tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529365993866431111.post5422919430109487297..comments2023-04-30T04:57:11.101-07:00Comments on A Great God and Good Coffee: Led by the Spirit?Erick Reinstedthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17687593837022660081noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529365993866431111.post-44990767203942524802017-01-17T10:38:50.952-08:002017-01-17T10:38:50.952-08:00Hi Danny. I saw your post of these thoughts on Fac...Hi Danny. I saw your post of these thoughts on Facebook before I saw it here, so I shared some thoughts there. I am reposting them here. Thanks for helping me walk through this issue. I love ya.<br /><br />My Facebook Response/Thoughts: Hi Danny. I value the way you worded this. It puts a slant on the issue in a way I haven't heard before. I believe what you are saying is that you believe that abortion doesn't have to be until He returns, whereas the teaching, discipling, etc. will be. I believe you are saying that when we treat it equally to the other ministries we are giving in to the idea that it will always exist along with the need for those other ministries, but you believe that abortion can be ended. Am I understanding your post correctly? It isn't diminishing the other ministries, just saying that if we believe we can end abortion there is an urgency to that issue that warrants it taking priority over the others for the season until it ends (kind of like the Chimney Fire moved some things to the back burner for a season). Again, is this what you are saying? If it is, I think it highlights what is probably the fundamental difference in maybe some assumptions we make that we don't realize we are making. If we believe it is possible to end abortion in this nation with a passionate and God-led outpouring of work we will treat it differently then if we are resigned that it will always be the law of the land and we will need to deal with it until He returns. It challenges me to examine what I believe---can it end, or will we deal with it until He returns. That being said, though, I believe that many posts and comments give little or no weight to the number of babies saved by faithful teaching and sharing. This is what I was talking about in the blog post. Is it not a baby saved when someone chooses purity until marriage and never considers and abortion? Is it not a baby saved when someone comes to love God and His ways and to follow Him and never consider an abortion? Is it not a baby saved when someone comes to maturity of faith through faithful teachers and never enters a place where abortion might be thought of? How many babies are saved by Christians having been taught to maturity and being a voice for God and His ways in homes, workplaces, etc. Maybe the discussion never went to abortion directly, but exalted and glorified God and pointed people to Him, and as they turn to Him His Spirit works in them and abortion never comes to a focus in their life because they made choices that don't take them down that road. It is like (in a rough example, not perfect) being a volunteer fire fighter. I'm there in the flames and the car wrecks and suicides, etc. Yeah, I wish there were more volunteers on the department, but I also wonder how many fires and wrecks and medicals and suicides I'm never called to because people not on the department teach other people to be cautious with fire, to eat and exercise healthy, to be smart drivers, to love God and know their worth in Him and His forgiveness, etc.? Just some thoughts.Erick Reinstedthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17687593837022660081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5529365993866431111.post-9472589278849189822017-01-16T21:52:55.755-08:002017-01-16T21:52:55.755-08:00There is truth in what you say. It can be down rig...There is truth in what you say. It can be down right sinful to be out on the street 'doing Gods work' or in the pulpit, or with a youth group "doing Gods work" if we do not have faith and are walking humbly with God. Anything not done in faith is sin. <br /><br />The issue I have is that it seems like an abortion ministry is something that always has been an option for Christians and always will be an option for Christians. Fighting abortion gets lumped in with helping the homeless, preaching or teaching youth. That is where I see that defeat has been taken for granted. "We will always need to go to abortion clinics so lets pace ourselves and just add it to our list of ministries. <br /><br />It seems to be a white flag going up before the fight has even started. If we are preaching, or doing youth group or having supper or going on vacation and a devastating earth quake happens what will we do? Will we pace ourselves and live with the damage and figure out how to get our ministries done in spite of the damage, or will we postpone our callings to help in the disaster knowing full well that eventually we will have cleaned up and that soon we will not have to work on this disaster any more. Then we can resume our normal lives, only with the strength that comes from responding to an emergency. <br /><br />Yes we will pray during the disaster clean up. We will have bible studies and we will preach and rest ect, but we will not live as though the disaster is here to stay. <br /><br />Abortion is a disaster of epic proportion. It requires we stop and turn and face the disaster knowing it will end. And we know it will end because we have turned and faced it and are going to do what it takes to end it. <br /><br />It is so hard to talk about things like this because as you ended with, the truth can be used as an excuse. I think in our world today we need to face the reality that we are in a disaster and that it is crazy to live as though this disaster is the status quo. <br /><br />I do not believe Gods people should ever have to fight against abortion in their country. It should not exist. It can end in Jesus name and then we can go back to our lives. <br /><br />That is what I wonder if Christians get. Do they get that abortion being legal is the desert and will they trust God to take over the promise land? It is right there for the taking and God will be with us if we would only trust Him and fight. Then we can go back to our callings. <br /><br /><br /><br />Dannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09827641054863919861noreply@blogger.com