The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:44-46
Perspectives or the way that you look at things affect every aspect of your life. If you look at your bank account and see it dwindling because of gas prices today, you might get depressed. However if you look at the innocence of a child and their zest for life, you might be able to find joy no matter what is going on in your life. The streams of true joy run deep, and they can only be found in one place—God‘s presence. The Psalmist reminds us, “You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (16:11).
What kind of perspective on life have you had lately? Recently, a friend invited me to visit with a man who had moved from Africa to Nashville, Tennessee. He greeted us at the door with a smile and joy in his heart that we had stopped by. As I walked into his apartment, I noticed that he had a kitchen table, a couch, and a lot of empty space for his family of three. There were two perspectives that were clashing. In my view of comfort and ease, I wondered how he could be so happy. This alone made me ask a lot of questions about where he found his joy. He told me of a man who had visited his village in Africa and was spreading the Good News about Jesus. At first, he rejected the man, but the more that he heard the Gospel the more it affected him. As a result of the preacher sharing the Gospel, he was born again by God’s Spirit and began walking with Jesus. This was the source of his joy, happiness and peace.
After learning about his salvation experience, he showed me pictures of where he came from in Liberia, Africa. The roads were made of dirt, some gravel and very little pavement. The homes were built out of bamboo with leaves on the roof and a mixture of mud was used as mortar. He lived in a small place where they grew their own food and survived off the land. The basic mode of transportation was two feet or a bicycle if you were really blessed. He said you could easily walk 10-15 miles in a day. With my perspective being opened up to another culture, my friend informed me of a place he wanted to take the man to get some used furniture. We were able to drive to a benevolence center and pick out a few things—a full mattress, a fold-up single mattress, a few pillows, 3 wooden chairs, an old office desk and a couple of blankets. These items were able to meet his basic needs, and they were free. They didn’t seem like much to us, but it would be the comparison of taking an American to American Signature Home and saying, “Get what you want!” He was happy and overjoyed!
With my perspectives refocused, I came home realizing how blessed and spoiled I can be. I live in an air-conditioned home filled with furniture, books, food in the cabinets, clothes in the closet, running water, and ice. There are so many things that surround us and bring us comfort yet are we really comforted? Are we really happy? Are we really joyful? A.W. Tozer, in The Pursuit of God, speaks about the Blessedness of Possessing Nothing. He uses Abraham offer of Isaac as a backdrop to say, “After that bitter and blessed experience I think the words my and mine never again had the same meaning for Abraham. The sense of possession which they connote was gone from his heart. Things had been cast out forever. They had now become external to the man. His inner heart was free from them. The world said, ‘Abraham is rich,’ but the aged patriarch only smiled. He could not explain it, but he knew that he owned nothing, that his real treasures were inward and eternal.”
Are your real treasures inward and eternal? Are you like the man who treated the kingdom of heaven like a treasure and sold all that he had to buy it with joy? Or like the merchant who was searching for great pearls and after finding one sold all he had to possess it? This is not saying that the kingdom of heaven can be purchased. The way has already been purchased. It is revealing the point that knowing Christ, the King of the kingdom, is priceless and abandonment to Him provides rich joy and real perspective on this life that we live!
Showing posts with label Perspectives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Perspectives. Show all posts
Friday, September 12, 2008
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Upside Down Thinking
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Colossians 3:10
Can you remember being a little child and constantly wanting to climb on trees or monkey bars and hanging upside down? There was a freedom that was experienced from locking your legs and having them braced while the rest of your body dangled. Do you remember the rush that you felt when all the blood came flooding to your brain? As a child, I loved to be able to see the world upside down. Everything looked different from this perspective. It was new and fresh!
Did you realize that we as Christian’s should have the same upside down approach to life? Everywhere we go we are bombarded with the idea of gravity that wants to pull down our thinking. In a lot of ways, we forget what we have in Christ. Paul spoke to the Corinthians, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5)” Anything that lowers our ideas of God need to be removed from our thinking. Paul explained the world’s thinking in Romans 1:21 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” For those who are “in Christ,” we should not live as those who have no hope, but those who have an illuminated mind through the Holy Scriptures.
