This episode originally aired in 2007. Stay tuned for more It’s Supernatural! Classics from our It’s Supernatural! archive!
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE A
FINE,
DIGNIFIED MOTHER AND YOU
GO TO A CHURCH AND ALL OF
A SUDDEN THE WIND OF GOD
SWEEPS YOU IN THE AIR,
LITERALLY TO ANOTHER PLACE
IN THE CHURCH?
THIS ISN’T SUPPOSED TO
HAPPEN.
AND THEN YOU’RE DRIVING
YOUR CAR AND GOD SPEAKS TO
YOU AT AGE 70, AND SAYS,
“I WANT YOU TO WRITE NOW.”
ROBERTA SIMPSON, IN
ADDITION TO EVERYTHING
ELSE I JUST SAID ABOUT
YOU,
YOU’RE JEWISH.
ROBERTA: YES.
SID: SO LET ME TAKE YOU
BACK A LITTLE BIT.
YOU’RE MARRIED.
YOU HAVE TWINS AND TRAGEDY
STRUCK.
WHAT HAPPENED?
ROBERTA: YES.
I HAD TWO CHILDREN ALREADY
AND THEY WERE QUITE YOUNG,
AND I HAD TWINS.
I DIDN’T KNOW I WAS HAVING
TWINS,
AND YET I FELT SO STRANGE
ALL THROUGH THE PREGNANCY.
I KEPT ASKING THE DOCTOR
WHAT’S WRONG.
NOTHING YOU’RE FINE.
AND THEN WHEN I WAS SIX
MONTHS AND A WEEK
PREGNANT, I WAS RUSHED
INTO THE HOSPITAL.
MY WATER HAD BROKEN AND I
DELIVERED TWINS.
AND THE STRANGE THING WAS
THAT WHEN THE FIRST BABY
CAME I STILL HAD A BIG
TUMMY UP IN THE AIR.
AND THE DOCTOR PATTED IT
AND SAID,
“THERE’S ANOTHER ONE
COMING.”
AND ALL I COULD THINK
ABOUT WAS I DON’T HAVE
ENOUGH DIAPERS FROM TWO
BABIES,
AND I WASN’T DUE ANYWAY.
AND BUT IT WAS A TRAGEDY.
I WASN’T EXPECTING TWINS.
MY HUSBAND WANTED TWINS.
I DON’T KNOW ANY OTHER MAN
THAT WANTED TWINS.
AND I HAD THEM JUST
BRIEFLY BECAUSE THEY HAD
TO RUSH THEM TO ANOTHER
HOSPITAL.
IT’S RAINY.
IT WAS COOL AND THEY HAD
TO PUT THEM IN AN
INCUBATOR.
AND JUST WHEN THEY GOT THE
INCUBATOR WARM,
THE SECOND BABY DIED.
THE FIRST BABY WAS ONLY
TWO AND A QUARTER POUNDS
AND THE SECOND BABY WAS
THREE.
SO I HAVE A MIRACLE CHILD
AND SHE’S NOW 40 AND HAS
TWO WONDERFUL CHILDREN OF
HER OWN.
SID: OKAY, LET’S TAKE YOU
BACK TO A DAY,
I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE
BEEN AN INSURANCE AGENT IN
YOUR HOME.
YOU’VE JUST GONE THROUGH
THIS TRAGEDY OF LOSING ONE
OF YOUR TWINS.
THE OTHER IS ON THE
INCUBATOR AND EVERYTHING
IS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE.
AND HE INVITES YOU TO HIS
CHURCH.
WHY IN THE WORLD DID YOU
GO?
ROBERTA: WELL MY HUSBAND
WAS ALWAYS A CHURCH GOER
AND HE HAD AN ANGLICAN
MOTHER AND A CATHOLIC
FATHER AND ON SUNDAY HE
HAD TO GO TO BOTH
CHURCHES.
AND BUT JUST RECENTLY IN
OUR LIVES,
HE HAD MADE A COMMITMENT
TO THE LORD TO WALK WITH
HIM AND SERVE HIM, BUT I
DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THAT
MEANT AT THE TIME.
AND OUR LITTLE GIRL, OUR
TWIN GIRL HAD JUST COME
HOME THE DAY BEFORE, AND
WE HAD BEEN INVITED TO GO
TO CHURCH, AND WE WENT
BECAUSE MY HUSBAND WANTED
TO GO.
I WAS INTERESTED.
I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I
HAVE FAITH IN GOD.
I BELIEVED IN HIM.
