Hold fast by Pastor E.A Adeboye
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY DECEMBER 17TH 2023
TOPIC: HOLD FAST
MEMORISE:
“My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.” – (Job 27:6)
READ: REVELATION 3:10-13 (KJV)
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
MESSAGE:
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. – John 14:2
God is preparing a place for you. However, if you are still committing sin and feeling it is okay to do so, sorry, you have no place in heaven. The place He is preparing in heaven is only for those living holy and are without blemish, spot or wrinkle. He is coming back only for these people as they will be presented to Himself as His bride (Ephesians 5:27).
It is interesting to know however, that Jesus may be preparing a mansion with the name of someone on it, but that fellow may eventually not stay in that mansion while someone else takes his or her place. That is why Revelation 3:11 says, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
In the days when it was considered a crime in a certain country to believe in Jesus Christ, some soldiers arrested five young Christians. In the peak of terribly cold weather, the soldiers stripped these five boys and sent them into a freezing lake. The soldiers built a fire to keep themselves warm and said to these boys, “All you need to do to come to this warm fire and have your clothes on is to deny Jesus Christ”. After a little while, the boys began to freeze in the water. When they were about to freeze to death, one of the boys raised his hand and told the soldiers he was no longer a Christian. They told him to come to the fire. As he started moving towards the fire, God opened the eyes of one of the soldiers and he saw five angels, each one carrying a crown, just waiting for these boys to breathe their last so they could crown them and welcome them home. As the boy who denied Jesus began to walk out of the lake, his angel turned to go away with his crown. The soldier cried, “Angel, wait for me, I will take the crown”. He removed his clothes, jumped into the lake, died with the other four and took the crown of that young man.
Starting a race is of little consequence; what really matters is if you reach the finish line.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, whatever price I have to pay, don’t let me lose my crown. Don’t let me miss heaven, Lord.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: HEBREWS 1-4
AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE
HYMNAL: 23 – TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE
1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine:
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