Let me illustrate this lesson by relaying today’s events in my life. I have spent time in the prison, nursing home, and convalescent center. These are not the most appealing places in our world. For many, it would be hard to visit places like this, because they can seem so depressing. Men living in jail for “x” number of years, elderly strolling around in wheel chairs and asking for the next coffee break, and an elderly lady exploring like a child the linen closet are common sights to see. From the world’s perspective, these people are washed up, lost their chance in life, and are useless. However, God is getting glory and His purposes will be fulfilled, because all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
As I visited the prison, I talked with my inmate and he told me how he was sharing Christ with the younger men that were struggling. At the nursing home, I saw beautiful teachers and nurses who were being taught by the elderly. Often those ministering are blessed more than those receiving the care. Finally, at the convalescent center, I visited a man who had been praying and singing praises to God with a broken voice at the age of 96. In the face of death and having lost his wife, he was singing and praising Christ for the glories and new life that awaited him. He wasn’t down hearted. He said he had been praying for a visitor today, and I was the answer to his prayer. As I sat and listened to a man who had traveled the world, I noticed how frail his body had become, but I couldn’t help but realize the sharpness of his mind as he spoke.
During our conversation, he said that the song, “What shall I leave behind?” rang inside his tabernacle of clay. He said he would soon be gone from this life but so much more was awaiting him. He lived, served and shared Christ everywhere he went and was still dependant upon God like a little child hanging upside down from the monkey bars.
The world is in great need of God-centered, Christ exalting, Word of God submitting, Cross-focused, and people-loving individuals who will not be satisfied with the status-quo, man-centered, self-seeking mentality that is all around. The church has been filled with this same worldly mentality. Jesus says, “Go, make disciples, baptize and teach, because he has all the power in heaven and earth.” May God raise you up because the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits (Daniel 11:32b). Be encouraged and free in the truths of God’s Word!
Looking upside down,
Brian Johnson
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Colossians 3:10
Can you remember being a little child and constantly wanting to climb on trees or monkey bars and hanging upside down? There was a freedom that was experienced from locking your legs and having them braced while the rest of your body dangled. Do you remember the rush that you felt when all the blood came flooding to your brain? As a child, I loved to be able to see the world upside down. Everything looked different from this perspective. It was new and fresh!
Did you realize that we as Christian’s should have the same upside down approach to life? Everywhere we go we are bombarded with the idea of gravity that wants to pull down our thinking. In a lot of ways, we forget what we have in Christ. Paul spoke to the Corinthians, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5)” Anything that lowers our ideas of God need to be removed from our thinking. Paul explained the world’s thinking in Romans 1:21 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” For those who are “in Christ,” we should not live as those who have no hope, but those who have an illuminated mind through the Holy Scriptures.
Let me illustrate this lesson by relaying today’s events in my life. I have spent time in the prison, nursing home, and convalescent center. These are not the most appealing places in our world. For many, it would be hard to visit places like this, because they can seem so depressing. Men living in jail for “x” number of years, elderly strolling around in wheel chairs and asking for the next coffee break, and an elderly lady exploring like a child the linen closet are common sights to see. From the world’s perspective, these people are washed up, lost their chance in life, and are useless. However, God is getting glory and His purposes will be fulfilled, because all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
As I visited the prison, I talked with my inmate and he told me how he was sharing Christ with the younger men that were struggling. At the nursing home, I saw beautiful teachers and nurses who were being taught by the elderly. Often those ministering are blessed more than those receiving the care. Finally, at the convalescent center, I visited a man who had been praying and singing praises to God with a broken voice at the age of 96. In the face of death and having lost his wife, he was singing and praising Christ for the glories and new life that awaited him. He wasn’t down hearted. He said he had been praying for a visitor today, and I was the answer to his prayer. As I sat and listened to a man who had traveled the world, I noticed how frail his body had become, but I couldn’t help but realize the sharpness of his mind as he spoke.
During our conversation, he said that the song, “What shall I leave behind?” rang inside his tabernacle of clay. He said he would soon be gone from this life but so much more was awaiting him. He lived, served and shared Christ everywhere he went and was still dependant upon God like a little child hanging upside down from the monkey bars.
The world is in great need of God-centered, Christ exalting, Word of God submitting, Cross-focused, and people-loving individuals who will not be satisfied with the status-quo, man-centered, self-seeking mentality that is all around. The church has been filled with this same worldly mentality. Jesus says, “Go, make disciples, baptize and teach, because he has all the power in heaven and earth.” May God raise you up because the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits (Daniel 11:32b). Be encouraged and free in the truths of God’s Word!
Looking upside down,
Brian Johnson
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