Join Barbara Carmack as she reflects on the profound messages found in the Book of Revelation. In this episode, we explore the context and meaning behind the seven churches and how these messages remain relevant in our modern lives. Barbara shares her thoughts on current events that highlight the need for faith and community, encouraging listeners to reflect on their first love for Jesus and the importance of spreading that love to others.
00:24:45 Prayer for Unity and Closing Thoughts on Revelation
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Welcome to Call to Freedom with Barbara Carmack. This is Jimmy Lakey, and I’m delighted that you are joining us for this half hour. You can reach Call to Freedom at Box 370367, Denver, Colorado, 80237, or by going to the website at www.freedomstreet.org. If you want to leave a message or order a Word Power Daily Reading Bible Guide or a Freedom Street Express newsletter, you can call us toll free at 1-877-917-7256 and leave your name and address, including your zip code. If you want to talk to Barbara right now, she is expecting your call. You may call that same toll-free number, 1-877-917-7256 to speak to her. And now, let’s join Barbara in the studio.
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on this beautiful day in Denver, Colorado. Wow, we should be getting the ice and the snow that the east part of the United States is getting. Welcome to Call to Freedom. I’m Barbara Carmack. Kimberly’s taking a day off, and it’s a well-deserved day off. And so I’ll be here to explain some of Revelation, try to explain how that has become a part of who we are today. when God is describing the seven churches. It’s such a great revelation. And Kimberly will be here tomorrow to further explain that. We know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. We will be with the Lord forever. Just think of it and encourage each other with these words. And that’s a scripture from 1 Thessalonians 4, 17 and 18. We will be with the Lord forever. encourage each other with these words. And oh, after listening to some of the news this weekend, I realized there’s so much pain out there. Folks, there’s so much pain. You may be in your little apartment or in your car right now, just zipping back and forth to be getting more gifts and going to the post office. Wow, the post office, Christmas is full blown at the post office. I couldn’t even mail what I wanted to mail today. I will do it though. We will get it done. sending out power packs and also CDs. But I realized this week, especially last night after I heard about the murder of Rob Reiner and his wife, that there’s so much pain, so much sorrow, so much grief. And I appreciated, I know Rob Reiner was very liberal. He started with All in the Family in the 70s. But I enjoyed so much Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, Few Good Men, great little movies that you could watch with your whole family, and I am so saddened by that. I guess his son had some problems with drugs, and his father and he were always clashing. That is not the way to do it, folks. Not the way to do it is take it out on them. So I speak grace, grace, grace to Nick, and grace to all the family, and I pray that God will be in their hearts and in their lives. And then you hear about the Hanukkah service in Australia along the beach, and over 15 were killed, shot with these long guns, and so many more injured. Oh, and then the murder at Brown University. Wow. I don’t want to fill this half hour with all of this, but we just need you, Lord Jesus, in our lives. We need you now more than ever before. And I say, come quickly, Lord Jesus, but not before we can tell our neighbors and our friends and our loved ones about your love for us. As I said in the slate at the beginning of the program here, this is a good time to give thanks to the Lord and look at what he’s done for you and what he has done in you. Yes, he is changing us to be more like him. Praise the Lord. Let’s do our Monday Bible slogan. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I do what it tells me to do. This is my Bible. It has given me new life. It is the word of God. And a dear friend last week said, I gave a passion translation to a person that I prayed for. I guess he was working in the yard of a neighbor, and he came over to do some work with them, and she handed it to him, and he took it, but then he brought it back. And she was so disheartened by that. But that doesn’t mean on her part that she did the wrong thing. You just keep handing out those pamphlets, handing out the Bibles, handing out your love for Jesus Christ to those who don’t know him. And a seed was planted as she prayed for this man. Sow seeds. We’ve got to sow seeds, friends. We really do. When you are in agreement with God, your mouth is the faith switch. So you can say those wonderful words of life to them, of joy and peace. If they don’t accept it, at least that joy, that spirit of joy, that spirit of love, that spirit of life has gone into them. And they’re never going to be the same. Holy Spirit’s gentle, but he prods us. And he says, I want you. I want all of you. So we’re praying today for those who are in pain, for those who are in sorrow, in grief. Oh, John 14, verse 27, my friends, peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. And that phrase right there, let not your heart be troubled, it begins chapter 14 in John. Oh, beautiful. Jesus wants you to live in peace. Oh, praise God. You are blessed to dispense for in him you live and move and have your being. If you would like to listen to Call to Freedom programs and somehow you missed it on the radio, you can go to freedomstreet.org, click on resources and go to the radio shows and it gives dates, everything in detail and you just Click on