Blog switch!*

hey folks,

I have a nice blog makeover courtesy of Ben and Emeth Casbon..  The new one is here:  benjaminstribe.com 

Thanks for visiting!

Category: Liturgy~ for imprecatory prayer/song service at Planned Parenthood

Christ Church Spokane did this liturgy a week and a half ago albeit scaled back.  We didn't have the time to teach through the practice of literally calling down curses upon murderers like the Psalmists did, so we scaled it back a bit.  I wanted to be a part of this before I moved and also wanted to get it started in Spokane before I left so, hence the reason for doing it so quickly.

This one though, is the gloves off version that I think is fully appropriate.

May God bless our efforts and vindicate His lordship.  To pray anything less than this friends, is to ignore the reality of what actually takes place there:

Worship is Warfare

Prayer and Song Service at Planned Parenthood Abortion center

Call to Worship

Celebrant (C) :  The Lord be with you!

All (A):  And also with you!

C:  Our help is in the name of the Lord.

A:  Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 2

A Collect for Peace

C:  Let us pray.

A:  O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed:  Give unto your servants that peace which the world cannot give; that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments, and also that we, being defended by you from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, age after age.  Amen!

A Prayer for the President of the United States, and all in Civil Authority

C:  O Lord, our Governor, whose glory is in all the world; We commend this nation to your merciful care, that being guided by your Providence, we may dwell secure in your peace.  Grant to President Obama and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and do your will.  Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness; and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in your fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, world without end.

A:  Amen!

A Prayer of Petition

A:  Almighty God, who has given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto You; and You promise that when two or three are gathered together in your name You will grant their requests; Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of your servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the world to come life everlasting.

Amen!

Let’s sing The Lord’s Prayer 

Let’s pray Psalm 94

C:  O LORD, God of vengeance,

         God of vengeance, shine forth!

    2Rise up, O Judge of the earth,

         Render recompense to the proud.

    3How long shall the wicked, O LORD,

         How long shall the wicked exult?

    4They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly;

         All who do wickedness vaunt themselves.

    5They crush Your people, O LORD,

         And afflict Your heritage.

    6They slay the widow and the stranger

         And murder the orphans.

    7They have said, "The LORD does not see,

         Nor does the God of Jacob pay heed."

    8Pay heed, you senseless among the people;

         And when will you understand, stupid ones?

    9He who planted the ear, does He not hear?

         He who formed the eye, does He not see?

    10He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke,

         Even He who teaches man knowledge?

    11The LORD knows the thoughts of man,

         That they are a mere breath.

    12Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O LORD,

         And whom You teach out of Your law;

    13That You may grant him relief from the days of adversity,

         Until a pit is dug for the wicked.

    14For the LORD will not abandon His people,

         Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

    15For judgment will again be righteous,

         And all the upright in heart will follow it.

    16Who will stand up for me against evildoers?

         Who will take his stand for me against those who do wickedness?

    17If the LORD had not been my help,

         My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

    18If I should say, "My foot has slipped,"

         Your lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up.

    19When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,

         Your consolations delight my soul.

    20Can a throne of destruction be allied with You,

         One which devises mischief by decree?

    21They band themselves together against the life of the righteous

         And condemn the innocent to death.

    22But the LORD has been my stronghold,

         And my God the rock of my refuge.

    23He has brought back their wickedness upon them

         And will destroy them in their evil;

         The LORD our God will destroy them.

A Prayer for God’s justice and salvation to reign

C:  Oh God, your Word calls us to love our enemies.  And your Word calls for the teeth of the oppressors to be broken.  You took your servant Saul, a murderer, and made him an apostle.  You’ve taken Norma McCorvey, the woman “Roe,” behind Roe v. Wade and converted her.  You’ve taken Abby Johnson, employee of the year of Planned Parenthood, and have wonderfully broken her will and showed her mercy.  Lord, we ask that you would make brothers and sisters out of enemies.  Show mercy O Lord on all those You have predestined to life.

A:  Amen!

A Prayer for Swift Justice in the land

C:  Lord, you are angry with the wicked every day.

A:  And because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.

C:  But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.  O merciful God, You do not take pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he should be converted and live.  And yet, You will execute vengeance on those that will not repent and continue to murder the fatherless.

