The Way to Look at Things — Jim Cymbala

Reading Paul’s Letters and Learning to See Differently

So today I want to talk about from our reading in 2nd Corinthians those of you visiting. We're reading through the New Testament. But with a different sequence than is found in the versions of the Bible whether it be NIV or King James.

This is a new paperback version of the NIV. But just in a different sequence that I think makes a lot of sense. So we started in Luke and then we read Acts and now we're going through the epistles of Paul as he wrote them.

Sequentially in time back then 2 ,000 years ago. So we've read 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. Most scholars agree. Those are his first two letters and now we're reading 1st and 2nd Corinthians and Our subject today brings us to this important focus the way to look at things.

Perspective Shapes How We Respond to Trouble

You know why a lot of us are anxiety-ridden or Troubled by bad nerves or sleeplessness. It's all and not what's happening to you. It's the way you look at things. The wrong perspective in life. Can make you just go crazy and then a different perspective.

The same thing is happening to another person, but with a different perspective. Haven't you ever seen that? Everything's different you meet one person. They're going through very little and they're ready to fall apart then you meet somebody who was a prisoner of war or something and they're together and they're calm and All of that and you go wait a minute.

That doesn't make any sense. The other person was falling apart. You're going through this tremendous stress and you got it together. It doesn't make any sense. Because if you just think of it Mathematically, the more you go through the more anxiety-ridden the more nervous the less peace you have.

But that's not the way it works in life some people just have a mosquito go by and they go off and Other people go through trauma and they're calm. You know what the difference is. It's perspective. It's the way to look at things now as an example to us God has given the Apostle Paul who is the model Christian shall we say from the New Testament?

The model follower of Christ and in this Very heartfelt letter of 2nd Corinthians. Which was written to the church in Corinth where he had spent a year and a half. He's writing it because of troublemakers for the most part.

Paul’s Heartbreak Over the Corinthian Church

He wants to encourage them. But he actually it's sad. He's writing this letter because people have gone behind his back he's the spiritual father of the church and they've stuck a dagger in his back and They made themselves out of some kind of super Apostles super spiritual and They compared themselves with Paul to the Corinthians and Paul's not there.

He's in jail. He's traveling elsewhere and they put Paul down and they said things like we're eloquent. We know how to speak that a guy. Paul his letters his letters are pretty good. But when he was here, you remembered him.

He wasn't a good speaker. He wasn't eloquent. He didn't know how to turn the eloquent phrase. And they said a lot of other things and they were started to take advantage of the Corinthian believers that Paul loves so much.

He talks like somebody madly in love with them where he says, you know I'm the one who committed you in marriage to Jesus Christ as a pure bride and now these people have come up and messed Up your relationship with Jesus which goes to show us that leaders need constant vigilance.

Because just because someone starts out on the right right path doesn't mean they'll stay on the right path. You can go off the right path. You can start hearing people talking smack and believe it and It's got Jesus in it.

It's got God in it. It's got prosperity in it or whatever the message is. In this letter Paul says the most amazing thing where he says about these false apostles. He calls them their masqueraders. They're deceitful workers.

He calls them very strong names. Which goes to show that sometimes you have to call it the way it is. He says they've told you about a Jesus but not the Jesus I told you about and you've got a gospel they gave you good news, but it's not the true good news that I preached to you and You've this is the strongest one.

You've received a spirit, but it's not the Holy Spirit. What was that like? So this is the heartbreak of an apostle. This is the heartache of a pastor or a leader who loves his people and see some of them going astray.

The Work of Christ and the Refusal to Lose Heart

Now in the middle of that he's he's telling them listen the work that I've done and the work that I want to keep doing for Jesus is the most important work in the world because Whether I suffer it's for the cause of Christ whether I'm free to travel.

It's for the cause of Christ. He says I'm doing everything for your growth and your benefit. So that more and more people might know the gospel and then out of nowhere in chapter 4 verse 16. He says this.

Therefore because of the work that he's doing we do not lose heart. That means we don't give up though outwardly. We are wasting away. Yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us Eternal glory that far outweighs them all so we fix our eyes.

