Issues Relating to Abortion
There have been real issues relating to abortion recently. One was by Louise Adsett who shared her gut-wrenching account, before the Queensland Parliament: “A baby boy was delivered alive during an abortion at 21-plus weeks. He moved vigorously, gasped for breath, and had a palpable heart rate… This baby fought for his life for 5 hours before taking his final breath.” Why do children not matter to us in our so called “civilised” society? On Tuesday 21st August the Federal Senate voted 18–32 against a motion brought by Senator Ralph Babet to acknowledge the tragic occurrence that every week in Australia, a baby is born alive after an abortion and left to die. It is great that many Queenslanders were shocked and aghast to learn of this issue for the first time. Children of any age do matter to them, and I am sure to all of us. Joanna Howe shared “4929 babies, who were viable, have lost their lives to abortion in Victoria and Queensland between 2010 & 2020”. Those are recorded cases. The true number could be much higher.
Professor Joanna Howe, who when she was 21, was challenged by a friend on the issue of abortion “if an in-utero baby isn’t a human being, then what is it?” So, when her home state of South Australia legislated abortion up to birth and on demand in 2021, she knew she could no longer stay silent and had to put aside her fears and career ambitions. Speaking up on abortion has been transformative for her. She believes that everyone has the right to their opinion. She doesn’t judge anyone for being pro-choice or for having had an abortion but hopes that by using her experience as a researcher, she can shed light on abortion in Australia and draw attention to the facts and the data. Her goal is to make abortion unthinkable because we know that it kills a human being, and it harms their mother. We thank the Lord that she has found an inner courage to withstand the concerted attempts to discredit her and get her cancelled by powerful groups.
But how then does God see abortion? We each know that before we were born God “knit me together in my mother’s womb.”(Ps 139:13). So unborn children are human beings created in the image of God who takes seriously the taking of human life. Although abortion does not appear in the Bible, Israelites used to practice child sacrifices to Molech. This was a sin so “detestable” that God said it had never even crossed His mind (Jer 32:35) and was one reason for the Babylonian captivity (verse 36). There has even been a resurgence of child sacrifice by witchdoctors in Uganda. Unprecedented numbers of children have been “sacrificed”.
Let’s pray:
* For abortion, which is often socially controversial within Australia, to be thought of differently and never as a method of birth control.
* That the Lord turn the hearts of fathers or mothers to our children and the hearts of our children to their fathers and mothers, lest He comes and smites the earth with a curse (Mal:4:6)
* Thanking God that there are politicians, like MP Robbie Katter, who see the need to propose a bill that legislates that healthcare practitioners provide children born alive after abortion with the same level of medical care and attention as any other newborns. Ask the Lord that more in our nation see the significance of this principle.
Gender Dysphoria
Today we continue a short series on one of today’s vexing issues that does not affect many people, but those it does it becomes a devasting episode in their life. As Christians we are called to look after our brothers and sisters so whilst we may feel this issue is far from the reality of our world, we believe as Intercessors we need to stand in the gap for all affected by it. Let us therefore pray for those suffering from gender dysphoria and for them to find their identity in Christ. Pertinent scriptures for this issue are “He created them male and female and blessed them.” (Genesis 5:2) and “You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14).
Let us therefore pray:
* For the churches to speak up and denounce this evil and call for repentance of those who are promoting the gender lies and show compassion to all those who are caught in the devil’s snare. Have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them (Ephesians 5:11).
* That the church would stand up against this evil and preach God’s wisdom and truth and for the transforming work of God, the Holy Spirit to renew our minds and bodies for His glory.
* Against the apostate churches who affirm this lie and reject God’s creative wisdom. Pray they will repent.
Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto Apologises to Kellie-Jay Keen, Angela Jones
Victorian Liberal Leader John Pesutto has apologised to UK activist Kellie-Jay Keen and Melbourne-based gender critical feminist Angela Jones for “any hurt, distress or harm that has occurred” as a result of his comments being “misunderstood as conveying” that he believed them to be neo-Nazis or members of neo-Nazi groups. Both women had joined expelled Liberal Moira Deeming in suing him for defamation. Mr Pesutto reached a confidential out-of-court settlement with Kellie-Jay Keen and Angela Jones, but not with Mrs Deeming. She continues to pursue her case against the Opposition Leader over comments he made as he moved to expel her from the parliamentary party in the wake of the March 2023 “Let Women Speak” rally she organised with Ms Keen and Ms Jones. The rally was gate-crashed by neo-Nazis who performed the Nazi salute on the steps of state parliament.
Mr Pesutto accused all three women of being associates of, or sympathises with, the Nazi group. This was the basis on which he caused Mrs Deeming to be expelled from the Liberal party. In March 2023, in an interview with then 3AW mornings host Neil Mitchell, Mr Pesutto said Mrs Deeming had “associations, Neil, with organisations, with organisers of Saturday’s protest who have known links with Nazis, Nazi sympathisers, far right extremists, white supremists.”
Please pray:
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” Zechariah 4:10
* Pray for the protection of all three women. Pray that they will continue to have the courage to speak strongly on behalf of all women about the truth of biological sex and that this work having begun, will continue to grow strongly.
* Pray for our political leaders who often distort the truth or gloss over it for political expediency.
* What seems small beginnings to us is often much larger in God’s economy! Thank the Lord that He has this issue in His hands. He knows the beginning from the end, pray that His will be accomplished!
Praying for Issues in the News
* The plans of the Government to de-register the CFMEU are being challenged in a big way by the Union and its members themselves. The massive protests and the language used by speakers at the rally support the accusation that the union has become a hotbed of alleged thuggery which is not in the best interests of our nation. Pray that God would intervene to bring justice in the situation and allow the actions of the Government to proceed without resort to violence and in the best interests of both members and the building industry as a whole.
* The Federal Government’s announcement of a reduction in the number of overseas students allowed to register in Australian Universities has met with strong resistance from the richest of our universities who rely heavily on the funds raised from overseas student enrolments. Those Universities are threatening to cut domestic enrolments to offset the expected loss of revenue. Please pray that the decision of the Government will achieve its aims and intentions and not backfire on Australian students who could be threatened with the loss of opportunity to attend a university to further their learning.
Praying for our Nation
Originally the Church in this Nation took responsibility for the social issues such as feeding and housing the poor, taking care of widows and orphans, the elderly, the disabled and the migrants. The state took over each of these areas, but it has become such a burden that it is failing to meet many of the needs adequately. Let us ask God to give us Parliamentarians who have a heart for the needy in this Nation. Isaiah 58:3-8, Luke 14:12-24
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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