R1605 The Incomplete Church

Welcome The Encouraging Word featuring a Bible-based free to give Dr. Don Wilton a message today on the incomplete Weatherby to church with us as individuals. We want to be complete in Christ for you. Consider discovering more at our website today tewonline.org you with all the resources that tewonline.org all are with Dr. Don Wilton. I want you to get your Bible down. This is so critical. Get your Bibles and turn to Revelation chapter 3.

So were in the lost book of the Bible you know how many times you not hear people talk about the book of Revelation right and the book of Revelation is about. In times Jesus got a special word for us and he begins in Revelation with three chapters they were.

He talks to believers. He talks to the church and and today you got to hear a word quite a lot when I speak and I wanted just shared with you.

Okay, so we get a doctor. Revelation chapter 3 and I want to show you this word before I read the whole passage that Pharaoh, not before I read this passage to you.

I want to read to you where this word comes from how how God put me on this because Jesus used this word okay so it's in verse two of Revelation chapter 3, I want you to see this for yourself. This is what Jesus said to believers to the church. Wake up strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of God. Wake up. This is a powerful statement.

Your guys on.

I'm really praying that the spirit of God's going to help you to get a hold of this wake up strengthen what remains and is about to die for Jesus said to have not found your deeds complete in the sight of God. Now why would he say this to a group of believers in a place called Saugus SAR DR is it's right there in Asia and I'll tell you a bit about salt a cinnamon about this town.

The city is very interesting is very appropriate. There is a group of believers. There who worship the Lord you belong to Jesus so wanted Jesus say to them, let's let's read the whole picture here around that would complete the angel of the church in Sardis. Jesus said right. These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars I know your deeds, you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead wake up strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember therefore what you have received and heard about it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will know not know what time I will come for you yet. You've got a few people in Sardis not sold that close they will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white and I will never blot that person's name out of the book of life, but will acknowledge that person's name before my father and his angels so he who has an ear you haven't here to hear, let the spirit you listen to what the spirit would God would Jesus is saying to the churches. I said that word Jesus. Jesus said to these believers said you I know what you doing I see your deeds but you ought incomplete. That word incomplete means full short of being complete.

Actually, yesterday while I'm sitting there enjoying some college football because I love college football or not to be in the week before.

Doesn't matter because you often hear. I heard a commentator speaking about a quarterback was having a great game and he said that has to be the most complete quarterback I've ever seen. That was the word he is not wanted the meeting affect well you know being an expert in quarterbacks. I guess this man who knew what he was talking about understands what it's types you know it involves everything how you quarterback your movements you disposition your observation, your ability to accept it all comes together.

That's a complete quarterback. When Jesus said to the church.

I know your deeds, I see you and you're not complete that Jesus went further than that said you got a reputation. Everybody out there thinks that you doing the right stuff, but I know better than that because I see your heart. I want you to just think about this from.

So let's put this on me.

Can I put this on me. I don't know where else to go with. So you listening to me right now and I'm I'm preaching I'm teaching you the word of God run you watching me you listening me you looking at me and and my preaching to you complete or incomplete. I'm telling you, you would find it hard to judge that you not supposed God knows so it seems to me if I'm preaching complete means I'm preaching without regard to being popular or saying the right things to please somebody because I want to impress somebody or some other motive.

Maybe when I got up to preach, I knew that there was a family member or somebody else was going to be worshiping live streaming today and they were in Australia and I know that they watching some man am I gonna be on my best today, because they watching Simon to say some cute things in stomp around a bit and throw a few things just to impress them. That's incomplete because yes I am. I'm preaching I'm telling you God's truth. But I've got other motives can you file 700 preach complete the challenge to me is I'm going to be sharing opening the Bible today because God called me to do this because God called me to be at first Baptist born abroad called me. I know that I'm convict but thought more than that because I am convicted about the word of God because I have no other motive other than to lift high the name of Jesus I would no other motive than to love on you but I have gotten no other motive than to take God's word and believe that God is going to speak to you that you going to give your heart to Jesus. That's my motivation.

How many thanks all the folks, Anna turn on your TV you know we've about had it up to here the fakes and politics, politicians in the church. How many times do you not turn on the TV and watch some personal intimidate they motive is not the word of God. They motive is to sell a book. They motive is for gain personal gain is not the gospel Jeff a you mind if I stop that analogy right now. So Jesus here looks at them and he says I have not found your deeds complete. You got that in the sight of God. So night. Let's try and understand this is now going to try and understand first of all, how did Jesus speak to them.

