Henry
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor & needy.
Proverbs 31:8-9
The Sixth Commandment
You shall not murder
Exodus 20:13
Each holy commandment of God reflects a sin forbidden & a duty required.
"The person who does not repel an injury from another when he can is a much to blame as the one who commits it."
Each holy commandment of God reflects a sin forbidden & a duty required.
"The person who does not repel an injury from another when he can is a much to blame as the one who commits it."
Duties required in the Sixth Commandment
The duty to preserve our own life. (Eph 5:28-29)
The duty to preserve the life of others. (I Kings 18:4)
The duty to resist all thoughts & purposes & subdue all passions which tend to the unjust taking away of anyone's life. (Jer 26:15-16)
The duty of just defense against violence. (Ps 82:4; Pr 24:11-12)
The duty to comfort the distressed & protect & defend the innocent. (Job 31:19-20,22; Matt 25:35;Pr 31:8-9)
Sins forbidden in the Sixth Commandment
The sin of neglecting or withdrawing the lawful & necessary means of the preservation of life. (Matt 25:42-43;James 2:15-16;Eccl 6:1-2)
The sin of unjustified anger (as with aborting mother against her pre-born baby) (Matt 5:22)
The sin of hatred (a aborting mother hating her baby without cause) (I Jo 3:15;Lev 19:17)
The sin of striking & wounding (as with a mother killing her infant by abortion) (Numbers 35:16-18)
"Negatively, [the Sixth commandment] forbids every ... injury inflicted upon our own or our neighbor's person.
Our neighbor may be injured by neglecting him or by not assiting him according to our ability. ...
The, positively, this commandment requires the preservation of our own & our neighbor's life & safety.
This is done by rendering assistance to others or by protecting them from injuries, in a way of humanity, mercy or friendship."
~ Ernest Reisinger, Whatever Happened to the Ten Commandments?
...when we are but few and feeble
then to believe that God can not only save us, but save by us ...
Let this strengthen the weak and encourage the timid:
let it be pleaded with God for the enforcing of our petitions and with ourselves for the silencing of our fears:
It is nothing with God to help, whether with many or with those that have no power, 2 Chr. 14:11.
... He that can use us for His glory ...
We may encourage ourselves with hope that God will appear for us ...An active faith will venture far in God’s cause ...
~ Matthew Henry
For Life & Eternity,
Scott & Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries
www.sanctuaryministries.blogspot.com
www.abortionNO.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOAPleF1t0
http://www.youtube.com/user/FrFrankPavone
We are called upon to draw a straight furrow in a crooked world.~ Edwin LutzerTruth becomes hard if it is not softened by love;love becomes soft it is not strengthened by truth.~ John StottA church that has made its peace with the worldis incapable of changing it.~ Edwin Lutzer
Those are best prepared for the life to come,
that sit most loose to this present life.
~ Matthew Henry
A Study on Repentance
A man has gone on long in sin.
At last God arrests him, shows him what desperate hazard he has run,
and he is filled with anguish.
Within a while the tempest of conscience is blown over, and he is quiet.
Then he concludes that he is a true penitent because he has felt some bitterness in sin.
Do not be deceived: this is not repentance. Ahab and Judas had some trouble of mind.
It is one thing to be a terrified sinner and another to be a repenting sinner.
Sense of guilt is enough to breed terror. Infusion of grace breeds repentance.
If pain and trouble were sufficient to repentance, then the damned in hell should be most penitent,
for they are most in anguish.
Repentance depends upon a change of heart. There may be terror, yet with no change of heart.
I shall next show what gospel repentance is. Repentance is a grace of God's Spirit whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and visibly reformed. For a further amplification, know that repentance is a spiritual medicine made up of six special ingredients: 1. Sight of sin2. Sorrow for sin3. Confession of sin4. Shame for sin5. Hatred for sin6. Turning from sin
Thomas Watson's The Doctrine of Repentance
Two fold nature of repentance:
repenting of sin (hating & forsaking) and repentance (grieving over & confessing) toward God
----
The Unrepenting Repenter
By Jim Elliff
The believer in Christ is a lifelong repenter. He begins with repentance and continues in repentance. (Rom. 8:12-13) David sinned giant sins but fell without a stone at the mere finger of the prophet because he was a repenter at heart (2 Sam. 12:7-13). Peter denied Christ three times but suffered three times the remorse until he repented with bitter tears (Mt. 26:75). Every Christian is called a repenter, but he must be a repenting repenter. The Bible assumes the repentant nature of all true believers in its instruction on church discipline. A man unwilling to repent at the loving rebuke of the church can be considered nothing more than "a heathen and a tax collector." (Mt. 18:15-17)
What Is Repentance?
