Priscilla Shirer - The View that Changes Everything

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:12):
Glory to God in the house. So so this this,
this is what had happened so last year.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
So just so y'all know, my dad has always had
the biblical view that women can use their gifts just
like men under authority, based on First Corinthians eleven.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
He's always had that view, you know. But he got
a brother in background, you know, but brethren is.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
That means it's like white gloves, it's like grew up
with the whole situation. And so because he's always had
that view, you know, we've been pressing them because you know, Priscilla,
you know what I mean. So the kids, we'd be like, hey, Dad,

(01:10):
this is the time, and he would say, last year
he said, okay, it's time.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
It's time.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
So so last.

Speaker 2 (01:17):
Year he went to Prisilla and said, okay, on Mother's Day,
you know you're gonna go up and do your thing.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
She said, huh uh uh uh.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
And Prisilla had a spiritual mother named Anne Graham Lots
who had mentored her a lot of her ministry experience.
And so Priscilla said, let's start with Ann graham Lots.
Let's start with an Graham Lots. That was a good
thing because it's her spiritual mother. But it was also,
let me tell you, as her brother, her chickening out.

(01:55):
And this year I said, now we're not We're not
chicken it out this year. So I am so excited
this Mother's Day weekend. Would you stand up and celebrate
my sister Priscilla Shire.

Speaker 4 (02:15):
Amen, Amen, mis y'all, Thank y'all.

Speaker 5 (02:26):
Listen, just stay standing, because you know how.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
We do when we read the word. We're going to
stand in reverence to the Word of God. But even
while you're.

Speaker 5 (02:33):
Standing, let me just say Happy Mother's Day to all
of you. And I also want to say, you know,
I'm very mindful of those of you who have lost
children and what this day would feel like for you,
or who have lost your mother's like I have, my
husband has. I'm wearing my mom and my mother in
law's rings today just to keep them close to my heart.

(02:55):
But I'm mindful of you if you've lost that in
your life.

Speaker 3 (02:58):
The great thing about the Body.

Speaker 5 (02:59):
Of Christ is that you have spiritual mothers among you.
Thank you, Aunt Shirley and Auntie and all the women.

Speaker 3 (03:07):
Who are in the house who cover us. I'm so
grateful for that.

Speaker 5 (03:12):
I am going to thank the leadership of this church
for allowing me the privilege to share God's word. Let
me tell you something, being under authority.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
Is a good thing. When you have healthy authority.

Speaker 5 (03:21):
It's a safe covering to be under. I'm grateful for it.
I'm also grateful for my daddy. I will never be
in the presence of my father, my daddy, my pastor
and not say thank you. And Pastor John, John, my goodness,

(03:45):
it's my little brother, but he's my pastor. I'm grateful
for you. We're going to read God's Word together because
I'm excited to see what God is going to say
to us today.

Speaker 3 (03:56):
I hope it's a blessing to you as it has
been to me.

Speaker 5 (04:00):
Then I'll pray Revelation Chapter four. Revelation Chapter four, I'm
going to read verses one through eleven. After these things,
I looked and behold, a door.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
Was standing open in the heavens.

Speaker 5 (04:21):
And the first voice which I heard it sounded like
a trumpet, loud and clear, speaking with me and saying,
come up here, and I'm going to show you the
things that are going to take place immediately.

Speaker 3 (04:34):
Verse two.

Speaker 5 (04:35):
I was in the spirit and behold, a throne was
standing in the heavens, and there was one sitting on
the throne, and he was sitting like a jasper stone
and a sardius in appearance.

Speaker 3 (04:47):
And there was a rainbow around the throne. It looked
like emerald in appearance. Verse four. And around the throne
there were twenty four smaller thrones.

Speaker 5 (04:58):
And upon those thrones I saw twenty four elders. They
were clothed in white garments. They had golden crowns on
their head. And from the throne proceeded flashes of lightning
and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven
lamps of fire that were burning around the throne.

Speaker 3 (05:16):
And are the seven spirits of God.

Speaker 4 (05:18):
Verse six.

Speaker 3 (05:20):
And before the throne there was, as it were, a.

Speaker 4 (05:22):
Sea of glass that was like crystal.

Speaker 5 (05:25):
And in the center and around the throne there were
four living creatures full.

Speaker 3 (05:29):
Of eyes in front and behind. And the first creature
was like a lion, the second was like a calf.

Speaker 5 (05:34):
The third creature had a face like a man, and
the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the
four living creatures, each one of them having six wings
full of eyes all around, and within day and night they.

Speaker 3 (05:52):
Do not cease to say, Holy.

Speaker 5 (05:54):
Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and
is and is to come.

Speaker 3 (06:03):
And when the living creatures give glory and honor.

Speaker 6 (06:06):
And thanks to him who sits on the throne, to
him who lives forever and ever, and the twenty four
elders will fall down before him.

Speaker 5 (06:17):
They will worship Him who is forever in heaver. They
cast their crowns before the throne, saying, worthy are you, Lord, Worthy,
are you God, to receive glory and honor and power
and authority.

Speaker 3 (06:33):
For thou didst create all things?

Speaker 5 (06:36):
And because of you they exist and were created. Father,
We thank you in advance for what you're going to
say to us. And in advance we cry, Holy, Holy, Holy,
is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and.

Speaker 3 (06:53):
Is to come. Speak.

