Dear Mike,
YOU -- and others like you in 212 communities -- are
praying and fasting for an end to abortion.
Is the tide finally turning? I pray that it is!
More and more abortion centers seem to be
experiencing a decrease in customers. And I have to
think the reason is all that intense prayer!
Ann in Toledo, Ohio was surprised when the Center for
Choice, the location of Toledo's 40 Days for Life
vigil, was closed on Friday, one of the two days each
week when abortions are usually scheduled.
"It is extremely rare that the center is closed on a
Friday unless it's a holiday," she said. "Praise
God!"
Kathy in Columbia, Missouri also reports the abortion
center where the 40 Days for Life vigil is being held
was closed on Saturday. "It is usually open from 8:30
am to 12:30 pm every Saturday," she said, "but no one
showed up."
The abortionist arrived around 2 o'clock, went inside
for five minutes and then left again -- and did not
seem very pleased when she saw the five people
standing in prayerful vigil.
On Thursday, the abortion day in Columbia, eight
women arrived for appointments instead of the usual
15 to 20. "We feel this indicates that many are
cancelling or just not showing up," said Kathy, who
notes that the clinic staff is starting to get antsy.
As she was leaving the clinic parking lot, the
abortionist drove up to Kathy and a priest, who were
praying on the sidewalk, and called out, "Didn't the
police tell you to stay away from OUR sidewalk?"
Kathy politely answered that the sidewalk was public
property. The abortionist said people were
complaining of harassment when they came in. Kathy
responded, "I only give them information when they
leave." The abortionist called the police; Kathy
called an attorney.
A police officer arrived and went inside the clinic
to check out the "several complaints" she had
received. "Within five minutes the police woman came
out said everything was okay and just be careful not
to block the sidewalk," Kathy said. "The attorney
told me that we had just called their bluff and we
won. But the battle continues."
Fewer customers are also being reported at the
abortion center where a 40 Days for Life vigil is in
progress in Atlanta, Georgia. This past weekend,
Kateri said the facility's parking lot, which is
usually jam-packed on Saturdays, had the fewest cars
the prayer volunteers could ever remember seeing on a
Saturday. Hallelujah!
The Atlanta group had its mid-point rally on the
sidewalk across from the clinic on this particular
Saturday -- and they've posted a two-minute video
clip showing part of the event. Check it out at:
http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=415
"It was a tremendous outpouring of prayer in a
display of unity that was probably the most pro-
lifers at a single time that the facility has seen in
its five year history," Kateri said. A Catholic
priest led the prayer, while a praise band from a
Baptist church in Gainesville provided music.
One of the unexpected blessings was the group of
teenagers who came to pray. "That was a youth group
that had driven up from McDonough, at least an hour
away, to pray just for a few minutes," she said. They
had known nothing about 40 Days for Life and had no
inkling that a big prayer service would be taking
place.
"They ended up staying for the whole thing," Kateri
said. "It was truly God's timing."
God will act when we are faithful and respond to His
call. We have His word!
Here's today's devotional from Carmen Pate, Co-host
of the "Point of View" Talk Show...
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DAY 29 INTENTION
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Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing
over the transgressions of the remnant of His
heritage? He does not retain His anger forever,
because He delights in mercy. He will again have
compassion on us; and will subdue our iniquities.
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SCRIPTURE
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"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the
evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do
evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the
oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the
widow."
-- Micah 7:18-19
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REFLECTION by Carmen Pate, "Point of View" Talk Show
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Micah had been sent to declare God's judgment and
call the people of Judah to repentance. The people
had become spiritually and ethically corrupt.
Prosperity had hardened the rich, the poor were
oppressed and the heirs to David's throne were
practicing abominations and idolatry.
Is it not easy to see the parallels of God's people
in Micah's day and God's people today in America?
Through Micah, God corrected His people by demanding
justice, not burnt offerings and sacrifice. He told
them to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their
God.
In speaking of Old Testament stories of God's people
turning from God to sin and idolatry, Paul wrote in 1
Corinthians 10: 11, "Now all these things happened to
them as examples, and they were written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have
come."
Many biblical scholars believe God has removed His
hedge of protection around our nation in response to
our sins of immorality and abortion. Let us cry out
in repentance for His mercy once again. And may we
honor His faithfulness by doing justly, loving mercy,
and walking humbly with our God.
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PRAYER
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Heavenly Father, eternal, changeless, and faithful
Lord, we recognize that we are in need of forgiveness
as a nation, for turning our hearts away from you.
Hear our prayer of repentance Lord and cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. We praise you for your
tender mercies and your compassion that never fails.
Lord, it is only by Your grace that we can live lives
that are just, and merciful. May Your Holy Spirit
enable us to walk humbly in Your presence and may You
be pleased to restore America so that a generation
not yet born may praise you. In the name of Christ
Jesus, who has done great things for us, Amen.
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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends:
http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2009day29print.pdf
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For Life,
David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life
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