I'm sorry brother, you was going to say something brother Shannon. Bible reading? Yeah. I got more questions than answers. Oh, isn't it interesting? You know, it's just, I've read it before, read it, know what it says, kind of hear what it says. Yeah. It just seems that some of the action in there that Jesus is saying Uh-huh. I tried to find like a nickel, whatever that is, how do you pronounce that? The nickelations? Nickelations. Yeah. I couldn't find a, I know what the name stands for. Uh-huh. Yeah, conqueror, yeah, the deeds. Yeah, they're teaching. And I can't find anything that really says what that doctrine was. So I got a question on that. And then the church tyrant that says you're dead. Some of y'all are already dead. And others are dying. Well, yeah, he says in that, let's see here at Thyatira, let's see. He says, I know your works, your love, your service, nevertheless, I have a few things against you. He goes on to say, indeed, I will cast you upon a sick bed. Let me see. Are you talking about the ones when he says, that you have a name that you are alive but you're dead? Yes, Sardis. Yeah, Sardis. Yeah, that's where he says, I know your works that you have a name that you are alive but you are dead. And it says, he wants one now and he's drinking up. Mm-hmm be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have not found your works perfect for God and remember therefore you have received and heard hold fast therefore I will come upon you as a thief You know, obviously within these churches, when he writes to these things, just like any church, because they were physical churches, you're gonna have people within that church that are overcomers. You're gonna have people that have not yet been born again, you're going to have every one of those elements that are going to be involved, and some of them, as he said, you have a name that you are alive, but you're dead, in the sense that you have a name that you're something, but you really have no spiritual life in you. It's the idea. You're dead. It's not a living. You're doing it your way, and you're not doing it my way, and that leads to death. So then he says, watch therefore, there's some of you that are ready to die. If you're not careful, you're gonna get caught up with the rest of them, and that's where you get the invitation to overcome in it. He's saying, don't let them who are dead misleads you into this spiritual death, heed my voice, and I'll grant you this life that you need. If you wanna be an overcomer, and each one of these overcomers, because every one of them, he gives this invitation to overcome. And John talks about what does overcome, our faith. And first John. He says, I think it is, look in 1 John 4. It's either four or five, might be five, let's see. 1 John 5, four. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. So the overcomer is those who have believed and those who take God at his word, in faith. So every one of these invitations is going back to this, remember the description that John saw of Jesus in the beginning. Every one of these invitations to overcome take us back to who Jesus is, that you're putting faith in him. And even though the world around you is discrediting him, even though the world around you is saying that it's not worth serving him. And you have those that appear to be alive, but they're dead. Don't let them dictate how you surrender to me. Because that's just this overcoming dynamic of it. Because what does he say? He who overcomes, I'll give access, I'll give this, I'll give that, I'll give this, I'll give that. That is, the overcomer is the believer. Let him hear, that's right. Says, that's right. I want you. And above ears, I'm on my eyes, like Job. Well, you gotta remember, it's the ears that allow us to see. You know, faith is hearing. Yeah, I understand. That's where it's at. The spiritual eyes are open. But Job says, now I see. Yeah, yeah. And that's where I wanna get to with God is Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. All right, well let's lift up some on a prayer list and we'll jump in the book. We're up in Revelation right now. We're up to chapter number four. And Revelation helps us. You want to keep in mind what it is. It's an unveiling. And who's it an unveiling of? It's an unveiling of Jesus. When you look in chapter one, that's something that you want to pick up on, is that he says it right up front, the revelation of Jesus Christ. That is an unveiling of Jesus in a way that he had not previously been known. and from that perspective of his full and complete work, From the Lamb to the Lion. because here he is as a lamb of God who was the sacrifice who gave his life for us. Now we see this same lamb who is going to be the lion. And many things we keep seeing in it anytime the throne of God is brought to light in Revelation. When you see the throne and those around the throne, and lightnings and thunderings and all those are evidences of a storm coming. We've talked about this before. Now we're not looking for the storm, we're looking for our Savior. He's coming back for his people. But a world we live in, there's a storm brewing. There's a storm that is in the making as it comes. Chapter one's gonna tell us that it's the unveiling of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show his servants, so it's a book for us, of the servants of God, things which must shortly take place. Now the idea of things that, number one, you gotta emphasize the fact that they must take place, that it's, they're gonna happen. But the idea of shortly take place is more in light of when they begin to unfold, things are gonna happen quickly. meaning when you take the whole scope of humanity, of the 6,000, 7,000 years of humanity that has been happening, that all this has been working out according to God's plan, but this is all gonna narrow down when you get into chapters four to 22, and specifically chapter six through 19, they're gonna happen in a short span of time, a seven year period, is these things are gonna happen and they're gonna reduce down to a three and a half year period, doing what we know of a tribulation timeframe. So when it happens, it's gonna happen quickly. And the issue is, is that we need to be ready for it before it ever happens. is the urgency that is in it. And then he says this, he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant, John. Now we can see pictures of this. For an example, you have a look in chapter 22. Look in 22 and around verse number six. As we get into the book further, you're gonna continue to see where this angel comes in the play of revealing these things to John. John even is gonna bow down to him