I WASN’T TOO SURE, I JUST
THOUGHT JESUS WAS A MAN
WHO WAS GOOD AND LIVED A
GOOD LIFE.
SID: WEREN’T YOU TAUGHT HE
WAS EVEN A PROPHET.
ROBERTA: YES.
SID: BUT CERTAINLY NOT THE
SON OF GOD.
ROBERTA: NO.
SID: SO TELL ME YOUR FIRST
RECOLLECTIONS WHEN YOU
WALKED INTO THIS CHURCH.
DID YOU LIKE IT?
ROBERTA: NO.
THEY HAD DRUMS.
I THOUGHT, I DIDN’T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT CHURCHES,
BUT DRUMS.
SID: AT THE SHOW WE DON’T
HAVE DRUMS.
ROBERTA: NO.
AND THEN THEY HAD A
QUARTET THAT SANG AND I
THOUGHT THEY WERE PRETTY
LOUSY.
I WAS SO CRITICAL.
AND MY TWO OTHER CHILDREN
WERE WITH ME AND IT WAS
VERY HOT, AND THEY FELL
ASLEEP.
AND ONE WAS ASLEEP ON ONE
LEG AND THE OTHER ONE WAS
ASLEEP ON MY OTHER LEG,
AND I FELT VERY
UNCOMFORTABLE.
AND IT WAS A VERY KIND OF
LOUD RAUCOUS CHURCH.
IT WAS A PENTECOSTAL
CHURCH,
AND THEN THE PASTOR GOT UP
TO SPEAK,
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST,
I DID NOT LIKE IT,
SID.
BUT I WAS THERE BECAUSE I
LOVED MY HUSBAND AND I
WENT WITH HIM.
SID: YOU WERE A NICE WIFE.
ROBERTA: YES.
SID: BUT THEN THE
UNEXPECTED HAPPENED.
WHAT HAPPENED?
ROBERTA: WELL AT THE VERY
END OF THE MESSAGE THE
PASTOR SAID, “WHEN TWO OR
MORE ARE GATHERED IN
JESUS’ NAME HE’S IN THE
MIDST.”
AND I HAD NEVER HEARD THAT
BEFORE,
BUT MY EARS KIND OF,
SOMETHING STIRRED IN ME
AND HE WENT ON TO SAY,
HE’S THE ONE THAT CAN
CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND YOU
CAN BE A DIFFERENT PERSON,
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO
NOW.
AND SOMETHING STIRRED IN
MY HEART,
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT’S
A VERY LARGE CHURCH,
I SAW JESUS COME FROM ONE
END BY THE ALTAR,
WALKING RIGHT THROUGH THE
CHURCH BY THE ALTAR.
AND I KNEW IT WAS JESUS
AND I KNEW HE WAS THE ONE
I NEEDED IN MY LIFE, AND I
KNEW THAT HE,
ALL OF A SUDDEN I REALIZED
I HAD A BITTER HEART.
I WAS BITTER OVER MY
BABY’S DEATH.
I WOULD EVERY NIGHT CRY
OUT TO GOD AND SAY,
GOD, WHY, WHY HAS THIS
HAPPENED TO ME?
WHY?
AND WITHIN AN INSTANT I
KNEW HE’S THE ONE I
NEEDED.
AND HE DIDN’T LOOK AT ME,
BUT HE HAD THIS BEAUTIFUL
SMILE ON HIS FACE.
HE HAD A FACE OF LOVE AND
HIS STRIDE,
YOU KNOW, THE WAY HE
WALKED ACROSS HIS CHURCH,
IT WAS PURPOSEFUL AND IT
WAS JUST WONDERFUL.
IT WAS SOMETHING I DIDN’T
WANT TO TELL ANYBODY
BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY
WOULD THINK I WAS WHACKO,
BUT IT REALLY HAPPENED.
SID: NOW OUT OF CURIOSITY,
IT WAS WONDERFUL,
BUT WHAT DID YOU FEEL
INSIDE WHEN YOU SEE JESUS,
WHO WE JEWS HAVE BEEN
TAUGHT IS NOT OUR MESSIAH.
YOU HAD REVELATION
KNOWLEDGE.
YOU KNEW HE WAS.
WHAT DID YOU FEEL INSIDE?
ROBERTA: EXCITED.
I JUST KNEW THAT MY LIFE
WAS GOING TO BE TOTALLY
DIFFERENT.
SID: FOR SURE.
