Director's Desk

Changing Times

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Tue, 3 Jan 2012 22:37:00 -0500

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John Piper Interviews Rick Warren

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sat, 28 May 2011 18:48:00 -0400

What is Docetism?

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 12:04:00 -0400

Did God really appear in human form or was it just an illusion?

In response to those who question the humanity of the Christ, the writer of 1 John states in chapter 4:

4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. (ESV)

The above was written as a direct response to arguments that sought to distort the nature of Jesus. In my opinion, the teachings of the Docetist is a response to a cultural view of divinity. Gods don't suffer. Yet the bible declares that Jesus was 100% God and 100% man at the same time.

Philippians 2:3-8 declares Christ's humanity and divinity:

3 Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

4 Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,

8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. (New Living Translation)

Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch is credited with this poem:

Very Flesh, yet Spirit too;
Uncreated, and yet born;
God-and-Man in One agreed,
Very-Life-in-Death indeed,
Fruit of God and Mary's seed
At once impassible and torn
By pain and suffering here below:
Jesus Christ, whom as our Lord we know.

The prophet Isaiah wrote of The Christ as the suffering servant:

53:1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

Core Values - Part 1

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sat, 8 May 2010 18:19:00 -0400

We study the scriptures, listen to the preaching and teaching of the word in order to bring about an internal cultural shift.

I’d like to focus on one aspect of culture that the spirit of the living God is shifting. I’m going to use the word values to label the specific aspect of culture that will be my focus in the next couple of post.

The word “values” has an easy definition. It simply means what’s important to you and is an abstract idea. It does not possess mass, texture, shape or color.

However, you can see your values by examining the choices you make each day of each week.

There is another idea called core values that is relevant. Core values is simply what’s important to you in times of stress. What we choose to do when times are great, may not be what we do under duress.

An important core value is honesty. Specifically, I want to talk about honesty in the context of our economic dealings.

I’d like to turn to 2 passages in the Old Testament that articulate God’s view point on honesty in business-customer relations. It would seem strange that a lofty God would be concerned with the mundane economic issues of life. He is. In fact there are many passages in the bible that give instructions on honesty in our economic dealings. We will look at 2, one in Leviticus and the other in Deuteronomy.

Leviticus 19:35-36
“You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. 36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Jacob Milgrom in his book titled Leviticus writes:

“Values are what Leviticus is all about. They pervade every chapter and almost every verse.”
When I read that first statement in Jacob Milgrom’s book, my first reaction was “what, that can’t be”. And I’m sure that most of you who are familiar with the Old Testament book of Leviticus would probably think of it as containing specific instructions on performing rituals, sacrifices and even handling cases of religious impurity.

However, Jacob Milgrom suggests that as we read Leviticus we should keep an open ear to the subtext of every ritual or sacrificial instructions.

In his words, Leviticus contains “an intricate web of values that purports to model how we should relate to God and to one another.”

Leviticus 19:35-36, then, conveys an ageless principle of fairness. A 10 lb bag should be 10 and not 8lbs. I think most importantly, in the context of an Employer-employee relation, we should always be attuned to doing a fair days labour. We should never play hide-and-seek, but step up to the plate and give what is right.

Deuteronomy 25:13-16 echoes similar principles with a twist.

13 “You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small. 14 You shall not have in your house two kinds of measures, a large and a small. 15 A full and fair weight you shall have, a full and fair measure you shall have, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 16 For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are an abomination to the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy labels individuals who act dishonestly as an abomination to the Lord. That’s a very strong word.

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:49:00 -0400

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

²³ Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Psychologist estimate that up to 77% of what we hear and see throughout our day is negative. Negative thought, negative attitude, negative words, negative drift will weaken your innermost being to the point where what God has designed to sustain your life does not function as it should. Faith in Christ and practicing the teachings of Jesus will set you on a path to function properly. I want to function properly.

I love action and adventure films. I love the feeling that a bit of adrenaline brings. It’s a great kick to my sympathetic nervous system. There’s nothing like an epinephrine rush. Epinephrine is another name for adrenaline, a natural god given substance that prepares our bodies to fight or run when faced with danger. But on another level I am personally getting tired of drinking in the violence that sometimes goes hand-in hand with that genre. I’m at the point where I just don’t need to handle one more gun play, murder or torture event. Do I really need to drink that in.

The spirit of God will make you aware of the things that affect us over time. The proper rule of thumb probably could be phrased: “If its negative, run from it.” It’s like being exposed to low doses, low levels of radiation. Over time exposure to negative words, events, frameworks damages the soul, even defiles the spirit.

It is possible to be aware of the thought patterns, ideas and concepts that bombard our innermost being like exposure to low doses of radiation. It is possible to be very selective about what we allow in and out of our heart. Guard your heart and be diligent about it.

