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orl-2005-1st-half


Orlando Reports 1st Half
January - June 2005

Saturday, April 9, 2005

An attack against life is an attack against God, who is the author of life.

~ Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins

More than a dozen courageous cardiac Christians, including a local Presbyterian pastor, came and stood for life outside Orlando 's most notorious child-killing camp early this morning. We parked the mobile ministry unit in front of the doors of the abortuary, everyone grabbed a fresh supply of our ministry packets, laid out our fetal models, put up our signs announcing: Free Ultrasound! and took to the field of souls to fish for men!

As many of us engaged the abortion-bound women and men, we had a mini ultrasound training session in our mobile unit. Many Christians gathered inside while a pregnant friend named Katina (THANKS AND HUGS TO KATINA!) allowed the sonographer trainees to get some hands-on experience performing ultrasound. Practice makes perfect! Praise the Lord for these committed Christians who are heaven-bent on serving Jesus in the practical direct-action Good Samaritan ministry of offering to help women through pregnancy right at the abortion clinic itself. You are my heroes.

*+* REGINA *+* Pam reluctantly accompanied her friend Regina. Although Regina's boyfriend has held a gun to her and beaten her repeatedly, she is addicted to him. Pam has taken Regina in and offered to help her escape to another state to have and raise her baby. She even offered to raise Regina 's child herself. When all of her offers failed to persuade Regina from murdering her infant, Pam figured that she'd drive her to the killing place. Regina admitted: "I feel bad. Abortion isn't right. I know that. But, what else could I do? She was coming here anyway." We counseled Pam that she should have been completely forthright, loving her friend enough to tell her to her face: "Regina, you know that I am your friend. You know that I love you like a sister. I've already told you that I would help you get away from your no good boyfriend, place the baby for adoption, I will even raise your baby myself. Those are the things that I WILL do for you. But there is something that I WON'T do. I love you but I can't and I won't help you murder this little baby."

Pam was convicted that she'd even brought her friend to the slaughterhouse. She asked: "Am I in trouble with God for coming here with her?" We helped Pam see that she could do something right and good NOW. We asked Pam to go inside, sit with her friend and try her hardest to convince Regina not to kill her child. We prayed over her and she went right back inside. She reasoned, she begged, she plead with her friend. Nothing. Pam finally told Regina that she couldn't, in good conscience, remain with her if she was going to dismember her living son or daughter. left her friend. Regina actually turned to her friend and said: "It's obvious to me that this abortion is harder on you than it is on me. Go home if you want to. I can catch a taxi when it's all over." And that's exactly what Pam did. She left her friend to kill and in her abandonment Pam revealed what true friendship really is.

*+* CELIA *+* 25 year old Celia arrived with her father. As I spoke with her and showed her our special ministry packet, she brushed me aside, saying: "Listen, I know all about this. This isn't my first time." I asked Celia: "How many abortions have you had?" Celia said: "A lot." I pressed her: "How many?" She responded: "I said, a lot!" I asked again: "Celia, how many abortions have you had?" Celia shot back: "Five!" I asked if she had any living children. "Yes, I have two." All tolled this was her EIGHTH pregnancy. At 25 years of age Celia was about to murder for the SIXTH time! What did her father have to say about all this? "Get the f*#* away from here and mind your own business!"

*+* YVONNE *+* brought a friend to kill her fifth child. Both Yvonne and her friend are professing Christians who believe: "God is gracious. We all sin. Abortion isn't right, we know that, but God is merciful."

I brought out the slip of paper on which I have printed Hebrews 10:26 & 27.Yvonne looked very serious as we she read the powerful, haunting words out loud:

If we sin willfully after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for our sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment ..."

I reminded Yvonne about the "many" who will call out to the resurrected Jesus Christ in all His glory and power. Then I asked her if she remembered what He will say to those "many" in that day? Yvonne answered solemnly: "Depart from Me, I never knew you." Yvonne seriously contemplated the vision of the "many" (not the few) silently for a minute or two. Then, she dismissed these holy passages and the holy fear of the Lord that they inspired, saying: "It's all about grace anyway." Yvonne chided me: "Now, you know a lot about Scripture and know a lot about God, but you shouldn't be here intimidating people with your knowledge." I brought the video of a live abortion out to show Yvonne what we were talking about she laughed and pushed my portable DVD player away. "Come on now, I'm hungry and that is sure gonna ruin my appetite."

