Walking the Walk

As a follower of Jesus, how does your walk draw people to Jesus? Do the things that you (we) do and say help or hurt the advancement of the kingdom?

Shouldn't the belief of a Christian (that salvation is in Jesus Christ alone) compel us to share the gospel with urgency? Shouldn't a follower of Jesus be a student of the things that He teaches in The Word? Didn't Jesus say that we can know a tree by its fruit?

Just things running through my mind this morning...

John <><

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The Rise of the Christian Left and the Fall of Christian Conservatives

Recently I have read several articles that are about a study that shows a decline in conservative Christianity and a rise in the Christian Left. Here is one. I think that there is a blending of definitions that creates a great misunderstanding between the difference in conservative politics and conservative Christianity. 

I am a conservative Christian. I believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God; that it is in his death, burial and resurrection that we have the hope of eternal life. I believe that the Holy Spirit of God lives in those that proclaim Jesus as Lord and guides us as we strive to follow our Lord. I believe that we are called on to share the Good News of salvation so that others may be drawn into the Kingdom of God.

I am not a political conservative--at least not as defined by today's standard. Most would say I am a social liberal. I believe that we have an obligation--both as Christians and as fellow citizens--to help those in need. I am not a political proponent, nor am I a political opponent of issues like abortion, birth-control, gay rights or other issues that seem to be so divisive between the politically conservative Christians and ... well, everybody else. I believe that any argument on legislation of social issues that begins with "the Bible says," is a poor argument. It's not a poor argument because the Bible is right or wrong about a subject, it's a poor argument because I don't want the Koran, the Book of Mormon, the Tripitaka or any other holy book or religious belief to be the sole reason that we make the laws to govern all of our citizens.

I don't think that I really fit into the character of "The Christian Left." There are enough issues that I am uncomfortable with to keep me from identifying with them completely. Nor do I believe that the people that believe in the core theological beliefs of the Bible are in decline. If fact, I would say that they are on the increase. I would say that many new followers of Jesus are abandoning the judgment and the politics of "The Christian Right" and working to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus by sharing His love and compassion rather than condemning the behavior of those outside of the faith. Just because they are not followers of the Tea Party or any of their spokespersons, doesn't mean that they are not conservative in their Christian beliefs.

I welcome those that would share Jesus with others. I welcome those that share his love by taking care of those that are in need. And I welcome those that share the Hope of eternal life found in Jesus. I welcome those that are living out their faith and not just going to church on Sunday. It may be okay for outsiders to label us as Christian Right and Christian Left. However, inside the family of Christianity, shouldn't we just call one another brothers and sisters in Our Lord Jesus?

John <><

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A Little Empathy, Please

I hesitate to write this post. I really don't want it to be taken the wrong way.
It is not meant to be a condemnation of others. I just want to share some of the hard lessons that I've had to learn myself in order to save somebody else some of the trouble. It's been said that experience is the best teacher, but we should try to learn from the mistakes of others because we really don't have enough time to make them all ourselves. I've made plenty of them; trust me.

I recently mentioned how some of our posts can drive away the very people that we should be trying to reach. Unfortunately, I keep seeing the same types of posts and they often come from pastors, preachers or other pretty solid Christians. I'm not without a sense of humor and I enjoy a joke as much as the next guy, but there isn't anything funny about people that are living without God.

In the recent past, I've seen the story of an atheist bringing a case to court for a holiday that atheists can celebrate. The judge rules that they already have a holiday and refers to the Bible saying that a fool says in his heart that there is no God. He rules that April Fool's Day is their holiday.
I've seen the same thing posted as a sign.

There was a time in the not too distant past that I would quip that God doesn't believe in atheists. The problem with that is that God does believe in atheists--and He loves them, sent His Son to die for them and has tasked us to tell them the Good News of salvation in Jesus.

The online Dictionary.com defines empathy as "the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another."

It could be that you don't have any atheist friends. It could be that it's supposed to be humor for your Christian friends. For some reason I keep thinking of how the Republican party keeps saying that they want to reach out to minorities but politicians keep making insulting ethnic comments. One the one hand we (Christians) say that we are concerned about the eternal lives of unbelievers, but on the other hand we say things that will pretty much insure that we'll never be able to reach them.

If you're an atheist, you're a fool.
If you're gay, you're an abomination.
If you've had an abortion, you're a murderer.

Put a little hate and judgment (or laughter and a condescending tone) in your voice as you say those last sentences and tell me if you would listen to yourself if you were the person on the receiving end. Let's try to keep focused on the end game...reaching the lost with the Good News of salvation in Jesus. Let's try not to make it more difficult for ourselves or for others to talk to non-believers about God's love.

I figure that my own words and attitudes of the past have done enough damage to the reputation of Jesus and His kingdom. While I can't go back and un-say my harsh words, perhaps I can save somebody else the regrets that come with the realization that you may bear some of the responsibility of giving Jesus and Christianity a bad name.

John <><

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Thinking Ahead...

It's Good Friday.
It turned out to be another beautiful day in the Ozarks. Spring decided to make a brief appearance as the temps made into the 60s and the sun managed to break through the overcast clouds that had been forecast for the day.

I know that there are many Christians that are honoring the day by remembering the suffering and death that Our Savior endured in our place. And I know that Sunday will be a day of celebration. But in thinking ahead, I'm wondering what Monday will hold. Will it be back to life as usual? Will the majesty of the resurrection be gone until next year? How many opportunities to tell the marvelous story of God's love will we waste in the days that follow?

