Looking unto Jesus: What You See Is What You Get

Jul 12, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Eyes on the Waves or Eyes on the Savior

When life’s storms rage, fixation on chaos breeds fear, but fixing your gaze on Jesus anchors your soul. Peter walked on water only when his eyes locked on Christ. The moment he shifted focus to the storm, he sank. What you fixate on determines whether you rise above circumstances or drown in them. Jesus isn’t a distant figure—He’s present, calling you to step out of the boat and into His sustaining power. [17:56]

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.” Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:28–31, ESV)

Reflection: What “storm” in your life is demanding your focus more than Jesus? How might shifting your gaze to Him change your next step?

Day 2: A Million Nerve Fibers Carrying His Image

Your eyes process light into meaning in milliseconds, a divine design mirroring how spiritual sight transforms chaos into clarity. Just as 1,000,000 nerve fibers transmit visual data to your brain, God wired you to transmit His truth to your soul. What you feed your eyes—Scripture, worship, or distractions—shapes your spiritual vision. Eternal perspective starts when His light enters your gaze. [04:39]

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:14–16, ESV)

Reflection: What daily “inputs” (images, media, conversations) compete with God’s design for your focus? How can you recalibrate one habit this week to align with His vision?

Day 3: Cracked Lips Smiling from the Cross

Jesus endured the cross for joy—the joy of seeing you redeemed. His battered face cracked a smile mid-agony because He pictured your freedom. His resurrection wasn’t a contingency plan; it was the fulfillment of a promise spoken over you before time began. Your life is the joy that fueled His perseverance. [28:46]

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer 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, ESV)

Reflection: How might living as Jesus’ “joy” change the way you face hardship? What shame or pain needs His redeeming smile today?

Day 4: What You See Is What You Get

Your brain stores what you rehearse—30 seconds for distractions, a lifetime for what matters. Binge-watching chaos or meditating on Scripture shapes your inner narrative. Like Peter’s split-second glance at the waves, small choices compound: temporal inputs breed anxiety; eternal truths build endurance. You become what you behold. [06:09]

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18, ESV)

Reflection: What “temporary” sight (news, social media, criticism) most often hijacks your peace? What eternal truth can you post visibly to recalibrate your focus?

Day 5: From “Pow-Wow” to Eternal Wow

Explosive praise begins when you trade earthly “pow-wows” (griping sessions) for heaven’s perspective. The pastors’ tambourine-fueled worship in Texas became a lifeline because they prioritized God’s presence over pragmatism. Your worship isn’t a reaction—it’s a rebellion against despair, a declaration that what’s eternal outshines what’s urgent. [53:16]

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. (Ecclesiastes 7:8, ESV)

Reflection: What situation feels like a dead end? How could worship shift your focus from the “beginning” of the problem to the “end” God has already secured?

Sermon Summary

Hebrews 12 sets a runner on the track with eyes fixed on Jesus, “the author and finisher” of faith. The gaze becomes the gait. Attention becomes a voice. If a person stares at problems, anxiety rises. If a person stares at self, discouragement follows. If a person stares at Jesus, faith, hope, peace, and perseverance begin to work. The call is simple and strong: “look up,” not down, and keep looking.

Second Corinthians 4:18 lifts the chin to an eternal perspective. What is seen is temporary, subject to change; what is unseen is eternal. Salvation pulls a believer into eternity now. Death for the saint is translation, not termination. Psalm 121 and Colossians 3 train the neck and the mind to look above. The image is sharp and earthy: be an eagle, not a chicken. Chickens peck low. Eagles fly high.

The human eye becomes a parable. In milliseconds the eye sends millions of tiny data pieces to the brain. What is seen gets stored as short term or long term memory, depending on meaning and repetition. First the natural, then the spiritual. Joshua 1:8 shows how day-and-night meditation presses the Word into long term memory where it starts to lead the life. A week’s mood often mirrors a week’s media. One testimony about soap operas proved it. Inputs leak out in reactions. Change the intake, change the life.

Hebrews 12 names Jesus as both author and finisher. A sober warning rises: many start with Jesus and finish with something else. Government, social media, chat GBT, even game shows can slip into the finisher’s chair. Ecclesiastes 7:8 and 2 John 8 keep the finish line in view. Finish well. Guard the reward.

Matthew 14 shows Peter doing what cannot be done as long as his eyes stay on Jesus. When he “saw” the wind and reinterpreted the scene, he began to sink. Perception is not neutral. Definition must come from the Lord. A bus story flipped offense into compassion when the facts came to light. A 3 AM “insomnia” became a worship wake up when heaven named it. Never take the devil’s confession.