Not on what is seen but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary but what is unseen invisible is Eternal and then later in the next chapter He just kind of summarizes all of that by saying for we live by faith and not by sight.

Let's go back to where we started reading there. Therefore. We don't lose heart. We don't give up and now notice the contrast he's going to make he's making a bunch of Comparisons contrast watch them though outwardly we are wasting away.

That's his physical body yet inwardly There's his inner person. We're being renewed day by day. Let's just talk about that verse and then we'll go back. So he's saying We don't lose courage. Paul how do you keep going on?

How do you keep going through all that you go through? He said no, we don't lose courage. We don't give up. I don't quit. How do you get it in your life so that you won't quit? Twice in the early years of me being in the ministry as pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle.

It was so discouraging I say this honestly shame Italy in a way. But it's honest before God. Twice in the early year year and a half that I went in the ministry. I tried to leave the ministry twice. I Made plans on two different days to make appointments or phone calls to try to get out because I Just was beat down.

You ever get discouraged. I mean with a capital D God blocked it both times, but life can beat you down discouragement problems. Paul says no, we never lose heart. Well, how do you how do you get to a place where you don't lose heart?

We're gonna get to the way to look at things in a second. But this is the route. He said no, we don't lose heart for this reason. Yeah outwardly. It's hard. Because I'm getting older he says and I've gone through a lot of stuff travel preaching persecution and Outwardly physically I'm wasting away.

I feel pain when they beat me on the back just because I'm a Christian doesn't mean you don't you don't feel it. The idea that because we're Christians we don't feel pain. That's crazy. Sometimes we feel more pain than people who aren't Christians because our hearts have become so sensitive to things.

So he says no outwardly I get older. I feel pain. Traveling is harder and in a second. We're gonna learn some of the things he went through he says but there's a dichotomy to life. There's the outward person and then there's the inward person.

The outward person is your body your bones your muscles. He says that dissipates that you cannot stop. And when you're under extreme pressure when you're under that kind of pressure, he said you feel it even more.

But he said there's another part of life. Which very few of us? Concentrate on he says that's the inner person. He said now my older my body is getting weaker as I go through life. But my inner person listen is renewed every day.

What's the inner person? That's the invisible place of your spirit your heart where you have faith. Where you experience hope where you feel joy where you have faith in Christ? Where you experience the blessings of the Holy Spirit.

You don't experience the Holy Spirit in your hand or in your knee. You feel him in your heart in your spirit spirit with spirit, and he said every day in that inner person I Experience a renewal now. What's interesting about the Greek language in that sentence is this he's not saying look.

The Lord helps me get through that even though I'm physically going through it somehow He keeps me from collapsing. No, that's not what it means at all he says no every single day I have experiences of God's grace where he makes me brand-new.

I Have the strength of a lion. I have the strength that I had when I first got converted. God has no plan for us where we just get. Slow down slow down, and then he just gives us enough to get through.

No Paul says outwardly I'm wasting away inwardly. I'm being made new renewed renewed. Daily brand-new full-strength. How many would love some of that come on lift your hair. We have it somehow in our minds there has to be a slowdown because the body is slowing down.

Paul says not so he says I've learned the secret of every day. Being made brand-new in my strength. Now listen your body can be strong. But when your heart is weak your faith is weak your hope is gone.

Your joy is gone. I don't care. How good you're physically in shape. Life is hardly worth living. How many would say amen to that. The other part is true. You can be physically going through a lot, but if God is renewing you every day praise God I can do it.

I Know I'm in prison, but I'll write a letter while I'm in prison. I'll bless the good the guard who sees me every day. It's all about this daily renewal. Which gave him the victory? Notice also. God doesn't give you strength today for next week.

Daily Dependence on God’s Provision

He only gives you what you need for the day. This is something. I did not know even as a young Christian as a young minister. Some people think you can have an experience with God which will carry you into the end of April.

Never never. Give us this day our God Renewed Paul on a daily basis and that helps me to say to you and helps me myself. You have to learn to live one day at a time. Don't say tomorrow. We're gonna do this.

And I broke down watching the news in Florida when I saw this thing that happened in our city with the seven children Who died. I just cried like a baby and then I avoided The news. I would just change the channel or I wouldn't look at the newspaper if they had that article.

