Living Big in Christ Ministries

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John Piper: Bloodlines Documentary Trailer from Crossway on Vimeo.

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There are times in every person’s life when we come to serious obstacles. I’m not talking about a broken fingernail or stubbed toe. I’m talking about issues that can damage the soul and destroy your productive life.

In any large city you can find individuals on the street whose souls have been seriously damaged. All of us have damaged souls. In the natural, as we age, our bodies at some point in time will begin to show wear and tear. Our bodies are a wasting asset, like a car. Each year our human frame depreciates in value. For some of us it’s our knees, or wrist, or feet, or eyes that have taken the brunt of wear and tear. The human soul is no different.

I’m going to use the term soul to point to or as a marker for an important aspect our being. Specifically, it will mark out our psychological faculty, a very valuable piece of real estate. Jesus states it plainly.

What do you benefit if you gain the whole world and lose your soul. Is anything worth more than your soul? (Mathew 16:26)

The word lose in the Greek text is associate with phrases such as suffer damage, or entering into considerable hardship or suffering.

Fortunately, or unfortunately I usually don’t pay much attention to the Christian event calendar. I tend to have to strain to remember the Holy Days or holidays. That said, I purposefully stepped past Christmas, which I rarely celebrate, and began to focus on the new year.

Perhaps you’re hoping like me for this year to be one of new beginnings. In 2012 Let’s BE the right PEOPLE, IN the right PLACE, AT the right TIME, WITH the right ATTITUDE.

I am the right person, because I am fully committed.
I’m all in.
I’m in the right place, because I refuse to move.
I was sent there.
I’m at the right time, because I strive to be on time.
God is never late.
I have the right attitude, because I’m willing to risk it all.
I believe HIS promises.

attitude, new year

Psalm 90 and verse 12 reads, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”

With every passing day and year I have to acknowledge that life is really brief.

Every choice that I make, needs to be accompanied with the sound of a ticking clock, counting down the minutes and seconds till my departure from the body.

We are coming to the end of another year, and need to position ourselves for growth in wisdom so that every minute and second is used correctly.

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The God of the bible delights in justice and has brought it to the earth. Justice is about fairness and about doing what is right.

I enjoy being treated with fairness in the marketplaces. I like being treated with fairness by my bank, my auto mechanic, and boss. It is nice to be treated with fairness even though I am not in a position to grant someone a favour.

Psalm 103:6 The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

Let me challenge you to give the gift of fairness this Christmas. My question to you is: “In what way this coming week can you intervene to help the oppressed?”

If you have just gotten a pay raised, don’t brag about it. If you’re heading off to a sunny, warm destination for the holidays keep it a secret. However, I would encourage you to heed the words of the prophet Jeremiah and brag that our God is always fair in whatever he does.

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The book of Leviticus introduces 6 offerings that speak of 3 specific needs in the life of a worshiper of Christ.

1. Burnt offering – expression of commitment to God
2. Grain or meal offering – dedication to the Lord
3. Drink offering – dedication to the Lord
4. Peace (fellowship) offering – communion with God
5. Sin offering – cleansing from sin
6. Guilt (trespass) offering – freedom from guilt

We have a need to express commitment to God, communion with God, and cleansing from God.

Unfortunately, the offerings couldn’t change a person’s heart or take away sin. Yet, time and time again, in the Book of Leviticus, God promises that the process would not only purify and make a person right with God, but also lead to forgiveness.

Leviticus 4:26

26 Then he must burn all the goat’s fat on the altar, just as he does with the peace offering. Through this process, the priest will purify the leader from his sin, making him right with the LORD, and he will be forgiven. 

The process and all the sacrifices were a preview of what Christ would do for us.

Hebrews 10: 8-10  reads
8 First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses).

9 Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect.

10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. 

Although Christ is the final sacrifice, we too participate in His everlasting act through thankfulness.

Psalm 50:14
14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.

We also participate in the sacrificial system that leads to purification through brokenness:

Psalms 51:17
 17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Moreover, an attention to social justice within our sphere of influence is important as well.

Isaiah 1:17
17 Learn to do good. Seek justice.  Help the oppressed.  Defend the cause of orphans.  Fight for the rights of widows.

The prophet Micah speaks to the

Micah 6:8

8 No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you:  to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

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Chandler, Horton, Keller on How to Disagree from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

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