SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
2/22/2015 8:58 PM
My Worship Time Focus: The Command
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Revelation
3:11b
Message of the
verses: “hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
I may have mentioned that the word “persevere” or
“perseverance” has come up in a lot of different Biblical or spiritual things
that I have been reading, watching, or listening to and one of the things that
Christ was pleased with in this church was their perseverance, and also their
faithfulness, so He tells them to hold onto it.
We also mentioned that the Lord’s return is imminent, which is a good
thing, so because of this we need to always be ready for His return. Jesus gave a parable about this subject while
on earth in the book of Matthew, He actually gave more than one, but we will
look at the one from the book of Matthew today. “1 "Then the kingdom of
heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to
meet the bridegroom. 2 “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3
“For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the
prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom
was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 “But at midnight there
was a shout, ’Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those
virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ’Give
us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered,
’No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and
buy some for yourselves.’ 10 "And
while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those
who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11
“Later the other virgins also came, saying, ’Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12
“But he answered, ’Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Be on the alert
then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”
John MacArthur writes “The members of the Philadelphia
church had been faithful and loyal to Christ; He commanded them to remain
so. Those who persevere to the end
thereby prove the genuineness of their salvation (Matt. 10:22; 24:13).”
Believers are eternally secure and not by their own
power, but by the power of God. There
may come a time when we see people walk away from the faith, and I have seen
this in my life, in fact the person who led me to the Lord later told a friend
of mine that he was not into that anymore.
My answer to that is that he was never saved in the first palace. John writes “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had
been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it
would be shown that they all are not of us (1 John 2:19).”
What Christ promises to those who persevere is that “no one will take your crown.” James
1:12 says “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been
approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to
those who love Him.” This crown
is explained by MacArthur “The crown, or reward, for those who faithfully
endure to the end is eternal life with all its attendant rewards (2 John
8). Second Timothy 4:8 describes it as a
crown of righteousness, and 1 Peter 5:4 as one of glory. In our glorified state, we will be perfectly
righteous, and thus perfectly able to reflect God’ glory. Those whose faithful perseverance marks them
as true children of God need never fear losing their salvation.”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Perseverance to
me is to continue to live my life in the will of the Lord no matter what
circumstances I find myself in. I also
have to remember what the old Scottish preacher said “The successful Christian
life is a series of new beginnings.”
My Steps of Faith for Today: To love the Lord with all of my heart, soul,
mind, and strength, and to better understand the love He has for me.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Solomon” (2 Chronicles 1:10).
Today’s Bible
question: “Of what country was Pekah
King?”
Answer in our next SD.
2/22/2015 9:59 PM
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