PERSPECTIVE: CHANGE THE FACTS VS. CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE... SIGHT VS FAITH?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV) (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
2 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV) We live by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT) For we live by believing and not by seeing.
2 Corinthians 5:7 (MSG) It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going.
YOU MIGHT NEED TO LOOK AGAIN?
I heard of a man that was angry at his bank and their ATM?
He told me: I WAS THEIR WOULD KEEP THEIR ATM's BETTER STOCKED!!!
I asked him why would you say that?
His conclusion was real to him. He had been to several ATM's and they all said the same thing.
INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.
YOU MIGHT NEED TO LOOK AGAIN? CAN WE SEE WHAT GOD WANTS US TO SEE?
CAN THE DESIRE TO BE ENTERTAINED DISTORT WHAT GOD HAS INTENDED FOR US?
DISTORTION OF THE FACTS?
I once was listening to two old ladies have a deep discussion. So I just listened to them. The conversation returned to the "BOTTOM" of an old coal mining camp. The old lady began discussing her neighbor. When they first moved into the coal mining camp in the spring in a brand new home. The was a neighbor that lived directly behind her. She could stand at her sink in the kitchen and watch her neighbor in the back yard. They developed a lifelong friendship.
That spring, the lady told how she always admired her friend because on wash day, Monday, the lady would hang her wash on the clothes line. She told how bright and clean the clothes were. As a matter of fact she asked her neighbor how she got her clothes so bright and clean? She always enjoyed watching her neighbor on Monday.
Spring yielded to summer, summer to fall, and fall to winter. Every Monday morning the old ringer washer would be hooked up, they would carry the water and wash the clothes. The old lady noticed something over time. Slowly but surely over time the clothes hanging on the line lost their brightness and they were not as clean anymore? At church the lady whispered how her neighbors clothes were fading and they were not so bright and clean. They all agreed this was so sad.
All winter long they would sit around the pot-bellied stove and burn coal. Everyone in the neighbor burned coal as it was the cheapest fuel available. But when the lady was doing her dishes she could not but help look at the dingy, dirty clothes on the neighbors line. She would tell the other ladies in the neighborhood. For some reason their friendship seemed to be lacking?
Spring came around. They took down the stove pipe and stored the pot-bellied stove in a building out back. She discussed with her husband on Saturday they would wash their walls and their windows. So, the whole family worked so hard cleaning. Everything seems so much brighter.
On Monday the neighbor lady was hanging out her washing and the clothes were bright and so clean. The lesson was very clear. The neighbor's wash had not changed. The burning of the coal and smoke had left a dingy dirty film on her windows. The dirt was from inside the house and the dirty windows distorted the facts. When the family cleaned their own house they found the real issue.
Do you jump to conclusions?
VALID? INVALID? VALIDITY? WE MIGHT NEED TO LOOK AGAIN?
HOW MANY OF US HAVE A DISTORTED VISUAL FIELD? WHAT WE SEE? WHAT WE FEEL? OUR EMOTIONS? OUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH? ALL COME FROM OUR PERSPECTIVES AND OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES?
Do your conclusions seem fair or reasonable? Are they well grounded?
What about your public worship? Luke-warmness? Respect? Selfishness? Neglect? Slackness?
WHAT IF GOD IS AS FAITHFUL TO YOU AS YOUR ARE TO CHURCH?
LOOK AGAIN MY FRIEND? ARE WE MISSING THE TRUTH? ARE WE WALKING BY SIGHT?
WE SEEK GOD TO CHANGE THE WHOLE WORLD AND CHANGE THE FACTS... NOW GOD, NOW!
GOD IS SEARCHING FOR A DIFFERENT RESULTS GOD DESIRES TO CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE!
PERSPECTIVE: your vision, mental view, the way you see things, the way you relate to something,
Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Proverbs 29:18 (NIV) Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.
Proverbs 29:18 (NLT) When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
Proverbs 29:18 (MSG) If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.
Do you honestly think you can leave your bed un-made and come to church and some angel has made your bed?
Do you think you can demand God to change the whole world to make you happy? Temperature 70* year round? No rain except when you order it? Do you demand Jesus to kill your dust bunnies? Your spouse must bow to your expectations? What if your children have the same attitude and perspective that you have?
