Outlook!

It’s been nearly a month since the election and the results are still being debated; regardless of which candidate you listen to, their perspective of the results leans their way, lovely. 

A democracy gives us the freedom to believe and vote for what we believe in and I pray come thru Jesus. 

 I understand the frustration, no one likes to lose or admit they’re wrong. The truth is we each have different views on life and different values that shape us.

My best friend and I got in a debate over the election, yet remain, friends, because we listen to one another. Before the election, I had a heart-to-heart with my mentor who didn’t agree with me. 

I explained to him,he looks at politics through a business perspective, but I look at it through a spiritual lens, after he listened, he understood my perspective. The older we get in life, the more it shapes our worldview and priorities, and it shows what we love. 

What I believed when I was younger isn’t the same as my Outlook on life now, I’ve had to let go of most of my favorite things. 

 Outlook! 

 An Outlook is a person's point of view or general attitude to life. In college I was a seeker of whatever made me happy; it was a selfish view on life, gimmie gimmie After my accident, my disability gave me another view on faith; I decided Jesus, I will trust You. 

Growing up as an Army brat opened my eyes to other cultures; I enjoyed learning new things and growing; it taught me to listen. 

 From a Christian perspective, that was part of God’s plan from the beginning when he made Adam and Eve different and then put them together. 

God’s creativity in making different things isn't just a Christian belief; Genesis is the first book in the Jewish Torah. 

The book is important because it prophesied the coming King who would crush the serpent (Genesis 3:15.) Later the Jewish prophecies about the Messiah formed when Israel’s kings failed to save them. 

 There is the problem, the Jewish beliefs about the Messiah didn’t line up with God’s. Their views of power and greatness weren’t the same as God's perspective; even with all of the Jewish writings about how God’s ways aren’t man’s (Isaiah 55:8-9)—they still chased their selfish desires. 

 Growing up in church, I didn’t understand the difference between God’s way and man’s until I got involved with Promise Keepers after my accident, Godly men poured into me their wisdom.

 A brother urged me to read a book on Christianity through the Jewish perspective, ever since then my worldview hasn’t been the same.

 There are a lot of Jewish character flaws within the Christian community: pride, self-righteousness, materialism, and pursuit of greatness. Each of which King Solomon warned against (Proverbs 23:4-5.)

Don’t go berzerk trying to be somebody great. When the baby Jesus arrived, some Jews thought their time had come. But, as Jesus grew, His teaching contradicted the religious leaders of His time, He beat a different drum.

 Jesus even confronted them about their teachings, He said their works were of their father and he was a liar from the beginning, thus Jesus fulfilled the prophecy in Genesis about striking the snake (John 8:44.) The Pharisees were popular Jewish teachers and Jesus called them out for their flawed perspective. No wonder they wanted Him gone.

 He threatened their authority. The knowledge they wielded was just to show off, not serve others. Jesus wasn’t the conquering King the Jewish people wanted; He wasn’t interested in earthly prosperity, He stood for Heavenly blessings. 

This is why I could not vote for a leader who put money before lives, who consistently lies to the people to push his agenda, not America's and certainly not God's (Proverbs 6:16-19, James 4:5-6!) Jesus put people before money and taught humility over greatness. 

The truth is most Christians have bought into the lie of the enemy, they fail to realize just because it is POPULAR, doesn’t mean it is Biblical; they follow popular goats who teach self-gratification instead of Christian foundations of sacrifice, patience, and humility.

 Most popular “teachers” only spew poison about how God wants to make believers rich and famous. We can’t change the world if we are living like it, make war with it. 

The gift of the Messiah is He saves us from ourselves and the trappings of this life by His grace—not that He gives us everything on our Christmas wish lists. 

When my parents were battling cancer, I brought them takeout from one of their favorite restaurants; I enjoyed watching my father enjoy his meal. When he didn’t eat his favorite dessert, I was puzzled. He shared with me sugar can cause cancer cells to multiply and spread. 

 This is relevant because it shows that what we crave and desire isn’t necessarily good for us and our Heavenly Father knows this; His perspective is eternal, not earthly. Do you hear what I hear when Jesus says deny yourself (Matthew 16:24?)

 I know! 

Last month I attended a Christian writer’s conference. One of my favorite keynotes was given by a former military pilot. He shared that as writers, we are called to handle the truths of God correctly; because as leaders, we will be held to a higher standard than others (James 3:1,) O’ come all ye faithful.

When I was young there was a saying, “You need to know that you know you are saved.” Now that I’m older I understand there is more to just knowing, it’s letting what you know shape how you live. If what you know doesn’t change your perspective, then your knowledge is useless; your love for the things of this world should die (1 John 2:15.) 

A New York Times best-selling author also performed a skit to illustrate this truth. A greeter was waiting at a gate for new arrivals. When a woman arrived holding her side as she looked around the beautiful setting. She asked the greeter why she was in pain because there wasn’t supposed to be any pain in Heaven.

 The greeter changed the subject by pointing out a room containing the treasures she had stored up. She had an unlimited spending account, more than enough to last for eternity. She was excited. He pointed out a room of harps for her to learn to play and make the big man happy.

 After grabbing her side she expressed her inability to play the harp, so the greeter pointed out the choir room where she can get her rob. 

 When the woman asked about her husband, she learned he didn’t make it and she wanted to talk to him, but that wasn’t allowed.

 Finally, the greeter said her husband was with God. The moral of the story is to make sure you have the right perspective on truth. 

 I had dinner with an older Christian and had a discussion about the difference between popular Christianity and Biblical Christianity, she was clueless. Wrong teaching leads to wrong beliefs and wrong beliefs lead to wrong living. In the scope of eternity that is not a good Outlook!