at times, and he's gonna tell him, don't bow down to me. I am a servant as you are a servant. But in 22.6, it says, then he said to me, these words are faithful and true, and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his messenger, that's the idea of an angel, his messenger to show his servants the things which must shortly take place. Okay, that takes us back to the outline of the book. And this is something that I probably have not picked up on in my previous readings, but in this particular time, I think I see something in this that I may have missed in times past, because revelation can be a difficult, when you read something like this, for an example, chapter one, he said that he gave it to Jesus, Jesus gave it to the angel, the angel gives it to John, and John gives it to his servants. Okay. 119 tells us, 119 tells us, gives us an outline of the book. Write the things which you have seen, that's everything that he's already mentioned, The things which are, that would be the current condition of the seven churches that he writes about in chapter two and three. And then the things which must take place after this. Okay, we don't see the angel come in to play until chapter four on. Previous to this, we see Jesus coming to John and showing himself. Previous to this, we see Jesus referring to the Spirit speaking to the churches. Are you with me? We don't see the angel. So the angel is applying from chapter 4 on. And then you see in 22, he says it again, the things which must shortly take place. That's the idea of when the angel comes in and has this message for his servants. But up to this point, in what we've been reading in chapters one, two, and three, we don't see the angel coming. What did John hear? He saw Jesus. He heard Jesus on the Isle of Patmos. He saw Jesus in the what? The garments. And then he heard Jesus speak to him that he had a message for the seven churches. And then he says, Jesus said, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. But then you get in the chapter four, you start seeing where there's this invitation to come and see. You see in future events, things that's gonna take place later. That's what the angel come and brought to it. And then signified it in the end of all these things that are written. So in the front part, and I only say this because there's a lot of commentaries, a lot of people write about these things, and I haven't read anything that highlighted what I just shared with you, it's always in reference, even in my teaching over the years, is about this angel giving it to John and then signifying it, but it was in the last couple days as I've been reading through, I've been looking at it and I was like, well, we see Jesus, personally speaking to John, he turned and looked at him and what he saw, and then he bowed down, and just for time's sake, we won't read it, we're gonna run out of time, He bowed down to him and then he spoke to him of what he saw, told him that the lampstands that he saw was the picture of the seven churches. He was in the midst of them. And then the stars that were in the hand of him were the messengers, the angels of those churches, the messengers of those churches. And he said that I want you to tell the church at Ephesus. And he makes reference to Each individual of these seven churches he speaks to, but at the close of each of these, he says, let him who has ears hear what the Spirit says, not just to this church, but what the Spirit says to all the churches. And I think that's significant for us because the idea of him who has ears is the idea of him who has the capacity to hear. Not everybody has the capacity to hear. You gotta be a servant to hear. Okay, you gotta be a servant. Jesus said, those that are not his sheep, which is the idea of a servant, don't hear his voice. But his sheep what? Hear his voice. So that tells me that you have to be given the capacity to hear. Now when you have the capacity to hear, now you have the ability to choose to hear. Prior to having that capacity, you're not gonna hear it. So no matter what he says, you're not gonna hear it. It's being revealed to the servants. That's who he send it to, for his servants. One, the unveiling of Jesus. And remember, these events are telling us what's some things that are gonna happen in a short period of time. But remember, events are not what delivers people. It's the shepherd that delivers people. It's the king that delivers people. It's Jesus that delivers people. So that's what the unveiling is. It's an unveiling of what Jesus is doing. These events is what he's doing. These events is what he's in control of. These things that are to come are what he, the enemy's not in control of this. The world's not in control of this. He's in control. But in the meantime, what he wants the church to know, the bride to know, that he's given us the capacity to hear. Now we need to choose to hear what he says about each individual church. What he says to Ephesus, what he says to Pergamos, what he says to Thyatira, and Sardis, and Philadelphia, and Laodicea. We need to hear what he says to Smyrna. Because each one of these messages, if you pay attention to them, the first one he says that I have this against you. Then the second one, he commends them. And then the next one, he's got an issue with them. And then the next one, he exalts them. And then the next one, he's got another issue. And then he exalts the next one, and then he does it again. And then in the end, the seventh one, he's got a problem with the church at Laodicea. So it starts out in these seven churches where I have something, I, you're doing good, I have something, you're doing well, I have something, you're doing well, I have something. You know, they keep going in that structure like that. And, but he wants us to really hear what he says to each one of them, because they all apply to us no matter if we're 2000 years away from it or not. And the overcomers are the believers. That's what you wanna remember. Remember the overcomers are getting things that he's already revealed in the front part of the message. And so that was just something for us to take note of. Chapters one through three, we see Jesus speaking to John. And when he speaks, he wants us to hear what the Spirit says. But in chapter four on, what we see is these, let's go to chapter four real quick, where we are today. I think this will help you understand because when he says, I sent it by an angel to reveal things that must shortly take place, the angel don't show up till, in the book for a period of time. Verse number, chapter four, verse one, after these things I look and behold a door standing open in