https://youtu.be/2fBYGkxd0pw

We have been talking about and are finishing up our messages this month about the “Reach More” campaign and today is the day that we make our commitments to the Lord for 2020At the end of Service I will ask you to write your commitment on a card, and Kasey will gather them in a basket in the back- He is the only one who knows who tithes what. I don’t know how much people tithe. I don’t even know what Jay, Kevin, Todd tithe. I do know they tithe. I wont know who is committed and who gave how much. I know that the Leaders have committed to ________ but I don’t know how much each one did. Between God and themWe have been talking about the value of the local church- and our desire to pay off this building to the Glory of God. So more will worship him and serve him. So we can establish this church as an ark of safety as we await Christs return. So we can preach the Gospel with no restraints. This message is titled- 7 Churches and 5 Crowns. 7 Churches of revelation- most of them were rebuked, but one was praised. We want to be a church that is praised when Christ returns. We want to earn our Crowns and lay them at the feet of Jesus in  heaven. Through the Church

Christians don’t talk about rewards much- but they are there. The Local church is the greatest vehicle to be a Biblical Church and earn the rewards and crowns the Bible promisesThis is why we want to build and defend our local church- not at the expense of othersBook of Revelation 7 churches IN Rev 2-3Ephesus, The Loveless Church: Hardworking, hated evil, looked good, but their hearts were wrong. Missing LovePergamum, The Worldly Compromising Church: This was the church of tolerance- sins like immorality, idols, cults and heresies Thyatira, The Wrong Doctrine Church: had faith love and good works. Patient, but doctrine allowed sexual sin, idolatry and paganism They were corrupt Sardis  The Spiritually Dead Church: asleep spiritually except for a remnant. Encouraged to revive themselves by faithLaodicea, The Lukewarm Church:  This church only received rebuke. Neither hot nor cold. Relied on things of this world and riches- they were a half-way church. Smyrna, The Persecuted Church: No rebuke, but under physical hardship, promised to not get second death- encouraged to stay faithful unto deathPhiladelphia the faithful churchThe Spiritually Alive Church: Philadelphia did well. No rebuke. Never denied Jesus. Huge promise for them in Heaven. All these churches Jesus said- “ I know your works” Jesus knows what Churches are what and what they are doing- as he’s watching OUR CHURCH we want to have the LONG VIEW- I don’t know when Christ is going to return, but we are here today because 2000 years of Christians have maintained Churches. They have passed the torch to us for this timeI hope he comes back NOW but our job is to pass this torch to the next generation!Our Children’s Children may be the ones who are running this church when Christ returns

SO AS A CHURCH- We don’t want to be loveless- we want to operate in love in everything. Love is the heart of God. Good biblical love- not false agape love 2 Cor 8:24  Therefore show to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.We don’t want to be tolerant of Sin- “it is reported among you”  We don’t want to tolerate sin in ourselves or others. 1 cor 5: 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.We don’t want to have wrong doctrine- We want to preach correct doctrine that is biblical 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires,