Death or No Death

Death or No Death

1 Thessalonians 4: ¹⁵ What we are teaching you now is the Lord's teaching: we who are alive on the day the Lord comes will not go ahead of those who have died. ¹⁶ There will be the shout of command, the archangel's voice, the sound of God's trumpet, and the Lord himself will come down from heaven. Those who have died believing in Christ will rise to life first; ¹⁷ then we who are living at that time will be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ So then, encourage one another with these words.

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“Don’t worry about it” were the assuring words from someone who saw me crying over in the corner. I had messed up “whatever” and was crying. It took me a while to realize that whatever I was crying over really did not matter.

 

• I was upset.
• I thought I had messed up.
• I worried that I could not be included in the favor others had.

 

Paul, Silas and Timothy spoke about the “Day of the LORD.” This is the moment JESUS will return to collect what is rightfully HIS. Anyone who died believing in JESUS as the Savior will rise from the dead. Anyone alive will be “gathered up” in the clouds to meet the LORD. These were encouraging words.

 

My Observations

• The “Day of the LORD” will be a glorious day for those who believe in the Risen LORD.
• Those who have died believing in CHRIST will be risen,
• Those who are alive believing in CHRIST will be “gathered up”.

 

Having a bad day? What about messing up? All bad days and messing up will one day come to an end. Based on the belief in JESUS as the Savior, even death cannot stop us from being with HIM. HE will raise people from the dead and will gather up those who believe.

 

Unfortunately the “Day of the LORD” has a difficult side. Those who are against JESUS and who persecuted HIS servants will not see HIS grace. One day HIS mercy will end for those who do not believe. Until then, I look up to the heavens, each and every day, to see when HE will return.

 

Challenge

• What do the writers say about death?
• What does this passage say about “life?”
• Will you give your life purpose and seek GOD’s kingdom to prepare people to receive CHRIST today?
• Will you be encouraged that JESUS has you, no matter how much you messed up or how many days have been bad?