The most dangerous time during commercial or even non commercial flight is take-off and landing. Landing an aircraft requires diligence. There is no room for error. Error means fatalities. That’s the attitude we need to have when it comes to our heart.

There is nothing magical or spooky about the act of guard or keeping ones heart. It is about being intentional with what we listen to, read, speak and watch.

When you have experienced a loss, one must be even more diligent in guarding your heart.

Emotional Stability - Definition

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:13:00 -0500

Let’s encapsulate a definition of the construct or idea of emotional stability in the bounds of an analogy that most of us who drive can identify with.

Imagine yourself seated behind the wheel of automobile on a sunny mid-afternoon in the fall. You are making your way through the Colorado Rockies. On this leg of the journey, the roadway enters a sharp 7% decent. You release your foot from the gas pedal ready to apply the brake in order to maintain your decent at the legal limit of 70.

Emotional stability is like the idea that when you are descending a hill or mountain you take your foot off the gas and use the brakes of the car to manage your speed.

In life, emotional stability is a decision that you make ahead of time to use brakes when faced with a decent or to give gas when faced with an uphill struggle.

From a Christian view point, emotional stability is built on peace. The living God provides us with a precious resource called peace and it is our responsibility to manifest that peace in our emotions at all time and everywhere.

Romans 5:1 (NIV) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Prophetic Worship Conference

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sat, 5 Dec 2009 22:00:00 -0500

2 Anbetungskonferenz - Prophetic worshipconference 2 from Ben Andi on Vimeo.

Prophetischer Gottesdienst während Anbetungskonferenz - Very prophetic and anointed service during our worshipconference with/mit Francois Botes

Being in Tune with God

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sun, 4 Jan 2009 09:15:00 -0500

Psalm 19:7-9 (Eugene H. Peterson's Message)

The revelation of God is whole
and pulls our lives together.

The signposts of God are clear
and point out the right road.

The life-maps of God are right,
showing the way to joy.

The directions of God are plain
and easy on the eyes.

God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,
with a lifetime guarantee.

The decisions of God are accurate
down to the nth degree.

Christianity is fundamentally an interactive relationship between God and people. God is neither a concept nor a doctrine. He is a Person. Through the sacrificial death of Jesus or Nazareth, who is the Christ, God brings everyone into communion.

If you have believed on the message of The Christ then you are in a position to participate in the ongoing work of Christ.

There are a variety of media through which the all wise God speaks or interacts with people. Christianity is fundamentally an interactive relationship between God and people. We need to be intune to God's guidance.

Being in tune is not automatic. You can be around the Christ, his Church and things that constitute the kingdom such as the preaching of the Word and yet miss out God's guidance.

The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.

Let's regard for a moment The Woman with the issue of blood in order to catch a glimpse of what it means for someone to be in tune. We will use the account found in the book of Luke chapter 8.

In that passage
Jesus has just returned to Galilee from the country of the Gerasenes in which he released a man from strong demon possession. Awaiting him on the shores of Galilee was a very large crowd of people. Let's pick up the story in Luke 8 from verse 41

Luke 8:41-47 EMTV
(41) And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a leader of the synagogue. And falling at the feet of Jesus, he was imploring Him to enter into his house,

(42) for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He was going, the crowds were pressing against Him. (in the original Greek, the word translated pressing – carries with it the image of something being strangled completely or drowned)
As Jesus is making his way to the home of Jairus, he is completely surround by a sea of people. His passage was being strangled or drown by people who were amazed by Jesus' presence. Lets continue with verse 43

(43) Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who though she had spent her whole livelihood on physicians, was not able to be healed by anyone,

(44) approaching from behind, touched the hem of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.

(45) And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the crowds are pressing You hard and crowding You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'

(46) But Jesus said, "Someone touched Me, for I perceived that power has gone out from Me."

There were hundreds of people pressing up against Christ as he made his way to the home of Jairus. They were in physical contact with him, yet only one person reached out and touched him in such as way that he in surprise exclaimed “Who touched me”. Who drew upon my miracle working power. In the midst of a teeming throng, Jesus felt God's ability, meaning, power and might flow from him.

There were many people in close proximity to Him, but only one person placed herself in tune with God's strength.

I want you to imagine yourself in that teeming mass of persons. You are one of those who are as it were pressing against Him, strangling his way. Would you be amazed or simply glad to see him? Or perhaps would you have been like the Woman with the issue of blood and placed yourself in tune with God's ability, meaning, power and might.

Every time you kneel in prayer or attend a service you must decide whether you will just be one of the crowd or like the woman with the issue of blood.

You must decide whether you will place yourself in tune with God's ability.

