Altered Perspectives
Altered Perspectives by Jose Gonzales
Ephesians 5:18-21 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, sometimes giving thanks to God the Father for the good things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition… present your requests to God.
Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and trickling with thankfulness.
Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and that’s it.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice sometimes, pray continually, give thanks in the good circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
The verses above, as you may have noticed, have been altered slightly. However, I believe this alteration paints a picture of many people in our world today. The verses above actually teach us:
1. to give thanks ALWAYS for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
2. that in every situation, by prayer and petition, WITH THANKSGIVING, to make our requests known to God
3. to be OVERFLOWING with thankfulness
4. to rejoice ALWAYS and give thanks in ALL circumstances, for this is God’s perfect will for you in Christ Jesus.
There is no need to wonder about the Lord’s will for your life, for the answer lies above. Friends, if you want to do the Lord’s will, be grateful. I have had the wonderful privilege of spending time with one particular missionary while he was in San Antonio the past two years. Apart from all the incredible conversations and things he taught, the one thing that has stuck with me the most was his face. Many people as they grow old begin to form stress lines or stress wrinkles on their faces… but not him. The lines on his face have been formed by a constant smile. His face is literally marked by gratitude.
Moreover, I’ve always heard another friend of mine say “If God has done something magnificent in your life, it should show on your face.” There is a battle to be fought, and if we are to win, we must be grateful. The enemy knows this. In the garden, God gave Adam and Eve so much. Adam had the honor to name penguins. Adam and Eve had so many marvelous trees to eat from and had friendship with God. WOW. However, as you read through Genesis, you see the serpent slither in and begin to make them think about the one tree they cannot have despite all they did have, and they became ungrateful. The same happens today. We want things we can’t have despite all the things we do have, and it all starts with ingratitude.
It’s easy to be grateful when everything is going good in our lives. However, when we have been to the third HEB today and still haven’t found toilet paper, it gets a bit harder to be grateful. In times of uncertainty such as these, the worst thing we can do as a body of Christ is to be ungrateful.
We as Christ followers must fight for gratitude and be grateful even when it is not always ideal! We must have a different perspective, for perspective changes results without changing facts. Students, you still have the opportunity to take online classes when the majority of the world wishes to get a college education. Thank you Jesus! With so much time on your hands, you get to spend rich time abiding with Jesus. Thank you God! In moving back home with your parents, you have been given the amazing opportunity to serve and love your family the way Jesus would. You get to tell them about all the wonderful things Jesus has done and will continue to do! Hallelujah!
The first step away from God is ingratitude, which means that the first step back to God is gratitude and honesty. Be honest with God, repent of your ungrateful heart, and begin to thank Him, not only for what He has done but for who He is. When we change our perspective and begin having an attitude of gratitude, Jesus will come, and His peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
Conviction
The First Step Away From God is Ingratitude
Practical Challenge
Make a list of things you are grateful for and thank God for them. A list of all the great things God is, all the great things He has given, and all the things you’ve been blessed with. You can start small, and somehow gratitude will simply begin to snowball and you’ll be left with an avalanche of thankfulness that’ll warm the heart of God.
Listen to “You and You Alone” by Upper Room and worship God.