Society – Page 2

Christianity Works Only in Its Most Radical Form

September 17, 2018 by Dudley Hall

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After 30 excruciating minutes of expressing deep frustration with his personal life, Peter confessed, "I gave up on Christianity during college days. It just didn't work." He went on to describe how hard he tried to stay inside the moral boundaries as outlined in the teaching of the Christian church he attended, but never could. In an effort to be authentic, he decided to abandon the standards and live like most of his friends.

Peter is an example of the thousands of former churchgoers who now identify on religious surveys as "nones." The now have no affiliation with a church. Some wear that identity as a badge of freedom from religion.

A Broken Form of Christianity

It is now coming to light that the form of Christianity that has been promoted for several generations is not the form that Jesus taught and lived. From the Roman Catholic's sex abuse scandal to the slowly dying Protestant congregations, to the garish consumer-driven spectacle affecting Evangelicalism, the evidence seems to suggest that something isn't working.

Disciples like those who brought transformation to cultures in the early days of the church are few today -- and rarely noticed by the church culture. The model disciple today seems more interested in gaining and maintaining relevance to the culture, rather than offering an alternative to the steady march toward meaninglessness.

The agenda of secular society is gaining momentum while we Christians try not to be perceived as contrarians. We must not offend. We must not confront. We must lose or ignore our convictions. We must change our core beliefs. All the while, millions are fraught with life-destroying addictions, dysfunctional relationships, and twisted identities.

Only Full Abandonment Satisfies

When the popular brand of Christianity eliminated the power of transformation from its core, multitudes were doomed to live in their spiritually defective condition with nothing stronger than willpower to confront their afflictions. It is no wonder we have normalized behavior that is prohibited by both Scripture and common sense. If we can't change, we must adapt. We now call that progress.

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Early Christianity offered radically changed lives, as evidenced by the apostle Paul's comments:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

-- 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV)

The early church was not a gathering of good people trying to be better. They were captivated by the One who was raised from the dead. They had been transformed by him.

But radical Christianity is not just for the extreme outcast of society. Even regular church attendees are often beset by disappointment with their level of spirituality. They are discovering that a partial buy-in cheats the seeker. Any hold-back denies the bounty of grace. Only full abandonment to God's love satisfies the yearning of the human soul, which was designed to be loved fully.

Living By the Spirit

Jesus describes a life far beyond external standards and man's ability to achieve them. He spoke of forgiving your enemies. Turning your cheek to insults. Eliminating hatred, anger, lust, greed and vengeance. He described disciples as lights in the darkness, salt in society, and houses built on a foundation that no storm can topple.

He commanded people to do things they couldn't so he could do those things for them and through them. "Stretch forth your hand," he commanded a man with a withered hand. "Lazarus come forth," he said to a dead man. Later, his apostles followed suit, giving instructions that can only be obeyed by those born of the same Spirit that raised Jesus from death. "Love without hypocrisy," "outdo one another in showing honor," "bless those who persecute you," "live in harmony with one another." The implication is that when a Christian does these things, it is coming out of his new life -- the one he shares with Jesus by means of the indwelling Spirit.

Those who are born of the Spirit are infused with a radical love that demonstrates a radical alternative kingdom.

These displays of love have death-defying power in them. This kind of love cannot be defeated. It annihilates hate. It exterminates fear. It will not stop at the edge of human hardness. It will still be reigning when all the ideologies of history lie bankrupt in the pit of shame.

It Took a Radical Act of God to Redeem Us

The form of Christianity that settles for theological propositions, transcendent principles, altruistic projects, and moralistic practices doesn't work!

It took a radical act of God to redeem us. It required a costly death, a miraculous resurrection, and a glorious ascension. Nothing short of that would have solved our problem. The radical act of grace demands a radical response of faith. God's grace toward us does not produce a half-hearted moralist who is trying to get better. Those who are born of the Spirit are infused with a radical love that demonstrates a radical alternative kingdom.

The Crisis We Can Do Something About

August 20, 2018 by Dudley Hall

I awoke one morning this week with a heavy burden to pray for our country. It was a day after another of the tweet-wars that captures the media's attention. It was as if I could hear God saying, "I'm serious about Christian responses to accusations."

Of course, I agreed that we have sunk to a low level of social interaction, and immediately prayed again that President Trump would stop the vitriolic tweeting. But there was more. There was a warning that hit me in the face.

Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them ... And don't think You know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone ... never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God, for the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back." Says the Lord ... Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. (Romans 12:14-21 NLT)

The Difference Christ Makes

That is not just for the President. That is the authoritative word of our Lord to all who have been blessed. (That's us.) That is how Christians demonstrate the difference Christ makes in one's life.

Anyone can be vindictive. Anyone can return insult for insult. People who have been delivered from the curse of disobedience and blessed with the grace of resurrection-life can do better. We are not receiving curses, so we don't pass them on. We are recipients of blessings, so that is what we give away.

There is massive power released when we bless rather than react naturally. It is the secret weapon of the Christian. It cannot be defended. It is empowered by the authority of heaven. It takes the teeth out of the crouching tiger of evil. It overcomes evil with good.

