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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 18

TITLE: A PREVIEW OF HEAVEN

TEXT: REVELATION 4:1-3

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE BIBLE REFERS TO HEAVEN MORE THAN 500 TIMES IN ITS PAGES.

* AND HEAVEN IS PRESENTED IN THE BIBLE AS A REAL PLACE.

** NOW I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE THINK OF HEAVEN AS AN IMAGINARY PLACE.

*** SOME PEOPLE THINK HEAVEN IS A HUMAN DREAM FOR LITTLE CHILDREN.

**** SOME PEOPLE THINK IT’S A WISH.

(2) OTHERS THINK OF HEAVEN AS A STATE OF MIND.

* OTHERS THINK OF HEAVEN AS A PROJECTION OF ALL THAT IS GOOD IN HUMANITY.

** STILL OTHERS THINK HEAVEN IS THE IMMORTALITY OF TRUTH AND BEAUTY.

*** BUT THE BIBLE SAYS HEAVEN IS A PLACE.

**** AND I WANT YOU TO LATCH ON TO THAT REALITY AND TRUTH, TO GRAB THAT. IT’S A PLACE, IT’S A REALITY.

(3) AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO TRULY LOVE CHRIST, WHO KNOW CHRIST ARE THERE ALREADY OR ARE GOING THERE.

* HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE CHRIST AND KNOW CHRIST ARE EITHER THERE ALREADY OR ARE GOING THERE TO LIVE FOREVER IN COMPLETE PERFECTION AND GLORY.

** NOW IT’S IMPORTANT FOR THOSE WHO LOVE CHRIST AND TRULY KNOW HIM TO LIVE IN THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN, HEAVEN SHOULD BE ON THEIR MIND.

*** YET MANY OF US ONLY HAVE PASSING THOUGHTS ABOUT HEAVEN, IT’S ONLY ON OUR MIND WHEN WE THINK OF DEATH AND WHEN WE LOSE A LOVED ONE THAT KNEW CHRIST AND THUS IS IN HEAVEN.

**** FOR HEAVEN IS A PREPARED PLACE FOR A PREPARED PEOPLE.

(4) AND IN REALITY FOR THE CHRISTIAN, THAT PLACE – HEAVEN – IS A PLACE THAT WE SHOULD BE PREOCCUPIED WITH, FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS PRECIOUS TO US IS THERE.

* OUR FATHER IS IN HEAVEN, FOR EVEN IN WHAT IS CALLED THE LORD’S PRAYER WE SAY, OUR FATHER WHO ART IN WHAT? HEAVEN!

** JESUS IS IN HEAVEN. ACTS 1:11 SAYS: (READ IT).

*** SO JESUS IS IN HEAVEN.

**** OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN, PHILIPPIANS 3:20 SAYS: (READ IT).

(5) BEYOND THAT OUR REWARD IS IN HEAVEN, WHERE OUR TREASURE SHOULD BE, READ MATTHEW 5:10-12 AND MATTHEW 6:19-21.

* AND MAYBE WE DON’T THINK ABOUT HEAVEN AS MUCH BECAUSE OUR TREASURE IS NOT THERE.

** BUT ALSO, OUR ETERNAL HOME IS HEAVEN,

II CORINTHIANS 5:1&2.

*** AND ONE LAST THING, THOSE WHO KNEW CHRIST AS FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS THAT HAVE GONE ON BEFORE US ARE THERE.

**** MY MOM IS THERE, PAM STUMP IS THERE, AVA LILY BLAKEMORE IS THERE, MARTY JOHNSON IS THERE.

(6) AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT AND WHO IS THERE, ISN’T IT ODD THAT WE DON’T THINK ABOUT IT MORE?

* WELL, FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS, WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HEAVEN.