Repentance is a change of mind regarding sin and God, an inward turning from sin to God, which is known by its fruit—obedience. (Mt. 3:8; Acts 26:20; Lk. 13:5-9) It is hating what you once loved and loving what you once hated, exchanging irresistible sin for an irresistible Christ. The true repenter is cast on God. Faith is his only option. When he fully knows that sin utterly fails him, God takes him up. (Mt. 9:13b) He will have faith or he will have despair; conviction will either deliver him or devour him.The religious man often deceives himself in his repentance. The believer may sin the worst of sins, it is true; but to remain in the love of sin, or to be comfortable in the atmosphere of sin, is a deadly sign, for only repenters inhabit heaven. The deceived repenter would be a worse sinner if he could, but society holds him back. He can tolerate and even enjoy other worldly professing Christians and pastors well enough, but does not desire holy fellowship or the fervent warmth of holy worship. If he is intolerant of a worship service fifteen minutes "too long," how will he feel after fifteen million years in the eternal worship service of heaven? He aspires to a heaven of lighthearted ease and recreation—an extended vacation; but a heaven of holiness would be hell to such a man. Yet God is holy, and God is in heaven. He cannot be blamed for sending the unholy man to hell despite his most articulate profession (Heb. 12:14).
What Are the Substitutes for True Repentance?
1. You may reform in the actions without repenting in the heart. (Ps. 5 1: 16-17; Joel 2:13) This is a great deception, for the love of sin remains. (1 Jn. 2:15-17; Acts 8:9-24) At this the Pharisees were experts. (Mk. 7:1-23) The heart of a man is his problem. A man may appear perfect in his actions but be damned for his heart. His actions are at best self-serving and hypocritical. What comes from a bad heart is never good. "Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh." (Jas. 3:11-12)2. You may experience the emotion of repentance without the effect of it. Here is a kind of amnesia. You see the awful specter of sin in the mirror and flinch out of horror yet immediately forget what kind of person you saw (Jas. 1:23-24). It is true, repentance includes sincere emotion, an affection for God and a disaffection for sin. Torrents of sorrow may flood the repenter's heart, and properly so (Jas. 4:8-10). But there is such a thing as a temporary emotion in the mere semblance of repentance; this emotion has very weak legs and cannot carry the behavior in the long walk of obedience. Your sorrow may even be prolonged. Yet if it does not arrive at repentance, it is of the world and is a living death—and maybe more (2 Cor. 7: 10). It is an old deceiver. Judas had such remorse but "went and hanged himself." (Mt. 27:3-5)3. You may confess the words of a true repenter and never repent. (Mt. 21:28-32; 1 Jn. 2:4; 4:20) Confession by itself is not repentance. Confession moves the lips; repentance moves the heart. Naming an act as evil before God is not the same as leaving it. Though your confession may be honest and emotional, it is not enough unless it expresses a true change of heart. There are those who confess only for the show of it, whose so-called repentance may be theatrical but not actual. If you express repentance to appear successful, you will not be successful at repenting. You will speak humbly but sin arrogantly. Saul gave the model confession (1 Sam. 15:24-26) and later went to hell. Repentance "from the teeth out" is no repentance.4. You may repent for the fear of reprisal alone and not for the hatred of sin. Any man will stop sinning when caught or relatively sure he will be, unless there is insufficient punishment or shame attached (1 Tim. 1:8-11). When there are losses great enough to get his attention, he will reform. If this is the entire motive of his repentance, he has not repented at all. It is the work of law, but not grace. Men can be controlled by fear, but what is required is a change of heart. Achan admitted his sin after being caught but would not have otherwise. Find his bones in the Valley of Achor; his soul, most likely, in hell. (Josh. 7:16-26)5. You may talk against sin in public like a true repenter but never repent in private. (Mt. 23:1-3) The exercise of the mouth cannot change the heart. Your sin is like a prostitute. You are speaking against your lover in public but embracing her in the bedroom. She is not particular about being run down in public if she can have your full attention in