NOW OUT OF CURIOSITY, TELL
ME WHAT HAPPENED,
WHO IS THE FIRST PERSON
YOU TOLD ABOUT THIS
EXPERIENCE?
ROBERTA: MY HUSBAND.
I DIDN’T DARE TELL ANYBODY
ELSE.
I DIDN’T TELL HIM EITHER
FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
SID: SO HOW DID HE REACT?
ROBERTA: WELL I THINK HE
WAS A BIT STARTLED.
I DON’T THINK HE HAD EVER
HEARD OF SUCH A THING
HAPPENING BEFORE.
BUT HE KNEW IT WAS REAL
BECAUSE I WAS DIFFERENT
AND I WAS HUNGRY FOR GOD.
RIGHT AWAY I STARTED
READING BOOKS AND GOD
BEGAN TO BRING PEOPLE INTO
OUR LIVES THAT KNEW HIM
AND WOULD HELP US, AND
TEACH US.
BUT FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING I WANTED THINGS.
THE CHURCH WASN’T JEWISH
ENOUGH FOR ME.
THE FIRST BOOK IN THE
BIBLE I READ WAS THE BOOK
OF REVELATION.
THAT’S PRETTY FRIGHTENING.
SID: THAT WOULD DO IT TO
MOST PEOPLE.
ROBERTA: AND THEN THE
FIRST BOOK I READ WAS
“TORTURED FOR CHRIST” BY
RICHARD WURMBRAND,
AND THEN I READ “WHY
REVIVAL TARRIES” AND “THE
CROSS AND THE
SWITCHBLADE”,
ALL ONE AFTER THE OTHER.
AND I BELIEVE, LOOKING
BACK NOW,
GOD WANTED ME TO BE REAL.
HE WANTED ME TO, I WASTED
A LOT OF YEARS IN MY LIFE.
I THINK THE ONE REGRET
WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENED TO
ME WAS WHY DIDN’T THIS
HAPPEN WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.
SID: WHY WON’T IT HAPPEN
WHEN YOU’RE YOUNGER?
IT’S GOING TO.
DON’T GO AWAY.
YOU’RE GOING TO FIND OUT
HOW A 70-YEAR-OLD
GRANDMOTHER IS GIVEN
ORDERS TO WRITE FROM GOD.
WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK TO
IT’S SUPERNATURAL.
WE NOW RETURN TO IT’S
SUPE RNATURAL.
SID: HELLO.
SID ROTH HERE WITH ROBERTA
SIMPSON.
ROBERTA, YOU CANNOT TELL
ME THAT STORY ENOUGH.
AS A JEWISH PERSON, THE
LAST THING IN THE WORLD
YOU WANTED TO DO WAS TO
KNOW JESUS WAS THE
MESSIAH.
THE LAST THING YOU WANTED,
YOU HATED THAT CHURCH.
YOU COULDN’T WAIT TO GET
OUT OF THERE.
AND TELL ME WHAT YOU SAW.
ROBERTA: I SAW JESUS THE MESSIAH
SID: TELL ME WHAT HE WAS DOING.
ROBERTA:
HE WAS WALKING
ACROSS THE CHURCH BY THE ALTAR
AND IT LOOKED LIKE
HE JUST HAD LOVE AND
HAPPINESS ON HIS FACE FOR
EVERYBODY THAT WAS THERE.
AND HE WAS WALKING ACROSS
THERE WITH A PURPOSE,
AND I KNEW HE WAS THE ONE
I NEEDED IN MY LIFE.
SID: SO ROBERTA LOVED TO
TELL STORIES.
SHE’S A STORYTELLER.
SO SHE THOUGHT, SHE’D LIKE
TO,
YOU DID WRITING LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR.
ON WHAT SUBJECT WOULD YOU
WRITE ARTICLES?
ROBERTA: ISRAEL AND THE
JEWISH PEOPLE AND WHATEVER
THERE WAS ANYTHING
ANTI-SEMITIC OR ANYTHING
NEGATIVE, REAL LIES, AS I
CALLED THEM,
I WOULD WRITE LETTERS TO
THE APPLICANT AND TO THE
NATION, AND THOSE ARE THE
TWO MAIN NEWSPAPERS.
AND THAT WAS MY–
SID: ALL RIGHT, SO YOU TOOK A
WRITING COURSE
AND FIGURED MAYBE
I’LL REFINE THIS.
BUT THE PROFESSOR REALLY
CRUSHED YOU.
WHAT DID HE SAY ABOUT YOUR
WRITING?
