A Divine Perspective

by Tim Howard 

In two weeks Christians everywhere and Churches throughout the world will remember the crucifixion of Christ and on Sunday, April 1 they will celebrate His resurrection – And that’s not an April fools joke! Some may describe that era as the best of times and the worst of times while others may say it was the turning point in human history.  One thing is certain, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has caused centuries of controversy and a multitude of change.

When Jesus was crucified, He was put in a tomb. But when some women came to the tomb – The stone was rolled away! According to Luke 2:26 they were told: “He is not here, but has risen.”

Dying is not something people enjoy thinking or talking about.  When death comes knocking on a person’s door, he or she is more apt to resist it with tremendous vigor or deny it altogether – rather than openly embrace it with hope.  Even the Apostle Peter when Jesus told His disciples that He would soon be crucified – He vehemently refused to accept the truth.  We are told that he actually took Jesus aside and rebuked Him.  He emphatically declared: “this will NEVER happen to you!”

From a passage in Matthew 16, we discover that Peter didn’t fully understand the significance of Christ’s death and only viewed things from a human point of view. Peter focused on the pain, sorrow, hurt, misery and injustice, but he didn’t see Christ’s death from God’s vantage point. There is, however, a divine perspective!

God sees His Son’s death and resurrection as the beginning of something new and not the end of something old. It marks the end of religious duty and opens the door for authentic relationship with God. Death doesn’t have to be the last step on earth but can be the first step into eternity with God if you put your faith in His Son.  There is a future hope beyond this earthly life and the resurrection of Jesus is God’s gracious evidence to all of us.  It assures us that God turned the sting of death around and what once produced fear is now conquered by faith.

 The Life of Christ was full of teachings, miracles, words of encouragement and personal ministry, but His death was the ultimate statement of God’s love.  The Bible tells us in John 3:16 that God so loved the world He gave His one and only Son to die on a cross for our sins.  Anyone who believes in Him will not only experience forgiveness from their sin but will receive an eternal inheritance as well. He loves all mankind and has a desire to relate to each and every individual. No one is exempt from His touch unless they reject Him.

As you celebrate the Easter season, God wants to give you a divine perspective and help you see from his vantage point.  Those who are receptive will see more than a man dying on a cross and listen to stories about His resurrection.

They will see a Savior who lived among us, died for us and walks with us to help us live life to it’s fullest. 

Go Climb a Tree

by Tim Howard

There’s one story in the Bible that catches my attention whenever I read it. It’s found In Luke 19 and says: As Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through, a man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house…”

Zacchaeus was a disliked man because he was a high-ranking tax collector. These people were known for their shrewd ways and hated for their dishonest gain. This man, however, was a go-getter. He wanted something and therefore made every effort to obtain it. Maybe that’s why he was wealthy. He was a problem solver and wouldn’t succumb to a challenge. Yes he was short but where there is a will there is a way. He found a tree and climbed it – Problem solved! We need more people like Zacchaeus.

Two things happened in this man that happens to all those who are truly seeking to see Jesus.

When he saw Jesus, he began to view life differently. Some people don’t see Jesus at all due to various distractions or the cares of life keep them busy and unfocused. Others do see Jesus but only as a historical teacher – a symbol of good or a person worthy of study like Mother Theresa. When, however, you see the real Jesus, you start viewing life differently. Zacchaeus gleaned a new perspective because he was willing to change his position. Perspective is important because it not only determines what you see but in turn determines the lifestyle you choose.

The second thing that transpired is seen in his decision. He chose a new lifestyle.
When he saw Jesus and discovered he didn’t hate Him like so many others did  – his motivation to change catapulted him into a new way of living. A lifestyle based on selflessness rather than selfishness, a lifestyle of fairness rather than favoritism and a lifestyle of giving rather than taking. Jesus caused change!

Has your perspective on life become narrow-minded? Are you more and more set in your ways, resistant to see things from a broader perspective? Does your lifestyle focus more on you and yours rather than others? Is it more about getting for you than it is about giving?

If so, I would suggest a change in your position because you won’t get a new perspective sitting in the same place, doing the same things and thinking the same thoughts. Talk to someone who has had a real encounter with Jesus or gather with one of the many church families in Kings County this weekend for a better glimpse of Jesus.

If that doesn’t work out, you might consider climbing a tree. Jesus will pass your way if you’re really seeking to see Him.