I have always refused to go to Church on Sunday or a Wednesday and simply sit through the service. We must entry the house of God with expectation that we can receive our portion of might, ability and meaning that flows through the preaching of the word and the testimony of the saints. We have been adopted by Christ to walk in great spiritual blessings. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Church at Ephesus:

Ephesians 1:3 KJVR
(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Life is unfair and dangerous. But let me encourage you to actively pursue a state of “in tuneness” with God's largess.” God's spiritual blessing.

Being in tune with Christ pulls our lives together. Regardless of the state of relationships in your home, Be in tune with the fact that God's ability is able to keep you sane. The power of God can pull your life together.

Not only will it pull our life together but also allow us to see the signposts of God and take the right road, the right job, marry the right someone.

Strive to be in tune with God on your job in whatever position you are called to give service.
His ability will enable you to engage in conversations that bring the power of God to bear on the issues of life.

Christ and Pop Culture

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:11:00 -0500

I came across a post today at Christ and Pop Culture that discusses the idea of merchandising Christianity. Here's an excerpt.

In general, most brands and labels promote either purely commercial enterprises (Nike), or some form of entertainment (the L.A. Dodgers, U2). In either case, the thing being promoted is only superficially important, if at all. As much as a person might love a band or a sports team, by promoting them on a tee-shirt they are saying more about their choice in entertainment, who/what they spend money on, and what cultural sub-groups they identify with than what their worldview is or what beliefs they hold. Of course, there are exceptions, but I believe that for most people a label or brand represents little more than an identifier of taste in entertainment and perhaps a fashion statement.

In addition, slogans, labels, and brands lack any significant power to persuade people of the truthfulness, quality, or goodness of the thing being represented; all they really tell us is that the thing is popular. In a political race, bumper stickers can be used to “demonstrate” the popularity of a candidate. The argument goes, “If so many people are willing to put a sticker on their bumper to support this candidate, he must be worth electing.” Labels, brands, and slogans are more often than not only an identifier of the choices we’ve made as consumers and our tastes. Additionally, the only real persuasive power they have is to convince us that the thing/idea is popular. With these concepts in mind, lets look at the effect of prompting a Christian worldview.

First, we should note that the primary purpose of brands and labels is to promote, while the goal of the Great Commission is to share the good news. We are called to share a deep, honest, and often times offensive truth in the Gospel. This kind of content is in stark contrast to the methods of conveying ideas found in advertisements, which are shallow, deceptive, and ear-tickling. Remember, we are not trying to dupe customers into buying our product over other products. Since the main purpose behind branding and labels is to promote, and we are not called to promote Christianity, on this point, at least, we should question the rightness of Christian branding.

Click here to read the whole article from Christ and Pop Culture called- Wearing Our Faith: the Purpose and Effectiveness of Bumper Stickers and Christian Clothes

Rick Warren: Living A Life Of Purpose

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:56:00 -0500

If the video does not work, click the link below to view te video on it page.

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/71

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sat, 1 Dec 2007 02:12:00 -0500

Romans 1:20-22 (New International Version)
20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.

The passage pictures a time when men had the knowledge of God. Mankind had in their possession truths about the invisible qualities of the author of life.

Paul tells us that the response of mankind to the evidence of God's existence was a choice not to worship him or give thanks. Romans 1:21 tells us that the reward of an ungrateful heart is futile thinking and a darkened heart.

Gratitude is a powerful and indispensable aid to your own mental health.

In the original language the word futile indicates that the expected results were not achieved.

A mind that is ungrateful will always bring about futile thinking, which implies going no where. It implies going in circles. Around and around: with no clear direction or destination.

Just as physical fitness can keep our bodies strong and healthy, mental fitness helps us to achieve and sustain a state of good mental health.

When we are mentally healthy, we are able to enjoy our life and the people in it. The God who created you has left us strong words of advice on how to enjoy our life, our environment and the people in it.

Phi 4:11-13 KJVR
(11) Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
(12) I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
(13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Just To Be Close To You

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 06:57:00 -0400

Sowing The Gospel

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 21:21:00 -0400

A farmer can’t just toss seeds on the ground and hope for the best. He has to prepare the soil, turning it over, breaking up the hard places and sifting it. The same is true in your heart. You need to break up the hard places if you want to see spiritual growth.

Accepted

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sat, 8 Sep 2007 16:20:00 -0400

Have you ever walked into a room and felt uncomfortable; perhaps felt distant from the people in the room?

Is there a sense of distance with the brethren in your church or is there sense of distance with a specific individual?

Are you uncomfortable or nervous about approaching your boss or persons in authority?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions then your behaviour is being motivated by something other than acceptance.

If acceptance were a place, we would find at its perimeter rejection, condemnation, and their offsprings separation and isolation.

