11/23/25                                                                             Rentz

 

 

Our Viewpoint—Human or Divine?

Acts 13:20-23

 

 

Introduction—Recently, a daily devotional written by David Jeremiah reminded me of a sobering truth.  Our viewpoint of people is often at odds with God’s viewpoint.  We are prone to focus on their weaknesses as their potential, while God looks at the full panorama of their lives and sees His purpose accomplished.  We are all susceptible to great failures and disappointments.  I am glad that God also sees the possibility in a flawed but surrendered life.

 

I. How Do We View Others?

                A. Do we focus on their weakness or their

                    strengths?—David was a flawed man but God saw

                    his dedication to Him

                B. Do we anticipate their destruction or their

                    triumph? (Acts 9:13-16)

                C. Do we focus on their failures or their victories? 

                    (The hall of fame of faith in Heb.11 is filled with

                    flawed individuals—David, Rahab, Moses, etc.)

 

II. How Do We View Ourselves?

                A. Do we make excuses for our sin? (Prov.28:13)

                B. Do we assume we are doomed to fail?—Don’t

                    establish a self-fulfilling prophecy

                C. Do we trust our strength or God’s ability in us?

                    (Heb.13:20-21)

 

III. How Do We View Our Obstacles?

                A. Is this obstacle designed to defeat us?—Is the

                    obstacle placed by God or Satan?

                B. Is this obstacle a possible tool to help us grow?—

                    good training requires us to face difficulty

                C. Is this obstacle a stumbling block or a stepping

                    stone? (Phil.1:12)

 

IV. How Do We View Opportunities?

                A. God has a purpose for each of our lives (Ex.

                    Esther—“for such a time as this”)

                B. No one else can do what God has uniquely

                    designed you to do (Jer.1:4-5)

                C. God has set before us tremendous opportunity

                                1. We have the opportunity to be greatly

                                    used by God as was David

                                2. We have the opportunity to inherit eternal

                                    life—Choose Jesus!

 

Conclusion—It is sad that we all are prone to look at the low points in our life and the life of others as that which defines us.  We need to see life and our potential in the fashion that God views it.  Our primary need is Jesus!  Everything else will be put in the proper perspective if we are truly following Him.