Getting God’s Viewpoint - Part 1

Welcome to the index podcast with Charles Stanley Monday, November 22 is not immune to travel is a Christian and victim of circumstance where going out in today's podcast when you are faced with a very crucial decision that you really want to do God's best. What do you do when you are deliberately persecuted.

What is your reaction when you suffer disappointment. How you respond when you suffer great loss how you respond. I don't think any of us know exactly how we respond in some circumstances unless we've been but the key to the right response is always the result of having God's viewpoint. What is God's viewpoint. In each of these circumstances. How do we find God's viewpoint.

If ever there was a man who suffered persecution, hardship, heartache, and all the rest that goes with it. The apostle Paul was the man and is absolutely amazing. That is, he writes. He writes as a man victorious triumphant we don't find self-pity we don't find the man who's looking for someone to feel sorry for. We found a man who sees himself as a winter no matter what he faced what was the key how to do it and here's what he did. He always viewed his circumstances from God's viewpoint and that's the time of this message getting God's viewpoint and if you turn to second Corinthians chapter 4 I want us to read three verses of this chapter, but I want to give you a little background to prepare us for what Paul is about to say here in this whole chapter he's talking about his ministry and the emphasis of it.

Beginning in verse eight through the rest of the chapter is the suffering that he is experienced as a result of a missionary as a result of a statesman and evangelist for Jesus Christ. So he begins this passage and I want us to begin in verse eight, and then skip down to three of the verses in verse eight. Listen to what he says we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed. We are perplexed, but not despairing will persecuted, but not forsaken struck down, but not destroyed.

Look back, if you will. It afflicted. He says we are afflicted in every way that is suffering due to pressure of circumstances. All the antagonism of other people. But he says were not crushed by perplexed that is confused and bewildered and puzzled about the circumstances but do not despair over it.

He says, persecuted, attacked and rejected from all angles but we do not feel forsaken by God, struck down physical abuse but not destroyed by listen to what Paul says, he says. In fact, as we go about our life. We are always caring about in the body the dying that is the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then if you look in verse 12 he says so death works in eyes, but life in you. Here's what Paul is saying as he suffered persecution, hardship, heartache and trial, as he bore that as he suffered these trials from all outward appearance, it appeared that Paul was being mistreated. How unfair hair unjustly, Paul says, the end result was this that those who are his listeners. Those who were his readers. Those who hearing about him.

He says there was life being generated in them.

As a result of his suffering and his proper response to that suffering. Then he comes down to verse 16, 17, 18, or three verses.

I was to concentrate on. We talk about getting God's viewpoint listener what he says. Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man, our spirit is being renewed day by day for momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. Then he says while we look not at the things that are seen but of the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. So let me ask you this question.

When you come to that decision you want to do what God wants you to do, but you don't know what to do.

How do you respond when you suffer great disappointment. How do you respond when you suffer physical pain almost to the point of being unbearable for seasons how do you respond that is one life seems just a cave-in when you find yourself in a rut in a valley in a mood of persecution. It seems and there seems to be no way out and everything about you seems to be impossible.

How do you respond my friend you will never reach a stage in your life whereby all your heart aches and troubles and trials and tribulations of burdens, sickness and suffering are going to cease doesn't make a difference if you the most committed believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and your faith can move mountains is still going to suffer persecution, hardship, heartache because God's ultimate purpose and that is fantastic in its fruits. Paul said, as I suffer. He says you gain life now. What is God's viewpoint. If you will listen to this message very carefully.

If you will began to make application in a very simple fashion, my friend, I assure you.

Your attitude is going to change your circumstances may be the same, but your attitude your spirit, your responses, your reaction, the joy that you been looking for is suddenly going to be there in the midst of what seemed to be turmoil, animosity and hostility and an impossible situation. Uganda began to praise the Lord. It's all to be found in these three very cool jam packed verses.

Verses 16, 17 and 18 in my friend.

