Christian living

How to be Blessed by the Lord

Lisa Spencer9 Comments

man standing on rockNo doubt, I bet that title alone will pique the curiosity of the average Christian. That is what we want to know, right? How do I get my blessings so I can live my life like a victorious Christian. In fact, I think in general, we are so hungry to gain earn God’s favor, to feel like we’re doing the right thing and rise above our circumstances that might hinder what God has for us. And we can become so motivated by this pursuit that we reject anything or anyone that contradicts it.

This is an observation I’ve made that comes with this type of pursuit. So I know I’m not speaking to all Christians. But if your interest is how to be blessed to live your Christian life, then you have overlooked some vital issues related to the Christian faith. Now I bet just saying that has turned you off. But before you check out, please hear me out.

Christians are already blessed by the Lord because of their relationship to Christ. Also, Christians do not have to earn favor. Favor is nothing but the undeserved merit called grace which the Father has poured out through Christ. The reason I know that is because scripture tells me so. Now you may find Bible reading only profitable for what you can gain out of it so you can be successful. You may even read it through your own lens and gloss over the parts you find boring that don’t satisfy your quest to be blessed.

But in doing so you are overlooking exactly what the Bible is, God’s breathed out word that ultimately and sufficiently speaks of the Son and those who are united to Him through faith (2 Timothy 3:14-17). It is not a faith that compels us to live in pursuit of blessings but to see how God has already acted and spoken (2 Peter 1:16-21). That is why it is vital to see the Old Testament as what would ultimately be fulfilled in Christ based on the promises of God, the Law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17; Galatians 3:10-14). That is why it’s important to see the gospels and Acts as showing how that fulfillment takes places. It is important to see the epistles as the testimony to that ultimate fulfillment. And finally, look at how everything will be wrapped up in the end through the book of Revelation. Continue reading →

Christians and Halloween: Let Each Be Convicted in Their Own Mind

Lisa SpencerLeave a comment

Should Christians avoid Halloween, turn the lights out and shun it as evil? Isn’t it afterall a celebration of darkness given its roots? Don’t its historic roots matter? This is something I was taught for years. I avoided it but admittedly went through some angst when my son was little. The more I wrestled with the issue, the more I realized that what was celebrated today was removed from whatever it once may have been. Nor did this have any meaning to little kids knocking on my door looking for candy. And so many cute costumes, too.

By the time I heard this lecture below by Dr. Mark Young, an overseas missionary for many years, former DTS professor in cross-cultural studies and current president of Denver Seminary, it pretty much confirmed why I have no problem with Halloween.

He makes a good case I think. But I’ve also come to learn that some Christians cannot disassociate the holiday from evil and so choose not to participate. I’ve come to learn that I should not encourage them in any way to do that for to do so, might cause them to stumble. Continue reading →

Yes, God DOES Give Us More Than We Can Bear

Lisa Spencer2 Comments

God has not given us more than we can handle. Have you heard that or even said it? It’s commonly taken from this verse

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

My friend Miguel Labrador had some intriguing things to say in a FB post about the use of this verse to mean we won’t be given more than we can handle.

‘God will give you more than YOU can handle.’ Stop telling people that He won’t. First, it’s NOT biblical. Second your erroneous use of the verses that idea comes from (1 Corinthians 10:13) is not even talking about that. Your scripture application FAIL actually hurts people. Check out what Paul says; “For we do not want you to be unaware, brethern, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life, indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so many great a peril of death, and will deliver us. He on whom we have set our hope. And He will deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:8-10). He will give you more that YOU can handle. Because he stands ready to listen to your heartfelt cries of desperation and weakness.

I think he is right. Now Miguel and his wife Claudia serve as missionaries in Ecuador and no doubt have encountered times of tremendous hardship.  They know what I’m sure many Christians have encountered, that God does give us more than we can handle at times. But it’s in those times of weakness that we turn to God for strength. Hear what Paul says also further in 2 Corinthians;

Most gladly therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am content with weakness, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

It’s the strength of the Lord that carries us through times when it it too much too handle. And we will encounter those times.

Thank you Miguel for reminding me of this today.

The Smallness of Doing Big Things for God

Lisa Spencer8 Comments

This is a common theme I’ve heard in Evangelicalism- do big things for God. Typically what it translates into doing something that will impact people on a large scale, which naturally leads to a focus on notoriety about accomplishments. And this is something I’ve become increasingly aware of and disturbed by. We applaud those are in the limelight because of some grand accomplishment and marvel at their success.

An underlying problem that I think fuels this mentality is that contemporary Evangelicalism has capitulated to the American dream success culture. Mega-churches, grand accomplishments, celebrity pastors with book deals and media attention serve as the gauge of how success is measured. We are attracted to this type of success because maybe it shows how much we’re winning at doing Christianity.

So what does this do to average Joe Christian who will never see this type of notoriety? You know, the person who just goes about living their life and serving God the best way they can? Would it not create an impression that he or she is not doing big things for God, that they are not doing enough? I bet it would. It minimizes their contributions to the body of Christ. Continue reading →

A Gospel Poem

Lisa SpencerLeave a comment

I confess, I’ve felt a little overwhelmed the past couple of days. No, not the kind of schedule overwhelm that typically pinches me from time to time given all the balls I’m juggling. But the sense that I’m not doing enough, not achieving enough, not loving enough, not giving enough, not faithful enough and so on and so on for the kingdom.  But I realized that of course I don’t and you don’t either dear Christian. Because as long as we’re looking at our efforts and what we do and don’t do, we’ll miss the beauty of the gospel that breathes life into our Christian existence. And that btw, is based on what the Father did through his Son and continues by the Spirit. The gospel gives us rest from need to trust in our accomplishments. So I sketched this poem together this morning to remind me that we need the gospel every day.

The gospel is needed every day

Since relying on me I will fail in some way

It tells me He did what I could not achieve

That progress is made when I trust and believe

Not trust in my efforts to earn any praise

But looking to Him for the rest of my days

For by grace we are saved that He constantly gives

The same grace that helps us through this life we must live

So cease your self-striving and in Him abide

Knowing He sits at the Father’s right side.

“Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” – Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30)