What ARE you Looking at?

What I have to share today won't be a professors dissertation, by any means, just thoughts that I have had regarding the  different focuses people had in the Bible and the effect the different perspectives had on their lives. I ask you to read the portions of scripture that relate to my thoughts and ponder "How is what I am looking at affecting my life?"

When I say "looking", I do not mean glance or simply be aware of....I mean, what is my perspective, my view, what are my thoughts fixed or focused on, what is captivating my attention? What thoughts are consuming me?

Know this: What I am looking at affects my thoughts. What I am thinking about affects my response. How I respond affects my reality.

Matthew 14:24-33.
As long at Peter's attention was fixed on Jesus, Peter walked on the water. As soon as his attention was distracted and he began to look at the natural situation, i.e., wind and waves, he began to sink. Take note: the strong wind and heavy waves were already an issue before Jesus came walking toward them on the water, yet Peter walked on the water in the same weather condition as when he started sinking. What made the difference between walking on the water and sinking???

Mark 5:25-34
There was a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. She had endured much by the hands of many physicians She had spent all her money to pay them. She had not gotten better, but only grew worse. She heard about Jesus. Her focus turned and she kept saying, if only I can touch the hem of His garment, I shall be cured, healed, made well, be whole.....she did and she was.....healed. What did Jesus say to her? What made the difference between 12 years of misery and being healed? Take note: Jesus knew nothing of this woman until He felt power go out from Him. What things had this woman done? Where is your focus? What are you saying? What is your expectation set on?

Luke 8:12-17
This story is regarding feeding the 5000 with 5 loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples attention was fixed on the fact that they physically only had five loaves and 2 fish, naturally speaking, that in itself would not even come close to feeding 5000 people. What happened after the disciples gave Jesus the bread and fish. What did Jesus do? What was the outcome? What was the difference between the disciples response and Jesus' response? Take note: Jesus was operating as a man while He was on this earth. He had laid down His divinity. Do you look at things only from the natural viewpoint or are you looking at your situation from the supernatural view of  God's Word?

Genesis Chapters 17, 18 & 21; Hebrews 11:11-12; Romans 4:15-22
 What about Abraham and Sarah? God promised them to have a son. God called Abraham "The Father of Many Nations". Their age and the natural impossibility of the promise God gave them to come true,  did not make it impossible. What made the difference? Isaac was born to two elderly people to whom, naturally it was impossible. What was the change of view Abraham had? What looks impossible to you? How can you change your perspective? What do you need to think and consequently say to agree with God, to cooperate with Him and see the impossible made possible?

1 Samuel Chapter 17
Goliath defies Saul's army. Saul's army sees the size of Goliath, they hear his taunting words and they run away in fear.

David comes along, takes sass from his oldest brother. David sees Goliath and hears his sneering and degrading comments that were directed right at David. In spite of all that, David takes Goliath down with a slingshot and a good shot implanting a rock into Goliath's forehead. David finalizes the whole issue by chopping off Goliath's head with Goliath's own sword. 1 Samuel 17:41-50.

What was the perspective that David had compared to that of the entire Israeli army? What did David say? What attitude did David have toward Goliath? In whom was David's confidence established? What was David really looking at?

I could go on and on and on.....I think you have the idea. What we are "looking" at, our perspective, our focus, not the circumstances, not the "crisis", not the voice of the Goliath, nor the voice of our symptoms, but rather WHAT we are "Looking" at, you could say, what it is that has our attention, and consequently what words we are speaking, determines our outcome, our success or our failure, our victory or our defeat, our healing or our misery. The ultimate question is: what is your response to the circumstances that you are experiencing? How you look at your situation is directly affecting your thoughts and your words and finally the end result.

It is not God who is totally responsible for our outcome, contrary to public belief. For God has already provided us all things pertaining to Life and Godliness. He has already defeated the enemy, He has already sent His Word and healed us. He has already made us more than conquerors. Don't be deceived. Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father after declaring "It is Finished" = finish, fulfill, accomplish, I pay, to end, i.e. Complete, execute, conclude, discharge.

Jesus did all that was needed to be done on His part. Believe that what He did completely accomplished all that was needed. Take Him at His Word. Fix your attention on Him...He IS the Word of God.. Take your thoughts captive and make them agree with God. Speak in agreement with Him. Are you really going to argue with God?

Ponder this scripture:
Colossians 2:15
In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Since the old testament believers examples so clearly show the effect of what they "looked" upon and consequently, what they spoke....think about this scripture in relation to that thought....

Hebrews 8:6

But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.

 He has made a way for us. The difference is our response. Think about it...  Jesus died so that all men might be saved. Why are all men not saved? Is Jesus preventing them from obtaining what He has provided or is it because, as of yet, their perspective, their view, what they are looking at, is focused elsewhere. Their thoughts and words have not yet come into agreement with God and His Word.

This is the same problem people have had since the beginning. Look at the effect "looking" had on Adam and Eve. Was "Looking" the beginning of their fall? What about Daniel? Shadrach, Meschach and Abendnego? They focused clearly on what was not seen. Be very certain that the firey furnace was a noticeable distraction. What did THEY "Look" at?

What about Joseph and David over and over and over again? What about Paul in jail and all the things that came against him? What about Stephen? What were they focusing on I n n the midst of disagreeable situations?

What about Joshua and Caleb compared to the entirety of the other Israelities at the Promised Land?  How did their differences of views  or how they looked at the situation pan out? Whose report did Joshua and Caleb respond to? What did the Israelites report? What inspired the report of the Israelites? Who was God's promise to? Just Caleb and Joshua???? Do you think the different outcomes were because 'that's just the way the ball bounces" or a direct result of how they looked at the situation, responded to it and spoke about it?

It is very clear to me that what and how I look at my situation.....what I focus on, what my perspective is regarding my circumstances and how I talk about it, directly determines my outcome.

Colossians 3:1-3
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds (direct your thoughts to; properly, regulate (moderate) from within, as inner-perspective (insight) shows itself in corresponding, outward behavior) 
 on things above, not on things on this earth. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.…

Matthew 12:34
GOD'S WORD® Translation
You poisonous snakes! How can you evil people say anything good? Your mouth says what comes from inside you.

New American Standard 1977
“You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

Be certain that.....Proverbs 18:21
 death and life are in the power of your tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit of it. Do you want to eat what you are speaking. Take God's Word seriously, please!

What ARE you Looking at????