by admin | Aug 1, 2024 | Behind the Bucking Chutes
By Scott Hilgendorff / Cowboys of the Cross
The more we believe false information, especially across social media, the more we miss what is really going on and the more we miss a chance to reach others for Jesus.
This most often applies to major news-making issues like the election, or a mass shooting or other issues that we become divided on. It’s an actual fact that foreign governments have even employed people knowledgeable of our language and culture whose job it is to make fake memes and posts to fuel our conflicts with each other. Division makes us weaker. Other people fan the flames simply for the sport of it it, sitting back and watching controversial made up stories go viral and people freaking out about it or celebrating it if they think it represents a victory for them. Some of these posts come straight from satire sites that don’t even hide that what they wrote was only made to sound believable and yet we share it as truth anyway.
But Christians, this is where I need you to hear me. In the rodeo and western industries, the public sees us as standing up for “God and country.” People see us representing truth and freedom but they watch us and they see us post content they, themselves know not to be true and we lose all our credibility with them.
We need to be trustworthy people. We have just a few main jobs to do when our hope is in Jesus and our salvation is secure in a saving faith in him. First and foremost is to share the gospel and make disciples. Among others is loving everyone including our enemies while living a life that honors and glorifies God who made a way for us to be free of His judgment and punishment of our sins. When instead of sharing the gospel, we share information that isn’t true, we lose our credibility among the people who don’t know Jesus. They need to be able to believe us when we tell them of the consequences they’ll face for their unrepentant, unforgiven sin. Instead, they see us at best as gullible or at worst, intentionally dishonest. It’s easy to be fooled by the false content that’s out there and it’s getting even easier; especially when it’s something we are passionate about like many of us are about the election. Let’s make sure we find even more passion for our pursuit of Jesus, allowing our saving faith in him to be what motivates and changes us.
Ephesians 4:25-27 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.
All of Chapter 4 is worth reading a few times to see some of what the Bible tells us should be showing up in our lives as we grow in our faith.
by admin | Jun 30, 2022 | Strengthening Your Grip
By Jesse Horton / Cowboys of the Cross
Last week, a monumental decision was made: The Supreme Court of the United States voted to overturn its 1973 decision in the Roe v. Wade case. The 1973 decision struck down a ban on abortions enacted by the state of Texas, effectively legalizing abortion in every state. In other words, abortion was made a federal issue and taken out of the hands of the states to determine how they would operate with respect to the issue. For nearly five decades since, every state has been forced not only to allow abortive procedures, but even to fund them as part of “women’s health and reproductive services.” That meant that the tax dollars collected from those who take any exception, religious or otherwise, to the procedure of abortion were being used to fund organizations that performed abortions. The federal government took away the voice of the people of each state; last week, they corrected this error.
Pro-lifers across the U.S. are celebrating this victory for the unborn while lamenting the millions of aborted lives that could have been prevented had we held the sanctity of life in higher esteem (even in the exceptional cases for which it was presented like rape, incest, etc.) 50 years ago. At the same time, pro-choice advocates are protesting the decision, concerned about women whose lives and health might be at risk due to pregnancy, wondering how they will find and afford the care they need.
The events and attention to the situation has even had the rodeo cowboy crowd speaking up about it.
Some in the greater Christian community, have asked why they aren’t seeing an outward celebration from all the pastors and church leaders they know; why aren’t they visibly happy about this decision? Some are even condemning faith-leaders who have not openly rejoiced over this monumental victory. Let me explain to you why I rejoice personally but not openly.
In our celebrations, I’ve seen people who claim the name of Christ act childishly toward all who are pro-abortion, like a school-yard bully who was held back a grade beating kids a year younger than they are in a basketball game. I’ve seen those who claim to be recipients of grace judge and condemn supporters of abortion to the fires of hell. I’ve even seen preachers being pitted against “this evil world”; you know…the one God so loved that he gave his only Son.
Why am I not openly celebrating? Because I’m ashamed of how many of my brothers and sisters have behaved in this victory, and I don’t want to be a part of that kind of celebration. I don’t want to be a part of increasing the divide between left and right, between pro-choice and pro-life. I don’t want to be the reason someone sees all Christians as ungracious, judgmental, and condemning. Is the overturn of Roe v. Wade a huge victory? Yes! But as many celebrate this victory obnoxiously, they prove to those who consider it a loss why Christianity is not for them. We are NOT in a battle against this evil world nor the unbelievers in it! We are in a battle FOR this evil world against the devil and his demons, that their souls might be delivered from depraved thinking and so the final judgment of God and the fires of hell by the renewal of their minds through the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and they will never see that when we cannot be gracious victors, choosing instead to stand over the “losers” making fun of them and condemning them.
Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Our battle is not against the evil world, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Celebrate, but be gracious. Many from the world will be called to repentance by the grace of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, but they will not be drawn to repentance by judgmental, condemning, “turn or burn” messages. They will be saved by grace through faith, the same as we have been. Be a part of showing them God’s amazing, abundant, redeeming, restoring, transforming grace!
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