Abortionist Murdered
As I have been thinking about the proper response to the George Tiller Murder I ran across this post from Randy Thomas.
I don’t think I can add to this. Well said Randy:
Abortionist Murdered – Blogs & Facebook Erupt in Response
I started seeing the topic of abortionist Tiller being murdered coming up all over facebook and the blogs a couple of hours ago and it is only gaining steam.
Gina summed up my initial thoughts perfectly. Another friend, Sonja, on Facebook said in response emphasis mine:
Yeah, it’s truly tragic in all respects. Tiller likely wasn’t ready to meet his Maker – even his sins weren’t beyond God’s grace, but that’s no longer an option for him. Someone was so deranged as to think being pro-life justified his actions. And the pro-life movement will likely be severely damaged by all of this. Not to mention those who are revealing a startling mis-understanding of the Bible and our system of law as it relates to whether this was justifiable and godly.
And then of course while some to the far right of me will call this justice, and I think they are sorely mistaken for doing so. Some on the left will use this as an opportunity to unfairly stigmatize all social conservatives and of course they are imposing the same action of condemning judgment but in a different context.
For my friends on the right, I highly encourage allowing Tiller’s actions to speak for themselves. Maligning him further gives the appearance of reveling in his murder and that would be hipocrisy. Christ was murdered for our sin … He didn’t kill us in response, He saved us. It is not Christ-like to murder others for their sin. In fact, to take the analogy further, a Christ-like response would have been for a pro-lifer to jump in front of the bullet to spare Tiller’s life.
And for those Christians who might think that they deserve anything less than the judgement they believe Tiller should have gotten, they surely do not understand their own depth of need for a Savior. When we come to the cross of Christ we are on level ground with every human who has ever been or will be. If you agree with me that Tiller’s job as an abortionist was evil, just remember, God does not delight in the death of the wicked.
If God doesn’t delight in death, than I think it is probably a good idea that we should not either.
For my friends to the left, please speak out against unfair generalizations and stigmatization. A vast majority of Christians are as upset, or moreso, about this than you are.
True capital “L” Life is to live honestly and abide in the Spirit of grace and forgiveness afforded through Christ. Murder is just plain murder and the antithesis of Life.
via Abortionist Murdered – Blogs & Facebook Erupt in Response | Everyday Thoughts Collected.
Memorial Day Tribute
10 keys for effective worship leaders (10)
3. Preparation
5. Excellence
6. A Lifestyle of Personal Worship
7. Humility
8. Vision
Todays Key:
10. Love for Gods Word
Last but certainly not least and maybe the most important of the list.
Psalm 1:2 says “blessed is the man whose delight is the law of the Lord”.
Job 23:12 says “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
Jeremiah 15:16 says “Your word to me was the joy and rejoicing of my heart”
1 John 5:3 says “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome”
His commandments are not burdensome. As worship leaders we must know and have a love for His Word. We must be able to rightly divide the word of truth. It is in His word we find wisdom and understanding of how to lead those entrusted to us. Our team day to day and the congregation on Sunday. Unless we have heard from God we have nothing of value to give.
I’ll leave you with this thought from
Hans Ur von Balthasar:
Harassed by life, exhausted, we look about us for somewhere to be quiet, to be genuine, a place of refreshment. We yearn to restore our spirits in God, to simply let go in him and gain new strength to go on living.
But we fail to look for him where he is waiting for us, where he is to be found; in his Son, who is his Word.
Or else seek for God because there are a thousand things we want to ask him, and imagine that we cannot go on living unless they are answered. We inundate him with problems, with demands for information, for clues, for an easier path, forgetting that in his Word he has given us the solution to every problem and all the details we are capable of grasping in this life.
We fail to listen where God speaks; where God’s Word rang out in the world once for all, sufficient for all ages, inexhaustible. Or else we think that God’s Word has been heard on earth for so long that by now it is almost used up. That it is about time for some new word, as if we had the right to demand one. We fail to see that it is we ourselves who are used up and alienated, whereas the Word resounds with the same vitality and freshness as ever; it is just as near to us as it always was.
Hans Ur von Balthasar, Prayer. Trans. Graham Harrison (San Fancisco: Ignatius Press, 1986)
If we are going to be effective in ministry at any level, or in life, we must develop a love for Gods Word. They are the words of life where else can we go. In the busyness of life and ministry I exhort you to be unbalanced in the time you spend with Him.
Blessings
10 Keys for effective worship leaders (9)
3. Preparation
5. Excellence
6. A Lifestyle of Personal Worship
7. Humility
8. Vision
Todays Key:
9. Love for Gods Church
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says to Peter “I will build My Church”.
The Church is His. They are His people. We have been asked to steward it until He returns.
The Church is not a place for my self actualization, or primarily an outlet for my gift. I have stated many times as leaders we must recognize, call out, equip, and release people into the fullness of their calling and gifting.
However the Church is not a vehicle to be used by me.
Phillipians chapter two says Jesus divested Himself of any self interest and was obedient to the point of death on a cross “therefore” God placed Him. We must have the same attitude.In order to be placed in the fullness of our calling we must lay down our life for the Kingdom.
We must serve His people.
When we have a proper understanding of our position in the body and our responsibility to serve Gods people it brings perspective and gives us more patience knowing God has our best interest at heart. The desire in your heart was put there by God and He wants it for you more than you want it for you. Lay down your life for the kingdom and watch God do a miracle in the body and in you.
Blessings,
Number ten is here.
How to fail at blogging
I’m sure in the manual for blogging the chapter under failure says something to the affect of ignoring your blog and not posting for two weeks almost guarantees failure
They say the best way to come back to something is start slowly but I’m going to work hard to catch up then settle in to normalcy, whatever that is, again.
First a little update then finish the 10 keys for effective worship leaders.
It seams like I’ve been very busy but not accomplishing much. The last three months have been frantic with preparation. Planning retreats, preparing messages and worship sets, writing a mini book, re working songs and getting them recorded. It’s been fun and I like to be busy. Now the book is in the hands of trusted friends full of wisdom and the songs are nearly ready to be recorded and the waiting has begun. trying to figure out where to go from here.
I’m trying to rest and trust God for the next step but it’s a struggle. I like to be busy. I have the most amazing wife and great friends who encourage me to “enjoy” this time because things will get busy soon enough. I know they’re right it’s just hard for me to wait.
In a couple of weeks the Enter conference will be underway and I’ll be very busy. You should come and check it out. It’s a great conference I promise you will be fed and encouraged.
Thanks for reading and being a part of this journey.
Blessings,
Supreme Court Vacancy
We knew it would happen and here’s the first one.
I had to post this video because my amazing wife is the guest host.
Isn’t she amazing? I am so proud of her.
My Songs