It's too painful for me. You have to make the most of every day because tomorrow is not guaranteed. But not only that notice how God works. Paul says he doesn't renew me today for next month. I don't have some ecstatic experience where it's gonna carry me through.

He says no every Single day I have to meet God and he has to strengthen me for what day today. God cannot do anything for me today. That will help me tomorrow. He can give me directions, but the strength I need for tomorrow if tomorrow comes he will give me tomorrow.

What's the strength I need for today? That's what he's gonna give me today so Paul says I've learned the secret of the right way to look at things because. Every single day I go to God in prayer. I listen to his word.

I Spend time with him. I walk with him. I talked to him. I let him talk to me. I invite him to talk to me and every single day. My battery is fully Charged. Not a little not just to get me through help me that I'll make it through the when I was little going to a little Pentecostal church at my mom and dad drugged me to they used to have testimony service.

How many ever went to a church where you had testimony service? Oh, wow, the testimonies were a lot like this. Ladies would same people would stand and I was like seven eight nine years. Oh, I we watching it.

Pray for me that I make it. The road is long and The valleys are deep and the mountains are high. But just pray for me they Testimonies were so depressing. Nobody wanted to praise God at the end of the testimony.

You felt bad for everybody. Paul says no every day. Fully charged up. Oh praise God. Come on. Let's put our hands together. That's what God is able to do for us every day. The pastor symbol. I've been serving God for 40 years or 20 years I've been serving God and now my kids it's so hard every day.

I'm renewed Paul says every single day He renews me in my inner person not your outer person. Don't let your outer person dominate your inner person just because you're going through pain or you're sick or whatever or You're getting older.

You're getting tired. You're under some intense strain doesn't mean you can't be strong on the inner person and The inner person is the most important person. So Paul says That's what happens every day.

Eternal Glory Versus Temporary Affliction

Now. Let's go back to that verse and look at it with me. So for our Light and now here's the way to look at things because of this daily renewal for our light and momentary. Troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory.

That far outweighs them all. Now just look at that. He's saying because I get renewed God opens my eyes so that I can see things the way I need to be looking at things and He says now that God helps me to see through the eyes of faith for we walk by faith and not by sight.

He said here's the way I look at things. Am I going through some heavy stuff? Yeah. But it's light and it's just for a moment compared to what's coming. Now that my eyes are open and I realize the eternal reward I have with Jesus in heaven.

Oh I can put up with this because when the other comes. You can't even compare it. It's like here's a cure for the disease that's going around. Yeah, but the needle is gonna prick you a little bit. Yeah, I know that's just for a second.

I'll take it so I don't get the disease. So Paul says my light and momentary affliction. Oh He must have an easy life. Pastor Simba. I have no light and momentary affliction. I'm really going through it.

Are you? Are you really going through it? Am I really going through it? Look in another place that we read this week. In fact yesterday's reading look at 2nd Corinthians. He's talking about the false apostles.

Are they servants of Christ. I'm out of my mind to talk like this. I am more. I've worked much harder. Been in prison more frequently been flogged more severely been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the 40 lashes minus one.

You know why they could only lash him 39 times because too many people died with the 40 lashes. So they said you can't ever go past 39. He said I got that five times. Three times I was beaten with rods that means full-grown men look with a big rod taking a full swing.

Five times three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was pelted with stones three times. I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. You didn't like the hotel you stayed in. How about where he stayed I?

Have been constantly on the move. That's hard on your nerves. Constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers in danger from bandits in danger from my fellow Jews in danger from the Gentiles in danger in the city in danger in the country in danger at sea and in danger from false believers.

I Have labored and toiled. And I have often gone without sleep. I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food. I have been cold and naked. That's what he went through and he said it's light, and it's momentary if it ain't nothing.

How many would like to have that kind of faith to have that kind of perspective in life to say? Why was it light? Why was it momentary because he said? Compared to what's gonna be in heaven he says here's the contrast.

This is light compared to the weight of glory and he uses a phrase in the Greek language that the scholars say. He ran out of words. He wanted to discuss the magnificence the splendor and the happiness of heaven the weight of it.

