There’s a story of 2 young college guys who decided to take a small world tour. As they moved around, they both saw the poverty, pain, triumphs, and successes of various nations. One sight in particular caught their attention. They visited a nation and saw that many people had no shoes – and this sight affected the two guys in different ways.

The first saw only poverty and misery, got discouraged by life and whet he’d experience and decided to quickly return home to his own life – he only had an external view; the other guy got extremely excited by what he saw and began immediately casting an internal vision for what he might contribute to these people. He saw all these potential customers for shoes in his inner vision, while the first saw only barefooted poor people.

One wows to return and offer something to these people, the other wows never to visit a dump like this place again. One goes on to offer his low cost service shoes call sandals and makes more money than he could spend in his lifetime, the other goes home and dies empty, miserable, and poor.

All of it was based on what they saw internally – or the vision they created, and what they thought to do about it to improve the quality of someone else’s life.

Their perspective made the difference – and perspective is governed by what we allow to influence us – people, situations, & things – being connected to the wrong people, gives us poor life perspectives and messes up our destinies, allowing any situations to influence in the wrong manner is always a lesson in hurt, pain, and misery waiting to happen; choosing to build your life around things always leaves us empty when we don’t have stuff, broken when we can’t get stuff, and fearful believing that everyone around us want to steal our stuff.

Our problem today is really that we get our perspectives from the wrong places. Most of our perspectives right now, as it relates to the economic climate is based on what we have heard from people on TV. We have taken their viewpoint and called it gospel – and since you will live and act based on your convictions – you will experience in your life what those convictions produce.

In studying the Great Depression of the 1920′s,30′s, & 40′s, one of the things that I have noted is that more wealth was created during the great depression than during any other significant time in history.

Charles Darrow – a broke, our of work family man, designed and sold a parlour game through Parker Brothers to the tune of millions – that game is known today as Monopoly

Joseph Kennedy Sr – used his sharp skills to carefully diversify his money in new emerging ideas in the marketplace and today the Kennedy Name is still synonymous with Wealth, Power & Influence.

All because these men saw from a different perspective than 98% of the people of that era – and that difference in perspective is what produce the difference in their lives.

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Many people unfortunately believe that God is some horrible dictator who is only forcing them to live according to His rules when truly, all God has been trying to do for many of us, is to re-align our life perspectives and get us functioning on the right path. No matter how we try to challenge it, God’s perspective for life is the only safe and sure ideal to build your life around because it never fails.

You were born to serve our a specific purpose and assignment – you are allotted a specific period to accomplish this called your lifetime – and you are given specific tools called, life gifts, abilities, and strengths to get the job done efficiently and effectively. So the question today is – what type of investment have you made in completing the life assignment God has given you…or have you spend your time, talent, and treasure investing in everything besides what you are created to do.

I believe that the world is changing on a global scale in preparation for what is coming on the horizon.

There has been a shift in nature as places around the world are experiencing earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, freak-storms, and snow-storms of epic proportions that are causing many deaths.

There has been a shift in the corporate and business world – most major companies are downsizing and sending employees home to adjust to this new shift in the global economy…employees are they’re getting rid of unproductive people as they lighten the company to make it easier to respond to new challenges

There has been a shift in the housing market as the last few months have seen a record high foreclosure on homes…many people are losing their biggest life investments.

There has been a shift in the airline industry as over the last few days as ticket prices have jumped again. Now you have to pay for you seat on the plane, and to carry any luggage on certain airlines. American Airlines has gotten rid of 75 of its gas guzzling planes and downsized it fleet to adjust to the rising fuel prices.

In every area and industry today, companies are getting rid of unproductive people and any dead-weight that will slow down the company, and keep it from being light enough to move forward quickly in this new economic climate…

The natural world mirrors the spiritual world…so whenever we see changes occurring in the natural world…something has shifted in the spirit realm.

I believe that what we are experiencing in the natural world is season or climate change…and it is because the season has changed in the spirit…and because of this we MUST adjust to the changes, or the climate will destroy us.

THERE ARE 4 SEASON OF THE EARTH…SUMMER, WINTER, SPRING, FALL.
Each season brings with it, its own environment and climate. And to survive, we adjust to the each climate change. (Example — Winter Coats Are Gone In Summer).

Phase.1 – Adjusting To Climate Change
(a)    Lighten Up: Companies lighten themselves…We need to lighten ourselves. (Heb 21:1 Lay aside every sin and the weight).

Phase.2 – Change The Climate.
The Church is the only known power that has the ability to change the climate and seasons…for example, we can enter a worship service that is heavy and difficult and change the atmosphere with worship and praise and by redirecting our focus from us, to God; something can be seemingly unfavorable to us in our lives and through the power of prayer, God can make a shift for us.

But here is something interesting about climate changes – It could be snowing and freezing cold in Alaska, and yet be warm and sunny in the Bahamas all at the same time. So what they experience in Alaska, you have a totally different experience in the Bahamas.

Why? Because the climate is based on geographical location…

Some of us are experience horrible climates in our life today because of our spiritual locations – we are out of alignment…we are spiritual in a different geographical location than God desires us to be in. And you know what, regardless of how we sometimes act, deep down inside, we know when we’re out of God’s will for our lives; sometimes it’s just easier to try to ignore the Holy Spirit’s tugging on our heart than to go through the process (a word many of us dislike) of conforming to His will – but this is absolutely necessary for a successful walk with God isn’t it?

Here are two simple suggestions for accommodating a shift in your life…

2nd Chronicles 7:14 says “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land“.

(a)    Recognize That You Belong To God…
(b)    Humble Yourself – “To submit your will to HIS WILL”
(c)    Turn Away From The Things That Hinder Your Walk With God
(d)    Develop A Passion For Connecting Intimately With God
2nd Kings 7 talks about the 4 leprous men who’s back were against the wall – if they went into the city, they’d possibly die; if they stayed where they were, they’d possibly die; if they went to the enemy, they’d possibly die, but they made a decision nonetheless – 2nd Kings 7:3 “Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, ‘Why stay here until we die?’ From their courage we can learn in our lives to:

(a)    Make A Decision Not To Sit Where We Are In A Difficult Situation And  Die.
(b)    Make A Faith Based Decision To Move Forward…Do Something…Nothing Happens Until Action Takes Place (talking about it, crying, stressing won’t get you a solution.)