12 year old speaks out, watch video

Despite facing threats of disqualification, a 12-year-old girl took first place in a speech contest when she eloquently argued for the rights of unborn children – after an offended judge quit.

"What if I told you that right now, someone was choosing if you were going to live or die?" the seventh-grader begins More..in a video recording of her speech on YouTube. "What if I told you that this choice wasn't based on what you could or couldn't do, what you'd done in the past or what you would do in the future? And what if I told you, you could do nothing about it?"

"Fellow students and teachers, thousands of children are right now in that very situation. Someone is choosing without even knowing them whether they are going to live or die.

"That someone is their mother. And that choice is abortion."

Despite Lia's enthusiasm for her topic, her teacher "strongly encouraged" her to select a different one for her class presentation or she would be considered ineligible for an upcoming speech contest.

"[S]everal teachers discouraged her from picking the topic of abortion; she was told it was 'too big,' 'too mature' and 'too controversial,'" her mother wrote. "She was also told that if she went ahead with that topic, she would not be allowed to continue on in the speech competition."

Lia's mother continued, "Initially, I tried helping her find other topics to speak on, but, in the end, she was adamant. She just felt she wanted to continue with the topic of abortion. So she forfeited her chance to compete in order to speak on something she was passionate about."

Lia's teacher was so impressed by the speech that she allowed her student to advance as the winner. Lia presented her speech to judges in front of her entire school on Feb. 10.

The school principal and teachers called Lia's presentation the "obvious winner" – but the judges suddenly disqualified her the following day "because of the topic and her position on abortion," her mother said.

Lia's father later revealed that the judges had a "big disagreement." One was offended by the speech and voluntarily stepped down while the others reversed their earlier decision – declaring her the winner.

Now Lia plans to take her message of life to a regional speech competition, and more than 100,000 visitors have viewed her presentation online.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captain's meditation on Luke 7:1-10, What amazes Jesus?

Check out this scripture from Luke:7:1-10 - When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

The centurion was a man of position and power (at least 100 men under his leadership), was respected by his servants and elders of the jews who pleaded on his behalf, he was caring and generous (caring for his servant and helping to build the synagogue).

What amazes Jesus? What did this Roman centurion have that "amazes" Jesus? The centurion was humble and acknowledged that he wasn't "owed" anything or even "worthy" of Jesus coming into his home. He also had faith enough to understand that at the very word of Jesus he could have his prayers answered (even without Jesus there in physical form).

Do you want to amaze Jesus today? Come before Jesus today with both humility and a bold faith that says "Lord, we know we aren't owed anything, but You can do anything, so just give Your word and we know that Your will is going to be done, and as for us, we are soldiers under your command ready to obey."

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captain's meditation on Exodus 14:13-15

Listen to the loving Heavenly Father's advice to His children... Calm down, quit your whining, and move on!

The Enemy is closing in, they might kill, destroy, and enslave us, but listen to God's response in Exodus 14:13-15 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.

I don't have a new great revelation for a deeper meaning in the text, maybe God just needs to occasionally tell his children to Calm down, quit your whining, and move on!

Lord if that is us today, may we be obedient to your command.

Calm my spirit and release me from worry, knowing that you intend to deliver me completely from everything that is currently attacking me. Help me to turn my whining into prayers of praise, prayers for wisdom, prayers for protection and deliverance, and prayers that your will be done. Now Lord let me not be paralyzed by fear, but walk in Your Spirit of power, love, and self-control. Amen

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captain's meditation on Luke 18:9-14

Do you remember the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector? Luke 18:9-14 reads this way... To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Two quotes to consider...
"God is just as concerned with self-righteousness as He is unrighteousness".

"The only man who the Lord cannot fill, is the one already full of himself".

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captain's meditation on Exodus 13:17-18

Look at this scritpure - Exodus 13:17-18 - When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.

God had His people take the long route because if they faced war, they might have gone back to captivity, but look at the last sentence "THE ISREALITES WENT UP OUT OF EGYPT ARMED FOR BATTLE!

God promised His people He would take them to the promised land.
God would have fought for His people.
God had already equipped His people for battle.
They could have taken the short route.

God knowing that His people would have changed their minds and settled for captivity if there was a war between them am their promised land.

If we really want to see victories for God, if we want to see new territory won, if we want to see our Corps (churches) grow, if we want to be freed from captivity, and if we want results fast, one of God's requirements is BE READY TO GO DO WAR FOR IT!

It's time to soldier up. Let's face every challenge head on with boldness, God will fight for us, He's promised us the victory, we've already been given resources and spiritual weapons and armor, we just need to resolve up front that we won't turn tale and go back to captivity at the sight of war.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Sunday's Sermon - I am thirsty

To listen to this past Sunday's sermon now, just click the play arrow here for audio or download options.


For sermon notes see the full size sermon player at the bottom of this page - next to today's title is a PDF for notes.

For past sermons or podcasting see the full size sermon player at the very bottom of this blog page. Choose a message by title OR click the podcasting icon at the bottom of the sermon player.

You can also access my sermon player (and countless other preachers) at Sermon.net

God bless your study!

Live holy, preach Jesus!

A prayer thought for your Sunday meditation

John Burton, Jr. (1803-77) writer of songbook #588 "I often say my prayers" penned these words to consider while you pray and seek God's face today...

I often say my prayers; but do I ever pray?
And do the wishes of my heart go with the words I say?

I may as well kneel down and worship gods of stone,
As offer to the living God a prayer of words alone.

For words without the heart the Lord will never hear;
Nor will he to those lips attend whose prayers are not sincere.

Lord, show me what I need, and teach me how to pray;
Nor let me ask thee for thy grace, not feeling what I say.

Live holy, preach Jesus!