1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 2: Be sure to subscribe so we can get you these 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 2: new sermons every week. I hope you're blessed today. First 5 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 2: of all, I want to thank you for being the absolute, 6 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 2: in my correct, humble opinion, a most amazing church on 7 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 2: the planet. And it's so good to see you today. 8 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 3: Because I believe that you are the greatest church on 9 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 3: the planet. 10 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 2: I feel it's my job to bring you the greatest 11 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 2: preachers on the planet. 12 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: So any given Sunday you might. 13 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 3: Get to hear a word from Holly Ferdick on Mother's Day. 14 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 4: That might happen. 15 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: You might come one Sunday and you might get stuck 16 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 1: with me. 17 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 3: But today you get to hear from prison Illa Shire. 18 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 3: And I'm telling you this because you must have done 19 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,119 Speaker 3: something right. Touch her neighbor and say you must have 20 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 3: lived right to get to hear Priscilla. She and Jerry 21 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 3: are two of the greatest generals for the Kingdom of God. 22 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:21,960 Speaker 3: We are so thankful to have them here with us today. 23 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:24,119 Speaker 4: We are ready to preach you down. 24 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: Woman of God. 25 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 3: Thank you for your ministry touching millions around the world 26 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 3: elevation for the first time. 27 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 4: Help me. Welcome Priscilla, SI. 28 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 5: Welcome morning, family. I don't even know what to say. 29 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 6: Like God has up in here, y'all are my people. 30 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 4: Y'all came to have church Jesus did, where I am 31 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 4: lifted up. 32 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 6: I will just start drawing people to myself. 33 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 1: I love being in this house. I'm so grateful. 34 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 6: I'm gonna tell you before you sit down that you 35 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 6: need to know that the Lord. 36 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: Must love you. 37 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 6: Listen to me, that He has entrusted the state of 38 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 6: your spiritual growth and your soul to leaders who actually 39 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 6: have integrity. 40 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: Listen to me. I wish I could tell you that 41 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: at every church it is that way. 42 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 4: It is not so. 43 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: God must have a thing for y'all, that. 44 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 6: He has allowed your spiritual development this side of Heaven 45 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 6: to be attached to people who actually love Jesus. 46 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: Would you celebrate Stephen and Holly Furdit. 47 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 6: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for loving 48 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,239 Speaker 6: each other, thank you for loving your kids, and thank 49 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 6: you for loving the House of God. 50 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: We're so grateful. 51 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 6: Okay, y'all, I'm so grateful to be with you. I 52 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 6: don't want you to stand up too long. But you're 53 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 6: gonna have to stand up while I read this scripture. 54 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:16,239 Speaker 6: You gonna want to stand up while I read this 55 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 6: scripture because the presence of God is so thick in 56 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 6: this room, and I believe He's gonna put an exclamation 57 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 6: point on his presence in these moments we're gonna read together. 58 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 6: From Revelation chapter four. I go to the kind of 59 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 6: church where sometimes we just stand up. 60 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: For the reading of God's word, just. 61 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 6: To remind ourselves that every single time we come to 62 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 6: the pages of the book, God is speaking, that we 63 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 6: should expect to feel the warm breath of God brushing 64 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 6: across our cheeks as he speaks a. 65 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: Present word over our lives. 66 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 6: Revelation chapter four, John says, after these things, I looked, 67 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 6: and behold there was a door stay open in the heavens. 68 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 6: And there was like the first voice which I had 69 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 6: heard before, the sound of a trumpet speaking. And the 70 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 6: voice said, come up here, and I'm gonna show you 71 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 6: some things which are to take place. 72 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: And verse two. 73 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 6: Immediately I was in the spirit, and behold, a throne 74 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 6: was standing in the heavens, and one sitting on the throne. 75 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 6: And he who was sitting on the throne was like 76 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 6: a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance, and there 77 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 6: was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. 78 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 6: And around the throne there were twenty four smaller thrones, and. 79 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: On those thrones I saw. 80 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 6: Twenty four elders, and they were clothed in white garments, 81 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 6: golden crowns on their head Verse five. 82 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 4: And from the. 83 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: Throne that preceded flashes of. 84 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 6: Lightning and sounds and peels of thunder. There were seven 85 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 6: lamps of fire burning around the throne, which are the 86 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:56,239 Speaker 6: seven spirits of God. 87 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:56,919 Speaker 1: Verse six. 88 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 6: And before the throne there was something like a seal 89 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 6: glass like crystal. And in the center and around the 90 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 6: throne there were four living creatures full. 91 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: Of eyes in front and behind. 