ROBERTA: WELL HE TOOK MY
PAPER,
WHICH I THOUGHT WAS QUITE
NICE,
AND HE JUST SCRIBBLED IT
UP AND MADE HORRIBLE
COMMENTS, AND AT THE
BOTTOM HE SAID YOU CAN’T
WRITE.
AND THEN HE HAD THE
AUDACITY TO ASK ME,
“I HOPE I DIDN’T
DISCOURAGE YOU,
DID I?”
SID: SO YOU’RE DRIVING
YOUR CAR ALONG,
MINDING YOUR OWN BUSINESS.
ROBERTA: YEARS LATER.
SID: AND YOU HEAR FROM
GOD.
SO YOU BEGAN TO ACTUALLY
HEAR GOD SPEAK TO YOU.
ROBERTA: YES.
SID: WHAT DID HE SAY?
ROBERTA: JUST THESE FOUR
WORDS: “YOU CAN NOW
WRITE.”
AND THE “NOW” WAS
EMPHASIZED.
AND I KNEW IT WAS HIM.
IT WAS JUST THAT STILL
VOICE IN MY HEAD AND AN
EXCITEMENT ROSE UP IN ME,
AND A JOY.
SID: SO DID YOU TAKE
ANOTHER WRITING COURSE?
ROBERTA: NO.
SID: WHAT DID YOU DO?
ROBERTA: I WENT HOME AND I
WROTE MY FIRST STORY.
SID: NOW YOU KNOW, I DON’T
KNOW WHETHER IT’S JUST US
JEWISH PEOPLE, BUT THE
SAME THING HAPPENED WITH
ME.
THE MINUTE GOD TOLD ME TO
DO SOMETHING I DID IT.
ROBERTA: YOU KNOW, IF
WE’RE NOT OBEDIENT,
WE DON’T GET ANY, I LOOK
BACK NOW,
SID, AND I THINK HOW SCARY
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF I
HAD MAYBE THOUGHT, YES,
I’LL DO THIS,
AND THEN GOT HOME AND
DOUBT MIGHT HAVE OVERTAKEN
ME AND I CAN’T DO THIS.
I WAS TOLD I COULDN’T
WRITE.
BUT THERE WAS A JOY IN MY
SPIRIT AND I SAT DOWN AT
THAT COMPUTER IMMEDIATELY
AFTER I GOT HOME AND
STARTED WRITING, AND I
HAVEN’T STOPPED.
SID: I’VE GOT IT RIGHT
HERE,
“NANA’S BIBLE STORIES”.
AND I LOVE, I MEAN, EACH
STORY HAS A MESSAGE.
ONE MESSAGE IS ON COURAGE.
ANOTHER IS ON HEALING.
ANOTHER IS ON LOVE AND THE
MOST IMPORTANT ONE ON
HOW TO KNOW GOD.
JUST KIND OF PARAPHRASE
FOR ME ABOUT MY FAVORITE,
“THE BUTTERFLY AND THE
CROSS”.
ROBERTA: OKAY.
WELL TO BEGIN WITH, I USED
ALL MY GRANDCHILDREN’S
NAMES IN THE STORIES AND
WHEN I FIRST STARTED IT,
I STARTED WITH THE LOST
SHEEP,
AND I USED MY OLDEST
GRANDSON’S NAME,
RAFI.
AND IF I HAD KNOWN IT WAS
GOING TO BE A BOOK WITH A
LOT OF STORIES I WOULD
NEVER HAVE NAMED MY
GRANDCHILD A SHEEP.
BUT I WENT TO MY LITTLE
GRANDDAUGHTER,
ALEXANDRA, AND SHE WAS SIX
AT THE TIME,
AND I SAID TO HER, “WHAT
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE IN A
STORY?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE
STORY?”
SHE SAYS, “I DON’T KNOW.”
I SAID, “WOULD YOU LIKE TO
BE QUEEN ESTHER’S BEST
FRIEND AND LIVE IN A
PALACE?”
ALL LITTLE GIRLS LIKE TO
BE PRINCESSES.
SHE SAID, “NO, DON’T WANT
TO BE THAT.”
I SAID, “WHAT WOULD YOU
LIKE TO BE?”
“I WANT TO BE BUTTERFLY.”
I THOUGHT, THERE’S NO
BUTTERFLY STORIES IN THE
BIBLE.
OF COURSE, I DIDN’T TELL
HER THAT.
