Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
MEMORIZE: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matt. 24:13).
READ: Matthew 24:12-13
While addressing the church in Smyrna, the Lord admonished them to be faithful till death (Rev. 2:10). Why? First, He was only asking them to follow His example. He served God faithfully and died in His prime, according to God’s will and against His fleshly desire. Hebrews 5:8 says He had to learn obedience through suffering. If you do not do what you teach others to do, you are hypocrite and such ideals will speak against you on the last day. In addition, the Lord asked them to sustain their faithfulness because that is the only way they can get paid for it. If you served God faithfully for a period but were found unfaithful at the time of death or the rapture, your final result would be determined by your last spiritual condition; your unfaithfulness would have eroded the years of faithfulness! This is a very serious reality, and that is why anyone who has placed his or her hands on the plough and looks back would be considered unfit for the Kingdom.
If you look around, you will find some Christians who started with so much zeal and love for God. They could endure any fire, withstand any storm and continue singing on their way to Heaven. They did this for many years. But what is it like today? They are either cold or lukewarm and very touchy. They flare up so easily. Some of them cannot even exercise patience for two minutes. Their fiery zeal has ebbed out and they have become complacent in the things of God. This is a very dangerous situation to be in. If they die in that state of unfaithfulness, and are fortunate enough to make Heaven, they may still lose their rewards. How is it with you today? Are you still as fiery in evangelism and prayer? How hot is your love for God? If these have waned, go back to God and cry out your heart to Him, asking for restoration of your lost fire. You cannot start in the spirit and end in the flesh. If you lose your faithfulness during the course of your Christian race, there may be no reward for you in Heaven. God is more interested in how you finish the race than how you started. You shall end well.
KEY POINT
The title deed to all your assets, credits, and rewards in Heaven is faithfulness. Don’t die without it
Bible in One year: Isa. 4-6
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