92 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 6: The first creature was like a lion, the second creature 93 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 6: like a calf. The third creature had a face like 94 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 6: a man. The fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 95 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 6: And the four living creatures, each one of them having 96 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 6: six wings full of eyes around and. 97 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: Within all day and all night long, they. 98 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 6: Did not cease to say, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the 99 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 6: Lord God Almighty, who. 100 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 4: Was and is and. 101 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:39,359 Speaker 1: Is to come. 102 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 6: And when the living creatures gave glory and honor, and 103 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 6: thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him 104 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 6: who lives forever. The twenty four elders just started taking 105 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 6: off their crowns and setting them at the feet of Jesus, 106 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 6: casting them before the throne. And they said, worthy are 107 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 6: you God, to receive goods and honor and power and authority. 108 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 4: For thou didst create all. 109 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: Things, and for you. 110 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 6: They exist and were created. 111 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 4: Lord. 112 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:16,600 Speaker 6: The church says, worthy, you alone. 113 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 1: Are worthy of the praise and Father. 114 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 6: We will not let the rocks cry out in our place. 115 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 6: We will voluntarily say, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord, 116 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 6: God Almighty. We are your sons and your daughters. We 117 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:37,119 Speaker 6: are in your presence to hear from you speak. Lord, 118 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 6: we are listening in Jesus' name. Everybody agreed and said, amen, Amen, 119 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 6: you may take your seats. I would say it was 120 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 6: three decades ago that I was in a little small 121 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 6: women's retreat, can't even call it a conference. They were 122 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 6: probably about thirty eight of us in that little room. 123 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 6: There was a woman that stood up to give her testimony. 124 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 6: I will never forget. I was in my twenties at 125 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 6: the time. She probably was in her sixties. Her name 126 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 6: was Dory van Stone. We called her Miss Dory. Everybody 127 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 6: was hanging on every word that Miss Dorry shared with us, 128 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 6: because as she gave her testimony, it was so riveting 129 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 6: and disturbing that it was hard to wrap your mind around. 130 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: She and her sister were. 131 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 6: Neglected and basically abused at the hands of their mother, 132 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 6: the one who was supposed to love them and take 133 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 6: care of them. She would leave for days on end, 134 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 6: leaving her at five years old, to take care of 135 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 6: her two year old sister. When mom did return, most 136 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 6: of the time, she was frustrated and just angry that 137 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 6: she had kids to begin with. She would tell them 138 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 6: that to their face, they knew they were not loved, 139 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 6: they knew they were not valued, and because of her 140 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 6: anger and frustration, she would often just close the door 141 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 6: of a closet, put them inside, and leave them there 142 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 6: for hours that would oftentimes turn in days. 143 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: Dorry was recounting how she. 144 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 6: Was trying to figure out how she was gonna eat, 145 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 6: how she was gonna feed her little sister. The bumps 146 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 6: in the night would terrify them because they didn't feel 147 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 6: protected and covered. She remembers one day her mom coming 148 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 6: home and saying, hey, we're gonna take a little drive. 149 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 6: They got in the car, thinking that finally, this is 150 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 6: a day when Mom's doing something with us to just 151 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 6: enjoy some time. 152 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: Together as mother and daughters. 153 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 6: They took a drive, a long drive that ended up 154 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 6: at a driveway that was long and windy, and that 155 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 6: long driveway ended up at a front door where there 156 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 6: were stone steps that went up to two huge doors, 157 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 6: pillars on either side. Mom rang the doorbell, and then Dorry, 158 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 6: at seven years old, can remember that before anybody had 159 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 6: even answered the door, she turned around and noticed that 160 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 6: her mother had already gone back down the stairs, had 161 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 6: gotten in the car and was driving away. And that 162 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 6: was the day they were dropped off at an orphanage. 163 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 6: Those two girls suffered more abuse in the orphanage than 164 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 6: they had at home. From there, they were transferred from 165 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 6: one foster home to the next foster home, and their 166 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 6: lives really didn't get any better along the way. She 167 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 6: described the fact that there were some missionaries, some college 168 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 6: students really from a university neighboring, who came by to 169 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 6: share Jesus with the kids in the orphanage, and she 170 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,559 Speaker 6: remembers giving her life to Jesus, and as she described 171 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 6: to us on that day, her life from that point forward. 172 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 6: She said, the truth is, my circumstances didn't really change any. 173 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 1: Time time soon. 174 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 6: After I met the Lord, she said, still to this day, 175 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 6: she's in her sixties. 