April 27 devotion - Rapture

1 Thessalonians 4:17 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. (NIV)

            It’s called ‘The Rapture,’ and is one of the greatest mysteries in the Bible. The apostle Paul describes it as an amazing moment at the end of time when Christ suddenly returns to our planet. After initially raising the faithful dead, Jesus will then transport all of His living followers to be with Him above the Earth, just before all sorts of calamities and judgments take place. We don’t know how or exactly when it will happen, but everything – absolutely everything – will be changed in a microsecond. One moment, the Earth and its inhabitants will be what they always appear to be and then, in the blink of an eye, the world and everyone in it will be changed forever. There will be no point in praying or appealing to God for mercy after that dread moment; we will either be with Jesus above the Earth or we will be stranded on our planet awaiting the Final Judgment.

            Frequently, the Rapture is something that unnerves, scares, and confuses a lot of church people. Mainline pastors don’t preach on it very often because it creates a lot of discomfort and unease in the hearts and minds of congregants. We all just want to get on with our lives, be happy, and, at the end of our time on Earth, be accepted and welcomed into God’s eternal bliss. However, as each day passes, we get one day nearer to Christ’s sudden return. He could come back today, so the question we need – absolutely need – to ask ourselves is this: at that astounding moment, will I be taken up into the clouds to be with Christ or left on Earth to await His judgment?

Point to ponder

Am I ready for Christ’s sudden return? What needs to change in my life in order for me to be prepared?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we carelessly live our lives as if they go on forever. We take Your mercy and grace for granted, believing we can live how we want and do what we want. You know that there are things in our lives which need to be changed. You know there are promises we have made to You which we have broken or failed to keep. Help us, Lord, to mend those failures and enable us to become ready for Your Return. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and along and join us for worship on Sundays at 11:00 AM. You’ll be made most welcome 😊

Today’s image is one of John’s Communion drawings called “Time Stood Still.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Time.

Get Ready to Go - 1 Thessalonians 4:17

1 Thessalonians 4:17 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. (NIV)

            It’s called ‘The Rapture,’ and is one of the greatest mysteries in the Bible. The apostle Paul describes it as an amazing moment at the end of time when Christ suddenly returns to our planet. After initially raising the faithful dead, Jesus will then transport all of His living followers to be with Him above the Earth, just before all sorts of calamities and judgments take place. We don’t know how or exactly when it will happen, but everything – absolutely everything – will be changed in a microsecond. One moment, the Earth and its inhabitants will be what they always appear to be and then, in the blink of an eye, the world and everyone in it will be changed forever. There will be no point in praying or appealing to God for mercy after that dread moment; we will either be with Jesus above the Earth or we will be stranded on our planet awaiting the Final Judgment.

            Frequently, the Rapture is something that unnerves, scares, and confuses a lot of church people. Mainline pastors don’t preach on it very often because it creates a lot of discomfort and unease in the hearts and minds of congregants. We all just want to get on with our lives, be happy, and, at the end of our time on Earth, be accepted and welcomed into God’s eternal bliss. However, as each day passes, we get one day nearer to Christ’s sudden return. He could come back today, so the question we need – absolutely need – to ask ourselves is this: at that astounding moment, will I be taken up into the clouds to be with Christ or left on Earth to await His judgment?

Point to ponder

Am I ready for Christ’s sudden return? What needs to change in my life in order for me to be prepared?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we carelessly live our lives as if they go on forever. We take Your mercy and grace for granted, believing we can live how we want and do what we want. You know that there are things in our lives which need to be changed. You know there are promises we have made to You which we have broken or failed to keep. Help us, Lord, to mend those failures and enable us to become ready for Your Return. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and along and join us for worship on Sundays at 11:00 AM. You’ll be made most welcome 😊

Today’s image is one of John’s Communion drawings called “Time Stood Still.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Time.

Daily devotions: Nearer to God - 1 Thessalonians 4:9-18

1 Thessalonians 4:16             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. 

Understand this: Jesus is coming back at a time that we least expect. Will we be ready?

Probably most of us go through each day from one event, experience, or hour until the next without giving any thought to Christ’s Return. We are so far removed from the time of Paul that we go about thinking something like: ‘well, if Jesus has waited almost 2000 years to return, He probably won’t get here in my lifetime.’ We forget, though, that unlike Paul, we are now 2000 years nearer to that incredible day when Jesus arrives to finally judge the Earth.

This is why changing our present lifestyles is so crucial: honestly ask yourself this: if Jesus arrives today, will I be ready? Will I be taken or forsaken? Will I go to heaven or hell?

Some people turn off when preachers talk like that. They stick their heads in the sand and go into denial about what’s going to happen. They think that if they shut it out from their minds, it won’t ever occur. All they want to listen to is Pollyanna preaching and read happy-go-lucky theology. They don’t want to accept that their time, civilization, culture and society will be no more when Christ returns.

So for those people, let me reiterate: Understand this: Jesus is coming back at a time that we least expect. Will we be ready?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, free us from fooling ourselves and for filling our lives with trivial pursuits. Remind us that we each have everlasting souls and that the destiny of those precious souls depends upon the faith choices that we make on Earth. Keep us from making the colossal mistake of setting aside Biblical truths and replacing them with cultural philosophies. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is presently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask him a question, please send an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest “Scotland in Winter” prints called “Bonnie Dunkeld.” It depicts the beautiful town of Dunkeld covered in snow. You can view a larger image of this print at the following link:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5393592425_c5a7d357f7_b.jpg