The theme for Open Heaven Daily Devotional December 17 2023 is Hold Fast”
SCRIPTURE: 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
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 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 this 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.
Open Heaven 17 December 2023 Devotional: Prayer Point
Father, whatever price I have to pay, don’t let me lose my crown. Don’t let me miss heaven, Lord.