176 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: Still, to this day, I don't. 177 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 6: Know why the Lord let those circumstances, those difficulties go 178 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 6: on as long as they did. But he said, now, 179 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 6: she said, now, in hindsight, looking back, there is something 180 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 6: I recall that I couldn't put a finger on then, 181 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 6: But now I know what God was doing. 182 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: She said. 183 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 6: There were often times where I'd be in the dark, 184 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 6: dark corners of those closets that I had been locked in, 185 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 6: And she said, the way I can describe it is 186 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 6: that there was something of a window that seemed to 187 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 6: open up, a little veil that was torn down between 188 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 6: Earth and Heaven. 189 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 1: She said, I couldn't describe it when I. 190 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 6: Was six, But now I know that the Lord was 191 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 6: giving me opportunity to know that his presence was with me. 192 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 6: She said, I would feel a peace that passes all understanding. 193 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 6: I would know that I was not alone, even though 194 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 6: physically I was. Somehow at six, and at seven, and 195 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 6: at eight, and nine years old in devastating circumstances. The 196 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 6: Lord let this window allow me to know that his 197 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 6: presence was with me. Knowing he was near changed everything. 198 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 6: I took a break during the lunchtime at that conference. 199 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 6: I'm twenty four years old, maybe twenty five. I grabbed 200 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 6: one of her books she had written, I don't even 201 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 6: know if it's in print anymore, called The Girl Nobody Loved. 202 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 6: I sat in the corner with my little box lunch, 203 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 6: reading through that book and never forget watching a shadow 204 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,559 Speaker 6: come towards me and realizing as I looked up that 205 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 6: Miss Dorry was watching me read her book. She walked 206 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 6: over to me. She put her hand on my shoulder, 207 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 6: and then she took the other hand and wiped a 208 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 6: tear that she saw falling down my face. As I 209 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 6: read the details that she hadn't been able to share 210 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 6: with us in the spoken word, but on the page, 211 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:24,679 Speaker 6: what this woman had gone through in her childhood, I 212 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 6: could not believe. She saw me crying, walked over to 213 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 6: me wipe the tear. She put her hand on my 214 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 6: shoulder and she said, sweet girl, don't you cry for me. 215 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 6: God was with me the whole time, knowing He's with 216 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 6: you makes all the difference in the world. John is 217 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 6: in a dark closet, it's called the island of Patnas. 218 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 1: He is in the middle of. 219 00:11:55,600 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 6: Devastating and difficult circumstances. And this is John, jesus disciple 220 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 6: we're talking about. This is the one who had walked 221 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 6: with Jesus, who had talked with Jesus. This is the 222 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 6: one who had been in the presence of Jesus. This 223 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 6: is the one who said about his own self in 224 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 6: his gospel, I'm the one who Jesus loves. This is 225 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 6: the one who had seen Jesus perform miracles. I mean, 226 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 6: John was right there when lame folks started walking, and 227 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 6: blind people started seeing, and the. 228 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: Death started hearing. 229 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 6: He heard Jesus preach and teach words coming out of 230 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 6: the mouth of the Sun of the Living God, right 231 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 6: in his presence. 232 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: They had heard preaching and teaching. 233 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,559 Speaker 6: Before from the religious leaders, the Pharisees. 234 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: And the Sadducees. 235 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 6: But when Jesus opened up his mouth, something was different. 236 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 1: They ain't never heard nothing like this. 237 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 6: Think about how you'd feel if Jesus were your Bible 238 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 6: study teacher. John was there. He had walked with Jesus 239 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 6: in the flesh. 240 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 1: But by the time we. 241 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 6: Meet John in the Book of Revelation, his circumstance has 242 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 6: completely changed. He is now and what would call what 243 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 6: some would call the dark night of the soul. He 244 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 6: has been exiled to Patness for his allegiance to Jesus Christ, 245 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 6: for his refusal to. 246 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 1: Bend the knee and to. 247 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 6: Go in opposition of Christ in his kingdom. 248 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 1: He has been sent. 249 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,199 Speaker 6: To basically what was a place that had been relegated 250 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 6: by the Roman government to be for criminals and enemies 251 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 6: of the state. And there he sits on Patness in 252 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,079 Speaker 6: the midst of difficulty, discouragement. 253 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: And complete devastation. 254 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 6: And in Revelation chapter four he says, something happened. 255 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: To me on this particular day. 256 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 6: The Lord opened up something of a window, a door 257 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 6: between earth and Heaven. So even though I was in 258 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 6: the midst of difficulty, hardship, devastation, and darkness, I had 259 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 6: opportunity to see what was happening in the heavenlyes, to 260 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 6: catch a glimpse of God's presence, and to sense his 261 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 6: peace and his power and his joy. And knowing that 262 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 6: God was there, John says that makes all the difference. 