When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” — Mark 10:14
1 in 7 US children live in poverty. Misplaced fears over single mothers could be why.
Child welfare programs are broadly popular, but a new Vox/Data for Progress poll indicates America might not be able to shake longstanding worries to implement them.
Read in Vox: https://apple.news/AYEde1kNXQ6CoH67JrI98gQ
Planned Parenthood performed a record 354,871 abortions in 2019-2020 and received a record $618.1 million in government funding in 2019-2020. This occurred despite the fact that the organization is no longer participating in Title X and in a year when the U.S. implemented widespread lockdowns.
“Planned Parenthood’s business is abortion, not health care,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life non-profit, Susan B. Anthony List. Responding to Planned Parenthood’s 2019-2020 Annual Report, Dannenfelser said. “At a time when U.S. abortions overall have long been on the decline, Planned Parenthood is ending the lives of more than 354,000 unborn children a year. With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House, we can expect this alarming trend to continue.”
Look what is happening in New Mexico! Abortions and Marijuana! This is so very evil what we are going to God’s babies.
KOB TV quoted Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on the chances of the pot bill passing…..
“I’m optimistic. Again there’s a lot of stuff going on, and I’ve seen cannabis fail because it’s complicated,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said last week. “But I’m seeing the right movement in both the House and the Senate in these debates, and I’m confident they’re going to meet our expectations about safety, etc. plant count, and get me something upstairs that I can sign. I’m feeling pretty good about it.”
Those in favor of this are looking in all the wrong places for revenue!
The abortion industry is big in New Mexico!
New Mexico Recreational marijuana bill passes in state House, moves to Senate
Al this comes after the Governor had her way with repealing the abortion ban from 1969…..
Right now I have no words for this type of evil action. I weep for God’s babies.
Gov. Lujan Grisham signs Senate Bill 10, repealing 1969 abortion ban
Governor Signs Abortion Bill, Republican Senators Respond
SANTA FE – Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham today signed legislation to repeal New Mexico’s abortion law. Senate Bill 10, sponsored by Democratic Senator Linda Lopez (District 11-Bernalillo) and others, repealed an entire section of law that among other things protected medical professionals from being forced to participate in abortions and required that abortions be performed by licensed physicians.
Senate Republicans responded to the Governor’s action with the following statements:
“Though the Governor and pro-abortion activists will claim this as a victory for women, the only victor in this bill is the multi-million dollar abortion industry,” said Senator Crystal Diamond (District 35-Dona Ana, Hidalgo, Luna, and Sierra). “With the stroke of her pen, the Governor has weakened standards of care for women, stripped conscience protections for medical professionals, and given the abortion industry unchecked power to operate under the radar in our state. New Mexico women and children deserve better.”
“This is a sad day for New Mexico,” added Senator Gregg Schmedes (District 19-Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Torrance). “Pro-abortion activists have not been shy about their disregard for unborn children’s lives. Their actions during this Legislative Session, however, exposed their deeper motivations – forcing doctors and nurses to perform abortions and enshrining legal abortion up to the moment of birth in New Mexico. The Governor calls this ‘equal justice.’ However, there is nothing ‘equal’ or ‘just’ about exploiting women for profit and terminating the lives of the most innocent and vulnerable among us.”
Our Dear Friend Chuck Akeley’s post from July of 2019 really hits a homerun for God!
In our country and yes, our state, it has become almost fashionable to support the growth and use of marijuana, whether for medicinal use or recreational use. So much so, that even our state executive and many legislators consider government sanctioned and controlled distribution of marijuana to be a worthy effort as means to acquire tax dollars. Let’s consider some of the well-established issues facing New Mexico. For many years, we’ve been rated at the bottom or almost the bottom for quality of education, children living in poverty, drug use (e.g., opioid use), drug trafficking (I-40, I-10, I-25 and the southern border corridors) and DWI offenders (including the associated deaths). Is there really wisdom in enhancing these issues by creating a culture of “legalized” use of marijuana here in New Mexico?
A wise man once told me that if you have any doubt as to whether to do or say something, then ask yourself, would you look to Jesus and say “Lord, I do this thing as unto You” or “Lord, I give You thanks for this which I am about to do.” If the answer is no, then why are you doing it? Would you ask Jesus to bless your firing up of a joint or bowl or eating of a laced edible so that you would experience a high? The scripture says we should seek His wisdom. According to Proverbs 4:7, “[w]isdom is the principal thing; [t]herefore get wisdom [NKJV].” Ephesians 5:15-21 instructs us to walk in wisdom: “[s]ee then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ [NKJV].” Just because we CAN do something doesn’t necessarily mean we SHOULD do something.