A Warning

The warning: If we don't bless instead of curse, evil will conquer. God is very serious about our presumption. We are not in charge of revenge. We are too limited in our knowledge and too underdeveloped in our character. God alone can mete out true justice. We get to patiently wait for him to set everything right -- and he will. He has paid a high price to do so.

Accusation and Slander Isn’t Working

The objection that some use is that the current trend toward accusation and slander is working. They see the enemies of their ideology being confronted with the same vitriol as they give. It is easy to reason that the only way to fight fire is with fire. We could console ourselves by remembering how long their opposition has been ruthless. "Finally, we have stood up to the vile attacks of the enemy," we sigh. We must remember that God is not mocked. Whatever we sow will come up. (Galatians 6:7)

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God's mercy is longsuffering, but his justice is sure. For instance, God did not judge his people Israel for their idolatry on the first day of disobedience. They had years of believing that their rebellion was working, before their land was taken and their temple was destroyed. We must not erroneously conclude that we can ignore God's order still avoid chaos.

A Movement of Blessing

Why not start a movement of blessing? I am not suggesting some religious drivel, but down in the dirt, real, praying for God to bless those who slander and accuse us. We don't have to act like some school yard kid kicking back at bullies. We are sons and daughters of light. We know who we are and we know a power stronger than curses. Let's use it.

God’s Advice to the Nations

August 9, 2018 by Dudley Hall

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The second Psalm is often quoted by the writers of the New Testament. It contains, in a very short form, the best advice ever given to the nations of the world. It captures the turmoil of the nations trying to find a way to make life work. There is hostility, tyranny, scheming, and endless debate. It sure sounds a lot like our times. Take time to read it:

Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain?

and the kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,

"Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." -Psalms 2:1-3

Nations Can Honor God Without Violating the Liberty of Conscience.

The lie of secularism is that to ensure personal freedom of choice, God and all standards of order that have been recognized by religion must be eliminated. The truth is that order has been evident well before religion recognized it. It is not necessary for everyone to personally ascribe to religious doctrines for social structures to operate by the laws of order. It has been plain since the beginning:

For what can be know about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. -Romans 1:19-20

The idea that everything contained in religion must be jettisoned for there to be objectivity, is silly. It makes God laugh.

He who sits in the heavens laughs;

The Lord holds them in derision. -Psalms 2:4

Godless Leaders Scheme, Based on Speculations From Impaired Thoughts

All sane people recognize that there is some problem with humanity. Different religions have different diagnoses, but all agree that there needs to be a solution for whatever ails mankind. The God of the Bible, the Lord of Israel, the Father of Jesus, the Judge of the whole earth, says that humans are fallen.

Given the choice to trust God explicitly or lean in to the serpent's lie, the first pair fell from their exalted state and became alienated from God. Filled with fear and shame, they hid from God, and the race has been trying to find a way back to the peace and prosperity of Eden ever since.

In the unredeemed state, humans are self-obsessed and often illogical. Having rejected the "logos" (word) of God, which enables us to think logically, they constantly contradict themselves and think illogically to false conclusions. They propose that we can free ourselves by casting off the boundaries of divine design, blind to the fact that it is slavery to sin's deception which drives such thinking. The freedom they fantasize about is nothing short of anarchy and chaos.

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With no restraints, human depravity destroys the dreams of everyone. Ideologues plot ways to categorize people to control them. Identity politics is just the latest iteration of that failed scheme. When the various categories are vying for first place in the victimization race, hostility produces a revolutionary temper.

Persistent Presumption Brings Destruction

When all transcendent restraints are mocked, chaos is the only possible result. Historically, the solution has been tyranny. Some would-be savior steps in to bring order, and subjugates people to his or her whims.

At first there is relief, but it soon turns to disillusionment. Remember that many thought the communism first proposed by Russia would be the way of the future. Then we saw its deception bring death to millions. It is a terrible judgment when the Lord of creation gives fallen man what he demands.

Then he will speak to them in is wrath and terrify them in his fury, saying, "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill." -Psalms 2:5-6

God Has Acted to Establish a Nation of True Liberty

The human problem was solved by God becoming a human and doing whatever was necessary to reconcile humans to himself. His Son is established as king over all. He paid the price to restore humanity to its original intent. He, the Son of man, is now ruling from the right hand of the Father.

Those who "kiss the Son" are bowing in reverence to him, submitting to his order and finding the liberty the human heart has desired since that fatal fall in Eden. It is foolish to neglect or reject the king whom God set in place to rule the nations. It is freeing to know that we can again be partners with him in ruling the earth.

Now therefore, O kings, be wise;

Be warned, O rulers of the earth.

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way,

for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him. -Psalms 2:10-12

Good advice!

Incivility is Scary

July 1, 2018 by Dudley Hall

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The latest embarrassing eruption of incivility in the public eye has been reported recently including several people in President Trump's administration being harassed by those holding different political views. But it has been escalating for some time with multiple universities shutting down divergent political voices that might question the prevailing sexual revolution's agenda.

Late night TV is rife with vitriol, and public dialogue is becoming more difficult each day. Many are uncomfortable with what is going on, but mostly we shrug it off as a sign of the times. Bad mistake! What we are seeing is more dangerous than just a disturbing trend.

