sacrifice – Cross Culture Church

Meditation: June 9

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb.” 1 Peter 1:18-19

The grace of God has been freely given to us but it is not cheap. Love requires sacrifice. And the more we love the greater the sacrifice. Since God is able to see the depth of our sinful state, only He would be able to convey to us what we needed in order to be set free. The naïve may think that a moderate adjustment is sufficient to stop the free-fall to destruction. But who independent of God is able to know the affect of even apparent innocent acts upon the character? This is the environment in which all were raised. No one knows any other life than this. But God knew of our need for help. And He supplied it before we had the sense to desire it. Jesus Christ, God’s Son redeemed us with His blood while we were yet sinners. Now all must apply what has been appropriated for us if any is ever to benefit from such great a sacrifice.

10 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 10

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“May God, who puts all things together; makes all things whole, who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus, the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant.” Hebrews 13:20 (MSG)

God is able to put broken pieces back together again. What great men only wish to happen, God is able to make happen. He is aware of where all the separated parts are misplaced. He has the power to draw each part back to its rightful place. Then He able to breathe life into what He has reassembled. The request was for God to do what only He is able to do. When all things work according to their intended purpose, they glorify God. His wish is that we be made whole. Too many people are measured by what others think or what they may have succumb to accept. But true wholeness is holiness. When we are set apart for God’s exclusive use, we come to realize His purpose for our lives. That is the highest degree of self-discovery. We know ourselves through knowing Him and then we are enabled to know that there is a future ahead of total completeness in Jesus Christ, His Son.

09 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: July 9

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb.” 1 Peter 1:18-19

The grace of God has been freely given to us but it is not cheap. Love requires sacrifice. And the more we love the greater the sacrifice. Since God is able to see the depth of our sinful state, only He would be able to convey to us what we needed in order to be set free. The naïve may think that a moderate adjustment is sufficient to stop the free-fall to destruction. But who independent of God is able to know the affect of even apparent innocent acts upon the character? This is the environment in which all were raised. No one knows any other life than this. But God knew of our need for help. And He supplied it before we had the sense to desire it. Jesus Christ, God’s Son redeemed us with His blood while we were yet sinners. Now all must apply what has been appropriated for us if any is ever to benefit from such great a sacrifice.

10 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 10

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“May God, who puts all things together; makes all things whole, who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus, the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant.” Hebrews 13:20 (MSG)

God is able to put broken pieces back together again. What great men only wish to happen, God is able to make happen. He is aware of where all the separated parts are misplaced. He has the power to draw each part back to its rightful place. Then He able to breathe life into what He has reassembled. The request was for God to do what only He is able to do. When all things work according to their intended purpose, they glorify God. His wish is that we be made whole. Too many people are measured by what others think or what they may have succumb to accept. But true wholeness is holiness. When we are set apart for God’s exclusive use, we come to realize His purpose for our lives. That is the highest degree of self-discovery. We know ourselves through knowing Him and then we are enabled to know that there is a future ahead of total completeness in Jesus Christ, His Son.

18 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: November 18

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” John 12:32

Those who are drawn to Jesus by the Spirit are kept by the Spirit. The mysterious magnetic pull of the cross of Christ produces within the heart of the believer a willingness to fully follow after Him even when circumstances are difficult. They see the sacrifice that He has made in contrast to the challenges that lie before them and equate all in light of what Jesus Christ has already done. This is not the easy believe(ism) or our day where many are attracted to the trappings of success in this life and the glory that comes from others. It is a heart commitment to fully follow Christ in all that He may assign as a part of our journey. They lifted Him up as an enemy to their doctrines and lifestyles by crucifying Him. He transformed what would have been defeat into victory. Now the message of the cross of Jesus must be preached throughout world in order for any to be drawn by dimensions of love never known before. Love was the motive for Him to die for our sins which were many. It is the acknowledgement of sin and its effect upon our lives and our world that would bring one to understand the necessity of His sacrifice. Are you drawn to Christ today? He was lifted up and His message is now being preached throughout the world providing an opportunity for you to be delivered out of the bondage of sin and its affect to the glorious liberty that only He is able to provide.

