Conversations at the Ranch with Dudley Hall

The bedrock foundation of truth is the news that God has acted in grace. Our redeemed life is totally a gift and does its work only when it is received as a gift from God with no strings attached. 

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I’ve had several personal conversations recently that centered around questions and problems related to the doctrine of election. For centuries, Bible students have debated the Calvinist/Arminian positions regarding this precious doctrine. Whole denominations have been created because of a particular position, and, sadly, some Christian brothers and sisters have treated each other like enemies because of their inability to find common ground. This message is not trying to settle the propositional battle, but is an attempt to present the majestic perspective that we are His because we are chosen.

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There are some things that we can enjoy best in moderation. Ice cream is better if tasted in small bites rather than gorging. Wading in a cold mountain stream is better if taken by degrees. Other things require total commitment.

The gospel life is like that. It can’t be enjoyed in moderation. It is all or nothing.


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Humanity has a history of misidentifying reality and creating stories that often destroy millions of lives or lead societies down paths of fantasy and deception. Stories abound trying to explain the sounds we hear and the sights we observe. It is very confusing, unless there is an exclusive story that interprets the others and makes sense in the core of our being. There is! 

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Recent surveys reveal that 52% of American workers feel burn out, which has spiked during the Covid-19 era. A myriad of factors contribute to it, but an obvious one is the vulnerability of individualistic isolation. The old western civilization icon of the self- made, self-sufficient, enlightened human is being exposed as the fraud it has always been. Leaders in all spheres, including the church, are suffering from burn out, flame out, and fall out...
Yet shouldn’t Christ-followers pause long enough to ask if God’s assignments should lead to such depletion?

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The level of angst today in society in general and western civilization in particular suggests a deep longing for spiritual renewal and cultural reset. The people who believe that God acts in history in conjunction with the prayers of His people are engaging in prayer and asking: “What might a new awakening look like?” I offer a suggestion and a fervent hope: the kerygmatic option.

For more information about Kerygma Ventures, visit us at: www.KerygmaVentures.com

The war between truth and deception rages in our culture in such an obvious way that one must hide to keep from seeing it. Some may be so distracted by self-absorption that they don’t bother to notice the battle, but most are aware... and nervous. Never in the history of this nation has the intensity been so high. 

In Psalm 12, David describes the alarm we sense when accosted by the noise filling the air around us: “Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly; the faithful have disappeared from humankind. They utter lies to each other; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak...those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail; our lips are ourown—who is our master?” (Psalm 12:1-4 NRSV).

What are we seeing in these days? We can be sure that our God has not forgotten us or gone on a vacation. He is not quarantining in fear of being infected by COVID-19. He is acting to awaken His people to the real war that  is going on, and He is empowering them to wake up and shine as lights in a dark world.

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Storms should not surprise us when they come, yet we often find ourselves overwhelmed by their ferocity or rapidity. Like a child playing in the surf who is hit by an unexpected wave, before we can get up and wipe our face another one comes crashing in. Jesus predicted that storms would come into all of our lives, and that they would expose the foundations of what we are building. 

Jesus’ emphasis in this discourse was the necessity of building on “these words of mine.” All previous words from God had been partial and predictive. Jesus fulfilled the promises, prophecies, and predictions of the Old Testament spokesmen. His word is full and final. Building on anything less is certain foolishness. The storms of life serve to expose the false security we seem to accrue and the false theology we inevitably develop. 

The Christmas trees had many packages piled underneath for days before the big day. Now the floor is empty except for a few gifts left for family or friends who haven’t gotten theirs yet. Wouldn’t it be a shame if we left the big one with our name on it unopened - admired and anticipated, but left untouched? What if it contained the last will and testament of a rich uncle who left enough money to pay all of our obligations and secure our financial 

future, and we just left it there while continuing to live under the daily stress of crushing debt? Sadly, this is happening with the biggest gift ever given. Salvation is a big package and includes benefits most have never even conceived. Unopened, it neither blesses the Giver nor the receiver. This is what the Apostle Paul is addressing in Philippians 2:1- 13. He says that if something is in the package, open and use it.