Lk. 17:32: “Remember Lot’s wife.”
Perspective is defined in Webster’s as “The appearance of objects or scenes as determined by their relative distance and positions; and, a specific point of view in understanding or judging things or events, esp. one that shows them in their true relations to one another.”
A person’s perspective greatly influences his thoughts and life. What we see with our natural eyes comprises up to 75% of all we perceive with our natural senses. What we see is processed through our minds and settles in our hearts. What resides in our hearts is what we think about and what we think about, we become. Prov. 23:7 states, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Therefore, perspective is vital to our lives.
Information addicts who continually watch network news, fix their hearts with fear-based poison that leaves a person with a hopeless life perspective. I am not advocating ignorance of world events, but I am advocating perception of the news from a scriptural viewpoint. Paul wrote to the Ephesians that in Christ we are seated together in heavenly places (Eph. 2:4-7). All things appear much different from a heavenly perspective. No longer are we influenced by what we see, hear, feel, taste, and smell; for we are no longer confined to “see level,” walking only by sight because we walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:2). Perspective makes the difference in success or failure, joy or despair, even life or death.
Proper perspective accurately weighs the amount of attention we place on the present, past, and future. Looking at the past can be very beneficial to bring correction, inspiration, and direction into our lives. Looking to the future can inspire expectation, plans, and prophetic imagination. These are healthy responses to proper perspectives.
Dwelling either in the past and in the future is dangerous. The “good ol’ days” mentality and the “over the Jordan” outlook on life indicate discontentment with present circumstances. Feelings of being unappreciated by God or current church leadership can make us long for the old days when we felt special or for a future time when we will be with the Lord. Either perspective can become an idol in our hearts that we esteem more highly than we ought.
A discontented heart digs up old memories and embellishes them, a surrealism that removes the pain and reality of the past and elevates pleasant memories to unrealistic levels. Our carnal minds are rebels to things of God (Rom. 8:6-7). Satan initiates thoughts which are in bitter opposition to things of God by distorting the past. He uses nostalgia to subtly influence the church into being dreamers instead of doers.
The first generation of Israelites in the wilderness experienced God’s deliverance miracles of provision and guidance, yet they looked back to Egypt longing for the fish, cucumbers, melons leeks, onions, and garlic. Satan conveniently erased the 400 years of oppression, murder of their male children, and the misery and poverty that caused them to cry out to God for deliverance (Num. 11:5-6). The discontentment the Israelites experienced brought on great deception so they would have traded the supernatural manna from heaven for the common fare of slaves.
Too often in the midst of our own discontentment, we also become deceived to the point that we would trade Jesus, the Bread of Life, for the old life of Egypt. Consider the discontented spouse who is suffering in the midst of a dry marriage, continually yearning for a past relationship that in reality was anything but bliss. Others discontented with their work look back to their past jobs which were really never that great, but their distorted view makes them forget why they left the job.
In John 6:35-51, Jesus declared He was the Bread of Life and the Living Bread that came down out of heaven. If we fail to eat of Jesus on a daily basis, our appetites can revert to old fare of Egypt which we have been delivered from. A strong temptation exists during life’s process of testing and inevitable “dry times” to partake of the bread of complaint and self-pity. We must submit our lives to Jesus as a first priority; then resist the devil’s attempts to deceive, and he will surely fold and flee (Jas. 4:7). Paul understood that life lived with a view to the past offered nothing but satanic condemnation and eventual spiritual paralysis (Rom. 8:1-2). Paul prioritized his thought life and direction by forgetting things past and reaching for things ahead, pressing for completeness in Christ (Phil. 3:13-14).
We were born again for adversity and persistent faith in God. As we acknowledge our human weaknesses and embrace the life available to us in Christ in the Holy Spirit’s power, we cannot only endure Satan’s thorns in the flesh, but overcome each one through God’s grace just as Paul in 2 Cor. 12:9-10. Having asked the Lord three times to remove the messenger of Satan, the Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” An understanding of God’s grace will help preserve proper priorities in our lives.
God’s great grace is His willingness to provide every heavenly resource to meet our needs and bring abundant provision into our lives, which He has already accomplished through His Son. God’s grace is a present reality based upon the past sacrifice of Jesus and his victory over death, hell, and the grave. Just as Paul understood God’s grace transferred dominion and Jesus’ authority to him to exercise in the earth, so also we must grasp the authority of Jesus’ name in this present time and put the anointing of the Holy Spirit into action.
The passenger side rear view mirror states, “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” In other words, you are looking through a mirror that distorts perspective. Using this mirror alone to guide your driving in traffic can be very dangerous. So also, a life lived from a rear view mirror perspective--“a good ol’ days mentality” is also very dangerous to you in your present walk with Christ. The Lord has a plan and a place for you now in this present time. Ask Him to reveal His plan and find your place in God’s kingdom. AMEN!
