Pastor Wayne Cordeiro
September 23, 2007 - W0738

Two people of the same age can grow up in the same community and attend the same high school yet one may become successful but the other one won’t.  Even if they experienced the same setbacks in life, one may become better for it while the other becomes bitter because of it.  Why is that?  The answer lies in the way we perceive things…as illustrated in the story of two shoe salesmen who went to Africa and saw that no one was wearing shoes:  The first salesman called his office and cancelled all his orders because, “No one here wears shoes!”  On the other hand, the second salesman called his office and told them to triple his order because, “Everyone here needs shoes!”  It’s all in the perception.  

Arlene was a lady that went to Bible College with Anna and I.  You could see that she had gone through multiple surgeries from the scars upon her face and neck.  Although the surgeries were done well, there was an asymmetrical shape to her face and neck caused by the tracks of scars from 27 surgeries.  Drinking made Arlene’s husband violent and one day he took a butcher knife and stabbed her over 90 times, leaving her in a pool of blood.  She survived because neighbors heard the screams and rushed her to the hospital.  Her ex-husband has been in prison now for many years.  I assumed she hated him for what he had done.  But, in her eyes was a look of wisdom forged through painful memories as she answered me.  She said, “He took an hour of my life, Wayne.  But, the rest of my life belongs to Jesus, not him.  So, I’ll not give him another minute.”  Today, Arlene is a missionary in South America serving Christ.  It’s all perspective.  The way you perceive life is absolutely an essential!  Did you know that both a bright future and a dark future are both wrapped up in the way we perceive what we are facing today?  If you see it wrongly, it will be a darker future.  If you see it rightly, it will be a brighter future. 

Lorraine Hansberry’s play, “A Raisin in the Sun”, is about a destitute African-American family on the south side of Chicago.  The mother was to receive a $10,000 life insurance settlement from the death of her husband and wanted to use it to move into a better neighborhood.  Beneatha, the daughter, was hoping the money could help her get into medical school.  The son, Walter, wanted to use it to make more money and so he convinced his mother to let him invest it.  Based on a friend’s advice, he made an investment that guaranteed to triple the money in six months.  Of course, it fell through and they lost it all.  All their hopes and dreams shriveled like a raisin the sun.  Walter was devastated and sorry for what had happened, but Beneatha was livid and cursed him with unkind names.  Finally, the mother interrupted her and said, “Haven’t I taught you to love him?”  Beneatha said, “There’s nothing left to love.”  But, the mother replied, “Child, there’s always something left to love.  And, if you ain’t learned that, you ain’t learned nothing.  Did you cry for him and for what this is doing to his soul?  When do you think it is time to love somebody?  When they are on top of the world?  No, it ‘s when they are so low they can’t get themselves up off the ground.  You best measure somebody right and know the valleys they have been through.  Measure them right.”  The perspective of that mother would bring life.  But, the perspective of that daughter would bring death.  You see, a bright future and a dark future are both packaged in the way you perceive what you are facing today. 

Israel faced the same problem, which was in their eyes, when God instructed Moses to send spies to the new land He would give to them.  Ten of the spies brought back a terrible report and only two, Caleb and Joshua, returned a positive one.  They all saw the same land, but perceived it differently. So, God said that Caleb and Joshua would go into the land because they had a different spirit.  A bright future and a dark future are both wrapped up in the way you perceive what you are facing today.  It affects not only your future, but also how you see yourself.  Numbers 13:33 illustrates the poor self-image that can occur when you perceive things incorrectly.

“We even saw giants there…We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that’s what we looked like to them!” (Numbers 13:33).

The way you perceive yourself is the way others will see you.  In the book of Romans, God gives each of us a measure of faith, but not so that we can think highly of ourselves, but so that we use our measure of faith with sound judgment.  That is how you right-size your life.  Your faith is defined by how you perceive life.  If you perceive your life as problematic and impossible for you to do anything about it, then that is the measure of your faith. Coming to church regularly isn’t going to change that measure of your faith.  Faith is practical, not theoretical.  Can you perceive your life in such a way that prompts you to right-size it with sound judgment that will bring you a better, brighter future?  Or, will you down-size yourself in a negative way?  The way you perceive life is the way your faith will be defined.  Mark 4 tells the story of the storm that hit when Jesus and the apostles were in their boat.  Jesus was asleep through the storm, but the apostles were frightened.  They awoke Jesus and asked him why he didn’t care that they were going to die?  Jesus got up and quieted the storm.  Then, he asked them, “Where is your faith?”  Perhaps, Jesus kept sleeping, not because he didn’t care, but because his faith could handle it.  The apostles saw the storm as impossible to deal with, but Jesus saw it as small stuff.  It’s all in perception.  So, how do we change our eyeballs to see things positively?  See God as stronger than any problem and He will give you the impetus and ability to weather any storm.  Here is a poem that speaks about perception.