263 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 6: Patness was a rock quarry. They would send people there 264 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,439 Speaker 6: that were a threat to the Roman government. They perceived 265 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 6: to be a rock quarry, meaning all day all they 266 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 6: did was hammer at those rocks to basically do work 267 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 6: in hard toil. It would have been devastating for their 268 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 6: physical bodies, devastating for their souls. Not being able to 269 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 6: get off of this island, which was ten miles off 270 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 6: of the coast of the mainland. In the agenc there 271 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 6: was no escape, no means of reprieve. 272 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: The rock Cory would have. 273 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 6: Been like think Nelson Mandela on Robin Island. You saw 274 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 6: or could see the deterioration to Nelson Mandela's body after 275 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 6: he was there for those twenty seven years. 276 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: How the sun reflecting off of the. 277 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 6: Rocks that were all around caused there to be a 278 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 6: glare in their eyes that would deteriorate their eyesight. How 279 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 6: breathing in all of the dust that was gathering off 280 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 6: of those rocks would cause there to be a deterioration 281 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 6: in their long capacity. In other words, John was deteriorating 282 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 6: from the inside out. His circumstances were completely devastating and 283 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 6: there was no escape, and he was not in that 284 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 6: situation for doing something wrong. 285 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: He was there for doing something right. 286 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 6: I suspected in a room this size, with this many 287 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 6: people in this room, and on the other side of 288 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 6: the screen, there are so many of you who are 289 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 6: amongst hard things on a rock quarry. 290 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: There's hard things. 291 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 6: Everywhere you look, difficulties everywhere you step, and no matter 292 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 6: where you look, it seems like there is absolutely no 293 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 6: means of escape. And what makes it hard relationally or financially, 294 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 6: or in your health, or in the raising of kids, 295 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 6: or in the business or in the ministry. This year 296 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 6: on pactness in your life. What makes it more difficult 297 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 6: for you to swallow is not that you have been perfect, 298 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 6: but you have been purposeful. You've been on these streets 299 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 6: trying to follow God, trying to honor Him as a 300 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 6: husband or as a wife, or as a single person, 301 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 6: or a parent, or a teenager or a university student 302 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 6: or a business builder. 303 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: Or a ministry leader. 304 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 6: Yeahn't been perfect, but you've been trying to follow God 305 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 6: and you've ended up on pat miss Anyway, John knows 306 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 6: exactly how it feels to be out here honoring God 307 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 6: and life be hard. John says, look up, He says, 308 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 6: when I looked up Revelation chapter four, verse one, there 309 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 6: was a door standing open in the heavens, which means 310 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 6: there is access always to God's power, to God's presence, 311 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 6: to God's peace, to God's perspective in the midst. 312 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: Of difficult circumstances. 313 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 6: He says, there was a door, and the door was 314 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 6: standing open. It was set in the open position, which 315 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 6: means there is always opportunity for you and I to 316 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 6: lean on the throes of heaven, even while we're standing 317 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 6: in the difficult things of earth. 318 00:16:58,400 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 1: The door was standing open. 319 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 6: The reason why this principle, this little principle of the 320 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:06,159 Speaker 6: door standing open, y'all, is so important for believers like 321 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 6: you and me to get a grasp on. The reason 322 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 6: why it is so weighty right here in this verse 323 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 6: is because just several verses earlier, the end of chapter three, 324 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 6: verse twenty, Jesus is describing a church at Laodicea, the 325 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 6: lukewarm in different apathetic church, and here's how he describes them. 326 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 6: He says, I'm standing on the outside of their door, knocking. 327 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 6: I'm hoping somebody's gonna open up this door that has 328 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:37,399 Speaker 6: been closed. He is writing about the church, and he says, 329 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 6: the door of the church has been caught. How Jesus 330 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 6: standing on the outside of the door of his own church. 331 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 6: Jesus says, the Church has closed the door to me, 332 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:50,920 Speaker 6: which means it is possible for us to be in here. 333 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 1: And him to be out there. It means it is possible, y'all, 334 00:17:57,560 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: for us to be. 335 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:03,120 Speaker 6: So consumed with person and with programs and with platitudes, 336 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:05,880 Speaker 6: and we don't even realize that the presence of God. 337 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 1: Is not even in the room. 338 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 6: Because we close the door through our indifference. We close 339 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,120 Speaker 6: the door through our apathy, We close the door through 340 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 6: our rebellion, We close the door through our stubbornness. And 341 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,439 Speaker 6: Jesus and his grace and in his mercy and his 342 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 6: goodness and his kindness to us, even when we close 343 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:30,719 Speaker 6: the door, he's so merciful that he stands on the 344 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 6: outside of it, still knocking to have relationship with us. 345 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 6: So the reason why chapter four, verse one is so 346 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 6: important is because where we close the door in chapter three, 347 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 6: he opens it back up in chapter four, verse one. 348 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 6: Even when you've closed it, you need to know that 349 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 6: the door of Heaven is still open. It remains in 350 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 6: the open position for you and me standing on earth 351 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 6: with access to heaven. 