Speak for the Unborn 
Pray for U.S.
Terry R. Baughman

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed” (Proverbs 31:8 NLT).

Injustice in any form should stir each of us to action. All around are those who are oppressed, unheard, and mistreated. None are more ignored and crushed than the unborn. Believers in God have a moral obligation to speak out and stand up for the millions who have been denied the right to live. 

In our present political climate there is plenty of voices speaking for “reproductive rights” and a woman’s right to choose whether or not to give birth to their child. There hasn't been many voices defending the rights of the child who is still in the womb. Through the years since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 there have been more than 63 million abortions. The practice is so ingrained in our culture that the outcry of anger falsely claimed that abortion was a “constitutional right” after the overthrow of that Supreme Court decision in 2022.

The Scripture gives value to every life and validates the life of the unborn. God spoke to Jeremiah and said, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5 NIV). Before birth God has a plan for life and a purpose for existence. 

It is time for the church to arise and defend those who have no voice, to speak for the life of the unborn, and stand for those who are crushed without a defender. It is also our duty to show mercy on those who feel trapped in their situation and unable to provide for their children. The need is great; the cause is just; let us arise and speak for those who need our voice. 



Theme passage:
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people” (Proverbs 14:34 NIV).

Sin Condemns 
Pray for U.S.
Terry R. Baughman

“… They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 NIV).

Even without the voice of a preacher or reading a single verse of Scripture, there is something within the heart that speaks condemnation when a person choses to sin. The pang of guilt strikes the heart and some will freely admit to being a sinner, even when they have little instruction about what is right or wrong. God has placed with us a conscience and an awareness of sin. We don’t have to convince someone that they are a sinner, rather our job is to convince them they are worth saving; that Jesus loves them and He has a desire to redeem them from a life of sin.  

Paul stated, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” but on the other side he acknowledged that, “all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24 NIV). That is the hope of every sinner, every person born in this world. Jesus came to save us from our sins! Again, Paul wrote, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 NIV). The end result of a life of sin is death and eternal punishment, but God is not willing to let us go without the opportunity to find salvation. 


Theme passage:
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people” (Proverbs 14:34 NIV).

Pray for U.S.
Terry R. Baughman

“The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations” (Psalm 98:2 NIV).

God’s plan for humanity is fulfilled in His creation. All of nature testifies to His glory and reveals the expanse of His infinite power. Significantly, God has further spoken to us through the prophets and proclaimed His divine acts through their words. Peter stated, “Beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days” (Acts 3:24 NIV). Later He wrote, “That no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV).

Besides the vocal witnesses, God has also used groups of people, even nations to show the path of righteousness and the value of walking under His guidance. His chosen people Israel had a particular destiny, to demonstrate the glory of the name of the Lord. Moses said, “The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you” (Deuteronomy 28:9-10 NIV).

Unfortunately, Israel frequently failed to keep God’s laws and sought fulfillment in the practices of other nations. They embraced their pagan idols and abandoned the God of the Covenant. The prophets called the people of Israel to repent of their transgressions and return to their God. At times there was true repentance and renewed commitment to God, however, it was usually short-lived.  

Other times God used Israel to bring judgment on nations that were more wicked. The hand of judgment against their adversary was not a commendation of Israel, but was rather a condemnation against a nation whom God sought to correct. Moses cautioned the people of Israel against pride when the residents of Canaan were driven out before them. He said, “It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations” (Deuteronomy 9:5 NIV).

Our nation has enjoyed prosperity, growth, and political power in the world. When we go back to the foundation of this nation we find people that sought a place in the world where they could be free from tyranny and oppression, a place where they could worship freely and without government intrusion. Though we may not consider them all of our founding fathers to be Christian, many were believers in the God of the Bible, and they were united in the desire to create a safe place to exercise their faith and honor God in their pursuits.

There is no doubt we have been propelled to a place of power in the world to show forth the blessing of God when people treat others with respect, provide opportunities to follow their dreams, and make room for God in our public displays. We have reached a point in history where that is all being threatened by leaders who have no respect for moral values and biblical guidance. Now is the time to arise and to encourage others to return to God, repent of our failures and seek His favor. 

The ancient scripture still rings true, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV). It is time for a return to righteousness, and an opportunity to experience God’s blessings again!

Theme passage:
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people” (Proverbs 14:34 NIV).

Faith IS!
Terry R. Baughman

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16 NKJ).

The value of faith cannot be overstated in our relationship with God. The reality of His very existence to us is predicated on our ability to believe in Him. Our faith does not determine His existence, but rather informs our understanding of God. The development of our relationship with Him is utterly dependent upon our belief in Him. The writer of Hebrews stated, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is …” (Hebrews 11:6 NKJ).

 All spiritual experience is based on our faith in God. Mark emphasized the importance of faith when He said, “… he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16 NKJ). As we have seen faith provides access into a spiritual understanding of God. Faith gives us confidence to believe in God’s forgiveness of sins, the covering of His blood, and the provision of His Spirit living within us. 

John declared, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NKJ). Repentance is made possible through our faith in Christ, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross for our sins. Forgiveness comes as confession for sins is made knowing that He is faithful to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

The cleansing of the remission of sins comes through faith in the blood of Jesus and the obedience to God’s Word in being baptized in His name. The name of Jesus holds power to forgive sins, heal the sick, and cleanse us from our disobedient past. Baptism through His name is identity with Christ and His burial. Paul stated, “Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4 NKJ).

The new life of the Spirit is also activated by faith. It is through our faith that the Holy Spirit is poured out. As we open up our hands and hearts to the wonderful touch of the Spirit of God we are baptized with His presence. The sign of this renewal is speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. By faith we receive His Spirit and the new birth is confirmed by this spiritual gift. 

The gift of the Spirit was the promise of the Father. Jesus instructed His followers, “to wait for the Promise of the Father,” and that they would, “be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5 NKJ). The final promise of Jesus was given just before He ascended into heaven, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NKJ).

Faith grants access into the presence of the Spirit. It is the assurance of salvation through the New Birth experience, of repentance, water baptism, and the gift of the Holy Spirit filling and transforming our lives. Faith is … Salvation! 

Theme passage:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 NKJ).