Hebrews 12 also names joy. “Who for the joy set before him endured the cross.” Joy had faces. Like a camera shutter, Jesus carried snapshots of those he would save, enough to crack a smile in agony. If his sight of them helped him endure, their sight of him will carry them through. Practices follow: Word, worship, prayer, shared spaces where things are caught; trust his “yes and amen” promises; be a follower, not just a fan; live in receive mode because “it is finished.” Looking unto Jesus is life.

Key Takeaways

1. Fix the gaze on Jesus Attention is formation. Hebrews 12 does not propose a technique but a Person. The steady look sets the pace, clears the lane, and keeps the heart from chasing every fear. The gaze is faith’s posture. [57:38]
2. Guard what feeds attention and memory The eyes and brain do more than watch; they wire. Short term fades, but what is loved and rehearsed lodges deep. Feed Scripture into long term memory and it will start choosing for the soul. Starve the noise that slowly scripts reactions. [66:26]
3. Start with Jesus, finish with Jesus He is author and finisher, not author and assistant. Subtle replacements creep in when screens, politics, or trends claim the last word. Finishing well is a thousand “small looks” that keep handing the pen back to him. Guard the reward. [74:02]
4. Let perspective be discipled by joy Jesus endured for joy, and joy had names. When heaven reframes a scene, offense melts and worship rises. Never agree with hell’s labels; take the Father’s definition and find the grace that is already “in there.” [87:22]
5. Walk on water by steady focus Peter’s miracle matched his line of sight. The object of faith matters more than the size of faith. Scripture restores the true picture when wind and waves demand attention. Keep looking, keep stepping. [78:32]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[50:16] - It’s all about Jesus
[55:03] - Title: Looking unto Jesus
[55:50] - What are you looking at
[57:38] - Run looking to Jesus
[60:04] - Eternity starts now
[61:27] - Set minds on things above
[62:00] - Eagle, not a chicken
[64:21] - How seeing actually works
[66:26] - Memory that shapes the soul
[68:52] - Meditate day and night
[74:02] - Start and finish with Jesus
[78:32] - Peter: walking by focus
[87:22] - Joy set before him
[90:09] - How to look unto Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Observation Questions

Hebrews 12:1-2 compares the Christian life to a race. What specific instruction does the passage give about how to run this race, and what role does Jesus play in it?
In Matthew 14:28-31, Peter walks on water toward Jesus but begins to sink when he shifts his focus. What immediate consequence does his change in attention create? [01:18:32]
The sermon emphasized that “what you see is what you get.” According to Psalm 121:1-2 and Colossians 3:1-2, where should believers intentionally direct their gaze?

Interpretation Questions

Why does the author of Hebrews describe Jesus as both the “founder” and “perfecter” of faith? What might this imply about the relationship between starting and finishing a life of faith?
The sermon mentioned that “eternity starts now” for believers. How does this perspective change the way we interpret temporary struggles or distractions? [01:00:04]
In Matthew 14, Jesus invites Peter to step out of the boat. What does this reveal about the connection between faith and focus, even in impossible situations?

Application Questions

What practical step could you take this week to “lay aside” a specific “weight” or distraction that keeps you from fixing your gaze on Jesus (e.g., media habits, worries, or self-focus)?
The sermon shared a testimony about how watching soap operas influenced emotions and reactions. What kind of media or input tends to shape your mood or mindset, and how could you replace it with truth? [01:11:07]
When facing a challenge, how might you intentionally “rehearse” Scripture (like Joshua 1:8) to shift your focus from fear to faith? Name one verse you could memorize or meditate on.
The preacher described a 3 AM “worship wake-up” instead of agreeing with the label of insomnia. What current struggle could you reframe by seeking God’s perspective instead of defaulting to negativity? [01:22:42]
Hebrews 12:2 says Jesus endured the cross “for the joy set before him.” Who in your life (e.g., family, friends, coworkers) might be part of the “joy” you’re called to fix your eyes on as you persevere?

Sermon Clips

59s

#JesusSawYou

“this is what the Lord gave me. He said, that's why I had you look up. I had had you do the research because see your eyes are like a camera shutter. Click click click click click click click click So when he was on the cross, he was taking a picture, a snapshot of all you, all all of you. And the Lord said this to me, I know it's gonna be well, I said, just go with me here. Just go with the Holy Ghost. He asked me one time, he said, would you believe me if I told you that while I was on a cross, cracked a smile because I saw you. It says, who for the joy? Do you realize Jesus, in all his agony, had joy because of you?”