The truth is, you cannot afford not to listen. Paul says therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day that he simply say I have found the key to him to be able to endure anything and everything that comes my way. And here's the key.

The key is I get God's viewpoint respond according the first thing I want you to jot down is this when we have God's viewpoint about our circumstances, we will number one, we will face our circumstances with confidence we will face our circumstances with confidence that God will see us through it. Where is that here it is in verse 16. Therefore, we do not lose heart. We don't become discouraged.

We don't want to give up and quit. We all leave the conflict, but rather we have confidence we have God's viewpoint.

We are confident that we can face any circumstance because God is in my circumstances with me no matter what they may be.

He says I will never leave the nor for sake, they wanted Paul say for example, my God shall supply all of your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus. What he say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me because in the pits of what would be despair for most people, he discovered God's viewpoint and began to understand he could endure any and every experience of life with confidence and boldness, knowing that God was in it within God's viewpoint is this.

No matter what you're facing. I am in this with you all the way through it to and through the end of it.

I am with you, and wherever there is the presence of God. There is the supernatural power of God to be released in that situation and circumstance. No matter what it so the first thing that Paul says in the light of all the sufferings he says therefore we do not lose heart. We don't have to lose heart.

When we have God's viewpoint and his viewpoint is I am going to be with you all the way through it. No matter what count on me. I am there to see you through it triumphantly when ever you and I view any situation from God's viewpoint, understanding, and aware that he is with me in this, he knows all about my tears.

He knows all about that terrible attack of doubt. He knows all about my frustrations.

My hopeless, helpless is state when I know that he knows that and he understands that any and he accepts me even limits our doubts. I am confident I'm going to come through this victoriously when you read this passage here. There is no indication no tone of somber, morbid, no tone of somber, morbid despair and defeat. And here's the reason turned back the second Corinthians chapter 2 just go over one chapter, there chapter 2 to verse 14 and listen to what Paul says in the 14 verse he says. But thanks be to God. Listen, who always leads us in his trial in Christ and manifest reveals throws the sweet aroma of the knowledge of him in every place.

You know what Paul is saying that that is what he say he says thanks be to God who always leads us in trial that is risen is the nature of the Christian life to be victorious. It is the nature of the Christian life to be a winner. Not one who is defeated is the nature of the Christian life. The responder circumstances from a positive point of view, not a defeated quality and notice how he catches this he says in this particular passage, he says, leaving us in triumph in Christ and manifesting revealing showing through us as we responder our circumstances properly throws the sweet aroma of the knowledge of him in every place. Now wherever we live wherever we go.

When we living behind is not some aroma of perfume, but the aroma of the sweetness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We live and breed on a whole different light level in plateau than the unbeliever wherever we are missing. It should never be the same. He says the sweet aroma of the wonderful knowledge of Jesus Christ that you and I have so that no one should be able to absolutely, totally ignore us not only our personality is saturated with Jesus Christ.

But the truth we speak and what we permeate and what we radiate from our very life should be an encouragement to someone so that none of us can be sold. All that we can be ignored.

They may not like us. But they'll have to reject this or accept this because the sweet aroma of the unconditional love of Jesus Christ is permeating every society would you knowledge is what is talking about. So therefore we can face these things with confidence. Something good is going to happen.

Number two. Listen to what he says.

Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outward man.

This physical body is decaying and degenerating yet our inner man is being renewed day by day, so jot this down when we have God's viewpoint number two we look beyond listen. We look beyond our circumstances to the spiritual growth we are experiencing as a result of responding to our circumstances rightly. We look beyond our circumstances to the spiritual growth we are experiencing as a result of responding to those circumstances right in the notice how he says it here in the 16th verse, though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day notice is saying simpler this this physical body of ours as we get older is going to begin to suffer the K we going to lose some of our physical stamina and strength and resiliency to face situations and circumstances in life, but notice what he says now he says while the outside while the physical body is beginning to suffer some loss. He says your inner man. Your spirit is growing stronger, more resilient firm. There is more power within you so that the older we get, while the physical body may lose some of its physical energy.

