A CITY CALLED HEAVEN

Many Rewards for Faithfulness and Obedience given by Jesus in the Gospels

Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. (23) Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

CROWNS:

Crown of Life

The Crown of Life is referred to in and ; it is bestowed upon "those who persevere under trials." Jesus references this crown when he tells the Church in Smyrna to "not be afraid of what you are about to suffer... Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life."

Incorruptible Crown

The Incorruptible Crown is also known as the Imperishable Crown, and is referenced in .[2] This epistle, written by Paul of Tarsus, deems this crown "imperishable" in order "to contrast it with the temporal awards Paul's contemporaries pursued". It is therefore given to those individuals who demonstrate "self-denial and perseverance".

Crown of Righteousness

The Crown of Righteousness is mentioned in ,[2] and is promised to "those who love and anticipate" the Second Coming of Christ. These Christians desire intimacy with God.

Crown of Glory

The Crown of Glory is discussed in and is granted to Christian clergy, who "shepherd the flock in unselfish love being a good example to others" .

Crown of Rejoicing

The Crown of Rejoicing - and , it is given to people who engage in evangelism of those outside the Christian Church. In the New Testament, Paul earns this crown after winning the Thessalonians to faith in Jesus.

“A CITY CALLED HEAVEN”:

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (2) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

( Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." )

-By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; (10) for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. … (13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (14) For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a Fatherland. (15) And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. (16) But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

( "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. (3) "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.)

For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (11) having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. (detailed description of the New City follows.)

And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come. … (19) and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city. … (20) He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

13 Promises to Overcomers in Jesus Christ from the book of Revelation :

1. Will eat from the tree of life. –

2. Will not be hurt by the second death. –

3. Will be given a white stone. –

4. Will receive a new name –

5. Will be given hidden manna to eat –

6. Will be given power over the nations and sit and reign with Christ on His throne. – ,

7. Will be given the morning star. –

8. Will be clothed in white garments. –

9. Their name will never be blotted out of the book of life, butwill be confessed before the Father. –

10. Will be made a pillar in God’s temple. –

11. Will never have to leave the New Jerusalem. –

12. Will have God’s name and the name of the New City written on them. –

13. Will inherit all things, and I will be His God and he shall be my son –