Transcript: Jesus' Powerful Testimony: Finding Hope and Faith in the Bible

The following is a broadcast recorded live with Patricia Evans from Shining Light 7 Ministries. May the Lord bless your ears to hear and your heart to receive as you listen to God's holy word. Apostle John, the beloved of Jesus, was privileged to see many sights, terrible and wonderful, in the book of Revelations. as he was taken over by the power of the Holy Spirit and caught up in him to both see and write the things which he was shown for future generations of the church in order that she might know and be warned of the truth given in this most awesome vision inspired by God himself. This vision was intended to be a warning to the church in each generation of time. And John was given the vision and told to write it down and to take it to the seven churches. The letters to the churches, the seven churches called for the Christians to repent of their sins, both individually and collectively as the church. And they were instructed and commanded by Christ himself in the letters to repent, to return to faithfulness and good deeds and upright living. They were told in these letters to stand firm for Christ against the temptations which would come. And they were encouraged to stand firm in the time of trials and persecutions. They were promised specific rewards to the martyrs who faced death without denying Christ. These faithful people and followers of Jesus Christ carried the testimony of Jesus in their mouths. They did not carry their own testimony. Their testimony was about the one who had died to become eternal life and salvation. And they boldly offer this truth to whoever would choose it in that time. I would like us to start in Revelation 1.1. Look with me, please, in Revelation 1.1. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, his unveiling of the divine mysteries. God gave it to him to disclose and make known to his bondservants certain things which must shortly and speedily come to pass in their entirety. And he sent and communicated it through his angel messengers to his bondservant John. Verse 2, who has testified to and vouched for all that he saw in his visions, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. blessed happy to be envied is the man who reads aloud in the assemblies the word of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it who hear it read and who keep themselves true to the things which are written in it heeding them and laying them to heart for the time for them to be fulfilled is near. Verse 4. John to the seven assembly churches that are in Asia, may grace, God's unmerited favor be granted to you and spiritual peace, the peace of Christ's kingdom from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the sevenfold Holy Spirit before his throne. Verse 5. And from Jesus Christ, the faithful and trustworthy witness, the firstborn of the dead, first to be brought back to life, and the prince, the ruler of the kings of the earth, to him who ever loves us and who once for all loosed and freed us from our sins by his own blood. by his own blood. Verse 6 And formed us into a kingdom, a royal race, priests to his God and Father. To him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion throughout the ages and forever and ever. Amen. So it be. Verse 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him Even those who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth shall gaze upon him and beat their breasts and mourn and lament over him. Even so, must it be? Amen. So be it. Verse 8. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord God, he who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty, the ruler of all. Verse 9. I, John, your brother and companion, share and participator with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patient endurance which are in Christ Jesus was on the isle called Patmos, banished on account of my witnessing to the word of God and the testimony, the proof, the evidence for Jesus Christ. Verse 10, I was in the spirit, wrapped in by his power on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice like the calling of a war trumpet, saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. Write it promptly, which you see your vision in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis, to Philadelphia and to Laodicea. In this vision, John gives us many details but the main points of this vision precious church is that Jesus Christ himself spoke to John and gave him the mandate to take the words given to him by Jesus which were to be read in all the churches for ears to hear both what he saw and heard from the master himself and warn them to repent and turn around lest they lose out on their eternal salvation and promised reward. John carried the word of God, which is God himself, his personal, vital, essential and eternal words brought by his own son, Jesus Christ, who spoke what the Father told him to speak. the testimony of Jesus is the most wonderful and glorious gospel truth given by our most high and great God it is certainly and the only truth which will remain forever and ever and it is the only good news to mankind which will never change and will never be altered to fit any political agenda to accommodate any whim or group or cultural ideas in any given moment. The good news called the gospel is the testimony of Jesus. And it's called the testimony of Jesus because he is the author of it, equally so with the Father. They, the Father, and the Son are in complete agreement. and Jesus is the faithful witness revealing the character, the counsels and the will of God Jesus is the subject of the gospel and the spirit of God testified beforehand in the Old Testament the sufferings of the Christ to come and the glory that followed after that suffering the apostles were the inspired witnesses to report what they had seen apostle John was chosen by God to report this awesome revelation for our benefit today look with me in Revelation 19 1 please we have been looking in Revelation 1 1 through 10 and seeing John's testimony that he indeed was selected and received this vision from Jesus while he was banished to the islands of Patmos because he was a faithful witness of Christ he testified and vouched for all that he saw in his visions the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and John in these scriptures testified what he saw and he confirmed it to be true by what he heard because it was the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 19.1 After this, I heard what sounded like a