HOLD ONTO YOUR CROWN!

Image credit jaci VIII on Flickr

Ok, I have romantic poems I wanted to share with the young,  poems I thought some seniors might appreciate, thought-provoking ones I hoped you deep thinkers might enjoy:), even a few literary ones for those who appreciate the art of writing!  But all those can wait.  I want to give you words to ponder that could possibly change the course of your life.  Melodramatic?  Don't mean to be but going to risk any number of "kook" labels to share my feeling of urgency.

Driving home today in the heat (no a/c but no heat stroke either, I promise!:) words suddenly appeared out of nowhere into my mind, "Let no man steal your crown!"  No one in this world would confuse me with royalty, and it's been a long time since I played dress-up.  Yet the words were significant to me, for I recognized them from Scripture.  I knew to find their source in the Bible's prophetic last book.  Rev. 3:11 reads,  "Behold, I am coming quickly!  Hold fast what you have that no one may take your crown."  What crown might that be?  Lots of references, but here's the one that immediately came to mind from the Apostle Paul's writings as he faced martyrdom.  "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.  (3 things we Christians need to get right:)  "Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, The Righteous Judge, shall give me on that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing." 

Do you love the thought of Christ's appearing?  Does the thought of seeing Him face to face thrill you--or leave you feeling a bit anxious, annoyed, afraid, or ashamed?  Do you even still believe Jesus is coming again--or are you like those who have cast away that confidence as foolish, churchy superstition, saying, "We've heard that all our lives, and He's never come, not likely to now?  Since our forefathers lived and died, all things have continued as they were..."  Or, do you believe the church teachings that at some foggy, futuristic date, Christ will indeed return in some nebulous form and time will be replaced by eternity--just not likely in our lifetime.  We're also told to "beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy or vain deceit."  We dare not be like those..."professing themselves wise, they became fools."  

Have you allowed some intellectual or social mindset to steal the crown of your belief system in Jesus and His Word and replace it with its own fake value system?  Oh, please, I urge you, buy the whole truth of God's Word, and don't sell out!   Everything that can be shaken will be shaken; but if we build on Christ, The Solid Rock, as our foundation, our lives will stand, not fall apart and crumble--as they will built on bits of truth--grains of sand--what looks, feels or sounds good.  We were intended to "reign in life by One, Christ Jesus"--but we must think His thoughts to do so. "Don't be conformed to this world's mold, but be renewed in the spirit of your mind."

Lots of goofy "prophets" in past years, inventing sensational stuff, but the real remains.  Jesus is coming!  That should comfort--even excite--us, not scare us!  But it should stir us out of pettiness and lethargy, too.  Who knows for sure when?  No one--no cop out; we're just supposed to be ready.  We don't know the day or hour, but we should be able to discern the "times and seasons". Regardless of skeptics' sayings, multitudes of signs and prophecies are taking place that never have before. And His Holy Spirit within us is speaking, pure magnet hope of His appearing drawing us upward to be conformed to His image.  I believe He could come this year.  Do I expect Him to?  (Well, maybe not, but I want to love the thought that He might!)  If He does not, I think it highly likely something major will happen. Don't we all sense it?  Are we ready? Is our family? Are we sounding the trumpet for others to hear?  

Anything--reasoning, religion, relationship, riches-- that would cause us to miss His appearing, to cast off our costly crown for cheap acceptance--is a tawdry, flimsy, imitation--simply NOT worth it.  Hold onto your crown!  Seek first the advancement of His kingdom!  The Real King (by Whose authority we conquer) is coming!  Have you left your "First Love?"  Return to Him.  Don't be left behind!  He loves you!