Like children caught by their parents in a disruptive shoving match, both sides are saying, "He started it." Democrats blame President Trump for making the election campaign about personalities and referring to other candidates by negative monikers. His personal tweets have undoubtedly added to the furor.

Republicans tend to blame the Obama administration and the biased Media. They still smart from the Saturday Night Live episode mocking Governor Sarah Palin and other personal attacks by the Hollywood elite who leverage their stage for their often ill-informed agendas.

But, it goes back farther than either. It was the problem of the first family, but not the one in the White House. It was Adam and Eve's boys: Cain and Abel.

Cain Listens to the Lies

Both had brought an offering to the Lord. Abel was into livestock, while Cain was a farmer. Their offerings reflected their vocations, but God accepted Abel's offering while rejecting Cain's.

There has been much discussion of why God accepted one and not the other, but the point is that Abel's offering reflected a good heart, and Cain's did not. Being rebuked by the Lord, his countenance fell. The Lord confronted the disappointed, distressed, downcast Cain with a choice that would either bring life or destruction.

The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."

Genesis 4:7

The rest of the story is a tragedy. Cain chose to be the victim. He listened to the lies about being treated unfairly; that a conspiratorial oppressor was making his life harder than others. In refusing to confront the crouching sin, he gave in.

Under the impression that he was fighting for his own justice, he was oppressed by the Liar whose purpose is to destroy. Obsessed by his cause, his anger boiled into hatred for his brother. He felt no responsibility for him and effectively shut him down. It was murder.

The Poisoned Fruit of Victimization

It is the story of the inevitable fruit of victimization. Those who are convinced that they are oppressed, when fueled by irresponsible anger, will become the oppressor.

There can be no meaningful dialogue with someone we have dehumanized.

It was the story of Karl Marx, Joseph Stalin, and many other dictators who killed millions of people to justify their theory of social justice. It could happen again.

Our society is being divided into competing oppressed minorities. Those perceived as oppressors are enemies and must be shut down, or eliminated. There can be no meaningful dialogue with someone we have dehumanized. They have nothing to add to our conversation. They are only obstacles to our ideology and must be removed.

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This can only end badly unless someone makes the choice Cain could have made but didn't. The lies that promote victimization must be actively confronted with the truth. Things won't get better without such a choice. It is a false hope that we will eventually grow tired of the vitriol and return to civility. Anger fueled by victimization is not rational and will not subside on its own.

We Too Have Choices

The Lord reminded Cain that he knew the right thing to do and that by choosing to do it, the crouching evil would be thwarted. We too have choices. We can make an acceptable offering to God. We do that by trusting the offering that our representative, Jesus made in our stead. He alone qualifies with a pure heart and an adequate sacrifice to truly honor God.

When we are "in Christ" we will never hear God rejecting us. Then, we can accept responsibility for where we are. We didn't have a choice in so many factors that led to where we are, but we do have a choice now in how we respond.

Without doubt, some of our angst is the results of injustice. Some are the results of our own decisions. But, regardless of how we got here, our choices must start now from where we are to move forward.

Next, we can accept the revelation of who we are. Our identity is not derived from our membership in an oppressed group. We are humans, created in God's image with the privilege of making decisions that matter.

We are not the creator, but his creatures. That is, we were not designed to know everything, and possess ultimate power. We are limited and therefore need each other. We can't afford to demonize those who are different. We need them to provide perspective and motivation. Just like Adam needed Eve, we need those who aren't just like us but have a common mission.

We are Agents, Not Victims

We know what to do. It is time to do it. The destroyer is crouching at the door of our decision. We can reject the lie that what we do doesn't matter. It does.

We are God's agents in his creation, and every decision we make affects the whole. We can make sure that each decision we make today will help make the world better rather than worse.

We can decide that each word we say today will build and bless rather than demean and destroy.

We can, as light-reflectors, push back the darkness one decision at a time. We are not on the defensive.

There has never been a confrontation between light and darkness when darkness won. We are not victims of anything. We are agents of light and darkness is on the run.

A New Race of People

June 21, 2018 by Dudley Hall

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Any sane Christian is both appalled at continual racism in our society and eager to uncover any residue of it in his or her own heart. It continues to be a problem, even in the community of believers, because we do not take seriously the new race into which we have been born.

In the famous text of Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus says this Jewish leader, "You (plural) must be born again." (See John 3.) In essence, he is saying: "Israel must be born again."

Old Testament Israel

The Israel of the Old Testament was a community created in the wake of the Exodus. God acted in mercy towards these descendants of Abraham and delivered them from bondage to be his people of witness on the earth. Those who identified with that story were members of that community. God gave them his Law as instructions on how to live as that special community of his people.

However, they misunderstood the full purpose of God. They used the Law as a barrier separating themselves (as elites) from other people, rather than seeing the Law as a gracious guide to living in relationship with a merciful God and reflecting him to others.

A New Community

A new community growing out of a new exodus story was brought about by the Spirit rather than the Law. Jesus came as the substance of all the shadows of Old Testament events and rituals. Jesus is the new Moses. He is the Messiah (Israel's representative). He fulfills the Torah as well as all the promises and prophecies made to old Israel.

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There is a new people on the earth. They are born of the Spirit, and he guides them in daily living. God has accepted them based on Jesus' righteousness in their stead. The same love that caused the Father to send his Son and the Son to sacrifice his life dwells in them. Their ethic is motivated and measured by this kind of love. They have no need of a Law to control them or to identify them.

The evidence of their inclusion in God's new race is their fidelity to Christ alone and their love for others. Conformity to sectarian norms is not the issue. Whatever other race-markers have been used in the past to identify and categorize people are eliminated in this new race.

Only Two Groups of Humans

In reality, there are only two groups of humans on earth. The first is composed of those chosen to be the instruments of blessing to the other group. The second is the group not yet born of the Spirit, but loved. Daily, many from the second group are becoming members of the first. There is no elitism in either.

The elect are aware they were chosen because of God's mercy, not their merit. The others are grateful for mercy shown to them through the vessels of mercy. Neither their color, their culture, nor their geography matters. When one fully identifies with the new exodus story by trusting Jesus alone, he or she is included in the new race. They are more than sons of Adam or sons of Abraham in the flesh. They are sons of God and children of the Resurrection.

We stand in need of renewing our minds to this reality. All around we hear the chatter from those who are still searching for some identity markers that will give them status.

How we feel or what others may say doesn't change reality. We are not just individuals trying to stay right with God so we can obtain his blessings and ultimately make it to his heaven. We are his people on earth now and in heaven. We are his family, community, and nation.

All our decisions should take our new identity into consideration.

The Lord Has Spoken

February 28, 2018 by Dudley Hall

A favorite scene in the popular movie Forrest Gump shows Forrest running and a crowd following him. He has been running for two years and not saying a word. He stops, and the following crowd can’t wait to hear his profound first words. After the breathless pause, he says, “I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll go home now."

Not the profundity they were expecting! When people, whom we deem significant, finally speak we long to hear what they say. Who is the most significant person in the universe? Of course, it is God himself. When he speaks, something happens.

He spoke, and creation came into existence. He spoke to Moses, and Israel as a covenant people came into existence. He spoke fully by sending Jesus as the Word of God to reveal his thoughts in a way that any hearing heart could understand.

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son whom he appointed he heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. -- Hebrews 1:1-2

Jesus, Lord Over All

Jesus has been made Lord over all (Acts 2:36), and his words carry the weight of sovereignty. Contrary to current fantasies, everyone's words do not have the same weight of truth. Jesus is truth, and all his words are true. As he closes out the most famous sermon ever preached, he said,

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. -- Matthew 7:24-27

The significance of this declaration was that Jesus was differentiating between his interpretation of truth and that which the religious leaders had called the word of God. Even today, Bible verses interpreted without the aid of Jesus, the living Word, are a form of manmade religion, and they can be very dangerous.

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The Foundation of Truth

The cosmic battle has always been about the truth of what God says. The serpent challenged God's word to Adam and Eve. Pagan religions denied the word of God as it was given to Israel. Herod tried to stop the word of God from being fulfilled by killing the young boys when Jesus was born. The Pharisees had replaced the word of God with their own traditions.

Jesus told a parable about his kingdom in terms of sowing seed, and it revealed the various responses to the word of God. The devil stole some of the seeds. Some were scorched by persecution. Some were choked by the busyness of daily life. Some fell on good soil and produced fruit -- the same fruit as the wise man who built on the rock. It is a clear teaching of scripture that the words of the Lord are essential.

We can reject them in favor of some other opinion. Or we can neglect them by refusing to take advantage of their availability. Either way, we lose. Neglect has the same effect as rejection in this case. The word does not produce life.

A house built on anything but the rock-solid truth of God's word revealed in Jesus is going to fall at some point.

The original Liar is actively replacing God's truth with lies. These lies that replace the word will produce death. One of the most prominent lies is that we can ignore the words of the Lord and still succeed in his creation. But his words don't fail.

A house built on anything but the rock-solid truth of God's word revealed in Jesus is going to fall at some point. The rain will come. The winds will blow. The house will fall. Whether it is one's personal life, the family, the business, the church, or the government -- it will not stand.

Listening to the Lord

God has shown his mercy in giving us his word and the promised power to align with it. Rejecting his mercy is serious. He will continue to love the fallen as a Father cares for his children, and there is no pit too deep that he can't deliver, but there are consequences that follow foolishness -- which cause pain to many.

It is not a light thing when a person or a society rejects or neglects the word of God. Mocking Jesus and his words might seem to be funny on late-night talk shows, but there are rains coming to reveal the foolishness of such.

But there is great promise to those who hear and embrace the word of the sovereign Lord. A house built on that solid foundation will withstand whatever comes against it. It will be productive as the seed of the word grows. Since Jesus is Lord, we should listen to his word and be eager to make it a priority to implement it in every aspect of our lives.

Jesus is lord -- and he has spoken! What he says is profound. Listen. Hear. Build your house on it.

A Plea for Good Shepherds

February 21, 2018 by Dudley Hall

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The leaders of God's people in the Old Testament are called shepherds. They are commissioned to protect the sheep and lead them to nourishment. The sheep, in turn, produce the wool that contributes to the flourishing of the family and society. In the New Testament, Jesus calls himself the "good shepherd" (John 10:11). He demonstrated what true leadership looks like. Since his ascension to the right hand of the Father, he works through his delegated and empowered leaders to equip his people (sheep) (Ephesians 4:11-16). When these shepherds neglect their calling or confuse their assignment, the sheep are confused and malnourished. They are vulnerable to the wolves.

The Dangers of Wolves

Both shepherds and wolves love sheep. The wolves love them to consume. They use the sheep for their own purpose. They care more about what the sheep provide for them than they do for the sheep. Sadly, there are many wolves in shepherd's disguise. Too many leaders have been more interested in the acquisition of names and addresses, tithing units, seats in the pew, and donors than the wholeness of the sheep. Insecure people trying to shepherd have a hard time, because they tend to find their identity in the applause of the sheep rather than in the pleasure of their master.

When the angels appeared to shepherds at the time of Jesus' birth, they were appearing to the lowest rung of free society. Not even the best shepherd was invited into polite society. Just imagine a lowly shepherd trying to make a name for himself among those outside the shepherd community, or even more ridiculous trying to elevate his status by listening to the sheep praise him. Good shepherds get their pleasure in well-protected and well-equipped sheep who stay healthy enough to produce good wool. It is the owner's pleasure that matters.

"The world is too dangerous to live in -- not because of the people who do evil, but because of the people who sit and let it happen." -- Albert Einstein

Passive shepherds allow the wolves to devour the sheep. We must not be fooled into believing all the wolves died in Bible days. There are many voices trying to deceive and allure the vulnerable sheep. We suffer in a culture torn by "spin." The news we hear can't be trusted. Bias has become the norm. Walter Cronkite is dead, and so is trust in the Media, in the Congress, in the Presidency, and too often in the church. The sheep don't know where to find refreshing water and green grass. They are afraid to lie down beside still waters. The shepherds are busy with their own agendas while the wolves lick their chops. (The Stream seeks to be a place where sheep can come and get the news from trusted sources.)

Good Shepherds, Step Up and Lead

Step up, shepherds! Please!

Help us interpret the issues of our day from a Christian worldview. Abortion, immigration, freedom of conscience, and free speech are not just political issues to be left to the politicians. They are moral issues stemming from spiritual reality. Misunderstanding these issues is deadly. We need a trustworthy perspective that is above political parties. Don't just tell us to vote. Tell us why it is moral to vote. Don't tell us how to vote. Tell us how to think from a gospel-perspective. We can't spend all day researching all the issues. We have jobs and families. Lead us to good sources where we can learn to engage issues beyond talking points. We are grateful for the years of study you have invested in theology, philosophy, and political science. Please use it now to equip us to think, to believe, and to act as children of light facing a dark world.

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Jim Denison in a recent blog quoted Albert Einstein. "The world is too dangerous to live in -- not because of the people who do evil, but because of the people who sit and let it happen."

Please, shepherds. Don't neglect your calling. Equip us. Mobilize us. Inspire us with truth and love. Our present lives and the future of our families are at stake.

We Could Use Some Good News

January 29, 2018 by Dudley Hall

He stumbled up to the convenience store and sat down on a stack of Coke cases. He look tired and frustrated. The concerned lady behind the counter spoke, "Are you OK?" Slowly he lifted his head to reveal hollow cheeks and empty eyes. "Lady,” he said, "Yesterday my wife was diagnosed with cancer. My health provider has notified me that we are not covered. Today my boss demoted me. My car just stopped running a couple of miles down the road, and this is as far as I could walk. I could use some good news."

The American Dream

Maybe we have all had days like that. In fact, we are living at a time in our own culture when it seems like bad news is all we get. Globally, the American dollar is staggering under an unimaginable debt. Currencies that here-to-fore bowed to the mighty dollar are competing for dominance. The American dream has lost its luster for seniors who fear that the Social Security they had counted on is not that secure. Younger people are burdened over the debt they are assuming as they try to bear the burden of baby-boomer mortality, while they face the reality that they probably won't prosper as much as their parent's generation.

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The American destiny is being reinterpreted through the lenses of secularism. God's involvement in the purpose of this nation is being denied, and our faults are being magnified to the point of shame. We are told that we have had it all wrong and that anyone who celebrates our history is prejudiced and blind. Fake news has become a celebrity of communication as we have taken the used car salesman's spin technique and adopted it in Media, Congress, the Presidency, and even the pulpit. We could use some good news.

Israel’s Past

Israel had a time like that. Once a prosperous nation under the guidance of God they had been devastated by the Assyrians in 722 BC and then by the Babylonians in 536 BC. Under this rule they were slaves, being told every day that they were a class of beings barely above the animals. Added to the physical pain of abuse, persecution and mental torture, they were aware that they were guilty of breaking the covenant with God. They were convinced that he had divorced them, sold them into slavery, and washed his hands of them. The past was filled with regret. The present was painful, and the future looked bleak. Into this era of despair, a voice was heard from God's prophet:

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion: Your God reigns -- Isaiah 52:7.

