Tag: Perspective

Moses – His Perspective

Published on by James TravisLeave a comment

Between Exodus 5-15 we see Moses at the forefront of some of God’s miraculous and wonderful workings. Moses is the mouthpiece, the man charged with delivering the message, the minder of God’s people, but he never takes on the role of the master. After crossing the Red Sea, Moses and the people sing a sing of praise to God, which ends like this,

You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain,
the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode,
the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established.
The Lord will reign forever and ever.”

Exodus 15.17-18

Despite being used mightily of God Moses never seeks to be the Man, only the man. He finishes this song of praise by reiterating that the Lord will reign forever and ever, not man, I’m really something special, look at all the stuff that has happened under my leadership, I’m the Man!. 

His perspective never changed – nobody is like God (vv.11-12).

Many years later, another would hold this perspective of God too. He said that none is good but God alone (Mark 10.18), that His only wish was to do the will of the Father (John 5.19), and that He was seeking glory for the Father alone (John 8.50). This perspective is what we need.

What this means for you is that there is a model to be followed; seeing ourselves in right and proper perspective. When we truly see that nobody is like God, that He alone is good, that we exist to do His will, and that we should seek His glory above our own, our perspective is right. 

If you are journaling along, try answering this – how do I see myself in relation to God?

Is Life Fair?

Published on by James TravisLeave a comment

Back in 20.4-11, Zophar said, basically, that the wicked get what is coming to them and die. Here Job responds with another probing question, is life fair?

Why do the wicked live,
reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

Job 21.7

How do we accept things like this?

How do we accept that the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power? If we are trying earnestly to live the life that God wants us to live, how can we accept the fact that those who are brazenly not living His life seem to be prospering (v.14)?

In a world where we (want to) control everything and everyone around us, this kind of deep moral contradiction seems to outrage us; he/she is bad…but they are doing well…this should not be so…

Deep down, this is a perspective issue. Do we think we are the ultimate authority and judge in the universe? Do we think that everything ought to be as we want it to be? Are we so detached from objective truth that everything is evaluated through our own lens of subjective truth?

Do you know what, sometimes life isn’t going to feel fair. People who seem to be wicked will seem to be prospering, people who do objectively bad things will seemingly face no consequence, and people who are diligently trying to follow God’s plan for life will be seemingly second best. 

The answer to this is perspective, to look beyond our brief physical habitation on earth. I read somewhere that one of the big problems with people and their assessment of life as unfair is that they only look at themselves and their earthly physical life. No thoughts of eternity, no big picture thoughts. That’s true, isn’t it.

We forget that we are made with eternity in mind.

We forget that we are not working towards earthly rewards and riches.

We forget that no eye has seen, that no ear has heard what is waiting for us.

We forget that we are created, finite beings, with a limited perspective.

We forget that we are not the centre of the universe and ultimate moral judges.

Sometimes life is not going to feel fair by your standards and expectations. When these feelings creep into your mind, turn to the timeless and objective truths of the Word of God, and slowly but surely begin to accept that His perspective is different, bigger, better, and ultimately how you want to see things. 

2 Timothy 3.10-11 – In // Over

Published on by James TravisLeave a comment

Today Paul draws a stark contrast between those with the spirit of the last days and his intended recipitient Timothy, and by application you and me.

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.

Pau begins with you, however…Maybe your Bible has the words ‘But you’, drawing an even clearer contrast, but even if they don’t the point is clear – what has gone is not for the believer, what follows is.

As a man so totally sold out to the cause of Jesus and building His kingdom, of making Jesus known to all he could, and of full-life devotion, Paul could say with a clear conscience that it was good for Timothy to have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings…He could say this because Jesus was at the center of them all. Paul’s teaching was Christ-centered, his conduct was Christ honoring, his aim in life was to preach Christ crucified, his faith was unshakingly in Jesus.

Do you have a leader like that in your life? Is there someone who you can follow (Hebrews 13.7) with clear conscience because you know they are 100% sold out to Jesus and His cause and His kingdom?

No matter what Paul has been through and was going through at the time of writing, he knew that the Lord rescued him from all. This is an interesting thing to say whilst in prison awaiting execution, isn’t it. See, Paul knew the difference between being rescued and given victory over his circumstances or in his circumstances.

The Lord never guarantees to rescue and deliver us from every situation that trials us. He does, however, promise to rescue us in spite of them, to rescue us despite what is going on around us unto eternal life with Him. Paul had the proper perspective here, and believed in a God that can work miracles to deliver His people, but never guarantees it. Paul knew that even though he was in prison, even though he was awaiting execution, that the Lord would never leave nor forsake him, would always be an ever present help in times of need, and even if earthly circumstances seem to have defeated him, that his Lord and Saviour had overcome the world and had something far greater waiting on the other side. 

Is that something you know?

Do you know that regardless of what is going on around you, this doesn’t change the fact that you are known by God, loved by God, purchased by the blood of His Son, and that He so desperately desires to enter into a relationship with Him?

If your earthly circumstances are telling you otherwise, I would encourage you to listen to this message, and to rest in the truth that you are known, you are loved, and that no matter what is going on around you, this will never change. 

Thinking Beyond Christmas

Published on by James TravisLeave a comment

What did Christmas bring for you?

Did you get everything you wanted?

Did you get everything you needed?

We said last week that our greatest need as fallen sinful people is forgiveness, and we were given a Saviour, but, what does that mean, what comes with that?

2 Peter 1.3-4 tells us that it comes with everything. Everything to live the life that God made you to live. The life of love. The life focused on others.

Mark 2.17 tells us that it comes with perspective. Christmas, the incarnation, God piercing the space-time journey that we are on to take on flesh and live among us and die to atone for our sins shows us that really, we are not naturally good, we are not naturally strong, we are dependent, we are broken in spirit, depraved in thinking, by nature bound to choose the poor choice left to ourselves, and that we need Him to be, truly, all that we were made to be.

Luke 2.25-35 tells us that it comes with salvation. To receive salvation, all we have to do is take Jesus as Simeon did; personally, with the proper perspective that He is everything we need.

What did Christmas bring for you?

Everything, perspective, and salvation.

Surrounded (Fight My Battles)

Published on by James TravisLeave a comment

Some worship songs are so theologically rich and full of weighty substance that they simply must be sung in corporate worship when the church gathers together. Others are wonderful examples of Ephesians 5.19-21 wherein we read that we are to encourage one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.

Surrounded is a great example of an encouraging song that we can take into the day on repeat in our head to make melody to the Lord.

There are basically two lyrics sung over,

This is how I fight my battles

It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You

The song represents the victory that we have over our battles before we know the earthly outcome by trusting that God is going before us and He wins (NRT). This is how we fight our battles.

We can face our daily battles with more courage and strength because we know that the outcome is guaranteed to be based on His promise in Romans 8.28:

“God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”.

Michael W. Smith, who recorded this version, said this about the song,

When I hear the song I go back to the 2nd Kings Scripture and how Elisha prayed for his servant’s eyes to be opened. It’s so incredible that the song has only a few lines and it catches fire and I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to record it. It lights up the room when you sing it. He’s got your back. He said He’ll never leave you or forsake you. He’ll never leave you. God’s at work and we don’t understand it all. Even in the valley, He’s working for our good.

This is an attitude we must take forward into today and everyday; the blessed assurance that God will never leave or forsake us, that He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him, and that because He is outside of time, He is already there in our future having made a way, won the victory, and having fought our battle.

If you are walking through a season of difficulty and trial, please, listen to this and take comfort from knowing the Lord is walking ahead of you, fighting your battles, and that He loves you.