Miracles:The Battle Of Jericho

Great Sermon on Miracles: The Battle Of Jericho (Mark Batterson, NCC)

 
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The Fourth Dimension

In mathematics the fourth dimension, or a four-dimensional space, is an abstract concept, obtained by taking the rules of our three-dimensional space and generalizing them to a space with one more dimension. It has been studied by mathematicians and philosophers for almost two hundred years, both for its own interest and for the insights it offered into mathematics and related fields.*

But for me, 1 Corinthians 2.9-10 gives a better definition of the fourth dimension, a more applicable definition:

But, as it is written,"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him"—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God (emphasis added).

You see, there are believers and there are skeptics in almost all areas of life, specifically when it comes to belief in God and belief in Jesus Christ. The problem most skeptics and at times, even immature Christians (myself included) have, is that they are only using "three dimensions," that is, only using the aforementioned "eye," "ear," or "heart." In other words, we try to reason everything out or want some sort of physical proof of seeing, hearing, or feeling. But God takes us to the next level, He gives us the "X" factor...the Fourth Dimension. God gives all believers of Jesus Christ The Gift of The Holy Spirit, and it is when we have The Spirit living with in us, this amazing gift of "the fourth dimension," that we can know "even the depths of God"

...I am all for questioning, all for seeking and research, all for a lifetime of studying, because this is what brings us closer to truth...closer to God...

...and in all reality, the mere fact that we have questions, that we need to seek, actually proves the point that God does exist and that He cares...our inability to know everything from a human perspective proves that we are not God and that we desperately need God...that we desperately need The Holy Spirit teaching us...and the fact that we are finite points to God being infinite...(what is created has a cause, we are created with a cause and need a creator = God...God is infinite and therefore does not need a creator, He is The Creator...but this is for another topic for another day!)

So how do we tap into this fourth dimension and take our life to the next level? It's all about having "The Mind Of Christ." It's what will take us from milk to solid food, (see 1 Cor 3) or as I like to say, from "milk to meat"...can't wait to cover this next topic!

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it (1 Cor 3.1-2)....

For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.(1 Cor 3.9)

*Sources
wikipedia.org (The Fourth Dimension)
http://acm.pku.edu.cn/JudgeOnline/problem?id=1022 (Graphic)

Protective Instincts

Protective Instincts
The other night I tuned in to watch the blockbuster hit, The Blind Side...it's the story of Baltimore Raven's offensive tackle Michael Oher.

The story is built on the fact that Michael scored in the 98th percentile for 'protective instincts.' This is where the movie obtains it's title from, because the offensive tackle is in charge of protecting the quarterback's blind side...

In a humorous yet serious part in the show, Leigh Anne Tuohy, the woman who took Michael into her family, tells Michael to treat his quarterback and his fellow teammates as family members, and therefore protect them at all costs.

Leigh Anne knew of her son's gift...she knew he scored in the 98 percentile for protective instincts. She knew if there was somebody to protect the blind side of the family that it had to be her son Michael Oher...

Jesus Sent To Protect
God knows His family...He knew we needed our blind side protected...He knew His Son Jesus had protective instincts...so God sends Jesus to protect the family...

You see, satan wants to hit us on our blind side...just like most cowards, satan wants to attack vulnerable areas in our lives...in fact, 2 Corinthians 4.4 says the following:

The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. As a result, they don't see the light of the Good News about Christ's glory. It is Christ who is God's image. (emphasis added).

Jesus Sent To Save
Christ is The Image of God, and He is the light of the world...satan wants to blind us of these facts. So contrary to cultural opinion, Jesus is The Savior, satan is the enemy...simply put, Jesus does not send us to hell, He instead saves us from the hell we send ourselves into...

John 3.16-17 states how Jesus was sent to save and not to condemn:

God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!

Jesus saves us...Jesus protects us...without Christ, we send ourselves into hell...without Christ, our blind side is exposed...Thankfully, Jesus has our back and leads us into eternal glory with The Heavenly Father...Jesus lived, died, and was raised on the Third Day because He is The Image of God who protects His family...

But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57