My background includes a few years as a Special Agent with the USAF Office of Special Investigations, during which much of the training involved drug enforcement. I spent the first year after completing the initial academy leading the Travis AFB, CA Joint Drug Enforcement Team and subsequently worked for several years at Holloman AFB, NM participating in drug enforcement operations with the other agents. Once you have strapped on the equipment and executed a few warrants, you tend to develop a very different perspective about “low level drug use,” as the small amounts of drugs came from someone who was probably not your next door neighbor, and that person’s drugs came from a trafficker – a very dangerous person. The perspective that I’m not hurting anyone is a big lie. It is not surprising to me that the military and local or state police have had to lower standards in order to acquire acceptable cadets. Today, our children and youth often do things as a result of cultural or peer influences which can devastate future employment opportunities. How much worse it is when our children’s parents are the ones modeling this behavior? I thank God that our Lord is forgiving and merciful, and am reminded that we are called to forgive others and to help guide our friends, family and others unto salvation and into their God-given destiny!
It’s interesting to hear discussions about “legalizing” recreational use of marijuana at the state level. If a state allows something that is forbidden at the federal level, it is not really legal, but what is happening is that the federal government has elected, as a matter of enforcement discretion, to refrain from seeking prosecution under certain circumstances and the state has elected to ignore existing federal code or statutes. The federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), 21 USC 812, establishes five schedules of controlled substances, identified as Schedules I, II, III, IV and V. Schedule I lists substances that have been determined to have: 1) a high potential for abuse; 2) no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States; and 3) a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or substance under medical supervision. The psychoactive substance in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”), remains to this day a listed Schedule I substance. Because of this, many states have struggled with the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana and declare legality, when in point of fact, what is occurring is simply enforcement discretion at the federal level and a glaring lack of willingness of the federal government to take a solid position one way or the other.
There is MUCH remaining to be said about this issue, including the increasing levels of THC in modern-grown marijuana plants provided by dispensaries and technologically-advanced illicit grows, the lack of clear means for law enforcement to easily determine the degree of driving impairment compared to determining alcohol impairment, the effect that such has or may have on us developmentally, mentally and physically, the wisdom and procedure for assuring sound regulatory controls at the federal and state level – and assuming this issue isn’t going away quickly, the spiritual implications of encouraging, yet another mind altering substance for use by our residents, demonstrating yet again, the wisdom of man in the face of the wisdom of God.
Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask that You would speak to the hearts of those in a position to encourage, allow, regulate and/or spend tax dollars on marijuana matters in our beautiful State of New Mexico (and across this nation). Give us ears to hear and eyes to see what is the will of God. May wisdom guide our discussions and determinations, with a mighty hedge of protection over all who are doing Your will and serving Your people, in light of this challenge. But regardless, help us to always love. Always. Amen.
Chuck Akeley
Albuquerque, New Mexico
From Pastor Dom Kimbro of Albuquerque:
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” — Mark 10:14
Recently, an “Op-Ed” piece appeared in our local newspaper, authored by a minister of a denomination that sadly is well-known for its liberal approach to Christianity. It was in regard to abortion. After reading it, I felt a need to write an “Op-Ed” of my own in rebuttal.
His article was titled, “As A Minister, I Support The Repeal Of The Ban On Abortion.” That bill is currently in our State Legislature and will be voted on tomorrow. These were his opening words, “I was very sad at the conclusion of the 2019 legislative session when the New Mexico Senate failed to repeal the old law on the books that made abortion a crime, and even more disappointed to see so many other states passing laws criminalizing providers and women.”
I was very sad, as well, when I read his short treatise—but it wasn’t his gloom that impressed me but his failure, as a minister who claims to be Christian, to cite any biblical authority for his position—not even one verse! I was very disappointed also, that one who would identify as a ordained minister, would publicly sanction the killing of babies in the womb, which now reaches over one million every year in America! So perhaps I can help him and others in this short space by introducing just a few of the many Scriptures from the Bible that speak to the issue.
Exodus 20:13, one of the well-known Ten Commandments says, “You shall not murder.” Murder is defined as the premeditated act of taking another person’s life. Proverbs 6:17, expresses seven things that God hates. One of them is, “Hands that shed innocent blood.” There is no person more innocent than a defenseless baby in its mother’s womb.
Psalm 119:73 speaks tenderly of God’s involvement in the birth process, “Your hands have made me and fashioned me.” However, perhaps the most definitive of all the Biblical passages that express God’s view of human life may be found in Psalm 139:13-16, which describes the process of human development in the womb by God Himself, speaking through the words of David: “For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”
In love we must seek out and embrace the countless young women who—through fear, ignorance, coercion, bad counsel or family pressure—felt that abortion was their only choice and let them know that we have a merciful, gracious, and loving Savior who forgives completely and removes all guilt when one comes to the cross of Christ (Colossians 1:14-15).
Having said that, we also must speak up at every opportunity against the evil of abortion and not accept it as a cultural option when someone makes a mistake. God’s word does not allow that. Maranatha!
