More Perspective changes

Ok, So I just got back from a mens retreat where God continued a work he started in me Friday before I even left to go on the retreat. I was cruising blogspot and found a blog from some one I knew that totally kicked me in the face. I don't know about you but God can't reach me in a nice calm way. It needs to be blunt. God's kick in the face from a blog was majorly needed.
With a spiritual gift of prophecy, I tend to see sin in others pretty easily. This is a horribly wonderful awfulness. (if you will permit me to make up words) This leads to a bad perspective problem. I begin to compare myself to these other people. I say well, God, I could be drunk and cheating on my wife. I could have killed people, I could have cussed at that person.......blah blah you get the picture. MESSED UP PERSPECTIVE!!!!!!!!!
The thing is, often times we use the 10 commandments as are guide. Believe it or not, we shouldn't. Think about this for a second. The 10 commandments were basically God setting the bar of morality at the lowest point. I mean really. God was like, "hey worship Me only cause I made you, don't make an image to worship cause that really doesn't make sense you made it and it kinda goes back to number one there. Respect my name cause that all goes back to the first one. Rest 1 day a week and remember me on it, cause everyone needs some rest. Do what your parents say. Don't lie, steal, want things just cause someone else has them, or cheat on your spouse. And don't kill anybody." I can kinda see Moses thinking, "Are you serious? Thats kinda basic." The issue is - even if you insist on using that as your standard, you probably get dinged on all 10. I will be the first to admit it... before you freak out and call my wife or the feds to report a murder conviction.... Jesus put a few amendments on those. If you hate your "brother" in your heart its murder, and if you look at someone w/ lust in your heart its adultrey. Guilty and Guilty. The other 8 hit me pretty quickly.
So where is our standard? Christ - perfection - wow! If I fail at the 10 easy ones - I certain miss perfection. To really see how spiritually shallow we are is to see how completely Holy God is!! Its not about what I have done. Its not about the sins that I didn't commit that Joey Joe Joe jr Shabado committed. It's about a Holy God, worthy of everything I have and all that I am, getting the glory He is deserved. Swallowing my pride I compare myself to perfection. To a Holy God, a place I could never really reach. God is ......God. If I compare my self to other people I lower God's standards below man's. Where does that put holiness? If I think I am spirtually mature, I am not. If I think I have it all togather, I do not. BUT... if I realize the standard to reach for is perfection, then I put myself right where I need to be. A dirty rotten sinner covered by God's grace. Begging to be use despite my sin.... not because I deserve it or am capable.

That's where I am right now.......changing my perspective.........and hopefully changing yours.

What if......

I've been dealing with a huge fear of death lately, but not like you think. I do not fear the process or what happens afterwards... I know my hope lies in Christ to spend eternity with him...but, I fear something I cannot shake from my mind. It is an intense fear... makes my skin crawl... and keeps me awake at night. Did I do all I could... did I live everyday to bring glory to Jesus Christ? Is there something else I am supposed to be doing?

This fear has increased as my perspective has changed. As a Christian, this earth will never be my home; however, we often treat it like it is. Which is one reason death seems so scary sometimes. We don't wall paper and paint hotel rooms heck, sometimes we don't decorate apartments. All because we see them as temporary. Life on this earth is more temporary than a 10 sec stay at a hotel when compared to eternity with Christ. What would change in your daily life if you really understood this concept? How would you treat others? How would you spend your time and money? God is calling us to change the way we think about earth. Time is short - there is a war to be won.

That's where I am right now.......changing my perspective.........and hopefully changing yours.