You Know, it is the Strangest Thing. I had all these Thoughts of Posts that I was going to do and yet as I Sit here and the Christmas Music Plays in the Background, I Realize that Politics and Christmas are Two Entirely Different Moods and I just Can't Keep Throwing Christmas Off and Focusing on the Political. It Just Doesn't Feel Right to do so.
Even the Links that I was Going to give you Relating to Extremism just don't Feel Right to me Right Now. You can Find these Links on Dave's Blog at The War on Extremism. One is in the Post itself and the Other is in the Comment Section; a Link Left by BB-Idaho. At Least one of the Themes Mentioned is how Extremism can Even be Present in the Churches and this Prevents us from Really Hearing and Responding Lovingly Towards those who have Differing Opinions than Our Own. I was Going to Comment even Further on these Two Links, yet the Mood of it is Confrontational and though I do not Believe that Confrontations are Wrong, Christmas is more a Time of Unity, rather than Confrontation, so I Find Myself Putting all Sorts of Things Off During the Holidays.
Perhaps the Entire Christmas Season is a Time For Celebration and Peace. Perhaps it is a Good Time for Peace and not Conflict, Truce and not Argument. And as to the Church, Perhaps it is a time to Focus in on what we Agree on, rather than what Brings Conflict Between us.
The Pastor Gave a Rather Interesting Message Today. He was Suggesting that we Find 7 People that we Know to not be Christians and Write the Following Words in the Card.
"This Year I would Like you to Walk with me down the Romans Road to Receive the Perfect Gift of the Season."
"Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-10, Revelation 3:20, John 3:16"
That's it. That's the Entire Message. He Suggested not Even Quoting the Verses, but just Allowing those who Receive the Cards to Go Get a Bible and Look these Verses Up and so that is all I'm Going to do here as well. I guess if Questions Come Up, I Will Answer them in the Comment Section and may Even Type Out the Quotes Eventually. I'll just See how the Lord Leads.
All I Want to say for Now, though, about these Verses is that they not Only Describe the Perfect Gift of the Season, but also the Central Theme of Christianity and that which We Agree on. So my Message for Today is Let's Focus on what we Agree on and if any of you Feel so Inspired, you Might Even Consider doing that which My Pastor has Suggested.
Perhaps I should Add that There is One Other Message that the Pastor Gave that was Interesting. He Does a Short Spontaneous Sermon for the Kids in Response to an Object that they give him. The Object today was a Frog and here is what he Said about it.
Apparently, when you Shine a Light on Frogs then Freeze and do not Jump, yet when the Light is Turned Off or Removed, the Frogs will Jump Right Up into your Face. This is a Good Illustration of how it is with God. If we Keep Our Eyes Focused on the Lord (The Light), we will be more Calm and will not Offend, yet when we Get Our Eyes Off of the Him, that is when we Jump Up into People's Faces and this does not Accomplish much Other then Offense.
So Let's Try to Focus on Love and Peace this Season and may you all have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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Well, I didn't Get much of a Response on this One and yet that is Actually Quite Common when I Post Something Spiritual. I'm not sure why that is, only that it is.
Here is a More Complete Description of the Romans Road and what it is. As you can see, there are actually a lot more Verses than what my Pastor Mentioned.
What is the Romans Road?
My Inclination now is to Go Through and Analyze what my Pastor Included and what he did not. As you who have been Following me should Know by now, I have a Tendency to Like to Analyze Everything. Stay Tuned if you are Interested.
The Theme of this Post, though, is not just the Salvation Message, but also to those who Already Believe, Don't be Pushy and Don't be so Black and White and/or Extreme. Read the Linked Articles Mentioned in the Post, in Order to see what I Mean.
Perhaps a better approach, than the one your pastor suggested, would be this...
What if we, as the church, took and entire year and walked alongside our non Christian friends in a non judgmental, non teaching manner, simply to learn and understand them better, sharing their hopes, dreams, successes, and failures.
Maybe this would say more to them than all the sharing of the Romans Road we could possibly do.
I am just thinkin' here.
But I really do like your thought that this could be a time to focus on what unites us, as opposed to what separates us...
Thanks so Much for Responding, Dave. Once in Awhile, I Feel Inspired and at Times even Led to Post Something Spiritual and yet when I do, Everything Falls Silent and No One Comments.
I guess this is Partly because there are Atheists, as well as those who Follow other Religions that Follow my Blog and Most of my Followers are probably more Political, than Spiritual, yet Even So, Occasionally God Moves me to be Spiritual and so I Obey the Inspiration.
I Really do Like your Thoughts, though, Dave.
Sometimes I Feel Frustrated that the Church is as Focused on Evangelism as they are and the Reason why is because I do not Feel that I am that Good at it. One of the Reasons that I did want to Do Some Analyzing of some of the Basic Evangelism Approaches is because I do Need to Come Up with an Approach that at Least Somewhat Works for me.
I have a Tendency at Times to Use Verses that Other's Don't. One of my Favorites is 2 Corinthians 3:6...
"Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."
It is a Good One for those who have Left the Church because of Legalism and Judgmental Attitudes, because it Basically States that that is not what the Church is Supposed to be About and that the Emphasis should always be on Relationship, rather than Law.
Christmas trees-
I can remember back to WWII
when I was just a tyke. Was fascinated with a real
tree..indoors...with shiny tinsel. Odd, now several decades later, we still put up a REAL tree. Odd also, from a non-religious
standpoint, Christmas is a time of year when people
cheer up and mellow out:
something we should probably do much more often.
Hi BB,
I guess I should do another Christmas Post. This One is Sort of more on the Spiritual Side. I was Actually Sort of Hoping for a Discussion about Black and White, or even Pushiness, in Relation to not Only the Sharing of Ideas in General, but also in Relation to what us Christians Call the Sharing of the Gospel. I know that there are some of Us that Get Carried Away with our Pushiness and End Up Turning People Off to the Message.
Here's the Thing, and this doesn't just have to do with Things such as the Romans Road, but as I Said, Ideas in General. One Person (Republican, Democrat, Pro-Abortion, Pro-Life, Christian, Etc.) is Obnoxious and Rude and then those from the Other Point of View are Defensive from that point on.
Sometimes I Think that when it Comes to Religion, this is Even more so, than with Politics. One Person is Very Rudely Judgmental and then from that Point on, all a Person has to do is Express Disagreement and/or State their Opposing Opinion and that is Viewed as Judgmental and there is no Longer the Freedom to Freely Express One's Opinion and it just seems to me that People are Like this in Relation to Religion more so than with anything Else.
Ok. Maybe that isn't what your Comment is about and yet it is more in Line with what this Post is About.
The Christmas Tree is Actually a Pagan Tradition that the Christians Borrowed and it doesn't Actually have anything to do with the the Real Meaning of the Holiday, yet that is not the Part of your Comment that the Most Interests me. Stand by for another Post, BB, and than Perhaps we can just Talk Casually about the Christmas Season.
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