On God’s Perspective for our lives

On Seeking from God’s Perspective

God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. But due to the Sin he committed (Eating the Forbidden Fruit-Genesis 2:16–17 to building the tower of Babel-Genesis 11:1-9 and many more) he lost the perspective of God.

God's Thoughts and Ways:

Isaiah 55:8 NIV -"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV) - The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

God has a different perspective on the Murder and Adultery.

Matthew 5:21-30

Murder

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’

22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,

24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.

26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Adultery

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

God’s Perspective on Sinners and Lost.

Parable of the Prodigal Son in Gospel of Luke (Luke 15:11-32) – The forgiveness was so clear that the Father accepts the son and moreover celebrates on the return of his son. As the scripture ends like this - "But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found."— Luke 15:32

Parable of the Lost Sheep in  Gospels of Matthew (18:12–14) and Luke (15:3–7)  a shepherd leaves his flock of 99 sheep in order to find the one sheep who is lost. It is the first member of a trilogy about redemption that Jesus tells after the Pharisees and religious leaders accuse him of welcoming and eating with "sinners.”

God’s Perspective on the outer/outward appearance.

Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees Matthew 23:13-37

In Matthew 23:25-26 (NIV) Jesus says

25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

God’s Perspective on the anger of human, because of injustice and trouble in the world

Jonah 3 & 4

New International Version (NIV)

Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion

In Jonah after he turned to God and obeyed as per God’s order and when the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. And

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

4 -1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.

2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.

6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant.

7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered.

8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.

11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

So, how to have a God’s Perspective in our lives?

Philippians 2

New International Version (NIV)

Imitating Christ’s Humility

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,

    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

    by taking the very nature of a servant,

    being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

    he humbled himself

    by becoming obedient to death—

        even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

    and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.

Have A God's Perspective and A Blessed Day Ahead. 

Solution for the Hidden books of the Bible

How many did you find? Good job! Here's the solution.

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The names of all the books of the Bible are hidden within these five paragraphs. Can you find them? Some books, like Zephaniah or Habakkuk, are straightforward, but for books that usually have a numeric prefix, the book name is not repeated and would be hard for evenEzekiel or the Ephesians to find.

This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a gentleman, Mr. Levi Ticuster, in an airplane seat pocket, on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours. He enjoyed it so much, he passed it on to some friends, Ian and Philipp (Ian'sbrother) who worked on this while fishing from their john boat. A relative from Corinth, Ian's cousin Isaiah, studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend, was so intrigued by it she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend, Joshua"EZ" Rally, has a sister who judges the job of solving this puzzle so intense, she brews a cup of tea to calm her nerves.

There are others who, like Timothy, find this puzzle easy. That's a fact. Some people, however, will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or an Ecclesiastes scholar (like Jon A. Harriman) to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books in this paragraph. During a recent fund raising event, which featured this puzzle, the Micah Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new record.

A local paper, The Nehemiah Chronicle, surveyed over 200 Judean patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen; they felt that it was harder to understand than the greatest song of Solomon. As Daniel Humana humbly put it in aproverb, "Some of the books are right here in plain view hidden from sight." Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown; they will havepsalms in their hearts, while others may feel like Zechariah. One revelation that may help is that some books are found without their numbers; also, punctuation and spaces in the middle of book names are allowed and normal.

A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Have you heard the quote by Jeremiah Deuter "O no, my brother found more than I did!" , or his brother's response "Too bad - I ahead of you!" One gal at Iansville, Arkansas, said that a lady she knew (not an old hag) gained many insights by reading slowly and eventually came up with the Colossi answer. She then went and had her hair done bySam U. Elegant at the "S' salon. I answer folks with the following advice, "Keep looking." Remember, there is no need for a mad exodus; all the books of the Bible are lurking somewhere in these paragraphs, waiting to be found.