** FOR IN REVELATION 4:1 HEAVEN IS OPENED. AND THROUGH JOHN’S VISION, WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF PREVIEWING THE PLACE WE WILL LIVE FOREVER, IF WE TRULY KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

*** JOHN GIVES US A PREVIEW OF HEAVEN’S THRONE ROOM. AND WHAT GOES ON THERE? WORSHIP!

**** AND I TRUST THAT AS WE SEE THIS PREVIEW OF HEAVEN THAT COVERS REVELATION 4 AND 5, THAT WE WILL BE CHALLENGED TO LIVE IN THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN AND THAT IT WILL CHANGE OUR PRIORITIES AND WHAT WE ARE PREOCCUPIED WITH AS WE GET THIS PREVIEW.

(7) I’VE TITLED OUR STUDY TODAY, “A PREVIEW OF HEAVEN.” AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT 2 POINTS TODAY AS WE STUDY REVELATION 4:1-3.

* NO. 1 THE TRANSITION OF JOHN TO THIS VISION OF HEAVEN, V. 1; AND NO. 2 THE THRONE OF GOD IN HEAVEN, VV. 2&3.

** AND WITH THOSE TWO POINTS TO HANG YOUR THOUGHTS ON, LET’S LOOK AT REVELATION 4:1 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE TRANSITION.

I. THE TRANSITION, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW FOCUS ON THE OPENING PHRASE IN V. 1, “AFTER THESE THINGS” OR “AFTER THIS” DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE.

* AND THIS PHRASE FUNCTIONS AS A TRANSITION DEVICE TO THE NEXT SECTION OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION, THE 2’D VISION OF JOHN.

** LET ME EXPLAIN. JOHN’S FIRST VISION IN THIS BOOK STARTED IN REVELATION CHAPTER 1 IN VERSE 9 WHERE JOHN GIVES A PICTURES OF THE VISION HE HAD OF THE GLORIFIED CHRIST WHICH CONTINUES UNTIL THE END OF REVELATION CHAPTER 1.

*** AND THE VISION OF THE GLORIFIED CHRIST ENDS WITH CHAPTER 1, BUT JOHN CONTINUES THROUGH CHAPTER 3, FOR THE GLORIFIED CHRIST CONTINUES TO SPEAK TO JOHN AND TELLS HIM WHAT TO WRITE DOWN AS MESSAGES FROM THE GLORIFIED CHRIST TO THE 7 CHURCHES.

**** NOW WITH THE PHRASE “AFTER THESE THINGS” OR “AFTER THIS” JOHN IS GIVEN HIS SECOND VISION OF THE BOOK, THE SCENE CHANGES.

1. AFTER THESE THINGS MAKES REFERENCE TO THE THINGS HE SAW AND WAS TOLD TO WRITE FROM CHAPTER 1:9 THROUGH CHAPTER 3.

* AND AFTER THE MESSAGES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES WE NOW START A NEW SECTION, A NEW VISION IN THIS BOOK.

** SO THE PHRASE AFTER THESE THINGS IS USED THROUGHOUT REVELATION TO MARK THE BEGINNING OF A NEW VISION FOR JOHN.

*** WE’LL SEE THIS IN REVELATION 7:9 WHERE IT SAYS: “AFTER THESE THINGS I LOOKED, AND BEHOLD, A GREAT MULTITUDE WHICH NO ONE COULD COUNT, FROM EVERY NATION AND ALL TRIBES AND PEOPLES AND TONGUES, STANDING BEFORE THE THRONE AND BEFORE THE LAMB, CLOTHED IN WHITE ROBES, AND PALM BRANCHES WERE IN THEIR HANDS.”

**** WE’LL SEE THIS IN REVELATION 15:5 WHICH SAYS: “AFTER THESE THINGS I LOOKED, AND THE TEMPLE OF THE TABERNACLE OF TESTIMONY IN HEAVEN WAS OPENED.”

