A Matter of Perspective – Part 1

This week, Michael writes how last week he examined what it means to be steadfast. Steadfast means “firmly fixed in place”. But Michael asks, “about what should we be steadfast”? We should be steadfast about our Master and about the gospel of salvation. Jesus said, "apart from me you can do nothing." As he said last week, to be steadfast in Him, we must have the “self” crushed out of us. Repentance means to turn from myself and to approach God's throne of grace with a broken and a contrite heart.

What is the cost of following Him?  It's not about the cost; it's about the value. What is it that you value most? The first of the Ten Commandments says, "You shall have no other gods between your face and God's face. In coming to Him, we must grasp the nail-pierced hands of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There's a story of a pig farmer who decided to visit a church near his house. After the service, he was moved to action and called the church. "I want to speak to the "big hog" in charge," he said. The receptionist replied, "We don't speak about our pastor with such disrespect." He said, "I meant no respect ma'am, That's what we call the boss in the pig farming industry. I wanted to speak to the preacher so that I could donate $50,000 to your church." She said, "Wait a minute I think I see the big pig coming this way."  What's the difference between a term of disrespect and a term of endearment? It's just a matter of perspective.  

Isaiah 55:6-11 “Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the Sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

God is faithful to His Word. He will bring forth the abundant blessings of the fruit of His righteousness. Our job is to meditate upon His holy Word ... to make His Will our will and His Word our word. The word of God says seek the Lord while he may be found, Seek Him while He is near." When Jesus calls, He calls us to know and understand the nature of God himself. God's nature is faithfulness, loving kindness, and tender mercy.

Every revelation needs an application. Jesus said, "He who loves me keeps my commandments." Therefore, be doers of the word and not hearers only.  Isaiah 55:7 says, Therefore, let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts. To turn to God and the things of God is to forsake our own ways. Repentance is to turn from self and unto the Lord. A man or woman of God comes to the revelation that God's best interest is high above their own best interest. The safest ground is to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In Him is the solid foundation. In Matthew 7:24-25 Jesus said, "Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”  Jesus Christ is the true foundation; solid as a rock. He Himself is the rock of ages.  

Let's continue Michael's message on "perspective" in the next post.

In Christ, Brian