*+* Sharon *+* Carl brought his girlfriend Sharon explaining; "We don't care about this baby. We don't want "it". It's not the right time. She already has a kid. And, let's put it this way, if she did have "it", I told her that I'd raise the child with me. Right now, we're alright with killing "it"." Strangely, Carl's two sisters came along to "support" Carl while Sharon killed their nephew or niece. Carl's sister admitted: "The fact that Sharon is willing to do this shows how she really feels about my brother."

*+* STEPHANIE *+* Will drove his girlfriend Stephanie to kill their baby. As he got out of his car Will turned to me and said: "We're not interested in what you have to say." He tried to shield me from speaking to Stephanie, leading her straight back inside the car and shut the door and closed the window. All morning long Will smirked and laughed. These are some of his remarks: "This isn't our first. We've killed 8 babies already. We can't wait to do it again." When I suggested that there have always been homes and families for these babies. Will turned to me, looked me right in the eye, smiled and said: "Nah, that wouldn't be any fun now would it? We want to KILL them."

*+* SANDRITA *+* We overheard 16 year old Sandrita's dad Javier say, "This isn't right. You shouldn't do this. I don't like this." His eyebrows were furled and he paced back and forth on the porch of the clinic. His lovely daughter was murdering his grandbaby. Gina reached out to him. Javier admitted: "I don't approve of this at all. She's only 16 though and this is what she wants. More than that, this is what her mother Suzy wants." Gina encouraged Javier saying: "You are the man, the head of the household. Lead your family. You say what should happen here, Javier. Take your precious daughter away from here. This child is a blessing to your family. You will never regretted supporting Sandrita through the pregnancy." Then, something precious happened ... He took his Sandrita away from the slaughterhouse. Javier took his daughter home!

*+* Lora Lee *+* At 9:15am Marianna came running over to me, out of breath. A woman had pulled up in front of the clinic and was asking for help! What a a delight to meet a very happily pregnant (8 months!) Lora Lee! This 22 year old single mom happened to be driving by and noticed our mobile unit with the sign offering ultrasound. She wondered if we could help her. I introduced myself and she took gratefully took my hand. I asked "What do you need?" Lora Lee responded shyly; "I very much need maternity clothes." I called Sheri, who works at TLC Women's Center over and introduced her to Lora Lee. When she explained how much help she could get at TLC, Lora Lee invited her into her car to help her find her way there.

Sheri and Lora Lee enjoyed getting to know one another as they traveled to TLC. The center provided her with LOTS of beautiful things to wear and Lora Lee left smiling with a big bag of clothes. TLC invited Lora Lee to return for a lovely layette when her baby was born. Sheri and Lora Lee became ready-made friends and happily exchanged telephone numbers. They've already made plans to go garage sale-ing together. Lora Lee is a professing Christian and a member of a Haitian Baptist church. She is a single mom of an 8 year old. She works full time. The baby she is carrying is due in June. Lora Lee explained that she might marry the father of her baby (who lives in Haiti ) in a year or two. Please pray for this precious young mom and her two children. If you would be willing to be-friend Lora Lee please let me know.

There were more, many more of our neighbors. There was a woman named Lucy. Jason accompanied his sister Stacy. Many whose names were never spoken. So many lost women and men, so many infants drawn and quartered and decapitated. Disgarded like trash.

Abortionist Randall Whitney, the man of many faces, arrived at 9:15am. The bloodshed commenced. Randall Whitney, professing man of God, former elder of his church, active weekly Bible study participant, cleans pots as a committed volunteer at a soup kitchen every month, serial killer who identifies himself as a post-modern Christian, arrived to murder over a dozen innocent people before sitting down to his lunch.

As I packed up to leave Will came over to me and said: "Excuse me, maam. May I have that poster of that aborted baby? I really like it. I want to have it framed and put it on my wall." I told Will that I couldn't give him that one but said that he could have the beautiful adoption bumper sticker instead. He said "Why would I want that? That's not what we're doing." This time it was me who stood face-to-face with Will. I said: "Aren't you afraid?" Will replied: "No" I prophesied: "You will be."

