Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Memorise: The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of
temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2 Peter 2:9
Read: 2 Peter 2:4-9
There are three schools of thought on the subject of the
timing of the Great Tribulation. The first school of thought say born again Christians
will be on the earth and will go through Great Tribulation. The second say
believers will stay on the earth for the first 3½ years of the tribulation
period before being taken away; while the third school of thought says
believers will not be here when the tribulation begins. I strongly share the
views of the third school of thought based on scriptural evidences of God’s
past dealing with His people.
First, according to Revelation 3:10, if you keep His word,
you will be out of the way before the trouble i.e. Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah
30:7) starts. Similarly, God does not destroy the righteous with the wicked
except if the righteous had dumped righteousness for evil. That was the basis
for Abraham’s intercession for the righteous in Sodom and Gomorrah and God
spared Lot and his family (Genesis 18:22-23). We learn from that account that
one major reason God has not overthrown our cities today is because of the
righteous living in them; after all, the world is far more corrupt now than in
the days of Noah or Sodom and Gomorrah. Also, during the deluge, God spared
Noah and his family before flooding the whole earth. Fear not! As you serve the
Lord faithfully, He will take you away before He brings judgment upon where you
are. However, the church in Philadelphia was advised to hold fast what they
have lest another fellow takes their crown. Some years ago, in a communist
enclave, 50 Christians were being tortured for their faith in Christ. Soldiers
moved them to a lake of freezing water, stripped and put them there. At another
spot was a huge bonfire so that if they denounced Jesus they could warm
themselves and be set free. Unknown to them, God has opened the eyes of one of
the soldiers who saw each of the believers who endured being tortured to death,
receive a crown from an angel. As this continued, one of the Christians who
could no longer bear the pain started stepping out. Disappointed, his angel was
about to take his crown back to Heaven when this soldier suddenly stripped
himself and ran to replace the believer so that he could take his crown. Hold
fast to what you have or you will lose your crown and other rewards to others!
PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to endure to the end so that no one will
take my crown.
Bible in one year: Amos 1-3
Tribulation has an expiring date and so father lord give me the grace to endure to the end so that no one will take my crown.Help o lord that on that day i shall be found worthy and fit for the crown......IJN Amen
ReplyDeleteFather, while the tribulations has not reached the alarming rate..help me to "lace" your eternal WORDS of encourage, hope and eternal rewards in my heart in this generation so that if by any chance I am in situations that want me to deny my faith and your name, my focus will still remain in the Heavenly hope.
ReplyDeleteI peay for more grace to keep pressing on till we reach the finish line... Grace over distractions and cares of life. May God bless open Heavens in Jesus' name! Amen
ReplyDeleteWhosever dat endures 2 d end shall be saved-(Matt. 24:13 ). Daddy give me sufficient grace 2 endure 2 d very end n do not allow me 2 lose my crown IJN, amen.
ReplyDeleteThe end is nearer than we think. Let us all be prepared given that no one knows that period or time. It is going to happen suddenly with the sounding of the trumpet. Are you ready, am I ready? Get set NOW!
ReplyDeleteWe all need grace & God's mercy to always order our steps & guide us in all our doings. My prayer is that our crown shall not be taken away from us no matter the agony in Jesus name. Amen.
ReplyDelete