private. "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?" (Jas. 4:4)6. You may repent primarily for temporal gains rather than the glory of God. There are gains for the repenter, but the final motivation for repenting cannot be selfish. Self is a dead, stinking carcass to be discarded. We are to repent because God is worthy and is our respected authority, even if we gain nothing. Indeed, our repenting may appear to lose us more than our sin had gained. (Mt. 16:24-26; Phil. 3:7-8) And this is a test of true repentance.7. You may repent of lesser sins for the purpose of continuing in greater sins. (Lk. 11:42) We try to salve our nagging conscience by some minor exercise of repentance, which is really no repentance at all. The whole heart is changed in the believer. The half repenter is a divided man: part against sin and part for it; part against Christ, part for Him. But one or the other must win out, for man cannot serve God and mammon (or any other idol); he must love the one and hate the other. (Mt. 6:24)8. You may repent so generally that you never repent of any specific sin at all. The man who repents in too great a generality is likely covering his sins. (Prov. 28:13) If there are no particular changes, there is no repenting. Sin has many heads, like the mythological Hydra. It cannot be dealt with in general, but its heads must be cut off one by one.9. You may repent for the love of friends and religious leaders and not repent for the love of God. (Isa. 1: 10-17) A man talked into repentance may reform for the love of friends or the respect of the spiritually minded, yet do nothing substantial. If a man turns from sin without turning to God, he will find his sin has only changed its name and is hidden behind his pride. Now it will be harder to rout for its subterfuge. You have loved others but not God. And you have loved yourself most of all. Lot's wife left the city of sin at the insistence of an angel and for the love of her family, but turned back. She had left her heart. "Remember Lot's wife." (Gen. 19:12-26; Lk. 17:32)10. 'You may confess the finished action of sin and not repent from the continuing habit of sin. If a man is honest, he is a good man in human terms; but he is not a repenting man until the sin is stabbed to death. He must be a murderer if he would be God's: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Rom. 8:13) God knows what you have done; what He wants is obedience. (Lk. 6:46)11. You may attempt repentance of your sin while consciously leaving open the door of its opportunity. A man who says " I repent" but will not leave the source or environment of that sin is suspect. Though some situations which invite temptation cannot be changed, most can. A man who will not flee the setting of his temptation when he is able still loves his sin. A mouse is foolish to build his nest under the cat's bed. "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." (Rom. 13:14)12. You may make an effort to repent of some sins without repenting of all the sin you know. The businessman learns to show concern for the needs of his clients, yet he batters his wife through neglect. Another gives his money in the offering plate weekly but steals time from his employer daily. Every man boasts of some sins conquered, but true repentance is a repulsion of sin as a whole. The repenter hates all sin, though he fails more readily in some than in others. He may not know all his sins, but what he knows he spurns. Repentance is universal in the believer; the spirit is willing even when the flesh is weak (Mt. 26:41).
Repentance and faith are bound together. A repenting man has no hope for obedience without faith in the source of all holiness, God Himself. In repenting of sins, he loses his self-sufficiency. God is his sanctifier. (Jude 24-25; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; 1 Pet. 1:5)Repentance is a gift of God (Acts 11:19; 2 Tim. 2:25) and a duty of man (Acts 17:30; Lk. 13:3). You will know if it has been granted by the exercise of it. (Phil. 2:12-13) Do not wait for it; run toward it. "Be zealous and repent." (Rev. 3:19) Pursue it and you will find it; forget it and perish.
Copyright 1994 Christian Communicators Worldwide, Inc.201 Main, Parkville, MO 64152 USAPermission granted for not-for-sale reproduction in exact form including copyright.Other uses require written permission. Write for additional materials.
At last God arrests him, shows him what desperate hazard he has run,
and he is filled with anguish.
Within a while the tempest of conscience is blown over, and he is quiet.