YOU BETTER LOOK AGAIN, MY FRIEND?
GOD IS GOD! He is not you big buddy? God is not Santa Claus?
god is faithful and he expects you to be faithful...
Deuteronomy 7:9 (MSG) Know this: God, your God, is God indeed, a God you can depend upon. He keeps his covenant of loyal love with those who love him and observe his commandments for a thousand generations.
SURE, YOU HAVE PROBLEMS, MAY YOU NEED TO QUIT ASKING GOD TO REMOVE YOUR THORNS AND START ASKING GOD FOR HIS ALL SUFFICIENT GRACE...
THE ANSWER IS LOOK AGAIN...
OUR ANSWER IS IN OUR ATTITUDE...
THE ANSWER TO THE PRAYER IS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR AND YOU HEAR THE VOICE AND STILL DON'T RECEIVE THE ANSWER.
Acts 12:13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. 14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. 15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. 16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
IF WE ARE WALKING BY SIGHT WE WILL IN FEAR KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED...
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR, SILLY RABBIT?
COULD IT BE YOUR PROBLEM IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM? YOUR PROBLEM IS A BAD ATTITUDE?
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO OPEN YOUR VISUAL FIELD TO REALITY?
MAYBE GOD 'S SWEET DESIRE IS NOT FIX YOUR PROBLEM BUT FIX YOUR ATTITUDE?
MAYBE YOUR ATTITUDE PROBLEM KEEPS BREAKING YOUR SOLUTIONS? PERHAPS WE KEEP BUILDING A "BETTER MOUSE TRAP" AND THE BAIT LURES US ---
STAY FOCUSED ON THE PROBLEMS --- YOU WILL NEVER FIND THE GOD ANSWER...
AREN'T THERE ENOUGH PROBLEMS IN EGYPT?
WAS THERE ENOUGH LAND IN EGYPT TO BURY US?
Exodus 14:10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
WE MUST QUIT LOOKING (SIGHT) WHAT IS BEHIND US? The mightiest army ever known to the world.
I can see the dust cloud arising!
LOOK AGAIN: GOD'S MAN SAYS GOD HAS A PLAN IS SIMPLE, TRUST ME --- I AM NOT CAUGHT OFF-GUARD.
THE SIGHT BATTLE WILL KILL YOU--- CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE...
Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, standstill, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
LOOK AGAIN: THE SIGHT BATTLE SAYS OK, IF WE CHANGE OUR PERSPECTIVE FROM THE BATTLE BEHIND US, LET US USE OUR SIGHT FORWARD --- NO, NEVER, USE YOUR FAITH NOT YOUR SIGHT...
Exodus 14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
LOOK AGAIN: THE ARMY BEHIND THE RED SEA IN FRONT, TRAPPED BY THE PROBLEMS?
GOD DESIRES TO FIX MORE THAN THE PROBLEMS, GOD WANTS TO CHANGE THE PERSPECTIVES!!!
Exodus 14:15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
CONCLUSION: IF WE CAN WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT, WE WILL LEARN THAT THE PRESENCE OF GOD IS MUCH DEEPER THAN FIXING PERSONAL PROBLEMS. GOD'S WAY IS FIX THE PERSPECTIVE AND ATTITUDES WE USE BY SIGHT. God desires us to come into His presence in a NEW WAY. God desires to change the way we look at things. We must allow Him to fix our perspectives and attitudes to a COMPLETE TRUST AND WALK BY FAITH. LOOK AGAIN. It is not the armies of Egypt stirring the dust, it is not the Red Sea before us... NEVER WALK AWAY. NEVER THROW IN THE TOWEL. GOD IS GOD. LOOK AGAIN. God's way is come into the realm of faith and trust Him, no matter how you feel or what you see. Are you hopeless? Look again? Are you trapped? Look again? Climb the mountain 7 times, oh, there is a small cloud the size of a man's hand? The RAIN IS COMING! TRUST GOD. CLIMBING THIS MOUNTAIN WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER. Change your perspective, LOOK AGAIN!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
WILL YOU BE DEAD WRONG?