mighty shout of a great crowd in heaven exclaiming, Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! salvation and glory splendor and majesty and power dominion and authority belong to our God because his judgments his condemnations and punishments his sentences of doom are true and sound and just and upright and he's judged and convicted and pronounced sentence and doom the great and notorious harlot idolatrous who is corrupted that demoralized and poisoned the earth with her lewdness and adultery, her idolatry. And he has avenged and visited on her the penalty for the blood of his servants at her hand. Verse 3, and again they shouted, Hallelujah, praise the Lord! The smoke of her burning shall continue to ascend forever and ever through the eternities of eternities. Then the 24 elders of our heavenly Sanhedrin and the four living creatures fell prostrate and worship, paying divine honors to God, who sits on the throne, saying, Amen. Hallelujah. And from the throne there came a voice saying, Praise our God, all you servants of his, you who reverence him, both small and great. Verse 6, him glory and honor for the marriage of the lamb has come his bride has prepared herself she has been permitted to dress in fine radiant linen dazzling and white for the fine linen signifies and represents the righteousness the upright just and godly living the deeds and conducts and right standing with god of the saints god's holy people verse 9 and then the angel said to me, write this down, blessed and happy to be envied are those who are summoned, invited and called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me further, these are the words, the genuine and exact declarations of God. Verse 10. And then I fell at his feet to worship, to pay divine honors to him. But he restrained me and he said, Refrain! You must not do that. I am only another servant with you and your brothers who have accepted and hold the testimony borne by Jesus. Worship God for the substance, the essence of truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy, the vital breath the inspiration of all inspired preaching and interpretation of the divine will and purpose including both mine and yours The testimony precious church the testimony of Jesus the truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of prophecy the spirit of prophecy is the vital breath the inspiration of the all inspired teaching all inspired interpretation of the divine will and purpose of God spoken from God and since that time by man who are witnesses of Christ giving testimonies of him to be a witness then of our Lord Jesus Christ means that we will speak the truth of him. We will speak the truth about him. We will speak and give testimony of Jesus Christ himself. Even the angel who appeared to John would not let the apostle worship him. He declared in verse 10 in chapter 19, When I fell down at his feet, To worship him. He said no. Don't worship me. I am a servant of God. Just like you and your brothers and sisters. Who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship God only. For the essence of prophecy. Is to give a clear witness for Jesus. The angel is making it abundantly clear to John. And to the readers in this day as well. That we must worship only God and not created beings or things. The scripture we just read says, Worship God for the substance, the essence of truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, the vital breath, the inspiration of all inspired preaching and interpretation of the divine will and purpose, including both mine and yours. I say, oh please, oh please don't get mad at me for being repetitive. I just long to make a point in this truth today that would be nailed to the walls of your heart so that when you do anything for Jesus, He will always remember that he is what we testify of and give witness to. So many times the church has taken the counterfeit path and given testimony of herself and endeavors to draw people to herself and not to Christ. not to Jesus Christ who spilled his blood and poured out his life and suffered a horrendous death for his church. The church is in the mode these days of building her own kingdom and not the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the greatest king. His kingdom is eternal. A kingdom with no end. By his own blood and life, he has now made it possible for you and me to be a part of his royal kingdom as priests in his household, ministering back to him the love that he lavishes upon us. Jesus was faithful to fulfill what his father had sent him to do. in John in Revelation 1.5 I remind you says and from Jesus Christ the faithful and trustworthy witness the firstborn of the dead first to be brought back to life and the prince the ruler of the kings of the earth to him who ever loves us and once for all loosed and freed us from our sins by his own blood and formed us into a kingdom, a royal race, priests to his God and Father. To him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion throughout the ages and forever and ever. Amen. So be it. To him, that is Christ who by his suffering and sacrifice for us by his precious blood spilled out and now frees us and looses us from our sins offering us the right to belong to his royal kingdom as a part of the new race and live and rule with him forever in his kingdom. The church is the body of Christ of which he, Jesus, is the head. Christ is the head of his church and ruler of his most holy kingdom because of what he sacrificed to rule over her. He is a worthy king, worthy to be adored and worshipped. And this is the truth which John speaks of here. The substance or the essence of the truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy In other words, prophecy is the divine manifestation of life Which is the vibrant living inspiration of the word of God The Bible is the inspired word of God To his own children showing the way to their eternal home Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross It is only by Christ's sacrifice In which any man or woman could ever enter into This eternal royal kingdom of God the Bible is the divinely inspired word of God from his own mouth and heart telling of his divine will and purpose for his children to live by it is God's instruction to his children the Bible shows us the way to the Father and this is through his son Jesus Christ who was faithful to do what his father asked of him. The word of God is God. God the Father's very own personal, essential, and eternal word was given to us, his own beloved children. This eternal word is God's own