Crowns Being Prepared for the Faithful

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7, 8.
When the Lord makes up His jewels, the true, the frank, the honest, will be looked upon with pleasure. Angels are employed in making crowns for such ones, and upon these star-gemmed crowns will be reflected, with splendor, the light which radiates from the throne of God.
Talk of heavenly things. Talk of Jesus, His loveliness and glory, and of His undying love for you, and let your heart flow out in love and gratitude to Him, who died to save you. O, get ready to meet your Lord in peace. Those who are ready will soon receive an unfading crown of life, and will dwell forever in the kingdom of God, with Christ, with angels, and with those who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.
A crown of glory . . . is laid up for us who wait, and love, and long for, the appearing of the Saviour.
It is the waiting ones who are to be crowned with glory, honor, and immortality. You need not talk . . . of the honors of the world, or the praise of its great ones. They are all vanity. Let but the finger of God touch them, and they would soon go back to dust again. I want honor that is lasting, honor that is immortal, honor that will never perish; a crown that is richer than any crown that ever decked the brow of a monarch.
In that day the redeemed will shine forth in the glory of the Father and His Son. The angels of heaven, touching their golden harps, will welcome the King, and those who are the trophies of His victory–those who have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. A song of triumph will peal forth, filling all heaven. Christ has conquered. He enters the heavenly courts accompanied by His redeemed ones, the witnesses that His mission of suffering and self-sacrifice has not been in vain.
Maranatha p. 309
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Prayer Requests
—– Lisa and I are pulling a trailer with 6,000 lbs. worth of Bibles, books, DVDs, and other supplies across the country from Michigan to Mountain View, California. We’re on our way to our fall field school in the Silicon Valley. The apologetics meetings in downtown San Jose, and the follow-up archaeology meetings in Mountain View recently drew a full house each night. People are yearning to know truth and find answers that make sense. We’re working with 13 churches, most of whom will have Seminary students of Dr. Clouzet preaching simultaneous meetings there. Opening night will be on Sept 10. On Sept 11, Dr. Clouzet will preach a new sermon on Islam in the Bible.
Please pray for
• The development of this critical sermon
• Traveling mercies for the entire Seminary team
• Each of the speakers to be anointed by the Holy Spirit, the love of Christ, and the wisdom of God
• Many in secular Silicon Valley to come out to the meetings, seeking the truth
• Our church members to step up to the plate and help love guests into the fold
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Dear Friends
My grandfather always had a love for trains. He had some experience riding them, as he left home in 1894 when he was ten spending much of his time stowing away in boxcars. As he rode along, he often pretended that he was the engineer driving that huge, puffing engine. He dreamed of the day when he would actually be an engineer.
One day, his dreams and plans came to an end. His abusive father caught up with him and immediately set about getting him into an apprenticeship in the family trade of bookbinding. Although my grandfather didn’t want to do it, somehow his father was able to force him into it. The rest of his life he worked as a bookbinder. The rest of his life he hated it, yet he did such perfect work that he was in great demand. As he worked that huge lever which bound the leather to the book, he day-dreamed of being behind the throttle of a gigantic locomotive.
When I was a little girl, he often took me to the train station just to watch the trains. When I would ask him for a story, he often told me about the time he spent on trains (both legally and illegally). He looked upon the time that he spent “riding the rails” as the happiest time of his life. Soon, I began to have that same love for them and, for a little while, even wanted to be an engineer.
How many times we are like my grandfather in our Christian walk. We think about being a Christian, we talk about religion, we dream of the reward at the end; yet, we fail to actually take hold of the free gift of salvation. Our Dear Saviour died to save us, but He does not force it upon us. We must reach out and accept it. We must have a daily experience with the Lord, a daily conversion from our will to His perfect will. Peter advises, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” 2 Peter 1:10
How many times there is still a little part of our heart where a love for worldly pleasures abide. This ought not to be. John advises, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.” 1 John 2:15-17; 1 Thes 4:3 How are we sanctified? In that great prayer of Jesus found in John 17, we find the key. Our Dear Saviour prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17 David agrees, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee Ps 119:9-11 Solomon adds, “My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.” “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Pr 7:1-3; Ecc 12:13
May we daily accept God’s Great Provision which He so freely offers. May we serve Him in singleness of heart. May we love to spend time in God’s Holy Word each day, hiding His precepts in our heart that we may please the One Who loves us so.
Rose