352 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: Then John says I heard a voice. 353 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 6: The voice was loud and clear like a trumpet, and 354 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 6: the voice said, come up here, the invitation of a lifetime. 355 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 6: That if you and I can grab hold of this invitation, 356 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 6: it changes the way we relate to all the hard 357 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,360 Speaker 6: stuff of earth, because there you are stepping on all 358 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 6: the rocks of Patnos, all the difficult conversations and the 359 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 6: difficult people, the difficult problems, the difficult realities, the things 360 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 6: that jolt us and stagger us and disappoint us, the 361 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,399 Speaker 6: betrayals that hurt us and break our hearts, the different 362 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 6: things that we face in life that we. 363 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:38,880 Speaker 1: Cannot believe that life holds. 364 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:40,679 Speaker 6: Because I don't know if y'all noticed or not, but 365 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 6: life is out here lifing. Me and my girlfriends get 366 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 6: on the phone and we be like life is ghetto. 367 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 1: Earth is kind of ghetto. Can I get one witness? 368 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:00,360 Speaker 1: You're gonna need to hear the voice of the. 369 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 6: Holy Spirit saying to you, come up. 370 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 1: Here, which means it is possible. 371 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 6: It is important and necessary for believers in Jesus Christ 372 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 6: to live in two places at the exact same time, 373 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 6: with your feet firmly planted on the realities of art, 374 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 6: but your mind fixed on things eternal. 375 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 4: It's gonna be imperative. 376 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: It's gonna be necessary for. 377 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:32,440 Speaker 6: You and I to make it, to accept this invitation 378 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:34,919 Speaker 6: that we're always coming up here, Like we're in the argument, 379 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,199 Speaker 6: we're about to say that, but first we're gonna come 380 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 6: up here. We're about to comment that, we're about to 381 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 6: post that, but first let. 382 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: Me pause and come up here. 383 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 6: We're about to make a decision about our finances, about 384 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 6: our parenting, about our marriage, about whether to stay, about 385 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 6: whether to go. 386 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:53,680 Speaker 1: But first before I choose. 387 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 6: Before I walk, before I decide, before I make that 388 00:20:57,119 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 6: choice and decision, I'm accepting the invitation to. 389 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: Come up, Pierre. 390 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:04,679 Speaker 4: I'm coming up. 391 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: Through prayer, through. 392 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 6: Worship, through the reading of God's word. Lord, What is 393 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 6: your perspective? How do I reflect your character? How do 394 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 6: I say what you would say and act, how you 395 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 6: would act and respond, how you would respond, So that 396 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 6: I don't just wait to get to Heaven to experience heaven, 397 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 6: but I bring Heaven to Earth right now, so that 398 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,919 Speaker 6: I'm experiencing it and offering it to everybody that's around me. 399 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 6: John says, I heard the invitation, and the invitation. 400 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: Changed my life. Okay, access invitation. 401 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:47,919 Speaker 6: John says, just in case life's been so hard, the rocks, 402 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 6: the hard stuff of Patnus have so overwhelmed you recently 403 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 6: that you're going to have a hard time picturing this door. 404 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 6: You're gonna have a hard time setting your eyes, fixing 405 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 6: your eyes on gays. You're gonna have a little bit 406 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 6: of a hard time, you admit it doing what Paul 407 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 6: says in Colossians chapter three, verse one. If then you 408 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 6: have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things 409 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 6: above where Christ is seated at the right hand of 410 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 6: the Father. Sets your mind on things above, not on 411 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 6: things that are on the earth, For you have died 412 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:18,680 Speaker 6: and your life is hidden in. 413 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 1: Christ with God. He says, Just in case you. 414 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 6: Know that right now, because life is out here doing 415 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 6: the most, you're gonna have a little bit of a 416 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 6: hard time capturing what it is that I'm describing, He says, elevation, 417 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 6: would you just for this Sunday morning, come grab my 418 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 6: hand and let me take you to this door, even 419 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 6: if you can't make it on your own, he says, 420 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 6: just sit with me for a moment. 421 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:43,360 Speaker 1: Let me take you to the door, because. 422 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 6: If I can show you what's on the other side 423 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 6: of this. 424 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:50,119 Speaker 1: Door, it's gonna shift the way you relate to everything 425 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: happening here on earth. 