God Uses Clouds For His Purpose – Part IV

-August 7, 2023-

Good morning, happy Monday,

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

The coming of the Lord is one of the most exciting things we have to look forward to. It is commonly called, “The Rapture.” The Lord Jesus promised to come again, and He keeps His promises. John 14:1-3 says, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

When you prepare for a move, there are many preparations that must be made. Though we are taking nothing with us to heaven, there are ways that we prepare for the day: by living for the Lord, serving Him, sharing the gospel with the lost, praying, reading the Word, and encouraging one another in love. We do all things and more as we await our departure from this world. When the Lord takes us up it represents a permanent change of address.

Those who have died will be reunited with their bodies and those who are alive will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Three things will happen simultaneously, in a split second: the Lord will shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God. Only believers will see, hear, and experience these glorious things. What a reunion! What a homecoming for us!

This is why clouds are such great reminders of the Lord’s coming. The hymn writer wrote, “Oh what a meeting, there in the skies, no tears nor crying shall dim our eyes; loved ones united eternally, Oh, what a daybreak that morn will be.” No one knows the day nor the hour of the Savior’s coming; we must be ready, for His coming is imminent. John wrote, “And now little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28).

Let us look for, long for, and live for that golden day. Stay safe and healthy.

Waiting for our blissful transition,

Dean