66s

#JoyIsInJesus

“So it's up to you what you keep in your memory. Your long term memory, this is how that works. If it's something meaningful, emotional, if it's something that really means something to you, it will stay with you days, years, or even a lifetime. If it's if it's something that means something to you. Okay? I asked the Lord. I said, Lord, why are you giving me all this? He said, because first comes the natural, then comes the spiritual. Because if you can understand this, then you'll understand what's happening when you're looking at me. Alright. When you're looking at the word. If it means something to you, if you can connect with it, it'll stay with you days, years, or even a lifetime. Isn't that awesome? Yeah. God built us like that. I mean, was so amazed again by him.”

74s

#FinishWithJesus

“in other words, your life you want your life to sound like I'm looking unto Jesus. He's the author and the finisher of my faith. I don't wanna sound like I'm looking unto Jesus, the author of my faith, but the government is the finisher of my faith. Jesus is the author of my faith, but social media is the finisher of my faith. Jesus is the author of my faith, chat GBT is the finisher of my faith. Watch out. Jesus is the author of my faith, but family feud. I'm being kind of funny with this, but there are some things that we're filling our lives and our minds up with Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That the Lord is saying, look unto me. Look at me. Wow. Look at me. I want you to finish well.”

55s

#YouAreHisJoy

“So I have a question for you. Who was the joy? Who said that? Who said us? You're Jesus' joy. Come on. You're Jesus' joy. So my point is this, Jesus was able it says, who for the joy he endured, he was able to endure the cross. You helped him out. Come on. Hallelujah, God. Because when he saw you Come he said, I'm gonna save her and her and him and Johnny and Billy and Sally and Barbara. I wanna say I'm saving the world.”

52s

#ReceiveTheFinishedWork

“Sometimes we don't realize how important it is for us to remember what he's already done. When Jesus was on the cross, said, it is finished. We need to be more in a receive mode and receive what is already done. So I wanna end this by just saying looking unto Jesus the answer because what you see in him, you're gonna the the success, the joy, all those things that you're trying to get is in him. It's wrapped up, tied up, rolled up in Jesus.”

68s

#KeepYourEyesOnJesus

“you keep your eyes on him, you're gonna have good success. That's what we just read in Joshua one eight. Amen. So Peter came down out of the boat. He kept looking at Jesus. He looking at Jesus, and he was walking. to his master looking at Jesus. And I can can't you just imagine Jesus saying, come on. Like pastor said, my boy, that's my boy. Come on. Look at me. Look at your father. Come on. Like you do with your kids. Come on. Keep looking at me. Keep looking at me. And as long as he was looking at Jesus, he was he was just stepping and walking on the water. You have to remember whatever you're going through. Don't don't take your eyes off Jesus. Yeah. Amen. Just keep on walking. Just keep looking at Jesus.”

38s

#SetYourMindOnHeaven

“you take in the word of God and you meditate on it, that's coming becoming your long term memory. That's staying with you. This is how you have good success. You have to look unto Jesus. You can't look unto anything. I know the world will tell you, this is how you get success. This is how you become successful. No. Success is in the word. It's looking unto the one who is the way. He's the only truth, the only life that there is.”

90s

#GetGodsPerspective

“That means when you have a problem, don't look down, look up. Look to Jesus. Come on. Look to him. Okay? Let's go to Colossians three one and two. I'm just gonna give you a couple scriptures here because I want you to have the word so that when you're going through something, you're like, wait a minute. This is time so I need to look up. I need to lift up my head and I just want you to if you got to write them on cards and stick them in your pocket when you go to work, as soon as you get there, somebody says them. Just put it in front of your eyes and start reading it. Okay? It says, if then if you then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth. Come on. Okay? You have to be like an eagle. You're not like a chicken. A chicken has wings, but really does no flying. It just pecks on the ground. That's his perspective. I feel a mighty low. All I see is down here. But a eagle, A eagle has a different perspective. I'm setting my mind on things above. I don't have the right perspective now. I'm depressed. I'm down. I have to get God's perspective. I have to lift up my head.”

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Looking unto Jesus: What You See Is What You Get

Devotional

Day 1: Eyes on the Waves or Eyes on the Savior

Day 2: A Million Nerve Fibers Carrying His Image

Day 3: Cracked Lips Smiling from the Cross

Day 4: What You See Is What You Get

Day 5: From “Pow-Wow” to Eternal Wow

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Looking unto Jesus: What You See Is What You Get

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