426 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 6: He says, Grab my hand and let me show you 427 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 6: verse two that immediately when I was in the spirit, 428 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 6: he says, behold. Now, can I just I didn't even 429 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 6: get to the thing behind the door yet, but I 430 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:06,879 Speaker 6: just gotta tell y'all. Anytime you see the word behold 431 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:11,360 Speaker 6: in scripture, it means get ready. It was the best 432 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 6: word that the English translators could come up with for 433 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 6: what the original writers were trying to describe. It means 434 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 6: sit on the edge of your seat. This is the time, 435 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 6: with your chin in your hands, your eyes peeled, your 436 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 6: mind fresh, get ready to look and. 437 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 1: See what is on the other side of this door. 438 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 6: John says, take my hand and let me take you 439 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 6: to the door and behold. The very first thing I 440 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 6: saw Verse. 441 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: Two was a throne. He says. 442 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:46,120 Speaker 6: If you don't see anything else on the other side 443 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 6: of this door, I'm gonna need you to know that 444 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 6: the very first thing that captured my attention when I 445 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 6: look through this open window into Heaven that the Lord 446 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 6: gave me access to is that I saw there was 447 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 6: a throne and it was set in the heavens. With 448 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 6: everything else being so unshakable and so unreasonable, and so 449 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 6: it's unstable, he says, I was so relieved to see 450 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 6: there was. 451 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,400 Speaker 1: One thing that had not changed, and. 452 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 6: That is that there was a throne and it was 453 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 6: set in the heavens. It is unmovable, It is unchangeable, 454 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:25,400 Speaker 6: It is untouched, it is unbothered. It is unaffected by 455 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 6: the things of Earth. There is no coup that is 456 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 6: powerful enough to overthrow it. There is no person influential 457 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 6: enough to usurpent. There is no dictator that is forceful 458 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:40,159 Speaker 6: enough to seize it. He says, Look, behold, there is 459 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:41,400 Speaker 6: a throne and it. 460 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:43,160 Speaker 1: Is still set in the heavens. 461 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 6: This changes everything because what it means is Earth doesn't 462 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 6: have the final say. This changes everything because it means 463 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 6: that the stuff that is happening here that seems so unreasonable, 464 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 6: And we wonder whether we're tethered to anybody's sovereign, whether 465 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 6: there's over whether somebody's presiding. Does anybody know Have they 466 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:07,199 Speaker 6: seen the tears that are falling from my eyes, the 467 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 6: unrest that keeps me up at night, the things that 468 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 6: give me anxiety and concern. 469 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: Over my children, or my marriage, or. 470 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 6: My finances, or my health. I feel like nobody's watching 471 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 6: over me. John says, if you'll just look through this door, 472 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 6: you will see there is a sovereign ruler who is seated, unmoved, 473 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:34,960 Speaker 6: and unchanged, and he's on the throne. Revelation is a 474 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 6: overwhelming book for all of us. 475 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:38,719 Speaker 1: John canny. 476 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,240 Speaker 6: He don't even know what he's talking about. Half the time. 477 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 6: He's trying to describe creatures. He can't find the words 478 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:47,440 Speaker 6: to describe. He's doing the best he can to pull 479 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 6: images from that which he knows folks can at least 480 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,400 Speaker 6: kind of try to relate to to describe what he's see. 481 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: It's completely overwhelming. 482 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 6: So there's a lot there that is intimidating to us 483 00:25:57,760 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 6: when we read through the Book of Revelation. We sometimes 484 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 6: just de'er clear of it. But there's one thing you 485 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 6: can miss dozens of times throughout the book. Thirteen times 486 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 6: in this chapter alone, John keeps saying, there's a throne. 487 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 6: He says, you may not get all this other stuff, 488 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 6: but don't miss this. There's a throne. There is a throne. 489 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 6: There is a seat of authority. A seat of ultimate sovereignty, 490 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 6: a seat of ultimate power. He says, don't miss the 491 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 6: fact that the central future of our future as the 492 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 6: Church and the central feature of our day today. 493 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:41,360 Speaker 1: Life for believers, not. 494 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 6: Just Christians that go to church on Sunday or you know, 495 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 6: read a verse the day to keep the devil away. 496 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 4: Not that. 497 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 6: No, I'm talking about disciples. I'm talking about kingdom minded 498 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 6: on mission believers for Jesus Christ. 499 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 1: John says, the central feature of all of our lives 500 00:26:57,880 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 1: has to be there is a throne. 501 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 6: Everything we do orbits around the fact that we are 502 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:03,959 Speaker 6: pledged allegiance to the throne. 503 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 1: That we understand we. 504 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:07,960 Speaker 6: Have a king, and he has a kingdom. He is 505 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:11,160 Speaker 6: seated on a throne, and he has sovereign rule. He 506 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 6: has either orchestrated or allowed every single thing that has 507 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 6: happened in our experiences. 508 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,080 Speaker 1: Nothing has escaped. 509 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 6: His notice, nothing is beyond his grasp. Our lives are 510 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:29,160 Speaker 6: in the palm of his hand. The reason why this 511 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 6: would have mattered so much to the first century believers 512 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 6: that this letter was originally going to is because the 513 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:41,919 Speaker 6: throne of the Emperor in Rome was so influential, so powerful, 514 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 6: and it was Antichrist. To be a Christian in this 515 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 6: time period was almost unthinking. It would cost you your life. 516 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:52,720 Speaker 6: It was the whole reason why John was exiled to Patnas. 