Rev 2:25 “Nevertheless, what you have, hold fast til I come.”

TO LIVE WE HAVE TO DIE

Are you holding fast? Christ is telling us here through the Apostle John to hold fast to what we have. So, the question is “What do we have?”

Have you thought about the fact that we have soooooooo much in Christ? We have everything we need to live the Christian life. Why? Because it is not our life, it is His. All we have to do is let HIM live through us. All we have to do is die to self daily.

TEACHING MOMENT

Dying to self is a difficult concept to teach our children. When we mention dying to a child they often will get scared and upset. I understand that. To many people, even Christians, death is scary. What we have to do, however, is educate our children about what death really is. For a believer, death is simply a transition to life eternal with Christ. And that, my friend, is a comfort, not a fear.

But how do we help our children “die daily” to Christ? We pray with them each day to let Christ live through them. We teach them to pray, “Lord, get me out of the way today. Be my ears, eyes, mouth and hands. Live and love through me today Jesus.” That’s it! Nothing else! But we have to do it daily or we can’t “hold fast” to what we have.

Holding fast literally means to hold strong, guard or grip tightly. Life wants to cause us to loose grip sometimes. Things get crazy, busy, discouraging, challenging. Christ says here “Hang tight. I’ve got this. Don’t sweat it.” It’s like the song lyrics say, “Jesus be Jesus in me. No longer me but Thee. Resurrection power, fill me this hour. Jesus be Jesus in me.”

Will you today just let Him have complete control? Hold fast to your faith in Him who is holding you fast. Rest my brother! Rest my sister.