Sheri and I went out for breakfast together after our ministry time. As we talked about the morning and enjoyed the sweet fellowship of battle-weary missionaries, our waiter Frank overheard our conversation. He opened up and asked us about ourselves. As he was picking up the creamers, he stopped for a minute, looking very reflective. Frank admitted that before he " came out " he was sleeping with a woman. When she became pregnant, he encouraged her to allow him to raise the child or make an adoption plan. She wanted him to marry her "or else". His girlfriend murdered their baby and now, 9 years later, he speaks with open sorrow and regret. Frank will never have another child. Sheri and I were able to share a bit of the gospel with Frank and he hurried off to answer the call of another customer. We left Frank a big tip and a gospel tract. The mission field is everywhere!

Believe or not, there's more to tell, but I am going to push my laptop's SEND button and hope that God pushes YOURS!

Together in the Field of Souls,
Patte Smith & Friends
Sanctuary Ministries <//><



March 1, 2005

Speak up for the speechless,
raise your voice in the cause of all who are appointed to die.
Proverbs 31:8

Friends,

Since the beginning of 2005 Sanctuary Ministries missionaries have been used by God to help convince twelve abortion-bound women NOT to murder their pre-born infants. Five women and their children were saved from abortion in the last week alone! Several of these women are now considering adoption! How did we do it? Our method is simple. Go to one of the most notorious abortuaries in the state of Florida and do two things: SPEAK UP & PRAY! We call this the ministry of presence!

How, exactly, do we provide this MINISTRY OF PRESENCE? Every Thursday and Saturday morning, and even an occasional Monday or Tuesday, we stand outside Orlando Women's Center and greet every single aborting woman, teenager and man and every abortion clinic worker as well. Whenever we can we bring our mobile unit and offer FREE ultrasounds to the abortion-bound throngs. In a holy alliance with Pregnancy Outreach (which provides a seasoned sidewalk counselor Mark Hall, an ULTRASOUND MACHINE, PRINTER) and Face Life, Inc (which provides a brand-new 23 foot mobile educational RV, see www.FACELife.org) Sanctuary Ministries brings the ministry of presence face-to-face with women who have appointments to murder their babies from early pregnancy through full term.

Join us! Make a commitment to become a part of Sanctuary Ministries ministry of presence at the only late term abortion clinic in Orlando . Orlando Women's Center slaugherhouse is butchering babies seven days a week in up to NINE abortion sessions! We need a solid, faithful cadre of volunteers in order to continue to bring the mobile unit and ultrasound to this abortuary. We also need a portable ultrasound unit of our own, which involves either a) a donation of an ultrasound machine and printer or b) purchasing a new or used unit for approximately $20,000. If you are willing to provide financial help for this project, simply send your tax-deductible donation to:

Covenant Presbyterian Church
PO Box 309
Goldenrod, Fl 32733-0309
Attention: Sharon Leigh
Include a note indicating: "For Sanctuary Ministries: ULTRASOUND PROJECT"

Won't YOU help us make this dream come true? If you are interested in donating a portable ultrasound machine (or know someone who might be) please contact me as soon as possible. My home number is 407.830.8274. If you are interested in being a part of our ministry of presence I've got one word for you: COME! Be a voice for the children who are voiceless who are perishing by abortion in Orlando . Simply meet us on the sidewalk at 1103 Lucerne Terrace (off Gore between I-4, Orange Ave and Columbia ) at 8:15am on Thursday and/or 6:15am on Saturday for six consecutive weeks.

Together in the Field of Souls,

Patte Smith & Friends

Sanctuary Ministries <//><

PS Below is an e-mail that I just sent to the Orlando Sentinel.

********************************

To: insight@orlandosentinel.com

Adoption is not foster care!