517 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 6: Because if you were going to pledge allegiance, if you 518 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:57,080 Speaker 6: were going to start living in the way that aligned 519 00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 6: with this new king, Dame Jesus and the church that 520 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 6: he had set up, and if you believed in the death, 521 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:06,120 Speaker 6: burial and resurrection, if you were gonna reorient the way 522 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 6: you did everything, the way you did politics, the way 523 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 6: you did business, the way you did ministry, the way 524 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:13,680 Speaker 6: you steered your kids, the way you steered your education. 525 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 6: If you were gonna orient your life around the king 526 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 6: and his kingdom, you had to go up against the 527 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 6: government of the day and all of its systems. It 528 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 6: was Antichrist. I don't know if you've noticed everything around 529 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:43,480 Speaker 6: us is anti Christ. If we're gonna be deced, listen, 530 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 6: we're are the young believers in the room. 531 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 1: Listen to your anti Priscilla. 532 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 6: Where are you You're eighteen to twenty five years old? 533 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: Listen to your anti Priscilla. 534 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 6: You gonna have to have some backbone, and you can 535 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 6: and you will. You're gonna have to have some spiritual. 536 00:28:58,880 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 1: Meat on your bones. 537 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 6: You're gonna have to have some spiritual fiber to be 538 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 6: able to stand firm against the schemes of the enemy, because, y'all, 539 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 6: I mean, I'm not that old, but I'm saying to 540 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 6: you a few decades ago, it used to be that 541 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 6: people at least respected the moral compass of the scriptures, 542 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 6: even if they weren't Christians, even if they wasn't coming 543 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:24,880 Speaker 6: all the way with this Jesus stuff, they knew that 544 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 6: at least this was the way to be a good citizen. 545 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:29,600 Speaker 1: Not anymore. 546 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,800 Speaker 6: If you make a decision to stand for Christ, you're 547 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 6: gonna have to stand alone, flat footed, by yourself, on 548 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 6: your social media page, on your platform, on your job 549 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 6: and say there is a standard of truth that is 550 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 6: non negotiable and has not changed. You're gonna have to 551 00:29:50,120 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 6: have backbone for that. The first century believers know exactly 552 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 6: how it feels to have to stand firm in an 553 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 6: anti christ culture, and John says to them, there's a throne. 554 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:12,320 Speaker 1: They're not in charge, he is. 555 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 6: John says, I looked up and I saw a throne. 556 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 6: And not only did I see a throne that was situated, 557 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:22,720 Speaker 6: but I saw somebody sitting on the throne, a throne 558 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 6: that is above every earthly throne, above all powers, above 559 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 6: all human authorities, above all seats of influence, above all presidents, 560 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 6: above all administrations, above all monarchs, above all kings, above 561 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 6: all governmental systems, above all institutions, above all establishments. 562 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 1: There is a throne. 563 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 6: It has not been replaced, it has not been moved, 564 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 6: it has not been diminished in power. And John says 565 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 6: it is also not unoccupied, because I saw the throne. 566 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:53,480 Speaker 1: And somebody was sitting on it. 567 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 4: Because what good is a throne? 568 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 1: Ain't nobody worthy sitting on the throne? 569 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 6: John said, Can we find somebody worthy? 570 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 1: Can we find somebody righteous? 571 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 4: Can we find somebody who. 572 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 6: Should be seated in this position of influence? He said, 573 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 6: I looked up and I saw Jesus Christ, the Son 574 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 6: of the Living God, who was, and is and is 575 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 6: to come. 576 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 1: All right, amen, thank you Jesus. 577 00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 6: I'm so grateful that he's on the throne. I do 578 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:55,000 Speaker 6: not know how people are making it that, do not know. 579 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 6: There is a king and he's on the throne. In 580 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 6: the Middle East, the ancient Near East, when there was 581 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 6: a war or a battle raging, kings didn't sit when 582 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:13,240 Speaker 6: there was a battle that was in full swing. Kings stood, 583 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:18,479 Speaker 6: they paced, they watched, they wanted oversight, They did not rest. 584 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 6: The only time a king sat down is once the 585 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 6: battle had already been won, to demonstrate to everybody in 586 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 6: the sphere of influence that. 587 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:31,560 Speaker 1: The victory had already been secured. 588 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 6: John says, look through the door. 589 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 4: If you look through the door, you're gonna see that. 590 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:41,680 Speaker 6: There's not just a throne, but there is a king 591 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 6: who's sitting down on. 592 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: The throne to. 593 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 6: Let you know that the battle has already. 594 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:48,720 Speaker 4: Had been won. 595 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 1: Amen, I'm saying. 