1. The number of babies killed by abortion in America since Roe v. Wade is almost 50 million.  Justin Taylor mentions some helpful ways to understand the statistic  of 50 million people.

2. My pastor preached an excellent sermon on the Sanctity of Life entitle: “Roe v. Wade Began in the Garden.”

3. John Piper responds to some recent comments by President Obama, after signing an executive order extending abortion rights:

Continue fighting.  Continue praying.

“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10

“Great respect and esteem is built up by the man whose wife sees him daily yanking himself out of bed early enough to have his personal devotions, habitually refusing that extra dessert…and consistently denying himself in finishing off irksome home improvement projects.”

– Mark Chanski, Manly Dominion

I took off from work today in order to watch today’s Presidential Inauguration.  It was a neat feeling to watch history in-the-making with my wife and son.   Abraham Piper, like myself a father of a young child, said, “I am happy that my children will never remember a time when an African-American couldn’t be the most powerful man in the world.”

This is a day in which I am especially proud to be an American.  It is proof that what seems impossible, can one day become possible. It is proof that injustice will not prevail, and the most evil of evils will one day be overturned.

However, while our country has made significant strides in eliminating racial discrimination, we have yet to eliminate age discrimination–specifically that against the unborn.  Please join me in praying for our new president.

Also, I highly recommend that you listen to an excellent sermon by David Prince entitled: “Why Barack Obama is My Prayer Partner & Why He Should Be Yours Too.”

UPDATE: Al Mohler has posted a prayer for President Obama at his blog.

Watch Noah enjoying a Christmas present (from his Nana and Daddy-Luke).

Check out my poll on the sidebar, and vote for your favorite type of bridge.

Need help deciding?  These are some of the most popular types.

Suspension bridge

From Bridges

From Bridges

-

Cable-stayed bridge

From Bridges

From Bridges

-

Arch bridge

From Bridges

From Bridges

-

Box Truss bridge

From Bridges

From Bridges

Bridge in Magan, KY (Ohio County) resting in the Rough River

A truss bridge collapsed in Magan, Kentucky (about 90 miles SW of Louisville) back in early December.  It wasn’t a big news-maker because no one was injured and the bridge had recently been closed to traffic.  Engineers closed the bridge after a primary member was struck by a car.  The picture below, while not the aforementioned bridge, is similar and shows the member that was struck, leading to the structural failure.

The Magan bridge was built in 1905.  She had a good life.

For more information, check out the WFIE news story.

J.D. Greear shares three things that he prays everyday to center himself on the gospel.

• “God, because I am in Christ I know there is nothing I can do today that would make you love me any more than you do right now, and there’s nothing I have done that makes you love me any less.” As Martin Luther noted, the human heart is hardwired to default into works-righteousness (my acceptance and worth is based on how well I perform). This sentence helps me grasp the free, complete grace I have in Christ. According to John 17, God loves me now as much as He loves Jesus. Wow. The idea that I can add to or take away from His love, then, is absurd.
• “God, your presence and approval is all I need to have joy today.” This sentence helps war against my natural proclivity to idolatry. As John Calvin said, the human heart is an idol factory. We turn almost everything good into an idol, looking to it for happiness rather than God Himself. This sentence helps me remember that I don’t need worldly praise, monetary blessing, success, or even “happiness” to have joy.
• “God, everything the Gospel tells me about your intentions for my life is TRUE.” In the Gospel, God shows me that His intentions for me are blessing not cursing, hope not despair, resurrection not death. This completely charges me up to go into the day. I realize that God’s intentions for me, my family, and my ministry are good beyond even my wildest imaginations. The sky is literally the limit (Psalm 103) on the power and salvation He wants to work in and through me.

Meditating on those 3 things allows me to leave the house completely jacked up on the Holy Spirit. It is meditation on the Gospel (Phil 4:8-9; Gal 3:2) that fills us with presence of God.

Meditation is a lost art among Christians, but it is fully biblical. It is not “yoga” like meditation, in which you cleanse your mind of everything and commune with yourself or Enya. It is meditation on the promises of the Gospel that brings the presence of God into your life.

Also check out a video by C.J. Mahaney, and a book by C.J. Mahaney.

[HT: Reformissionary]