Having the Right Perspective

God first and only day in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My name is Brian Thomas and as always it is a joy and honor and a privilege to join you. I want to thank you for tuning wealthy people who know me.

They know that I teach a lot on prophetic passages I I teach allowed on the return of our Lord scriptures that tells us what things to look for concerning the return of Jesus Christ. And the reason I do that is because I'm excited about our Lord's return as a born-again believer. I'm looking forward to seeing our massage.

I am looking forward to him coming back and taking me to be where he is, because again I have trusted in him. I put my faith and trust in him and I have given my life to our Lord by accepting the sacrifice that he made so I'm looking forward to being able to praise our Lord to give him adoration into to magnify him throughout eternity for what he's done for me for four standing in my place for dying for my sins. But on the other hand, there are people out there who are in rebellion to Jesus Christ and the idea of the faults of his return is not something that they're looking forward to the idea of his return causes them to have fear because of some to even have anger they don't want to hear about they want to continue living in their sin because they know that a judgment day is coming. If they continue with their sinful lifestyle.

If they don't repent and give their lives to Jesus Christ and so what we have is to people looking at the exact same event, but having two different feelings. That is because we have two different perspectives. When my son was about three years old I had to take them to the pediatrician. One day, and he was scheduled to get for vaccinations and so we arrived, the doctor pulled me off to the side as she explained to me what was going to happen. She said he needs to get four shots. She said I need you to hold his arms to make sure we can't move this hold him down and she said the nurse and I were going to each give him a shot in his arms at the same time in this is a continue holding them. Don't let him go because we going to quickly due to war, so she said do not let go of him until we have given a total of four injections so said okay. I went over to my son Hilda's arms and tried to talk with them and just distract him so he would be fearful of what was going on and he was very cool and calm.

He didn't seem to be bother worded all about with with you about what was going to take place. So as they came in with the needles and everything.

He was sitting there on the table and him holding his arms and again he was. He was fine and so they gave him a shot in each arm. Just as the doctor said one in the right arm one and the left on the same time it didn't make a sound.

He didn't try to move his arms but he did look to his left and he looked to his right and back to his letter back to his right. He did that several times trying to figure out what's going on here and so they immediately remove those needles and then gave them two more injections and at that point he hollered he started crying and so by the time though he really started crying good. It was all over.

They were done, and so put bandages over his arms Band-Aids and got them dressed and we went on our way.

And so what I did on the way home I decided to stop off at a retail store to allow him to get the toy forward for doing such a good job at the doctor for four just just weathering that you know without putting up a fight. And so we got to the checkout counter and the cashier. She spoke to me.

She said how you doing today sir, and I said fine, thank you. How are you and then she leaned down and looked at my son and she said how are you doing today young man.

My son said my daddy heal me down while those ladies were stabbing me the cashier looked up at me with this incredulous expression on her face and I thought I better clean this up as quickly as possible before she calls the authorities. So I explained to her that he had to go to the pediatrician to get some injections.

Some shots showed her the Band-Aids and so she seemed satisfied with that explanation, and so we went on our way, but again it's all about perspective. Because you see from my perspective and from the doctor's perspective we knew that they were giving him medications to try to keep him from getting sick.

But from his perspective. It was a physical assault taken place that he felt his daddy was a part of it, but it's all about perspective is all about what angle you are coming from and likewise when I had another experience with my at my daughter's same thing you had to take her to the pediatrician she's not getting injections, but she simply had to just go through physical examination, and the doctor wanted her to lie on her back on the table so she could easily look into her. Her ears, nose in and and mouth so my daughter dance is three years old. She did not like doctors at a high level of anxiety for for doctors and she did not want to allow that table and if you've ever seen an alligator. The way in which it takes down its prey. The way it contorts its body in a twist and turns, we should've named our daughter Allie because that girl when it came time to have a doctor's examination. She would twist and turn and so much was going on with her body and I thought I never knew a three-year-old could be so strong, especially a girl at that, but it was so much work and effort to hold her in place so she can have an examination but is all about perspective because I knew that the doctor simply wants to make sure she's healthy, but to her only thing she could think is something painful may happen, so I need to get away. I needed to get myself removed from this as soon as possible and folks that is the thing that happens again we look at the coming of our Lord because there are people who are not looking forward to his return because of their rebellious nature and I want to encourage you today to come to Jesus Christ because there is life in him without him you are going to eternal damnation.

Don't listen to the tricks of the devil when he tries to give you that false perspective like the way my kids had a false perspective of a doctor.

The devil will try to make you think that if you give your life to Jesus Christ in you won't have any fun in life, but people I am here to tell you that Christians have the most joy Christians are getting the most out of life. Those who believe in Jesus Christ. Now I'm not going to sit here and tell you that that means Christians do not suffer.