AND HOW NARROW MINDED WE
CAN BE SOMETIMES,
BUT OF COURSE THERE WOULD
HAVE BEEN BUTTERFLIES.
THERE ARE BUTTERFLIES IN
ISRAEL.
AND THEN SHE REALLY
SHOOK ME.
SHE SAID, “I WANT TO BE A
BUTTERFLY AT THE
CRUCIFIXION.”
AND I DO A LOT OF RESEARCH
AND WHEN I WRITE THE
STORIES I GO INTO THE
BIBLICAL ACCOUNTS.
I DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING,
AND BUT,
LIKE FOR INSTANCE, I’M
WRITING A STORY ON A
BUTTERFLY, I DON’T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT
BUTTERFLIES.
SO I WENT TO GOOGLE AND
LOOKED UP BUTTERFLIES AND
FOUND THAT THE LARGEST
BUTTERFLY IN THE WORLD IS
CALLED THE QUEEN
ALEXANDRA.
NOW THAT BLEW MY MIND
BECAUSE IT WAS ANOTHER
SIGN THAT GOD WAS IN IT.
HE KNEW I WAS GOING TO
HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER
CALLED ALEXANDRA AND THAT
ONE DAY I’D WRITE A STORY
ABOUT A BUTTERFLY WHO GOT
STUCK ON THE CROSS BY A
SPLINTER AND A DROP OF
BLOOD CAME DOWN AND FREED
HER, AND THEN SHE CHANGES
COLOR,
WHICH REPRESENTS WHEN WE
WILL COME TO JESUS AND ASK
HIM TO COME INTO OUR LIVES
AND OUR HEARTS,
HE CHANGES US AND WE’RE
DIFFERENT.
SID: ROBERTA, AT 70-PLUS,
HOW CAN YOU EVEN THINK
ABOUT STARTING A CAREER
AND COMING OUT WITH
BEAUTIFUL BOOKS LIKE THIS.
THE PAINTINGS IN HERE ARE
SO BEAUTIFUL AND THERE’S
EVEN A CD OF SHEILA WALSH
READING,
IN CASE YOUR PARENTS ARE
LAZY AND YOU DON’T WANT TO
READ TO YOUR CHILDREN, BUT
I THINK YOU SHOULD READ TO
YOUR CHILDREN.
WHAT DO YOU FIGURE GOD
WANTS OUT OF THIS?
ROBERTA: WELL I BELIEVE
TWO THINGS.
I BELIEVE THAT MANY PEOPLE
WILL COME TO KNOW JESUS.
MANY PEOPLE WILL PUT THEIR
FAITH IN HIM AND I WANT
CHILDREN TO REALLY KNOW
HIM AS THEY SHOULD.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY
LEARN STORIES IN SUNDAY
SCHOOL.
BUT I’VE TRIED TO WRITE IN
SUCH A WAY THAT CHILDREN
CAN IDENTIFY WITH THE
CHARACTERS.
AND WELL MAYBE NOT A
BUTTERFLY,
BUT THE BUTTERFLY TELLS A
STORY ABOUT THE
CRUCIFIXION.
BUT THE LITTLE BOY THAT
GAVE JESUS THE LOAVES AND
THE FISH, THERE’S NOTHING
MUCH SAID ABOUT HIM.
BUT THEY CAN READ THE
STORY ABOUT HIM AND SAY TO
THEMSELVES, I CAN BE
LIKE THAT.
I CAN FOLLOW HIM.
SID: BUT CAN THEY FLY
THROUGH THE AIR,
I MEAN, LITERALLY, BECAUSE
THE POWER OF GOD TOUCHES
THEM.
THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED TO
ROBERTA.
SHE WENT TO A MEETING AND
WERE YOU HUNGRY?
ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR GOD,
ROBERTA?
ROBERTA: OH SID, I’M SO
STARVING.
AND THAT ALWAYS HAVE BEEN.
THIS IS THE THING.
I’VE ALWAYS WANTED MORE.
SID: ME, TOO.
I DON’T UNDERSTAND
BACKSLIDERS.
ROBERTA: I DON’T EITHER.
SID: WELL WHEN SHE FLEW
THROUGH THE AIR I BELIEVE
THE PRESENCE OF GOD AS SHE
EXPLAINS IT TO YOU,
IS JUST GOING TO HIT YOU
WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.
DON’T GO AWAY. WE’LL BE RIGHT
BACK IN JUST ONE MOMENT.
WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK TO
IT’S SUPERNATURAL.