I am so encouraged to learn of Governor Bush's new initiative to provide a hotline for pregnant women in the state of Florida ! I have been counseling abortion-bound teens and women for 12 years and continue to be shocked and dismayed by the pervasive ignorance regarding adoption. Most women believe that adoption is synonymous with foster care. Far from it! Many pregnant women believe that they will have to PAY for adoption. Absolutely not! After we educate pregnant women with the real facts about adoption they realize that adoption is ALWAYS the most positive alternative to abortion for them. Why? Because adoption answers the two most common reasons for aborting a pregnancy: money and unwantedness . First, adoption answers the money objection in three powerful and convincing ways. How?

#1. Adoption is FREE while abortions in Orlando cost anywhere from $390 for early pregnancy to $14,000 and more for late term.

#2. Adoption can provide the pregnant teen or woman assistance with housing and medical expenses through the entire pregnancy and for up to six weeks after the infant is born.

#3. With adoption, the woman is relieved of all of the financial responsibility of raising the child she is carrying. Secondly, adoption solves the "wantedness" objection entirely.

I routinely have to correct a common misconception about adoption. I want to shout it from the rooftops! "Adoption is NOT foster care!" Adoption offers a PERMANENT loving family for their baby. The pregnant woman can even choose which couple she would like to raise her baby out of a pool of pre-screened applicants at the adoption agency! Randy Alcorn said it best when he wrote: "There is no such thing as an unwanted child, only unwanting adults." Adoption is a WIN-WIN-WIN alternative! The adoptive couple, the pregnant woman AND the infant she is carrying all benefit from ADOPTION!

Let's do everything we can to direct teens and women in crisis pregnancies toward the life affirming alternative of adoption!

Patte Smith
Director of Sanctuary Ministries: Advocates for abortion-vulnerable women and children



February 4th, 2005

"What do you think I am doing here?"

Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, "Surely we did not know this," Does not He who weighs the heart consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
Proverbs 24:11-12

Yesterday we met half a dozen women who came to the abortion clinic to kill their babies later in pregnancy. (Anywhere from 16 - 40 weeks gestation) Lillian came with her boyfriend Lou. Lillian was aborting at 4 1/2 months because: "I have a little baby already and I this is just not the right time to have another one." When I explained to Lillian that she WAS going to have this baby because her abortion was actual labor-and-delivery , Lillian casually said: "Oh, I know that." I showed Lillian and Lou a photo of "Little Mary" who was aborted at Orlando Women's Center at the same age as her baby, saying; "This is exactly what your baby will look like. She may very well be alive when you deliver her. Then, she will be thrown away as medical waste. Your baby is not garbage, Lillian. She's a little girl or a little boy." Lillian remained entirely untouched by the gruesome photograph of a real infant, bloody and lifeless, laying on the abortion clinic counter. I told Lillian: "There is no such thing as an unwanted child, only unwanting adults.

There are wonderful couples on the adoption waiting list, Lillian. You can choose the momma and daddy yourself. You can allow your baby to be placed into a home where she will be loved forever. You can even get assistance with your medical and living expenses. Lillian, adoption is the way for you to do the right thing." Lillian dismissed the idea, saying: "Oh, I could never do that." I quickly corrected her; "Yes, you could Lauren and we'll help you." I asked Lauren if she believe in God. "Of course I believe in God. As a matter of fact, there's one thing I know for sure. If God didn't want me to do it, He could have stopped me." I looked Lauren in the eyes and said: "What do you think I am doing here?" She smiled and thanked me and said that she had to go. She promised to read all of our material and think seriously about what I said. Lauren and her boyfriend went inside the clinic.

A few minutes later Anna arrived. She explained that she had come to keep Lillian company while she aborted the baby. Anna said that she didn't believe in abortion, but that she had to support her friend. Anna said: "I have a beautiful little two year old girl daughter myself." I asked Anna if she believed in God. She said: "Yes, I sure do." I asked "What do you think God thinks about abortion, Anna?" Anna quickly replied: "Oh, I know that God doesn't approve of abortion. My momma drummed that into my head." Anna promised to go over all of the ministry packet with Lillian and try to convince her not to kill the baby. She also promised to remind her about adoption and to ask her to call the adoption agency telephone number written on the pamphlet I'd given them.