There is suffering that comes along. There is persecution in Jesus said in his word that if they persecuted me, referring to himself. He said they will also persecute you and Jesus also said that to be a follower him means you have to die to yourself, meaning we have to die to our own desires to our own wants we have to take up the cross and follow him. Meaning we have to be willing to live for his calls live for his way so that will mean some persecution that will mean some suffering, so I want to get this false picture a false narrative that that so many today give English they are saying. Your your best life is now and in we hear that kind of thing a lot. Your best life now they talk about all these blessings and in what God is going to do for you.

Yes, we will be blessed and we are blessed as believers in Jesus Christ, but our greatest blessing is coming in eternal rewards. Now we are still going to have great things happening in this earthly life. Jesus said I came so that you may have life and have it more abundantly. So yes we are very blessed but the joy that we have is not because of things that are happening necessarily in the here and now. But it's because of Jesus Christ and what he's done for us in the fight they were going to live for millions and millions and trillions and trillions of years with our Lord in his presence. It will never come to any and we're going to live in the joy in in the presence of our great Lord and that is why we as believers are so joyous, that is why we can we can rejoice, even in the midst of sorrow.

That is why I attended a funeral once and a woman was generalizing her son and he's lying there in the coffin and she standing there giving praises to our Lord. Giving praises through singing and dancing, and she's a smiling and lifting her hands and I thought how amazing it is to be one of our Lord's children that that we can, even in the midst of something like that. We can still praise him because he she understood that her son had gone away to be with the Lord his physical body was still there in the coffin, but she understood that his soul and spirit was with Jesus and so he was rejoicing so she was rejoicing with him giving praises to our Lord and she also knows that our Lord promise that for those who put their faith and trust in him that they would come in which her son would get up out of that coffin again. His physical body would rise. And that is what we call the rapture the rapture of the church.

First Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13 it says the dead in Christ will rise first and then we who are alive will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. So this was great hope and joy.

For those of us who put our faith and reason Jesus Christ put our faith and trust in our Lord. And so I urge you today is the thought of our Lord's return causes you to be fearful for causes you to have apprehension what you to examine your heart and ask yourself why use that. Is it because you've never truly received him or or maybe you have received him, but your you're really not living for him in the sense of really giving him your best and not dedicated to him. Maybe you are like the. The church that I will ascend in revelation that it left its first love that at one time they were on fire for him and and and they were were talking with him and worshiping him, praising him reading the Bible praying to our Lord.

But then, as time went on the drifted away and he said return to the things that you used to do return to your first love. Maybe that's what's happening to you, so you need a rekindling of that relationship.

Whatever the reason is I want you to examine yourself and I want you to change it so that the thought of Allah coming back does get you excited. The thought of our Lord. Coming back puts a smile on your face. The thought of our Lord coming back just bring so much joy to your hearts because is going to be a great time that we have so much to look forward to, because again it's all about perspective, which side are you on are you on the Lord side, or are you on the devil side and I know there are some others may say oh I'm not on the devils. I met with the devil not looking to him. But if you're not a Lord, the Lord side is only one of the side to be on and that is the side of the enemy, the great deceiver father of lies and that he is Satan. So I want to encourage you today to come to Jesus Christ. Give your heart to him because I want you to be on fire and excited and looking forward to the day when our Lord is going to return. He promised he said I'm going away when he left the apostles at his first coming. He said I'm going away but I'm going to come back again to receive you to take you to where I am. He promised to do that and so we are looking forward to that time and again folks I'm excited about it and I see the things that I will Lord said to look forward to. He gave us signs to look forward to concerning his second coming, and now when I say second coming. I'm talking about the day in which our Lord's feet will touch Mount Olive is going to touch the Mount of olives in in in Jerusalem and that is where our Lord is coming back to rule and reign, but the Bible says the rapture the church in which we are caught up to be with him. He doesn't come all the way to the earth. We are caught up into the clouds to meet our Lord and then we go to heaven to write out the Savior tribulation and so we already see the signs though that are pointing to our Lord's literal physical touching of the earth through the rain, so therefore we know that the rapture is not much nearer because there are no signs for the rapture the rapture can take place at any moment. Like if you're driving out on the highway. Let's say you're out on Interstate 40 and you're driving to Winston-Salem. Let's say that the Department of Transportation has removed all the signs that point to Greensboro.