Will be like the followers of Jesus in that first week after the resurrection--hiding and afraid to let others know the truth that has been revealed to us? In the modern day Christian world, we don't have to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus' followers were told (by Jesus) to wait for the Spirit to come. In seven weeks, we will remember that day--Pentecost Sunday. In the weeks that followed Pentecost, the small band of 120 followers of Jesus grew to thousands of followers. I'm just wondering what could happen in our community if we prayerfully prepared for Pentecost Sunday (May 19) and expected the Holy Spirit to pour himself into our lives and our churches and our communities with a great movement of God.

I wonder if we would prepare ourselves to boldly proclaim the truth of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts, words and lives with the love to lead others to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Can you imagine pastors preaching in the public squares of our lands and thousands of people coming to know Jesus? Can you imagine individuals, filled with the Holy Spirit telling friends and neighbors about what Jesus has done and believers being added to the church daily?

I'm wondering if the believers at Hopedale would be willing to pray with me for fifty days that the Holy Spirit would once again empower His people to greatly influence the world around us for the sake of the Cross.
I'm wondering if other followers of Jesus that read these words would join with me.
Would the Holy Spirit empower us once again?
Would we see people being added to the kingdom daily?

I know that we don't have to wait.
I know that the Holy Spirit lives in the lives of believers today.
But I also know that we have largely ignored the power of the Spirit in our lives and in our churches.

We need a fresh touch from God!

This will be my prayer plan for the seven weeks following Easter. Would anybody care to join me?

God loves you.
Jesus died for you.
And he died for your neighbors, too. Will you be the one to share the Good News with them?

John <><

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Surprising Information on Bible Sales

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised at the recently released information about the most popular translations of the Bible in the United States. I have to admit that I am a little surprised (and a little disappointed) by a couple of the statistics.

The top ten according to dollar sales for 2012

1. New International Version
2. King James Version
3. New Living Translation
4. New King James Version
5. English Standard Version
6. Holman Christian Standard Bible
7. New American Standard Bible
8. Common English Bible
9. Reina Valera 1960
10. The Message

The top ten according to unit sales for 2012

1. New Living Translation
2. New International Version
3. King James Version
4. New King James Version
5. English Standard Version
6. Common English Bible
7. Holman Christian Standard Bible
8. New American Standard Bible
9. Reina Valera 1960
10. New International readers Version

I am both surprised and disappointed that the King James Version (KJV) remains at the #2 spot for dollar sales and #3 for unit sales. I realize that there are still many traditional churches that insist on using the KJV but really don't understand why somebody would choose to use a translation that uses the English language of 400 years ago, especially when we know that there are better translations available.

I am pleased to see the Reina Valera 1960 in the top ten. This is the most popular of the Spanish translations. As the US becomes a home to more first language Spanish speaking peoples, it's good to see they are buying (and hopefully reading) bibles.

I am also a bit disappointed (but not too surprised) that the Revised Standard Version--Catholic Edition (RSV-CE) isn't listed among either top ten list. I know that there are Catholics that read their Bibles regularly, but as a rule, it is not something that has been greatly encouraged in the Catholic Church.

Personally, I like the English Standard Version (ESV) at #5 on both lists. I also use the New International Version (NIV) on a regular basis and use a Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) New Testament as a give away when sharing the the gospel story.

Do you have a personal preference?
Do you have a daily reading plan or time that you set aside to read The Word?

I hope that you will take the time to read through the story of the week that leads up to the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus this week. It is a grand story--the greatest story ever told!

John <><

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Random Thoughts...

There are several random thoughts that are rolling around in my otherwise empty head. I thought that if I would take a few moments to write them down in an unorganized fashion, maybe they would find an escape and leave me alone.

I'm laughing a little bit at the arrogance that we often have. Many years ago I was invited to an evangelism conference and then subsequently uninvited. At the time I suspected that it had something to do with the sometimes negative perception that "magic" has among Christianity's conservative core, although the reason that was given was that they had invited too many evangelists and had to cut back a few. Years later, I did find out that it was because of magic. That's okay. I've learned to accept that it is going to be a part of what I face as a Gospel Illusionist. I did get to go to that conference about six or seven years ago, but haven't been invited back since then.

Really, I'm good with it today. The only reason that it comes to mind is that I was at a church in the area of that conference last night and this is the weekend that it is being held this year. Perhaps the churches in that area are better served by the more traditional evangelists. We all have our places in the work of the King.

Many years ago, I was invited to a church for a children's program. I suspected that the church had a very fundamental core and so I asked the pastor if using playing cards would be a problem. He told me that it would be better if I didn't.

My initial reaction was -- Really? You've got to be kidding!
But as I thought about it, I realized that he was probably really sticking his neck out by having me come in the first place. I decided to honor his request and give him a great program, sans playing cards. I've been invited back to that church many times now--and the use of playing cards in no longer an issue. I've developed a relationship with them and they trust me to deliver a clear gospel message. Today they give me the freedom to share using whatever props or illusions I feel led to use.

Building relationships is often the key as we work to share the gospel. I recently saw a Facebook post that shared a picture with the words, "A woman that has an abortion isn't a victim; she's a murderer!"
I thought, "How sad."

Regardless of where you stand on the issue of abortion, this is not the way to build a trusting relationship so that we can share the love and forgiveness found in Jesus.

I immediately thought of Jesus when the adulteress was brought before him. The crowd wanted to stone her to death and pointed out that the Law called for her death. Jesus didn't condemn her; the Law already had--the people already had. He would have been "right" to say that since she had violated the Law and the penalty was to be stoned to death, they should stone her. But he didn't. He said that whoever had not violated the Law (whoever had not sinned) should throw the first stone.

