Yet Another Reason I Listen to Christian Rap...Enjoy the Gospel.

Meet Shai Linne, who raps on the Lampmode record label.  He is yet another reason why I hardly listen to anything other than hymns and Christian rap.  Shai Linne proclaims the gospel clearly, passionately, and unashamedly.  Here is just a snap-shot of his ministry.  I would highly suggest buying all of his albums.  Not only will they encourage worship, but they also communicate theology and doctrine in a lyrical way.  Enjoy!

Dodge Ball only Leads to Death.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they immediately responded in at least four notable ways.  First, they felt shame.  They “knew that they were naked” (Gen 3:7).  Second, in order to alleviate the shame, “they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths” (3:7).  In other words, in independence, they tried to fix what they had just broken.  Third, they hid from God (3:8).  And fourth, they blamed someone else for their actions (3:12-13).  Adam blamed Eve (and even God!).  Eve blamed the serpent.

Ever since the fall, humanity has been inclined to the same shame, independence, hiding and blame that our first parents practiced in the Garden. If we think about it, these four actions are not too far from our own everyday human experience.  And since we all do these things, it makes that human experience all the more difficult. 

Have you ever broken something valuable and instead of confessing, you tried to superglue it back together?  See the “try-to-fix-it-shame-game.”  Have you ever been wronged by someone only to have them never return your calls, or answer your texts?  See hiding game.  Can you remember a time when you were late to a meeting because you overslept only to tell your boss that “traffic was horrible” or “my wife didn’t leave me any gas in the car” or “when I stepped outside, I was met by a swarm of killer love-bugs, who then proceeded to torment me for the deaths of all of their distant cousins…and I couldn’t deny it…the evidence was on my windshield!” See the blame game.

These tendencies make relationships flat out hard.  How many times have arguments lingered for hours because one spouse (or both) blames his sin on the other spouse?  My counseling buddy in Jackson used to call this marital dodge-ball.  When one spouse points out sin in the other, the other then proceeds to point out the other’s sins. We dodge the real issue by trying to fix it ourselves.  We dodge confronting the issue by hiding and refusing to repent and confess our wrongs. We blame others for our trespasses and refuse to take ownership of what we have done. 

And on and on it goes, each person “dodging” the issue altogether.  Sin is never dealt with – it is never killed.  This is dangerous as all four of these are like fertilizer to sin.  Shame, independence, hiding and blame all make sin stronger, not weaker.  The longer it lingers, the more power it gains to destroy.

The only remedy is the gospel.  How so?  First, the gospel makes us unashamed.  Knowing that we are fully accepted before God, and that Christ has forgiven all of the trespasses that brought us shame, we can look our neighbor straight in the eye and say, “I am ashamed of my sins.  I tried for so long to fix them; but I couldn’t.  I’m sorry.  Christ, has taken my sins and has given me his righteousness.” 

Second, the gospel liberates us from trying to fix our problem with God – namely, our own sin.  Christ has taken our sin upon Himself.  God has punished that sin upon the Cross.  It is finished.  I cannot do more to remedy my situation than what Christ has already done.  This is Christian liberty.  This is grace.

Third, the gospel empowers us to walk in the light and not hide in the darkness.  Sin is best dealt with in the light.  We cannot remedy it ourselves (see above).  We need help.  We need a Savior.  So when a brother or sister in Christ confronts our sin, we confess it and get it all out on the table.  We then see what it looks like to have someone bear with us; to have someone forgive us; to have some one accept us, while we are yet sinners.  The gospel gives us courage to confess; for confessed sin give more occasion to grow closer than farther away from the Body of our Lord.

Last, the gospel puts an end to the blame game.  When we understand that sin is ours, then we can understand more fully that Christ died for US and for OUR sin.  When we blame, what we really say is that the other person needs a Savior, we don’t.  But when we take ownership of our sin, through repentance and faith, then we are owned by Christ.  

Saying More Than, "Stop That!"

Most of us have lived with addiction, either being an addict ourselves or having an addict relationally close to us.  We have experienced the roller coaster of "being clean", binging, lying, stealing, forgiving, rejoicing, and falling again.  How many times do we forgive is a significant question, along with how we forgive.  We want to see the person restored, but we do not want to enable either.  And when the tension becomes to much for us, we scream, "Stop doing that! Please!"

To our minds, the addict is afflicting so much pain so that they can experience whatever high they are living for.  Justice makes the verdict simple - they are selfish.  Mercy is almost impossible.  To introduce both (justice and mercy) is to introduce the Cross of Christ...sacrifice...selflessness...and even death.  So what are we to do?  The gospel is the only answer.  Death to addiction in another demands death in us.  We must loose our life.  

