For Thought and Meditation - Saturday, September 04

[Pine Baron]

Good morning all. Here's a great start to the "Labor Day" weekend. Have a safe and blessed day.

Saturday, September 4, 2021 - Pastor Greg Laurie
A Heavenly Reunion

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.”
—1 Thessalonians 4:13

What happens to Christians when they die?

They go immediately into the presence of God.

The apostle Paul wrote, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13 NLT).

Paul was writing to believers in Thessalonica who were grieving because their loved ones had died, and they thought they’d never see them again. He went on to say, “For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died” (verse 14 NLT).

When the Rapture takes place, we will be reunited with our loved ones. It’s also when we all will receive our resurrection bodies—radically upgraded versions of our old ones.

Sometimes people claim that no one can figure out Bible prophecy, and there are so many different views that we shouldn’t even talk about it. On the contrary, God wants us to know about the end times. Notice that Paul said, “We want you to know what will happen.”

The very word revelation—the title of the last book of the Bible—means “the unveiling.” So here’s what Paul is saying: if you’ve lost loved ones and they’ve gone to Heaven, then you will see them again. Imagine that you’re going about your daily business, and suddenly, in a moment that happens so quickly that you can’t even measure it in time, you’re reunited with your loved ones.

So God gives us Bible prophecy not to scare us but to encourage us. It is not God’s desire to conceal but to reveal. He wants us to know these things.

[ioon44]

Rev 19:10

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

[USMC87]

Amen, We will one day be in the presence of God!

[Jim22]

A good choice PB. I have been thinking lately about the beyond. My wife is 80 years old - older than I. Two weeks ago we had a small family gathering to celebrate a birthday. Maybe six people. The granddaughter was there and shared her Covid with everyone. Her mother is an invalid suffering from COPD. In a day or so it became aware that people there had been infected. The two of us stayed home. We felt progressively worse so we went to be tested. Both of us are positive.

I seem to be doing well. I'm still doing the cooking and shopping. Neither of us has much appetite but my wife is eating very little.

It has been two weeks since we caught the crud. I don't know how much longer we will need to stay home. As far as I am concerned I have lived through colds and flu that were more trying than this. Can't speak for my wife, though. I feel amost good but tired.

Hope you are all well.

Jim

[Pine Baron]

Jim,
Praying that your wife and you get through this, sooner than later.
Try taking vitamin C, D3 and zinc. Seems to have worked for me.