From what perspective two ways according this passage. First he spoke to them through the fullness of these person what is that mean so Jesus is saying this to these believers in Sardis and he speaking to them from the perspective of his fullness as a person as God. God father God's son bought Holy Spirit so he says he tells us he says these are the words of him who holds the seven spirits in who are the seven spirits, one of the seven spirits. Anyone know you want to go to Isaiah chapter 11 verse two. You'll see the seven spirits they amend you read about them in the book of Revelation. Many other passages. One of the seven spirits. I wrote them down spirit of the Lord spirit of wisdom, spirit of understanding of counsel, the spirit of power, the spirit of knowledge and the spirit of the fear of the Lord those of the seven spirits of God.

Jesus said, I'm speaking to you out of the fullness of who I am. Guys, this is powerful stuff. This this is the distinct expression of God. This is God's meaningful operation. By the way I'm not getting into this right now will do another time, but the number seven is the perfect number right throughout Scripture the number seven means fullness. It actually means completeness, it means everything that God is faith looking at the church and he saying you're operating at a number I don't know.

It's not perfect and I'm speaking to you from the fullness of my person, which I conferred upon you by the way that the number seven just reoccurs so seven means fullness one of the seven horns. That's the fullness of power.

So when you read about the seven eyes sent me, that means fullness of inside God has perfect inside he sees perfectly the grounds power perfectly. So one of the seven lampstands when you go to chapter 1 verse 20 read in chapter 1 verse 20 it's over. One of the live seven lampstands. He tells us that's the seven churches, and so the Bible goes on and on that number seven is very important decision. These are the words of him who holds the seven contains is the seven spirits of God and then he adds, and the seven stars, will he just wants us to know something else. Number one that he speaking to the church out of the fullness of these person but number two he speaking to the church through the channel of his messengers.

Hey did you see the beginning of this every one of these churches to the angel of the church to the angel to the messenger. You know that from the beginning of time. God has always appointed leaders in the church messengers go back to Abraham you like Joshua, Samuel, David whole Peter walk John Timothy member these names by the wife who are most of the books of the Bible named often give her the book of Daniel. How about the gospel according to Matthew. So what is Jesus saying is he saying I'm speaking to you through my channel the messengers you are perfect. Not only was an assignment so what is God do with messengers God number one appoints them.

God anoints them God assigns them. God sends them God's always done Betsy's modus operandi was so does God okay, here's God. God seven spirits of fullness of each person and he uses messengers to carry that message alright so let's just take anyone take the gospel of Matthew. Is he telling us to listen to Matthew or Paul know he signed five authorized by messenger to be the channel to bring this to use human beings you got that this Bible, God used people that he had anointed and appointed and assigned in St. to write this down. God breathed upon them, they just simply wrote it down so we could read it because all Scripture is inspired by God cannot just whine that back a little bit and we are the church of Sardis. How did Jesus speak to them through the fullness of these person through the channel of his messengers. That's what he did and he's talking to Sardis. What about Sardis. The me tell you quick chop chop.

Sardis. Sardis was an incredible place. It was actually boot on a big hill, very wealthy lots of money and was built up on a hill so the crooks robbers and foreign this and that. Couldn't get a hold of them. They were considered in pregnant. I had everything so Jesus looking down on Sardis. The believers he signed up you got everything but something happening. 133 BC the Romans conquered that area you not happen to them. In A.D. 17 A.D. 17 big earthquake. Now they were impregnable.

But an earthquake took them down so along comes Tiberius, the Roman Caesar. He rescues them by your side Ohio's season I start worshiping the gods. Cybele see why BELE God, this Cybele not too different from Artemis, God is Cybele Jesus is looking at them and he says yes. Here's the problem. You will began to consider yourselves impregnable. You had everything your wealth.

You sat on a hilltop.

You had a reputation. However, I know your deeds and your incomplete careful listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here in Encouraging Word power forward to the challenge and conviction and will be back with the rest of today's message we talked about just a moment. So don't go away for Dr. Don Wilton to remind you we are here for you to pray with you and for you. May you find yourself, as we all should convicted by the truth of God's word cannot be content to stay the way we are, but to make a change you'd like to have someone praying with you or for your phone numbers 866899 word that's 866899673 and relabel 24 hour today to talk or listen or pray or connect with great resources will find many of those resources on our website as well. TW online.org that's tewonline.org you why you're there, follow Dr. Donna's socials and sign up for the daily Encouraging Word devotional. You'll be glad you did. That's online@twonline.org. Now back to today's message Dr. Don Wilton I know sitting behind a smokescreen, earthquakes, everybody else's imprints.