Our expectations must place in relation to Christ our Lord.  The gospel does not deliver according to our "fast-food" demands.  Patience is not a common strength in our day.  We cannot expect to share the gospel with someone enslaved to sin and see an immediate life change.  Sin lingers.  The gospel, remember, grows from the inside out; and it does so slowly.  If we would like to see a good example of this process, we need only look in the mirror.  And we must also remember that trees that grow quickly also break easily.

Understanding sin must be seen in the "gospel-light."  We plant seeds, trusting that God will bring His work about.  But the seed is sown deeper than the person's actions.  The gospel is deeper than, "Stop that."  It rather, goes into the heart, saying, "Why are you doing that?"  Sure, they may stop.  But as an old theologian once said, "Satan will gladly relieve a cold in order to give cancer."  The gospel doesn't replace idols, it slays them.

If sin is like a cold, bringing a remedy is more complex than saying to the person, "Stop sneezing!"  That would be ridiculous.  Rather, we find out what is going on inside.  There is an infection.  There is a distortion and deficiency in their immune system.  We dive deeper...to the root...and work to have it out. We don't like doing this.  Digging to the root demands getting dirty.  It demands strength, patience, and endurance.

And when the root is found, the gospel must be applied there.  It is at the root where the throat of sin must be cut.  But you cannot expect the tree to fall immediately.  It may continue to live for a while.  Other roots may need cutting.  The root may even regrow.  As Christians, we stay close, waiting, watching, relentlessly killing sin in ourselves and others.  We are a people with dirty hands, but with hearts cleansed by grace.  We are not afraid to get nasty.   We live to look like our Master, who first became gross before He was glorified; Who died in order that we may live.

Understanding why a person sins is costly.  We must get to know them more (not less).  We must understand their heart more (not less).  We must be in their life more (not less).  We must die to ourselves more (not less).  We have to understand that we, too, are just as sinful (not less).  We must understand that they need grace (like us).  We must feel the life-giving liberty of Christ (before we can give it).  The Gospel is for every person (not a few).  We are all in the same boat.  We are all addicts and are in need of more instruction than merely, "Stop that."

Do I Have to Have Sex with My Spouse Whenever They Ask?

Here is a great video that answers (or begins to answer) a question that is asked by many spouses.  I personally love the ministry at CCEF.



(HT: Challies)

Full of It.

It is a simple truth we all are familiar with.  If you are not busy living, you are busy dying.  Every January, memberships in local gyms almost quadruple, only to see a drastic decline by March.  We've all done it (probably).  We work out for a few weeks, begin to see some changes in our quality of life and physique, only to see it all go away the second we take a "break."  Life almost seems to afford no breaks.  If we stop breathing...we die.

Essential to the biblical worldview is the denial of a neutral ground.  Modern (and Post-modern) man hates the sound of this tune - as his fabrication of neutrality affords him life without responsibility and accountability.  He is a "blank slate" you see...and must approach the "idea" of divinity with an open mind.  To him, there are many gods (or not); and it would be irresponsible not to give them all an equal look.  Once gaining enough evidence to be reasonably convinced, he will decide which god is worthy of trust and belief - or, if the concept should be rejected altogether.

John Locke (an empiricist from Britain...not from LOST!) may still influence the air our world breaths, but as Christians, we have long stopped breathing - we are dead to this world.   We breath the fresh air of Scripture, which, with profound clarity and authority, states that there is no such neutral ground.  Man, by his very nature, is a worshipper.  He either worships (through joyful glorification) the God who created him; or he worships the creature/creation.  It is impossible not to worship.

Again, there is no neutral (non-worshipping) ground.  Man is not created as a "blank slate," but as the very image of God - endowed with knowledge, righteousness and holiness.  Man doesn't need to gain more facts to make a decision about God, he needs God to understand and make right decisions regarding facts!  As St. Augustine said, "We must believe in order to understand, not understand in order to believe."

Just as human is born male or female, so is he born a worshiper of the Triune God.  If he does not, he lives contrary to nature (which is the height of unrighteousness), and thus dies.

So, as we live, we live unto God.  Sundays will not do as the only times we set aside for the worship of God.  Christ is the Lord of our life - all of it.  I love this quote from Lovelace:

One of the first effects of spiritual decline among the people of God is destructive enculturation, saturation with the godless culture of the surrounding world as we saw in Judges 2:11-13.  When men's hearts are not full of God, they become full of the world around like a sponge full of clear water that has been squeezed empty and thrown into a mud puddle.  Only the fullness of Christ's life and the transformation of our minds by the renewing action of the Holy Spirit illuminating the whole counsel of God can effectively prevent this conformity to the world (Romans 12:2).


What does all of this mean?  It simply means that if we, as a people, are living segmented lives, treating Sundays or even personal devotions as our only "God-time" (all other times being spiritually neutral), then we are like men and women who decide to eat only a few healthy meals per month.  The rest of the time we are consuming donuts at best, while fogging our minds with any narcotic we can get our hands on.  We are famished, lethargic, unreasonable, and even criminal.