Too Good to be True

It was startling news. Too good to be true. The natural eye had trouble finding enough evidence to make it believable. But God's word is trustworthy. He rules over nature, history, and time. Nations are used by him -- without even knowing it -- to accomplish his purpose. He raises up kings and deposes them. He has always had a plan to rule his creation through his image-bearers.

Adam and Eve were the first. They yielded their rule to the deception of the Serpent. But God had another Adam in mind and he came to earth as a man, as an Israelite, and as God's servant to establish God's rule through a man. That man was Jesus who lived obediently as man was designed, died sacrificially as was required by justice, defeated death which was mankind's arch enemy, and ascended to sit on the throne ruling everything his sacrifice paid for. He rules today and shall reign forever and ever.

Good News

When we hear in our hearts the good news that "Our God Reigns," we believe, and peace pushes out fear and worry. The good news that sets the heart free is that our God reigns. He rules over history, nature, time, sin, flesh, death, and Satan. It would be the epitome of foolishness to see a God who controls all of life and refuse to yield our lives to him. It is true wisdom to see a God who rules over all authority and power and gladly trust him to rule our lives. We have good news.

God Blesses the World Through His Family

November 13, 2017 by Dudley Hall

Christians of the World Change God Hope - 900

Contrary to a growing belief, the family was not a human social construct to facilitate interpersonal relationships and ensure economic survival. It was and is God's idea. History testifies and will continue to testify that the breakdown of the family will be the unwinding of society. Artificial means of organizing human relations by civil governments do not align with the divine design and they are doomed to fail. Those tempted by the lies of socialism and Marxism must wake up.

God’s Family

But the downward spiral of Western civilization does not cause God to despair. He has invested heavily in his creation and will not abandon it to the forces of evil. God did not throw up his hands when Adam and Eve sinned and messed up the Garden of Eden. He refused to destroy everything when the world became so corrupt in Noah's day.

When Abraham's descendants were enslaved in Egypt, he led them out. When Israel chose a bad king, God gave them a good one. When the nation violated his covenant, and ended up ruled by Babylon, the most pagan empire in the world, he brought them back to their homeland. For 400 years of turmoil as nations swapped control of the known world, he was silent until Jesus appeared. When Jesus was unjustly killed and laid in the grave, God raised him. When the church became corrupt in the Middle Ages, he caused a reformation.

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But we notice that God has always interacted with the nations of the world through his spiritual family. The people of God are called sons because of the authority they have been given to do his business. Adam, Isaac, Israel, David, and Jesus were all sons who acted in concert with the purposes of God to bless the world.

The astounding news is that in our time, we who have received Jesus as Lord by faith are the sons. We have the privilege of representing him and carrying out his work on earth. The hope of the nations is related to the activity of the sons of God. If the sons are ignorant of their identity, or negligent toward their calling, the whole world suffers. Another way of saying it; the blessings on the nations will come through the revival of the family of God.

As it was the 16th century, the recovery of the simple and pure gospel is the key. People do not become children of God -- sons by any means except through faith in Jesus alone.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. -- John 1:9-13 (ESV)

Spiritual Food

There are reasons to hope. God has not given up on his way of blessing. He still has sons on the earth, his family. Millions of those who have truly been born of the Spirit are hungry for the sound of the gospel of grace that initially awakened them to faith. They are starving for the nourishment that comes from the gospel. They have been fed the pabulum moralistic religion based on some form of transactional false gospel.

The corrupt church of the 16th century sold salvation through indulgences. Today's religious peddlers promise various forms of temporal prosperity, while the awe of the cross of Jesus loses it glow. But the imperishable seed of the gospel sown in people's hearts will not cease to cry for the sincere milk of the word.

Church leaders are growing tired of trying to water the dessert one cupful at a time. Many are returning to believing with the apostle Paul that "the gospel is the power of God for salvation..."

The internet is waiting. Evil forces are eager to use it for the dissemination of lies, but it allows any child of God to post their story of the grace of God. And the advantage goes to the sons, because God's word does not go forth without accomplishing what it was sent to do. It was sent to bring light to darkness and life to death.

Rise up, O Family of God. The world is waiting.

The Elusive ’15 Minutes of Fame’

November 5, 2017 by Dudley Hall

Paparazzi Cameras Flashing Fame Notoriety - 900

Andy Warhol's prediction that everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes captures a powerful drive in us all. When I was a kid and we were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up, we said things like, "I wanna be a fireman, policeman, pilot, cowboy, astronaut, president, etc." In recent years, a very common response to that same question is, "I want to be famous." It doesn't seem to matter what it takes to gain the fame, as long at the individual is the center of attention at least once.

We Are Not Ordinary

We are made for glory. We are significant. There are no ordinary people. Each of us has the image of God stamped on us. The problem is that when our ancestors, Adam and Eve chose to reach for the glory that belongs only to God, their own glory was marred. Ever since, humans have been seeking to recover it. We want to matter. We long for purpose and meaning. We find ourselves boasting of our accomplishments, spinning stories that present us as the hero. We will even stoop to killing the reputation of others in an effort to elevate our own status. We may work long years in obscurity, but underneath we hope for the day when, finally, we are appreciated and honored.