Rejection comes in many forms - racism, sexism and discrimination (denying someone equal treatment). Fear of Rejection is a driving force that can prevent you from being an authentic human being. Condemnation is poison to any relationship.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Rejection and condemnation breeds separation and isolation.

Acceptance says, “You are okay now even though you haven’t reached your goal”

Acceptance is not about overlooking acts of disobedience or condoning brethren who have given themselves over to a pattern of sin that leads to death.

1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I write to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of [Christian] brother if he is known to be guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater [whose soul is devoted to any object that usurps the place of God], or is a person with a foul tongue [railing, abusing, reviling, slandering], or is a drunkard or a swindler or a robber. [No] you must not so much as eat with such a person.

Acceptance will cause you to function in your gift effectively:
1Samuel 18:5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

The world craves for acceptance. People will pretend to be important in order to gain acceptance. Christiand crave acceptance. Paul wrote the Corinthian church that he was labouring in order to be accepted of Jesus.

2Corinthians 5:9 Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

Paul wasn't putting the cart befre the horse.

Our works don't bring God's acceptance. If we have eaten of the spiritual meat and drunk of the spiritual drink we are accepted. Our acceptance by God in the beloved frees us to do acceptable things.

I am motivated by my acceptance in Christ.

Here are some tips to help you walk in acceptance.

Stop striving with people and Stop complaining about other people’s short coming; understand that you have a finite view of things; acknowledge right now that you don’t know what is best for yourself and much less others

Commit to bringing every part of yourself into your house of worship. Bring your complaints about other people’s shortcomings to the God of all flesh: and invite his transforming power to soak your being so that you might give acceptance to those around you. Perhaps you have lost faith. Maybe you are filled with rage, or disdain. It could be that there is an undercurrent of the desire for revenge. Don’t leave it at the door but come to God with it and seek His peace for it.

If there is a place where you don’t fit in then start accepting people

Behave yourself wisely as David did:
1Samuel 18:5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

Amen!

Who Am I - Casting Crowns

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sat, 1 Sep 2007 17:10:00 -0400

Here I am To Worship

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 19:38:00 -0400

The Smell of Sin

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Wed, 1 Aug 2007 00:08:00 -0400

Sin has a odor.

Individuals who have been involved in waring with spiritual powers involved in the principal of sexual immorality often report the smell of rotten eggs.

There is an odor to sin. There is an odor to righteousness.
Exodus 30 tells us that worship involved the use of anointing oil and incense made according to the art of a perfumer. There was to be a distinctive smell to right worship.

Ask God to help you become sensitive to the smell of sin and to exude the perfume of right worship. Amen

He is God Alone - Marvin Sapp

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:06:00 -0400

What an Anointing! What Praise!

Be Thankful

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 04:56:00 -0400

Philippians 1 verse 12 to 14 reads:

12Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

Bad things happen to good people.
Am I right or am I wrong? Yes I'm right.

When bad things happen I need only to know one thing:

Will it advance the gospel?

The knowledge of the purpose of an event (bad or good) comes by the Holy Spirit himself. In the midst of your bad thing, ask the Lord in prayer if it will advance the gospel.

If your ability to sense the leading of the spirit is off due to intense emotions, here is a litmus test:

What attitude is required of you to overcome?

Let's say it another way:

What manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit will the situation require from you in order for you to go through without losing your mind?

Whether through word or deed, seek to advance the gospel. Amen

Hossana - Hillsong

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 17:29:00 -0400

Living a Life of No Regrets

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 15:12:00 -0400

If you were to look back in your past, is there some event or someone that you strongly wish you had handled differently?

In the late 60’s (69) Frank Sinatra came out with an album called My Way. And that album contained a very seductive signature hit single with the same name: “My Way”; - The song `My Way`` spent a record 124 weeks on the singles chart.

On a whole the is a song with it’s catchy phrase Ì did it My Way`` glorifies self-will. It glorifies a defiant resistant to guidance; a stubborn persistence in going one’s own way

The Bible clearly teaches that we have the power of choice.
Every individual has the ability to choose their own words, to decide what their actions will be. For the most part, we all have a faculty of self-determination in the sense that we select our own thoughts, words, and deeds. Man is free to choose what he prefers, what he desires. We are all responsible for our own moral behaviour.

Mat 12:33 AMP
(33) Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit.

Matthew 12:33 clearly teaches that a sound tree will bear sound fruit. Let’s say it this way, a sound life will bring forth sound decisions; decisions that will keep you from living a life of regrets.

There is None Like You

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:57:00 -0400

NGM Worship Conference 2006 - Thurs PM

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:24:00 -0400

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NGM Worship Conference 2006 - Tues PM

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 18:16:00 -0500

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NGM Worship Conference 2006 - AM Worship

radio1@livingbiginchrist.org (Radio Teacher) — Fri, 9 Mar 2007 18:22:00 -0500

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