Speaker 5 (06:56):
Lord, we are your sons and your daughters, and we
have come to hear a word from the mouth of
God in Jesus' name. Everybody agreed and said, amen, Amen,
you may take your seats. Probably three decades ago, maybe
actually a little over three decades ago, I ended up

(07:18):
at this little small women's retreat. There were probably fifty
to sixty women at this retreat, and I was among
the youngest at this particular retreat. I don't remember much
about it, but there is one woman I can't forget.

Speaker 3 (07:31):
She was in her sixties.

Speaker 5 (07:32):
At the time. She stood on the platform. She was
one of the speakers and she shared her testimony. I
will never forget this woman's testimony. Her name was Dorry
van Stone. Here she is now in her sixties. She's
telling the story of her young years. All of us
that were at that retreat that they were sitting in
our chairs, leaned all the way in, completely fascinated with

(07:55):
her as she told this testimony. The reason why I
can't forget it is because our entire upbringing was filled
with havoc and chaos, devastation, abuse, neglect. She grew up
in Oakland, and her mother was basically frustrated at the
fact that she had had children at all.

Speaker 3 (08:14):
Dorry and her little sister Marie were.

Speaker 5 (08:16):
Often left unattended for hours on end, which sometimes would
turn into day's on end.

Speaker 3 (08:23):
They were hungry and living in fear and.

Speaker 5 (08:26):
Having to figure out life basically on their own. And
when mom did show up, she spoke to them so harshly,
abuse them, slapped them across their faces, told them directly
that they were ugly, unloved, wouldn't amount to anything, and
she was devastated that she had had them. Dory recounted
on one occasion that Mom came home finally and said, hey,

(08:51):
let's take a ride.

Speaker 3 (08:52):
Girls.

Speaker 5 (08:53):
Dorry said she felt something in her heart warm up
because she thought, oh, we're taking a little afternoon drive
with Mom. Finally she wants to spend time with us,
and she wants to just enjoy us all being together.
They got in the car, they took a ride. They
ended up in a big, large building where Mom said,
come on, let's get out of the car. They walked
up the stairs of this large building, stood on the doorstep.

(09:14):
Mom turned, walked away, got back in the car and
said bye.

Speaker 3 (09:17):
Kids. It was an orphanage for.

Speaker 5 (09:22):
The majority of the rest of her upbringing until she
came to adulthood.

Speaker 3 (09:27):
She was really in this orphanage, where she.

Speaker 5 (09:29):
Soon discovered with the sixty five other children that were
in this orphanage, that the orphanage director was actually more cruel, unloving,
and abusive than her mother had been. The orphanage director
named Miss Gabrielle.

Speaker 4 (09:42):
She would beat the girls.

Speaker 5 (09:44):
Severely anytime they cried because they were lonely. Anytime they
cried because they were sad, They.

Speaker 3 (09:51):
Were beaten brutally.

Speaker 5 (09:52):
They were locked in closets in the dark for hours
on end that sometimes would turn into days. She said,
all I remember was wondering, is anybody ever gonna love me?
Is there anybody ever gonna choose me? Am I ever
going to be enough? Am I ever going to be
cared for?

Speaker 3 (10:11):
She said? One adoption day would roll around where couples were.

Speaker 5 (10:13):
Coming to see if they could adopt a child. She
would dress up, hope would spring up in her heart
because maybe today's the day somebody's gonna choose me, and
she would walk around with a little plastered on smile
in hopes that finally somebody would but they never did so. Basically,
she aged out of the orphanage. They had to send
her away to make.

Speaker 3 (10:33):
Room for other children. She ended up in a foster family.

Speaker 5 (10:37):
And without going into all of the details, let me
just tell you there was a ripple effect of devastating
circumstances one after the other as she was transferred from
one foster family to halfway houses to other foster families,
where she continued to suffer neglect and abuse. At the
hands of the people who were supposed to love her.
She told this testimony, and when there was a lunch

(10:59):
break at the retree, I went to the little book
table outside. I grabbed her book. It was called Dory,
the Little Girl Nobody Loved. I don't even know if
it's in print anymore, but I grabbed it, grabbed my
little box lunch, went to the corner of the room
that we were in for this retreat, and I just
sat with my little box lunch and I started reading

(11:19):
this book. The detail in the book that she hadn't
given during the testimony was in this writing, and so
I was able to see more of what it was
that she had actually gone through. It was devastating and horrific.
So there I was sitting reading this, tears welled up
in my eyes. My body language must have said what
I was feeling, because before I knew it, I felt

(11:41):
a presence in front of me, and I looked up
and it was Miss Dory. She had seen me in
the corner reading her book. She walked over to me
and said to me, I'll never forget it. She just
looked at me, a little girl at the time, and
she said, sweet girl, don't you cry for me, she said,
because God was with me the whole time. She said,

(12:07):
I cannot really explain it to you completely. And she said,
when I was younger, I certainly didn't understand what was happening.
But now the older I've gotten, I realized that somehow,
in those dark closets for hours on end, or when
I had to hide under the covers at the orphanage
so the director wouldn't hear me crying, or when I
was hungry, and when I felt unloved, She said, somehow,

(12:29):
in that darkness, the Lord opened up something like a
window for me where I was able to see him
and sense his presence and hear his voice.

Speaker 3 (12:38):
Where I knew he was near.

Speaker 5 (12:40):
Somehow there was a peace that passes all understanding. Somehow
I knew that even though nobody else seemed to see me,
he saw me. He knew where I was. He was
gonna take care of me. Why he let it go
on so long, I don't know, But I know the
presence of God was with me through all those circumstances.
And she said, and knowing that He was with me,

(13:03):
that right there is what made all the difference. John
the Apostle has known what.