I'm wondering if Jesus would have the same thing posted on His Facebook timeline. I don't doubt that Jesus would preach against sin. It's just that I remember all of the times that Jesus seemed to go out of his way to build relationships with sinners! There was the woman at the well in Samaria, the tax collector's home where he had dinner, the Pharisee's home and the encounter with the prostitute who washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. There were great numbers of unclean lepers that he touched, blind that he gave sight, sick that he healed, hungry that he fed.

And what about you and me? What about our sin? Our uncleanliness? Jesus came a great way to build relationships with us. He left the glory and majesty of heaven to take on our flesh; ultimately to take on our sin and our punishment so that we could have eternal life in heaven. Isn't that the story that we need to be telling?

Last night I issued a challenge that I've issued many times before. I'm issuing it here, again.
Tell somebody--somebody that desperately needs to hear it: God loves you. Jesus died for you.

When I started writing this, I was going to cover a few more of the random thoughts in my head, but this rant has gone gone on long enough. Be kind to the masses that are struggling with life. Share the love of Jesus with them. Give them hope in a hopeless world.

And remember--
God loves you.
Jesus died for you.

John <><

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Radical Christianity: What does it look like?

I recently read an article about radical Islamists and started wondering what radical Christianity might look like. I'm not talking about the crazy, Westboro, Crusades or Inquisition kind of radical. I'm talking about the follow the teaching of Jesus kind of radical; the Mother Teresa, give your all for love kind of radical.

How much would the daily life of today's church going Christian have to change to be a radical follower of Jesus? What are the changes that I need to make to become a radical follower of Jesus? Does it mean that I tell everybody what Jesus teaches in the Bible? Or does it mean that I need to learn and practice what Jesus teaches in the Bible?

As a radical follower of Jesus, how much would my Facebook posts have to change?
Would my blog posts need to change?
What about my everyday speech, language and conversations?
How would my financial habits need to change?

I think of what I have saved towards retirement. Though it is not a great amount, it is a nice little nest egg. Somehow that story of the rich man that built bigger barns to hold his wealth when his life was about to be taken comes to mind and I wonder if I should have been doing more about sharing my blessings with those in need and less about storing up my stuff for the future.

I look at how we treat those around us that have different beliefs and behaviors that model their beliefs; how we treat "the sinners" and the "unclean" around us, and I see Jesus forgive without condemnation and touch a leper.

WWJD

It's been a few years since What Would Jesus Do? was a popular question to ask. Maybe we should get serious about asking it again.
The book In His Steps was written more than a hundred years ago and examines what could happen if we became such radical followers of Jesus that we experiment for a year, always asking, "What would Jesus do?"
It's a good read. You can download it for free here.

Even if you are not a follower of Jesus, I would encourage you to read what He teaches in the Bible. Just read the first four books of the New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; these are the books that follow His life and record His teachings. (The links take you to chapter 1 of each book. Use the next arrow > at the bottom to advance to the next chapter.)
If you have questions, feel free to e-mail them to me. My address is in the "about me" section to the right.

Let's start being radical followers of Jesus!

John <><

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December 31, 2012: The end of the world as we know it!

What if...

I'm not talking about the fiscal cliff that our legislators in Washington DC are driving us towards.
I'm not talking about a doomsday scenario or mythological ending.
No Nostradamus like prediction or anything like that.

A quick time-out...

I should start by saying that this post is primarily directed to my fellow followers of Jesus. If you are not a follower, I invite you to read anyway, but you may not find that it fits your world.
On the other hand, there is plenty here that you can choose to do. The teachings of Jesus on how to live well work well for a society of any kind. The good works won't land you a spot in The Promised Land; you'll have to proclaim His as your Lord and Savior for that.
Just the same, these are good points for good living.

Okay. Back to the what if...

What if we collectively decided that we would live completely according to the teachings of the Jesus?
How would that change our day to day lives?

Most of the people I know are good people. Most of the things that we do are acceptable to do. However, acceptable and holy are very different things.

Let's start with something simple--the speed limit. If we decided that we were no longer going to willfully break the law and drive 5-10 mph over the posted speed limit, how much would that impact your morning commute? I know that no officer is going to pull you over for driving 70 in a 65 zone, but that's still breaking the law.

There are so many things that we justify by saying that everybody does it or that nobody cares. We know that they are not right (or righteous), but we choose to do them, just the same. We tell "white" lies, we download music, movies, games and more from the internet. We cheat on taxes. We do a lot of things and take advantage of the "everybody's doing it" or "nobody cares" excuse to do the wrong thing.

What if...

What if we decided that we were going to focus more on others rather than ourselves?
How would that change our day to day lives?

What if we never did anything expecting something in return? What if we never decided how to treat somebody based on the way they treat us or others? What if we really followed the "Do unto others..." Golden Rule that Jesus taught?

Is it even possible to always be nice?
Again, most of the people I know are good, kind people. Most of them are generous and willing to help a friend in need. And yet, we often judge others for their needs. We often decided whether or not we help them based on how they have treated us or how we perceive that they would treat us.
What if we just decided to do the right thing because...well, because it's the right thing?

What if each one of us decided to change how we see the world around us? What if we looked upon our fellow man as Jesus does? What if we felt their pain, experienced their loneliness, knew their frustrations and made every effort to ease their burden?

What if we realized that there is no magic in a "sinner's prayer" that we may have prayed at one time, and the only way to heaven is to truly follow Jesus? When we reach the point that we realize that repentance means that we have to change--that we have to stop and turnaround, then we can begin to follow Jesus.

