Gods Perspective Is Our Mindset Series

I believe that perspective is absolutely key in the spiritual life for us men. Guys, perspective changes everything. And on this journey of becoming the man that God wants us to be -there’s a cavernous difference sometimes between how we view ourselves, and how God views us. And part of our spiritual journey is actually about becoming the men that God wants us to be, not the men that we think we are. So today, we’re going to be taking a look at this.

CS Lewis says this. He says, “For what you see and hear, depends a good deal on where you’re standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.” Do you sense the power behind that statement? Yes, perspective has something to do about where we’re currently standing, and how we view a certain situation. But it also depends on how we think about who we are, and the lens through which we view life. Because perspective changes everything.

I remember a year or so back, I took a trip to Israel, and I was standing on the top of Mount Carmel. In place where Elijah did war with hundreds of Prophets of Baal. And as he was going to battle with them with his sacrifice and making fun of them for their sacrifice before their Gods – we look down upon the Valley of Armageddon.

And in this place, while we’re standing there – we had a guy who possesses one of the largest single contracts in history with the CIA. He’s a former CIA agent, who holds this massive contract with the CIA currently worth millions and hundreds of millions of dollars. He looks down upon the scene and comments on it that it is probably one of the most strategic locations of all time on the face of planet earth for a battle. Because of the surrounding mountain tops and peaks. And because the vast land between these mountains is incredibly flat. And it’s in that location that the battle of Armageddon will happen.

I mean, at that moment when this guy spoke and shared with us this, it changed my perspective on how I viewed that land. And I’ve got to tell you, I bet you you’ve had some perspective-changing moments in your own life. Moments where you look down upon something that you used to view one way but look at it completely differently.

Maybe it’s the moment that you became a Christian? Perspective change. Maybe it’s the moment you had your first child – perspective change. Maybe it’s the moment you did – had a confrontation with your sin. A vast sin in your life. Perspective change, right? Maybe it was the moment of your wedding – perspective change. We have all these perspective changing moments. And I believe that God is trying to get us to take a look at who he wants us to be in this spiritual life.

Today we’re going to be looking at Ephesians Chapter 1, verses 1 through 14. And I want to challenge us to view life through the lens that God has been painting for us. I want to read these words from you, the words from Paul to the Ephesian Church. And I – but I want you to hear them personally on how Paul wants to get you to view your spiritual life with some perspective. Here are the words.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God of our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places..”

“Even as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. According to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved. In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.”

“According to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us all in wisdom and insight. Making known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose. Which he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him – things in heaven and on earth. In him, we have obtained an inheritance.”

“Having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the council of his will. So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him, you also – when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him – were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of His glory.”