Overflowing Hope 180 Dr. James D. Allen

Culture generally is ahead of politicians; politicians follow polls reflecting culture. Most politicians seem to be more like thermometers rather than thermostats. That is why same-sex marriage was becoming more accepted before politicians embraced it. Many who embrace it today didn't embrace it just seven years ago. One of the cultural issues today is that it is interested in demolishing norms. Norms are values or expectations that are enforced by society. The problem with the culture today in the United States is that it proposes no norms except for one: The rejection of all current norms and the establishment of a new normality defined by the acceptance of all things. You hear this expressed lightly and jokily as in, "Well, what is normal?" In other words, everything is within the normal category. How else could a politician in Michigan recently state that she believes drag queens are fun and should be in every school. In context, it was admittedly an exaggerated statement, but in what context would it be a good statement?Motivation--Encouragement--Inspiration Support the show https://jestasiam.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

Motivation--Encouragement--Inspiration Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

Come On, Man, Leather Boots?I listened to a devotion this morning by my friend Bishop David Thomas. He discussed the danger of being so divided that we don't love and respect others. Indeed, we all may have different opinions about politics, religion, and many other things; however, Jesus didn't say we only were to love those who agree with us. That certainly would be a lot easier than loving my neighbor as myself. People can become so filled with animosity toward a political party or individual that they even make a story about the boots a person wears at the scene of a tragedy. Come on, Man—leather boots are not news, it only reveals your heart. Motivation--Encouragement--Inspiration Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

Ash Wednesday is a day many in the church call for repentance and renewed dedication to God and one another. It is a day of reflection and evaluation of our fallen nature, our prideful actions, our sin against God and others, and a general attitude turned toward God. There may be ashes on the forehead, but smoldering ashes must also be in the heart. Ashes represent those things that have bogged us down and clouded our vision of God and others. Forgiveness is always uneven. What do I mean by that? Forgiveness is not a tik-for-tik kind of settlement but is more a tik for tot or tat. A person may ask for and not understand the total pain of their actions. Our receiving of forgiveness from God is always more than we deserve. I have often been asked why we must forgive others if they don't acknowledge how they have wronged us since even God requires we repent to receive forgiveness? The answer to this question is at the heart of uneven forgiveness. Motivation--Encouragement--Inspiration Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

The HeGetsUs Controversy—The Jesus we Rarely SeeI have now watched several of the 30-second commercials from HeGetsUs. A couple of them made me uncomfortable, but I still saw them as good at reaching out to the lost and hurting. I especially like the one with the children.  Jesus allowed the little children to come to him when the disciples tried to stop them. Some friends and ministers I respect have had serious questions about the ads. Some have immediately taken a hostile attitude about the ads, calling them heretical and a different Jesus. Suggesting the commercials deliver a different Jesus is the number one complaint. It is the same Jesus, but a side of Him we rarely see.I believe the primary reason people object to the ads is that Jesus is too Human. The Scriptures teach us that Jesus came into this world with a human body. Jesus, like all of us, was born of a woman. Of course, He was born of a Virgin and by the seed of the Holy Spirit. The idea of God himself condescending to such a low position is beyond our comprehension. We may have chosen a castle, not a manger. We may have chosen to come full-grown and demanding repentance. We may have come demonstrating our power and our divinity and putting the fear of God into a world in sin. We may have come demanding that humankind bow their knee before us. Why? That is precisely the Jesus we are looking forward to coming—as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, coming as the lion. We get this.It is Jesus as human, the lamb, the sacrifice, the one who understands ALL our pain, insecurities, sins, blunders, fears, hopes, dreams, evil thoughts, evil actions, and evil intent. Yet, He comprehends and is touched by them without any sin himself. Scripture is clear that Jesus is 100% God and 100%-man God with us, and God as us. Here is where we need to see the humanity of Jesus. Jesus was a man. He tired. He sweats. He became angry. He got hungry and thirsty. He even had to step aside to relieve himself by the bushes of the drink and the food he had digested, just as the disciples did. This is where we get uncomfortable with the humanity of Jesus; our focus is constantly on his God nature.The HeGetsUs ads have reminded us, perhaps in an uncomfortable way, of the Jesus who came to this world, the Lamb. Jesus came not to condemn but to save. He didn't stone the woman caught in adultery. He didn't ask the woman at the well to get married. He didn't run from the leper. He didn't kill the Pharisees for their high-handedness and blasphemy. He even received a thief on the cross who did not understand what was happening around him. He opened his heart to the hurting, the confused, the doubting, the poor, the rich, the hopeless, and to all that would receive him or listen to him.Most churches in America have neglected the humanity of Jesus. In other words, that which God meant as a communication link to us has been mostly ignored.  Yes, he is also God. However, he came to earth to present God as a human. He divested himself of the King's robes to wear humanity's skin. Why? The prophets were not being heard, so God sent his son as one of us to communicate the Gospel of hope. Jesus came as God with us so that we could see God's love for us. We have all but forgotten the human nature of Jesus as we are caught up with his deity, yet his humanity brought us to the cross. It was his perfect and sinless humanity that atoned for our sins. I might add that his humanity touched my heart of loneliness as an airman overseas and brought me to his divine nature that saved me.I am convinced that these ads reveal the Jesus many churches have hidden, the Jesus who loves humankind and came that we might learnMotivation--Encouragement--Inspiration Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

