RAPTURABLE?: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 25TH AUGUST 2018

MEMORISE:
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1 Thessalonians 4:16

READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

MESSAGE
We need to constantly remind ourselves as Christians that we do not have an abiding city in this world. These words of Hebrews 13:14 should continually echo in our ears:

 “For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.”

To take us to our abiding home, genuine children of God are expecting an event, called the rapture, which the Holy Spirit describes in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, saying:

“ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

One truth we should take cognizance of from the above scripture is that only the dead in Christ will be raised at this event. The “dead in Christ” does not include those who died as backsliders; only those who died as genuine Christians will be raised when Jesus comes again. That is why the Lord said in Mark 13:13:

“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

To be rapturable therefore, you must dig in and take a stand for Jesus Chris, even through this may attract persecution or tribulation. However, we must endure these. Persecution and tribulation are not strange to the Christian faith, as our Lord already told us they will happen (Matthew 5: 11-12).

Those of us still running the Christian race today must be more careful because there are many distractions in the world today than there have ever been before. So many things are happening that can distract us, so much so that we may forget the great event we are expecting, which will determine where we will spend our eternity. We should therefore not be caught unawares, because in Luke 17:26-27, the Lord said:

“And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”

I therefore beseech you by the mercies of God to ensure you are not conformed to this world, and to constantly present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord (Romans 12:1-2).

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to continually live a rapturable life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 64-68 Matthew 25:31-26:5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: HYMN 5: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though- none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

4. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.