October 6, 2016 WWJWMTD by Steve the son of John

How Do I Regain My Perspective?

Guest Authors’ Series: Otis & Sue Davis

It’s a question for every one of us. Will we allow the truth of God’s promises to change the way we see life, with all its challenges and obstacles, ease our fears and calm our anxieties? To give us hope and confidence when there doesn’t seem to be any earthly reason for either? One thing the Bible seems to do over and over again is take a man or woman’s view and perspective of a given situation and lay it alongside God’s view of the same situation and then contrast?

1. Faith Action — “Be careful, keep calm, and don’t be afraid. Do not lose hope…If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” Isaiah 7.4 & 9 nIrv God won’t always change our circumstances, but if we ask Him, He will often step in to change our perspective! He will help us catch a glimpse of life through the eyes of faith, as He sees it. And that glimpse is worth everything. Read Isaiah 7.1-9

2. Faith Action —“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. God isn’t asking you to be thankful. He’s asking you to give thanks. There’s a big difference. One response involves emotions, the other your choices, your decisions about a situation, your intent, your “step of faith.” It takes faith—sometimes-great faith in a terrible circumstance—to choose to forgive, to choose the loving (and not angry) response, to decide to give thanks even when you don’t feel it.

3. Faith Action — “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD” Hosea 6:3rsv The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action (be strong and do exploits kjv)” Daniel 11:32evs & kjv Refocus on the Lord, not your fears. Ah, but those fears! That cold sense of gnawing dread. The anxiety that sometimes feels like a tight belt around your chest. It’s all too easy, isn’t it, to get caught up in situations that make us afraid? Life has plenty of anxieties that can rob us of our peace and bring us low! But trials are also meant to waken us to the truth of Daniel 11:32. If you’re facing what seems to be an overwhelming situation pray these verses to encourage you to stand firm. Don’t let your anxieties swallow you up or drain your faith dry. Rather, stand firm and take action.

4. Faith Action — “Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy; fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! Romans 15:13 message As you and I trust God through the toughest of times, He imparts even more hope, evidenced by joy and peace of mind and heart” “Set your heart on things above, where Christ is seated at right hand of God” Colossians 3:1niv A Christian who is full of joy, who is peaceful about his circumstances, is the Christian who has hope. He has the God of hope front and center in his heart.

5. Faith Action —“Be filled with the Spirit…Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” Ephesians 5:18-20niv “When they had sung a hymn; they went out to the Mount of Olives” Matthew 26:30niv Of all the times and places, the Lord Jesus chose to have us remember Him singing, it was in the hours before His great sacrifice and death. We are commanded to sing while we always give thanks to God for everything! Earlier we read about giving thanks “in” all things, but in this passage, God tells us to always give thanks “for” everything. That little word “for” can encompass an awful lot of pain and suffering. But maybe that’s why God reminds us to sing. The fact is, as you and I follow His steps up the Mount of Olives into the garden of Gethsemane—and down the road to Calvary, too—we also should take up our cross and sing. Our natural inclination, of course, is not to sing when we’re hurting. But we’re not talking about natural inclinations or feelings here; we’re talking about singing as an act of faith. Think of the apostle Paul who sang, despite his chains, in that dungeon in Philippi. So friend, no matters if your emotions are up or down, follow the Lord’s lead today. May the mind of Christ your Savior live in you from day to day, and ask God to simply put a song in your heart as you pick up your cross daily and follow Him. Singing and praying are perspective changers. But nothing happens until you open your mouth and heart, by faith, and hit that first note! Tada, Joni Eareckson (2010-09-01). A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God’s Sovereignty (p. 136). David C. Cook. Kindle Edition.

6. Faith Action — Pray these verses twice a day for 28 days. Keep a Journal.

Written by Otis and Sue Davis/excerpts from Tada, Joni Eareckson and David C. Cook

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

This e-mail, including attachments, may include confidential and/or proprietary information, and may be used only by the person or entity to which it is addressed. If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient or his or her authorized agent, the reader is hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this e-mail is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by replying to this message and delete this e-mail immediately.