This is a great video piece that cuts together concert footage, Bill Hybels Leadership Summit interview, and Bono’s prayer from the national prayer breakfast.

I’ve always been a fan of Bono and the boys. I own all their albums and I actually liked Pop (I know it’s hard to believe).  What I haven’t liked is the U2 Eucharists many churches have put on where they use U2 music to worship (and attract people) - but, hey, that’s not U2’s fault.

I know many people like to poke holes in Bono’s beliefs, politics, and occasional salty language, but man he’s out there trying to change the world. And he’s’ trying to change the world wearing his Christianity showing on the outside.  How many of us can say we’d done that? How many of us as Christians would rather scrutinize those doing instead of doing it ourselves. That is one of the great sins of Christianity.

[Video link compliments of the coolest preterist with glasses from Ohio that I know - Virgil]

It’s the end scene from Braveheart. I was at a conference where John Eldredge was speaking and he described this scene as the most accurate portrayle of Christ’s death (both symbolically and physically). He was beaten, broken, taunted and defamed, but it was all for one purpose. ”Freedom” says it all.

And the scene that follows the death. Men with the heart and charge of their leader, changed forever and giving it all in a fight. Freedom was given to us by Christ, but it’s our fight to claim it and keep it.

Thank you Lord today for your gift of freedom! 

I’ll admit it. I was down right giddy after hearing that Mark McGwire had been denied entrance to the baseball Hall of Fame. I hate steroids and what they’ve done to the game I love. Believe it or not McGwire took ’em, so did Barry. 

But in my smugness, I was reminded that like McGwire we’re all not going to get voted into Heaven’s Hall of Fame. We’re not even supposed to be invited. We’ve all sinned and if I choose to point the finger at Big Mac, I really need to point it back at myself. Sin is sin and I’m no better.

Thankfully we have a Savior that helps us bypass the vote and go straight in. Left to my own means I’m only worthy of hell. Thank you Lord for sending us your Son! We are all unworthy, but thank you for His free gift of new life!