that little arrow and away you go. Listening to either Encore shows on Friday with Darren and me or during the week. And most of the time, Kimberly has been here since Thanksgiving with Kimberly and me a lot of the time, which I’m so appreciative of. And I’m so grateful that we can come to you daily, Monday through Thursday, live. So you can understand some of the things going on in this world. I’m so grateful to Darren that he said, no, we’re not going to tape this. We’re going to go live every day. So it’s been live almost 30 years here, going to the studio every day. And I’m so pleased. I’m so honored. I’m so privileged to have that happen in our lives. And if you’d like to go to freedomstreet.org, there’s a Bible guide under resources, and it gives a full chronological reading of the Bible, plus scriptures that you can memorize every day, a wonderful little booklet. You can just stick it in your Bible, or I leave mine at home, and when I read in my special place in the mornings, that’s where I take the Bible guide, and I can always know where I am and read that scripture for the day. It’s been such a help for me. I learned this from Marilyn Hickey in 1975 when I started reading the Bible. And I’ve just kind of followed after her with the chronological reading, but established my own settings for what I did with the Bible Guide. The Power Pack and the Bible Guide are wonderful opportunities. I just mailed some Power Packs. If you’d still like a Power Pack for a stocking stuffer for Christmas, you can call me after this program at 1-877-917-7256. Or you can email me at Barbara Carmack. That’s where I’m getting most of my orders. Emailing me at Barbara at Freedom Street dot org. Barbara at Freedom Street dot org. And I’ll send those to you. Today was jammed. I don’t know when I’ll be able to send you. I’m. I’m trying to find a place in the day when I can go to the post office and not have to stand in such a long line because that’s what they require anymore, standing in line. So be patient with me, be understanding, and you will get what you ordered. And our donations for December, when you give an offering to Call to Freedom, either by donating at the freedomstreet.org at the donation tag, or by mail. You will receive a 2026 motivation calendar, and it has been so popular for the last few years that I’ve done that. So that calendar will be mailed to you in January with your receipt. from December. So thank you for giving to Call to Freedom. And the meeting was so good. We had a great meeting Saturday. Being together in the family of God is so important, my friend. You may think you’ve got everything you need, but those meetings, it’s only one Saturday a month, second Saturday of the month, and we can afford to go together and and be in fellowship with like-minded believers. We are growing and loving each other more and more, and these opportunities that we have to meet together, either for brunch or on the meeting, they’re priceless. I don’t have any words to say. They’re priceless. Kimberly gave a great teaching on Jesus, the beginning and the end, and the aleph and the tav, and a lesson on the numerical meanings that are connected to Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever lesson. It’s also important at this time of year to give as generously as you are joyful in doing that to the church and fellowship that has taught you about God. Don’t neglect the tithing, friend. Don’t neglect giving and planting that seed into the wonderful, wonderful spiritual soil that you are learning from. So remember that. God bless you as you open up your heart to his will in your life. The memory verse for this week is Revelation 3.20. We’re going to be in Revelation this week. And next week, can you believe that, is Christmas. So it’s coming on strong. And Revelation 3.20 in the New American Standard is, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, remember, you open the door. I will come in and eat with him. That means he will restore you because you’re hungry. He will restore you and he with me and he who overcomes the world through believing that Jesus is the son of God. I will grant to him the privilege to sit beside me on my throne. As I also overcame and sat beside my father on his throne. And it tells us in Ephesians 2 that we are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Praise God. Oh, that is so good. And in the message translation. I love the message. I either get it from the New Living Translation, the Message, the Passion, or the New American Standard. I have those always available to me. In the Message Translation, Revelation 3, I’m going to read from the 19th verse, and I hope you take this down and read it later. The people I love I call to account, prod and correct and guide, so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet then, about face, run after God. Look at me. And that’s a capital M. Look at me. I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in. Remember, he’s always a gentleman. I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Oh, that’s… It’s going to be so fun. You know, we’ve had people around our table for years and years and great people, wonderful people and friends. But sitting with Jesus, oh, there’s nothing like it. Conquers will sit alongside me at the head table. You’re a conqueror. In fact, Paul says you’re more than a conqueror. So conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my father. That’s my gift to the conquered. Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the wind words, the spirit blowing through the churches today. So beautiful. Well, last week we ended in Revelation 1 with talking about the Aleph and Tav. And that’s why Kimberly then brought a teaching on Saturday. If you’d like that little sheet, it’s just a small 8 1⁄2 by 11. It’s on both sides explaining the numerical value of the Aleph and Tav. I will be happy to send it to you. I hope to remind you at the end of this program. Jesus constantly loves us. I want you to know that even when you do something wrong, his love does not change, friend. You change and you get guilty and you condemn yourself. Jesus constantly loves you, you and me. He has loosed us from our sins as Revelation 1, 5 tells us. He has also appointed us kings and priests on this earth. His authority given to us who love and serve him. And that’s why Darren named this whole company of ministry Fire and Rain, because the fire of Holy Spirit helps us reign as kings and priests on this earth. And that’s R-E-I-G-N. I’m so grateful. I love that title. Last week, Kimberly taught us on the Aleph and Tav. And again, in the Saturday meeting, what an enlightenment to God’s plan. And again, if you would like a copy of the Hebrew explanation of Aleph and Tob, you just call me after the program or email me at barbara at freedomstreet.org. And this teaching is new. It was new to me and it probably is new to a lot of you because we read from the old standard translations without explanations in the Aramaic and the Hebrew. So I’m so grateful that Kimberly is digging into the Word of God. This teaching is new, and I’m so grateful for God’s anointing in our lives. Let’s start at Revelation 1, verse 9. Many of you will be persecuted and have been already because of the word of God. Yes, they will persecute you and laugh at you because of the word of God. But stand strong, my friend. I was in the spirit realm on the Lord’s day and I heard behind me a loud voice sounding like a trumpet saying to me, Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. When I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, I saw seven golden lampstands. Now, those aren’t going to be literal because God mentioned them as being the lampstands of the angels of God. We’ve got to start thinking outside the box. Get away from that tradition. Get away from the religious content that you grew up with. Yes, Jesus fulfilled. You don’t have to be afraid. Jesus fulfilled all of that. So we can go on to the age of grace. New covenant. Praise God. That’s what I’m living in today. And walking among the lampstands. The Church of Jesus Christ, I saw someone like a son of man, wearing a full-length robe with a golden sash over his chest. His head and his hair were like wool, white as glistening snow, and his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were gleaming like bright metal, as though they were glowing in a fire, and his voice was like the roar of many rushing waters. And this description of Jesus in Revelation is so much interesting. Like the description of God in the Old Testament. Because you know from John 10, they’re one. The Father and I are one. His right hand, he held seven stars. And in the Old Testament, stars were related to angels. Dr. Simmons relates the seven stars to church leaders. in Revelation and in the Passion Translation. And out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. That’s what the Word of God is sometimes. It prods us. It prods us. It convicts us. It helps us to understand his love for us. And his face was shining like the brightness of the blinding sun. When I saw him, I fell down at his feet as good as dead. But he laid his right hand on me, and I heard his reassuring voice saying, Don’t yield to fear. I am the beginning. I am the end, the living one. I was dead, but now look, I am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys that unlock death and the unseen world. Now I want you to write what you have seen, what is and what isn’t. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Jesus was reminded and reminding us that those are angels. And now come the developing of the seven churches. All I’ve heard all my life at different revelation studies, and wow, have I been through revelation studies many times in my life. Leaders have spoken of the physical churches that existed, and that’s good to know. geographically where they were, what situations they were in. And that’s good to hear the descriptions. But it’s more than that, friends. It’s more than that. What if God was having John write down the conditions and the changes in a believer’s life in the journey each one of us takes on this earth? For example, I’m going to give you a meaning in the Aramaic and Greek of what each church means and see what you think. And don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Now, the beginning of the seven churches was a town or city named Ephesus. And this was a Gentile city. And what the real root meaning of this city is called desirable darling. So that refers to your first love. When you were born again, what did you think about Jesus? Oh, I got to tell everybody I’m born again. I’m saved. That’s what I did when I was born again. I went to school and told everybody I was saved and they didn’t understand what I was talking about. So Ephesus means our first love. Number two, Smyrna means means sweet smelling. It’s like myrrh. And it’s the suffering and being crushed by persecution. What if we saw this church era as a time in each of our lives when we experienced a death of the flesh? Yes, Smyrna, a death of the flesh. And Galatians 2.20 comes to me. I am crucified with Christ, a dying of the flesh. Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me. And the life I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of our Lord Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me. I’ve got more to say about Pergamum and Thyatira, but I wanted to get Amy Grant in here with Breath of Heaven, because I love that song, and especially at Christmas time. So Rachel, give that to us right now.
