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THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE
A. Introduction: It’s not what you see that makes you or breaks you in life. It’s how you see what you
see, your perspective. If you don’t have the right perspective, it’s much harder to face life’s challenges.
1. Tonight, we begin a new series on developing the right perspective. Perspective is the power to see
or think of things in their true relationship with each other.
a. To be right means to conform to the facts. The right perspective means that your perspective
conforms to the truth—the way things really are.
1. Your perspective comes out of your view of reality, or the way things you see things.
Reality is the way things really are—not just the way they look or seem in the moment.
2. Only God has all the facts about everything all the time. We must learn to see reality as it
truly is, according to God, who sees all and who knows all (past, present, and future).
b. To have the right perspective, the right (or correct) view of reality, we need information,
information that comes from the Bible, the written Word of God.
2. The Bible is not a collection of random verses and wise saying, meant to help us live a successful
life and give us a quick fix for our most pressing and immediate problems. It is a collection of
sixty-six books that altogether relate the story of God’s plan for humanity. It shows us reality.
a. The Bible reveals that God He created human beings to be His sons and daughters, who live in
loving relationship with Him. He created the earth to be a home for Himself and His family.
Both humanity and the earth were created in perfection. Eph 1:4-5; Gen 1:31
1. The Bible explains why there is hardship, suffering, and death in this world. The earth and
the human race were infused with a curse of corruption and death when the first man, Adam,
chose independence from God through sin. But God promised to send a Redeemer who
would undo this curse and recover the family and the family home. Rom 5:12; Gen 3:15
2. The Bible reveals that Jesus is the Redeemer. Jesus is God Incarnate (God in human flesh),
fully God and fully man. Jesus came into this world to die as a sacrifice for sin and open the
way for sinful men and women to be restored to the family. John 1:1; John 1:14; John 1:29
b. The Bible reveals the future of God’s family and the earth. Jesus will return to this world and
cleanse it of all sin, corruption, and death. He will then establish His visible, eternal kingdom
on earth. Heaven and earth will come together and, all who throughout human history, have
believed in Jesus will live here forever with the Lord. Life will at last be what it was meant to
be before sin damaged the family—no more sorrow, pain, loss, or death. Rev 21-22
3. The Bible also informs us that there is no such thing as a problem free, trouble free, life in this sin
damaged world. However, the night before Jesus went to the Cross He told His followers:
a. John 16:33—I have told you these things so that in Me you may have perfect peace and
confidence. In the world you will have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be
of good cheer—take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted—for I have overcome the world.
—I have deprived it of power to harm, have conquered it [for you] (Amp).
b. We will explain Jesus’ statement and the ramifications of what He meant more fully in an
upcoming lesson. But for now, note two points.
1. Clearly, many things hurt and harm people in this world. However, Jesus, through His death
and resurrection, has deprived this world, this life’s power, to permanently harm us. And He
has begun the process of recovering the family and restoring the family home.
2. Jesus gave His followers information (His Word) about reality which He knew would help
them (and us) have peace, encouragement, and confidence in the face of life’s challenges.
A. According to the written Word of God, this is reality: Nothing can come against you
that is bigger than God, who is with you and for you. God causes everything (even the

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bad things in life) to serve His ultimate purposes of good for you—relationship with Him
and forever life with Him, first in Heaven, and then on this earth renewed and restored.
B. According to the written Word of God, this is reality: God is perfectly present with you
right now, loving and reigning, and upholding all things in your life by the word of His
power. He will get you through whatever you face in this life, until He gets you out.
c. This is reality whether you know it or believe it. But if this becomes your perspective, your
view of reality, the way you see things, it will change you and change the way you live. It will
bring you peace, hope, and confidence in the midst of this broken world.
4. There are three areas where we must have the right perspective, areas where we need to see things in
their true relationship with each other, see them according to the facts as they are revealed in God
Word. Without the right perspective in these areas, you’ll live in continual turmoil, fear,
condemnation, and hopelessness. In this series, we will discuss each one in detail.
a. You need to see this present life in relation to the life to come, because there’s more to life than
just this life. No one ceases to exist at death. The issue is, where will you live—with God
forever or eternally separated from Him.
b. You need to see your current struggles, hardships, troubles, and fears in relation to the rest of
your existence. Everything you see and experience in this life is temporary—even if it lasts
your whole life. And the greater and better part of life is in the life after this life.
c. You need to see your true relationship to Almighty God, both before and after you bow your
knee to Jesus as Savior and Lord. You are loved and valued by God, and He is able to use life’s
challenges and cause them to work for good.
