The Right Perspective, It's Right in Front of You

The Right Perspective, It's Right in Front of You 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ROMANS 8:28 

When President Roosevelt was in office, a madman once took a shot at him, wounding the president in the arm. A steel glasses case, which the president kept in his breast pocket, deflected the bullet and saved his life. The funny thing is, President Roosevelt hated that glasses case. It was heavy and burdensome, and he had often complained about it. But in the process of God’s providence, the thing he hated saved his life. Joseph’s is a similar story. Though at times Joseph may have hated his situation and wondered about God’s purposes, eventually his life was an example of the rule of God’s providence. God took the darkest events and used them as stepping stones to move Joseph into position. Even when Joseph couldn’t understand what God was doing, the Lord was still at work. God had been arranging the situation, even when it seemed like He was far away. In the end, Joseph realized God had worked all things out for good. Joseph had it all in perspective. He saw that God was using even the evil things of this world to illustrate His providential work in the lives of men.-  Dr. David Jeremiah Morning and Evening 

Ok. So a wise man once said that if God's repeated something, pay attention!  

I have two different books by Dr. David Jeremiah and was finished reading my devotionals this morning when I decided to open the newest one from him.  The same devotional was in both.  I was already set on using this one an that little verification confirmed it. 

To say the least the last year seems to be a very dark time in this world.  This so-called situation in the world has forever altered the lives of billions of people.  Not a few, not a few hundred, not a few thousand or even a few million. Billions. 

In this apparent mess the viewpoint of most everyone has been touched.  It's brought to the surface underlying emotions that most weren't aware they harbored...and this is just the beginning. 

There are no coincidences when God's hands are working. None. Period. Zilch. Zero. 

But, you may argue, none of what's happening was ever mentioned in the Bible!  Ahh there you go jumping to the wrong conclusion.  Why yes, the specifics aren't there, the general description is. To get TO what Jesus described the last days as being you have to go through some things before you arrive there. 

Let's see what a few things are, shall we my friends?  2 Timothy 3 is where we will begin "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers,  disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited,  lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. For among them are those who slip into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

This warning to Pastor Timothy was what would happen WITHIN the Church.  Those within would be the very same as those outside of it.  We are not told to shun or avoid the unbeliever. These people claiming to be believers will have infiltrated and influenced the Church.  Really? Yes, really.  Read Matthew 18. The handling of what many refer to as Church discipline.  " “Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be confirmed. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."  

We are not to avoid the unbeliever but to let our light shine, that is, Christ in us. To pray for them and be a witness of what Christ has done for us to them. 

This world is quickly embracing what the largest condemnation was against the world before the Genesis flood. The thoughts of man are becoming continually evil. Not in evil as you might expect from the bad guys in movies or television.  Remember the words of Jesus. Matthew 24:38 "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark."  This is happening today with what was happening then. Marriage between people that is not right in God's eyes.  The Lord Jesus was very specific about who is involved in Biblical marriage. He was very specific with Moses when writing the Law as to what to do concerning a man laying with a man or a woman with a woman.  God's Word will never be broken according to Jesus when He said not one jot or tiddle would ever be removed from coming to pass. So Churches that teach otherwise are false Churches. They are those that Paul warns Timothy about. Of who he warns us about. 

Nobody expected the situation of the last year. Never dreamed it possible that the path the country was going on would end so quickly.  When the Rapture happens a great many billions of people will be having the point of view that Jesus shouldn't have left them.  As to what we just covered, many millions today don't believe that about the Churches they attend are really false Churches. They don't see those attributes we listed from 2 Timothy 3 applying to the Church.  Many millions per day wake up in Heaven who didn't expect to be there, millions of others entering because they did. The same thing happens in Hell. People arriving by the millions who refuse to believe that they weren't worthy of Heaven.  From their perspective they were good people.  

My friends...we do not,  and never will be able to, establish the standard for entry into Heaven. Jesus did. He is the Creator God. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the One True Messiah. He doesn't require a Jury to decide on innocent or guilt. He doesn't need lawyers to lay out perceptions concerning purported facts.  In the moments we read in Revelation when Jesus Himself separated people. He never asks any questions. Ever notice that?  He just separates. He already searches the hearts of man. He already knows who is sealed by the Spirit. The evidence of the Spirit is all the evidence that's required for Him to know who is who.  Nobody's worthy of Heaven outside of being sealed in the Spirit of God. That only comes after someone comes to Christ for Salvation. Once sealed it can't be undone.  Salvation is through Christ Jesus. Salvation is a binding agreement of Biblical Adoption. Established by God and unrevokable.

That's the perspective to keep in mind and to realize.  We who are in Christ Jesus are to be different from the rest of the world.  The attributes of the Good Samaritan should be evident.  The praying of the Church should be personal and consistent. Time in God's Word should be personal and consistent.  The love of the world and the things of this world shouldn't be evident in our lives. 

Look at your perspective...does it reflect a life spent with Jesus or does it reflect a life spent living only for yourself?  Remember it's what Jesus sees that's important.  Millions are entering Hell who think they are good people. Millions are entering who are being told they rejected Jesus. That is why they are there. They tried their own way to get into and learned the truth. There is no other way.  Remember too Satan is not in nor ever has been in Hell. He and all demons know that is a place of punishment and they want nothing to do with it.  Secondly Satan doesn't care if you go to Hell. He just doesn't want you going to Heaven.  Doesn't want anyone to worship God. He doesn't care who he uses along the way. 

There's a war going on in this world for the souls of mankind.  Jesus came to seek n save.  Satan wants to thwart that.  

How's your perspective now?