Speaker 3 (13:10):
It is to be with Jesus.

Speaker 5 (13:13):
I mean physically, because John is the one who wrote
in his Gospel, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
Listen to the surprise and the shock and the excitement
in his voice. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only
begodden of the Father, full of grace and full of truth.

(13:36):
He can't believe that he got to walk with Jesus
and talk with Jesus and hear Jesus speak words that
were dripping with an authority that he had never ever
heard before.

Speaker 3 (13:46):
He'd heard teaching from.

Speaker 5 (13:47):
The scribes and the Pharisees, but he ain't never heard
nothing like this. He was there and walked with Jesus
when Jesus caused blind people to see, and lame folks
to walk, and death ears to hear, and death people
to be raised.

Speaker 3 (14:01):
He was there when the woman with the issue blood
touched his garment and.

Speaker 4 (14:05):
Her entire life was changed.

Speaker 5 (14:07):
He had been in the physical presence of Jesus.

Speaker 3 (14:10):
But when we meet him in the Book of.

Speaker 5 (14:11):
Revelation, Jesus has been crucified resurrected and has now ascended.
John's entire relationship with Jesus in that sense has been
completely changed.

Speaker 3 (14:24):
And now, at eighty.

Speaker 5 (14:25):
Years old, so have his life circumstances, because now he
is living on pactness. He has been exiled to this
little island that the Roman government had basically made a
place to send anyone they.

Speaker 3 (14:37):
Thought was a criminal or an enemy of the state.
So it was basically a prison.

Speaker 5 (14:43):
Think Nelson Mandela on Robin Island.

Speaker 3 (14:47):
It was a rock quarry, and the.

Speaker 5 (14:49):
Rocks were devastating because they were made. The prisoners were
made to work day in and day out shipping away
at those rocks. But the sun would bear down on them,
boiling their skin underneath the blaze of the hot sun
in the middle of the aeg and c and the
sunlight refracting and reflecting off of those stones would cause.

Speaker 4 (15:09):
Their eyes to be burned.

Speaker 5 (15:11):
You could see that in Nelson Mandela's eyes after he
had stared at those rocks all day long and all
day night, all through the night, the glaring off of
those rocks disintegrated the use of their eyes.

Speaker 4 (15:23):
The dust flying off of the rocks would go into their.

Speaker 5 (15:26):
Lungs, disintegrating the use of their lungs, their entire bodies
were disintegrating. Being on Patmas, they were in a rock quarry,
which means there were hard things all around them. And
here he is facing the most difficult, devastating circumstances of
his entire life.

Speaker 3 (15:46):
And he says, but then I looked up.

Speaker 5 (15:51):
And there was something of a door that was standing
open in the heavens, in a group that saws many
of us on this Sunday morning that are in this room,
and also on the other side of the screen that
may be streaming in. And it is not lost on
me that this Mother's Day meets you in a place
where you are in some of the most difficult circumstances.

Speaker 3 (16:13):
Of your life.

Speaker 5 (16:14):
And it's not just in one area. It's all around
you hard stuff. John says, I know what it is
to be on Pacnis. But if you'll just look up,
you'll see that there is always a door that is
standing open in the heavens. Access to God's power, access

(16:36):
to God's presence, access to God's peace, access to God
God's perspective, so that you can know He is with
you during hard things. The reason why this is important
is because just a few verses earlier in Revelation chapter three,
when Jesus is speaking about his relationship to the church
at Laotaicea, remember the complacent in different apathetic believers that Laoti's.

(17:00):
He said, I'm standing at their door and knocking. He's
standing at the door of the church knocking on the door,
which means it's possible for us to be in here
and him to be out there.

Speaker 3 (17:15):
He says, I'm not.

Speaker 5 (17:16):
Your door knocking, which means we sometimes close the door
through our rebellion.

Speaker 3 (17:21):
We close the door through our indifference.

Speaker 5 (17:23):
We close the door through our desire to ignore what
it is that he is doing and what he is saying.

Speaker 3 (17:29):
But I'm so.

Speaker 5 (17:30):
Grateful that he doesn't treat us the way we treat him,
that even when we are faithless, he is faithful.

Speaker 4 (17:37):
So when your door is closed.

Speaker 5 (17:39):
John says, look, the door of Heaven remains open to you.

Speaker 3 (17:45):
So John says, the door was open, and then I
heard a voice.

Speaker 5 (17:50):
The voice was as clear as the trumpet, and the
voice said, come up here.

Speaker 3 (17:58):
But God, I'm down here.

Speaker 5 (18:00):
I'm down there with all the difficulty and all the devastation,
and all the hardships and all the hard stuff. But
there's an invitation, a command, really, the God of the
universe saying, no, you have opportunity still while you are
down there, to.

Speaker 3 (18:15):
Step your spiritual feet and your.

Speaker 5 (18:17):
Spiritual awareness into the throes of Heaven, even while your
physical feet are planted on planet Earth. That means for
the believer in Jesus Christ, we're supposed to live every day, y'all,
being in two places at the same time.

Speaker 3 (18:35):
Our physical feet, yes.

Speaker 5 (18:36):
Planted firmly down here, but our spiritual feet and awareness
up there access to the heavens, humanity intersecting with heaven.
This is our same invitation. This is our exact same privilege.
In fact, the apostle Paul put it this way in
Colossians chapter three. If then you have been raised up

(18:57):
with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is
seated at the right hand of the Father. Set your
mind on things eternal, not on things that are on
the earth. For you have died and your life is
hidden in Christ with God. So now John, he is
completely captivated and conscious of spiritual and supernatural realities that

(19:20):
are happening simultaneously to the ones that are happening on earth,
and he says to us this morning. Come here real quick, ocliff,
Would you please grab my hand and let me escort
you to this.