A Fresh Perspective

by Andrew Cromwell

I tend to see things one way. My way. Knowing this, I do my best to see things from another perspective. If I’m dealing with someone and we just don’t see “eye-to-eye”, I do my best to give them the benefit of the doubt and see things from their point of view. 

This is all well and good until my emotions get involved. Because when my feelings get hurt or when I get angry—I stop playing the part of the cool, detached “bigger perspective” person who can see the value in everyone’s opinion. Suddenly, the other person’s view not only doesn’t make much sense, it’s just downright dumb.

Even in the best of moments, I am severely limited. As much as I try to see the bigger picture, I find that my own selfish perspective keeps slipping in and clouding my view. And I get stuck there until I remember that there is another, better way. 

When I remember what God said to Isaiah—” my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways”—it wakes me from my selfish slumber. I must admit, it is a little embarrassing when I discover that I once again have fallen into the old pattern of thinking that I could figure things out on my own. But after I get over myself and face up to the reality that if I try to get a new perspective without first inviting God into the situation, then I have done nothing but just “try”. 

Trying is nice. Doing is better. Have you ever “tried” to be a better person? It rarely works. Before you know it, you’re right back where you started, stuck back in the old thinking and habit patterns. That is because “trying” is a lousy strategy. 

Dying is much better. Yes, dying. As in, put a fork in it, it’s done. Dying means that we give up our old perspective because we realize that it is just plain lousy. We give up on “trying” to see from the other person’s point of view. Instead, we replace our old perspective with a new one. We replace our old eyes with new eyes.

God said to Ezekiel, “I will give you a new heart.” That’s what you and I need. We need God’s perspective. Enough with “trying” to figure things out and “trying” to hyper analyze the situation. It’s time to realize that we are selfish, limited, broken people that can do little without God’s help. 

If we really want to see into another person’s world and to walk a mile in their shoes, we need to ask God to replace our perspective with His perspective. You see, if anyone is able to fully understand a larger view, it is Father God. 

So the next time you don’t understand your boss, your spouse, your kids, your co-workers or that crazy driver who just blew by and flipped you off, don’t “try.” Die. Die to your natural reaction of anger, bitterness or frustration. Instead, ask God to give you His perspective, His heart. Ask Him to give you His love for that person. 

And you know what? He will.

What's Your Perspective?

by Tim Howard

Have you ever witnessed something with several other people present and when asked about the event, everyone shared a different perspective? It’s amazing to me how several people can experience the same thing and yet have several unique interpretations. How two children can be brought up in the same household with the same parents at the same time and develop such different philosophies of life is very intriguing.

There was a time in history when a man named Moses sent 12 of his military personal out on a reconnaissance mission. It’s recorded in the book of Numbers Chapter 13. They were given these instructions: “Go through the desert and into the hill country. See what the land is like and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls or are they unprotected?

The purpose of this exploration was to help the Israelites develop a strategy for acquiring that territory since God had given it to them as their inheritance. Here’s the report they gave to Moses.

“We arrived in the land you sent us to see, and it is a magnificent country but the people living there are powerful, and their cities and towns are fortified. We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are! We even saw giants. We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that’s what we looked like to them!” But Caleb tried to encourage the people along with Joshua as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!” 

Twelve different people and two very different perspectives! Ten saw things in a very negative way and only Joshua and Caleb saw things in a positive light.

In my early years of life and even into my mid thirties, I was an extremely negative person. If someone came up with an idea or a suggestion, I could give 10 reasons why it wouldn’t work. I was so good at being negative; I thought I had a special gift! My philosophy was simple: expect the worst and you won’t be disappointed. This philosophy seems to guarantee a certain level of stability but it also keeps you from experiencing a whole lot of joy.

A pessimist has a tendency to see the worst rather than the best and this is witnessed by the way they talk. Everything is negative!

If you have a negative perspective, you may need to change your position. When standing on the ground, things can look overwhelming and intimidating but when you get into a plane and fly a few thousand feet above land things look a lot smaller. You gain a new perspective by simply changing your position. 

If you know God, Ephesians 2:6 says: “you are positioned in the heavenly realm with him.” High above all things!  In other words, you can see with God’s eyes. He has a greater vantage point and a much broader view. The Israelites would have done better had they put their faith in God and viewed things through his eyes rather than their own. 

When you try to see God through the myriad of problems you encounter rather than seeing your problems through God’s eyes your perspective becomes skewed. If you tend to see things in a negative light, it might be time to put your faith in God and get some new ‘spiritual glasses.’ It will be amazing how your perspective will change.