Day 44
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 NIV
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 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. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
The Coming King!
In today's passage Paul is addressing an apparent fear that Jesus has already come or might come and catch some unaware. There was apparently enough fear of being left behind that the Apostle felt the need to write a second letter and address this misconception. Paul begins today's reading with "now, bretheren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering to Him" so Paul is addressing a concern of many of the people he continues in verse 2 with do not be shaken or troubled in mind "as though the day of Christ has come. Paul then begins to give some signs of His coming so they can have peace and not live in worry about being left. Growing up I can remember this being an issue for me. I can remember night where I had trouble going to sleep for fear that I might not be ready. While this isn't completely unhealthy my view of God was flawed just as these people. I was saved as these believers are and we are not told to live in fear but faith. The day of His coming shouldn't produce dread and fear but rather excitement and yearning. Sure we want time for many of our loved ones to be saved but there is no question that upon His coming we will experience great joy. Paul then begins to discuss the coming of the Anti-Christ, he refers to Him as the "son of perdition." This son of perdition will do everything in his power to mimic God and deceive people into thinking he is God. The Holy Spirit is mentioned here as the restrainer. The prayers of the church keep evil from being unleashed upon this earth, but when the church is taken out of the way a terrible day will ensue. Best before we get too carried away Paul says in verse 8 that "the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming" yes this evil one will come but Christ will come again in power and with little effort take back all that belongs to God. We as believers do not need to fear this enemy because we know our future! We know that there is a very real and eternal heaven and even if we happen to live til the end when Jesus returns we will indeed know the joy of His return. Rejoice today because the King is coming. We need to live like He is coming tomorrow and save as many as we can while there is time.
Blessings,
Pastor Larry
Showing posts with label rapture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rapture. Show all posts
Daily Reading February 20 2010 from 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 NIV
Day 41
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
1 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self‑controlled.7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self‑controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.10 He died for us so that, whether
we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Sons of the Light!
Paul begins this section by writing about the timing of the coming of the Lord. We know from other scripture that no man knows the day or the hour though many have tried to predict the exact date. Most recently we have been hearing the date 2012 used as a possible date and time. Years ago it was 1988 when a man named Edgar Whisenant wrote of the 88 reasons why Jesus would return for the church in 1988. Later after his prediction didn't come true he gave 89 reasons why He would return in 1989, needless to say Whisenant found many less eager ears in 1989 after bring proven wrong in 1988. Since just shortly after Jesus ascended to heaven there has been talk of his return with many predictions as to when. While we cannot know the exact date and time we can understand the times. As Paul writes here we shouldn't be surprised by the coming of the Lord, in other words we should have an understanding of the nearness of His coming. We are not in darkness but rather we are children of light, of the day. Paul says in verse 6 "let us be alert and self-controlled" we belong to the day so we should be self-controlled. Paul goes on in verse 8 "let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and hope of salvation as a helmet. Are you living in hope, faith, and love? Are you trusting God? Are you walking in love? Are you renewing your mind on a daily basis? We have this great hope because Jesus came, overcame, died and arose. We can take courage because He lived the perfect life and became the sacrifice for our sins. Our challenge today is to stay in the light. Many circumstances can bring us down and cause us to doubt, lose hope, or waiver in our faith. But when we choose to walk in the love of Christ He will cause us to prevail even in the most difficult of times. Take courage God is in control.
Blessings,
Pastor Larry
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
1 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self‑controlled.7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self‑controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.10 He died for us so that, whether
we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Sons of the Light!
Paul begins this section by writing about the timing of the coming of the Lord. We know from other scripture that no man knows the day or the hour though many have tried to predict the exact date. Most recently we have been hearing the date 2012 used as a possible date and time. Years ago it was 1988 when a man named Edgar Whisenant wrote of the 88 reasons why Jesus would return for the church in 1988. Later after his prediction didn't come true he gave 89 reasons why He would return in 1989, needless to say Whisenant found many less eager ears in 1989 after bring proven wrong in 1988. Since just shortly after Jesus ascended to heaven there has been talk of his return with many predictions as to when. While we cannot know the exact date and time we can understand the times. As Paul writes here we shouldn't be surprised by the coming of the Lord, in other words we should have an understanding of the nearness of His coming. We are not in darkness but rather we are children of light, of the day. Paul says in verse 6 "let us be alert and self-controlled" we belong to the day so we should be self-controlled. Paul goes on in verse 8 "let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and hope of salvation as a helmet. Are you living in hope, faith, and love? Are you trusting God? Are you walking in love? Are you renewing your mind on a daily basis? We have this great hope because Jesus came, overcame, died and arose. We can take courage because He lived the perfect life and became the sacrifice for our sins. Our challenge today is to stay in the light. Many circumstances can bring us down and cause us to doubt, lose hope, or waiver in our faith. But when we choose to walk in the love of Christ He will cause us to prevail even in the most difficult of times. Take courage God is in control.
Blessings,
Pastor Larry
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Daily Reading February 19 2010 from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV
Day 40
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.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.
Death Were is Your Sting?
"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep" here Paul makes death sound so temporary and for the believer it truly is. The Bible tells us that Jesus overcame death, hell, and the grave. Paul is again proclaiming the hope of the Cross to these persecuted believers in order to encourage them to persevere. Paul here speaks of the resurrection of the dead when Jesus returns for those who have called on Him. Verse 16 tells us that the Lord will command with a voice and a trumpet call and then at that very moment the dead in Christ will arise and after that those who are still living and serving Christ will be taken away to meet the Lord in the air. This is what we commonly call the rapture of the church. This is the ultimate promise to the believer. This promise should be communicated to all who believer in order to encourage. Not that we should cease from all activity until He comes on the contrary we need to win as many as we can as we anxiously look toward that last day. Paul concludes this chapter with "encourage each other with these words." We spend a great deal of time worrying about our enemy but we can read verses like these and realize even if we are killed for Christ we have the ultimate hope of eternity with our Lord. Aren't you glad you can claim that promise. If you cannot simply call on His name in repentance, He will hear your cry and you too can have this great hope of heaven and eternity with the Savior.
1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NIV
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed–52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessings,
Pastor Larry
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.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.
Death Were is Your Sting?
"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep" here Paul makes death sound so temporary and for the believer it truly is. The Bible tells us that Jesus overcame death, hell, and the grave. Paul is again proclaiming the hope of the Cross to these persecuted believers in order to encourage them to persevere. Paul here speaks of the resurrection of the dead when Jesus returns for those who have called on Him. Verse 16 tells us that the Lord will command with a voice and a trumpet call and then at that very moment the dead in Christ will arise and after that those who are still living and serving Christ will be taken away to meet the Lord in the air. This is what we commonly call the rapture of the church. This is the ultimate promise to the believer. This promise should be communicated to all who believer in order to encourage. Not that we should cease from all activity until He comes on the contrary we need to win as many as we can as we anxiously look toward that last day. Paul concludes this chapter with "encourage each other with these words." We spend a great deal of time worrying about our enemy but we can read verses like these and realize even if we are killed for Christ we have the ultimate hope of eternity with our Lord. Aren't you glad you can claim that promise. If you cannot simply call on His name in repentance, He will hear your cry and you too can have this great hope of heaven and eternity with the Savior.
1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NIV
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed–52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessings,
Pastor Larry
Friday, February 19, 2010
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