Perspective is defined in Webster’s as “The appearance of objects or scenes as determined by their relative distance and positions; and, a specific point of view in understanding or judging things or events, esp. one that shows them in their true relations to one another.”
A person’s perspective greatly influences his thoughts and life. What we see with our natural eyes comprises up to 75% of all we perceive with our natural senses. What we see is processed through our minds and settles in our hearts. What resides in our hearts is what we think about and what we think about, we become. Prov. 23:7 states, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Therefore, perspective is vital to our lives.
Information addicts who continually watch network news, fix their hearts with fear-based poison that leaves a person with a hopeless life perspective. I am not advocating ignorance of world events, but I am advocating perception of the news from a scriptural viewpoint. Paul wrote to the Ephesians that in Christ we are seated together in heavenly places (Eph. 2:4-7). All things appear much different from a heavenly perspective. No longer are we influenced by what we see, hear, feel, taste, and smell; for we are no longer confined to “see level,” walking only by sight because we walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:2). Perspective makes the difference in success or failure, joy or despair, even life or death.
Proper perspective accurately weighs the amount of attention we place on the present, past, and future. Looking at the past can be very beneficial to bring correction, inspiration, and direction into our lives. Looking to the future can inspire expectation, plans, and prophetic imagination. These are healthy responses to proper perspectives.
Dwelling either in the past and in the future is dangerous. The “good ol’ days” mentality and the “over the Jordan” outlook on life indicate discontentment with present circumstances. Feelings of being unappreciated by God or current church leadership can make us long for the old days when we felt special or for a future time when we will be with the Lord. Either perspective can become an idol in our hearts that we esteem more highly than we ought.
A discontented heart digs up old memories and embellishes them, a surrealism that removes the pain and reality of the past and elevates pleasant memories to unrealistic levels. Our carnal minds are rebels to things of God (Rom. 8:6-7). Satan initiates thoughts which are in bitter opposition to things of God by distorting the past. He uses nostalgia to subtly influence the church into being dreamers instead of doers.
The first generation of Israelites in the wilderness experienced God’s deliverance miracles of provision and guidance, yet they looked back to Egypt longing for the fish, cucumbers, melons leeks, onions, and garlic. Satan conveniently erased the 400 years of oppression, murder of their male children, and the misery and poverty that caused them to cry out to God for deliverance (Num. 11:5-6). The discontentment the Israelites experienced brought on great deception so they would have traded the supernatural manna from heaven for the common fare of slaves.
Too often in the midst of our own discontentment, we also become deceived to the point that we would trade Jesus, the Bread of Life, for the old life of Egypt. Consider the discontented spouse who is suffering in the midst of a dry marriage, continually yearning for a past relationship that in reality was anything but bliss. Others discontented with their work look back to their past jobs which were really never that great, but their distorted view makes them forget why they left the job.
In John 6:35-51, Jesus declared He was the Bread of Life and the Living Bread that came down out of heaven. If we fail to eat of Jesus on a daily basis, our appetites can revert to old fare of Egypt which we have been delivered from. A strong temptation exists during life’s process of testing and inevitable “dry times” to partake of the bread of complaint and self-pity. We must submit our lives to Jesus as a first priority; then resist the devil’s attempts to deceive, and he will surely fold and flee (Jas. 4:7). Paul understood that life lived with a view to the past offered nothing but satanic condemnation and eventual spiritual paralysis (Rom. 8:1-2). Paul prioritized his thought life and direction by forgetting things past and reaching for things ahead, pressing for completeness in Christ (Phil. 3:13-14).
We were born again for adversity and persistent faith in God. As we acknowledge our human weaknesses and embrace the life available to us in Christ in the Holy Spirit’s power, we cannot only endure Satan’s thorns in the flesh, but overcome each one through God’s grace just as Paul in 2 Cor. 12:9-10. Having asked the Lord three times to remove the messenger of Satan, the Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” An understanding of God’s grace will help preserve proper priorities in our lives.
God’s great grace is His willingness to provide every heavenly resource to meet our needs and bring abundant provision into our lives, which He has already accomplished through His Son. God’s grace is a present reality based upon the past sacrifice of Jesus and his victory over death, hell, and the grave. Just as Paul understood God’s grace transferred dominion and Jesus’ authority to him to exercise in the earth, so also we must grasp the authority of Jesus’ name in this present time and put the anointing of the Holy Spirit into action.
The passenger side rear view mirror states, “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” In other words, you are looking through a mirror that distorts perspective. Using this mirror alone to guide your driving in traffic can be very dangerous. So also, a life lived from a rear view mirror perspective--“a good ol’ days mentality” is also very dangerous to you in your present walk with Christ. The Lord has a plan and a place for you now in this present time. Ask Him to reveal His plan and find your place in God’s kingdom. AMEN!