Divine Viewpoint Strategy (Part 1)
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Have you ever noticed that with every area of life there is a type of training designed to help you get the most out of your work? For example, if you want to build houses you have got to start with an apprenticeship and work your way up to being a contractor. Or if you wanted to be a farmer, you would begin as a hired hand and slowly learn the ropes. With military personnel there are years of training and ranks that must be climbed before you can command any leadership. Finally, if you desired to be an athlete, you must train your body to perform a certain way so that in the thick of competition you can respond without having to constantly refer back to the very basics.

So if training is so crucial to every other area of life, how is that when we get to our Christian walk there seems to be an exception to the norm. Often when it comes to spiritual things the general feeling is that no focused training is needed. Everyone just approaches it from his or her own direction. More often than not this approach leads to little or NO spiritual training and preparation. It's like a soldier who is thrown into battle without any training except what was given at the recruiter's desk, they just have to figure it out from there.

In other cases there is training provided, but the focus ends up in the wrong place. It starts with our actions and begins to identify the things you "should" and "shouldn't" do as a Christian. This is like teaching a soldier how to use a weapon but not helping him understand the strategy of battle. He operates in one dimension not having the skills to see his situation and adapt to it. To be sure there are going to be changes in our behavior, but is that where it starts?

Do not conform any longer 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. (Rom. 12:2)

The Bible offers us a strategy for walking by faith that starts in our minds. A training that challenges us to begin seeing the world through the eyes of the Lord (DVP) rather than looking at things from our own perspective (HVP). A way of continually shaping our minds to prepare for the battle of life. A way of starting with the correct thinking strategy and ending up with a proper behavioral response.

As we study through the Bible, you will notice that we are constantly looking at each teaching through two different perspectives. We first and foremost want to train our minds to understand how the Lord sees a situation (DVP), but in order to sharpen our vision we will also look at how man alters and manipulates God's word to meet his own needs (HVP).

This lesson offers you a strategy for dealing with the situations you face in life. A mental approach to thinking through a circumstance in life from a Divine Viewpoint (DVP). As your understanding of God's word expands and as you learn how it better fits together, you will become stronger in your ability to perform this strategy. However, I want you to see how you can apply your biblical worldview to your real life issues. This isn't pie in the sky stuff. It has real implications, and it must be applied.