1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're so glad to have 3 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 2: you listening. I'm Lynette Kittle, and today's topic is why 4 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 2: life is Sacred. We'll be right back after a brief 5 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 2: message from our sponsors. Why Life is Sacred written and 6 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:43,919 Speaker 2: read by Lynette Kittle. This day, I call the heavens 7 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 2: and the earth as witnesses against you that I have 8 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 2: set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now 9 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 2: choose life so that you and your children may live 10 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 2: Deuteronomy thirty nineteen. Why are so many people choosing death 11 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 2: over life these days? If asked, many individuals might disagree, 12 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 2: not realizing what they are doing. Still, when we consider 13 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 2: our culture's view on the sacredness of life, we see 14 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 2: the reality that individuals are choosing abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, suicide, 15 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 2: and more deathly options. Because death is a popular choice 16 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 2: for so many people, it's more important than ever for 17 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 2: us to speak out and help lead others to choose 18 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 2: life over death, as well for Christians to recognize that 19 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 2: those who reject Jesus are choosing death rather than receiving 20 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 2: the life God gives us. Every January since January twenty second, 21 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty four. Many Christians celebrate Saintentity of Life Day 22 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 2: set Aside to commemorate God's priceless and sacred gift of life. 23 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 2: The United States fortieth President Ronald Reagan first issued the 24 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 2: National Proclamation setting Aside a day to honor life and 25 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 2: remember the millions of lives ended through abortion. It's a 26 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 2: day to remember those who can't speak for themselves, committing 27 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: to pray for and protect their life at every age 28 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 2: and stage. Proverbs three eighteen urges us to speak up 29 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 2: for those who cannot speak for themselves for the rights 30 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:44,639 Speaker 2: of all who are destitute. Like Deuteronomy thirty nineteen urges 31 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 2: we who are believers in Jesus Christ are daily called 32 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 2: to choose life over death, to believe that life is sacred. 33 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 2: So how do we daily put this into action by 34 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 2: choosing through the words we speak, write, and care communicate 35 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 2: about life to ourselves, friends, family, community, and the world 36 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: at large. As Proverbs eighteen twenty one reminds us that 37 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 2: the tongue has the power of life and death, and 38 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 2: those who love it will eat its fruit, whether we 39 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 2: realize it or not. The words we choose to speak 40 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 2: and write influence those who hear and read our words. 41 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:30,239 Speaker 2: Because they do. It's vitally important a matter of life 42 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 2: and death, that we celebrate and support life for those 43 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 2: around us. Tragically, some Christians believe supporting scientific theories is 44 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 2: more important than believing biblical truth, not understanding that when 45 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 2: they do, they are acting in unbelief, denying their creator, 46 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 2: God and his truth of where life truly began for humans. 47 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 2: God describes the very beginning of humankind, of their sacredness 48 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: of being made in his image, as Genesis one twenty 49 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 2: seven describes, So God created mankind in his own image, 50 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 2: in the image of God. He created them male and female. 51 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 2: He created them. Christians who replace biblical truth with random 52 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 2: ideologies are choosing creator less options, calling God a liar, 53 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 2: along with removing the need for a savior, as well 54 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 2: as devaluing life and making it easily disposable. But as 55 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 2: believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to embrace and 56 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 2: cherish the sacredness of life, of the truth of being 57 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 2: formed in the image of our amazing Creator, who breathe 58 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 2: his breath of life into us. There should be no 59 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 2: doubt in our hearts and minds about who created us, 60 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 2: the one who formed us with his own hand and 61 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 2: has called us priceless in his sight. As Genesis two 62 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 2: seven explains, God is very clear about where humans began 63 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: and by whose hand. Then the Lord God formed a 64 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 2: man from the deaths of the ground and breathe into 65 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,679 Speaker 2: his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became 66 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 2: a living being. What men, women, and the government's decree 67 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 2: does not change God's truth about life and the sacredness 68 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 2: of it. Despite their efforts to promote abortion, assisted suicide 69 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 2: and selecting and euthanizing those who have physical and mental 70 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 2: issues and disabilities, various illnesses and the elderly. Death is 71 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 2: not a health care issue or a right, as some 72 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:50,160 Speaker 2: would have us believe. It's an evil choice, because God 73 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 2: planned for each individual is life. As Psalm one thirty 74 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 2: nine sixteen describes, your eyes saw my unformed body. All 75 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 2: the days are day for me, were written in your 76 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 2: book before one of them came to be. Men and women, 77 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 2: from the womb to the grave are God's glorious sacred creations. 78 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 2: As Psalm eight four through six describes, what is mankind? 79 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 2: That you are mindful of them, human beings, that you 80 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:21,799 Speaker 2: care for them. You have made them a little lower 81 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 2: than the angels, and crown them with glory and honor. 82 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 2: You made them rulers over the works of your hands. 83 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 2: You put everything under their feet. Intersecting faith in life, 84 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,239 Speaker 2: how are we speaking about life? Are we letting others 85 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 2: know the sacredness of it? And why? Further reading Ten 86 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 2: things Christians can do to celebrate sanctity of life day. 87 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 88 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 89 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in 90 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 91 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, 92 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.