Paul's Address to the Romans on Hope

January 22, 2013 at 5:19 pm (Ancient Paths Church Network, Denver Inner-City Mission, Friendship Fellowship, Intellectual Disabilities, Mentors Training, Rocky Mountain District, Sermons, Special Needs Pastors, Urban Ministry, Word and Spirit)
Tags: Obama, Paul, Romans, special needs

“Those of us who have a robust conscience must accept our own burden the tender scruples of weaker people, and not consider ourselves,” Paul writes to the church in Rome. In The Advent of Hope a new digital study of what the Bible says about “hope, peace, love and joy (People message) the letter from Paul is a study of where you and I can find “hope.” The authors are a group called Breakthrough 52 who get together on a regular basis and talk about how to “improve their serve.” The areas of Evangelism; Special Needs Ministry, Media that feeds Culture; Prayer and Community building and rebuilding are thoughts, papers, and action that the group of 26 men and couples chip away at. Yesterday morning the group listened attentively as President Obama delivered his Inauguration speech.

Obama versus Paul

“Each of us must consider his neighbor and think what is for his good and will build up the common life.” Paul evidently agrees with Obama that equality and service are important factors in our culture. Caring for others and giving them hope for a future is something to strive for. But not merely “toleration,” showing Christian love. The crux and backbone to all-out evangelism is message, mission and music and the message is “love.” For special needs ministries there is a practical application that surrounds medicare and taking care of the “least of these” in society. No one argues that with this President- the reality is the money is not there. “In fact- it is there,  says a bio-ethicist in the group, “it is just spent at the altar of child sacrifice.”

The death sentence of children and we the people who pay

The research group Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) estimated that the total annual cost of all abortions performed in the United States is over $980 million. While most abortions are done in private clinics and are not covered by government funding, there are a few government grants and contracts provided to abortion clinics. Planned Parenthood, for example, receives about $270 million annually from government funded grants (see Resources below).

Read more: How Much Money Does the Federal Government Spend on Abortions Each Year? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_4673189_government-spend-abortions-each-year.html#ixzz2IiMYIFqJ.

“The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

As Paul continues (Romans 15 3-5) goes on to describe the “reproach” as building one another up in community by taking on one another s burdens. Obama outlined that but in the shallowness of humanism he misses the point and the hypocrisy in his “mandate.” While he brings up the “gay rights issues” curiously lumped together with gun control he leaves out “people with disabilities.” And when you objectively look at the advocacy from this administration on disability issues, no one seems remotely interested to take that burden on. Why? Because Gay marriage has taken a front seat as a “civil rights issue.” So much that Obama made it a keynote emphasis in his address. As on the backs of babies, gay marriage is an issue that is paid for by forfeiting the rights and protection of people with disabilities, especially people with intellectual disabilities. “For all scripture was written for our own instruction, in order that  through the encouragement they give us we may maintain hope with fortitude.”

Absolute principal and Breakthrough Questions

“Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-old debates about the role of government for all time — but it does require us to act in our time,” Obama said. The Breakthrough Question?

Will reallocation of government funds used for Planned Parenthood be able to preserve Medicare?  

Obama continues, “For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle or substitute spectacle for politics or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act.” In eighteen minutes the president outlined an agenda that misses the mark in getting the economy going; that was more social than practical and shallow and trite in getting to the issues of the people.

A political expert at Breakthrough 52 said this:

“Most of all Obama is a reactionary president at best. If the squeaky wheel is health care, he gets the oil out. if the wheel squeaks for Gay Rights, or someone screams “Climate Change” at a crowded beach, Obama applies sun screen. When we witness the weekly shootings and gun violence, Obama guns for the NRA. While there is nothing wrong with reacting, the absence of pro-activeness in all areas of life is the missing ingredient to leadership.” A lawyer in the group agrees, “Legalistic societies spend their money on knee-jerk lawsuits and malpractice. That is always reactionary leadership. And reactionary leadership doesn’t reach out to the invisible among us.”  “The only thing the Obama administration has done for people with disabilities is to fund abortion when the diagnosis of the fetus points to Downs Syndrome or other intellectual disabilities,” remarks a family physician in the group.

White House studies on disabilities

Meanwhile a study by the White House on special needs families found that, “family members of a disabled child quit jobs to care for loved ones. Many reached limits on their private insurance policies due to the costs associated with particular disabilities,” a spokesman for ARC revealed after meeting with the White House. The conclusion was to invite people in, listen, but offer no solutions for people to care and help families and adults who are coping with disabilities.”  “The course of action is to fund abortions for a suspicion of a diagnosis of a disability, and for the survivors keep Medicaid and Medicare going.”  The conclusion of Breakthrough 52 is that is where the church must reach out to the community and not leave it to politics or legislators. “We have to continue to ask the right questions,” one of the leaders maintained.

Takeaways: breakthrough questions

Will reallocation of government funds used for Planned Parenthood be able to preserve Medicare?  

Is the church willing to reach out to people with special needs in their communities, through invitation, respite for the families and willing to work with government agencies?

“And may the God of hope fill you all with joy and peace by your faith in him, until, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you overflow with hope.” Romans 15:13

If you have additional questions please e-mail us at friendshipfellowship@juno.com.