02 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: November 2

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.” Philippians 3:7

What a resolve! What a tremendous position one is placed in when his pursuit for Christ outweighs all the accolades of his past. He is then privileged to know Christ in a way in which he has never known Him before! Whatever value we place on any effort or accomplishment diminishes our view of Christ. It becomes difficult to see Him in the fullness of His glory when we have become so large in our own eyes and feel so important in comparison to the smallness of others who are around. We must decrease if He is ever to increase. When we have gained Christ, He is then given full permission to be Himself in us. We have the confidence that we are known by Him and will be with Him forever. If we are to be with Him forever, that implies we will live forever as He lives. To surrender what we currently have is a small thing in comparison to all we will gain as we count all other things as loss. They have no eternal value therefore they should not hold the most prominent place within our hearts. To know Him is to love Him exclusively. And with His love we are empowered to love others. We have so much to gain and so little to sacrifice when we give our all to Him.

05 Oct 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: October 5

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.”2 Chronicles 7:1

The prayer of King Solomon in the dedication of the Temple was heard in heaven. He had listened to God in completing the task to which he was assigned. He was chosen by God as King of Israel, and now prayed a prayer of dedication for what the Lord had allowed him to participate in doing. It is a glorious thing to be a part of God’s work and attentive enough to listen fully to His instructions. He did not add nor take away from the specific instructions of God. His obedience to God provided for him the opportunity to place a sacrifice upon the altar. Many things may be offered to God with the intent of warranting His acceptance. But God only answers with fire that which is acceptable to Him. Are we placing sacrifices on the altar of God without giving Him His proper honor? We must do what He has assigned us to do. Then we can place on His altar our sacrifice. The consuming fire of God will be His response to us that we have given Him, not the speckled or the defiled, but what He is willing to accept.

09 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 9

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb.” 1 Peter 1:18-19

The grace of God has been freely given to us but it is not cheap. Love requires sacrifice. And the more we love the greater the sacrifice. Since God is able to see the depth of our sinful state, only He would be able to convey to us what we needed in order to be set free. The naïve may think that a moderate adjustment is sufficient to stop the free-fall to destruction. But who independent of God is able to know the affect of even apparent innocent acts upon the character? This is the environment in which all were raised. No one knows any other life than this. But God knew of our need for help. And He supplied it before we had the sense to desire it. Jesus Christ, God’s Son redeemed us with His blood while we were yet sinners. Now all must apply what has been appropriated for us if any is ever to benefit from such great a sacrifice.

02 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: November 2

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.” Philippians 3:7

What a resolve! What a tremendous position one is placed in when his pursuit for Christ outweighs all the accolades of his past. He is then privileged to know Christ in a way in which he has never known Him before! Whatever value we place on any effort or accomplishment diminishes our view of Christ. It becomes difficult to see Him in the fullness of His glory when we have become so large in our own eyes and feel so important in comparison to the smallness of others who are around. We must decrease if He is ever to increase. When we have gained Christ, He is then given full permission to be Himself in us. We have the confidence that we are known by Him and will be with Him forever. If we are to be with Him forever, that implies we will live forever as He lives. To surrender what we currently have is a small thing in comparison to all we will gain as we count all other things as loss. They have no eternal value therefore they should not hold the most prominent place within our hearts. To know Him is to love Him exclusively. And with His love we are empowered to love others. We have so much to gain and so little to sacrifice when we give our all to Him.

05 Oct 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: October 5

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.”2 Chronicles 7:1

The prayer of King Solomon in the dedication of the Temple was heard in heaven. He had listened to God in completing the task to which he was assigned. He was chosen by God as King of Israel, and now prayed a prayer of dedication for what the Lord had allowed him to participate in doing. It is a glorious thing to be a part of God’s work and attentive enough to listen fully to His instructions. He did not add nor take away from the specific instructions of God. His obedience to God provided for him the opportunity to place a sacrifice upon the altar. Many things may be offered to God with the intent of warranting His acceptance. But God only answers with fire that which is acceptable to Him. Are we placing sacrifices on the altar of God without giving Him His proper honor? We must do what He has assigned us to do. Then we can place on His altar our sacrifice. The consuming fire of God will be His response to us that we have given Him, not the speckled or the defiled, but what He is willing to accept.