God says I'm not that I know your incomplete you need to wake up.

So what is he, tell them he tells them three things just three things. He just puts it on going to get you 123's what he tells those believers, he says.

First of all, you were alive I see you believers you were alive. Many of you born again of this protocol you were alive you complete your living for me and by the way, and I love this because when he gets down later on verse four. He says I want you to know this. Still a bunch you that all you not throwing the baby out with the Baltimore to hear Jesus wasn't condemning all of them use I menaced many of you still all you haven't sold your clothes. You haven't succumbed said you were alive.

Second thing he says, but some of you become fake.

You become fake you not complete your preaching with an ulterior motive you walking across the road to help that person with an ulterior motive.

You coming to church is not the real reason you can't your incomplete and the third thing he says, you then at word they means incomplete and in fact what Jesus says you are about to die out as if you don't do what I'm gonna do it come like a thief in the not if you don't hear me, you, you be left behind. That's what Jesus was saying, so what was Jesus solution. What was the solution to this.

I had how did Jesus say you can fix your incompleteness three things number one remember that you love and remember where you've come from. Remember what you heard what you receive what you really just remember, how can we fantastic thing. Jesus tells them that that's that's beautiful is I'm in a tell you how to fix your sin problem number one.

Remember time for you to just go back to the drawing board. Okay, so if you married in your marriage is just not doing quite as well.

Cannot tell you good way to get it back where it needs to be. Just remember I remember what and when you were dating men.

When you first saw each other you a you remember when used to get in your motorcar and you would drive six hours to go and see her through the middle of the night and it didn't matter. And now you want even go to the grocery store to pick up some eggs. What what your problem's remember them out.

The sparks flew in values to tell each other that you love one another. I love you Isaac killing you right now wanted you and your wife. You need to go to a therapist on you and your wife sit down one day give each other and out to write a list of all the things that you once did for your spouse and then come back and then share that with each other you be going all that heard all me. Just remember that Jesus was saying, listen, go back and remember, you know, my daughter Shelley came home for a very short visit.

Serve Samaritans purse in Africa in a difficult place had no idea when she did come that her grandfather would Don go to heaven.

What of what a blessing and that that she saw him just before he paused away you know I was sitting today and I don't carry my phone with me when I preach, but my little phone you are one of these thingamajig easier. I do and I felt a buzz and I'll look to the and it was my daughter. She's the apple of my basically said daddy I landed back in Africa. I don't know what to do an AMI was was free so I looked up found :-) if it on one of those with hearts in it is that's my daughter, Ringo seen the halter. Hope it gets there in the middle of Africa. Now we pray. Maybe her luggage will arrive in all that good stuff. What is remember got to do that, you know, she battled for over three days to get back to Africa had every con obstacle going stock care stuck there. It was unbelievable. Idly she can remember. You not she's remembering right now. Yeah she's remembering a whole. She's remembering green things with her food.

She's remembering how much her daddy loves her. When you remember if usual fire keeps you going gives you new charge right. Jesus said excuse me you not complete.

Remember number 20 by that you're a married couple and you remember the why you were second thing you need to do is obey what you would get back to what's the matter with you. It's not rocket science.

Jesus was saying go back remember what I've done. Remember my instructions or by it, and number three. Repent.

Just tell Jesus you sorry for your son not to like there could be people around you voices in your head saying it's too late for God's love is greater than anything done or seen or said anything you feel is separated from God. God's love is using this broadcast to pursue to let you know that Jesus is ready to meet you right where you are. I pray that you open your hearts, not just of the teaching of heard from Dr. Wilton but from Dr. Don as he steps in the studio for these final closing thoughts. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why didn't you pray this prayer with me right. Dear God, I know that Iversen and I know that Jesus died for me today. I repent of my sins and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting you if you just pray that prayer Dr. Don Wilton gave your life to Christ or we dedicated your life.

All how we love to join with you in the next steps we have resources. Dr. Don's repair just for you absolutely free that you can ask for it 866-899-WORD that's the number jotted down not just now doing the program that were available at 866-899-9673 anytime day or night to talk prayer listen or connect with some great resource. Speaking of resources to be go to our website. TW online.org that's TEW online.org. One of the special resources is a fresh book from our story called I give up discovering paradoxical giving control in this four-part study.

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