Trauma-Responsive Pulpit Series: The Plague of Pride

Hello there. Good morning. I hope that you can hear me okay. I am Tammy Toney-Butler with Reflective Spaces Ministry. Today I wanted to come to you and do a message and a teaching. And I am grateful for everyone that can join us during this time together so that we can Holy Spirit, come have your way in this time that we have together. Let them see you and not me. Let your word ring true, Lord Jesus. It's all about you and not about me. We call forth your presence and your healing and your divine wisdom and insight as I bring them your words of truth that penetrate. their hearts, Lord Jesus. In your mighty name we pray. Amen. I'm going to bring the PowerPoint up on display and add it into the stage. And now we will be talking about the plague of pride. The teaching and message is by myself, Tammy Toney Butler. Today's scriptural references. Proverbs 18, Jeremiah 4, Romans 11, and Revelation 11. Proverbs 18, pride, selfishness, and humility. We're reading out of the Life Application Study Bible, the New International Reader's Version. And I'll be reading Proverbs 18. An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends. He defies all sound judgment. A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions. When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes disgrace. The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the innocent of justice. A fool's lips bring him strife and his mouth invites a beating. A fool's mouth is his undoing and his lips are a snare to his soul. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels. They go down to a man's in most parts. One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys. The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it and are safe. The wealth of the rich is their fortified city. They imagine it an unscalable wall. Before his downfall, a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. He who answers before listening, that is his folly and his shame. A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear. The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge. The ears of the wise seek it out. A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great. The first to present his case sings right till another comes forward and questions him. Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart. An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel. From the fruit of his mouth, a man's stomach is filled with a harvest from his lips he is satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord. A poor man pleads for mercy, but a rich man answers harshly. A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. And again, that was Proverbs 18. Let's look at Proverbs and the themes of Proverbs. Wisdom, relationships, speech, work, success. Solomon left a legacy of wisdom in this book of the Bible. Solomon passed on his practical advice in the form of Proverbs. These Proverbs are short poems, typically couplets, that contain a holy mixture of common sense and timely warnings. The Proverbs provide advice for governing our lives. Plagues can be used metaphorically in the Bible. You can remember a metaphor from our previous teaching on wormwood. in Revelation. Plagues represent divine wrath, purging, and punishment. God uses plagues to purge sin from communities and individuals which ultimately leads to restitution and spiritual renewal. Plagues bring death and disease physically. Sin leads to spiritual death and separation from God. Lucifer was the first case of pride in the Bible. Satan had pride and was cast out of heaven. Adam and Eve rebelled against God and his word. Pharaoh had pride. Through devastating plagues, the Lord broke the pride of Pharaoh. Because of the stubborn pride of Pharaoh, the people suffered and paid a high price through terrible misery and loss. Proverbs offers spiritual direction for leaders or those aspiring to be leaders. Rejecting pride is stressed in Proverbs. God hates a proud attitude. Pride leads to harm. Let's look at the results of pride. Leads to disgrace. Produces quarrels. Self fixation. It puts you on the throne of your heart. It leads to punishment, destruction, and ends in downfall. Now let's contrast that with the results of humility. It leads to wisdom. Takes advice. It's a form of self-forgetfulness. puts God on the throne of your heart, leads to and ends in honor. It brings one honor. The principles of sound decision-making. Get the facts before answering. Be open to new ideas. Listen to both sides of the story before judging or offering input. Prejudice is judging before getting the facts. Gossip, refusing to listen. You are to refuse to listen to the gossip. You are to resist the rumors and spreading of rumors. And gossip leads to division. Matthew 5, 37, the King James Version. But let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay. For whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Tree of Life version. But let your word yes be yes and your no, no. Anything more than that is from the evil one. Matthew 5.37, New International Version. All you need to say is simply yes or no. Anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Jeremiah 4, Spiritual Heart Condition. Let's read Jeremiah 4. And I'll be reading out of the New International Reader's Version. If you will return, O Israel, return to me, declares the Lord. If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if If in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, as surely as the Lord lives, then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory. This is what the Lord says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem. Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord. Circumcise your hearts, you men of Judah and people of Jerusalem, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire. Because of the evil you have done, burn with no one to quench it. Disaster from the north. Announce in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say, sound the trumpet throughout the land. Cry aloud and say, gather together. Let us flee to the fortified cities. Raise the signal to go to Zion. Flee for safety without delay. For I am bringing disaster from the north, even terrible destruction. A lion has come out of his lair. A destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to lay waste your land. Your towns will lie in ruins without inhabitants. So put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the Lord has not turned away from us. In that day, declares the Lord, the king and the officials will lose heart. The priests will be horrified and the prophets will be appalled. Then I said, ah, sovereign Lord, how completely you have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying you will have peace. than when the sword is at our throats. At times, people and some old school went from the barren heights in the desert blows towards my people, but not to winnow or cleanse a wind too strong for that comes from me. Now I promise my judgments against them. Look, he advances like the clouds. His chariots come like a whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, we are ruined. O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts? A voice is announcing from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim. Tell this to the nations. Proclaim it to Jerusalem. A besieging army is coming from a distant land, raising a war cry against the cities of Judah. They surround her like men guarding a field because she has rebelled against me. declares the Lord. Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is. And remember our last teaching in Revelation, and we talked about wormwood and that also being a bitter plant. Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is. How it pierces to the heart. Oh, my anguish, my anguish. I writhe in pain. Oh, the agony of my heart. My heart pounds within me. I cannot keep silent, for I have heard the sound of the trumpet. I've heard the battle cry. Disaster follows disaster. The whole land lies in ruins. In an instant, my tents are destroyed. My shelter in a moment. How long must I see the battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet? My people are fools. They do not know me. They are senseless children. They have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil. They know not how to do good. I looked at the earth and it was formless and empty and at the heavens and their light was gone. I looked at the mountains and they were quaking. All the hills were swaying. I looked and there were no people. Every bird in the sky had flown away. I looked and the fruitful land was a desert. All its towns lay in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger. This is what the Lord says. The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely. Therefore, the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark. Because I've spoken and will not relent, I've decided and will not turn back. At the sound of horsemen and archers, every town takes to flight. Some go into the thickets, some climb up among the rocks. All the towns are deserted. No one lives in them. What are you doing, oh devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels of gold? Why shade your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you. They seek your life. I hear a cry as a woman in labor. a groan as of one bearing her first child. The cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath. Stretching out her hands and saying, Alas, I am fainting. My life is given over to murderers. Let's look at the Difference between an open heart and a hardened heart or a closed heart. An open heart is where God's word gets in and brings about evident change. It's humble and modest, full of humility, lacks pride. Good seeds of God's commands take root, their spiritual life in abundance. Tilled soil ready for planting. as opposed to a hardened heart or a closed heart. It's as a result of sin, rocks. There's a need to repent. The word does not penetrate the erective barrier or blockage because of the rocky soil. And in our last teaching, we talked about the rocky soil. There's lots of pride in a hardened heart or a closed heart. And a lot of times it is closed or hardened because of pride and prideful decisions. Spiritual death or famine, untilled soil, not ready for planting. Jeremiah was an intercessor for the people. The people had false expectations because past promises or blessings, blind to their sin, they did not look inward. They had hardened or closed hearts. False prophets told them all was well and they were prideful. Jeremiah was sorrowful, confused and anguished because the sure devastation of the coming judgment, the judgment would continue until the people turned from their sin, repented and listened to God. Punishment referred to the future destruction of Babylon and could also describe the judgment of all sinners at the world's end. Judah was skilled at doing evil and did not know how to do good. God promised the faithful remnant would be spared. God preserves those who are faithful to him and keeps his promises. Let's look at right living in the church, the body. Right living is more than avoiding sin. Right living requires decision and discipline. We must develop skills in right living. Because our behavior attracts attention to God. We are the temple of God. Right living in the church, the body. Pursue excellence in Christian living. Have an ethical life and good character. As we pursue work excellence and have a work ethic. And remember our previous teaching on the right way of living from Titus 2. Let's have a moment of reflection. Are you suffering from a spiritual heart condition? Do you have pride? Let's bring in our trauma-responsive pulpit. Seeking kingdom, living kingdom wisdom and understanding can be a complex daily process of transformation and renewal. You must follow Christ's example of love and humility daily, saying no to the world's value system. with time, love, and compassion. As we grow in Christ, transformed in mind, body, and spirit, we will reach the point of surrendered obedience and right living as referenced in Titus and throughout the scriptures. We will recognize that God is a loving, compassionate father who keeps his promises and will never leave or forsake us. Hebrews 13 5 is a reference there. Our relationship with Abba Father will be a loving, beautiful one that will transform our lives and lead us into that fullness and abundance discussed in the Word of God, John 10.10. We will be like Mary and John the Baptist, being doers of the Word, faith in action. Romans 11, the spirit of stupor. And I will be reading out of the Life Application Study Bible, the New International Version. Romans 11. This section is titled The Remnant of Israel. I ask then, did God reject his people? By no means. I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the scripture says in the passage about Elijah? how he appealed to God against Israel. Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I'm the only one left and they are trying to kill me. And what was God's answer to him? I have reserved for myself 7,000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too, at the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works. If it were, grace would no longer be grace. What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened as it is written. God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear. to this very day. And David says, may their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see and their backs be bent forever. Engrafted branches is the next section. Again, I ask, didn't they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all. Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring? I am talking to you, Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles. I make much of my ministry in the hope. that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life for the dead? If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy. If the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others, and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in. Granted, but they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider, therefore, the kindness and sternness of God, sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness, otherwise you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? All Israel will be saved is the next section. I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited. Israel, had experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved as it is written. The deliverer will come from Zion. He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins. As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account. But as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs. For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were in one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out. Who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Ah, Man, wow. Romans 11, 7 to 8, the New International Version. What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain, the elect among them did, but the others were hardened. As it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear to this very day. What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded. According as it is written, God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear until this day. And that's Romans 11, 7, 8, the King James version. Now let's look at the tree of life version, Romans 11, 7 to 8. What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained. But the elect obtained it and the rest were hearted, just as it is written. God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes not to see and ears not to hear until this very day. And what is the definition of stupor? As we look more closely at a spirit of stupor, a state in which a person is almost unconscious and their thoughts are unclear, as per the Cambridge Dictionary. An impaired reaction to external stimuli characterizes a stupor. Those in a stuporous state are rigid, mute, and only appear to be conscious as the eyes are open and following surrounding objects. And that's from Wikipedia. Definition of stupor, Collins Dictionary. A state in which the mind and senses are dulled, partial or complete loss of sensibility, as from the use of a narcotic or from shock, mental or moral dullness or apathy. And then from the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of rigid, unable to bend or be forced out of shape, not flexible, hard, not able to change or be adapted, strict, severe, stern, uncompromising and refusing to change. And let's look at the spirit of stupor and how it causes a downward spiral. There's unbelief or doubt. The individual is unwilling to repent. There's no fear of the Lord. There's this ungrateful, complaining, critical attitude. There's no spiritual ears to hear and eyes to see. They lack wisdom. They lack understanding. And therefore, their hearts can be rigid. They can be closed. They can become hardened. Luke 21, 34 to 36, Tree of Life version. But watch out so your hearts are not weighed down by carousing, strong drink, and the worries of life. Do not let that day come upon you suddenly like a trap, where it will come rushing upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. But stay alert at all times. praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man. New International Version, Luke 21, 34 to 36. Be careful or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing drunkenness and the anxieties of life. and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. King James Version, Luke 21, 34-36 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness and cares of this life. And so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all of them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man. Because of the constant pressure to conform to this world, People can become apathetic in a stupor and blind to the reality of their spiritual condition. They can be asleep spiritually. They can keep going around in circles by the cares of life, never stopping long enough to focus and see the truth. They can be pushed by advertisers to try things. or buy something new. There's this materialistic society that we find ourselves in where people want more and more and more and more. And they're always searching for the next best thing and believing that that is going to bring them fulfillment, whether it's a new boat purchase or a new house or a new toy. They can feel pressure to conform to this world and follow the crowd, that herd mentality that we talked about in our last teaching. They can be influenced by social media, TV, news, movies, and music. They can