Speaker 4 (19:32):
Door, he says, because if I can just get you all.

Speaker 5 (19:35):
To this door, you get ready to see some stuff
happening on the other side.

Speaker 4 (19:39):
Of this door.

Speaker 5 (19:39):
That if the hard stuff of earth has dulled or
diminished your view of Heaven right now, if you're a
little bit blinded and you feel like the door of
Heaven has been closed to you, that you have not
sensed his presence or his peace, or felt like he's
even hearing your prayers, John says, grab my hand, let
me take you to this door, because if I show

(20:01):
you what is on the other side of this door,
is gonna change the course of your life. John says, immediately,
I was in the spirit and behold, Can I just
tell you in the English language, all behold doesn't really
translate what it is that the writer is trying to communicate.

(20:22):
It's an exclamation point. It is a riveting opportunity. He's saying,
to look with excitement and anticipation, because you not gonna
believe what you're about to see.

Speaker 4 (20:33):
John says, Behold, I.

Speaker 5 (20:36):
Looked, and the very first thing I saw was a throne,
despite the devastation, despite the difficulty, despite the insurmountable realities
that are all around us. John says, I looked and
I realized there was a throne, and it was some
translation say, set.

Speaker 4 (20:55):
It was standing.

Speaker 5 (20:56):
It was unmoved, unchanged, unbod unaffected. There is no coup
that is powerful enough to overthrow it. There is no
person influential enough to usurpent.

Speaker 3 (21:08):
There is no dictator first forceful enough to seize it.
He says, Look, there is a throne, and it is
set in the heavens once.

Speaker 4 (21:16):
Now and forever more. The chaos in our earth.

Speaker 3 (21:23):
Is not affecting the throne.

Speaker 5 (21:26):
The throne is set, in fact, dozens of time in
the Book of Revelation. It is concentrated this word the throne,
the throne thirteen times. It's found in this one chapter alone,
which means the central feature of the Revelation, even in
those things that are to come for the church, and
the central feature for us right now, is to make

(21:49):
sure that we keep as the centerpiece of our lives
the fact that there remains a throne that is steadfast, unmovable,
and unshakable. And the reality is that when we see
the chaos and the confusion of our lives. Sometimes it
feels overwhelming. It seems like nobody's in charge. Nobody's presiding

(22:10):
over the things that we see happening in the culture
and in the world, and underneath the roof of our
own houses. John says, if you'll just look, you'll.

Speaker 4 (22:19):
See that even when you're overwhelmed.

Speaker 5 (22:21):
A throne still stands in the heavens. He is the
sovereign ruler who is in charge and in control of
your lives. Is anybody worthy, is anybody justice?

Speaker 3 (22:35):
Anybody righteous and worthy of sitting on the throne?

Speaker 5 (22:39):
John says, Look, behold, there is still a throne, and
it is set in the heavens. And can I just
say on this Mother's Day that if there's anything more
sobering and reassuring and confidence building that we as moms
sometimes need to know, is.

Speaker 3 (23:00):
That there is a throne.

Speaker 5 (23:04):
Because these kids be out here doing the most and
sometimes we just need to rest easy, remembering there.

Speaker 3 (23:12):
Is a throne.

Speaker 5 (23:14):
That God sees them, that he knows where they are,
he knows what they're doing, he knows the friends that
are influencing them, that He's aware of the things happening
in our children's lives, thank you Lord.

Speaker 3 (23:26):
That we are not aware of.

Speaker 5 (23:29):
In the first century, the people to whom John would
have originally written this letter, y'all, they were living in
devastating times. The Roman government was making it so that
people had to legally worship the emperor as God. In fact,
the reason why John has been exiled to Patmus is
because he has refused to.

Speaker 3 (23:48):
Bend the need to the emperor. And the Emperor didn't
mind if you still serve y'ah wah.

Speaker 5 (23:53):
You just needed him to bring him up to the
same par and worship him as well as Lord.

Speaker 3 (23:58):
And John had decide it.

Speaker 5 (24:00):
As for me and my house, we are not going
to bend the knee. We are not going to compromise.
There is one God.

Speaker 3 (24:09):
Pay my respects to.

Speaker 4 (24:10):
Caesar, yes, pay my taxes.

Speaker 5 (24:12):
To Caesar, yes, But what I'm not gonna do is
give you my full allegiance, because that belongs to Christ
and Christ alone. What I'm trying to tell you is
that the entire culture, and the entire government, and the
entire system into which these churches were situated were anti Christ.
Everything about the environment was fighting against what these Christian

(24:35):
believers would have been trying to raise their children to
understand and line their lives up with I'm saying, the
mothers back then felt just like the mothers today, where
everything you're trying to do to instill in your children
and your grandchildren and your nieces and your nephews and
your cousins in them, you're trying.

Speaker 4 (24:54):
To instill in them a mindset.

Speaker 5 (24:56):
And a perspective that lines up with the scriptures.

Speaker 3 (24:58):
And you know how it feels that it seems.

Speaker 5 (25:01):
Like everything out there is working against you. John says, look,
there's a throne. They're not in charge.

Speaker 1 (25:12):
He is.