B. We must learn to see the way things really are, not just how they look in the moment. By doing this,
we can keep life’s troubles in perspective, in their true relationship with God and His unfolding plan.
1. The Bible talks about learning to look past what we see with our eyes to what we can’t see. When
we do this, it lightens the load of life’s troubles.
a. Paul the apostle, in the context of the many troubles he faced as he preached the good news of
Jesus throughout the Roman world, wrote that looking at what he couldn’t see helped him.
b. II Cor 4:17-18—Our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce
for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever. We do not look at the things which are
seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the
things which are not seen are eternal (ESV).
1. Seen things are the physical, material aspects, circumstances, and realities of this present life.
But there is an invisible realm, a dimension beyond the physical, material realm, a dimension
that is imperceptible to our physical senses.
2. Paul contrasts the seen realm with things that are not seen and said that keeping his focus on
unseen realities gave him hope and peace in the midst of his troubles.
2. There are two kinds of unseen things. There are things we can’t see because they are imperceptible
to our physical senses. And there are things we can’t see because they haven’t happened yet.
a. The Bible reveals an unseen realm, an immaterial dimension, with a place called Heaven and a
place called Hell. This realm is populated by angelic beings, some of whom are surrendered to
their Creator and some who have rebelled and are not. These beings can and do affect our lives.
b. The Bible also reveals that God, who is invisible (imperceptible to our physical senses is
working behind the scene (invisibly) in lives of people and world events, causing everything to
serve His ultimate purpose for a family with whom He can live forever on the earth forever.
1. The Bible assures us that in the life to come we will see the full results of how God worked
behind the scenes in our individual lives, the lives of others, and in the affairs of this world.

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2. And, in the life to come, we will experience and the joy, wonder, fulfillment, and restoration
in the life after this life, first in Heaven then on earth once it has been restored.
3. According to Paul, keeping his focus on unseen realities lightened the load of his very difficult life
because it gave him the right perspective. It helped him see reality as it truly is.
a. He knew that his troubles were temporary. Paul knew that God was causing them to serve His
ultimate purpose for a family. And he knew that what is ahead in the life after this life far
outshines anything we can image on earth, even the best of what this life offers. Rom 8:18
b. Look means more than physical sight. It has the idea of mentally consider. Paul’s mind was
occupied, not only with what he could see, but with unseen realties (the way things really are).
We get facts about reality from the Bible and then we learn to keep our focus on those facts.
c. Paul would have been familiar with a Bible account where the prophet Elisha was surrounded by
an enemy army tasked with putting an end to him and his ministry. II Kings 6:8-23
1. Israel was in a war with Syria, but God would reveal the Syrian king’s battle plans to Elisha,
giving Israel the strategic advantage. When the Syrian king became aware of what was
happening, he sent an army to capture Elisha.
2. Elisha was staying in the town of Dothan. One morning Elisha’s servant saw the city
surrounded by a great army of chariots and horses; he was terrified. Elisha was not, and told
his servant: Don’t be afraid! For there are more on our side than theirs (II Kings 6:16, NLT).
A. Elisha asked the Lord to open his servant’s eyes: And when he looked up, he saw that
the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire (II Kings 6:17, NLT).
B. The servant was terrified because he looked only at seen things. Elisha was confident
and unafraid because he looked at unseen things (reality as it truly is).
C. We must learn to see things the way they really are, according to God. We have to control our mind
and learn to focus on unseen realities. What does this look like in real life, when we face serious
problems that need fixing now, in this life.
1. When Jesus was on earth, He urged His followers not to worry about where the necessities of life
will come from—food, clothing, etc. Jesus told them (and us) that they (we) don’t have to worry
because they (we) have a heavenly Father who knows what they (we) need. Matt 6:25-34
a. In His teaching, Jesus referred to the birds and flowers, pointing out that birds eat and flowers
are clothed (provided for), because your heavenly Father takes care of them, “And you are far
more valuable to him than they are” (Matt 6:26, NLT).
b. Jesus wasn’t simply relating an interesting story. He was talking about reality as it truly is:
Your heavenly Father takes care of His creation—including you. You matter to Him, and He
will help you.