As church leaders, we are called to minister to all and to have good order in the church. Good order, of course, implies direction and even discipline. Working with people is the greatest gift God has given us as leaders and the most challenging. More than once, Moses was ready to give it up and even blamed God for the people He gave him. It sounds little different than Adam blaming God for the woman He gave him. Working with people is one of the greatest challenges of church leadership. People, including leaders, at times, are moody, pouty, irreverent, nasty, hypocritical, nice, loving, faithful, brave, courageous, and bold. (Those who are older hear the Wyatt Earp theme song.

Some observations about the past and a path to the future. Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

Some things can be changed yesterday through forgiveness! Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

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Every marriage needs ESP.   Emotional  SpiritualPhysical            checkup  https://jamesdallen.com Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

I have been young and I have been old Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

Tell your children             You are my child              I love you              I am proud of youSupport the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

Prayer can go through 3 good stages and end up in a fourth stage that is heretical.Support the show

Culture generally is ahead of politicians; politicians follow polls reflecting culture. Most politicians seem to be more like thermometers rather than thermostats. That is why same-sex marriage was becoming more accepted before politicians embraced it. Many who embrace it today didn't embrace it just seven years ago. One of the cultural issues today is that it is interested in demolishing norms. Norms are values or expectations that are enforced by society. The problem with the culture today in the United States is that it proposes no norms except for one: The rejection of all current norms and the establishment of a new normality defined by the acceptance of all things. How else could a politician in Michigan recently state that she believes drag queens are fun and should be in every school. In context, it was admittedly an exaggerated statement, but in what context would it be a good statement?Support the show

God will help you with your problems.  Don't try to do everything on your own.  There are some things only God can do.Support the show

NASTY, HATE, Words, disrespect, Just Shut Up, Calm DownSupport the show

Prodigal Son Financed His Trip with the Father's MoneySupport the show

Hope often precedes faith!  Can we build an atmosphere of Hope?Support the show

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There is always hope!Support the show

The Voice of DepressionSupport the show

I woke up one morning to a cloudy soaking rain kinda day.  One of those days in the Midwest Fall that you just want to crawl back under the covers and stay.  A day you want to chalk it up for zero, nada, zip, just get it over with kinda day.  As I lay there, I started thinking about life and death issues.  Great for a rainy day, right?!  I asked myself===Are you closer to Heaven, yet further from God?  Being a retired pastor and over 70, I know I am in the fourth quarter.  I am closer to leaving this planet than I ever have been before.  I guess all of us are.Support the show

