When Life Seems Unfair, Focus on God - Peter Tan-Chi - Songs of Hope

[Music] breathing's we just concluded our one week of prayer and fasting and I pray and I like to believe that you had a closer encounter with God and I'm sure there are a lot of amazing things that has happened during this time of prayer and fasting let's praise God for giving us the privilege of praying for our country our family in the world today I like to share with you something that's very important and very close to my heart because all of us sooner or later will experience something like this the world is not fair you think it is not fair my topic today is this when life seems unfair focus on God what do we mean by life seems unfair these are our basic belief system when bad things happen to bad people that's okay good things must happen to good people that's what we expect however when bad things happen to good people that's problematic what's even worse when good things happen to bad people how can that be the realities there are many things in life which I don't always understand which does not always make sense it seems unfair for example the guy by the name of Walter rough this guy was responsible for murdering 250,000 Jewish people he invented a gas chamber even though he was arrested he escaped eventually he fled to South America and he was never brought back to justice even though they issued a warrant of arrest for him it seems not fair somebody was guilty of murdering 250,000 people with somehow just leave free for the rest of his life what about something closer to the Philippines to to us when Senator Ninoy Aquino was assassinated I remember we were all shocked how can something like this happen in broad daylight covered by the media what is so sad is up to now people don't know who murdered former senator Ninoy Aquino this is something that all of us struggle with where is God it's not fair I remember a dear friend of mine after coming to Jesus Christ he began to have problems his wife left him and then slowly his business began to have problems so when he asked me what is God doing I can honestly tell you at that time I don't know the answer but I told him I know God loves you I know God is good but right now I don't know how many years later believe it or not his business was restored many years later 20 plus years later his wife came back to him we don't always know why it seems unfair some serenity tells us of a similar experience of the Sunnis the author was Assad Assad was a musician appointed by King David to head the musical worship department of the temple and this is what he wrote surely God is good to Israel to those who are pure in heart as for me my feet came close to stumbling my steps had almost slipped I was envious of the Aragon I saw the prosperity of the weekend do you understand his problem he begins by saying God is good god is good to those who are pure in heart that's basic theology God is good to those who are good to those who are pure except there's a problem my feet came cross is stumbling said I almost lost my belief in God what happened I was invisibly Aragon I saw the prosperity of the wicked his eyes was focused on people especially the wicked and he said they seemed to be prospering what's wrong today I'm gonna share with you three main principles you will learn in Psalm 73 when life seems unfair focus on God check your perspective verse 1 to 15 align your perspective 16 to 20 to develop eternal perspective so how do we do that let's begin the psalmist is now saying his perspective was causing him problem why look at what he said there are no pains in their death their body is fat they are not in trouble as other men nor are they playing like mankind what the son is saying is these guys seems to have no problem no pain not only no pain they have no trouble they are not playing like men their pride is their necklace the garment of violence covers them on top of that they are proud people they are displaying their pride they are boasting their eye bulges from fatness the imaginations of their heart runs riot he is not describing I have a hard time understanding God your fairness these people does into a problem and he continues describing them but you notice I underlined the word they they they're they're they're his eyes was focused on people notice the next verse the muck they speak of oppression they speak from on high they have set their mouths against the heavens their tongue parades through the earth what is the sun is saying not only are these people prospering they are also boasting look at the emphasis of their mouth their words what are they saying they mock God their mouth they speak a lot of things that are not godly notice these people return to his to this place waters of abundance are drunk by them they say how does God know is their knowledge with the Most High in other words this verses is describing how the Sun is viewed the ungodly they both their pride is being displayed and notice what he said these are the wicked always that is they be increase in worth can you now see why I was jealous in fact it affected him so much that he said surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and wash my hands in innocence I don't know if you have this experience sometimes you ask yourself is it worth it is it worth following Jesus Christ it's it worth it following Jesus I don't compromise I don't cheat I pay my taxes properly I am faithful to my wife and yet I look at my life I'm hurting I'm having problems compared to my friends they don't follow god they're corrupt they cheap and everything seems to be okay that was the problem of us up in some 73 he said in vain I've kept my heart pure wash my hands in innocence is it worth it I've been stricken all day long chasing every morning not only are the wicked prospering he said I'm having problem I look at my life I'm still having problem today and notice he said if I had said I will speak like this I would have betrayed the generation of your children he caught himself he said if I keep saying these things every betrayed my testimony and your testimony Lord if I keep saying these things so what did he do this is the amazing thing about the grace of God you got to check your perspective his perspective is based