It's gonna be so heavy. You won't be able to take it. Listen to me listen to me that glory is something You can barely take and live. You can barely stand it and live. It's it's joy. It's happiness. He says the weight of what's waiting for me is So heavy compared to yeah, I was stoned.

I've been through a few things, but it ain't nothing it ain't no big thing. Compared with that, but if you only see what you're going through and you don't see what's waiting for you. You're gonna tend to want to quit and give up.

You're gonna be morose. You're gonna be depressed. You're gonna be sad. You're gonna be discouraged. Paul says no I know what I'm going through, but I'm thinking about what's waiting for me and by the way also this other contrast.

This is just for a few moments the other thing has no end. I want to say something to you came to me because I love you so much. But I know so few of you in the way. I want to know you did you know 1 billion years from now?

We're all gonna be with Jesus. How many believe that with all your heart left your hand so I want to say something to you when we get to heaven I? Promise I'm gonna look all of you up. No, I mean this dead serious.

I say this before God and we will sit and we will just talk and you'll tell me everything Jesus brought you through and You'll tell me your story, and I'll tell you mine, but you hear more of mine. I never hear your let's just spend like 30 40 years talking together up in heaven all in favor say aye and Just think we'll be able to fellowship and no end listen no end no no Sunday has an end.

But not heaven. No March has an end, but not have no 2015 has an end, but there's no end. Paul says the glory I was once lifted up there. He'll tell us in this letter. I saw things and heard things you're not allowed to say you can't talk about.

That's how overwhelming it is. We've lost that in American Christianity. It's all about now our. It's all about physical things. And we get bent out of shape because we're not having the right way to look at things that Paul had he said yeah I'm going through some things, but what he went through well.

How does that come don't aren't you embarrassed to complain about anything as I read that what he went through? And he just brushes it off and says yeah, that's nothing compared to what Jesus has waiting for me.

I get embarrassed. I feel shamed like how could I ever complain? What have you and I ever gone through compared to him and he was happy and we're depressed. He was happy and rejoicing and you and I are bummed out about what?

Walking by Faith Rather Than Sight

We learn now that this way of looking at things is the key and now he sums it up by saying this. Let's go back to the verse. So we fix our eyes. Not on what is seen. But what is unseen since what is seen is temporary.

But what is unseen is eternal that look at me everybody and all of you that across the street I understand we have a huge crowd in overflow. Listen, you're gonna walk out of here today. And you're gonna be faced with this choice and all of you watching on the webcast.

Here's our choice. We can walk by faith or we can walk by sight. Remember what Paul said we walk by faith and not by sight. What's the contrast faith versus sight? What's that mean. Paul says when you walk by faith, you don't just focus on the things that are seen.

Prison money credit cards bills job subway relatives politics government. It says no if you just focus on that you're gonna be bent out of shape a good part of the time. Am I correct? He said no when God renews you every day and teaches you how to walk by faith.

You're doing physical things. You're working on your job and you're working on the computer. But the eyes of your heart are seeing things that are invisible. That's what keeps you steady. That's what keeps you strong.

You're thinking about Jesus. He's invisible. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. You're thinking about the value of a soul. You're thinking about heaven. You're thinking about the fact that God has saved your children.

These are invisible things. Paul says I don't just look at things that are seen. These if I look at things that are seen I'll give up. I'll quit but if I look at things that are unseen I'll remember God is faithful.

God is gonna see me through. Where do you see that Paul Paul? Show me where you see that. No, I see it. It's an invisible thing, but it's more real than my situation now. That's the difference the change in perspective makes your life Totally radically changed.

So look at me everyone. How are you living today? Are you preoccupied with physical things. What you're going through your little world our little thing. And Physical money and retirement and a job and promotion.

Is that where you're at? Or Are you gonna walk by faith and say I know in whom I have believed and I'm persuaded. That he's gonna take care of me and two trillion years from now. I'm gonna be in heaven.

Enjoying an endless eternity with a glory that I can't even imagine. It's gonna be no more crying. No more tears. No more pressure. No more sin. No more temptation. No more disappointment. No more letting people letting me down.

Come on. Can we put our hands together? What a day that will be. What a day that will be. The modern-day prosperity teachers a good number of whom are crooks and extorters of money from people. They say oh don't give me that pie in the sky in the by and by.