So often, we keep going on our merry way and we ask God to bless us as we go. We want for Him to follow us rather than turning from our ways and following Him.
I'm guilty.

I have done those things that "everybody" does. I have justified them because "nobody" cares.
But...

What if...

What if that all changed? What if we saw the hungry and fed them? What if we saw the lonely and visited them? What if we saw people in need and met their needs?

What if we saw the lost and shared Jesus?

The reality of Christianity is that it should change the world as we have known it.
And it should change us as the world has known us.

January 1, 2013 is just another day that marks the passing of time.
But it could be the beginning of a whole new world.
Let's get ready for it. Let's end the world as we have known it. Let's live life as we walk with Jesus, following Him all the way Home.

John <><

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When the End Comes...

Several weeks ago I noticed a roadside electronic sign by MoDOT. It said that there had been 694 highway deaths in Missouri in 2012 and that 64% were without seat belts. Today, about six weeks later, the highway death total was at 786! That's over 15 deaths/week and if the rate holds, we'll top 800 for the year.

I mention this information because I was thinking about the December 21st end of the world event that is only a couple of days away. While many can joke about the impending doom and comment about how we are spending our final days, the simple truth is that we have no idea when our individual end might come.

There are no guaranteed number of days. While we don't expect kids to die of terrible diseases, we have had a recent devastating reminder that even children meet with unexpected death. Whether the end comes by disease, accident, illness, violent criminal activity, war or old age; the end comes for all of us. Death is a certainty of life. The question is, what have we done to prepare for it?

I suppose that if you are one of the few that believes life ends at death and the only thing ahead of us is the big dirt nap, then you might consider what legacy you're leaving behind because there is nothing else. However, if you believe that we have souls, that there is an afterlife, are you prepared to face that day?

Does the afterlife consist of heaven and hell, reincarnation or some other spirit life state? I fully expect for the world as we know it to be continuing on the 22nd. But...

The US Census Bureau estimates that there is one death every 13 seconds in the USA. That's 6,646 people in the US that will be alive on the 21st but not on the 22nd. For them, it won't matter whether we have correctly or incorrectly interpreted the Mayan calendar. They will, in my belief, meet their Maker. They will be judged according to the Law, found guilty, and condemned or they will stand with Jesus who has already paid the penalty for their guilt.

Perhaps you have never given any consideration to what happens to your soul when death comes. Perhaps you've never considered that your children could face death before you. I don't think that we need to scare our kids and I don't mean to sound like a doomsday alarmist.

But death is a reality of life and the afterlife is something that each of us must consider.

If you are a frequent reader at Out of My Hat, you know that I am available to answer your questions. My e-mail address and phone number are in the About Me section. You can comment and ask not to have your comment posted. If you are unsure of your eternal standing, if you need to know, if you just have questions--please contact me.

John <><

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Is it Pride...or Jealousy?

I know that pride is one of the seven deadlies, but it is one that I sometimes struggle with. In this case, it's not self pride; it's that I am really proud of my church and church family. I love my pastor and I brag on my church family every chance I get. Last fall I asked a visiting evangelist what he thought of my church. He responded by saying, "Now I know why you always brag on your church!"

I bring this up today because of a post by Ed Stetzer, pastor, author, speaker, church planter and President of Life Way Research. The post deals with high praise for the friendly hospitality of a neighboring church. I know that Hopedale is far from a megachurch like our neighbors, but we are a great community of believers. And when it comes right down to it, there is nothing in the article that would suggest otherwise.

You can read his post here.

Maybe I'm just jealous (another of the seven deadly sins as envy) that a guy from the Southern Baptist denominational entity Life Way, would write such high praise for a neighboring church of another denomination. Is bigger really better. I know that church planting is Stetzer's thing, and I do wish that Hopedale was into planting churches because I see that as a good way to advance the Kingdom. But I also believe that Hopedale is reaching the lost and discipling believers. We are growing and we are expanding the Kingdom.

To be fair, I'm sure that Dr. Stetzer would accept an invitation to come to Hopedale. We have hosted other denominational leaders in the past. And Hopedale is still learning and adapting and getting better at receiving people and making them feel welcome. We could learn a few things from our neighbors. If it were in my power to invite him to Hopedale, I would. But I do believe that God is guiding our pastor and our church along a path that will bring glory and honor to Him through the working of the Holy Spirit in His people. I do applaud Dr. Stetzer's Kingdom vision as he works across denominational lines to advance the Gospel. It is a mindset that we all need to have.

If you are a follower of Jesus, then we are brothers and sisters in Him. Let's take advantage of the holiday season and ask somebody what role Jesus plays in their family celebration of Christmas. His birth is only the beginning of the story. His life, death and resurrection is the main body of the story. Each of us gets to write our own ending. Each of us get to choose to follow Him, to follow another or to go it on our own.

Who is the Jesus of Christmas to you?

John <><

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How would they know?

Most of the people that know me, know that I am a follower of Jesus. Most know that I am an evangelist. Being a "Christian" is who (or what) I am.

However, I wonder just how long it takes people to figure that out. How well do people need to know me before they discover that I am a disciple of Jesus?
Do I guard that part of my identity?
Do I want to get to know people before I open up and share my belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior?

Evangelical Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven. We believe that until one confesses Jesus as Lord and believes that God has raised Him from the dead, they are condemned to eternity separated from God. (That's the evangelical sugar coating for going to hell.)

So now the question becomes, "How well do we need to know somebody before we care enough to tell them about Jesus and give them an opportunity to receive His gift of salvation?"