on what he has seen now is that the right one you need to check second you need to align your perspective you know I am reminded of the story of a group of blind men they were led to the zoo and they were asked to describe an elephant what is an elephant well this is amazing the first blind man got the tail of the elephant and he said ha the elephant must be a rope the second blind man cuts the side of the elephant and he said no no no the elephant is a wall then the third blind man was able to touch the leg of the elephant and he said ah an elephant is a tree the fourth one that's the ear and the ear was moving he said the elephant is a fan the next one touched the trunk of the elephant and he said ah the elephant is a big snake and the last one that's the task of the and he said the elephant is a spear many times we look at life and we don't see the whole picture we jump to conclusion our perspective has to be aligned with truth I remember going to the Middle East and looking at the carpet and I noticed one day I was looking at the wrong side of the carpet I was looking at the back and I thought the owner I said how come your carpet is not so bright the color and he said sir you are looking at the wrong side where this is the wrong side many times when we look at life we are looking from this side of heaven we should look from another perspective perspective is crucial and sometimes your life is so topsy-turvy you don't know what's happening it's like puzzle it is so messy you don't know what's happening but one day when everything will fit in together you realize wow parcel can be something we don't understand about someday we will fully understand that's why Psalm 73 is about when life seems unfair when it does not make sense to you what do you do you check your perspective many times our perspective is not the right one we're looking from the wrong angle and then you have to align your perspective why is perspectives so important you recall the T principle t EA thinking affects your emotion emotions affect your action work your perspective affects your thinking many people don't realize respectable impact the way you think and what you think is going to impact your emotion and you will impact your action so how will you change your thinking we have to adjust your perspective for example this is the key verse in Psalm 73 this is the major verse when I ponder to understand this it was troublesome in my sight until I came into the century of God then I perceive their end what is the meaning the writer is saying what I was thinking I was so bothered I couldn't understand it was troublesome in my sight then something happened he entered the sanctuary of God another word for a worship another word for focusing on God when he entered to worship God what happened his perspective was changed the Bible tells us then I perceive their end you see your perspective can be very narrow it can be very temporal but God will help us just like Asia God helped him to see the big picture not just what's happening today but what you want to happen in the future many times our perspective is so temporal we need to be bigger picture we need to learn to see the long-term the eternal many times our perspective is all about temporal things but not eternal so when we talk about perspective we need to learn to see things from a big perspective from the perspective of God and only God can help us that's why you need to align what does it mean to enter the sanctuary of God when you enter to worship God guess what happened in any place of worship the scriptures are read you begin to study God's revelation his word that's important perspective comes when we study the Word of God perspective comes when you begin to pray this past few days many of us have been reading a Bible fasting and praying I'm sure many of you God has revealed himself God has given you ideas because God will help us think properly perspective can only change by the grace of God what happens when you worship you meditate you focus on God his promises his greatness and that is what happened when he entered a sound torii of God and then he saw the big picture what is the big picture surely you set them in Slippery places you cast them down to destruction how they are destroyed in a moment they are utterly swept away by sudden terror in other words God showed him you see the wicked prospering now God is saying what because suddenly we don't know when but justice judgment will come and the Bible tells us they are in dangerous places today the wicked those who are not walking with God you are standing in slippery ground the destination will be destruction they are destroyed in a moment it's going to be sudden how sudden you know what the psalmist is saying like a dream when one awakes Oh Lord when arouse you will despise their form the psalmist is saying God right now you're allowing the wicked to continue the Bible tells us it is the patience of God the grace of God that allows sinners to continue living but this desire is for them to repent therefore it says here all larwin arouse when the day comes when you will take actions you will despise their form there will be judgment when my heart was embittered I was pierced with him he's talking about what he couldn't understand God he was bitter he didn't know what was happening I was Pearce I was in pain because I don't understand why God a good God will allow the wicked to continue and then he said I was senseless and ignorant I was like a beast before you do you know what is saying when you spend time with God you begin to adjust your perspective even perspective about your stuff he saw himself he said I was acting like an animal I was acting in ignorant friends many times you and I don't see ourselves but when we enter the presence of God spend time and meditate God will allow you to see his perspective and you can begin to see yourself you will notice as you read some 73 the pronoun changing as you go through the book of Sam the first part probably from verse 1 to 12 13 you have 12 times the pronoun day day day he was forcing on others and then the next part the pronoun is about III he was forcing on himself he felt sorry and then the next part of this song is about you well his perspective was change he