2. WE’LL SEE THIS AGAIN IN REVELATION 18:1 WHICH SAYS: “AFTER THESE THINGS I SAW ANOTHER ANGEL COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN, HAVING GREAT AUTHORITY, AND THE EARTH WAS ILLUMINED WITH HIS GLORY.”

* AND WE’LL SEE THIS A FINAL TIME IN REVELATION 19:1 WHICH SAYS: “AFTER THESE THINGS I HEARD SOMETHING LIKE A LOUD VOICE OF A GREAT MULTITUDE IN HEAVEN, SAYING.”

** SO THE PHRASE “AFTER THESE THINGS” IS USED THROUGHOUT REVELATION TO MARK THE BEGINNING OF A NEW VISION FOR JOHN THAT HE WILL COMMUNICATE, THINGS THAT WERE REVEALED TO HIM SUPERNATURALLY.

*** THIS IS A WAY FOR JOHN TO EXPRESS PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY OF WHAT HE SAW.

**** BUT NOTICE AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION CHAPTER 4 VERSE 1, AT THE END OF THE VERSE, WE HAVE THIS PHRASE USED AGAIN, WHERE OUR LORD SAYS TO JOHN, “COME UP HERE, AND I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT MUST TAKE PLACE AFTER THESE THINGS.”

3. AND HERE IN A SENSE, WE SHIFT FROM JOHN’S CHRONOLOGY OF HIS VISIONS, TO OUR LORD’S CHRONOLOGY OF THIS BOOK.

* FOR THIS PHRASE MARKS AN IMPORTANT TRANSITION IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, TO THE THIRD AND FINAL SECTION OF THIS BOOK FROM THE KEY VERSE IN REVELATION 1:19 WHICH GIVES US AN OUTLINE OF THE BOOK.

** REVELATION 1:19 SAYS: “THEREFORE WRITE THE THINGS WHICH YOU HAVE SEEN, AND THE THINGS WHICH ARE, AND THE THINGS WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER THESE THINGS.”

*** NOW IN THIS OUTLINE A PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE OUTLINE, MEANING THE THINGS WHICH YOU HAVE SEEN WOULD BE THE FIRST VISION OF CHRIST, SOMETHING THAT HAD ALREADY TAKEN PLACE, WHICH BASICALLY COVERS CHAPTER 1.

**** AND “THE THINGS WHICH ARE” PRESENTLY, PRESENT TENSE, THE MESSAGES TO THE 7 CHURCHES, CHAPTERS 2&3.

4. AND THEN THIRDLY, “THE THINGS WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER THESE THINGS.”

* AND THE AFTER THESE THINGS EVENTS COVERS CHAPTERS 4-22, THINGS THAT ARE FUTURE, THINGS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE.

** AND WHAT WE HAVE IS, THINGS SHIFT FROM MATTERS CONCERNING THE CHURCH (WHICH IS NOWHERE MENTIONED IN CHAPTERS 4-19) ON EARTH TO A DRAMATIC SCENE IN HEAVEN.

*** AND NOW THE SCENE CENTERS ON THE THRONE OF GOD AND FORMS THE PROLOGUE, THE INTRODUCTION TO THE FUTURE HISTORICAL EVENTS (THE TRIBULATION, THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM AND THE ETERNAL STATE).

**** AND THESE THINGS UNFOLD IN CHAPTERS 6-22, THE TRIBULATION, CHAPTERS 6-18, THE MARRIAGE SUPPER AND THE 2’D COMING OF CHRIST TO THE EARTH, CHAPTER 19, THE MILLENNIUM – CHAPTER 20 AND THE ETERNAL STATE – THE 7 NEW THINGS CHAPTERS 21&22.

5. SO “AFTER THESE THINGS” AT THE END OF V. 1 POINT TO A TRANSITION IN THE BOOK TO THINGS FUTURE, “THE THINGS WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER THESE THINGS.”

* AND WITH THAT IN MIND, AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION 4:1 AGAIN, JOHN SAID: “I LOOKED AND BEHOLD A DOOR STANDING OPEN IN HEAVEN.”

