| Dear Deacon, There’s a theme that ties together today’s update -- God hears your prayer ... and He answers. Here’s what I mean…. ----------------------------------------------------- “I want to spread some very awesome news!!!”
That’s the email I received from Lynda in Eugene – complete with all three exclamation marks. The Bours Health Center – the abortion facility where faithful volunteers have prayed during EIGHT 40 Days for Life campaigns – has shut its doors. Vigil participants watched as signs, drapes and banners came down. Later that day, “we rejoiced, praising the Lord and hugging and high-fiving during our 40 Days for Life meeting,” Lynda said. The center’s web site announces its closing – and refers any potential clients to a Planned Parenthood facility in town. So, the Eugene team is planning to move its prayer vigil – to Planned Parenthood! “God bless!” Lynda said. “And share the good news!!!” ----------------------------------------------------- One year ago this Friday, our national director David Bereit and I boarded a plane for Iowa – where it was quite frigid. We were on our way to Storm Lake, Iowa – where a former Planned Parenthood manager, who was forced out of her job after 17 years, had prayed long and hard before deciding to do the unthinkable ... … she led a 40 Days for Life campaign outside her former workplace! As a result of this prayerful campaign and her leadership, Planned Parenthood was forced to close that location on March 1, 2012. The closure was an embarrassment for Planned Parenthood, which tried its best to downplay the impact of this courageous former worker. Their plan was to just send their clients to their center down the road in Spencer, Iowa. Not quite a full year after closing the Storm Lake facility, Planned Parenthood just announced they are now closing that location in Spencer! In fact, Planned Parenthood has just announced its intention to close six of its facilities – Spencer plus another location in Iowa, as well as four others in Wisconsin. These are not locations where 40 Days for Life vigils have taken place, but it’s certainly good news. It’s a huge blessing … and proof – to me and many faithful volunteers – that prayer is effective. There have been numerous 40 Days for Life campaigns in both of these states, and these closures show momentum is continuing to build – momentum directly related to this movement of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion. The former worker in Storm Lake is Sue Thayer. She is now a leading voice against the controversial new procedure known as webcam abortions, where an abortionist in one location “examines” a client over the internet before pressing a button that dispenses the abortion pill for the woman in a distant facility. Sue’s courage and this controversial new abortion technique both challenge us to do more. Her journey shows what God has done and acts as an invitation to us. Sue’s invitation to trust God is featured in Chapter 37 of the 40 Days for Life book.
Today's devotional is from Carmen Pate, a member of the 40 Days for Life board of directors.
Pray that we will not become defeated by the enemy's attacks but rather call on the name of the Lord who is on our side and our help in time of trouble.
What if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us? They would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger. Praise the Lord, who did not let their teeth tear us apart! Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. -- Psalm 124:2,3,6,8
The enemy attacks in many ways, but one of his favorites is to slander us with hopes of tarnishing our reputation and character, and ultimately to defeat our good work for the Lord. It is interesting to note however that it is usually not the slander that causes harm to our testimony, but our response to the slander. Proverbs 24:10 says, "If you faint in the day of adversity your strength is small." If we are applying God's truths to our lives moment by moment, we are not swayed by the lies of the enemy and we will be strong. Standing on the front lines, armed with God's truth, places you in the battlefield for the mind. As you are prepared to present words of love, for the sake of the unborn and for the distraught and confused women and men who are entering the abortion facilities, know that the enemy has prepared his forces to attack your mind. Unkind words from a protester, or vicious lies in the local paper about who you are and what your mission is, can indeed be hurtful. But rather than give in to defeat, that is the time to shine for the Lord, standing firm, as you call on Him to defeat the enemy. Remember the words of Romans 8:31, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Let's stand strong for those who need us most.
Dear Lord, help us to ignore the verbal attacks of the enemy and instead turn to You, our refuge and strength. Help us to find shelter in the blessed promises and provisions of Your Word. Thank you that no enemy can defeat us, and we praise You knowing that nothing can separate us from Your love. In the name of Jesus, we come to You, Amen.
To download today's devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2013day15print.pdf For Life, Shawn Carney PS: Please share the good news! Stories about your own http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=4101 PPS: To get the rest of the story, get the new 40 Days for Life book at:
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