Then he concludes that he is a true penitent because he has felt some bitterness in sin.
Do not be deceived: this is not repentance. Ahab and Judas had some trouble of mind.
It is one thing to be a terrified sinner and another to be a repenting sinner.
Sense of guilt is enough to breed terror. Infusion of grace breeds repentance.
If pain and trouble were sufficient to repentance, then the damned in hell should be most penitent,
for they are most in anguish.
Repentance depends upon a change of heart. There may be terror, yet with no change of heart.
I shall next show what gospel repentance is. Repentance is a grace of God's Spirit whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and visibly reformed. For a further amplification, know that repentance is a spiritual medicine made up of six special ingredients: 1. Sight of sin2. Sorrow for sin3. Confession of sin4. Shame for sin5. Hatred for sin6. Turning from sin
Thomas Watson's The Doctrine of Repentance
Two fold nature of repentance:
repenting of sin (hating & forsaking) and repentance (grieving over & confessing) toward God
----
The Unrepenting Repenter
By Jim Elliff
The believer in Christ is a lifelong repenter. He begins with repentance and continues in repentance. (Rom. 8:12-13) David sinned giant sins but fell without a stone at the mere finger of the prophet because he was a repenter at heart (2 Sam. 12:7-13). Peter denied Christ three times but suffered three times the remorse until he repented with bitter tears (Mt. 26:75). Every Christian is called a repenter, but he must be a repenting repenter. The Bible assumes the repentant nature of all true believers in its instruction on church discipline. A man unwilling to repent at the loving rebuke of the church can be considered nothing more than "a heathen and a tax collector." (Mt. 18:15-17)
What Is Repentance?
Repentance is a change of mind regarding sin and God, an inward turning from sin to God, which is known by its fruit—obedience. (Mt. 3:8; Acts 26:20; Lk. 13:5-9) It is hating what you once loved and loving what you once hated, exchanging irresistible sin for an irresistible Christ. The true repenter is cast on God. Faith is his only option. When he fully knows that sin utterly fails him, God takes him up. (Mt. 9:13b) He will have faith or he will have despair; conviction will either deliver him or devour him.The religious man often deceives himself in his repentance. The believer may sin the worst of sins, it is true; but to remain in the love of sin, or to be comfortable in the atmosphere of sin, is a deadly sign, for only repenters inhabit heaven. The deceived repenter would be a worse sinner if he could, but society holds him back. He can tolerate and even enjoy other worldly professing Christians and pastors well enough, but does not desire holy fellowship or the fervent warmth of holy worship. If he is intolerant of a worship service fifteen minutes "too long," how will he feel after fifteen million years in the eternal worship service of heaven? He aspires to a heaven of lighthearted ease and recreation—an extended vacation; but a heaven of holiness would be hell to such a man. Yet God is holy, and God is in heaven. He cannot be blamed for sending the unholy man to hell despite his most articulate profession (Heb. 12:14).
What Are the Substitutes for True Repentance?