** NOW AS JOHN LOOKED, TO HIS ASTONISHMENT, INDICATED BY THE EXCLAMATION “BEHOLD”, HE SAW A DOOR STANDING OPEN IN HEAVEN, A BETTER TRANSLATION THAT A DOOR WAS OPENED IN HEAVEN.

*** NOW AFTER NOTICING THE OPEN DOOR, THE FIRST VOICE JOHN HEARD WAS THE FAMILIAR VOICE LIKE THE SOUND OF A TRUMPET THAT HAD SPOKEN TO HIM IN HIS FIRST VISION IN CHAPTER 1:10.

**** AND REVELATION 1:10 SAYS: “I WAS IN THE SPIRIT ON THE LORD’S DAY, AND I HEARD BEHIND ME A LOUD VOICE LIKE THE SOUND OF A TRUMPET.”

6. NOW CLEARLY THIS IS THE VOICE OF OUR RISEN EXALTED GLORIFIED LORD.

* AND HIS VOICE IS LIKENED TO THE SOUND OF A TRUMPET BECAUSE OF ITS COMMANDING, AUTHORITATIVE QUALITY.

** NOW OUR SOVEREIGN LORD ORDERS JOHN TO COME UP HERE, THAT IS TO HEAVEN, OBVIOUSLY THROUGH THE DOOR THAT WAS OPENED INTO HEAVEN.

*** NOW SOME USE THIS COMMAND FROM JESUS AS A REFERENCE TO THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH AND I BELIEVED THAT YEARS AGO.

**** BUT AS YOU STUDY THIS COMMAND, IT IS NOT A COMMAND TO THE CHURCH, BUT TO JOHN, AND JOHN WILL BE TRANSPORTED IN SPIRIT TO HEAVEN, NOT THE CHURCH HERE.

7. CLEARLY, THIS COMMAND DOES NOT DESCRIBE THE CHURCH ASCENDING TO HEAVEN TO BE WITH CHRIST, IT IS NOT A VIEWED REFERENCE TO THE CHURCH, BUT JOHN GOING TO HEAVEN TO RECEIVE REVELATION OF THINGS TO COME.

* NOW BELIEF IN A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE HAS NOT CHANGED, I BELIEVE THAT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE END OF CHAPTER 3 AND THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 4 THE CHURCH IS USHERED OUT OF THE WORLD.

** AND THAT’S WHY THE WORD CHURCH WILL NOT BE USED IN CHAPTERS 4-19, WHEN IT IS REPEATEDLY USED UP TO THIS POINT.

*** THE PROMISE MADE TO THE FAITHFUL CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA WILL BE FULFILLED, THAT THE CHURCH WILL BE SPARED FROM THE HOUR OF TESTING THAT WILL COME UPON THE WHOLE WORLD DURING THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION, THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE, THE FULFILLMENT OF DANIEL’S 70TH WEEK.

*** AND THERE ARE OTHER ARGUMENTS FOR THIS THAT I WILL NOT TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE HERE.

**** BUT I AM NOT GOING TO MAKE A STRETCH ON THIS VERSE TO MAKE MY ARGUMENT, THIS IS CLEARLY JOHN AND NOT THE CHURCH.

8. AND REVELATION 4:1 CLEARLY IS A TRANSITIONAL VERSE THAT WILL LEAD US TO A PREVIEW OF HEAVEN AND GOD’S THRONE.

* AND GOD’S THRONE WILL BE THE FOCAL POINT OF VERSES 2&3 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE THRONE. LOOK AT REVELATION 4:2 PLEASE.

II. THE THRONE, (READ V. 2)

A. NOW AS JOHN WAS SURROUNDED BY CHRIST TO COME UP HERE IN V. 1, IMMEDIATELY JOHN IS IN HEAVEN IN THE SPIRIT.

* MEANING HE WAS NOT THERE BODILY. FOR WHILE HIS BODY REMAINED ON EARTH JOHN IS INTRODUCED TO THE HEAVENLY SCENES “IN SPIRIT.”