So there are no signs to do is show you when Greensboro is coming when you're out there you're driving along and you see a sign that says Winston-Salem 90 miles got a little bit further Winston-Salem 60 miles drive a bit further Winston-Salem 45 miles. You know that the calls you get to Greensboro before you get to Winston-Salem that as you get nearer to Winston-Salem. Greensboro is even that much nearer. And that is what it's like when we look at the rapture of the church. We already see the signs coming pointing to the coming of our Lord second coming. So therefore we know that the rapture is even that much nearer. And folks, I'm excited about it. I am looking forward to it and I hope you are excited and looking forward to that time as well, where were going to take a short break for brief announcement but don't go away coming back on the other side continuing to talk about having the perspective been excited about our Lord is coming.

Get ready because the team is coming, so don't go away you are tuned into the God first program you are listening to God first. If you believe in what we stand for God first Bible Fellowship, would you consider partnering with us, our God first point this program is based on Matthew 633 but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added on to forward coagulation of $6.33 per month you can help us share the message of placing God's commands when viewing the issues of our culture, please visit our website got from the Lord God first Bible Fellowship, PO Box 266, Niceville, NC 27545 for more information that let's return to the conclusion of the program back to the program. I knew Brian Thomason today.

I am talking with you about perspective. Perspective when it comes to the coming of our Lord. Are you excited it's war.

Are you fearful we are created to be eternal. Everybody is going to live forever exist forever either in eternal life without a lawyer or eternal damnation.

That is something that we always must keep in mind what I think is happening with so many people, especially here in our nation.

We are so blessed we have so much we we have so many things, not only our needs but we have so many luxuries and pleasures that people are so happy here.

They're not looking forward to something that's to come in the future. People are so comfortable here. We have our luxuries, our pleasures in our money in our nice houses in my scars and in all the food that that we once clothing we just we have so much in so many people are so blessed that rather than giving thanks to our Lord and looking forward to being his physical presence to give him praise and adoration for the things that he's blessing us with in this life and the things that he is blessed us with in the life to come by dying for our sins and given us the opportunity for eternal life. If we would simply accept the gift because they are so caught up on the things that we have now people are not looking forward to was to come. And I think that's the tragedy that happens sometimes when people are blessed they they tend to forget about God. They tend to think will have need. I don't have need of anything, especially when it comes about through a person that is climbing the ladder in their career and in their they're doing well with their job and they're making a lot of money and they the content to think I did all of this and they don't give glory to God, for they think they did it through their own power flows. There is nothing that we have that comes through our own power. Everything that we have comes from only the power of our Lord that's even for nonbelievers, even the nonbelievers are being bless because the sun that shines on the righteous, the same sun the same sun that shines on the unrighteous, our Lord blesses us all, but you have to make a choice to come to Jesus Christ because either you going to live with him for eternity. Or you want to live in eternal damnation. Our Lord in Matthew 24 spoke of one of the signs concerning his return he said because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. I am seeing the love of people growing cold on a level that is unprecedented in my lifetime.

Never have I seen before so many family members that are falling out with one another and I don't mean just like first and second cousins. I'm talking about siblings talk about parent and child, no longer speaking to one another no longer having things to do with one another because of a betrayal. I've never seen it on the scale before and in and I look at Matthew 24 to say is this the fulfillment of what our Lord said would take place. And I do believe that it is happening and I think is going to continue to happen even more as we get into the seven year tribulation leading up to the second coming of our Lord but I want to encourage people out there today because I know a lot of people are hurting due to relationships in the family going wrong arguments and betrayal.

I personally have experienced deep hurts through relationships and family.

I have experienced things in which I thought this person would never in a million years. Do they did, someone would came to me 10 years ago and said this is what is going to happen between you and that family member I would've said no there's no way you're crazy.

There's no way they would ever do that to me they would never betray me in that way they would never hurt me in that way, but yet those things happened and I carried that hurts in their times. When I asked Miss of the question, how long will the hurt last and some say will you know you give it all to Jesus. Give it all to the Lord and the hurt will go away, but there are times in life in which the hurt may not be completely lifted and I don't want to say that is a discouragement. 21. I want to encourage you through what I'm sharing with you because if you remember the apostle Paul had a thorn in his side and we don't know exactly what that thorn was. We don't know if it was something physically related to a physical element or something emotional. We just don't know. But he said that the Lord gave him a thorn in the side to keep him humble, and Paul asked the Lord to remove it.

He prayed to him. Not once, not twice but three times. And the Lord said, my grace is sufficient. So Paul kept a thorn in the side.

Whatever it is for his living days on the earth, and I'm sharing that to to say this not to discourage you from praying for for things to to be healed, but I'm sharing this to say that there may be hurt that you may carry for the rest of your life, but understand that Jesus said he's not going to give you more than you can bear. And he's also going to carry it with you so you give it to him and allow him to carry it but it's like when we look at the death of a of a love one. I've heard people say that the death of a child is something you never get over for people say that hurt never completely goes away you.

You learn how to manage it.

