Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Observation: Jesus is coming again! What great comfort these words bring: "the Lord himself will come down from heaven." Jesus is not going to send an angel. He is the One who is coming. When it is finally time to wrap things up here on this planet it is Jesus who will be doing the job. What will be the loud command? Maybe it is the Lord's voice calling each one who has died by name from the grave. Like Jesus did before, "Lazarus, come forth!" But this time He will miraculously and powerfully call everyone at the same time: "Y'all, come forth!" (Maybe the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call are the wake up call for those who are particularly hard sleepers!) Then all the dead in Christ will rise up out of their graves. Next, the living believers are "caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." Wow! What will that be like? I can imagine just going about my day -- then hearing an amazing and wonderful sound -- then zoom -- I'm going up into the sky! It sounds fanciful but it will happen. And when it does, it will be so wonderful. What a way to go!
Application: Live to go. We should keep it in mind that we will be departing this planet, maybe soon. It's a simple truth that will help us to take the hits of this life with a more joyful response. This place and the stuff associated with it is not my destiny. I'm going up! Remembering this will help me to keep looking up and living up to God's ways.
Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are coming again. Thank You that this promise is real and settled and that we can live in the assurance and joy that You will call us up to the clouds to be with You. May we live up to that level. Marantha, come quickly Lord Jesus.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 comment:
This is GREAT Pastor, I read this and felt the Lord speak greatly. I can only imagine the great voice of the Lord our GOD. I can say Amen' to this Pastor Mike.
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