Chad Balthrop • Revelation 3:7-13

I like bold statements. I like swagger. I like the confidence that comes from believing that, even with the odds stacked against you, you have everything you need to win. It’s not arrogance. It’s grit.

In the book of Revelation, the church at Philadelphia was like that. They were small, scrappy, persecuted. Every time they got knocked down, they got back up. God opened a door for them that no one could shut. They persevered for one simple reason – The ultimate champion chose them to be part of His championship team. They were faithful. They overcame, and they showed us what it means to play like a champion today.

Chris Wall • Revelation 3:1-6

Jesus confronts the church at Sardis as a congregation with a reputation for life but a reality of spiritual death. Though active on the surface, they had neglected the gospel, forgotten what they had received, and drifted from Spirit-led obedience. Christ’s command is clear and urgent: wake up, strengthen what remains, remember the truth, and repent. Spiritual vitality cannot be sustained by appearance or activity alone—only by dependence on the Holy Spirit and faithful obedience to God’s Word. When believers walk together in unity, using their God-given gifts, the church is strengthened and prepared to stand against sin and deception. For FBC Owasso, the warning is unmistakable: forgetting the Lord’s calling and gifts leads to the loss of our witness. But if we respond quickly to Christ’s voice, Spirit-filled unity and obedience will shape our future.

Chris Wall • Revelation 2:18-29

Jesus addresses the church in Thyatira, commending their love, faith, service, and perseverance. This was a church whose works were increasing over time. Yet alongside this growth, they stumbled into a dangerous compromise: they tolerated a false teacher. This was a teacher who led believers into immorality and idolatry. Despite being given time to repent, she remained unyielding, and her influence was corrupting the church. Christ calls the church to quick repentance, showing that delay only deepens sin’s grip. For those who repent, there is both mercy and grace. Spirit-led obedience is the mark of a believer. The Spirit will naturally move us to reject compromise, embrace holiness, and hold fast to what Christ has taught. For our church today, this passage reminds us that love and service must be matched with discernment and obedience. Quick repentance and Spirit-led faithfulness keep us in step with God’s will and purpose. The message to the church at Thyatira highlights the core value of Spirit-led obedience to the Lord.

Chris Wall • Revelation 2:12-17

Jesus speaks to the church in Pergamum, a community living “where Satan’s throne is.” They were surrounded by idolatry and persecution but were able to hold fast to Christ’s name, even when one of their own was martyred. Though these are great wins, Jesus confronts them for tolerating false teaching, specifically the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans where they were falling for compromise with immorality and idol worship. The bottom line was they were failing to rightly apply God’s word. Christ calls them to repent, reminding them that His Word is like a sharp, double-edged sword. The Spirit’s correction brings both warning and grace, pressing the church to realign their thinking with God’s truth. Tension from the Holy Spirit is a gift. The Spirit is faithful to expose where compromise has crept in and redirects hearts to obedience. When rightly applied, God’s Word helps believers think clearly about life, family, ministry, and work, keeping Christ at the center of all. The promise for those who overcome is deeply personal: hidden manna for spiritual nourishment and a white stone with a new name, symbolizing acceptance and identity in Christ. For our church, Pergamum’s message reminds us that true faithfulness requires Spirit-led correction and the courage to live by God’s Word in every sphere of life.

Chris Wall • Revelation 2:8-11

The church in Smyrna was a congregation facing poverty, slander, and persecution. Their example reminds us how our hope rests in the power of His resurrection. Though outwardly poor, Smyrna was a church rich in faith. Their suffering had a purpose. Suffering proved to be a refining process, preparing them for eternal reward. Jesus warns that the devil will throw some into prison and that tribulation will test them. Yet He calls them not to fear but to remain faithful even to the point of death, promising the crown of life. The lesson is clear: trials are not signs of God’s absence but opportunities to draw near to Him in deeper dependence. Tough times become the environment where faith is forged, purified, strengthened, and proven genuine. For our church, this message highlights that suffering, though painful, is often the pathway to the richest experiences of God’s presence. As we endure with faith, we are being prepared for glory and a gospel adventure testimony that extends into heaven itself.

Chris Wall • Revelation 2:1

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’” ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Chad Balthrop

Chris Wall • John 3:16

The Advent miracle of Christmas is deeper than God came to earth. This miracle is wrapped in the revelation that He came with the mission of giving His life out of love for the world. The manger was not the end game; the destruction of sin and death was the goal. From the beginning, Christ demonstrated the greatest love the world has ever known. Love is the message of Christmas, and this transforming love moves His people to love one another in tangible ways.