1. You may reform in the actions without repenting in the heart. (Ps. 5 1: 16-17; Joel 2:13) This is a great deception, for the love of sin remains. (1 Jn. 2:15-17; Acts 8:9-24) At this the Pharisees were experts. (Mk. 7:1-23) The heart of a man is his problem. A man may appear perfect in his actions but be damned for his heart. His actions are at best self-serving and hypocritical. What comes from a bad heart is never good. "Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh." (Jas. 3:11-12)2. You may experience the emotion of repentance without the effect of it. Here is a kind of amnesia. You see the awful specter of sin in the mirror and flinch out of horror yet immediately forget what kind of person you saw (Jas. 1:23-24). It is true, repentance includes sincere emotion, an affection for God and a disaffection for sin. Torrents of sorrow may flood the repenter's heart, and properly so (Jas. 4:8-10). But there is such a thing as a temporary emotion in the mere semblance of repentance; this emotion has very weak legs and cannot carry the behavior in the long walk of obedience. Your sorrow may even be prolonged. Yet if it does not arrive at repentance, it is of the world and is a living death—and maybe more (2 Cor. 7: 10). It is an old deceiver. Judas had such remorse but "went and hanged himself." (Mt. 27:3-5)3. You may confess the words of a true repenter and never repent. (Mt. 21:28-32; 1 Jn. 2:4; 4:20) Confession by itself is not repentance. Confession moves the lips; repentance moves the heart. Naming an act as evil before God is not the same as leaving it. Though your confession may be honest and emotional, it is not enough unless it expresses a true change of heart. There are those who confess only for the show of it, whose so-called repentance may be theatrical but not actual. If you express repentance to appear successful, you will not be successful at repenting. You will speak humbly but sin arrogantly. Saul gave the model confession (1 Sam. 15:24-26) and later went to hell. Repentance "from the teeth out" is no repentance.4. You may repent for the fear of reprisal alone and not for the hatred of sin. Any man will stop sinning when caught or relatively sure he will be, unless there is insufficient punishment or shame attached (1 Tim. 1:8-11). When there are losses great enough to get his attention, he will reform. If this is the entire motive of his repentance, he has not repented at all. It is the work of law, but not grace. Men can be controlled by fear, but what is required is a change of heart. Achan admitted his sin after being caught but would not have otherwise. Find his bones in the Valley of Achor; his soul, most likely, in hell. (Josh. 7:16-26)5. You may talk against sin in public like a true repenter but never repent in private. (Mt. 23:1-3) The exercise of the mouth cannot change the heart. Your sin is like a prostitute. You are speaking against your lover in public but embracing her in the bedroom. She is not particular about being run down in public if she can have your full attention in private. "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?" (Jas. 4:4)6. You may repent primarily for temporal gains rather than the glory of God. There are gains for the repenter, but the final motivation for repenting cannot be selfish. Self is a dead, stinking carcass to be discarded. We are to repent because God is worthy and is our respected authority, even if we gain nothing. Indeed, our repenting may appear to lose us more than our sin had gained. (Mt. 16:24-26; Phil. 3:7-8) And this is a test of true repentance.7. You may repent of lesser sins for the purpose of continuing in greater sins. (Lk. 11:42) We try to salve our nagging conscience by some minor exercise of repentance, which is really no repentance at all. The whole heart is changed in the believer. The half repenter is a divided man: part against sin and part for it; part against Christ, part for Him. But one or the other must win out, for man cannot serve God and mammon (or any other idol); he must love the one and hate the other. (Mt. 6:24)8. You may repent so generally that you never repent of any specific sin at all. The man who repents in too great a generality is likely covering his sins. (Prov. 28:13) If there are no particular changes, there is no repenting. Sin has many heads, like the mythological Hydra. It cannot be dealt with in general, but its heads must be cut off one by one.9. You may repent for the love of friends and religious leaders and not repent for the love of God. (Isa. 1: 10-17) A man talked into repentance may reform for the love of friends or the respect of the spiritually minded, yet do nothing substantial. If a man turns from sin without turning to God, he will find his sin has only changed its name and is hidden behind his pride. Now it will be harder to rout for its subterfuge. You have loved others but not God. And you have loved yourself most of all. Lot's wife left the city of sin at the insistence of an angel and for the love of her family, but turned back. She had left her heart. "Remember Lot's wife." (Gen. 19:12-26; Lk. 17:32)10. 'You may confess the finished action of sin and not repent from the continuing habit of sin. If a man is honest, he is a good man in human terms; but he is not a repenting man until the sin is stabbed to death. He must be a murderer if he would be God's: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Rom. 8:13) God knows what you have done; what He wants is obedience. (Lk. 6:46)11. You may attempt repentance of your sin while consciously leaving open the door of its opportunity. A man who says " I repent" but will not leave the source or environment of that sin is suspect. Though some situations which invite temptation cannot be changed, most can. A man who will not flee the setting of his temptation when he is able still loves his sin. A mouse is foolish to build his nest under the cat's bed. "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." (Rom. 13:14)12. You may make an effort to repent of some sins without repenting of all the sin you know. The businessman learns to show concern for the needs of his clients, yet he batters his wife through neglect. Another gives his money in the offering plate weekly but steals time from his employer daily. Every man boasts of some sins conquered, but true repentance is a repulsion of sin as a whole. The repenter hates all sin, though he fails more readily in some than in others. He may not know all his sins, but what he knows he spurns. Repentance is universal in the believer; the spirit is willing even when the flesh is weak (Mt. 26:41).