Are we hard enough that we are comfortable to stand by while the people we meet are going to hell? Wouldn't we warn a complete stranger that was getting ready to step into traffic of the danger coming his or her way? Our world is littered with warning signs. Our cars warn us if are about to drive without our seat belts fastened. We are warned when a floor is wet and may be slippery. We are warned if we are approaching a high voltage area. We are even warned that coffee is hot.

We are warned of all sorts of impending dangers. Has anybody ever warned you that you can't get to heaven on your own? That saving yourself or being good enough to gain access to heaven is impossible? Jesus taught that He is the only way to the Father.

Maybe you've never really thought about it before. Maybe you would consider that since life is uncertain, examining the possibility of heaven and hell should be something that you undertake at some point -- before it's too late. If there is a heaven and hell, it might be a good idea to examine what it takes to get into one and to stay out of the other.

A short while back, I posted about the historical person of Jesus. Next up is examining if Jesus is the Messiah. Is Jesus the Son of God? Did he come to save us? And what will you do with the information that we examine?

Sounds like a good pre-Christmas topic.
More to come.
Have a great day.

John <><

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Go ... Make Disciples

Yesterday's youth group Bible study was centered around the final command that Jesus gave in Matthew's gospel; the command to make disciples.

I think the main problem among evangelicals today is that we cannot teach the things that Jesus taught unless we know them, and we cannot know them unless we are first disciples ourselves. Too often, we claim to be "saved" by Jesus but we have no designs to become students of his life and teachings and therefore, we are unable to fulfill his command of making disciples.

I offered a challenge; an opportunity to the young guys in our class. I offered to study the life and way of Jesus with them in a personal way. Whether we actually meet or work through studies via e-mail, Facebook or some other venue, we will look at the things Jesus taught in his stories, sermons and way of life. I know that Sunday School is supposed to fill that purpose, but let's be honest -- it's pretty light and only for an hour per week.

Fair warning: Many of those lessons may find their way to Out of My Hat.

I'm going to encourage my non-believing friends to continue to read these posts for two reasons.
1) Jesus taught some good stuff.
Even if you choose not to follow Him as Savior and Lord, you can learn a lot about how to live peacefully with fellow human beings.

2) I think that Christians often get this backwards. We tend to want people to choose to trust Jesus as Savior and then we'll teach them the things he taught. I think that if we will just teach Jesus and his ways (make disciples), the Holy Spirit will move in their hearts to bring about true followers.

Have a great week.
Share the simple message -- "God loves you" and "Jesus died for you."
...and study to teach the deeper messages of the Bible; become a disciple of Jesus.

John <><

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A Final Word of Encouragement

There have been many posts that deal with the outcome of Tuesday's election. Some have been thoughtful and encouraging. Many have been negative, angry and hurtful. There have been posts from sore losers and poor winners.

The most troubling ones have been the posts from Christians that seem to face the future with a sense of fear and doubt. How can children of the King be hopeless?

The letter that follows was written to encourage a small group of friends and is posted here with permission. I hope that it also encourages you.

John <><

... just wanted to send along some encouragement for you today and this week.  Last night, I was keeping track of folks' comments on Facebook as I watched the election results unfold.  Like you, my heart was filled with swells of both expectation and sadness throughout the evening.  

     I don't know how you voted yesterday, nor do I really care.  What I do know is that I saw several of you voiced your displeasure at the results of the election.  I saw frustration bubble over into rage at what was taking place.  And, quite frankly, I saw some hopelessness in your posts.

     Personally, I share many of your concerns and fears about the direction that our country is heading.  Right now, my head is spinning over the idea that recreational marijuana and gay marriage has been legalized in a popular vote of the people in certain states.  I'm reading the writing on the wall, and when I hear the media state that the way that I believe is no longer mainstream and that issues like these have become "civil rights issues," I get worried.  I don't completely understand how some people feel the way that they do racially, and I wonder if my own kids and grandkids will feel the same way about me and my beliefs about homosexuality someday.  I fear that they will one day have to deal with people calling them bigoted because of their Bible-based beliefs.

      Let's be clear:  President Obama is not the problem.  Democrats are not the problem.  As Christians, we know that we are in a constant battle with the principalities and powers of darkness.  Our concern should not be directed towards men... they are fallible, weak, and many times self-serving.  This is true not only of politicians, but ourselves as well.  If we look really deeply into our own hearts, we'll see the struggle between the "old man" and the "new man"... between the flesh and the Spirit.

     But, I promised encouragement, didn't I?   Like I asked Sunday night:  do we believe that the Bible is true?   Completely true?   That God's promises apply to us just as much as they did to those that we read about?   If so, here's the encouragement:

"The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate." (Psalm 34:22)

"Behold, He that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps." (Psalm 121:4)

"I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate..." (Joel 2:25)

"The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next.  Everything in creation is being more or less held back.  God reigns it in, until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead.  Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens."  (Romans 8:19-21, MSG)

"Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of Hosts is His name.  He will fervently plead their case so that He might bring rest to the earth."  (Jeremiah 50:34)

"No, in all things we have been made more than conquerors through Him that loved us.  And I am convinced that nothing can separate us from God's love.  Neither death nor life, angels nor demons, or fears for today nor our worries for tomorrow... not even the powers of Hell can separate us from God's love."  (Romans 8:37-38)

     These verses represent literally just a fraction of the words that God speaks to us in times of concern and worry... He promises that He will be our strength for a new day.   He says that we will mount up with wings like eagles.  If we truly believe that His Word is true, verses like these should fill us with hope.   Hope not held in a man, or a country, or a government... but hope held in the One Who holds the world in His hands.  Last night didn't take God by surprise and, make no mistake, things will get worse before they get better.  There is an endgame to all of this, after all.  But the One Who spoke this world into existence also dwells within us, granting us peace and hope to face what is thrown at us.  We talked Sunday night about the fact that God WILL give us more than we can handle in order to draw us back to Him.  It is my prayer that we as Christians will begin to truly seek God's face and turn from our unrighteousness, that He might be glorified.