If you think you’re beaten, you are.  If you think you dare not, then you won’t.

If you like to win but you think you can’t, it is certain that you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost.

For out in the world we find success begins with a person’s mind.

You’ve got to think high to rise.  You’ve got to see it before you even win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man,

For sooner or later, it goes to the one who says “I CAN.”

The Bible says, “As is thy faith, so shall it be done to you.”  Even if all of heaven is available to help you, you won’t have the ability to receive it because as is your faith, so shall it be done to you.  The way you perceive what you face today is where your future lies.  It is so important to God how you perceive life because that’s the definition of your faith.  Without faith, it’s impossible to please God.  For those that come to Him must believe that He is and that he will reward those that trust Him.  

A few months after Walt Disney died, the ground was set for Disney World.  Five years later Lillian Disney, his wife, spoke at the ground-breaking dedication.  After the dedication ceremony, the emcee came to her and said that he wished her husband could have seen it.  To that, Lillian replied, “He did.  That’s why it’s here.”  Learn practical essentials to develop eyes of faith so you can see what God is about to do in your life. We should all develop eyes of faith to see what God wants us to do.  Eyes that can right-size our life because life comes to us tilted and twisted, not perfect or straightforward.  Your perspective will be your future.  And, that is the measure of your faith.  Develop eyes of faith towards problems in your family, your finances, and your job in order to right-size them, which then allows God to give you the wisdom to resolve them.  Here are three life essentials to develop eyes that right-size life.

1.      LIFE ESSENTIAL #1:  KNOW THE SEASON OF LIFE YOU ARE IN.

Seasons are beautiful as they change from one to the other.  But, to enjoy the autumn, winter, spring and summer, you must be prepared.  In New York City the homeless have died from exposure when they weren’t prepared for the drastic drop in temperature as winter set in.  A season can be beautiful for one person, but can mean death for another.  Know the season you are in and cooperate with it.  I recently visited my daughter, who lives on a farm in Oregon and wanted to give her something special.  So, I planted a really nice sapling that would grow into a beautiful tree.  But, I planted it during the wrong season, and eventually, it died.  All I knew was that, in Hawaii, I can just throw a mango seed on the ground and it will grow.  I didn’t prepare.   

God takes us through seasons.  If you don’t know your season, you will make many mistakes.  What is God working on in this season of your life?  What is He emphasizing to you?  Is it your children, your spouse, your education, or your devotion to God?  God will move you through seasons so you need to know what He is working on in your life, as this scripture tells us:

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

To know what God is working on in your life, ask Him.  James 1 tells us if anyone lacks wisdom, have him ask of God who gives to all men generously and withholds nothing.  He will tell you and He will teach you. 

“…the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him” (1 John 2:27).

To abide in Him means to obey.  The Holy Spirit that lives in you when you receive Jesus Christ will give you hints as to what is happening so that you can cooperate with God as He works on them.  For example, build relationships and don’t tolerate broken ones.  Do what God is blessing and stick with it.  When you do, God removes any obstacles because He will resolve them for you.  God wants to help you follow Him and not stray from Him, is why He will remove any obstacle from your path.  When you stray, God stands against you.  But, when you cooperate with Him, all the powers of heaven will be at your disposable.  There will be a courage, a confidence and an assurance that will come over you when you know the miracles God can do.  Every miracle began with a problem.  And, God always works everything out for good.  Remember what you need to work on.  Write it down.  Habakkuk 2:2 says, “Write down the vision.  Inscribe it on a tablet.  And make it plain so that those who read it may obey it.” 

Recently, Anna and I had planned a trip to Oregon, to celebrate our granddaughter’s first birthday, which was in two weeks.  Although, Abigail, our youngest daughter, was celebrating her birthday, we decided not to visit her because two trips would be financially difficult.  Yet, I had written down in my calendar that I should spend more time with Abigail.  So, we went.  The day after Abigail’s birthday, she was driving along some roads that bend along the mountain.  The speed of her car caused it to swerve and were it not for the guard rails, she would have fallen over the cliff.  Although her car was totaled, she survived.  Through much tears and trepidation, Anna and I were there to embrace her and reassure her that it could have happened to anyone.  Now, if I had not discerned the season, we would not have been there.  But, the Lord knew what was going to happen.  Our being there didn’t make Abigail immune from life but it helped her to gain the right perspective.  Record the season of life God gives you and He will remove the roadblocks so you can right-size your life.  Find out what season of life you are in, and then:

·        TRAVEL LIGHT BY KEEPING SHORT ACCOUNTS.