son. His very own son who is Jesus Christ. Christ and the word are inseparable the gospel of Jesus Christ who is the testimony of the Christ who was prophesied to come the gospel of Jesus Christ is the testimony of the Christ who was prophesied to come Jesus came into the world and testified about himself that he was the Messiah and that he was sent by the Father and was speaking the word given to him by his Father to declare into all the earth. Jesus came into the world and he was not silent and he was not intimidated by man and he was not deterred by his enemies. He was God in the flesh. And he was fully man with all the feelings and sensations that flesh would feel. He felt great pain when he suffered. He knew he was going to suffer, dear church, but he was not silent. He was like a lamb, never making a sound or give a struggle as it was being slain. but he did speak what the father had given him to say he had a divine mission and love was the driving motive of his mission love drove our savior to the cross love drove him and being full of this undying love Jesus allowed himself to be nailed to the cross because of his undying love for those who would choose him and even while he hung naked upon the cross all those around him were mocking him and deriding him our precious Lord our holy Jesus and while they were mocking him this pure unceasing immeasurable love was being projected at them as he was asking the Father to forgive them. We were there too. Father Jesus said in the book of Luke, Forgive them for they know not what they are doing. Jesus wasn't excusing them for their beastly actions and great denial of who he was. These were the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, The soldiers who had seen the miracles, the signs and the wonders performed by Jesus. But their hearts were hardened due to the ignorance of their own reason and preference of their own greed and depraved desires. Jesus was showing us a true example of releasing those who hurt us and harm us in our Christian walk and testimony of him. And the word of God tells us that God the Father is the great merciful judge. And Jesus was sent to offer mankind a way out of the bondage of the spirit of sin and death. Look with me please in Luke 23, 32. Luke 23, 32. two other men, both criminals were also let out with him to be executed. And when they came to the place called the skull, there they crucified him along with the other criminals, one on his right and the other on his left. Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. and they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching and the rulers even sneered at him and said, He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the chosen one. Verse 36. And the soldiers also came up and mocked him and they offered him wine and vinegar and said, If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. Verse 38 There was a written notice above him which read This is the king of the Jews. And one of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him. Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us. But the other criminal rebuked him. Don't you fear God, he said, since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly For we are getting what our deeds deserved But this man has done nothing wrong And then he said Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom And Jesus answered him I tell you the truth Today you will be with me in paradise Jesus the greatest king there will ever be died alongside two criminals Because he was mocked and spat upon, and even when he spoke kindly and gently, yet with authority, one of the thieves hanging next to him recognized him as the Savior who had come into the world. because he is the author of life himself and the promised savior he has offered a repentant thief eternal life in his kingdom this dear church is the very reason the son of God came into the world he came to offer life a new way for people in his Father's kingdom to live. Only Jesus can save and set free. Only Jesus can heal and deliver us of the bondages of our sins and sicknesses. The world needs to hear of the testimony and confession of Jesus Christ from our mouths. The world needs to hear that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners from eternal damnation, which is hell's fire. The prophecy of Jesus was declared throughout the Old Testament, testifying of his coming to set the captives free. Look with me, please, in Isaiah 61, verse 1. Isaiah 61, verse 1. The spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. And he sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God. to comfort all who mourn and to provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes and the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Hallelujah. We are warned throughout the book of life That time is short and Jesus is coming You do not know when Jesus comes Either do I I do not know when he comes for me Or if I shall live to see him come As John the Apostle saw him coming in the vision In Revelations Coming on his white horse with the armies of heaven Jesus tells us in the word That he comes like a thief in the night And that we should be ready at all times for his coming This is a warning for us To be ready at all times And not put off today What we should be doing in preparation for tomorrow what can we learn in our day from the warnings John took to give the churches in his day in Revelation 1.17 we read that in 17 when I saw him I fell at his feet as though dead then he placed his right hand on me and he said do not be afraid I am the first and the last I am the living one I was dead and behold I am alive forever and ever I hold the keys of death and Hades Jesus commanded in the next scripture in verse 19 he commanded John to write what he saw Jesus commanded John to write down what he saw Write therefore what you've seen Now is what will take place later The mysteries of the stars of heaven That you saw in my right hand I would like to preface As we read this In these verses That Revelation 117 That Jesus is making it known that he is the first and the last. He is the living one. He once was dead, now he holds the keys. And he commanded John to write, Write therefore what you've seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand. The golden lampstands is this. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. we are going to see what John was to write and what warnings were given to the church in this time that were spoken by our Lord in Revelation 2 verse 1 to the angel of the church of Ephesus write these are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven gold lampstands verse 2 I know your deeds Your hard work and your perseverance. And I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men. And that you've tested those who claim to be apostles but are not. And have found them false. Verse 3. And you've persevered and have endured many hardships for my name. And you've not grown weary. Verse 4. Yet I hold this against you. You have forsaken your first love Remember the height from which you have fallen Repent and do the things you did at first If you do not repent I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place But you have this in your favor You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans Which I also hate He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, to him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God. The people, the warning given to them was to have as much zeal that they had for searching out and finding the apostate, The apostles who were false, they were apostate, and they had great zeal to find them out. They did not grow weary from that, but they grew weary in their love. They forgot they needed to keep alive their first love. And this was the warning to them. They forgot their first love. They were to repent and go back to their first love. Verse 8. some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. Verse 11, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. So the warning here to the church of Smyrna was do not cave in under persecution. Stand. Be strong in the Lord. And he would give them the courage to stand and to endure so that they would not lose out on their crown of life. So the warning again is do not cave in under pressure. Stand. Verse 12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamon write, These are the words of him who has the sharp double-edged sword. I know where you live because Satan has his throne, and yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness who was put to death in your city where Satan lives. Verse 14. Nevertheless, I have a few things to say against you. You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Verse 15. Likewise, you also have those holding to the teachings of Nicolaitans. Verse 16. repent therefore otherwise I will come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth he who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches to him who overcomes now I will give some of the hidden manna I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it known only to him who receives it the warning here to the church of Pergamum they allowed idolatry and apostate teachings mixed with sexual perversion within their doors. Verse 18, the angel of the church of Thyatira write, These are the words of the Son of God whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like birdish bronze. I know your deeds, your love and your faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20. Nevertheless, I have this against you. You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. And by her teaching, she misleads my servants into sexual immorality by the eating of food sacrificed to idols. Verse 21. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. so I shall cast her on a bed of suffering and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead then all the churches will know that I am he who searches the hearts and minds and I shall repay each of you according to your deeds. Verse 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira You who do not hold to her teachings and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets I will not impose any other burdens on you Only hold on to what you have until I come To him who overcomes and does my will to the end I will give authority over the nations He will rule them with an iron scepter and he will dash them to pieces like pottery just as I have received authority from my father. Verse 28, I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The warning here is that the people allowed the spirit of Jezebel to control and manipulate the leadership in people with their perverse words and teachings to adulterate the truth and the purity of God's word and ways. Revelation chapter 3 verse 1. To the angel of the church of Sardis write, These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds. You have a reputation of being alive, but you're dead. Wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Verse 3 Remember therefore what you have received and heard. Obey it and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief and you will not know at what time I come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me dressed in white for they are worthy He who overcomes will like them Be dressed in white And I will never blot out his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before my father and his angels Verse 6. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. The warning here to the Sardis church is people thought that they were alive, but they were in fact dead. and they were warned to wake up and strengthen what remains before it was too late. Verse 7, to the angel of the church of Philadelphia write, these are the words of him who is holy and true and holds the key of David. What he opens, no one can shut. And what he shuts, no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door so that no one could shut it. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and you've not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews, though they are not, but they are liars, I will make them come and fall at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Verse 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently I will also keep you from the hour of trial That is going to come upon the whole world To test those who live on the earth Verse 11 I am coming soon Hold on to what you have So that no one will take your crown Verse 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God Never again will he leave it. And I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God. And I will also write upon him my new name. Verse 13. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The warning here for those who are patiently waiting on the Lord was to continue to wait and be strong and not allow anyone to take their overcomer's crown which is promised to them who wait. Verse 14 To the angel of the church of Laodicea write These are the words of the Amen the faithful and true witness the ruler of God's creation. Verse 15 I know your deeds that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were either one or the other. So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Verse 17. You say I am rich. I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Verse 18, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so you can become rich and white clothes to wear so you can cover your shameful nakedness and salve to put on your eyes so you could see. Verse 19, Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Verse 20, Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. And if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne. Just as I overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. Verse 22. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The warning here. to those who are so wrapped up in the world and its economy of making money that they are not aware that they are perishing. They're blind, they're pitiful, poor and naked, yet thinking they are rich and wealthy and have need of nothing, but yet they absolutely are on their way to hell, perishing. Maybe we all should take a close look at these warnings today. and allow the Spirit of the Lord to probe deep within our hearts and show us where we might need a wake-up call or shaking in our stupor of deceit. But the message I wish to highlight today for us is that this vision of John's is a warning to the church. In every generation, including ours, for the church to remain on her toes with her ears inclined to hear what Jesus says to the church today. What Jesus spoke to the church then is what he's speaking to the church today in our modern times. He is saying to the church, wake up and take serious my warnings. And do not believe the lie of those who bring a counterfeit or apostate teaching saying that Jesus is not the only way to heaven. This is apostasy, church. This teaching is moving in the church these days. And you must not be deceived to believe it, no matter whose mouth it comes from. to deny the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ is apostasy Jesus is the only way to heaven and the Bible is clear about this truth and this is the reason why Jesus came he came to offer eternal life to this sick and dying world life himself came into the world 2 Thessalonians 2.1 2 Thessalonians 2.1 But relative to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, in our gathering together to meet him, we beg you, brethren, Apostle Paul speaking, pouring out his heart to the people, verse 2, not to allow your minds to be quickly unsettled, or disturbed, or kept excited, or alarmed, whether it be by some pretend revelation of the Spirit, or by word, or by letter alleged to be from us. To the effect that the day of the Lord has already arrived, and it's here. Verse 3. Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the apostasy comes first, unless the predicted great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come. And the man of lawlessness, sin, is revealed, who is the son of doom of perdition. 1 Timothy 4.1, please. Let's look at this as well. 1 Timothy 4.1. The Spirit clearly says that in latter times, some will come, Some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Verse 2, such things come through hypocritical liars whose consciousness have been seared as with a hot iron. There are so many warnings, precious church, that I've only given you a few of the warnings to beware, to be warned of the devices of the enemy who would come to steal the truth from you. And from the very testimony of Jesus Christ himself about himself, John, in the book of John, John 10, verse 7, Jesus speaks to us himself, the testimony of himself. In verse 7, therefore Jesus said again, I tell you the truth I am the gate for the sheep verse 8 all whoever came before me were thieves and robbers but the sheep did not listen to them verse 9 I am the gate whoever enters through me will be saved and he will come in and go out and find pasture verse 10 the thief comes only to steal kill and destroy and I have come that they might have life and have it to the full also please go forward one chapter John 11 verse 25 John 11 25 Jesus said to her I myself am the resurrection and the life And whoever believes in, adheres to, trusts in, and relies on me. Although he may die, yet he shall live. Verse 26 And whoever continues to live and believe in, has faith in, cleaves to, and relies on me, shall never actually die at all. It is vital. for true believers in Jesus Christ to believe in him and to be vitally connected with him not out of fear but out of love for him. He died to become your king. He died to become my king. And any others who would choose him as their king, he died for all who choose him. And he is to be the testimony of our confession. And if the church is giving testimony of herself, rather than the one who died for her, she is a prostitute. She is an adulterous wife spoken of throughout all the scriptures. Jesus is the greatest king who is and will ever be. And the apostle of love, John reports the words of Jesus in his book of John 18, verse 36, where Jesus declares his kingship to the world. as Jesus stood before Pilate. Pilate had asked him a question. Verse 36, Jesus answered, and he says, My kingdom, my kingship, my royal power belongs not to this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my followers would have been fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here, this world It has no such origin or source Verse 37 Pilate said to him, then you are a king? Jesus answered, you say it, you speak correctly For I am a king, certainly I am a king This is why I was born And for this I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth, who is a friend of the truth, who belongs to the truth, hears and listens to my voice. Dear Church, let us be listening to the truth of our King in his words. Let us be found obeying our king's command and his holy writ Let us be true to our king and his kingdom Let us fall desperately in love with our king And let us tell of his great undying love to those around us Let Jesus Christ be your testimony and your confession and surely you will receive your crown of life for being true to him and faithful to him. We would like to hear from you if this message has touched your life in some way, either by encouragement, healing, deliverance, or simply if you've been enlightened by the word of God in an area of understanding in your Christian growth. Contact us and remember, your information will be kept strictly confidential. May our Lord Jesus Christ richly bless you this day.