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I have traveled many moonless nights Cold and weary With the babe inside And I wonder what I’ve done Holy Father, You have come And chosen me now I am frightened by the load I bear In a world as cold as stone Must I walk this path alone? Be with me now Hold me together. Be forever near me. Breath of heaven. Breath of heaven. Lighten my darkness. Pour over me your holiness. For you are holy. As you watch my face If a wiser one Should have had my place But I offer all I am For the mercy of your plan Help me be strong. Help me be. Help me. Breath of heaven. Hold me together. Be forever near me. Breath of heaven. Lighten my darkness Pour over me your holiness For you are holy Breath of heaven Hold me together Be forever near me Breath of heaven Lighten my darkness Pour over me your holiness For you are holy
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Thank you, Lord Jesus. Hold us together. Hold us together in this chaotic world, Lord Jesus.
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Oh, so beautiful. The breath of heaven, Holy Spirit. I just want to mention Pergamum here. Pergamum means married. And it’s elevation. We’re lifted up in marriage to Jesus Christ. It’s the realization that we who are in Christ Jesus are the bride of Christ. Now, don’t get into your head that we walk down an aisle with a white dress and a veil. That will probably not happen because men are included in the bride. So we’re going to have some changed minds here out of the box again. He’s elevated us and seated us with him. And I’m so grateful and I just speak grace, grace over all of those who don’t know Jesus. Yes, because they’re going to get to know him. They are. And then number four, Thyatira is a sacrifice, an odor of affliction. Being married to Jesus is not an easy journey. There are times when we want to throw in the towel, and I have been there. And this walking with Jesus is a sacrifice, just as Thyatira means. And then there’s that Jezebel spirit, that spirit of tolerance and compromise. Oh, let’s just give in a little bit. We can go to the edge. We can try. to do something that’s maybe not scriptural, but we’ll do it. We’re going to do it. Maybe not biblical, but yeah. And that’s a Jezebel spirit, manipulation and control. And boy, friend, we must give it all to Jesus. Give it all. Give it all to Jesus. Shattered dreams, wounded hearts and broken toys. And he will turn our darkness into light. Well, I’ll talk to you more, Kimberly and I will talk to you more tomorrow about the seven churches mentioned in Revelation. Until then, if you would like Power Pack, call me at 1-877-917-7256 or email me at barbara at freedomstreet.org. I’ll send them to you free of charge. God bless you and keep you and take joy.
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You may get in touch with Barbara at Call to Freedom, Box 370-367, Denver, Colorado, 80237. Or you may leave your message at 1-877-917-7256. Call to Freedom is a listener-supported radio ministry. Barbara and her power partners invite you to come on board with us and become a network of hands holding up Call to Freedom ministry. Our partners support Call to Freedom with prayer and monthly financial support. You will be blessed supernaturally. We invite you to visit Call to Freedom’s website, www.freedomstreet.org, where you can hear Barbara’s daily radio broadcast 24 hours a day or order materials. You may share your praise reports and heart cries by mailing them to Call to Freedom, Box 370-367, Denver, Colorado, 80237. Or you may email us at barbracarmack at freedomstreet.org. Until next time, remember, Jesus loves you, Barbara loves you, and take joy.
Join Barbara Carmack as she reflects on the profound messages found in the Book of Revelation. In this episode, we explore the context and meaning behind the seven churches and how these messages remain relevant in our modern lives. Barbara shares her thoughts on current events that highlight the need for faith and community, encouraging listeners to reflect on their first love for Jesus and the importance of spreading that love to others.