began to change the pond on you they went only you and I and that is a wonderful way of reminding ourselves when you focus on people circumstances it's an effective when you focus on yourself soon after your perspective but when you focus on God just like the sounds then you begin to realize your perspective is change it's God and you when life seems unfair what do we do check our perspective align our perspective with God's perspective and develop eternal perspective why is this so important developing eternal perspective because our concept of right and wrong good or bad what is fair what is not fair our concept of what is important what is not important has to be aligned with God with the truth and many times we don't take time to pause and examine how we see things may I suggest in this world we have only the following major perspective 1 the biblical perspective from God what he says or the perspective of the world the philosophy of the world two major perspective from God or from the world secular philosophy and many times you don't take time to think and that's why I like this quotation from Oswald Chambers oswald chambers once said the reality about death has an amazing power of altering what a man desires because death profoundly affects his outlook let me repeat are going to oswald chambers the reality of death has an amazing power of adjusting altering and lining what we want what we desire because death profoundly affects is outlook his perspective you'll know these young people and mature people have different perspective my wife and i were just speaking this morning how we have lost many of our loved ones i two brothers two sisters and I already lost my sister in though I'd lost my brother-in-law that is reality and when you think about the reality of death values changes you begin to learn to see the big picture and that's what the sound means is talking about my perspective instead of just temporal I am beginning to see the big picture and Jesus gave us an amazing reality about perspective he talks about how some people will fight over money how some people will value materialism as the most important thing and this is what he said in Luke chapter 12 he told him a parable now the parable the background is the man they were fighting for inheritance and he said the land of a rich man was very productive and he began reasoning to himself saying what shall I do since I had no place to store my crops then he said this is what I will do I will tear down my barns and build larger ones and there I will store all my grain and my goods from a worldly perspective this man was smart you know why his perspective he was thinking of the future he's saying hey I need to expand you see there's nothing wrong the land was very productive and he was thinking reasoning what shall I do I have no place to store my crops I will expand this what I will do in other words your perspective impacts your behavior except there's a problem according the story this man's perspective was not big enough look I will say to my soul soul you have many goods later for many years to come take your ease eat and drink and be merry isn't that the desire of every businessman that you know they want to reach a point where they can retire eat drink and be merry they think of retirement they think of the future what's wrong nothing wrong except that perspective is too narrow it's not wide enough it is not broadly enough you know why you only think of your earthly future this is what God is saying but God said to him you fool you fool why this very night your soul is required of you and now who will own what you have prepared in other words notice sudden sometimes death will come suddenly there's no warning suddenly this very night your soul is required of you now the question is this who will own what you have prepared you see perspective is important why do we spend so much time make letting the eternal neglecting what is more important why I don't blame the people of the world can I tell you why that's their perspective that's what they know that's what they believe but I feel sad for so-called Christians for so-called believers use of the Bible you know that life on earth is not the end you and I know there's eternity so shame on us well we don't up properly that's exactly what Jesus meant you are a fool don't be a fool don't be jealous of the ungodly don't be jealous when things are not right in this world why our perspective must be eternal develop the big picture this is what God wants us to develop so is the man who stores up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God very same develop eternal perspective God wants us to be rich but rich not in this world it's okay to be rich in this world but God is saying I want you to pressures in heaven when I'm reminded of a true story this guy was a multi-billionaire and when he died he left everything to his wife the wife fell in love with a driver and they got married and the driver told the wife for many years I thought I was serving your husband I thought I was working for your husband I did not realize your husband was working for me perspective how much can you bring the wicked what about their future and notice the son is his perspective was changed this is what he said nevertheless I am continually with you you have taken hold of my right hand with your counsel you will guide me afterward receive me to glory notice the first thing he realized after seeing the big picture I am continually with you he realized that God is with him I am continually with you the presence of God you see when you worship God your perspective change God becomes real and then he said you will take hold of my right hand God you are going to guide me not just the presence of God not just the protection of God but the guidance of God in a bubble look at what he said afterward you will receive me to glory he sees the eternal picture after this life you will receive me in glory have you ever thought about the glorious future of God's people has your perspective change nothing wrong with enjoying the things of this world I praise God goddess bless us you look at the trees you look at the grass you look at nature praise God it's a beautiful world yes there are problems but the world is