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WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE

Perspective is defined by Webster as “the appearance of objects or scenes as determined by their relative distance and positions; the effect of relative distance and positions; the relationship or proportion of the parts of the whole, regarded from a particular standpoint or point in time; a proper evaluation with proportional importance given to the component parts”. The Bible word which is applicable here is “value”.
The Hebrew words are #6186 (“to set in a row, arrange or put in order” – Leviticus 27:8, 12), #457 (“good for nothing; vain, idol” – Job 13:4) and #5541 (“hang up, weigh” – Job 28:16, 19).
The Greek words are #1308 (Diaphero = “to bear through, surpass” – Matthew 10:31; Luke 12:7) and # 5091 (Timao = “to prize, fix a valuation upon, revere, honour, love” – Matthew 27:9).
This latter word is also found in Matthew 15:4-8 and Ephesians 6:2.

Friend, what do you prize? What do you value and hold in high esteem? What is the standard or basis of your choices?

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Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you.
Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ–that’s where the action is.
See things from his perspective.
Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life–even though invisible to
spectators–is with Christ in God. He is your life. (Col 3:2-3 message)

Is it earthy, looking up from the dust (1 Corinthians 15:44-49), or….
Is it heavenly, looking down from the perspective of the Spirit of Christ?

..But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their
gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the
arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies
into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same
powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.
(Philippians 3:19-21 message).

The bridegroom (Jesus) in the Song of Solomon invited the bride (Church) to view life from the top and not the bottom!
“Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, May you come with me from Lebanon. Journey
down from the summit of Amana, From the summit of Senir and Hermon, From the dens of
lions, From the mountains of leopards. (Song 4:8).

Everything in life that will happen to you will hinge on this principle:
• How do you view life?
• How do you look at yourself and others?
You will never be able to make wise choices until you see things in the proper perspective.

Perspective by its definition has to do with the concept of depth. Most young people are very shallow or immature in their understanding and emotions and we find this is also often the case with older people.
• Deep is calling unto deep (Psalm 42:7). The heart of the Lord is calling unto your heart.
• Young people don’t take it lightly, and don’t waste your youth (Ecclesiastics 12:1).
• Do you under-stand that the Lord has a special plan and purpose for your life? Who says that a person must wait until he is older to begin to seriously consider the things of the Spirit of God?
• Older people who said you are too old?  The very nature of Gods kingdom is “ever increasing” and to this there is no end. So come on get on with it, ask the Lord to help you by His Spirit to re-look and re evaluate and redefine in order to get His perspective of things and life.

How do you view God? Positively or negatively? Most folks believe that God is like themselves, that He is angry and insecure. As we have previously discussed, you will not be able to see the Lord and His Kingdom until you are born again (John 3:3-5). God is the best! He gave you the best when He sent His Son (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 9:15). Not only did He leave it there. To all other religions they worship gods. But In the Son we are not only connected to God but we know and have Him as our Father.
Jesus said, “Don’t cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers
and tell them, ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God”.
(John 20:17 message)

How do you view yourself? Like the young prophet Isaiah, you must see the Lord, then see yourself, then see others (Isaiah 6). That kind of perspective is:
• upward,
• inward and
• outward.
Do you have a positive or a negative evaluation of yourself? Apart from an experience with Jesus as your personal Saviour, you will ever be forsaking your own mercy.

How do you view others?
• Your parents?
• Your teachers?
• Your friends, colleagues, work partners, your family, wife children etc
Positively or negatively? You will only value the Christ in others (Colossians 1:27; Galatians 4:6) as you know and value the Christ in your own life. This alone constitutes a healthy perspective on life.

Do you honour your father and mother? If you do, life will work in your mind and body. If you don’t, then the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

What are your standards for choosing your close friends?
Do you know how to weigh the character of a person?
The earthy perspective will be energized by the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). That is a worldly perspective. The heavenly perspective will see the heart and the root of a thing. It will view life as God Himself sees it. You won’t make a mistake with that kind of discernment. It will save you much heartache.

The bottom line of a right king of perspective is the manifestation of the joy of the Lord!
(Nehemiah 8:10; Romans 14:17) Are you happy? Really happy? Or are you and the way that you life just a put-on? You can know the joy of the Lord in reality. I challenge you to be renewed in your perspective.

Here are some very important meditations that most people never seriously get to consider:

  • What is my prize possession? Why?
  • Who taught me the values that I have?
  • Are my values I live by, truly those that God desires
  • Should I change any of my values? What?
  • Do I honour my parents? My elders? My wife? People in general?

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