WE NOW RETURN TO IT’S
SUPERNATURAL.
SID: HELLO. SID ROTH
HERE WITH ROBERTA
SIMPSON.
AND ROBERTA, I WENT OUT TO
THE BROWNSVILLE REVIVAL.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I AM
AS HUNGRY,
MAYBE HUNGRIER THAN YOU.
I DON’T KNOW WHETHER
HUNGRIER OR NOT.
BUT I WENT TO ALL
THESE PLACES.
I WENT TO ALL OF THE
REVIVALS,
AND STEVE HILL BECAME A
FRIEND OF MINE.
HE WAS THE SPEAKER,
PRIMARY SPEAKER THERE AT
THE BROWNSVILLE CHURCH
IN PENSACOLA,
FLORIDA. AND YOU
WOULD LITERALLY RUN AFTER,
THEY WERE SUPPOSED
TO COME TO YOU.
ROBERTA: YES. SID:
BUT YOU WOULD,
WHY WOULD YOU RUN AFTER THEM?
AREN’T YOU TOO
DIGNIFIED
FOR THAT? ROBERTA:
OH LISTEN, I’M NOT A VERY
DIGNIFIED
PERSON.
MY HUSBAND WILL ALWAYS
TELL YOU THAT HE’S THE
QUIET ONE OF THE FAMILY,
BUT NOT ME.
BUT YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE
ONLY FOR A FEW DAYS AT A
TIME AND I COULDN’T WASTE
TIME BECAUSE I WAS FROM
BARBADOS.
I TRAVELED NINE HOURS AND
THREE PLANES TO GET TO
PENSACOLA.
SID: TELL ME ABOUT THE
TIME THAT YOU DON’T EVEN
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
HAPPENED,
BUT PEOPLE REPORTED WHAT
THEY SAW.
ROBERTA: YES, I HEARD IT.
WELL AS YOU SAID, I
WOULD RUN,
NOT RUN, BUT I HAVE JUMPED
OVER PEWS THERE TO JUST
GET TO WHERE– SID: YOU
WEREN’T VERY DIGNIFIED.
SORRY, WRONG IMAGE.
ROBERTA: NO.
I WOULD WEAR THE PROPER
ATTIRE AND I WOULD CLIMB
OVER THE PEWS AND I WOULD
GO WHERE I SAW SOMETHING
HAPPENING.
AND THIS PARTICULAR TIME–
SID: I WISH YOU WERE
ALWAYS HUNGRY FOR GOD AS
ROBERTA IS.
I PRAY THAT THE PRESENCE
OF GOD JUST OVERTAKE YOU,
THAT YOU WILL HUNGER AND
THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
AND GOD SAYS YOU WILL
BE FILLED.
SO YOU’RE HUNGERING
AND THIRSTING,
AND YOU’RE RUNNING OVER
THE PEWS.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED?
ROBERTA: YES.
WELL I HAD TO GO TO THE
OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE
CHURCH FROM WHERE I WAS
SITTING AND I PUSHED MY
WAY THROUGH THE CROWD, AND
THIS GUY LAID HIS HAND ON
ME.
I DON’T KNOW IF IT WAS
STEVE OR MY MIKE BROWN,
OR THE PASTOR.
I DON’T REMEMBER THAT.
BUT ALL I KNOW IS I HEARD
THIS MAN SAY,
“LOOK AT THAT WOMAN FLYING
THROUGH THE AIR.”
AND I JUST FLEW THROUGH
THE AIR AND I WAS DOWN ON
THE GROUND, AND I WAS
THERE FOR A LONG TIME,
AND I COULDN’T GET UP.
I HAD TO CRAWL BACK TO
MY SEAT.
I MEAN, IF THAT’S NOT A
HUMBLING EXPERIENCE.
SID: WHY COULDN’T YOU
GET UP?
ROBERTA: THE POWER OF GOD
AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
I THINK THAT’S WHAT I
LOVED ABOUT THAT REVIVAL.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE
FIRST WENT,
WARD AND LYDIA, MY SON
WARD WENT FIRST AND THEN
THE WHOLE FAMILY WENT,
EXCEPT FOR ONE DAUGHTER
WHO WAS REBELLIOUS AT
THAT TIME,
BUT SHE’S FINE NOW.
BUT MY OLDEST GRANDSON WHO
WAS ONLY 12 AT THE TIME,
HE CAME RUNNING TO THE
FRONT AFTER THE SERVICE
AND HE SAID, “NANA, WHAT
IS THIS?