** AND ALTHOUGH MOST TRANSLATIONS USE CAPITAL S SPIRIT, THE KJV DOES NOT. AND MOST LIKELY WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE ACTION INVOLVES THE HUMAN SPIRIT BUT THE AGENT OF THIS ACTION IS THE HOLY SPIRIT.

*** JOHN IN HIS SPIRIT, THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT SEES THIS GLORIOUS VISION OF HEAVEN.

**** NOW THE FIRST THING JOHN’S ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO IS THE THRONE OF GOD. THAT WAS THE FOCAL POINT, THE THRONE OF GOD.

1. AND THE WORD “THRONE” OR “THRONES” IS USED 13 TIMES IN REVELATION CHAPTER 4, 11 TIMES IN REFERENCE TO THE THRONE OF GOD.

* AND AS WE GET A PREVIEW OF HEAVEN IN REVELATION CHAPTER 4, THE THRONE OF GOD IS THE FOCAL POINT, IT’S WHAT IS EMPHASIZED, THE CENTER OF ATTENTION, THE PRINCIPLE POINT OF FOCUS.

** AND AS JOHN SEES IT HE IS AMAZED AND ASTOUNDED CAUSING HIM TO EXPLAIN, “BEHOLD.”

*** THE WORD “BEHOLD” HERE GIVES US THE SENSE OF AWE THAT JOHN HAS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE THRONE OF GOD.

**** THE WORD WE WOULD USE TODAY WOULD BE “WOW.” JOHN IS AMAZED, ASTOUNDED AND IN AWE.

2. NOW GET THIS, THIS THRONE THAT JOHN IS IN AWE OF WAS STANDING IN HEAVEN, BETTER TRANSLATED “WAS SET” IN THE IMPERFECT TENSE IN THE GREEK AND TRANSLATED THAT WAY IN THE KJV AND NKJV.

* AND THIS PHRASE DRAWS ATTENTION TO THE PERMANENT LOCATION OF THE THRONE OF 600, IT WAS SET IN HEAVEN, IT’S PERMANENT PLACE WHERE GOD ALMIGHTY RULES FROM.

** GOD’S SOVEREIGN RULE IS FIXED, UNSHAKABLE AND PERMANENT IN HEAVEN.

*** THIS VISION OF GOD’S THRONE SET IN HEAVEN REVEALS HIS PERMANENT, COMPLETE AND UNCHANGING CONTROL OF THE UNIVERSE FROM HEAVEN.

**** BUT NOTICE THAT JOHN’S EYES MOVE FROM THE THRONE TO THE ONE SITTING ON THE THRONE, GOD ALMIGHTY.

3. NOW THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THE ONE SITTING ON THE THRONE IS GOD ALMIGHTY.

* FOR REVELATION 7:20 SAYS: “SALVATION TO OUR GOD WHO SITS ON THE THRONE, AND TO THE LAMB.”

** AND THE LAMB IS THE LORD JESUS WHO COMES INTO VIEW IN REVELATION 5, BUT HERE WE HAVE IN CHAPTER 4, GOD THE FATHER, THE ETERNAL GOD, THE ALL-MIGHTY.

*** SO HERE THE SOVEREIGN GOD OF THE UNIVERSE IS SITTING ON HIS THRONE.

**** AND GOD SITTING ON HIS THRONE COMMUNICATES HIS KINGSHIP, HIS ROYALTY, HIS SOVEREIGNTY FOR KINGS IN THE O.T. RULED THEIR KINGDOMS FROM THEIR THRONE.

4. AND THE TERM “SITTING” HERE INDICATES THE POSTURE OF REIGNING.

* THE THOUGHT IS NOT RESTING BECAUSE THE WORK OF REDEMPTION HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, BUT REIGNING BECAUSE JUDGMENT IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE IN CHAPTERS 6-18.