     So, truly pray for President Obama... he carries a weight on his shoulders that none of us can fathom.  Truly pray for our leaders, that they would seek Jehovah God in all that they do and dictate.  And pray for yourself, that you will have the strength to strive to walk closer to Him today than you did yesterday.   Know that I love each of you, and because I care about you, I send you these tidings of hope and joy.

     I found this song ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoAYb8YmCwQ ) on my iPod as I drove into work today... it seemed appropriate.  If you choose to listen to words, let the promise of God being sovereign wash over you.

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Election Day: It's not what you think

One last comment about election day--
Okay, so it's probably not my last comment about election day, but then again, I'm not talking about a political election.

I'm talking to my fellow followers of Jesus and encouraging them to be certain of their election.
Read this short passage from 2 Peter 1:5-11.

Did you get that? Look at the qualities that Peter tells us to add to our faith: goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love. He says that possessing these in increasing measure will keep us from being unproductive and ineffective in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus.

Then he tells us to be certain of our calling and our election.

Are you a follower of Jesus?
Does the fruit of your walk give testimony of your following?
Are you giving verbal testimony (saying that you're a follower) but not living a life that demonstrates that you are actually a follower of Jesus?

From time to time I encounter people that will realize that they are not really followers of Jesus. They have said that they are. They really want to be His followers. But self examination leads them to the conclusion that are not and never really have been a follower of Jesus.

So, I'll ask again--Are you a follower of Jesus?
Would you like to be?

Call me. Text me. Send an e-mail. Leave me a comment.
Eternity stands in the balance.

John <><

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Playing Church: A Change of Heart

I've said it myself.
I've heard others say it.
It's always said with a tone of frustration or weariness.

It sounds something like this -- I'm just so tired of playing church.
We say it like the environment at church has something to do with our state of being.

Have you ever said that?
Have you ever felt that way?

I understand that any community of people (including a local church) has issues of politics, leadership, finance, etc. Some of that can be frustrating. Some of that can distract us from God and distract us from our relationship with God. I can understand that frustration and have been in that place.

But as I've thought about this, I've decided that it is really just a matter of perspective. When I'm at church on any given Sunday (or Wednesday night), it's fair to ask, "Why am I here?"

If I am there to worship, or there to teach--then doing those things is not playing church. If my walk outside of church is less than it should be, then maybe I am playing church. Or maybe it would be better if I called it playing Christianity. Fixing the issues that surround the frustrations of what the "church" is or isn't doing is not going to solve my frustrations. Only fixing the the issues of what I am or I am not doing will solve my frustrations.

As the church provides for corporate worship, bible teaching, wholesome fellowship and opportunities to minister, we have to bear the responsibility of doing our part. Our part in following Jesus has to continue beyond the church doors. If we aren't taking responsibility for our own Bible study; if we aren't taking responsibility for sharing the Gospel; if we aren't about faithfully following Jesus -- then we are responsible for just playing at our Christianity.

Just playing church?
Yeah, I need to stop that.
Pretending to follow Jesus?
Yeah, I need to stop that, too.

There are people with physical needs -- food, clothing, shelter, jobs. Maybe we can help some of those people. That would be following the teaching of Jesus.
There are many more people with spiritual needs -- prayer, encouragement, salvation. Sharing the Gospel of God's love and salvation, being there to minister to them and meeting their physical and spiritual needs are the callings of the followers of Jesus. Are we going to be followers? Or are we going to go to church so that we can pretend to be followers?

I, alone, am responsible for how I follow/worship/honor God.

John <><

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Why Pro-life/Pro-choice Doesn't Factor Into My Vote

Okay, it's time to clear the air.

Over the past many years, I've had opportunities to share with several people about why I don't use pro-life/pro-choice as a test on candidates. These have primarily been one on one exchanges with reasonable people that have asked. Most people are quick to make poorly informed decisions about my views because they would rather judge than ask.

I know that some think that I'm a heretic of some sort, or perhaps a Christian that has lost my mind. I have never said that I think that abortion is okay. And yet, I am often regarded as a pro-choice person and treated with the disdain reserved for godless reprobates.  Apparently, many people fail to realize that there are both pro-choice Republicans and pro-life Democrats.

But when it comes right down to it, it really doesn't matter.

We have been sold a lie that has lived for decades. Originally, it was pushed by the GOP as a divisive wedge and a huge money maker. I believe that the Dems have jumped on the financial bandwagon to keep the money coming in and the fight going on. In the end, either the candidates are ignorant of how our system works or they are manipulating the voters in order to get their money and their vote. Neither situation speaks well of their ability to govern.

Here's the deal:

The Supreme Court that made the Roe v Wade decision was made up of five Republican justices and four Democratic justices. The vote was 7-2, with one Republican and one Democrat in opposition. It wasn't a partisan issue. In the late 70s, the religious right began to champion the idea that the Roe v Wade decision could be overturned if conservative presidents would appoint conservative justices and the make up of the Supreme Court would change to the point that a reversal would be possible.

Unfortunately, THIS IS NOT TRUE!
There is no appeals process for a decision of the High Court!
A current bench cannot even re-hear an old case, much less overturn it.
The only way that it could be re-tried is if there is new evidence that might change the decision.

