The Right Perspective!

Now Thrive  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  49:38
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When was the last time you thanked God for your eyes? Not a generic, “Thank you for everything.” A specific, “God, THANK YOU FOR MY eyes.” Thank you for the ability to see what I’m looking at. I may not know what or who I’m looking at sometimes, but I can see. I may not feel good, but I can see. I may be lost at times, but as long as I can see, I’ll get to my destination. When I wake up in the morning, wipe sleep from my eyes, all I have to do is open my eye lids and I can see. It may not be 20/20, but I can see. It may not be far without my glasses, but I can see what I’m looking it. It may be blurry at times, but I can see. Light can pass through the curved lenses on my eyes. Things are brought into focus on my retina. Photoreceptors convert what I’m looking at into electrical impulses. They travel to my brain. My brain puts it all together so I can see what I’m looking at. We can see. Perception. Question. Do you have the right perspective on what you perceive? Do you see things the way they are supposed to be seen or the way you want to see them? What if you’re looking (perception) at the right things, but you perceive them wrong? You were raised to see them wrong. You were raised to see them skewed. Helen Keller. “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” To be able to see, but miss what you’re looking at is worse than being blind. To look at your life (perception) and only pick out the bad times (wrong perspective) is worse than death. To look at your family (perception) and only pick out the bad times, bad ones or bad feelings (wrong perspective) is worse than being orphaned. To look at your church (perception) and only pick out the bad stuff (wrong perspective) is worse than hell. One more. To look in your mirror (perception) and only pick out the flaws and failures, scars and bruises, or the one hair out of place or the one wrinkle or the one mold or the one pimple or the one beauty mark, bad stuff (wrong perspective) is worse than the lowest self-esteem. I’m not saying don’t be critical. I’m saying we need the right perspective.
We need the right attitudes and actions towards everything in and attached to our lives. Spiritually, the right perspective is God’s perspective. We need God’s perspective so we can perceive everything the way He wants us to. Here’s my prayer every day. God, give right attitudes and actions towards everything in and attached to our lives. I want to see Olen the way You do. I want to see my strengths and weaknesses the way you do. I want to see Toi and Destiny, Glo, Marcus and Alayna, Lewis and Sunny, Ma Mae and Larry and all the rest of my family and friends the way You do. I want to see the president and government, my troubles and triumphs the way you do. I know I don’t always see what you see. I know we don’t always see what you see. Sometimes we’re telescopic. Too far. Sometimes we’re microscopic. Too close. Sometimes we’re biopic. Story is too wrong. Sometimes we’re anthropic. Talk too much about the wrong people. Before we leave today, change my perspective; change our perspective. We want to see what you see. You did it for John. You changed his perspective. You gave him your perspective. Give us the right prescription for a Godly perspective. Do it for us!
God showed John something he’d never seen before from a place he’d never been before. John. Banished to the peninsula of Patmos for preaching the Gospel, Good News, of Jesus Christ. He’d never been locked up on Patmos before. It was death row times a million. It was lonely. It was dismal. It was depressing. It was putrid. It was a mess. It was horrific. John was in jail without bail; he’s incarcerated for preaching, yet he figured out how to keep doing what he was locked up for. This will bless you. Your condition ought not stop your conviction. Where you BE should not stop you from who you BE! He preached when he was free. He preached when he was locked up. His condition didn’t stop his conviction. He wrote when he was free. He wrote when he was locked up. His condition didn’t stop his conviction. He heard God when he was free. He heard God when he was locked up. Your condition is not your God. He used his gift when he was free. He used his gift when he was locked up. Here’s why you can’t let your condition change your conviction. John’s condition was an indication that God was about to change his perspective. Don’t let WHERE you BE stop you from WHO you BE! Your condition is an indication that God is about to show you something you’ve never seen before. After John was locked up, his condition, he received REVELATION! After John was locked up, his condition, he received wrote REVELATION to 7 churches in Asia Minor. Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, this REVELATION is for you. God wants to change your perspective so He give REVELATION. Notice, God’s REVELATION is from a higher elevation.
Revelation 4:1. After this (revelation for 7 churches) I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! Elevation. And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here (Elevation), and I will show you what must take place after this.”
John was able to have the right perspective because he didn’t let where he was stop him from being who he was. So God showed him what he’d never seen before. At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. The One on the throne had the appearance of jasper (diamond), carnelian (or blood red) and an emerald rainbow. God on the throne. Don’t let the symbolism scare you. Precious stones. Heavens bling. Jasper. Carnelian. Emerald rainbow. Perspective. He saw the appearance of jasper or diamond. Value. Worth. He saw carnelian representing blood. It is the blood that gives life, heals lives, cleanses lives and saves lives. Emerald. The throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald. Green stone. Rugged stone. Life. Thriving. God was giving John a Godly perspective. Don’t focus on where you are and how bad things are there. Change your perspective. What you want me to look at? See God seated on a thriving throne giving value and life! Notice, God didn’t change John’s position, He just changed his perspective. He made him look at where he was different.
Bradley Jennings. I remember one time, I was sitting in the backyard of Bradley Jennings. I was complaining about how things were going and worrying about how things were going to turn out. He patiently listened. Then he quietly said. Ask God to change your perspective. He told me about how he discovered he had blockages in his arteries. He was a walking miracle. He should have had a heart attack with the amount of blockage. After surgery to remove the blockages, it was painful. Recovery was slow. While sitting reading his bible, God changed his perspective. You’re still here! He started crying and shouting. Nothing changed physically. He was still in pain. But everything changed spiritually. He saw things the way God saw them! I stopped complaining. Asked God to change my perspective.