This life is too short to hold grudges against others.  2 Timothy says:

“I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did…” (2 Timothy 1:3).

You can’t ask for God’s forgiveness and blessing if you don’t forgive others.  Learn to have a clear conscience as Romans 12 says:

“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Romans 12:17-18).

‘So far as it depends on you’ means that even if they shut the door on you, you keep yours open.  Keep short accounts.  Then, your second life essential would be:

2.      LIFE ESSENTIAL #2:  MONITOR YOUR INNER CONVERSATION.

Inside of each of us there is a muzak that plays background music all the time.  This music affects your mood.  Bad music puts you in a bad mood, same as good music puts you in a good mood.  Some of us have the wrong songs playing inside.  If you are playing songs like, “What Kind of Fool am I?” or “It’s My Party and I’ll Cry if I Want To” or “Another One Bites the Dust”, change them so you can monitor what is going on in your inner conversation.

“Who may dwell on Your holy hill?  He who walks with integrity, works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart” (Psalm 15:1-2).

“…He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart” (Luke 1:51).

Pride scatters your thinking.  Remember the words:  ‘in his heart’ and ‘thoughts of their heart’ to help you deal with your thoughts.  Ask Jesus to help you reason them out.  Maybe that person is insecure or struggling with a personal problem.  Maybe that guy cut you off because he’s on his way to the hospital.  Maybe he’s an idiot.  No, no, that’s not right.  It’s okay to argue with yourself to reason out your thoughts and make them right.  David even did that because he wanted to correct himself on the inside, as we read in 2 Corinthians.

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Speculation is the Greek word, logismos.  It is a logical debate against what God wants you to do or against the obedience of His knowledge.  At times, your debates will sound logical, but if it doesn’t move you to resolution like God’s knowledge, then your thoughts are wrong.  Remember, a bright future and a dark future are both wrapped up in the way we perceive what we are facing today.  That is the measure of your faith, no matter who you are.  Bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.  Make sure God’s spirit wins the debate and not yours.  Now, the third life essential, which is also very practical, is:

3.      LIFE ESSENTIAL #3:  KNOW WHO’S ON YOUR TEAM!

Don’t perceive each other as enemies.  Know who is on your team, as Galatians 5 says:

“But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another” (Galatians 5:15).

Thinking you are higher up in the food chain than others is weird and unhealthy.  Don’t think that way.  Many times you are on the same team, especially in marriages.  It’s true in families and in ministries.  Saul, who later became Paul, learned this while he was persecuting the Christians of the church.  One day, God literally knocked Saul off his high horse and blinded him.  Now, remember that Saul was persecuting the Christians, yet read what God asked him in Acts 9:

“’Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’  And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’  And He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting’” (Acts 9:4-5).

God asked Saul why he was persecuting Him.  And when Saul asked who he was persecuting, God answered, ‘I am Jesus.’  God is telling all of us that when we nail each other as Christians, we are doing it to Christ.  Jesus says we are all on the same team and of the same body of Christ.  Don’t nail the body of Christ in your families or in your churches because Jesus will want to know why you are hating him by hurting him.  Let me illustrate with a cool story. 

Two alien life forms talk to each other in space.  The first alien says, “The dominant life forms on earth have developed satellite-based weapons.”  The second alien asks, “Are they an emerging intelligence?”  To which the first alien replies, “I don’t think so.  They are aimed at themselves.”  I wish human beings would understand that we are all on the same team.  We create sophisticated weapons, aim them at ourselves and then say we are so intelligent.  When we adopt that kind of thinking, we end up destroying our families, our churches and our very lives.  

Knowing who is on your team will get you on the way to right-sizing your life.  You won’t see poorly anymore because your future will be wrapped up in the way you perceive what you face today.  That is called faith.  When you begin to see as God sees, Jeremiah 29:11 comes to life. 

“For I know the plans that I have for you, ‘declares the Lord,’ plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Let’s grab that future and a hope today!  Amen!

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Q1: Do you know the season of your life right now?  If not, what is the first step you can take to find out?

Q2: Name some scriptures that can teach you how to right-size your life.

Q3: Are there any ‘accounts’ in your life that should be closed and how can you ensure you won’t open them again?

Q4: Share one thing God is emphasizing in your life today.

Q5: Describe an inner debate you had about what God wanted you to do.  Whose spirit won the debate and why?

Q6: What team(s) do you belong to and how does it stick together?