Confidence

Good Morning!

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (English Standard Version)
The Coming of the Lord
13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,[a] that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For 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. 17Then 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. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Or by the word of the Lord

We are several days into the third year of Good Mornings. It was Memorial Day 2008 when I received a call from a good friend with some heartbreaking news. Time has passed but I know the hurt still remains – so we continue to give a word of encouragement or of joy or of instruction as the Lord leads day by day. And I must admit, there are days that I sit at the keyboard without a thought in my mind – but something seems always to come at just the right time.

I want to thank you for your faithfulness in reading the Good Mornings – and occasionally responding to what you have read. I also thank you for letting me know about loved ones who are facing life’s trials and tribulations – and for following up when God intervenes. I personally think the prayer lists and praise list are the most important part of the ministry – and YOU are the ones who make it go. Thank you for your prayers and praises.

Sometimes we wonder about death. Recently my son’s old cat, Princess, died. Losing a pet is one of the first traumatic events a child can go through – and one wondered how Sarabeth and Jamie would take the demise of Princess. The answer is “rather well”. Princess wasn’t a very friendly cat – and the girls made sure to warn everyone not to get near her. Still, the loss of a pet is still a loss.

Believers in Christ Jesus have the assurance of eternal life. If that weren’t true, then the Bible we read and depend upon would be just another book. It is not just another book. It is God’s word – and it is about God’s Word, Jesus Christ. And Jesus tells us plainly that those who have believed upon Him have passed from death to life. So when Paul broached the subject of death and resurrection with the church at Thessalonica, he used the term “asleep” to describe believers who have died. Here, Paul talks about when Jesus returns to this world – often referred to as the “rapture of the Church”. Now I am not here attempting to discuss eschatology – premillenial, post millennial, amillenial or any other millennial theory. None of this is in my control – I am just waiting to see what God’s going to do and am going to rejoice when He does it.

But the key message for today’s Good Morning is that we do not have to fear the loss of a loved one who knows Christ Jesus as Lord. And we don’t have to fear that eventuality ourselves – because we are promised eternal life by our Savior, Jesus Christ. And that makes this day a special day for each of us.


Agape’

Mr. Jim
Fatdad5@comcast.net
"Preach the Gospel everyday - and if you have to, use words" ... St. Francis of Assisi