have that contaminated ear and eye gate. Remember to guard what goes in your ears and in your eyes. Be careful what you're watching on TV and what you're listening to. There can be peer societal or even family pressure to try something new or be a certain way. Constantly stressed by saying no and choosing the narrow gate. Some find it easier to conform. They fall away into apostasy because it's hard to resist the world. It's hard to resist Satan and to follow the path of righteousness, to follow Jesus. But you don't do it in your own strength. You do it in his. Thank you all for listening. I see you. I'm looking at your comments. Oh, thank you guys all so much for being on. Thank you all, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul writes about the spirit of stupor. God had given them over to being deceived. God had given them a spirit of stupor. God permitted Adam and Eve to be tempted in the garden. God allowed Jesus to be tempted as we saw in our previous teachings. Paul writes about the spirit of stupor. Israel had an appetite for the wrong spiritual food. Israel was feeding their mind on the wrong type of food. They were distracted by their appetite for worldly things, the cares of life, and cannot see the truth They had no appetite for the spiritual or things of God. Mark 4, 18 to 19, King James Version. And these are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the word and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things entering in, choke the word and it becometh unfruitful. Mark 4, 18 and 19, the New International Version. Still others, like seeds sown among thorns, hear the word. But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Mark 4, 18 and 19, the Tree of Life Version. And others are the ones sown among the thorns. They have heard the word. But the worries of the world, the seduction of wealth and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word and it becomes unfruitful. Now let's look at that in our trauma responsive pulpit or looking through the lens of trauma. Because as you guys remember, I am a survivor of child sex trafficking and I also lost my father to suicide and we buried him on Father's Day when I was 15. And so I've had my share of childhood trauma, heartache, sorrow, grief, you name it, and my struggles. Fear introduces cares into our lives by intrusive thoughts. that negative thought pattern that just keeps making you go around in circles. Fear leads to worry and being double-minded, anxiety, stress, and that leads to doubt and unbelief. And there is no faith in God. There's no faith in his word. There's no faith that he's going to reverse your situation or carry you through that trial or diversity you're facing. And you're basically tying the hand of God because faith came with by hearing and hearing by the word of God and faith without works is dead. And you need faith. You need to know that, you know, that, you know, God has it that even though you're in the middle of a famine, even though you're in the middle of the drought, you have to understand that you will be delivered. that God will keep his promises. And so you call it forth in your words, you speak positivity over yourself, over your life, and you know that you are going to receive those things that you've prayed for, as long as they're in line with the will of God, and you just act in faith. And faith is not what you could see, that you can't see it, but you know in your heart, that it's there, that it's already happened in the spiritual realm, and we're just waiting on it to manifest in the earthly realm. The cares of life can be distractors. They can weigh you down. They can cause anxiety, depression, grief, frustration, anger, so many things. Psalm 119, 105, the King James Version. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 119, 105, the Passion Translation. True shining light guides me in my choices and decisions. The revelation of your word makes my pathway clear. In the light of my word, there is counsel. James 1, 5, the King James Version. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God. They give it to all men liberally and upbraid if not, and it shall be given him. In the light of my word, there is counsel. James 1.5, the New International Version. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. So ask for wisdom. Lord Jesus, I just pray over every follower here, Lord Jesus, that everyone that's listening, that is seeking wisdom, Lord Jesus, they just be granted that wisdom and that understanding that they need to go forth and prosper as disciples of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, our precious Lord Jesus. Proverbs 8, 22, the King James Version. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old. What is possessing you, guiding you, directing you? Is it God's light of wisdom or the devil's deceptive darkness? Is addiction guiding you? Remembering past hurts, broken promises. Remembering dark times. Remember, it is God's light of wisdom that guides us. James points out that we will be unstable without the wisdom of God. Wisdom is the greatest thing that we can see and understanding. Moment of reflection. The Lord is our shepherd. First Peter 1, 18, 19, the tree of life version. You know that you were redeemed from the futile way of life handed down from your ancestors, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with precious blood like that of a lamb without defect or spot, the blood of Messiah. 1 Peter 1, 18, 19, the King James Version. For as much as ye know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. New International Version, 1 Peter 1, 18, 19. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors. But with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. Is your lamp full of oil? Or is the body asleep? Dead. Are you ready for the bride? Matthew 25, 1 to 13, the New International Version says, The parable of the ten virgins. At that time, the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lance and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lance but did not take any oil with them. Matthew 25, 1-13, the New International Version. The wise ones, however, took oil and jars along with their lance. The bridegroom was a long time in coming and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. See that? They became drowsy and fell asleep in a stupor. At midnight, the cry rang out. Here's the bridegroom. Come out to meet him. Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish one said to the wise, give us some of your oil. Our lamps are going out. No, they replied. They're may not be enough for both of us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves. But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet and the door was shut. Later, the others also came. Lord, Lord, they said, open the door for us. But he replied, truly I tell you, I don't know you. Wow, I never want that to be Christ's answer to me. I didn't know you. But he replied, truly, I tell you, I don't know you. Wow, that'll cause you to wake up. Therefore, keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour when our Messiah is coming. Revelation 11, the two witnesses. And we'll be reading out of the Life Application Study Bible. Again, I will be reading Revelation 11, the two witnesses. I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, go and measure the temple of God and the altar and count the worshipers there, but exclude the outer court, do not measure it. Because it has been given to the Gentiles, they will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses and they will prophesy for 1260 days clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying. And they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. Now when they were finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will attack them and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom in Egypt, where also the Lord was crucified. For three and a half days, men from every people, tribe, language, nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. But after the three and a half days, a breath of life from God entered them and they stood on their feet and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, come up here. And they went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies looked on. And that very hour, there was a severe earthquake and a 10th of the city collapsed. 7,000 people were killed in the earthquake and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to God of heaven. The second woe has passed. The third woe is coming soon. The seventh trumpet. The seventh angel sounded his trumpet and there were loud voices in heaven which said, the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he will reign forever and ever. And the 24 elders who were seated on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was. Because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign, the nations were angry and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great. and for destroying those who destroy the earth. Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and earthquake, and a great hail storm. This temple is most likely a symbol of the church, the body, the true believers. God is building protective walls around his people. They will suffer no spiritual harm. They will face persecution. Our greatest reward will be eternal life in God's presence. Two witnesses resemble Moses and Elijah, two of God's mighty prophets. God is in control. God unleashes his full wrath on the evil world that refuses to turn to him and repent. Coming judgments are not partial, but complete in their destruction, of which there will be no escape. Let's have a moment of reflection. I received a prophetic word on 8-7-2024. Thus saith the Lord. They must turn from evil. The scales have tipped. The time is now. Repent and turn. I am a God of love and mercy, but also judgment. They openly sin and blasphemy me. Thus saith the Lord, repent and turn back to me before my judgment is certain. Turn back to me, turn back to me. Woe to the one that does not heed this word. Thus saith the Lord thy God. I ask you again, is your lamp full? Are you asleep? and a spiritual stupor, what's the condition of your heart? Has the word penetrated your heart and set about to change your heart and mind, making you more like Christ, living, breathing examples of Christ, Doing the things like the Acts of the Apostles did. Or the Apostles did in the books of Acts. Are you healing folks for Jesus? Are you spreading God's glory to a dying world? This is your time. Wake up church. The bridegroom is coming for his bride. It's time to wake up and speak out for Jesus. Thank you all so much for listening and for joining me in this early morning. I'm sure it's late where you are. It's very early here. But I was roused out of bed to give this word. And so I obeyed. And I just want to pray us out. Oh, Lord Jesus. Be with every one of these individuals watching. That they may receive the desires of their heart. As it says in Mark 11. 23, 24, 25, all those scriptures. Bless them. Bless their families, their children, and their children's children. May they see the light of the Lord working in their lives. And that they know without a doubt God is real, that Jesus is real, that the gospel lives. It's living and breathing and sharper than a two-edged sword. Give them the strength they need to endure every trial, every wave of persecution that finds itself at their door. Strengthen them, O God. Provide sustenance for them, O God, as they eat from the bread of life and drink from the wellspring of living water. Fill them up, O God. Give them fresh oil. Strengthen them. Bless them. Keep them. In your mighty name, Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen. Thank you guys so much for tuning in from all over the world. God bless you and keep you. And I hope you enjoyed this teaching. Tune in for more teachings, like and subscribe our YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reflective Spaces Ministry and Reflective Hour with Tammy Toney-Butler. Two different podcasts, two different YouTube channels. Lots of teachings, lots of testimonies, healing from childhood trauma, all forms of trauma. And let's heal together. Let's grow together. And let's worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ together as we unite as his purified bride, his fateful remnant that he's coming for. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Thank you, everyone.