The Nation is divided, but peace is found in God.Support the show

Paul is telling us to not only guard our thoughts but also to guard our speech.  What we think and what we say affects us.  But it is so difficult to do this.  Remember, this is not something done in a week, not a sprint, not even a marathon; it is a lifelong journey with guideposts along the way and markers that demonstrate your progress.A little girl was frightened by a large barking dog, and her daddy came and picked her up in his arms.  The dog ran away.  The daddy said the dog is gone, honey; he is not barking now.  The little girl said, I know daddy, but he is still barking inside me.  Isn't that the truth?  Things that happened to us weeks, months, or even years ago can keep barking on the inside.Support the show

Welcome again. If you missed the first episode in this series, The Voice of Depression, it would be good to check it out after this podcast. This is a series on the Voice of Depression, Anxiety, Anger, Forgiveness, etc.  Depression, technically, is a mood disorder. Depression can be mild to critical, and it can be related to our circumstances or due to some chemical imbalance that needs the care of a physician. Some of what is called depression today are just the blues. We are not speaking of being down for a few days, this is normal in our stressful life. Depression can come because of a loss of a job, sickness, a divorce, loss of a loved one or friend, and many other losses or changes in your life. Being down for a time is common and is situated in the loss and what it means for you. Other losses may be more sudden and therefore more traumatic; for instance, a spouse leaving without a clue, an accident that takes away a loved one, the loss of a child, and many others. We can often see it in a person's eyes—Eyes that once sparkled and danced with expectancy now blankly stare as dark stones reflecting the harshness of life.Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

Depression is Real. Depression hurts. Depression is not easily explained but is deeply felt. Depression is not someone wanting attention. Depression turns goodness upside down. Depression dispels joy and robs of laughter. Depression is more than being blue. Depression is not my fault. How can I pull myself up by my bootstraps when I can't even reach UP to my bootstraps? When all I see is darkness, how do I turn around and head down the correct path? Your words are arrows in my heart! They are the fiery darts of the enemy. You have taken depression's quiver, and arrow by arrow, you rip pieces of my heart and drop my soul to the ground. Sometimes these arrows are fired from the pulpit of a well-meaning pastor, but immature. She only wants attention. He needs to be a man and get up. She is weak. God is not the author of confusion. Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

The Answer to this QUESTION is not up for debate, discussion, or compromise! This seems to be the status and standing of many, if not most, on social media. It is the ALL OR NOTHING politics of the left and the right. It is also the ALL OR NOTHING stand of some Christians. This stand has pushed the left to the ridiculously dangerous and the right to a precarious heterodoxy. How can we reason together, share logically, and bring forth arguments on both sides of an issue with the ridiculous and the heterodox firing rapid rounds at us? Even the universities, which should be the guardian of debate, have eliminated any gray areas to discuss. They have established their canon law, and it is finished. We who would hunger for a chance to speak with passion, love, and logic and hear others do the same are assigned to bunkers out of the earshot of the warring parties. It is fear that silences the logical mass.   Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

Join me in the imaginary city of Polis.  It sounds a lot like where we live today.  Maybe we can learn something about pride.Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

Now beyond the political to a more serious question for Christians:  Are we as Christians creating our own world, or are we making the world better? We understand that God has called us to love our neighbors, do good to those who hate us, be salt, be light, be a fruitful vine, help others, and impact the world by reaching people with the Gospel. We also understand that we have been called out of the world into the Church and are to grow in discipline, grace, knowledge, love, and our ability to edify one another. We think we are doing well with the latter, but are we? Wouldn't we see more outreach if the church was growing in grace, love, etc.? Wouldn't we see more energy placed in helping others instead of isolating others and categorizing them by their sin?Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

THE TRUTHDIVIDE IN AMERICANo one in the United States should state that we are truly united. This lack of unity has come because of extreme political views, verbal and visceral attacks, non-integration, and a lack of acceptance of some migrant groups, religious animosity, local cultural environments, the influence of billionaires, slanted angry cable news, and more. We know that an attack from outside can quickly bring us together as it did with 9-11; however, we don't want a war to bring us together in our homeland. No nation can thrive or even survive without a degree of unity in morality, purpose, patriotism, respect, integrity, sacrifice, and truth.  Support the show https://jamesdallen.comInspiration, Motivation, Encouragement

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