I'll take pie in the sky in the by and by. Because in this life you can be a great Christian like Paul and go through a lot of difficulties. There's no formula to have faith to avoid trouble. Sometimes Jesus permits tremendous trouble in our lives to teach us faith and to get us our reward even bigger.

So if you're going through something today, it's light and it's only gonna be it's passing. It's but it's come it's passing through. It's like a storm. It's just gonna pass through. How many have been through some storms and God brought you through them and you they didn't last forever.

Wave your hand at me, right? All right, you might see some others. We remember compared to what's waiting for us. We walk by faith not by sight. That's why people give money because they give money for.

Which is physical they say no, I'll give that up so that somebody else can benefit spiritually. We walk by faith and not by sight. That just reminds me of something. I want to close with. I quoted that verse from Hebrews 12.

Looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Faith

Looking unto Jesus the author and the finish of our faith. How can you look unto Jesus? He's invisible. See, that's what faith is. You're looking at Jesus every day, even though you can't see him you can see him.

You're looking at the blessings of the Holy Spirit. You're looking at your place in heaven. You're looking at the fact that the blood of Jesus washes away all sin that those are all invisible things. But they are the things that anchor your soul.

Keep you strong. If you just look at what's in the New York Post or the Daily News. Good grief. This week is Holy week coming up. Friday's crucifixion Friday. I Just was thinking of that verse. Looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross.

Despising its shame and when they spit at him and mocked him. Come down from the cross if you're so great come down. And he felt all that pain and Even his own disciples said come on, you know, it must have been thinking if you're if you're really who you said you were.

Why don't you come down? Why don't you come down? Why are you enduring all of this? They opened his back up. So it was like hamburger meat before they even crucified him put the nails through his hands the crown of thorns on His head and the Bible says that how he endured it and being stripped just about naked in front of all those people.

He endured it all and said It's shameful to you, but I can endure it for the joy set before him. What joy. No, it wasn't joy that he saw in the physical world it was the joy that he saw by faith. I'm going back home soon.

You can kill me, but when it's all over I'm gonna rise again and Then I'm gonna go back to where I was. From all eternity. I'm going home to be with my father. Yeah. I can put up with this now because I know what the end is gonna be.

But more than that for the joy set before him no, there'll be a Sunday sometime and there'll be a meeting in a church and there'll be a Millie Burgos sitting there who was lost as lost could be but because of what I'm going through she'll be saved.

Her sins will be gone. She'll be and I'm gonna turn her into a great woman of God and There'll be people in the balcony and people from Uruguay and Argentina and they'll all be together and they'll have peace and Their sins will be forgiven.

But the only way I can see that happen is I have to go through this but it's worth it. All I'll go through it. I'll take the bow. Take the blow. I'll take the punishment. I'll endure it. You're mocking me.

You're laughing at me. You won't laugh forever. You won't mock forever. There's gonna come a day when I'm gonna rise again. Every knee will bow every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Come on King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

See the same thing Paul went through on a lesser scale. He said it's light and momentary compared to what I have made. I'm not gonna complain because of what's waiting for me. Jesus. In a unique way that we can't fully understand.

He not only knew he was going home and that the father would take care of him. He saw us. He saw me. Growing up our little rascal fighting God tooth and nail. You want to see someone who fought God? Some of you are with me you're only here today because he just loved you into the kingdom.

Am I right or wrong? If Jesus said I'll take it. Who endured the shame not despising it for the joy set before him. Oh God open our eyes. That we might see invisible things that will help us through the visible things.

Invitation to Hold Fast to Jesus

Let's close our eyes. If you're here today and the visit the visible world around you is so difficult right now. And Satan is suggesting to you quit give up quit give up. Give up stop following Jesus stop stop this Jesus Christian stuff.

While I was speaking God's opened your eyes a little bit and you see what's waiting for you. You see that it's just light and temporary. Compared to the heavy glory that's coming that will last forever.

God is telling you today. Don't look only at the things that are seen. Keep your eyes on the things that are invisible unseen. Because the invisible things are eternal. The stuff that you see with your eyes.