You learn how to cope with it, but it never completely goes away. And so there are people that are suffering today because of a betrayal from a mother, a betrayal from a father, a betrayal from a brother or sister a betrayal from a son or daughter. And I want to encourage you today. Keep your hand in the Masters hand and you see for me. I look forward to the day when our Lord returns, because I know that when he comes back when he wrapped his re-up to be with him, then that that hurt instantly will come to an end the pain of that betrayal will instantly go away. I will have that anymore I will have that weight to carry anymore and it could be that the Lord may be allowing you does feel some of the sting of it in order to to help you to look forward to being with him so I just want to encourage you, don't quit. Don't give up. Don't give up on the relationship because it can still be repaired.

The sad thing about it is because of the sinfulness of mankind.

There are some people out there that will betray you. And they'll never come back and say they're sorry will never come back and apologized and never come back and ask for forgiveness. You have to move forward in life you have to still forgive them.

Don't be bitter.

Don't allow the resentment to to eat at you because that is what the double weed will do. He will try to cause you to hang onto it into allow it to to defeat you.

And it can cause you physical ailments and it can cause you to have even psychological problems. So don't allow that to happen, but the simple hurts of a relationship that is been broken. That hurt may go with you throughout your life. But again look to the coming of our Lord and know that when he comes back all of that instantly comes to an end and I know people out there.

I've heard some pastors even say that they don't teach and preach on Bible prophecy because people need to hear things that are going to help them with their problems. They are going through right now. People need to hear answers to how to handle a wayward child or or how to handle financial troubles or how to be healed by physical element different things of that nature and my response that is what could be a better answer than our Lord coming back and when he does all of those things instantly come to an end. That is for all who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ and accepted him as Lord and Savior foes. There is great hope and that is why Titus says is the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

We have a lot to look forward to those who who have put their faith and trust in him, so I want to encourage you that no matter what you're going through.

Don't stop living for Jesus Christ. Be excited about his coming because he is coming again, and folks is going to be a glorious time when we come to be in the presence of our great Lord and he said we will rule and reign with him.

So I am so much looking forward to that day, so it's all about perspective, though, you have to keep things in the right perspective. Don't get caught up in the here and now the false teaching out thereby so many that the best life is here and now. It is exactly that, a false teaching because the best is yet to come. We are just getting started. When we look at eternity compared to this life. They will living no matter how old you are, you may be 20 years old, you may be 30, 40, 50, 75, 80 this life is going to seem like a blink of an eye in comparison to eternity and so that is what we should be focused on living for our Lord. For eternal purposes. My grandmother used to say all the time that she was very rich and she said that she was smile because she knew she didn't have a lot materially a lot of money but she said I have. Jesus Christ, she said, therefore him the richest woman in the world and she's exactly right because when you have Jesus Christ you have it all is nothing else that you are in need of. He says that for those who drink of what he gives you will never thirst again for those who eat of what he provides. You will never hunger again and so I'm asking today to give your heart to Jesus Christ.

If you've never received them and then for those of us who have received Jesus Christ. But if you're not looking forward to his return. If you're not sharing the good news with others that yes he died for our sins, he rose from the dead he's he's made a way for us to have eternal life. But if you're not Shanda he's also coming back again for us.

I want to encourage you to start doing it today share with others. Share with your friends, your family, your coworkers, tell them that Jesus is coming back again.

He said it would be like it was in the days of Noah, and Noah was telling people that a judgment was coming. A flood was coming. People laughed at Noah and they mocked him until the rain began to fall, and then they realize that Noah was telling the truth. Noah was right, but then it was too late. Let's reach those people before it's too late because Jesus is coming back again. The Bible is true. The Bible is real is not a fairytale. He is coming back again.

We should be excited and looking forward to that day. Foes don't get discouraged by the things that are going on in this world. Yes there are spirits that have descended upon the earth we can sense them evil spirits to keep our eyes focus on Jesus Christ. He will see us through to the said for those that endure to the end, they shall be saved and enduring to the end doesn't necessarily mean living your physical life through the year to the end because during the tribulation, especially there are people who will put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. They miss the rapture because they were not say, but they will come to know him there going to be beheaded because they will refuse to accept the antichrist as God and Jesus said, for those who endure to be and they shall be saved. So that is for those who remain faithful to him.

They will be saved to have eternal life. So continue to endure these times of reliving and continue to endure the hurt continue to endure the pain have the right perspective that our Lord is coming soon for those who put their trust in him well foes, we are all out of town for this week I want to thank you for tuning in. Please come back next time.

As we continue to encourage you to put God first, while he will live through the window of the Bible.

Until then, remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, less God's great nation of Israel to the only wise God be glory through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen. Thank you for tuning into the God first in his neck as we continue to encourage you to put God first window. Until next time great nation of Israel