heaven and the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me saying, come up here and I will show you things that much shortly take place after what? Anytime the angels is involved, when you look at it for an example, hold your spot right there and look back at chapter one again in verse number, One, the revelation of Jesus, which God gave to Jesus, to show his servants the things that must shortly, what? Come to pass, or take place. You get into chapter four, verse number one, he heard as if it was a trumpet, and one said, come up here. This was the first verse he heard, first voice he heard, it was like a trumpet, said come up here, and what was he gonna show him? That which must, come to pass after this, yeah. And immediately I was in the spirit and behold, what did he see when he got there? He saw the throne. And then when he gets to heaven and he sees this throne, and then he sees these four living creatures and these 24 elders and he sees all these things. But even though these things are somewhat unexplainable to us, you gotta go back to who we're all in heaven giving their attention to. They were given their teacher, their attention to him who sat upon the throne and to the Lamb of God. They were given their attention to the glory of God, amen? And then every time we see the throne, every time we see anybody in heaven, anytime we see anybody that is trusting God on earth, what are they giving their attention to? To the Lamb who is worthy. That is what we wanna pick up on. is that the angels who serve God, the people who serve God, the people who are living for the glory of God, they were given all their adoration and affection toward the Lamb who was slain. And they were praising Him, even though, even though they knew that the Lion of the tribe of Judah was about to come down and wreak havoc upon the earth, what did they kept doing? They kept what? Praising Him and giving Him glory. And that's what we want to be caught up in. That's the whole message of the Spirit. Let him who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. We want to be caught up in Him who everything in heaven and everybody that trusts Him on the earth, they're all giving Him His attention. and they're giving him his focus. And that's what we wanna really glean, even in the, some of these things that are just difficult to pick up on and understand, you wanna take in parallel chapters four to 19 and 20 up in that area, They're gonna tie into everything that Daniel was talking about in a past day, what Ezekiel was talking about, what Matthew 24 is talking about of the great tribulation and Jacob's trouble. All that's gonna be unveiled. It's like a commentary on those chapters is what's gonna be happening during those time frames. And so, but what we don't wanna miss is there wasn't the focus upon the events. They were unveiling him who was gonna see these events come to pass, but they were giving their heart to him who was worthy. And that's the message we wanna glean from it and through it. For an example, look in 19, chapter 19. gotcha yeah in the reference to We're not making the thing the big thing, we're making the king. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Yeah. How are they living that scene? How are they living that hurt his voice? What are they doing in glory? What is everybody upon the earth that has heard his voice doing? They're all serving him unapologetically, unashamedly with everything they got. They're giving him glory. And that is the message for us today. That no matter what he chooses to do in these days, we wanna be found praising him. We wanna be found praying and giving him glory in our prayers, and we want to be pointing other people to him. Because that's what they were doing. That's what they were doing. In 19, in verse number 10, verse number 10. And I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, see that you do not do that. Remember, this is this angel that we're talking about. I am your fellow servant and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. So remember, this is a messenger who possesses the testimony of Jesus. Worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The word spirit means life of the breath. So the life of any prophetic thing is gonna be The testimony of Jesus. If the testimony of Jesus is not manifested in the prophetic, Jesus ain't in it. His life that he lived, which was righteous, and that testimony of him giving his life for us, which also includes all this that we see here of a future work that he's gonna do, that this lamb is also the lion. This humble servant is also the king. This redeemer is the ruler who's gonna take over the throne and everything is gonna be brought subject to him. Everything. Everything's gonna bow to him. And he's gonna turn everything over to his father. That's what the 24 elders did, they gave her a crown. Yes, that's what you see. Everything is submitting, everything's giving glory to Him in every aspect of it. But that's when you read the book, we always take that in light. Come on in. We take that in light of the whole aspect of it, is that He is the life of this prophetic book. It's an unveiling of Him. Y'all come on in. Yeah. The love bugs they have the wind has blown them our way, huh? They were bad yesterday down there. Them old love bug went down and shot with my dad and him yesterday. And them love bugs were so bad, you keep seeing them coming out the corner of your eye, you think doves were flying. And you go, oh, it's a love bug. Oh, it's a love bug. But yeah, they were flying everywhere. But yes, that is the spirit of prophecy. The breath and life of prophecy is Jesus, the testimony. the message, the covenant, the witness of Jesus Christ, his life, his blood, his death, his burial, his resurrection, his ascension, and his promised return, and that everything is gonna bow to me to him. So in the front part of the book to the church, Jesus speaks. He said, let him hear what the Spirit says. and it's in chapter four, the things that are gonna take place after this. And then we seen in 19, the minister said, look, don't worship me. We seen in 22, I just come to signify these things are gonna take place soon. And so that's when this, A future picture of what's to happen is being revealed by this messenger to the servants. The key is you wanna be a servant, amen? You wanna be a servant. Well, to God be the glory. To him be the glory. It's rich, it's good, there's a lot in it. And Lord willing, we'll keep learning as we walk through it, amen? Thank you, Jesus. That's how long a life is, right there, a vapor. In comparison to time. Ecclesiastes says that life is but a vapor.