** PSALM 47:8 SAYS: “GOD REIGNS OVER THE NATIONS,

GOD SITS ON HIS HOLY THRONE.”

*** AND AS ISAIAH SAW THE LORD SITTING ON HIS THRONE IN ISAIAH 6:1, JOHN NOW SEES THE ALL POWERFUL GOD OF THE UNIVERSE REIGNING IN THE HEAVENS. OUR GOD IS THE ULTIMATE KING OF THE MOUNTAIN!

**** AND JOHN WILL GIVE US A GLIMPSE OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE ONE SITTING ON THE THRONE BEGINNING IN V. 3 AND WHAT IS AROUND THE THRONE. LOOK AT V. 3 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 3. NOW THE IMPRESSION OF THE THRONE CONVEYED TO JOHN IS A BLAZE OF LIGHT THAT EMANATES FROM THE THRONE SITTER.

*AND TRULY GOD IS LIGHT ACCORDING TO I JOHN 1:5 AND APPEARS TO JOHN LIKE, AND I EMPHASIZE THE WORD LIKE FOR THAT OPENS UP THE DOOR TO SOMETHING SIMILAR OR RESEMBLING, NOT LITERALLY.

** AND THE SIMILARITY, THE RESEMBLANCE THAT JOHN SEES IS LIKE A JASPER STONE AND A SARDIUS IN APPEARANCE.

*** NOW REVELATION 21:11 DESCRIBES JASPER AS “CRYSTAL CLEAR”, A CLEAR STONE LIKE A DIAMOND THAT, SPARKLING, REFLECTS LIGHT UNREFRACTED.

**** AND THE IMPRESSION WE GET HERE IS CRYSTAL PURITY REPRESENTING THE GLORY OF GOD.

1. NOW A SARDIUS STONE, FROM WHICH THE CITY OF SARDIS GOT IT’S NAME, IS A FIERY, BLOOD RED RUBY.

* AND IT TOO APPEARS TO EXPRESS THE SHINING BEAUTY OF GOD’S GLORY AND MAY ALSO SYMBOLIZE GOD’S BLAZING WRATH, ABOUT TO BE POURED OUT ON THE WORLD IN CHAPTERS 6-18.

** NOW IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THESE PARTICULAR STONES IN THE REVERSE ORDER WERE THE FIRST AND LAST ON THE BREASTPLATE OF THE HIGH PRIEST IN ISRAEL IN EXODUS 28:17-21.

*** FOR ON THE BREASTPLATE OF THE HIGH PRIEST WERE 12 STONES EACH ENGRAVED WITH ONE OF THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL’S NAMES.

**** AND THE JASPER STONE WAS LINED WITH REUBEN AND THE SARDIS STONE WITH BENJAMIN.

2. NOW MOVING AWAY FROM THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ONE WHO IS SITTING ON THE THRONE, GOD ALMIGHTY, WE MOVE TO WHAT WAS AROUND THE THRONE.

* AND FIRST OF ALL JOHN SEES A RAINBOW AROUND THE THRONE. SO THERE IS A RING AROUND THE THRONE, A COMPLETE CIRCLE AND THIS RAINBOW IS LIKE AN EMERALD IN APPEARANCE.

** AND THE COLOR HERE THAT WILL BE DOMINATE IN THIS RAINBOW IS GREEN, THE COLOR OF AN EMERALD STONE.

*** AND WHY THIS RAINBOW IS DOMINATED BY SHADES OF GREEN, WE CAN ONLY SPECULATE AND I’M NOT GOING TO AT THIS POINT.

**** BUT SUFFICE TO SAY, A RAINBOW WAS USED BY GOD AFTER THE JUDGMENT OF THE FLOOD TO COMMUNICATE GOD’S COVENANT PROMISE TO NOAH IN GENESIS 9:13-17, THAT GOD WOULD NOT DESTROY THE WORLD AGAIN BY A FLOOD.

