Tag: trumpet
Day 3–The Final Call–the Upper-taker!
Scripture reading for June 24: 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 “For this we declare to you by a Word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
Believers in the early church at Thessalonica were struggling to understand the return of Jesus Christ. Some teachers in the church were saying that Jesus had already come and others were not clear on how and when He would return as He promised in the clouds of heavenly glory. (Acts 1:11) Paul wrote this letter to bring understanding to all believers. Paul declared that this written Word was from the Lord, Himself. This was not Paul’s imagination or interpretation of some mystical message.
When the Lord Jesus descends from heaven, there will be a cry of an archangel and the sound of God’s trumpet announcing His appearance. Those believers who have already died and their bodies are in graves will rise up first in glorified new bodies. Next, those believers who are alive and left on earth will be caught up together with those resurrected from graves. As a great company we will meet the Lord Jesus in the air to join Him for eternal life in His glorious presence. This event is described as the ‘rapture’ or ‘catching up’ of the Church, Christ’s Bride.
Whether you are a first responder or not, God Himself wanted us all to understand the certainty of this final call from the archangel and the sounding of God’s trumpet. This can happen at any time so now is the time to make sure you are prepared by abiding in Christ as Lord and eagerly awaiting to respond to His call. We are to encourage one another with these words!
Prayer: Father God, thank You that You are a God of order and planning,, knowing all that will come. You give each person instruction and warning of coming events. We await with anticipation the fulfilment of Your promise to come for us. Amen.
Our Hope, Joy, and Crown!
Scripture reading for December 2: 1st Thessalonians 1-5
“They tell us how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead–Jesus, Who rescues us from the coming wrath.” (1st Thessalonians 1:9-10) Every chapter of this short letter has a reference to Jesus Christ’s return. Believers are focused on the greatest event that can happen to them, the return of Jesus Christ! Jesus is alive and He rescues us from the coming wrath of God!
“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when He comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.” (1st Thessalonians 2:19) Paul was expecting a reward when Jesus came back. We should too! Every soul who has been saved through our ministry or giving to the Lord will bring joy and a crown and glory! This is the hope that we have as Christians!
“May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.” (1st Thessalonians 3:13) Paul prayed for strength in these believers’ hearts so that they would be able to stand before the Lord when He does appear. It will be a glorious time for those who are ready. Purity and holiness are required to see the Lord and to stand before Him! May God strengthen our hearts today in preparation for that fast-approaching day!
“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 arise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17) Jesus is personally coming back for those who have trusted in Him. The dead rise first to receive glorified bodies. Then we who are alive will be caught up and instantly changed. This will happen in an instant at the shout of the archangel and the trumpet call of God. It will catch many by surprise!
“May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One Who calls you is faithful and He will do it.” (1st Thessalonians 5:23-24) Thankfully, Paul prays again for the Thessalonians. (And us as well.) Thankfully, Jesus Christ is faithful and He will keep us blameless! What comfort! Amen!
King of love
Scripture reading for October 3rd: 1st John 4, Psalm 47, Proverbs 11
1st John 4: 7-12 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us.”
John, the ‘beloved’ disciple, calls Christ’s followers “beloved!” He proclaims that God is love and that all who love are born of God and know God. Those without love do not know God. God made His love known to us through His Son. Jesus Christ came into the world that we might have life through His sacrificial death! We would not even know love if God had not made it visible to us in Christ. Since God loved us through giving Himself for us, we have an obligation to love one another. When we love one another, God abides in us and makes Himself visible to others and perfects His love in us. Hail King Jesus, King of Love!
Psalm 47:4-7 “He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom He loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for showing us what love looks like through Your Son! Thank You that we have a King Who loves us and abides with us through His Holy Spirit. Thank You for the privilege of knowing Your love and sharing that love with my family and brothers and sisters. I long for Your love to be perfected in me when the trumpet sounds and You return and take me to dwell in Your presence!
Proverbs 11:10-11 “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.”
Death Swallowed Up in Victory!
Scripture reading for August 4th: Isaiah 25-28
Key Scriptures: Isaiah 25:7-9 “On this mountain He will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth. The Lord Has spoken. In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him and He saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”
Isaiah’s awesome prophesy about our Lord swallowing up death forever has been fulfilled by the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ! We now have the tears and disgrace of death because of our sins wiped away. This is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ! Those who trust in Him know for sure that they are God’s children and rejoice in His salvation!
Rejoice in victory over death: “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed–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. . . . 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.” (1st Corinthians 15:51-52, 54)