by David Brenneman
"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
"Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness." 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.
There is a plan and purpose that's sealed in a promise from God that Jesus will indeed one day return for His Bride the Church.
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1-3.
Throughout church history, for two thousand plus years, people have been taught to anticipate Jesus returning. Many have taken to just not talk about it but the faithful preach it. When we come to Christ for salvation we are added to the list of those who are the Bride of Jesus Christ. Jesus, through His Spirit, is changing lives and bringing about the fruition of His promises.
We cannot live a life in Christ without a solid realization that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we could be standing in the presence of Jesus.
"Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:51-57.
When anyone I know, who's time on this Earth is done, goes on to their Heavenly home...I do feel something concerning it. Part of me longs for the same, part of me knows that one day it will either be my journey to Heaven or the Rapture of the Church. My mind sort of goes to that song "I Can Only Imagine". What are they seeing right now. Oh the reunions they are experiencing! The embrace they have with Jesus! He whom they knew from a distance but now face-to-face.
My Dear Reader if you haven't come to Christ for salvation you will not experiencing anything of this. Your address will not change to that Heavenly place. Your only destination upon death is Hell. We are born in sin as the Bible clearly says. The wages of sin is death, eternal separation from God. We must agree with God that we need a Savior who is Christ the Lord. We have all been given a measure of faith in coming to Christ for salvation. We either reject it or embrace it.
But it's upon us to choose it.
Nobody will be able to stand before Jesus and say that they didn't even get the chance. He will show them every single chance they had. The Bible says that everyone will be without excuse in that day. There will be no acceptable reason for rejecting the free gift of salvation.
Add to this that there's no second chances after death.
My Dear Reader please be sure of whether or not you are saved in Christ.
"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13.
Whether or not you are comforted by these words today tells whether or not you are saved. Either you will be looking forward to meeting Jesus or you are afraid because you know you won't.
Jesus is ready to wipe the slate clean, to give you a new life in Christ, to give you a future and a hope if you come to Him and ask Him to save you.
If you are saved...keep an ear out for our call to come home and your hands working on whatever God's wanting you to do...be comforted by these words.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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