How Do You See It?

Aaron Heinly shared a powerful and significant word to the church this past Sunday. If you were not able to be in church, I would encourage you to go to the church website and listen to the sermon.

Aaron talked about having "The Right Perspective." His key verse was Psalm 100:4-5(a) ...


"Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
 For the Lord is good ..."

These were the words of King David. David was a very accomplished man in his life, but he also suffered some very difficult hardships. Like us, some of those hardships he had no control over and others were his own fault. He had many failures, but was able to maintain his praise of God.

Aaron said something very profound when he said, "These verses (Psa 100.4-5) have no power to them unless we are living them when things are tough." It is not faking thanksgiving to express praise to God even when we are in the middle of difficult circumstances, or even when we do not feel like it. In fact, this is the precise point when we can exercise true faith and express our praise and thanksgiving to God.

Let me encourage you to read Jeremiah 29.4-14. We always quote verse 11, but sometimes fail to take note of the context. Israel is in captivity in Babylon. Their homes were destroyed, their lives disrupted, and they were taken captive to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.

Aaron drew the following significant principles out of these verses:

1. God shows compassion even towards those who reject Him.
        We serve a God with a gracious and forgiving heart.

2. Change your perspective from gloom to opportunity.
        We serve a wonderful God who has given to us everything we need to live fruitful and meaningful lives.

3. Multiply.
        I may be in "Babylon" but I am still a child of God Almighty. Live like God is alive.

4. Work for the peace and prosperity of our nation and our own lives.
        Pray hard, believe in the faithfulness of God, trust and rest in His love, and work hard.

5. Do not listen to soothsayers.
        When Jeremiah represented God to the nation of Israel, he presented a God who was both warning and wooing them. Always live for the glory of God in whatever situation you find yourself.

6. God is sovereign.
        God always has our interest in mind (Romans 8:28).

Do you have "The Right Perspective?" God's Word is filled with Life, Light, and Truth. In Christ there is always hope regardless of the swirl of life around us.

I choose to ascribe to God, "the honor and glory due His name." Now that is the right perspective!