Speaker 5 (25:18):
There is a throne that is above all earthly thrones,
above all powers, above all human authorities, above all other
seats of influence, above all presidents, above all administrations, above
all monarchs, above all kings, above all governmental systems, above
all institutions, above all establishments.

Speaker 3 (25:38):
There is a throne.

Speaker 5 (25:40):
It has not been replaced, it has not been moved,
it has.

Speaker 3 (25:43):
Not been diminished in power.

Speaker 5 (25:45):
And John says it is also not unoccupied, because he says,
I saw a throne as somebody was sitting on it.

Speaker 3 (25:56):
Because listen to me, what good is a throne that
ain't nobody sitting now?

Speaker 5 (26:01):
He said, I saw the one who, honestly, I can't
even find words to describe. He is the sovereign ruler
and the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
And his presence was bright and brilliant and beyond a
human explanation.

Speaker 3 (26:15):
And I saw him. He was seated on the throne.

Speaker 5 (26:18):
And the reason why this matters is because in the
Middle East, y'all, kings didn't sit.

Speaker 3 (26:25):
When there were battles that were raging. They stood up.

Speaker 5 (26:29):
Pacing to make sure they had oversight of the entire
battle and to make sure that they were delivering the strategy.

Speaker 3 (26:35):
For the battle.

Speaker 5 (26:36):
The only time Eastern kings sat down is once the
battle had already been won. Amen, they sat down when
the victory was already complete. John says, Look, and there's

(27:01):
a king.

Speaker 3 (27:01):
And he's sitting down on the throne.

Speaker 4 (27:03):
To tell you the battle.

Speaker 3 (27:05):
Has already been won.

Speaker 5 (27:08):
Amen, Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Oh, I'm so
grateful that he's.

Speaker 3 (27:23):
On the throne.

Speaker 5 (27:28):
And y'all, that knowledge is not designed to give us
goosebumps or.

Speaker 3 (27:32):
To make us emotional.

Speaker 5 (27:33):
If you really grab hold of what John is showing
us behind this door, it'll settle you it'll calm you.
It'll give you peace beyond understanding. It will allow you
to do what Psalm forty six' ten, says be still
and know that he Is. God when your child has

(27:55):
left home and broken your, heart when your marriage is
slowly when the financial downturn has brought your family and
your business to its, knees when the doctor has delivered
a diagnosis that has shocked you and shifted the.

Speaker 4 (28:09):
Trajectory of your entire.

Speaker 5 (28:11):
Life when death has stolen the hope you had of
what your future would look. Like when your unmet dreams
and unfulfilled aspirations have left you with a low grade
simmering discontent and.

Speaker 4 (28:23):
Sadness john, says in.

Speaker 5 (28:26):
Light of all of, that turn your attention upward.

Speaker 3 (28:29):
Through the standing open.

Speaker 5 (28:31):
Door look, inside and you're gonna see there's somebody in.

Speaker 4 (28:35):
Charge he's on the, throne unmoved and.

Speaker 3 (28:39):
Unshaken he is a sovereign. Ruler john, says that's not
ALL i. Saw.

Speaker 4 (28:57):
Wow verse, Three he who.

Speaker 5 (29:02):
Was sitting on the stone on the throne was like
a jasper stone that's like an uncut, diamond so brilliant
in the, light and a sardius that's like a, ruby
it's red in.

Speaker 3 (29:12):
Color and there was also a rainbow around the.

Speaker 5 (29:17):
Throne john, SAYS i don't want you to just know
what was on the.

Speaker 3 (29:22):
THRONE i want you to know what was above the.
Throne he, SAYS i saw a.

Speaker 5 (29:26):
Rainbow, Okay jerry AND i had been married for getting
ready to be twenty six.

Speaker 3 (29:32):
YEARS i can't believe.

Speaker 5 (29:33):
It CAN i just pause and introduce my husband to, you?

Speaker 3 (29:40):
Y'all this Is Jerry. SHIRE i. Know just stand, up,
baby because they sometimes they don't see.

Speaker 1 (29:44):
You.

Speaker 4 (29:45):
JERRY i know.

Speaker 5 (29:53):
We've raised these three boys, together three boys that have become.
Men i'm gonna tell you one of the most distinguishing
differences between and when they were younger and. Now when
they were, younger all they wanted to do was hug.
Me it blessed them to hug.

Speaker 3 (30:08):
Me they wanted to.

Speaker 5 (30:10):
Cuddle they jumped in the. Bed they wanted to be
between me and their. Dad they wanted me to wrap
my arms around. Them they would snuggle in when they
were tired or they were a little bit, sad or
they just wanted to have a moment of.

Speaker 3 (30:21):
Respite they would.

Speaker 5 (30:22):
Let me hug, them and they hugged me back and
every TIME i hugged, THEM i was trying to communicate
to THEM i love you AND i got. You the
difference now when they're twenty something and sixteen and eighteen
and those kinds of, ages.

Speaker 3 (30:38):
Is, mom you are touching.

Speaker 5 (30:41):
Me they're not really as interested in the hugs as
What i'm. Saying they're not readily jumping in the. Bed
even last, NIGHT i said To, jude our youngest. SON
i said to, him he came in our room right before.
BED i, Said, jude come, on jump in this bed with.
Us he was, like maybe From Mother's day.

Speaker 4 (30:58):
Tomorrow hugging me is not.

Speaker 3 (31:04):
Their jam right. Now you. Know they let, me but
they give me these little raggedy pats on my.

Speaker 5 (31:10):
Back BUT i hug them anyway Because i'm STILL i
don't care if you hug me.