Repentance and faith are bound together. A repenting man has no hope for obedience without faith in the source of all holiness, God Himself. In repenting of sins, he loses his self-sufficiency. God is his sanctifier. (Jude 24-25; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; 1 Pet. 1:5)Repentance is a gift of God (Acts 11:19; 2 Tim. 2:25) and a duty of man (Acts 17:30; Lk. 13:3). You will know if it has been granted by the exercise of it. (Phil. 2:12-13) Do not wait for it; run toward it. "Be zealous and repent." (Rev. 3:19) Pursue it and you will find it; forget it and perish.
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Monday, June 02, 2008
The Sixth Commandment
You shall not murder
Exodus 20:13
Each holy commandment of God reflects a sin forbidden & a duty required.
"The person who does not repel an injury from another when he can is a much to blame as the one who commits it."
Duties required in the Sixth Commandment
The duty to preserve our own life. (Eph 5:28-29)
The duty to preserve the life of others. (I Kings 18:4)
The duty to resist all thoughts & purposes & subdue all passions which tend to the unjust taking away of anyone's life. (Jer 26:15-16)
The duty of just defense against violence. (Ps 82:4; Pr 24:11-12)
The duty to comfort the distressed & protect & defend the innocent. (Job 31:19-20,22; Matt 25:35;Pr 31:8-9)
Sins forbidden in the Sixth Commandment
The sin of neglecting or withdrawing the lawful & necessary means of the preservation of life. (Matt 25:42-43;James 2:15-16;Eccl 6:1-2)
The sin of unjustified anger (as with aborting mother against her pre-born baby) (Matt 5:22)
The sin of hatred (a aborting mother hating her baby without cause) (I Jo 3:15;Lev 19:17)
The sin of striking & wounding (as with a mother killing her infant by abortion) (Numbers 35:16-18)
"Negatively, [the Sixth commandment] forbids every ... injury inflicted upon our own or our neighbor's person.
Our neighbor may be injured by neglecting him or by not assiting him according to our ability.
... The, positively, this commandment requires the preservation of our own & our neighbor's life & safety.
This is done by rendering assistance to others or by protecting them from injuries, in a way of humanity, mercy or friendship."
~ Ernest Reisinger, Whatever Happened to the Ten Commandments?
"The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All
you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself."
~ Charles Spurgeon
You shall not murder
Exodus 20:13
Each holy commandment of God reflects a sin forbidden & a duty required.
"The person who does not repel an injury from another when he can is a much to blame as the one who commits it."
Duties required in the Sixth Commandment
The duty to preserve our own life. (Eph 5:28-29)
The duty to preserve the life of others. (I Kings 18:4)
The duty to resist all thoughts & purposes & subdue all passions which tend to the unjust taking away of anyone's life. (Jer 26:15-16)
The duty of just defense against violence. (Ps 82:4; Pr 24:11-12)
The duty to comfort the distressed & protect & defend the innocent. (Job 31:19-20,22; Matt 25:35;Pr 31:8-9)
Sins forbidden in the Sixth Commandment
The sin of neglecting or withdrawing the lawful & necessary means of the preservation of life. (Matt 25:42-43;James 2:15-16;Eccl 6:1-2)
The sin of unjustified anger (as with aborting mother against her pre-born baby) (Matt 5:22)
The sin of hatred (a aborting mother hating her baby without cause) (I Jo 3:15;Lev 19:17)
The sin of striking & wounding (as with a mother killing her infant by abortion) (Numbers 35:16-18)
"Negatively, [the Sixth commandment] forbids every ... injury inflicted upon our own or our neighbor's person.
Our neighbor may be injured by neglecting him or by not assiting him according to our ability.
... The, positively, this commandment requires the preservation of our own & our neighbor's life & safety.
This is done by rendering assistance to others or by protecting them from injuries, in a way of humanity, mercy or friendship."
~ Ernest Reisinger, Whatever Happened to the Ten Commandments?
"The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All
you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself."
~ Charles Spurgeon
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