Hidden Bible Books

The names of all the books of the Bible are hidden within these five paragraphs. Can you find them? Some books, like Zephaniah or Habakkuk, are straightforward, but for books that usually have a numeric prefix, the book name is not repeated and would be hard for even Ezekiel or the Ephesians to find.
This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a gentleman, Mr. Levi Ticuster, in an airplane seat pocket, on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours. He enjoyed it so much, he passed it on to some friends, Ian and Philipp (Ian's brother) who worked on this while fishing from their john boat. A relative from Corinth, Ian's cousin Isaiah, studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend, was so intrigued by it she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend, Joshua "EZ" Rally, has a sister who judges the job of solving this puzzle so intense, she brews a cup of tea to calm her nerves.
There are others who, like Timothy, find this puzzle easy. That's a fact. Some people, however, will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or an Ecclesiastes scholar (like Jon A. Harriman) to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books in this paragraph. During a recent fund raising event, which featured this puzzle, the Micah Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new record.
A local paper, The Nehemiah Chronicle, surveyed over 200 Judean patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen; they felt that it was harder to understand than the greatest song of Solomon. As Daniel Humana humbly put it in a proverb, "Some of the books are right here in plain view hidden from sight." Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown; they will have psalms in their hearts, while others may feel like Zechariah. One revelation that may help is that some books are found without their numbers; also, punctuation and spaces in the middle of book names are allowed and normal.
A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Have you heard the quote by Jeremiah Deuter "O no, my brother found more than I did!" , or his brother's response "Too bad - I ahead of you!" One gal at Iansville, Arkansas, said that a lady she knew (not an old hag) gained many insights by reading slowly and eventually came up with the Colossi answer. She then went and had her hair done by Sam U. Elegant at the "S' salon. I answer folks with the following advice, "Keep looking." Remember, there is no need for a mad exodus; all the books of the Bible are lurking somewhere in these paragraphs, waiting to be found.

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The following is a list of the Bible book names found within the above five paragraphs. Hint: Print out this page and then highlight the books that you find, both in the above paragraphs and in the following list. Then, it will be easier to see which books you have not found yet.
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, Peter, Jude, Revelation

On FAITH

Matthew 17:20

New International Version (NIV)

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Hebrews 11: 1-8

King James Version (KJV)

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Jesus Heals in Response to Faith

Matthew 9 (New Living Translation)

18 As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”

19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him.

20 Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe,

21 for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

22 Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

23 When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music.

24 “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him.

25 After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!

26 The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside.

Luke 18:35-42

New International Version (NIV)

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.

36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.

37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him,

41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”

Psalm 20:7

New International Version (NIV)

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

James 2:14-26

New King James Version (NKJV)

Faith Without Works Is Dead

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.

24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Romans 10:17

New International Version (NIV)

17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

James 1:22

New International Version (NIV)

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Have a Great, Faithful and Blessed Day Ahead

On PRAYER

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LORD’S PRAYER

Just after saying how we should not be like when praying in verse 5- in chapter 6 of Matthew (THE MODEL PRAYER) Jesus said

5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

                Our Father in heaven,

                Hallowed be Your name.

                10 Your kingdom come.

                Your will be done

                On earth as it is in heaven.

                11 Give us this day our daily bread.

                12 And forgive us our debts,

                As we forgive our debtors.

                13 And do not lead us into temptation,

                But deliver us from the evil one.

                For Yours is the kingdom and the power

                                and the glory forever. Amen.

We ought to pray in the same manner.

First we have to glorify the name of the Father in heaven and to seek his kingdom

(Matthew 6:33 (NIV) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well).

(Matthew 11:25 NIV- At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.)

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

John 11:41-42 NIV - Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.

42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

To do as according to his will

(Matthew 26:39 NIV - Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.")

To be like Jesus

(Matthew 11:29 NIV - Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.)

(Phil 2:6 KJV- Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God)

(Hebrews 4:15 NLT - This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.)

Not to fall into temptations

(Mat 26:41 NIV -"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.")

(1 Cor 10:13 NIV - No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.)

To get the help from the Holy Spirit

(John 14:26 ESV - But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.)

(Galatians 5:22-23 ESV - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.)

(Romans 8:26 ESV - Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.)

(John 14:15-17 ESV - “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.)

(John 16:12-15 ESV - “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.)

 Matthew 26:36-56

English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”

37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed,

 “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.

45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Psalm 5 (1-3) David approaches God.

Give ear to my words, O LORD,

Consider my meditation.

Give heed to the voice of my cry,

My King and my God,

For to You I will pray.

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;

In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up.

Nehemiah 1

New International Version (NIV)

Nehemiah’s Prayer

1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:

In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,

2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

5 Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.

7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.

11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

I was cupbearer to the king.

The Prayer of Jabez

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

"Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, 'Because I bore him in pain.' And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 'Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.' So God granted him what he requested"

 Prayer of a righteous man

James 5:16-17

King James Version (KJV)

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

Matthew 18:20 - NIV

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."

 Philippians 1:3-11

New International Version (NIV)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 I thank my God every time I remember you.

4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.

8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 

10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 

11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Have a Great, Prayed and Blessed Day Ahead.