Speaker 3 (31:18):
Back i'm still communicating to you THAT i love you
And i've got your. Back, genesis chapter.

Speaker 5 (31:29):
Nine god gives humanity a hug because there has been
judgment and rebellion and sin that has proliferated so far
across The earth that the entire earth needs to be
destroyed by a. Flood there's forty days and forty nights
of such explosive rains that floods consumed the entire.

Speaker 3 (31:47):
Earth everyone and everybody is consumed if they wasn't On noah's.

Speaker 5 (31:50):
Ark but then one Day god's judgment is, assuaged his
justice is taken care. Of the sky shuts, up and
as the earth begins to regain its, Composure god gives
humanity a.

Speaker 3 (32:07):
HUG a rainbow arches itself across the.

Speaker 5 (32:10):
Sky it is a declaration of his covenant with humanity
that mercy will always triumph over.

Speaker 3 (32:18):
Judgment the rainbow wasn't just about. Water it was about.

Speaker 5 (32:21):
Instituting a season of grace for his people for all.
Time mercy would be the way he would relate to
us moving. Forward there was a rainbow back, then And john, says, look,
behold there's not just a, throne but there's a rainbow
arching over the, throne which.

Speaker 3 (32:39):
Means he is not just a sovereign.

Speaker 5 (32:42):
Ruler he is also a promise, keeper not just for one,
generation but two a thousand. Generations that he's the one
who keeps his, Promises he keeps his covenants for twenty
six hundred. Years the rainbow remains proof that Our god

(33:02):
keeps his. Word he is, Merciful he is. Gracious he
doesn't give you what you. Deserve he doesn't treat us
the way we deserve to be. Treated, instead his loving
kindness is, vast his patience, Endures he is slow to anger, anybody,
grateful and he is great in loving, kindness which Means john,

(33:24):
says take a, look you go see that, rainbow which,
means it doesn't matter what you've, Done thank You.

Speaker 3 (33:33):
Lord it doesn't matter where you've.

Speaker 5 (33:34):
Gone it doesn't matter what you've.

Speaker 4 (33:37):
Said it doesn't matter the path.

Speaker 5 (33:40):
You've walked, down or the difficult decisions that you went,
through or the abuse you.

Speaker 3 (33:44):
Caused or that you. Suffered it doesn't matter what your history.

Speaker 5 (33:48):
Is it doesn't matter if the pit you are currently
in is a pit you dug for your own, self
no matter how deep that. Pit the mercy Of god
is so, expansive so, extensive so, boundless That.

Speaker 3 (34:02):
He can reach down in the pit you made.

Speaker 5 (34:04):
For yourself and pull you up out of. It jehn, Says,
look there's the. Rainbow and in a time when.

Speaker 4 (34:16):
The rainbow has been co, opted.

Speaker 5 (34:21):
When the rainbow has been utilized for social and political
agendas that are completely.

Speaker 3 (34:26):
Out of alignment with the truth Of.

Speaker 5 (34:28):
God jehn, says would you remember the rainbow was his back,
then and the rainbow is still his. Today his mercy endures.
Forever his promises they're, Unconditional thank You. Lord his mercy

(34:48):
is far, Reaching thank You. Lord his covenant is. Unbreakable john, says.

Speaker 3 (34:54):
Would you just.

Speaker 5 (34:55):
Look if you, do you'll see he's a sovereign ruler
and he's also a promise. Keeper john, SAYS i saw
somebody on the. THRONE i saw something around the. Throne
but he, said that's not ALL i.

Speaker 4 (35:09):
Saw he, SAID i just got to tell.

Speaker 3 (35:12):
You one more, thing because WHAT.

Speaker 5 (35:13):
I saw was in front of the. Throne verse, Six he,
says and.

Speaker 3 (35:20):
Before the throne there was a sea of glass like,
crystal crystal clear. Waters we took a. Cruise this is.

Speaker 5 (35:37):
Years, ago And i'm just gonna, say if you've ever
taken a, CRUISE i don't know about, you BUT i
like my waters crystal clear like.

Speaker 3 (35:44):
Glass i'm not trying to feel the most When i'm
on the, cruise you.

Speaker 5 (35:49):
Know and if you've been on one of, them you,
know it's like a shopping mall on.

Speaker 3 (35:53):
Water it's.

Speaker 5 (35:54):
Enormous there are movie theaters over. There and basketball gold
thingies over, there and there's cafeterias everywhere in. Restaurants it's
like you're At North Park. Mall that's what it feels.

Speaker 3 (36:04):
Like on the, water it's.

Speaker 5 (36:06):
Unbelievable and most of the time you're sailing along and,
really unless you're standing by a, window.

Speaker 3 (36:11):
You don't even really detect the fact that you're moving
unless there's a.

Speaker 5 (36:14):
Storm so years, ago we're on a cruise With mom
And dad for one of their ministry events that they
were doing, together and the four of us were there all,
together and.

Speaker 3 (36:24):
Y'all it was the storm of a.