Before Anna brought the pillow and blanket and food inside the clinic (because Lillian will be laboring anywhere from 6-36 hours to deliver her baby) she gave me her e mail address. I took Anna's hands and prayed: "Use Anna to speak truth and life and mercy and justice and kindness into her friend, that Lillian might come to her senses. O Lord, guide Lillian into the proper fear of You." I prayed for Lillian's baby and for the other five infants whose mommies and daddies were killing them inside the clinic. I also prayed for all of the clinic workers, that they would be so disquieted in their souls that they simply could not bring themselves to murder those precious, helpless infants. The last bit of instruction I gave to Anna was: "If Lillian's baby is born alive, if she is moving in the toilet, call 911 right away." Anna smiled and went inside.

Today I wrote an e mail to Anna. This is what I wrote:
*****************

Hello Anna,
I'm the woman you met outside the clinic yesterday. How did things go with Lillian's delivery? Was the infant delivered in the bed or into the toilet? Was the baby moving? I hope that if the baby was born alive that you called 911. I know that it must have been very traumatic for you to be there when the baby was born. Did Lillian have a boy or a girl?

I want you to know that there is free post abortion counseling available for Lillian and for you (and for Lillian's boyfriend too). Even though you weren't the one having the abortion, it is normal for you to experience a syndrome called post abortion stress from the trauma of what you saw and experienced with the murder of that baby (and all the others being aborted) at the clinic. When I hear back from you I will give you information on where you and Lillian can go for free one-on-one counseling. There are also post-abortion support groups that you can join. I can help you find places to go for counseling in the area where both of you live.

I am looking forward to hearing the story of Lillian's labor-and-delivery. I hope that you took a moment to give Lillian's poor little baby a name. If you didn't, please take time to choose a name for the child.

From the Heart,
Patte Smith

*****************

I hope that this story disturbed you enough to want to do something. Hebrews 4:13 reveals that:

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.
Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes
of Him to whom we must give account.

I sincerely believe that it is more than merely the women and men who murder their infants who must give an account to God. Certainly they will have to face the Lord at the judgment for what they did in the flesh. But, I believe that those of us who tolerated these child murders, we shall also have to give an account. What will God say to those of us who refused to even try and stop the holocaust?

Thirty infants are murdered by abortion every day in Orlando. Seven days a week. We have a lot of ideas of crucial ways that you can do your personal part to stem the tsunami of blood here in our own community. We'll be back at the most notorious abortion clinic * in the city tomorrow morning from 6:15am, when the women and men arrive. And we'll stay until the abortionist arrives to begin the killing spree at 9:30am. Join us, won't you?

Till the Killing Stops,
Patte Smith & Friends
Sanctuary Ministry </><

*DIRECTIONS
Orlando Women's Center abortuary:
1103 Lucerne Terrace (Off Gore between I-4 and Orange Ave and Columbia) in Orlando



Febuary 8, 2005

Ursula went to Orlando Women's Center abortion clinic all by herself today. She arrived around 1pm and was shocked to see so many women having abortions. They were everywhere. The parking lot was full and they were streaming into the clinic. Ursula offered material to every woman and man she met. No one seemed to care.

Ursula noticed a couple parked across the street from the clinic and hurried over. Knocking on their window, Ursula said, "I have some wonderful information to help you through your pregnancy! " Then Ursula heard a voice calling to her. She turned to see two young women sitting in the next car: "Excuse me" one of the girls said, "Can we have that material that you are giving out?" Ursula noticed that the other girl was crying. She introduced herself and asked for their names. Ursula showed Andrea and Julie her material. Although Julie was crying, it was Andrea that was pregnant. Ursula counseled them about adoption and showed them the photos of aborted babies. Now both Andrea and Julie were weeping over the mutilated victims of abortion. Andrea sobbed and told Ursula; "You came at just the right time." Smiling through her tears this precious young pregnant woman said: "You convinced me. I will have the baby. Thank you very much. You saved a life today!"

Ursula said "Andrea and her friend comforted me just as I comforted them. I had seen so many others killing their children. The clinic was full of pregnant women and their boyfriends. When I tried to offer them help and information, they dismissed me and passed me by with faces of stone. Andrea and her friend brought me great comfort and joy today. Thanks be to God!"