A:  Father, we know that You are a jealous God.  You visit the iniquity of the fathers on the children on the third and fourth generations of those that hate You.  Abortion is your judgment upon our land.  Forgive your church’s failure to be a light to the wicked in America.  Forgive the fathers in your church who have paved the way for abortion by failing to shepherd their sons and daughters.  Abortion is your judgment upon us.  You have allowed sinful men to murder their own children.  But You hate hands that shed innocent blood.  End the murder O God.  In wrath, remember mercy.

C:  Hosanna Lord, Hosanna!  Save now!  But for all those destined to not know salvation we therefore pray that You would unleash your terrible judgment upon the murderers connected with Planned Parenthood.  We pray that You would act swiftly!

A:  Amen!

Psalm 5 

Psalm 76

A Prayer for God’s Wrath upon Those Openly, Publicly and Brazenly Violating God’s Word

A:  Almighty and most terrible God, judge of all men living and dead, we bring before You this Planned Parenthood who have openly and brazenly defied You and your holy Word.  They have wantonly and stubbornly practiced torture, murder and sale of body parts and they refuse to repent of their public and sinful actions.  We now ask that You place your especial curse upon these people, and upon all in alliance with them.  We ask You to pour out the fire of your wrath upon them, and convert or destroy them, cause their rebellion to cease, and your kingdom to be exalted.  We ask You to visibly and swiftly vindicate the reign of your only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen!

Psalm 45 Vv. 1-3

A Prayer for the Tempted, Distressed and Erring

C:  Keep in remembrance, O Lord, the tempted, the distressed, and the erring; particularly those mothers who would sin against You by murdering their children through abortion.  And those fathers, parents, friends, politicians, doctors, social workers and any others who would either encourage the mothers to commit murder or would acquiesce to their wishes to do so.  Keep them from following through with their wicked designs which lead to judgment, guilt and death.  Guide them by your great goodness and bring them instead into the way of peace, truth and life.  Let the light of your truth shine on them that they may be turned toward You and come to know You and so find peace.  Deliver them from the bondage of their sin into the glorious liberty of the children of God; for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

A:  Amen!

Psalm 75

The Son of God Goes Forth to War

Revelation 18:1-5

C:  “After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory.  And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.  For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.’  I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;

for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.’” 

C:  Oh God, distinguish in your judgment your elect from those outside.  Spare your people, we pray!

Benediction:

Revelation 19:5,6 “And a voice came from the throne, saying, ‘Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.’  Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,

A:  ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.’

Amen!

Category: What should a pastor wear?

So, I'm now the pastor of Trinity Church of the Tri-Cities trinitytricities.com  Whoohoo!  I'm a happy camper.

I just wanted to share with everyone how potent wearing a liturgical collar is..  My "office" right now is either Starbucks or the Columbia Basin Racquet Club.  The church is graciously getting me some office space, but don't have it yet.  Our place is just a little bit full with my fam so I need a place to study.

I've made a rule for myself to never wear a black liturgical shirt..  It's just too close to the wrong uniform for the wrong team--R.C.'s.

But, I've got a dark blue on and have white.  Some other colors are coming in the mail.

Wearing the collar has already been amazing..  This is the second day I've worn it.  When I was in Spokane I was all over the city and you just don't get people approaching you very much..  Wearing a collar here doesn't create invisible walls like it would more in the south.  I guarantee you that I wouldn't have had a recent evangelistic conversation without it.  People feel more comfortable to approach you because you represent Someone else, not so much yourself.  It's a conversation starter, if nothing else.  Some people hate it probably, some think it's weird, but it's done so rarely in society that I think it's an easy way to get an edge in the "world."  If you try to carry yourself with a little humility and be a blessing with it (in terms of tips, friendly business exchange etc.) it's really powerful.  You can constantly  (if you're not being an idiot) put a good testimony on Christianity because the uniform is so distinct.  


Katherine Daniels might be my first visitor this Sunday.


Here's hoping..

Moving

So we're moving to the Tri-Cities to take the pastorate at Trinity Church.  We're excited, and crazy busy right now.  I'll post when we get to our new place!