Speaker 5 (36:25):
Lifetime it was so dramatic that they had to make
announcements for everybody to go to their rooms as soon
as possible because of the danger regarding. It we found
out later that the storm had so stirred up to
see that the waves were the. Titles, REALLY i should,
say the tidal waves were about forty feet. High we

(36:46):
could actually feel and, see do you remember. This we
could see and feel that the front as the boat went,
forward the front of this big ship coming up off
the water and slapping back. Down we remember that all
of the dishes in the dining room were sliding off the,
tables chairs were flying, everywhere things were being upturned and.
Upended it was devastating to be on the storm with

(37:09):
the waters that. Rough When john is writing The book Of,
revelation he is trying to write it in a way
that it has a lot of symbols in, It and
there's two reasons. Why one of them is that he
is being heavily guarded On. Patmos if he writes in plain,
language there are some letters they're gonna rip up and
not send through to the. Church so he's writing in
symbols that he knows the people in the church will

(37:30):
understand that the guards may. Not but the other reason
why he's writing in symbols is because there are.

Speaker 3 (37:36):
Some things he actually can't find the words to. Explain
he can't figure out how to describe it.

Speaker 5 (37:42):
Exactly so Whether john saw an actual sea in front
of the throne or whether this was just the best
picture he can, find he describes it as a sea
that is crystal, clear completely still like. Glass for the,
ancients the sea was represented demonic. Activity when they got

(38:03):
on the, sea they were terrified of the.

Speaker 3 (38:05):
Sea they were mortified of the sea when.

Speaker 5 (38:07):
It was stirred up in any way because of storm
or just because of a change in, tides they would
be completely mortified because to them in a polytheistic, culture
what it meant was that one of the gods had been.
Upset this is why When jonah's running From god and
he gets on that ship with those other sailors and
the storm kicks, up one of those sailors in The

(38:27):
book Of jonah looks around at everybody else and, says.

Speaker 3 (38:30):
Can y'all please call off to y'all's.

Speaker 5 (38:31):
Gods we got to figure out which god we have
made mad and whichever one of y'all did?

Speaker 4 (38:37):
It y'all going, overboard because this sea right here will
take us.

Speaker 5 (38:42):
Out it was a sign of demonic. Activity this is
also why in The New testament In john chapter, four
When jesus is with the disciples going over to the
other side and a storm kicks up and the disciples
are fearful.

Speaker 3 (38:56):
And don't know if they're gonna make. It this is
why When.

Speaker 5 (38:58):
Jesus stands up and says to the winds and the, waste.

Speaker 4 (39:03):
Peace be, still he is not.

Speaker 5 (39:06):
Only showing his mastery and authority over creation what's on the.
Earth he's showing his mastery and authority for what's under the.

Speaker 3 (39:13):
Earth he wants everybody to, Know.

Speaker 5 (39:16):
I'm in charge of what's up, there what's, here and
also what's happening. Below all demonic authority is under the
control and is subdued in the face Of Jesus. Christ john,
SAYS i want you to know that if, you since
the enemy has been doing a number on, you stirring

(39:37):
things up with you and your loved, ones your children
and your, grandchildren if you're seeing the seas of your
lives in chaos and in complete disorder and strife and
jealousy and hurt and.

Speaker 3 (39:49):
Harm on every, side if you feel like a ship.

Speaker 5 (39:52):
Without a sail that's being tossed to and fro on
the roughest of, waters because what the enemy is a
sailing against, You john, says would you just, look you're
gonna see not only that somebody sitting on the, throne
not only that there's A dirk declaration of his mercy
over the, throne but you're gonna see that before the,
throne even the devil bends the, knee that all demonic

(40:15):
activity is stilled in the presence of an Almighty. God
because he's not just your sovereign. Ruler he's not just
our promise. Keeper he is also a. Peacegiver he is
a peace. Speaker he's an evil, Crusher he's a storm.

Speaker 4 (40:30):
Calmer he is a chaos.

Speaker 3 (40:32):
Tamer and at his, name.

Speaker 5 (40:43):
Every, knee every assignment that the enemy has against you
and your family.

Speaker 3 (40:56):
Bends the knee before the.

Speaker 5 (40:58):
Throne and all the chaos he causes becomes.

Speaker 4 (41:02):
Still in the presence Of Jesus.

Speaker 5 (41:04):
Christ he has authority over hell and over its.

Speaker 3 (41:10):
Intentions the devil don't have the final. Word he.

Speaker 4 (41:14):
Does he is your sovereign.

Speaker 5 (41:18):
Ruler he, is thank, You, lord a promise, keeper and
he is a.

Speaker 4 (41:22):
Peacegiver he still speaks.

Speaker 3 (41:25):
To the winds and the.

Speaker 5 (41:26):
Waves he still says peace be, still and the winds
and the waves still obey. Him in your, life in
your children's, lives in your grandchildren's, lives in your great grandchildren's.

Speaker 3 (41:41):
Lives not just one.

Speaker 5 (41:42):
Generation but to one thousand. Generations the presence Of god changes, everything.

Speaker 3 (41:50):
And all the angelic, creatures all.

Speaker 5 (41:54):
Of the forces of, heaven the twenty and the Four,
elders all of, them and they were in the presence
of the. Throne they, Said, Holy, Holy, holy is The
Lord God, almighty who, was and is and is to.
Come and then the, elders they took the crowns off their,

(42:15):
heads and they laid them down.

Speaker 3 (42:17):
At the feet Of.

Speaker 4 (42:18):
Jesus worthy is The?

Speaker 3 (42:19):
Lamb, worthy aren't You?

Speaker 5 (42:22):
God to receive glory and honor and power and, dominion
both now and forevermore In jesus'.

Speaker 3 (42:33):
Name come, on let the church Say, amen praise The.
Lord would you vow your heads with?

Speaker 1 (42:47):
Me?

Speaker 5 (42:47):
Please you cannot have access to heaven if you don't
have a relationship With, god.

Speaker 4 (42:59):
And there is all only one way to have.