596 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 6: You and I are not fighting for victory. We're fighting 597 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:09,520 Speaker 6: from victory. There's a throne. Since you win, Brother, you win, 598 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 6: the enemy can try to form a weapon against you, 599 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:17,160 Speaker 6: but the weapon has no hope of prospering. There is 600 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 6: no scheme of the enemy that can prosper about your life. 601 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 6: Why because the king is sitting down on the throne. 602 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 6: And in the presence of the sitting king every single 603 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:34,560 Speaker 6: creature that can't even fully be described. John said, I 604 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:38,000 Speaker 6: can't even give language to what I saw, but I 605 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:48,840 Speaker 6: know what I heard. They said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is 606 00:33:49,000 --> 00:34:04,920 Speaker 6: the Lord God Almighty, who. 607 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:10,040 Speaker 1: Was and is and is to come. And then anybody 608 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:11,560 Speaker 1: in the vicinity that had. 609 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:14,799 Speaker 6: A crown on their head, they took it off as 610 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:18,600 Speaker 6: quick as they could. They laid it at the feet 611 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 6: of the only one worthy and said, worthy are you 612 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:29,600 Speaker 6: God to receive glory and honor and power and authority. 613 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:36,439 Speaker 1: Why, because you're sitting on the throat, would you bow 614 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:37,440 Speaker 1: your heads with me? Please? 615 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:51,319 Speaker 6: If you were in this room and you have not 616 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:53,600 Speaker 6: seen the throat, you do not have. 617 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:55,279 Speaker 1: A relationship with Jesus. 618 00:34:56,120 --> 00:35:00,240 Speaker 6: Life has been difficult, and you are doing it un 619 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 6: attached to the realities of heaven. Life's too hard for that, brother, 620 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 6: Life's too hard for that sister. 621 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:07,960 Speaker 1: You're gonna need an anchor. 622 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 6: You're gonna need relationship with this throne, relationship with the. 623 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 1: One who is seated on the throne. 624 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:17,320 Speaker 6: If you do not know, beyond a shadow of a 625 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,400 Speaker 6: doubt that like John, you can look through this doorway 626 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 6: and know that Jesus is here, that he is real, 627 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 6: that he's got your back, I offer you Jesus today. 628 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:29,239 Speaker 6: Do not leave without knowing that you have a relationship 629 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:32,799 Speaker 6: with Jesus Christ. He is the only thing that is 630 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:40,000 Speaker 6: unshakable in this very unstable, unshakable world. While every head 631 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 6: is bowed and eyes are closed and believers are praying. 632 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 6: If you have never made that decision, but you want 633 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:47,759 Speaker 6: to today, would you just raise your hand and lift 634 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:49,719 Speaker 6: your eyes so that mine meet yours. And I know 635 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:52,640 Speaker 6: that's a decision you need to make today. You want 636 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:56,400 Speaker 6: to get it fixed. Anybody just wave at me if 637 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 6: that's a decision you need to make. Yes, ma'am, I 638 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:00,360 Speaker 6: see you, sweet girl. Yes, I see you there in 639 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:03,319 Speaker 6: the awah. Anybody else just wave at me. Come on, yes, 640 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:05,600 Speaker 6: I see y'all. Don't be embarrassed, don't be ashamed. Ain't 641 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:13,840 Speaker 6: nobody got time for that. Anybody else. Listen. Jesus is 642 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:17,640 Speaker 6: coming back soon. I see y'all. Time is short. Come on, y'all, 643 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:18,000 Speaker 6: we can't. 644 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:23,279 Speaker 1: We gotta stop playing games. Life's too hard. I see you, 645 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:26,680 Speaker 1: I see you, young man. Amen. Anybody else just wave 646 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,320 Speaker 1: at me. Yeah, I see you up there. Dozens of 647 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 1: hands are up all over the room. 648 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:36,960 Speaker 6: I see you, says, Yeah, I see y'all, Hey see you. Okay, 649 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:40,920 Speaker 6: see you brother, Okay. The Bible says, you confess with 650 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:43,120 Speaker 6: your mouth, and you believe in your heart that Jesus 651 00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:48,239 Speaker 6: Christ is Lord, you shall be saved. He already did 652 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:49,759 Speaker 6: all the hard work. All you have to do is 653 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 6: receive the gift. So I'm gonna pray this prayer. You 654 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:56,600 Speaker 6: repeat the prayer after me, Okay out loud. In fact, 655 00:36:57,160 --> 00:36:59,800 Speaker 6: the entire church. Can we all pray this prayer together. 656 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:02,360 Speaker 6: That way we can build an atmosphere of faith for 657 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:04,359 Speaker 6: those who are praying it for the very first time. 658 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 1: Okay, let's pray together, Lord Jesus. 659 00:37:08,239 --> 00:37:12,640 Speaker 6: I am a sinner in need of a savior, and 660 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,800 Speaker 6: I believe that you are that savior. 661 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:20,719 Speaker 1: So today I place faith. 662 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:28,080 Speaker 6: Alone in Christ alone to remove my sins. Take up 663 00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:32,360 Speaker 6: residence in me, in the person of the Holy Spirit, 664 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:38,360 Speaker 6: right now, in Jesus' name, In Jesus' name. 665 00:37:38,680 --> 00:37:40,360 Speaker 4: Come on everybody shouting that. 666 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:49,719 Speaker 2: Hey, I hope you enjoyed the podcast, and if you did, 667 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:52,879 Speaker 2: make sure to share it and subscribe so we can 668 00:37:52,920 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 2: get you all of these new messages as soon as 669 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:58,319 Speaker 2: they're available. I also want to take a moment and 670 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 2: thank all of you who are a part of Elevation. 671 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 2: Whether you support us financially, or serve with us, or 672 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 2: just share these messages, it's because of you that we're 673 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 2: able to reach people all around the world. And if 674 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 2: you want more information on how to be a part 675 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:16,520 Speaker 2: of Elevation, click the link in the description. Thanks again 676 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:19,040 Speaker 2: for listening. Make sure to leave a review, share the 677 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:21,320 Speaker 2: message and subscribe. God bless you.