The inner man he says is growing stronger and stronger. That's why we shouldn't run from difficult the hardship Arctic persecution rejection and criticism, but rather we ought to respond and understand and looking beyond what we can seal the Alamance you see what is happening in your circumstances and the pressures in the and the buffeting you're experiencing. You hear that from God's experience and that is this. While you are outwardly suffering, whether it is emotionally, mentally, physically, remember this while your body and your mind and your emotions may be taking a beating. Your spirit is growing stronger and deeper and more confident and more sure than more determined you are listening in the aging process of the physical body. Your spirit is becoming younger and stronger and more willing to take on listen the devil and the world than ever before because all of these things on the outside.

When we respond properly. They just build us and equip us and strengthen us. He says the outer man is degenerating, but the inner man is becoming stronger and stronger with every passing day I think about this. One of these days that there somewhere. Our body begins to reach some particulars begins the slide downward wasn't the time to say well I guess I'm over the hill. My friend that is a poor statement for a believer my friend as a child of God, you are always on the up with client, always on the upward trend.

There is no such thing is going down the hill. If you have a downhill syndrome you don't have a scriptural viewpoint of your life are God's divine purpose for you because for most people, etc. they think they've done it all that God can begin to use them. He says oh you want to face your circumstances.

Remember this, that no matter what is happening. He says look beyond the circumstances and understand that God is enriching you deepening you, strengthening you equipping you making you more useful for him and make use making you stronger and stronger third thing I want you to jot down this and what he says four more verse 717 for momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.

Third thing I want you to jot down. That is when we have God's viewpoint. We measure every experience against the background of eternity. We have God's viewpoint. We measure every experience against the background of return than a list of what Paul said, for momentary, light affliction, summarizes what a minute is how can this be called momentary affliction.

You know how long I've suffered for 25 years I've had this disease for 30 years I've had to lay around my back for 15 years I've suffer this thing for 10 years I've been in this horrible mess.

You see, we say is forever. God said no it doesn't make any difference what you and I experience he says it's momentary telemetry. While that's true. Let's say for example that you suffer some disease or some circumstance. Let's say that you're in one of those situations emotionally with someone. I mean it's just it's just a mess. Every day I meet it's trying it's difficult is painful. It's hard to criticize you rejected, whatever it may be, and there's no way out you'd like to get out you'd like to run a thousand miles but you decided to hang in there and be obedient to God. But you think Lord I think I'm the lead to Martin. I will next week.

You just want some way out all the pain is such that there seems to be no cure for whatever your face that think about this the say that for 20 years you been in bed you stretch those 20 years in the hundred years. Well it's not quite as bad.

In the 200.

The court is but 500,000.

What suffering you know 10,000 years. We suffer eternity with you in our are able to see our suffering against the background of eternity. It's momentary, but on the other hand, let's take those 20 years of suffering and compact them into one sick. The horrible intensity of the P in one second you bear in one second. Whatever you born in 20 long years of suffering now is a difference because what Paul says. He says you want God's viewpoint you want to be able to do anything and everything God sends you where he says, look, you look at it against the background of eternity that 20 4R. Some crises develop skill is a lifetime sometimes 10 years is forever sometimes 20 years is is an eternity past the return of the future it is forever. Either way you look at it regards as women is how you look at it you look at it against the background of God's eternity for our momentary affliction that we not talk about somebody ready to think once in a while if you read the full chapter 1st renders the 11 chapter 2nd graders and you have a biographical sketch of nothing but pain, suffering, hardship, persecution, and all the rest of the like.

The apostle Paul, what is he saying he is rejoicing and talking, but he's a winner. He always triumphs.

He is victorious and everywhere you turn, he's doing nothing but facing suffering, even unto death stone that Mr. and left but then here is rejoicing.

What he has God's viewpoint. He's seeing these things as they are stretched out against the background of eternity. They only are momentary against the background of eternity. Thank you for listening to getting God's viewpoint.

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