DO YOU KNOW! 9/13/15

DO YOU KNOW that God did not disclose His will all at once, through those, from the beginning of mankind?   Do you know that God revealed all things in “bits and pieces” then?   There were exceptions, like Melchizedek, Balaam and even Job.   Did you know that God spoke to the prophets of the Jewish nation and would reveal some things to one prophet, and another part would come through a different one?   Did you know that 1500 years passed from Moses to Christ?   And did you know that the Old Testament was not complete until the last word of Malachi was written!  
“IN THE PAST God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets.  But in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son.  He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end.  “He shines with the brightness of God’s glory; He is the exact likeness of God’s own being, and sustains the universe with His powerful Word   After He had made men clean from their sins, He sat down in heaven at the right side of God, the Supreme Power!”  Hebrews 1:1-3 (Good News)
PETER IDENTIFIES; “but in these last days” as beginning on Pentecost.   Apparently, the Church has been in the lasts days since it began.   Kind of mind boggling isn’t it!    What mystify’s me is that the Church doesn’t get the picture of Christ’s coming again, even though Jesus said it Himself.    “And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be there also.”   John 14:3
IT IS CLEAR to me that the place (or a room),  Jesus went to prepare for us, was the cross.    Without the cross there would be no place for us to go.    This passage is speaking of Christ’s second coming.  All who belong to Him will be taken to the “wedding feast in heaven”. Paul reiterates this as follows;  “Those who have died believing in Christ, will rise to life first; then we who are living at that time will all be gathered up along with them, in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will always be with the Lord.”   1 Thessalonians 4:16b-17 
I CAN’T HELP but feel excited about His coming again!   Paul had it altogether when he preached the Word and when he wrote his letters.  He was lifting up and encouraging the Saints to be ready, fully prepared, and full of anticipation.   Jesus was coming again!   May not have been then or it may not be tomorrow, but you can count on God to fulfill His promise, because,  ‘Jesus is coming again!'
LET’S GET THE PICTURE!   All of God’s people since the beginning of time will be gathered up as the dead rise to life, and those living are changed, to meet the Lord in the air.  Nothing says that Jesus will ever set foot on earth again.  His people will rise to meet Him!   The Church that is active here on earth, will become the Church Triumphant.   The Church of Christ does not terminate, but is united with Christ as a bride to her husband, and the Wedding Feast continues forever without end.
I BELIEVE that the church should live excitedly.      Some would like to say that because Jim and I are so active in our Church, we are just involved in busy work.   There is nothing busy about it!  Oh our days are full, we like to be there whenever the doors are open but busy work means not important.   When we are asked to do something we give it our all.   It is not important that it be important to everyone, but it becomes important to us because it is for God’s Kingdom.   Makes all the difference in the world to us!  
“SO THEN, cheer each other up with these words.”  1 Thessalonians 4:18   I love the words of songs; “Get all excited, go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is king!”    “Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace.”   Jim and I want to be there, and wouldn’t it be more than wonderful, if you were there also.        By Jane Ann Crenshaw   9/5/15