People were stuck in traffic. Frustrated. Impatient. There was an accident up ahead. Traffic was at a standstill. After waiting in traffic, people started turning around. A traffic reporter in a helicopter was over the accident scene. He could see that the accident was cleared and traffic was about to resume. They were turning around when things cleared up. He could see what they couldn’t see because he was elevated above the accident. God’s perspective is higher than your accident. It’s higher than your condition. He’s saying keep going. Things are about to open up for you. Things are about to flow for you. Things are about to work out for you. You’re about to THRIVE! God give me the proper perspective!!!
Jonah went in the wrong direction because he had the wrong perspective. God changed his perspective. He went in the right direction and the entire city was saved.
God showed John something he’d never seen before from a place he’d never been before. He saw heaven from hell. He saw glory from gory. He saw life from a place of death. He saw a new beginning from a place of endings. He saw hope from a place of despair. He saw greatness from a place of poverty. He saw God high and lifted up at the lowest point of his life. Revelation. Elevation!
Let’s go further. John perceived that he was in prison all by himself. Wrong. He’s not alone and God is still on the throne! You’re not alone and God is still on the throne. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. How many people did you count with John? God on the throne. One. Twenty-four elders. 1 + 24 = 25. Seven spirits of God is the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, Paul teaches, is seated at the right hand of the Father. 25 + 2 more = 27. It’s getting crowded in John’s cell. Four living creatures. 27 + 4 = 31. Before the throne, there was a sea of glass. This refers to a number of people that no man could number. 31 + too many to count = a whole lot of people. When you have the right perspective, you realize that you’re not alone and God is still on the throne. He’s with you. He’s for you. No matter where you go!
Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." God is with you. He saves you. He rejoices over you. He quiets you by his love. He lifts you with loud singing. He’s with you. He’s for you.
There are times when we feel like we’re the only ones struggling with what we’re struggling with. We feel all by ourselves. Doesn’t anybody care. If God is God, why is John in jail; why people getting robbed at Lenox Mall in the middle of the day; why am I in so much debt; why did I get divorced; why my kids flunking at life? It gets lonely when you zoom in on your problem. Zoom out so you can see that God is in your midst. Whenever God is in your midst, you’re never alone. He’ll go to traffic court with you. He’ll go to your 9 to 5 with you. He’ll go home with you. He’ll go to class with you. He’ll go see Bad Boys with you. He’ll go on the 21 day fast with you.
Isaiah 43:1-2. “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name {call some names}; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, and the flames will not set you ablaze.” You’re not alone and God is still on the throne. That’s the right perspective!
You’re too strong to be overthrown. They locked John up to stop him from spreading the Gospel. He was changing lives. It was changing perspectives on God and life. So they locked him up to strip him of his strength. They wanted to limit him. They wanted to exhaust him. They wanted him to be too weak to spread the word. Don’t give up on God! His strength is made perfect in your weakness.
“When you abuse someone, you limit their perspective, and you trap them in your view of them or your view of the world.” Tara Westover. Before they could limit his perspective and trap him in their view of him. God elevated and gave him revelation. God gave him a perspective that was too strong to be overthrown. Four living creatures. Full of eyes in front and back. Verse 7. the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.
Lion. Too strong to be contained. Ox. Too strong to be outworked. Man. Too strong to be out thought. Eagle. Too strong to be out performed. John. You cannot be contained. You cannot be outworked. You cannot be out thought. You cannot be out elevated. You’re too strong to be overthrown.
They were trying to pull him apart. Not happening! He had the right perspective. You can pull on me, but you can’t pull me away from God. You can pull on me, but you can’t pull my prayer life apart. You can pull on me, but you can’t pull my devotion to God apart. I’m too strong to be overthrown!
Ashley started with a new trainer a month ago. Every time I saw her, she was in pain. All she talked about was her pain. But on yesterday, I saw her yesterday at the gym. I asked her. How do you feel? She said stronger! I’m stronger than my pain!
I’m done. I can see you getting stronger. I can see you winning. I can see you financially free. I can see your faith soaring. I can see you getting promoted. I can see you in your new home. I can see you saying yes to the dress and I do forever. I can see you with your degrees and certifications. I can see you happy. I can see you full of joy. I can see you at peace. I can see you in your future and you look better! I see you walking in favor and prosperity too. Let me encourage you. Let me speak life to you. You can depend on God to see you through!
Right perspective. You’re not alone and God is still on the throne. You’re too strong to be overthrown. Here’s the last thing for now. Get your worship on! John got caught up in intense and extended worship. He was in the spirit on the Lord’s day. Intense and extended WORSHIP. Everyone in the throne room was getting their worship on. Verse 8. The four living creatures were around the throne day and night. They never ceased to sing. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” They got their worship on. It was so good that the 24 elders got their worship on. Verse 10. the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne! They got their worship on. He got caught up in extended and intense worship. His worship changed his perspective. Worship shifts your natural perspective to God’s supernatural perspective. Worship until you see God’s perspective!
John no longer saw his place as a prison. He saw it as a place of where he saw God! That made him worship. He woke up. Saw his cell. He worshipped God. The next day. He woke up. Saw his cell. He worshipped God. His cell triggered his worship.
Good-bye! Anytime you’re in any position in your life, you will see it as a place to see God! Right perspective. The next time you’re sad, see it as a place to worship God. The next time you’re overwhelmed, see it as a place to worship God. The next time you’re lost, see it as a place to worship God. The next time you’re at work, see it as a place to worship God.
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