WHAT AM I FEELING?”
AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS THE
PRESENCE OF GOD.
HE KNEW THAT THERE WAS
SOMETHING THERE HE HAD
NEVER EXPERIENCED, A
12-YEAR-OLD,
AND THAT WAS SO WONDERFUL,
THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
SOMETIMES I FEEL RAIN ON
MY FACE.
SID: RAIN?
ROBERTA: RAIN.
SID: LIKE DROPS FALLING.
ROBERTA: THIS FINE MIST
LIKE IT’S VERY HARD TO
EXPLAIN, LIKE A MIST
OF RAIN.
SID: I HAVE FELT THE SAME.
I KNOW.
ROBERTA: AND IT WAS THE
PRESENCE OF GOD AND THE
POWER OF GOD.
GOD WAS THERE.
YOU’D WALK INTO THAT
SERVICE AND GOD’S PRESENCE
WAS THERE, AND THAT’S WHAT
I HUNGER FOR IS THE
PRESENCE OF GOD.
I HEARD HEIDI BAKER SAY,
YOU GO TO A MEETING,
THE PRESENCE OF GOD
IS THERE,
WELL YOU CAN JUST AS WELL
GO TO THE TAVERN OR
SOMEWHERE, BECAUSE WHAT’S
THE POINT WITHOUT GOD’S
PRESENCE.
SID: LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING,
GOD’S PRESENCE IS ON THIS
SET.
ROBERTA HAS BEEN HAVING
DREAMS AND VISIONS,
BUT THERE IS ONE IN
PARTICULAR,
ROBERTA, ABOUT THE JEWISH
PEOPLE.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
ROBERTA: WELL THAT WOULD
HAVE TO BE LIKE 25 OR 30
YEARS AGO NOW, BUT IT’S AS
REAL TO ME NOW AS IT WAS
THEN.
AND I WAS TRAVELING IN
CANADA.
I WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE
DURING THE NIGHT AND I
FELL ASLEEP EVENTUALLY.
AND I HAD THIS DREAM, AND
IN THE DREAM I LOOKED UP
AND SAW THIS BLINDING
LIGHT FROM HEAVEN AND I
HEARD THIS VOICE
SAYING TO ME,
“ROBERTA, MY PERFECT WILL
IS FOR YOU TO MINISTER TO
JEWISH PEOPLE.”
AND I SAID, “OH
NO, GOD, NO.”
AND I LOOKED UP AND I
COULD SEE LIKE A THRONE.
I COULD NOT SEE THE
PERSON ON IT,
BUT LIKE AN OUTLINE THAT
THIS BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT
THAT WAS BLINDING.
AND YOU KNOW, I AM SURE
GOD DID IT SO THAT I WOULD
KNOW EXACTLY, BECAUSE AT
THE BOTTOM OF THIS THRONE
WAS THE THRONE OF GOD.
I SAW THE WRITING: “THE
THRONE OF GOD”.
AND THREE TIMES HE SAID
THAT TO ME,
AND ALL THREE TIMES I
SAID,
NO GOD.
BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A
FAIR CAME UPON ME AND I
THOUGHT, BECAUSE HE SAID,
“MY PERFECT WILL.”
AND YOU KNOW, IF WE’RE NOT
IN HIS PERFECT WILL WE
DON’T HAVE THE PEACE.
I WANT TO BE IN GOD’S
PERFECT WILL EVERY DAY.
EVERY DAY I SAY, LORD, I
WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WILL
TODAY.
I JUST WANT TO DO THE
THINGS YOU WANT ME TO DO
AND BE THE PERSON YOU WANT
ME TO BE.
AND SO I KIND OF ARGUED,
BUT THEN I SAID,
LORD, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU
WANT ME TO DO,
I’LL DO IT, BUT YOU WILL
HAVE TO SHOW ME HOW.
AH, AND SO, BECAUSE YOU KNOW
LIKE-
SID: YOU KNOW, ROBERTA,
GOING BACK TO THE EARLY
’70S WHEN YOU SAW JESUS
AND HAD TO BECOME A
BELIEVER IN THE MESSIAH,
AND WHEN I WAS RESCUED
FROM THE DESPAIR OF THE
NEW AGE AND I LITERALLY
WAS GOING TO DIE, AND THE
PRESENCE OF GOD CAME IN MY
ROOM AND REVEALED JESUS
TO ME,
THERE WAS A MOVE OF GOD’S
SPIRIT ABOUT THAT TIME
AMONG JEWISH PEOPLE.