There have been decisions that were reversed when the decision of a later case rendered the previous ruling moot or reversed it due to changes in society. Others were reversed due to Amendments to the Constitution.
And that's pretty much it.

Even if the High Court is made up of nine far right, pro-life jurists, they could not simply choose to reverse the Roe v Wade decision.

You may have heard a clip from a previous debate when Gov. Romney was asked if he was President and Congress sent him a bill that would overturn Roe v Wade, would he sign it? The fact that he answered the question (or the fact that it was asked at all) shows a true ignorance of our system of law and justice. Congress can't send a bill that overturns the Constitutional rights as decided by the Supreme Court!

Electing pro-life legislators to write laws that overturn the decision or act in opposition to the decision is futile since they would be ruled as unconstitutional.

For pro-lifers that want to push legislation to limit abortions, you have to work within the confines of the decision. It doesn't matter if you disagree with the decision, it's all you have to work with. As medicine improves and viability moves earlier into the second trimester, laws should be pushed to restrict access according to the Ruling. This has been done on a few rare occasions and is the only real legislative answer.

Or you can push for a Constitutional Amendment.
You will need for 2/3 of the House and 2/3 of the Senate to agree on a proposal defining person-hood to send to the states for ratification. Thirty-eight of the fifty states would have to ratify it for it to become an Amendment.

When you consider that a person-hood amendment recently failed in Mississippi, I'd say it's a long shot.

I'm a realist.
I realize that this is as much a philosophical issue as it is a scientific or religious issue. The question is, When does the unborn child become an individual person with individual rights? I believe that if Christians want non-Christians to believe as they do, they are living a dream world. It is foolishness.

I choose not to waste my time on the futile arguments of the laws of the land and to share the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus. If you are a Christian that feels like pouring your money and time into the futility of electing officials that you expect to be some kind of religious leaders; have at it. And if you feel better for judging me, well ... go ahead, but you'll have to get in line.

I am not ignorant of the issues or how the system works. Within the Ruling--addressing the issues of poverty, providing birth control, providing birth options, and sharing the Hope found in Jesus; these are the ways to reduce abortions in the US. The real issue isn't whether abortions are legal or illegal. The issue is to keep them rare.


John <><

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Why Do I Write?

It has been nearly four weeks since I've posted anything at Out of My Hat.

I can't say that it's been because I've been too busy, although it has been a full month. Neither can I say that it's been because I haven't had anything to write about; there are always things to write about. I would use convenience as a part of my excuse as I generally carry a tablet with me now instead of my laptop and while I like the tablet for its size and convenience, I really don't care to write on it.

In the end, I guess it comes down to just not being committed to writing.

Last weekend was our monthly meeting of the Ozarks Chapter of American Christian Writers (OCACW). I took notes during the workshop portion and also while our guest was making her presentation. Not only did I get some ideas for future posts, but I was encouraged to look at why I write.

Although I have never written a book (and have only modest desires to do so), nor have I had any great experiences that the world must read about, I do have the occasional urge just to write. In a small way, writing is for me. I write as a way of ranting without getting into too much trouble. As my readership has grown, I'm less able to go on those unchecked rants and have to consider the effects of those rants on my readers and deal with the personal consequences as well.

However, I also write because I occasionally have something to say. I'm not certain that anybody wants to hear it, but there are many people that need to hear, none the less.

So what's the simple answer to the question -- Why do I write?
The answer I came up with at the meeting is -- Because my voice is too small.

Even with voice amplification (and many would say that's not necessary), the sound of my voice can only reach so many. Through blogging, writing books or brochures, or posting on other forums many people from around the globe can read both the meaningful and meaningless rants of a simple man in the Midwest of the US of A.

Perhaps it is time to be more purposeful about writing. I know that I've said that before, but I need the occasional kick in the shorts.

Here is one of the things that I need to address in blogging:
Writing from the Heart vs. Writing for the Market
Our guest speaker, author Tracey Bateman, spoke on this topic.

Okay, so maybe I'm not dealing with a "market" and I don't have anything to sell. But I do know that I have already cost myself opportunities to preach at churches because of some of the things that I believe and have written. Do I write from the heart and accept the consequences or do I bridle the pen (so to speak) and not risk offending the pastors and decision makers of both past and future speaking/preaching/performing opportunities?

I think it's rather funny (funny in the weird, sad sort of way not the ha ha sort of way) that I can always preach salvation in Jesus and Jesus alone and be unwelcome because we disagree in other areas of life. I suppose that a pastor is well within his authority to not invite me because he is a misguided Royals' fan and I am a Cardinal fan, but most people would view that as petty and question how that might affect my preached message. You could argue that politics may have a greater influence over one's biblical views and not invite a member of the "other" party to come to your church. But if they never preach politics and stick to the bible, does it matter?

Sometimes I wonder if our "religious" leaders ever realize how many people they disqualify from the kingdom because of their legalistic views. I suppose that many of you already know that you don't have to be an alcoholic to be looked down on (or even condemned) in most Southern Baptist churches; you just have to have an occasional alcoholic beverage. Being a Democrat is even worse. It's almost as if an eleventh commandment was inserted without my knowledge -- Thou shalt not vote for a  Democrat!

There are plenty of controversial social issues and world views that can be covered in a blog or a sermon and I suppose that it is fair that we are judged for our personal opinions.

So if you are in a judgmental mood, here are just a few of my personal opinions (beliefs):

When Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," I believe that He meant exactly that.

I believe that you can have a beer and still be a follower of Jesus.

