September 14 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Revelation 3:1-13:

¹And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
²Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
³Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
⁴Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
⁵He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
⁶He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
⁷And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
⁸I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
⁹Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
¹⁰Because 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.
¹¹Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
¹²Him 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.
¹³He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Devotional

Thus spake Christ to the angel of the church at Philadelphia. A crown is a sign of glory and of victory. Earthly kings used to wear crowns. But in the kingdom of God all those who are faithful, and endure in the faith to the end shall receive a crown.

"Behold", give heed, take notice. "I come quickly." Christ promised his disciples before He ascended into heaven, that He would come again. "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." And the angels told the Lord's disciples: "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." They should live in expectation of his coming, "looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God." They should watch. "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come unto thee."

"Hold that fast which thou hast." Only what you have re­ceived, can you hold fast. What had the church at Philadelphia received? They had received the Word of God, and had kept it. Now the Lord would keep them from the hour of tempta­tion, and afterwards they would receive the crown, already laid up for them in heaven, the crown of righteousness. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life."

Prayer

O God, in this world we have tribulation, and there is the hour of temptation. There is Satan, who goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Thou hast given us precious promises in Thy holy Word; but we are so weak in ourselves, that we cannot hold them fast, unless Thou dost strengthen us and protect us. We thank Thee that we know that Thou are faithful, that Thou wilt establish us, and keep us from evil and from falling. O God, make us faithful, make us strong in the Lord, and keep us by Thy power through faith unto salvation. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 2 Pet. 3:12; Rev. 3:3, 10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 2:10.

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