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When I was a young pastor in a decaying neighborhood in the city, the funeral homes discovered that I would handle funerals for those who had no church affiliation, and at no charge. I did lots of funerals. Some of the people were homeless, and almost all had lived their whole lives in relative obscurity, known only by a few others who mostly lived in obscurity as well. Sometimes there would be less than five people at the funeral. As I stood behind the casket, I always wondered about their stories. Who admired them? Who loved them? What had they done during their days on earth? What difference had they made? Who would miss them? It can lead one to think that our lot is to live in obscurity -- unless of course God's word is true about those who trust him.

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4 ESV)

United With Christ

Since our life is united with Christ's life, we have the assurance that when he appears we shall appear with him. He has come as one of us to do for us what we could never achieve. He has rescued us from guilt, shame and condemnation. We have been enlisted to be partners with God in spreading the news of his kingdom, which offers hope for everyone. We have glory and honor now as his own sons, but we look forward to the day when our 15 minutes of fame will last for eternity.

Our boasting now is in his achievements. He is the one who did what no other man could do. He lived the perfect life, died a sacrificial death that paid for our sins, defeated death in his resurrection, and now sits in the place of authority over all God's creation. What accomplishments do we have that could compare? Our fame is not in what we have done, but in what he has done for us, thus establishing a value on us that is inestimable. The fact that we are unconditionally loved by the most significant being in existence gives us a glory that mocks any fame we might achieve by what we do.

Because our life is united to his, we are enabled to live as people of the future while we are still in the present. He has already judged sin. He has already fulfilled the covenant. He has already stood in our place before eternal justice. He has already been enthroned. He has already sent his Spirit to empower us for our work on earth. We are glorious because we are united with the glorious one. No need to boast. No call to spin the stories. No pushing and shoving to get on stage. We are in Christ and he is eternally and outlandishly famous.

How Do We Prepare to be Fully Prepared?

August 19, 2017 by Dudley Hall

Man Holding Holy Bible, Missionary, Christians, Christianity, Scriptures, The Word of God

In one of his many interviews, I heard Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott echo something many elite athletes convey when asked about coolness in the face of pressure situations. The quote may not be exact, but it's close: "I don't feel pressure because I believe I am fully prepared. It is lack of preparation that creates anxiety."

I think they are on to something. I wonder if that is why so many of us are nervous about managing our own lives now and in the future. The unexpected troubles of life offer an opportunity to yield to fear. Fear is an awful kind of paralysis. It forces us to live in reaction mode rather than as responsible managers.

A Call to Be Prepared

The apostle Paul gave some great encouragement to young Timothy who had responsibility to care for people who were new Christians. He would be managing them regarding the most important aspect of their lives. It is a heavy responsibility.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

-- 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (ESV)

Some have wrongly concluded that the good work Paul mentions only applies to church work. That would contradict what he has consistently taught about all Christians being called to represent Christ in all kinds of work. We can all take his words to heart. We can be fully prepared to do whatever is right in any situation.

The question then is: how can we prepare to be fully prepared?

Knowing the Word, Knowing God

The place of the Scriptures is vital to such preparation. Timothy had been blessed to be introduced to the sacred writings of the Old Testament when he was young. Paul had furthered his preparation by showing him that the inspired writings were given to lead the readers to faith in Christ.

To be an expert on biblical knowledge while missing Him is to fail to be prepared for managing life.

The Bible is a unique book. It is a record of God's word and deeds from creation to re-creation. It is the story of God's love being revealed in creation. It specifically reveals the dignity God gave humans. It describes the sin of the first pair and its consequences. It shows how man's sin could not prevent God's purpose from being accomplished. It gives specific laws that govern His creation. It reflects the struggles humans have trying to fulfill their calling as image-bearers.

There are great stories, useful principles, clear instructions and adequate warnings, but all of them point to the final man who came to fulfill all the hopes of all people for all time. He alone is the full and final Word of God. Knowing Him is the designed end of all the writings.

To be an expert on biblical knowledge while missing Him is to fail to be prepared for managing life.

Our Biblically Illiterate Culture

In our secularized culture, belief in biblical authority is mocked. There was a time when someone like Billy Graham could say, "The Bible says..." and it would carry weight. Eyes roll and heads shake if that is tried in the public square today. So how do we find the right perspective on the Scriptures? The main trouble is that, on the whole, neither the mockers nor the believers have read the Scriptures much.

The mockers promote the idea that the Bible is full of errors, yet they don't cite those errors with any kind of consistency. They claim that it is a book written by men and can't be considered divine, without any explanation of the millions of lives that have been transformed for the good through faith in the Jesus that the Scriptures reveal. They are either ignorant of its unique place in world literature or they regard that as evidence of primitive ignorance of those who had nothing better.

It is time for those who claim to have confidence in the Scriptures to make reading the Bible a priority.