I believe that you can be a Democrat and still be a follower of Jesus.

I believe that you can be an "American Christian" and not be a follower of Jesus.

I believe that there are as many Republican liars as there are Democratic liars.

I believe that a part of not having the religious beliefs of others imposed on me is that I can't impose my religious beliefs on them.

I believe that you cannot hate others in the name of Jesus.

I believe that we have all sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. (Rom 3:23)

I believe that even though we are sinners, God loves us. (Rom 5:8)

I believe that the price we pay for our sin is eternal separation from God--spiritual death.
I believe that God has given us a great gift in allowing His Son, Jesus to pay our sin debt. (Rom 6:23)

I believe that we can know that we have salvation in Jesus. (Rom 10:9-10)

Any questions?
John <><

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What Will You Talk About on Monday?

Sunday afternoon found me at Ozark Highlands Church  (OHC) to talk to a small group of followers of Jesus about sharing their faith. This was a day that I was really looking forward to.

I really love Pastor Mark and his heart for Jesus. I enjoy the conversations we have and sense his great love for our Lord and his concern for those that do not know Jesus.

In my post on The Downside of Bible Study, I mentioned about our lack of urgency to share the gospel with the people that we know and love and are living lives apart from Jesus. I wrote about our willingness to share about every facet of our lives except to tell people about our love for God and how He has blessed us and how He wants to bless them, too.

So I was wondering, dear Christian...
What will you talk about on Monday?

When somebody (co-worker, classmate, neighbor, friend) asks you about your weekend, how will you respond?
Will you tell the guy that doesn't care about football about your fantasy team?

Will you tell the woman that doesn't follow baseball about the Cardinal's mediocre weekend?
Will you complain about the weather or bore somebody with the details of your weekend when the truth is that they don't really care about your weekend? They are just asking you to start a conversation that will get to the point that you will ask them in return and they can bore you with what they did for the weekend.

I think that this Monday I'm going to tell them about the awesome church service we had at Hopedale. I think I'm going to tell them about the class I got to teach at OHC. I'm going to ask if they have a church home. I'm going to ask them about their relationship with Jesus.

If nobody asks me about my weekend, I'll guess that they've read this post and don't want to be bored with my weekend or answer my questions. If we are truly passionate about Jesus; if we truly love Him, then we need to include Him and the things we do for Him and because of Him in our daily lives and conversations.

Again today, I made the challenge for the people at OHC: Tell one person that you believe to be without Jesus these two simple sentences: God loves you. and Jesus died for you.

Would you care to join us?

John <><

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Sad, Bad, Mad.

I haven't posted in a while. I'm trying to refrain from writing when I feel like I might spill over into the political fray and cause more division than good. Even though this post might only skirt the political issues, it jumps into the religious crap with both high-booted feet!

I commented to my boss the other day that it makes me sad to think how often we have our flag at half staff these days. I mean it's good that we honor those that have given their lives serving our country; it's just sad that so many are making that sacrifice.

The latest violence against the USA seems to be much more organized that originally thought. Whether this is from riots over an offensive movie or from organized terrorist groups, it's definitely a bad deal for Americans in the Middle East. The outrage over the events of the past week seems to be misplaced and directed at the entire Muslim world. I've heard numerous sources (from members of Congress to individual citizens) that want to immediately flex our economic muscles and stop sending all aid to the Middle East countries.

I do have issues with the amount of money the US gives in the way of foreign aid. I sometimes want to bring all of our troops home until I realize that the oppressed of the world are counting on us. I know that the protesters and terrorists are a small minority of the populations of the Arab countries. I know that the ignorance of the freedoms that we enjoy is great in the nations that have never enjoyed these freedoms the way we have. I know that there are many citizens of those countries that have been very grateful to the US for the aid in helping the success of the Arab Spring movements.

I want to say that I'm a little mad over the religious hatred that I've heard from many that are Christians and are often toting the religious freedom banner. Truthfully, it doesn't surprise me and it makes me more sad than mad. If we abandon the people of the Middle East that are in desperate need of the Jesus that we profess, can we really claim to be His followers? Or is that Christianity thing just for Sunday mornings?

Do we want to base our perceptions of all Muslims on the actions of a few? Do we want to decide that they can all go to hell, and we're not going to have anything to do with them--including building a relationship that will allow us to talk about the differences in our beliefs and share Jesus with them?

Okay.
That's it.
Short vent.
Today.

John <><

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Questions on Sin...

First things first...

I know that there are a number of regular readers that never comment. That's okay, but I would really like for your feedback on this post. If you don't want your comments posted, just say so and I won't post them or you can send me a private message via Facebook or e-mail.

I also know that my readership has dropped off quite a bit in the past year. (Obviously there are a number of former readers that have decided that they no longer care to read my drivel. Not a big surprise.)
But since I'm interested to know how people of all different backgrounds and faith view sin, I'd ask you to share this post in hopes that I might receive a little bit more feedback.

Here are my questions:

What is sin?
     According to your own philosophy or belief, what is sin? How do you define it?

Are there different degrees of sin?
     Are some sins worse than others and who determines this?

How are sins punished and who administers the punishment?

How is sin reconciled?

And how do these beliefs guide you in the daily decisions of life?

I expect to have answers that describe sins against others, against society, against God (or some other supreme being). There may be responses dealing with karma or hell or reincarnation. I expect most answers to be some variant on Christianity's perspective.
I do not expect anybody to attack another's comments. It's not that kind of forum. I am asking for information to better understand how people of various backgrounds view this part of our world. Please participate and feel free to share your thoughts without fear of any push-back or disparaging remarks.

John <><

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