3. AND THE GOD WHO SITS ON THE THRONE ALWAYS KEEPS HIS COVENANTS AND HIS PROMISES FOR HE IS FAITHFUL. AS WE SANG TODAY, WE CAN ALWAYS STAND ON THE PROMISES OF GOD.

* FOR HE SITS ON A THRONE ENCIRCLED WITH A SYMBOL OF HIS FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PROMISES, A RAINBOW.

IN WRAP UP TODAY (1) IN APPLICATION, I WANT TO DRIVE HOME ONE TRUTH FROM OUR TEXT TODAY, AND THAT IS, GOD IS ON HIS THRONE!

* AND HE IS SITTING, HE IS REIGNING. AND BECAUSE OF THAT TRUTH WE CAN REJOICE TODAY.

** THE LORD REIGNS, LET THE EARTH REJOICE AND LET GOD’S PEOPLE BE GLAD FOR OUR GOD REIGNS.

*** AND THAT TRUTH IS MORE THAN A CLICHÉ BUT A BEDROCK ETERNAL TRUTH TO HELP US WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE ARE RAGING.

**** HIS SOVEREIGN WILL WILL BE PERFECTLY FULFILLED AND HE IS A RIGHTEOUS GOOD, HOLY AND JUST SOVEREIGN.

(2) AND LET’S TAKE THIS TRUTH TO WHERE WE LIVE TODAY AND WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH.

* YOU’VE LOST YOUR JOB OR MAY LOSE YOUR JOB, REMEMBER GOD IS ON HIS THRONE! HE HAS A GOOD PURPOSE AND PLAN FOR YOU CHRISTIAN. AND AS YOU SEEK HIM FIRST HE WILL SUPPLY YOUR NEEDS.

** YOUR HEALTH IS FAILING AND YOU ARE IN PHYSICAL PAIN OR TERMINAL, GOD IS ON HIS THRONE.

*** HE GIVES GRACE TO THOSE WHO ARE HURTING AND WE WILL NOT DIE A SECOND EARLY OR LATE, BUT AT GOD’S APPOINTED TIME.

**** AND WHAT A COMFORT TO REST IN THAT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES RECENTLY. GOD IS ON HIS THRONE.

3. YOU’VE COME IN TODAY AND YOU ARE FILLED WITH WORRY AND CARES AND FEAR. GOD IS ON THE THRONE.

* HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU AND HE CAUSES ALL THINGS, NOT SOME THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR THOSE HE HAS CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSES, ROMANS 8:28.

** AND BECAUSE HE IS ON THE THRONE, THE ONE WHO FORELOVED YOU AND PREDESTINED YOU TO BE HIS OWN AND CALLED YOU AND JUSTIFIED YOU WILL SURELY BRING YOU TO GLORY ONE DAY AND IN THE PROCESS WILL MAKE YOU MORE LIKE HIS SON THROUGH THE FIRE, ROMANS 8:29&30.

*** SO WHAT IS THE CONCLUSION TO THE MESSAGE TODAY, IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? ROMANS 8:31

**** HE WHO DID NOT SPARE HIS OWN SON, BUT DELIVERED HIM UP FOR US, HOW WILL HE NOT ALSO WITH HIM FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS, ROMANS 8:32.

4. WHO WILL BRING A CHARGE AGAINST GOD’S ELECT? IT IS GOD WHO JUSTIFIES, ROMANS 8:33.

* WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US, ROMANS 8:35&37.

** AND BELOVED ALL THESE TRUTHS ARE ROOTED IN GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY.

*** GOD IS ON HIS THRONE. THE LORD REIGNS, LET THE EARTH REJOICE, LET THE PEOPLE BE GLAD, FOR OUR GOD REIGNS! HEAVEN IS AHEAD.