Too many believers have either relied on clerical experts to read the Scriptures for them, or have cherry-picked some texts to prove their own cherished beliefs, or have embraced their culture that used the values presented in Scriptures to enhance the common lifestyle. They don't regularly read the texts with a heart to encounter the living Word that it presents.

Now is the Best Time to Prepare

The foundation of Christian faith starts with belief in a personal creator God who is sovereign, loving, all-knowing and purposeful. It continues with the belief that God has spoken.

Since He has chosen to reveal his thoughts, we are eager to know them. We find them in His creation, in our own conscience, in the inspired record of history and finally in Jesus, the Son of God who became a man. If we ignore the Scriptures, we limit our search to human explanations of creation and personal opinions about God's nature and purpose. That leads to being ill-prepared for living a meaningful life.

When the pressure comes, it is too late to prepare. It is time for those who claim to have confidence in the Scriptures to make reading the Bible a priority. With a humble heart, we will hear the voice of God through His divinely inspired texts.

After the Wrecking Ball

July 17, 2017 by Dudley Hall

Wrecking Ball America Politics Destruction Reckless - 900

According to some polls a relatively large segment of American society believes the seemingly unhinged tweeting of President Trump is a good thing; a wrecking ball to the stifling political-correctness culture that has engulfed our national conversation. I join all those who loathe the PC culture.

The straw men and sacred cows of the attempt to redefine the meaning of reality are tiresome and ridiculous. We can't even use common language to express our viewpoints without fear of the language police knocking at the door. I long for some honest conversation between people who share the same citizenship but different perspectives on how to make our country work.

I join all those who loathe the PC culture.

The Wrecking Ball of Chaos

But the wrecking ball? It is a useful tool if you know what you want to build in place of what is being wrecked. I wonder about the situation if the wrecking ball that tears down the structure is also the tool of replacing it. When we are talking about buildings we see the benefit of the quick demolition. Another building crew comes in to build something better and more useful. My concern when talking about government and communication structures is that it will be the same crew charged with rebuilding that did the demolition. If the wrecking ball approach is to return evil for evil, insult for insult, then we shall have chaos. That is not the way to build.

In addition, chaos begs for a deliverer and is not very discriminating about his or her character. It is fertile soil for a tyrant to arise, offering the solution while demanding control. To escape the pain of chaos, people will even tolerate the loss of liberty.

If the wrecking ball approach is to return evil for evil, insult for insult, then we shall have chaos.

Building God’s Way

The same God who created all things delegated authority to various jurisdictions to prevent both chaos and tyranny. As we look at his creation we see order and partnership. If in our attempts to correct the chaos of political correctness we facilitate the chaos of hateful partisanship, we are building toward civil war rather than a healthy union.

We have heard that a vanquished but unconvinced enemy is an enemy still, and we must take heed. The inspired Scriptures humanly penned by Saint Paul give some fantastic instructions about leadership and building people.

And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

I am aware that Paul was addressing a church leader. I am also aware that God sees civil leaders as his servants as well. (Romans 13:1-2) If it works for leading people in church, it is right for the nation. Respect for the dignity of even those who disagree is vital. Demonizing the Left or Right is the easiest course, but fatal. None of us has everything right, but our perspective is not to be ignored, and we allow that what is good for the goose, is good for the gander.

Let's pray that the spirit of wisdom and discernment will be given to those charged with leading us in this critical time.

Childish Tweets

I do not applaud the bitter back and forth childishness of blame, accusations, smears and disrespect that characterizes the White House, the Congress, the press and the faceless tweeters. I will not acquiesce to justify such childishness as a necessary wrecking ball.

Wisdom of God

Our God is sovereign and has often used the wicked to finally accomplish his purposes, but it came with much pain for the people involved. He may in fact use a wrecking ball to demolish a wall that has divided the people of the USA. But he is not trying to destroy the people he loves. He offers a way that builds according to his order. Earlier statesmen understood and sought to build his way. Let's pray that the spirit of wisdom and discernment will be given to those charged with leading us in this critical time.

Let's pray that God's wisdom will be desired and requested.

A Broken Form of Christianity

Only Full Abandonment Satisfies

Living By the Spirit

It Took a Radical Act of God to Redeem Us

The Difference Christ Makes

A Warning

Accusation and Slander Isn’t Working

A Movement of Blessing

Nations Can Honor God Without Violating the Liberty of Conscience.

Godless Leaders Scheme, Based on Speculations From Impaired Thoughts

Persistent Presumption Brings Destruction

God Has Acted to Establish a Nation of True Liberty

Cain Listens to the Lies

The Poisoned Fruit of Victimization

We Too Have Choices

We are Agents, Not Victims

Old Testament Israel

A New Community

Only Two Groups of Humans

Jesus, Lord Over All

The Foundation of Truth

Listening to the Lord

The Dangers of Wolves

Good Shepherds, Step Up and Lead

The American Dream

Israel’s Past

Too Good to be True

Good News

God’s Family

Spiritual Food

We Are Not Ordinary

United With Christ

A Call to Be Prepared

Knowing the Word, Knowing God

Our Biblically Illiterate Culture

Now is the Best Time to Prepare

The Wrecking Ball of Chaos

Building God’s Way

Childish Tweets

Wisdom of God

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