What is the key to reaching the lost and dying at the abortion clinic? Ursula confessed to me this morning (before she went to the clinic) that she was feeling very low, very discouraged, even to the point of despairing. She had been trying to find another Christian to accompany her to the clinic, but no one was willing to go with her. Ursula did not FEEL full of faith. Ursula did not FEEL like going to the death camp. There were many things that Ursula would rather do. A lover of nature and of music, she could have stayed home, put on a favorite CD and enjoyed her back yard with a good book. Instead, Ursula went out of active obedience to the mandate of Christ to "Go." I believe that the presence of Christians where and when abortions are actually being performed is by far the most powerful and effective method of influence FOR women and AGAINST abortion. Even the power of ONE Christian brings light into the darkness. Pro-life activist Mick Hunt of Asheville, NC calls this "the ministry of presence." I have heard many people say "There is no silver bullet to end abortion" but I respectfully disagree. I believe that Christian presence, which should really be EN MASSE at every killing place, WOULD change thousands of minds a day and rescue thousands of infants from perishing in the ritual slaughter of the American abortion industry. In addition, this outpouring of Christians to the streets would serve to awaken the collective conscience of a country in the midst of a profound crisis of moral decadence and depravity. If anybody disagrees that going to the abortion clinic is the KEY, I say: "Let us try it and see!"

God's people have the holy advantage of living each day with the indwelling power, wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit. Remember! This is the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead!

What are you waiting for? My friend Ray Comfort likes to say, "When fear knocks on the door of your heart, let faith get up and answer!" Let God's Word overcome your reluctance to "Go!"

Do you feel insufficient and ill-equipped for the task of reaching the lost at the abortion clinic? God's grace is sufficient for me. God's strength is made perfect in weakness.(II Cori. 12:9)

God is able to make all grace abound to me, that always having all sufficiency in everything, I have an abundance for every good deed. (II Cori. 9:8)

Do you want to avoid feeling like a failure in front of the world? God always causes me to triumph in Christ. (II Cori. 2:14)

Are you full of fear at the thought of talking to strangers? God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (II Tim. 1:7)

Do you think it will be a waste of time to go to the lost at the abortuary? God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above that which I could be able to think according to the power that works in me.(Eph 3:20)

I believe that obedience to be present is the FIRST of many keys to reaching and loving our neighbors at the abortion clinic. When Andrea and her friend spoke with Ursula today they were touched by her compassion and concern. They were struck by the fact that she was THERE, standing in front of them. Ursula told me that she realized that Andrea was already prepared to hear the words of truth and hope from her lips.

Andrea honked her horn and both women smiled and waved as they drove away from the abortion clinic this afternoon. Ursula has these words ringing in her ears: "Thank you very much. You saved a life today!" Wouldn't you love to have THOSE words ringing in your ears?

Together in the Field of Blood,
Patte Smith & Friends
Sanctuary Ministries <//><


\January 27th, 2005

Oops! I Had an Abortion

Is Abortion a Mistake?

Even dear brothers and sisters who minister with me on the street sometimes refer to the sin of fornication and abortion as "mistakes." Say what? Come again? Mistakes? Like using baking soda instead of baking powder? Like mis-spelling a word? Like calling someone by the wrong name? Now, THOSE ARE MISTAKES.

How does the word "mistake" work for fornication and abortion, exactly? Hmm, let's see ... Oh, I took off all of my clothes by mistake? I had intercourse by mistake? I looked through the yellow pages by mistake? I called the clinic and made an appointment for an abortion by mistake? I made sure to get to the abortion clinic on time by mistake? Ooops! I cut my baby up into little pieces by mistake?

Minimizing sin minimizes the NEED for a Savior and ultimately, minimizes the SAVIOR! I believe that this is the work of the devil himself. I can just hear Satan now: Has God really SAID? Has God really said that fornication is a sin? Oh, my dear, don't be so hard on yourself and by all means, don't be so hard on OTHERS! Most certainly intercourse is simply a mistake! Has God really said that He is the one who makes alive and is responsible for conception? Oh, come on, get real! Beloved, you have been the victim of an "accident." You didn't mean for a child to be created. Has God really said that murder of a pre-born infant is a sin? Come now, dear one, you mustn't feel guilty for your abortion! You had a "choice" to make, not a "sin." Don't beat yourself up as if your murdering your baby was a "sin" or something. You simply had to make a "decision." In the very worst case, if you feel a little twinge of shame or a pang of guilt, you may have merely made a "mistake" when you killed your son. You mustn't feel too badly. After all, everyone makes mistakes.