They're temporary. It's gone in a second. Your life is a vapor much less the things in your life. Hang on to me. Trust me, even if you've messed up even if you've failed. Even if people let you down and put a knife in your back.

Hang on to Jesus today if you don't know the Lord and you're not a Christian. All you have to do is say God have mercy on me. Forgive me of my sins. I do believe Jesus. You're the one that God the Father sent to die for my sins.

You died in my place. You took the punishment for me so that I could be free. I want you as the center of my life. That can happen today, too. But what can also happen to you and the webcast you over across the street is you can say no.

I'm gonna hang on. I will not quit. I Will not quit. God's opening my eyes and I'm seeing things that are invisible. He's really gonna renew me every day. I'm gonna be strong like a like a lion every single day.

I'm not gonna run out of gas. I'm not gonna start the race and not finish it. If you'd like me to pray for you. Because the Lord is talking to you. I'm not gonna try to define how he's talking to you, but he's reaching for you.

You can feel his love. Calling you to stand up where you are across the street and watching on the webcast. I don't care where you are. Stand up if you can if you're not in a public place stand up next to that computer.

If you're in the balcony or downstairs here stand up and say pastor pray. I don't want to quit. I don't want to lose my grip on God. I Want to finish the race. I want to live by saying things eternal.

I want to walk by faith not by sight. I've been walking by sight too much. Just stand up right where you are. He's gonna help you. Stand up right where you are and say pastor. I need the Lord today. I need him to open my eyes so I can see things that I'm not been seeing lately.

I Strengthened me. He needs to renew me. Just stand up right where you are. I will pray my my heart is met with my whole heart for you if you raised your hand. Come quickly to the front come on. Those of you across the street the deacons the pastors there will help you.

But everyone's standing in the balcony come down everybody in the front. We're gonna pray. You're not gonna quit. You're not gonna give up. Therefore I don't faint. I don't give up all set. Though my outward person is going through a lot of stuff inwardly he helps me every day.

He renews me and Because he renews me. I realized that what I'm going through is temporary and it's light. It's light. It's light compared to what he has waiting for me, so I'm gonna keep on believing.

Those of you who just go to church, but you're not a born-again Christian. You've never been changed from the inside out. You need to come up here go in a church. Whatever country you're from whatever state you live in go in a church and trying to live a good life.

It's not what Christianity is about. You must be born again. Jesus said that you got to be born again. Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Who for the joy set before him he endured the cross?

He saw something beyond physical eyes and that held him. Father God we thank you for your word today. Oh. Your word is rich. It's pure strong. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by your word. We're not gonna quit.

We're gonna keep looking at Jesus. We're gonna walk by faith not by sight. We're not gonna let the things around us the things we see get us down. We're not gonna let our circumstances be stronger than your promises.

How could our circumstances be greater than your promises and faithfulness. No, we're standing on you today on your word on your love on your faithfulness. Help my brothers and sisters here. Not to quit but to run the race to the end.

To be full of joy and peace because they walk by faith and not by sight. Save us all in this building and watching on the webcast and Across the street help us to start today as never before to be renewed every single day made strong.

Strong like a lion every single day by your grace. No matter what's going on with our lives. So that we can walk by faith and not by sight. So that we can have the right perspective on life. If only in this life we have hope we're of all people the most miserable.

For we should just eat and drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. But no, we know that Jesus who died for our sins rose again from the dead and We one day will be with him in heaven. Make us strong today for anyone who has come forward.

Lord who does not know you as their Lord and Savior help them right now to just say Jesus forgive me. Jesus forgive me. Just forgive me of my sins. I put my faith in you. Come and live inside of me and make me the person you want me to be.

Wash away all my sins. Write my name in the Lamb's Book of Life in heaven. So that I know I'll spend eternity with you forever and ever and now. I pray that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of the Father and The fellowship of the Holy Spirit will be with us all day today.

God renew us all day today so that we can face Today's challenges. If tomorrow comes you're gonna be faithful to do it again We're looking to you, and you're gonna bring us through for we pray it in Jesus name.

Let's give God one last hand clap of praise. Come on. If you're walking by faith clap. Not by sight not by sight. Turn around and hug a bunch of people.