Speaker 3 (43:00):
A relationship With.

Speaker 5 (43:02):
God john, Said, look, Behold jesus.

Speaker 3 (43:06):
Is the one who is on the.

Speaker 5 (43:07):
Throne and to make it through the difficulties of, life
to be able to stand firm in the face of
demonic weapons that are trying to be forged against you
and your, family you gonna need a relationship With.

Speaker 3 (43:22):
Jesus you can't make it Without.

Speaker 5 (43:24):
Jesus i'm gonna tell You i've lived long enough at.

Speaker 3 (43:27):
This point to know Without jesus there is no.

Speaker 5 (43:29):
Hope if there's anybody in this room and you realize
you need a door open to, heaven you need to
see The. Savior you need to have relationship with The,
savior and you recognize on This Mother's day that you,
don't and you want to change. That, today please come
down to this altar and let us pray with you

(43:50):
that once and for, all the trajectory of your.

Speaker 3 (43:52):
Entire life will be. Changed is there? Anybody don't leave
today unless you're. Sure m anyone? Home seyone a on

(44:17):
the break the seal and open this gall.

Speaker 4 (44:22):
The line up Cho.

Speaker 3 (44:26):
He conquered the.

Speaker 5 (44:27):
Grave he Is dave's food and the lamp who died
to lend some?

Speaker 4 (44:34):
Dislave is he?

Speaker 3 (44:37):
Word is he worthy her? Mother lessing and?

Speaker 4 (44:45):
Honored And lord.

Speaker 1 (44:49):
Yes he?

Speaker 3 (44:50):
Worzy oh.

Speaker 5 (44:59):
Yeah he.

Speaker 1 (45:05):
Leaders let's cover say one word Praise. God senny one?

Speaker 3 (45:20):
Home sit anyone able to break the seal and open
thus wore.

Speaker 1 (45:30):
The line up. Shoe we have time and through anyone.
Else he conquered the.

Speaker 3 (45:35):
Gray he is Day it's run and the lamb who
died to ransom the slight.

Speaker 1 (45:45):
Is? He wh.

Speaker 4 (45:49):
Is he world.

Speaker 1 (45:52):
Of? Honor and.

Speaker 4 (45:58):
Is he wore.

Speaker 1 (46:05):
Just for a, moment all the body Of. Christ stretch
your hands to the front and pray.

Speaker 2 (46:13):
With your eyes at the. Door the Sovereign god who
sits on the. Throne let's pray who deals with us
in mercy.

Speaker 3 (46:24):
And is over all.

Speaker 1 (46:25):
Storms the enemy is under his, feet therefore he's under.
Ours pray in the, house lift your.

Speaker 2 (46:39):
Voices if there's anyone down here who's come down to

(47:08):
Accept Jesus. Christ it's the greatest day of your life
to get the freedom that comes through the sun from your,
sins to be cleansed of all. Unrighteousness i'm going to
say a. Prayer the prayer is not what saves. You
it is your belief In Jesus christ for the forgiveness
of your sins that. Does But i'll use the prayer

(47:30):
to lead, you and all the house will say it
with you and. Support repeat after, Me Lord. Jesus i'm
a sinner And i'm in need of a. Savior i'm
asking you to be that. SAVIOR i believed you lived
a perfect, life Satisfying, god that you died a sinner's,

(47:54):
death and that you rose from the grave.

Speaker 1 (47:59):
To give me.

Speaker 2 (47:59):
LIFE i accept that. LIFE i want to live that.
Life guide me and save me In jesus'. Name All
god's people, Said. Amen for those of you who are
here at the. Front if you've Accepted christ today or

(48:23):
you want extra, Prayer i'd ask the leaders to guide
them right over here To Pastor chris will who's at
the top of the. Stairs, leaders if they would like
extra prayer or they Accepted, christ please guide them this.
Way let's clap for them in The house Of. God
know that they are, supported. Y'ALL i, DON'T i don't even.

Speaker 1 (48:51):
Know i'm just like wow to remember all. That just

(49:14):
remember a, throne a rainbow.

Speaker 2 (49:21):
In crystal clear like. GLASS a, throne a rainbow in
crystal clear like. Glass, WELL i think we preached.

Speaker 1 (49:32):
The sermon for the. Year i'll see You january, one
twenty twenty sixth.

Speaker 2 (49:38):
We Got Jonah noah. Revelation we're, like how are you
gonna do? REVELATION i Think i'll stick with The. Gospels
but was that not a blessing the word Of.

Speaker 1 (49:52):
God i'm gonna ask us all to stand to our feet.
Now i'm gonna do a short prayer BEFORE i. Do don't.

Speaker 2 (50:02):
Forget we Have Mother's day photos for all of you
in the grove to take those. Photos continue to be
faithful To god and giving for two. Reasons because it's
obedience and because we're going. Somewhere if you want to
become a member of Oaklib Bible fellowship ocbfchurch dot org
forward slash membership and membership and you can go through that.
Process let's pray, Together Heavenly, father we love you and honor.

(50:24):
You thank You, lord that there is a, door there
is a, throne there is someone on, it there is a,
rainbow And, lord the enemy is under your. Feet we
give you the, glory take us home and the care
that you brought us. In we love, You lord And jesus',
name All god's people, said greet each other as you.

Speaker 1 (50:46):
Leave if you can, LEAVE i can better side him

(51:10):
from my. Head you don't want to stay up till.

Speaker 3 (51:17):
You're gonna.

Speaker 1 (51:17):
Leave