Christian living

Does Jesus Really Take Away All My Shame?

Lisa Spencer20 Comments

suffering and griefI’m about to get real…and honest. If you’re looking for a nicely packaged, sweet-smelling pretty Christianity, you won’t find it in this post. I’ve actually been wanting to write this post for awhile but couldn’t quite put a solid structure on it. But thanks to a couple of articles that have come across my radar awhile back and an article and unfortunate discussion thread I saw today, I was reminded of this post that sat as a draft for a couple of months. So I thought it was time to address something that I experience on a regular basis and know that pollyanna puffy cloud or otherwise trite formulas don’t quite cover it.

I came across this article a couple of months ago from the Resurgence blog, Jesus Over Shame. Jen Smidt writes of her battle with shame that she finally stuck a flag in the ground and marked that territory with Jesus.

If you are carrying the weight of shame, Jesus is calling you to give that burden to him and rest in the new identity he has given you. Because of shame, you may feel unqualified to speak truth into areas where you have influence. Whether you’re a Bible teacher, a neighbor, an employee, or a stay-at-home mom, you lead others. Don’t allow shame to silence you, but instead live in the freedom of Jesus’ grace, which eradicates shame. Don’t use shame to motivate yourself or those you lead. Point people to Jesus, who conquered shame.

Christian, from this day forward, choose Jesus over shame, every time.

That’s sounds quite simple, doesn’t it? After all, Scripture tells us that “there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ” (Romans 8:1). And we must take serious that our sin debt has been paid by the one time sacrifice on the cross (Heb. 10:13). And my personal favorite, “he has cancelled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands” (Col 2:15). In Christ, we are certainly new creations (2 Cor. 5:21). Continue reading →

Seed of the Apostles

Lisa SpencerLeave a comment

grain in bagThe past several Sunday sermons have been going through the book of Acts. Last Sunday was Acts 4:32-37. As the sermon so convinctingly emphasized the idea of dedication of our gifts and resources to the body of Christ, I couldn’t help but note the stark contrast to how this passage would be written according to philosophy of seed and harvest that is so prevalent today. I imagine it would go something like this;

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul and every one said that the things that belonged to them were a result of the seed they had planted. So they shared this in common. And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the blessings of the Lord Jesus and the great favor that was granted them because of the seed they sowed. There was not a needy person among them because they all had planted a seed by laying it at the apostles feet so the apostles could proclaim the favor that fell upon them and proclaim the anointing of those who fell at their feet.  Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and took the money as his seed and laid it at the apostles’ feet so he could reap a harvest.

Um, no…and note the difference of what it actually says Continue reading →

Championship Christianity

Lisa Spencer3 Comments

lebron-holding-up-trophyTony Stone posted this article on Reformed African-American Network lamenting Christians’ lack of discernment over rapper Kendrick Lamar’s verse in the Big Sean’s song, Control. Now I confess that I don’t follow hip-hop much and was unaware of the controversy. But apparently, the song is being construed as an exhortation for rappers to improve their game.

I’m important like the pope/I’m a muslim on pork/I’m Makaveli’s offspring, I’m the king of New York King of the Coast, one hand, I juggle them both

Stone observes that Christians are joining in the promotion of the song without much discernment and consequently, advocating for an attitude of boastfulness

Kendrick was simply being boastful. I know, we all want to herald “good art” and acknowledge God’s common grace in skillfulness present all throughout the world, but “good art” is never a cause to be muted on our grief over sinful boasting. Do we mourn over our own sinful boasting? And should we not mourn over sinful boasting in all the world?

Christians are joining the chorus of the world and saying, ‘Wow, rappers are being challenged to get better in their craft because of Kendrick’s verse!’ as if the advance of culture is spearheaded by bragging and boasting. Babel is a tower built on human boastfulness. New Jerusalem is a city built on the suffering of Jesus Christ. Boasting about the greatness of your skills does not represent progress in culture. This world is inevitably moving towards God’s glory, and His kingdom will come and will be done.

Kendrick Lamar’s verse is out of touch with reality.

Sadly, he is right both about the attitude and the lack of discernment regarding it, thinking that having a boastful attitude is a sign of being victorious.

But I am not surprised… Continue reading →

Christian Life in the Fast Line

Lisa SpencerLeave a comment

highway fast laneThere is a sentiment that  I hear crop up from time to time expressed from Christians and it goes something like this: don’t let others slow you down, don’t get behind people that aren’t moving. I gather from this sentiment something that looks like a highway and in the Christian life, its best to be in the fast lane. If somebody’s blocking traffic, go around them. You’re on a mission and need to move to get to where God is taking you. Christian life in the fast lane.

One problem: this is antithetical to the Christian life. When God calls us into the body of Christ it is for the purpose of being a body, growing together in the Lord. Running around other Christians to get where you’re going is not the one-anothering, bearing each other burdens, love for other that should mark our representation of Christ.

Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ [to love others as self] (Gal 6:2)

If the Christian life is a highway, it is best to remember there are others on the road with us. No doubt there times when we are in the fast lane. But it also means at times getting in the slow lane or even pulling off the road to help someone whose broken down on the side of it.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others. (Phil. 2:3-4)

Deliver Us From Deliverance: Magic Wands and Maturity

Lisa Spencer5 Comments

Kneeling Altar CallWhen I came home the other day, I found a card stuck in my door from a local church. The church was advertising a deliverance prayer meeting. I kind of smirked. Not that I didn’t appreciate the intent behind the motives. The motives are good – addressing sin and struggles, to walk in the way of the Lord. However, the problem is that it is supposed that by bringing whatever ails us to the altar, that automatically sets our sanctification straight. This is especially true if there is some heavy emotion involved. I have heard this far too often, because of emotional altar experiences, that person has been delivered and set free.

But how do we know this? The only way to tell if a person has been delivered and set free, so to speak, is that they show it. And by delivered and set free, it typically means behavior, issues or thinking that are contrary to Scripture.  I actually think the language should be revamped (what would this even mean to the unchurched?). We are already delivered and set free in Christ (Col. 1:13-14). The problem is that our Christian walk may not automatically align with this reality. Prayer is good and needed, definitely. But alignment takes time and opportunity. It takes being confronted with situations that would bring out sinful or choices.

The truth is that sanctification is a process. Growing up in Christ is a process.  We don’t get there with a magic bullet of altar crying but by a transference of affections from self to Christ and a transformation of thinking that complies to His Lordship.  While I do acknowledge there are times, when we are jolted out of patterns of bad behavior or thinking, for the most part it is trek through peaks, valleys, deserts, and fire. There are ups and downs, failures and victories on the path of progressive sanctification. Continue reading →