beautiful flowers the trees the plants the birds the animals but God is saying there's something even better our eternal future the glory and you know what God tells us how glorious it is it is written things which eye has not seen ear has not heard which have not entered the heart of man has God prepared for those who love him notice things which eye has not seen the most beautiful things in this world will not compare to what God has prepared for us what ear has not heard the most beautiful music the most beautiful words the most beautiful things is nothing compared to what God has prepared things which have not entered the heart of man no matter how great is your imagination you can imagine the most beautiful thing in heaven the most amazing adventure you'll ever have the Bible says it is still nothing compared to what God has in store for you and for me let me just share with you a few verses from the Bible about our future so if you have this eternal perspective notice the glory he will dwell among them the very presence of God will be with us what else the Bible tells us he will wipe away every tear no more crying this amazing no longer any death there will no longer be any mourning or crying can you imagine a place no more death no more mourning no more crying no more pain the glorious future that you have is something promised this is what the Bible says he was sits on the throne the King of Kings the Lord of lords said I am making all things new all things new whatever has happened to you mistakes your past life God is saying I'm gonna make all things new notice right for these words are faithful and true he's saying I promise this it will surely happen God is saying you have a glorious future what is your perspective about eternity about God if you keep reading the Bible in Revelation chapter 21 the Bible described that the place where we will be staying the wall is made of Jasper these are precious stones the city is made of pure gold this is describing how beautiful our future is going to be perhaps the writer is running out of words so how do you describe the most beautiful place in other words it's a beautiful place and if you keep reading the Bible tells us the most beautiful thing is the presence of God the Bible says I saw no temple the Lord God the Almighty and the lamb are its temple so the Bible is very clear God's presence in the Bible says you don't need the Sun you don't need the moon the glory of God will illuminate but notice the qualification to enter that glorious future there is a qualification the qualification says nothing unclean no one who practices abomination and lying shall ever come into it but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life the Bible tells us when you come to Jesus your names are written in the book of life in that place no more curse in that place Jesus will be with us I love this the throne of God and the lamb will be in it and we will serve Him people ask me what will happen what the Bible tells us you will see his face intimacy with God not only that no longer be any night no more night what else they will not have need of the light of the lamp nor the light of the Sun because the Lord God will illumine them and they will reign forever and ever the most amazing thing you and I will reign with Jesus for ever and ever no wonder when Dwight L Moody a man of God was about to die this is what he said this is my triumph this my coronation day it is glorious I see earth receding heaven opening and God is calling me I witness many of God's people dying my latest one was my sister-in-law before she died she told my brother the angels are coming Jesus is waiting for me another person who died very well was none other than John Wesley with what John Wesley said the best of all is God is with us the best of all is God is with us you know sound 73 tells us he will receive a single horry God's people they die very well people who don't know God they die horribly if you have this perspective you will not be jealous of the ungodly notice how he closed he said whom have I in heaven but you besides you I desire nothing on earth my flesh and my heart may fail God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever notice because his perspective was adjusted he experienced intimacy with God your presence your protection your guidance and my security you will bring me to glory his conclusion whom have I in heaven but you in other words no matter how beautiful heaven is for him the most precious thing in heaven is Jesus himself the person of God besides you I desire nothing on earth even Earth will not compare to God my friend that's perspective and I pray that your eyes will be open to see that in this world everything we have is temporal everything in this world is nothing compared to God unto Jesus the lover of my soul the one who died for us and the Bible tells us God is the strength of my heart and my portion for anyway this is an amazing truth at the end of your life the only thing you will have is God God is our portion I guarantee you everything will be left behind your money your stock certificates your real estate in investment your cars everything this world will be left behind except God is that your perspective he declares the following in conclusion he said behold those who are far from you will perish it's a certainty you have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you so his first conclusion is the contrast those who don't know God will surely perish and then the contrast the nearness of God is my good I've made the Lord God my refuge that I may tell of all your works let me explain to you these two verses when he said those who are far from you will perish what does that mean well the Bible is very clear the word Paris does not just mean you sis existence in the book of second Thessalonians the Bible tells us when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ the Bible tells us someday justice will be served when Jesus comes again what's gonna happen it's very clear when Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire this is judgment day he tells us dealing out retribution to those who do not know God to those who do not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus they will be judgment to