It is my prayer that we all understand the truth behind Lovelace's words.  As sponges, let us be absorbing the pure water of the Word, and not the muddy puddles of the world.  Life so that the preacher who offers your eulogy will do so with deep conviction saying that we were full of God, and not that we were full of "it" - whatever that "it" might be.

Buy It...Now! REHAB.

Rehab

Nostalgia, Depression, and the Day...How Christian Hope Changes Everything!

As I was leaving Starbucks this morning, I stopped for a moment to entertain a fond memory.  For some reason, the chill in the air coupled with the taste of my favorite coffee took me back to my seminary days when some of my best friends and I would study long hours at the “Bux.” I wanted to laugh again with Adam.  I wanted to talk apologetics with Stevo.  I wanted to hear El’s voice and just give him a hug.  I wanted to watch Jeremy’s face as he savored a Pumpkin Spice Latte (those who know Jeremy know what I’m talking about). 

Those were some really good days, and for a moment, I wanted them back. And for another moment, I felt a depression in my gut after coming to grips with the fact that those days are history – never to be experienced outside of my memory again.  I can’t have them back.  They must take their right place in my life and savored as great blessings from a good God.  They are shadows (Col 2:17) – a mere taste of what awaits us, the saints, in glory.

I think it is human to cherish the best of what has been and to long for the great things that await us in the future.  It’s the reason we take pictures.  It’s the reason we get excited about that upcoming vacation.  There are periods of time that bring peace and comfort to our being; and while we are in the midst of them, we typically busy ourselves with the dread of knowing that this, too, will end.  Soon, it will be a picture…a memory.  Soon, it will be history. 

There are reasons why “all good things come to an end.”  There is a reason why good things are like bites of chocolate cake – hitting the tongue, savored for a moment, and then gone into the belly.  Here are a few reasons that come to mind:

First, good things are merely shadows; and all shadows change and relocate being dependent on the position of the Sun.  In other words, we are a wilderness people, on the move, and forbidden to settle down.  Sure, we set up shop for a time, but the Sun will soon move. We must follow. Seasons change.  If we stay where the shadow was, we will experience great discomfort, viz. sunburn.  If we stay in the winter, the summer heat will get the best of us.

Those who “over-desire” the past or future, settle there or “set their minds” on such things.  People who live in the past are usually depressed.  Why wouldn’t they be?  What they long for is impossible to have!  And those who live in the future are usually anxious and ridden with fear.  Why wouldn’t they be?  What they long for is contingent upon things that are outside of their control and thus may never happen!

Second, shadows are not to be cherished, but only the Substance.  The depression that I felt this morning, and often feel after being drunk with nostalgia, drives me to Christ, my Ultimate Satisfaction. Those who find comfort and protection in the shadow shouldn’t love the shadow (though they enjoy it), but the Tree that provides it.  Similarly, it is okay to remember the past with great joy.  Its okay to find pleasure in the present, and to get excited about future events.  But we must never love them more than the One who provides them.  The Giver gets the glory – the gift does not.

Third, over-desiring things (and times) that are not designed to last produces misery.  The good news is that misery drives us to movement and will only be relieved by Christ.  I cannot be separated from my Lord.  Time or geography does not have the power to produces statements like, “Remember when I used to live with Christ in Mississippi?  Man!  Those where the good days!”  Rather, He is with us always in a loving relationship that will never end!

Fourth, I can honestly say that I don’t really long for things that I had in the past.  I do, however, long for the relationships.  Therefore, this leads me to cherish the relationships in life rather than things or possessions.  This must be why “storing up treasures in heaven” is directly correlated to “loving your neighbor as yourself.”

Last, this makes me long for glory.  Christian hope makes the fleeting nature of good things bearable.  Our hope is what makes earthly (or wilderness) relationships worth the effort and investment.  When we pour our lives into another human being, we do so with a certain knowledge that this relationship will never end!  Have you ever thought of that? 

Those who have no hope find little reason to love at all.  They avoid relationships and lovers because they know all too well the inevitability of the end.  But Christians, though they die – they live (John 11:25-27).  There will be no end to the friendships which are founded upon the Rock.  By faith, we set our minds on a past Event – the Cross of Christ.  And in hope, we set our minds on that Day when we will appear with Him in glory.  Until then, we love God and neighbor – under the shadow of His benevolent wing. 

So, as I was driving to work, I thought to myself, “I’m going to laugh with Adam, learn with Stevo, talk to Elbert, and savor Pumpkin Spice latte’s with Jeremy (I think – why wouldn’t something so delicious be in heaven!), in Christ, forever.  I have no idea how that’s going to work itself out – God does.  And when that Day comes, “we will have no less days to sing our God’s praise than when we had first begun" - in Jackson, Mississippi, at the Bux!