We are created to behold the eternal perspective of God. When we do this it changes our world from the inside out.
In this season we are focusing on what it means to live our lives in light of eternity. Eternal priorities enlarge life’s perspective well beyond where temporal priorities exist. Our hearts were made to be enlarged by Christ, and all creation cannot replace his supremacy.
Knowing the supremacy of Christ enlarges the soul so that the world and its little thrills become as small as they really are. The human soul was made to see and savor the supremacy of Christ. Nothing else is big enough to enlarge the soul as God intended and make little lusts lose their power.
The Bible speaks often of how Jesus looked towards heaven.
John 11:41 So they removed the stone Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. NIV
John 17:1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven… NIV
When others only saw one thing Jesus would behold the Kingdom of God and live in that realm. The realm of the spirit is more real than the natural realm as the natural realm actually came from the spirit realm. Jesus understood this and functioned in it. Bartimaeus was blind and Jesus declared behold the eternal perspective of God and Bartimaeus was healed, Lazarus was raised from the dead and many other miracles took place. Jesus was demonstrating for us to see that it is possible to live in light of eternity.
Adam possessed the eternal perspective of God until the Fall. God has been re-introducing humanity to his eternal perspective ever since. Abraham and Sarah were too old to have the Promised Child, behold the eternal perspective of God changes things. Joseph was betrayed, neglected, forgotten and left to rot in prison, behold the eternal perspective of God changes things.
Moses was in the desert with no influence in Egypt, behold the eternal perspective of God. Daniel was a prisoner in the hostile land of Babylon, behold the eternal perspective of God raised him up to places of influence. Man was lost in his sin and incapable of becoming righteous, behold the eternal perspective of God changes everything!
Elisha and his servant found themselves surrounded by an adversarial army and it appeared they were about to be killed, behold the eternal perspective of God turned the situation around (2 Kings 6:15-17). Notice Elisha didn’t pray for God to give his servant spiritual eyes but asked that God would open his spiritual eyes. Just because we have spiritual eyes doesn’t mean we use them but we can if we learn to behold the eternal perspective of God!
Psalm 121:1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? NIV
Psalm 123:1 To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! NIV
Isa 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name… NIV
You’ll never rise above the dominant images in your mind. That’s why the devil wants your thought life. Our hearts were made to be enlarged by Christ, and all creation cannot replace his supremacy.
Knowing the supremacy of Christ enlarges the soul so that the world and its little thrills become as small as they really are. Little souls make little lusts have great power. The soul, as it were, expands to encompass the magnitude of its treasure. The human soul was made to see and savor the supremacy of Christ. Nothing else is big enough to enlarge the soul as God intended and make little lusts lose their power.
John Piper said, “One of the main reasons the world and the church are consumed by lust and pornography (men and women—30% of internet pornography is now viewed by women) is that our lives are intellectually and emotionally disconnected from infinite, soul-staggering grandeur for which we were made…The deepest cure to our pitiful addictions is to be intellectually and emotionally and relationally staggered by the infinite, everlasting, unchanging supremacy of Christ in all things. Powerful things happen inside when you spend time with God. When you’re in His presence for extended periods, the molecular composition of your soul gets restructured. You start to think differently, and you don’t even know why. You start to have different passions and interests, and you don’t even know why. God is changing you on the inside in ways you can’t cognitively analyze. All you know is, sinful affections that once pulled at your soul no longer have their former power over you.”
Eph 1:18-23I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. NIV
Eph 1:23 The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. MSG
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose every day to rehearse the mind of God as you rehearse God’s Word.
DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERS
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
LEADER’S NOTES: In this season we are focusing on what it means to live our lives in light of eternity. Eternal priorities enlarge life’s perspective well beyond where temporal priorities exist. Our hearts were made to be enlarged by Christ, and all creation cannot replace his supremacy.
Knowing the supremacy of Christ enlarges the soul so that the world and its little thrills become as small as they really are. The human soul was made to see and savor the supremacy of Christ. Nothing else is big enough to enlarge the soul as God intended and make little lusts lose their power.
THE POINT: We are created to behold the eternal perspective of God. When we do this it changes our world from the inside out.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Share the nature of an argument you had with somebody because you both saw something from two totally different perspectives.
Interestingly the Bible references temporal perspectives as arguments against the knowledge of God.
2 Cor 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (NIV)
These verses speak of how Jesus constantly looked towards heaven.
John 11:41 So they removed the stone Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. NIV
John 17:1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven… NIV
2 Corinthians 12 speaks of “the third heaven.” Jews would reference the birds flying in the first heavens. Then there were the stars and the Jews would refer to that as the second heaven. When they talked about the third heaven they were referencing the presence of God.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
2. Name someone you have observed as a person who truly practices the presence of God in their everyday life explaining why you believe this about them?
3. As you read the following verses what stands out to you?
Psalm 121:1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? NIV
Psalm 123:1 To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! NIV
Eph 1:23 The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. MSG
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. Especially during this season let’s all make a commitment to spend time in the Word and in prayer every day coming to group ready to share what we are sensing from God. What is something God has been speaking to you or revealing in Scripture recently?
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose every day to rehearse the mind of God as you rehearse God’s Word.