MANY OF THE LEADERS OF THE
MESSIANIC JEWISH MOVEMENT
TODAY CAME TO THE LORD AT
THAT TIME.
BUT JUST AS THAT DOOR
OPENED,
IT SLAMMED SHUT.
AND WHAT I BELIEVE,
ROBERTA,
THE REASON YOU’RE SHARING
THAT WORD FROM GOD NOW
AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS
IS THE RAIN THAT’S
BEGINNING TO FALL ON
JEWISH PEOPLE.
I HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAVE
MESSIANIC JEWISH
CONGREGATIONS IN ISRAEL
AND THEY TELL ME EVERY
WEEK THAT SABRAS, THAT’S
NATIVE BORN ISRAELIS,
ARE COMING TO THE LORD,
NOT JUST JEWISH PEOPLE,
BUT MUSLIMS, BOTH.
WE’RE COUSINS, MISHPOCHA,
THAT BOTH PEOPLE GROUPS,
THERE’S LIKE A WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY.
I’M GOING TO PUT YOU ON
THE SPOT SINCE YOU TOLD ME
YOU WERE SPONTANEOUS.
I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THE
CAMERA AND TALK TO A
JEWISH PERSON ABOUT WHY
JESUS IS THE MESSIAH.
ROBERTA: WELL APART FROM
THE SCRIPTURES,
IT’S ALL THERE.
IT’S WRITTEN IN YOUR BOOK
THAT HE IS MESSIAH.
AND WE WERE TAUGHT FROM
YOUNG TO EXPECT HIM TO
COME AND HE HAS COME
ALREADY.
AND I JUST WANT TO
TELL YOU,
IT IS THE MOST EXCITING
THING BECAUSE I’VE BEEN ON
BOTH SIDES, IT’S THE MOST
EXCITING THING TO BE A
MESSIANIC JEWISH PERSON,
TO BELIEVE THAT YESHUA,
JESUS IS THE MESSIAH, TO
FOLLOW HIM.
HE IS THE HEALER.
HE IS THE DELIVERER.
WHATEVER YOUR NEED
IS TODAY,
YOU MIGHT BE SICK.
YOU MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH
PAIN AND CONFUSION,
AND EMOTIONAL STRESS, AND
HE IS THE HEALER.
HE IS THE ONE.
HE IS THE PERSON WHO HE
SAID HE IS.
HE’S THE SON OF GOD.
HE IS EVERYTHING TO ME.
SID: AND YOU CAN BE LIKE
THAT BUTTERFLY THAT IS
STUCK TO THE CROSS.
BUT BETTER THAN THAT, YOU
CAN BE A PERSON THAT THE
MESSIAH OF ISRAEL
WILL SAY,
I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU.
I WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU.
THIS EARTH IS GOING TO
SHAPE ONE MORE TIME.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A
MENTAL GIANT TO REALIZE
THAT, BUT YOU WILL BE KEPT
IN PERFECT PEACE IF YOU
WILL KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE
MESSIAH OF ISRAEL,
THE ONE THAT CAME, LIVED
AS A MAN,
AND ACCORDING TO ISAIAH,
BORE YOUR SINS AND
SICKNESSES ON HIMSELF.
IF HE BORE IT ON HIMSELF,
WHY ARE YOU BEARING IT?
DO YOU KNOW THE WORD
“SICKNESS” IN THE GREEK
MEANS EVIL.
HE TOOK THAT EVIL UPON
HIMSELF AND BY HIS
STRIPES, HIS WOUNDS WHERE
HIS BLOOD CAME,
AND EVEN THE TALMUD IN THE
BOOK OF LEVITICUS SAYS
WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF
BLOOD THERE IS NO
FORGIVENESS OF SIN.
EITHER JESUS IS OUR
MESSIAH OR WE HAVE NO
FORGIVENESS OF SIN.
THAT’S THE DEAL.
AND AS FAR AS I’M
CONCERNED,
IF YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE THE
WAY IT IS YOU’RE MESHUGA.
I KNOW.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO
KNOW GOD,
NOT RELIGION, IF YOU’RE
MUSLIM,
STAY MUSLIM.
IF YOU’RE JEWISH, STAY
JEWISH, COME TO KNOW GOD AND BE
OBEDIENT TO HIM AND
HE WILL GIVE YOU THE REASON
WHY YOU’RE LIVING THE
PURPOSE OF LIFE. L’CHAIM.
[MUSIC ♪]