1. When this is your view of reality, your perspective, even though you are truly facing lack,
you can look beyond what you can see to Almighty God with you and for you, perfectly
present with you, and upholding all things by the Word of His power.
2. You would live with the assurance that whatever you are facing, it’s not bigger than God, and
that He will get you through until He gets you out.
A. The problem is that we’re all much more affected by seen things (what our physical
senses tell us) than we are by unseen realities. It takes effort to focus on unseen realities.
That’s why it is so important to change your view of reality, your perspective.
B. When you become persuaded of unseen realities (when it becomes your view of reality,
your perspective), it’s much easier to draw on the peace and hope Jesus promised, even
though sight, thoughts, and emotions all say you won’t survive whatever you are facing.
2. When we look a little closer at Jesus’ account of how God cares for the birds and flowers, we get

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some important insights that can help us get and keep our focus on reality as it truly is.
a. Jesus opened His teaching with this statement: Don’t worry about everyday life—whether you
have enough food, drink, and clothing (Matt 6:25, NLT).
1. The Greek word translated don’t worry comes from a word that means distraction, which
comes from a root word that means to divide. To worry means to be distracted or divided.
2. Worry (anxiety and anxious feelings) is a form of fear. Fear arises when you believe that
the power coming against you is greater than the power and resources available to you.
b. Jesus told them (and us) that worry (anxiety, fear) arises when we’re distracted from reality as it
truly is. This is reality: We have a heavenly Father who cares for us and will take care of us.
1. The King James Bible translates “don’t worry” as take no thought. That’s actually a very
helpful translation because it shows us how to keep our focus on unseen realities.
2. We made this point a few weeks ago. Human beings have God-given emotional and
intellectual capacities—we think, we feel. Part of these capacities work by intention.
A. We can choose to think or focus our attention on something. But we also find that
thoughts fly through our minds without us willing them or wanting them.
B. Emotions are spontaneous reactions to people and events around us. You can’t will
yourself to feel or not feel something. Emotional reactions themselves are not sinful, but
can drive us to sin. I must intentionally control my emotions, thoughts and actions.
c. When we see lack in our lives (a bill too big to pay), it generates an emotional response
(anxiety). Thoughts begin to fly (what will we eat, drink, wear). Then we begin to talk to
ourselves and feed the worry by talking only about what we see, and how we feel in the moment.
1. Jesus told them that God takes care of birds and flowers, and you matter more than they do,
“Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat or what shall we drink (KJV); for
your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (NKJV). Matt 6:31
2. You take a thought by speaking it out. You can’t stop thoughts from coming, but you can
get control of them with your mouth, because you can’t say one thing and think something
completely different (James 3:2). In the face of lack, begin to talk about reality as it truly is.
3. Jesus exhorted us: Change your focus. Look at the Father’s care for His creation. Remind
yourself of reality as it truly is: This isn’t bigger than God who is with me and for me. This didn’t
take Him by surprise. He will get me through until He gets me out.
a. God has helped me in the past. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will help me
now. Thank you, Lord, for the help I don’t yet see.
b. Face your fears with the awareness that none of them are bigger than God. What’s the worst that
could happen? I’ll starve to death living in a cardboard box in an alley somewhere. It will be
difficult, but I’m going to Heaven. No one in Heaven is crying about the hardships of this life.
D. Conclusion: We aren’t minimizing the very real hurt, pain, and loss in this life. We’re talking about
how having a long-term (eternal) perspective, based on unseen realities, helps us deal with the shortterm challenges of life (more on this in upcoming lessons).
1. It takes effort to develop the right perspective, to learn to see things the way they really are. You
must have information (from the Word of God) and must become persuaded of unseen realities to
the point where you aren’t moved by the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of life.
2. Becoming persuaded involves taking time to think about these things. And you must learn to fix
your mind on unseen realities when circumstances are screaming at you and thoughts and emotions
are flying.
3. Ask God to help you to bring your view of reality increasingly in line with the way things really are,
according to Him. We have a lot to talk about in this series. More next week!