those who don't know God to those who do not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus it's very clear what kind of retribution the Bible is very clear the Bible says this will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from his power the word penalty of eternal destruction the word eternal destruction it does not mean cessation of activities it does not mean you don't feel anything anymore that phrase penalty of eternal destruction has the following meaning you lose your well-being that same word is used to describe the wineskin that is torn you lose your well-being you don't lose consciousness your word being is lost you know why this loss because you are away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power away from God's presence is the worst nightmare you can ever have away from the glory of his presence is the worst thing that you can experience and the Bible says it is eternal the loss of well-being in contrast when he comes to be glorified in his Saints you see God and his people will be glorified on that day and be marveled at among all web belief or testimony to us believe my message to you is the same today wherever you are I want you to realize when the world seems unfair relax you focus on God why because many times our perspective is wrong when you focus on God you align your perspective when you focus on God you will develop eternal perspective you know perspective exchange you can honestly say the nearness of God is my good the very presence of God is my good that is perspective I made the Lord God my refuge you find your security in God he is the most important thing why eternal perspective that is divine perspective that I may tell of all your works somebody whose perspective is affected your thinking will change your emotions will change your actions will change what action I noticed something people who know God people who are intimate with God whose perspectives are eternal you know what they do they talk about God they declare all of his works you know my pleasure and my privilege and my delight is to tell of all the words of the Lord my friend if things don't make sense if life seems unfair your focus on God God is our ultimate good if God has spoken to you today and you would like to experience the reality of his goodness his presence I like you to pray a simple prayer it is asking God to change your perspective it is coming to God asking him to help you the prayer is something like this Lord Jesus will you adjust my perspective I want to know you Lord Jesus I realize that what is important to you is really who you are you died on the cross for my sins so we now invite you Lord I invite you as my Lord and Savior Lord come into my life come into my heart so that my mind my perspective will change I accept your gift of forgiveness I accept your promise of glory your promise of eternal life in Jesus name we pray amen there's a special song I like you to hear this is a song composed by my daughter about the beauty of life after death it's a song that is from the Bible it talks about we are finally home this song was written to comfort those whose loved ones have died where many members were affected by coffee 19 but when I heard this song when Iced read the words of this song I'm home I'm home it's very touching these are the lyrics I close my eyes and wake up to eternity I see the light the face of Jesus Christ I hear his voice calling out my name saying well done my good and faithful child you are finally home you are finally home I close my eyes and wake up Joe eternity I see the light of the face of Jesus Christ I hear his voice singing my god you finally [Music] you finally [Music] no more cryin fever pain [Music] no more darkness in a shame I'm finally home where I belong in the presence of Mackey I'm finally home but it is throne worshipping His Majesty [Music] play center of the beam [Music] no I have seen no ear has heard what God has in store for those who love Him [Music] streets of boredom Springs of life a light that shines forth from his glory its lasting [Applause] no more crying fear [Music] where I belong in the presence of my king [Music] worshipping is much there's no place I'd rather be [Music] those who know mistake [Applause] they must know it's nothing there's a better place [Music] in Christ [Applause] we will meet again [Music] there's no place I'd rather be [Music] [Music] [Music] if this message has been meaningful to you and you'd like to chat with us you have questions please click on the space provided below we will be happy to answer your questions we'll be happy to chat with you god bless I have some suggestions on how to discuss the message with your family members or with your small group feel free to add more questions question number one what experiences have you encountered that you felt were unfair how did you process it question number two why is it not healthy to compare yourself with others and focus on circumstances our temptation is to look at people to focus on people and circumstances and that's how we feel bad why is that not healthy why is focusing on God so important when you're discouraged what kind of perspectives should you have this is so crucial develop this habit when you are so down when you're so discouraged focus on the Lord spend time with him read this word study pray how will you apply this message in your life you know I always encourage people it is not enough to hear you must apply if not it is not enough to know the truth we must apply the truth in our lives focus on application [Music] god bless thanks for watching we would like to invite you to be a christ committed follower by being part of the movement as we honor God and obey His Great Commission to find out if there's a CCF satellite near you log on to www.hsn.com to WWCC org bh / discipleship group all of CC s video resources are available free of charge and are constantly being improved by our team would you consider supporting CCF through prayer in giving so more people can be blessed you can give securely through our website at www.investmentpitch.com

Channel: Christ’s Commission Fellowship

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Id: rZ4ZBiU1c5w

Length: 52min 22sec (3142 seconds)

Published: Sun Jun 28 2020