“Hold On To What You Have!”

“Hold On To What You Have!”(Rev.3:7-13).
The black slaves in the American plantations appropriated the bits that they could glean from the Scriptures and composed songs that became their coping devices in their penury, pain, and nostalgia.
Songs like, “My Lord, come down, Come down, come down, O my Lord is writing all the time. He sees what you do, and hears what you say, O my Lord is writing all the time…”
They may not have been exposed to all of the scriptures, but from the little they had gleaned, they knew that heaven had not forgotten them. And if the slave masters thought they could get away with wickedness and evil, they deceived themselves because God is not a respecter of persons. “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.”(Ps.34:15-16).
God knows our struggles, our pains, and our gains. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. When we are at our weakest, he assures us, My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is revealed in your weakness.
Good work deserves commendation. Such is how the majority of the Philadelphian Christians were commended:
“These are the words of him who is holy and true… ‘I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.'”
My friend, there is the danger of resting on our laurels – especially when we have received high praises.
A man had gathered a large quantity of fish in his net. He heard that a swam of larger fishes were close by. He released the so-called small fish in his net. As they swam away, he realised his neighbours had caught all the big fish. My friend, be wise! As we wait for the Day of the Lord, let us hold tight to these words:“Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Let us continue to keep the command to endure patiently. The LORD will also keep us from the soon-to-be hour of trial.
Sunday prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to hold on to what I have so that no one can take my crown. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you! Happy rally celebrations to the men of the PCC! Merry Christmas!
Rev Babila Fochang.
14/12/2025.