Perceptual Problems

River of Life - Cold Spring

“Most of our problems are not circumstantial. Most of our problems are perceptual. Our biggest problems can be traced back to an inadequate understanding of who God is. Our problems seem really big because our God seems really small. In fact, we reduce God to the size of our biggest problem.” - A.W. Tozer
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will direct your path.” - Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
"Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together." - Psalm 34:3 (NKJV)
1.) It’s usually when I’m attempting my best, that I feel attacked the most.
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9
a.) If you do good, you’ll get weary! (Sounds very encouraging, right?)
b.) If you don’t give up, you will reap a harvest! (This is the encouraging part!)
2. The Enemy will always attack you where God is leading you! (The enemy is trying to take you out, but God is trying to take you there)
"19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go. 21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.” -Exodus 3:19-22
"Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
2 And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf." - Exodus 32:1-4
3. The enemy will always try and make your problems seem bigger than your God.
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me! 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” - Matthew 14:28-31
Maybe you are here this morning, or watching online - and you have been to lose sight of how great God truly is. How big God truly is!
Mark Batterson said, “A change of place, plus a change of pace equals a change of perspective.”