This kind of thinking keeps Christians from ministering the gospel properly. What ever happened to the fear of the Lord? One cannot really minister at an abortion clinic with the namby-pamby, missing the mark kind of gospel that is so pervasive. That kind of counterfeit gospel FUELS sin (and abortion) by giving the sinner the impression that they can "sin all the more that grace may abound." We see and hear this attitude ad nauseum as we minister to abortion-bound women and men (and abortionists!) The world tells boys and girls, women and men that sexual intercourse outside of marriage is only natural. The world tells women not to "feel guilty" after she has ripped her live baby apart. It's one thing for the world, the flesh and the devil to minimize sin, but the church is right there to re-inforce and perpetuates that lie!

A friend of mine told me that a crisis pregnancy center where she volunteers said that they have thrown away all of their graphic abortion material. Why? Because they don't want to make women feel "guilty" or "bad" if she has had an abortion. Pastors say that they don't preach about the sin of abortion because they don't want to make women or men who've experienced abortion feel "uncomfortable" or "bad". Say, WHAT?! As Dr Phil says: "How's that working for ya?"

A woman here recently had her NINETEENTH abortion for crying out loud ... #19!

Do the women and men, boys and girls and abortion clinic workers really need us to sympathize with them or do they need us to engage them with the truth? Do the lost and dying need to be confronted with their sin or simply patted on the back and given the unsanctified drivel which masquerades as the gospel? Does the Bible say that "All have made mistakes" or "All have sinned"? Does the Word of God say "... all those who sex outside marriage are simply doing what comes naturally" or "... no fornicator ... has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God" (Ephesians 5:5)? Do the Scriptures teach that "abortion is not really any worse than any other mistake" or does it reveal that " ... the Lord hates ... hands that shed innocent blood ..." (Proverbs 6:6)? Does God comfort the lost by saying "Relax, everyone is basically good" or does He say "Repent or perish!" (Acts 2:38 , 17:30)?

Those who are perishing (literally) at the local abortion clinics need to encounter courageous Christians who understand and promote the true gospel of Law and grace.

Does this sound like YOU?

<//>< Come with Me and I will make you fishers of men. <//><
Matthew 4:19

From Bonhoeffer's classic on the Cost of Discipleship:

"Let the Christian rest content with his worldliness and with this renunciation of any higher standard than the world. He is living for the sake of the world rather than for the sake of grace. Let him be comforted and rest assured in his possession of this grace - for grace alone does everything. Instead of following Christ, let the Christian enjoy the consolations of his grace!

That is what we mean by cheap grace, the grace which amounts to the justification of sin without the justification of the repentant sinner who departs from sin and from whom sins departs.

Cheap grace is not the kind of forgiveness of sin which frees us from the toils of sin. Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession.

Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must the asked for, the door at which a man must knock.

Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price, and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us.

Costly grace is the Incarnation of God."

Together in the Field of Souls,
Patte Smith & Friends
Sanctuary Ministries <//><


January 22, 2005

Mourning of Remembrance
Roe V Wade XXXII
Saturday, January 22, 2005

Click image for larger view

Faces of a crisis pregnancy
Little Rylie & his mom

Praying together …. For Life!

Please join us

Orlando Women's Center
1103 Lucerne Terrace (off Gore between I-4 and Orange Ave.)

6:30 to 7:30 am Covenant Presbyterian
7:30 to 8:30 am
8:30 to 9:30 am
9:30 to 10:30 am Pine Ridge Presbyterian
10:30 to 11:30 am St Paul's Presbyterian
11:30 to 12:30 pm
12:30 to 1:30 pm

To choose a prayer time contact Patte Smith: 407.830.8274

ProChristi@juno.com


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