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We encourage you to jot down what you hear God speaking to you about today as you listen to the teaching. Plan on diving deeper into the message by downloading the study guide on Sunday night so you can compare your notes with the guide as a path for deeper spiritual commitment. Once posted, the teaching video and study guide can be found under the Media tab.
Christmas at Cypress … The Gift of Perspective
In the Christmas story, we find ourselves “cheering for them” because we know how the story goes and ends… let’s live the same way today.
Perspective is the way we look at things; the position from where we take our view.
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. —Luke 2:7
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” —Hebrews 12:2
Two Key Points:
Your perspective is formed by what you know is true. As Christians, this wisdom should come from God’s Word.
A biblical perspective will reveal characteristics and truths about Jesus that unlock doors that have never been opened before.
Jesus was teaching that the way that you see things isn’t just important, it is critical.
Our perspective will affect how we perceive and respond to the world around us; it will influence our attitudes to relationships, work, money, and life itself.
Perspective vs. Bias
Bias: is when a source is clearly one-sided in its description of the event.
Every source has a perspective, but not every source has a clear bias.
1. You can determine a source’s perspective by doing background research on the source creator.
2. To determine a source’s bias, you need to find specific words in the source that are either extremely positive or extremely negative.
Perspective vs. Preference
Don’t ever make your preference your platform.
What (or I should say Who) can lift us to a place that will help us see clearly, a place we could never reach without His hand pulling us to that place?
“Jesus has exchanged his righteousness for our sinfulness, our life is hidden in Christ so when the father looks at us, He sees the righteousness of Jesus” —- Dr. Amanda Drury
A biblical perspective is a long road. It takes patience, it takes trust, it demands growth and will take time.
Taking the shortcut always turns out to be the longest road.
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